by Kym Grosso
“Yeah, well. Apparently they’ve replicated their little trick with some vampires too,” Jake told him.
“I don’t know what started them down this path, but Mick seems to think they are looking to take over packs. I personally don’t believe one hundred percent of what comes out of his mouth, but that day they took me…that woman on the floor looked like Katrina. In her human form anyway. We don’t know if they can transform into animals yet.”
“This is too much to process. Does Kade know?”
“No, I haven’t told him. Been kind of busy here. You’re welcome to text him, but the fact of the matter is that we don’t know exactly how or why this is happening. Somehow the witches are involved. I’m pretty sure Ilsbeth had a hand in this somehow. All we know for sure is they’ve been stealing Katrina’s magick over the past three years. What they’re really planning long term is anyone’s guess.”
“I want to help, Kat, but my priority right now is Sam. We’ve got to find her.” Luca paced, his hands on his forehead.
“Let’s go get dressed.” Jax reached for Katrina’s hand and led her toward the staircase. “Jake, you mind keeping watch on the vamp?”
“You got it, boss.” Jake gave a small smile and eyed Luca.
As the Alpha ascended the steps, he glanced back to the vampire and shook his head. Before Luca had had a chance to ask for help, Jax had already decided to search for the redheaded witch. With child, she’d never survive the kind of torture the demons had inflicted on him.
He racked his brain, attempting to put together the pieces of the puzzle. Nothing was an isolated incident as far as he was concerned. His own kidnapping. Dimitri losing his wolf. Ilsbeth disappearing afterwards. Katrina’s infusion of witchcraft. The warlock. Avery’s role in Samantha’s disappearance. His mind churned the facts, and although he couldn’t definitively find the correlation between them, he was becoming more convinced Ilsbeth had instigated a chain reaction of mayhem. Maybe she’d meant to do it, maybe not. At this point, it mattered little. A demagogue, she was powerful enough to spark the trail of destruction.
Jax took Katrina into his arms, kissing her hair. A scant scent of chlorine from her midnight swim still remained and he smiled, thinking about making love with her. Determined to find and destroy the demons, he swore to the Goddess that today would be the day. Their nefarious existence was coming to an end.
Headphones muffled the deafening sound of the whirling blades. Jax concealed his shock as they circled the scene. From the air, he viewed the incinerated remains of the building. Red-hot embers kindled, wispy tendrils of smoke spiraled toward white puffy clouds. The odor of the charred wood seeped into the aircraft cabin.
As they descended, Jax observed a small group of witches on the front porch of the original mansion. He found it interesting that it had gone untouched while the newer structure had completely burned to the ground.
“What the hell happened here?” Jax heard Jake ask as the helicopter touched down.
“I doubt the magick man torched it himself,” Jax responded. “But then again, who knows?”
“That guy is an asshole,” Luca spat. “Don’t get me wrong. Duplicity was Ilsbeth’s middle name. But we could count on her to help keep things under control. This guy? He says he’s about ‘going back to nature’ but it’s all a bunch of fuzzy bullshit. He’s more interested in fucking than developing the coven. He left Samantha and the other witches in the Quarter to fend for themselves. It’s been a shit show.”
“Couldn’t Samantha or someone else have taken over? Kicked him out?” Jake asked.
“Ever since I was turned, Ilsbeth’s been in charge. I love Sam, but before I knew her, I wasn’t terribly fond of witches.”
“Or wolves,” Kat added.
“Or humans.” Jake smiled.
“Oh please. Vampires are far superior creatures. Humans are…well, they are interesting but I tire of their weak nature.” Luca sighed. “My point is that I have come to respect the witches. Samantha…she’s strong. An amazing woman. Her power is growing, no doubt, but she’s pregnant.”
“Back to Jake’s question, wasn’t there anyone else who challenged him? I find it hard to believe that Ilsbeth hadn’t groomed any other witches,” Jax pressed, sensing that he withheld information,
“At this time, there is no one who can fight Mick,” Luca hedged. “His party slash feel good style approach of running the coven appealed to several of the witches who’d grown tired of living under Ilsbeth’s iron fist.”
“Luca, you search the house. Kat and I will question Mick. You’re too upset right now to do it. I have a feeling you might drain him before we get answers. The last time we were here he seemed to be in a sharing mood. We don’t have time to get into a pissing match.” Jax turned to Jake. “Go wolf. Run the woods and see if you can scent Samantha. Let’s be as fast as we can. If Sam’s not here, we’ve got to look elsewhere.”
“You got it,” Jake answered, peeling off his clothes.
“Are we on the same page?” Jax asked, pinning his gaze on Luca.
“Yeah,” he grumbled.
“Don’t fuck it up. Get your shit together for your witch. We’re going to find her.”
Not waiting for the pilot, Jax wrapped his fingers around the handle and shoved open the door. He stretched out his hand to Katrina and helped her step onto the gravel driveway. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Jake leaping out of the helicopter, his tail wagging behind him. Jax gave Luca a nod of warning.
The warlock approached, this time wearing only shorts and a fitted yellow t-shirt with a smiley face on it. His face, marred by soot, wore a somber expression.
“Alpha. You’ll understand if I don’t extend a greeting.” He held up his blackened palms. “My wonderland has been ruined.”
“I see.” Jax hesitated, deciding not to apologize. “Luca needs to search for Samantha. She’s missing.”
“Yeah, I heard that he came lookin’ for her earlier. But Sam hasn’t been here. This isn’t her scene.”
“All the same to you, we need to search. I’d very much appreciate your cooperation.” Or I’ll force you, and it won’t be pretty. Jax gave a cool smile, hoping the warlock understood the implications of his choice should he refuse the request.
Mick’s eyes darted to the vampire and back to Jax, his lips tense with anger. “But of course. Search away.”
“Thank you. I knew you’d understand.” Jax gestured to Luca, who set off toward the dilapidated home.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what makes you think Sam would be here?” Mick scrubbed a dirtied hand through his hair.
“Avery. She was at the coven house,” Katrina explained.
“We’d like to talk to her,” Jax told him.
“Avery, Avery, Avery. Fucking turncoat bitch. You think you can trust someone,” he sneered.
“Trouble in paradise?” Jax raised a questioning eyebrow.
“She gave me a hard time about being with Elsie.”
“Elsie?” Katrina asked.
“Yeah, Elsie. Well, Elsie and Amber…Natalie, too. Look, I’m not tied to one witch. That’s the beauty of what I preach here. But Avery, she thought she was my girlfriend.” He put his hands on his hips and shook his head, rolling his eyes. “This…this fire. She did this. I know it. Jealousy is a very ugly emotion. Coveting what others have. No, my love is free. It always has been. She didn’t understand.”
“You had a fight last night?” Jax asked.
“Yes, it’s why I sent her away. She’s no longer welcome here. Of course I didn’t have the heart to kick her out of New Orleans. This is her home after all. I could be a hard-ass but it’s not like I’m channeling Ilsbeth. That’s not my style. Fuck, if you pissed off Ilsbeth, you’d find yourself at the end of a nasty spell, like waking without a hard-on for the rest of your supernatural life. Either that or she’d ban you from the entire state of Louisiana. I’m better than her. I’m a compassionate leader,” he professed.
“Yeah, I’m sure you’re a real Mother Teresa.” Jax wasn’t buying the warlock’s song and dance. Something about the story didn’t ring true, yet he couldn’t prove it false. “Avery had a hand in Samantha’s disappearance. So if you know where your girlfriend likes to hang out, it’s time to spill.”
“Are you hard of hearing? I just told you she’s not my goddamned girlfriend.” Mick raised his voice, a tick in his temple visibly pulsated as sweat beaded on his forehead. He took a deep breath, his demeanor switching back to his previously calm state. “Forgive me. Avery is a free spirit. She could be anywhere in the bayou, but I suspect she’s held up in a vampire bar in the Quarter. I’m afraid I cannot help you.”
“Got a text number?” Jax pressed.
“Yeah, give me your phone.”
Jax took out his cell, bringing up the contacts. He handed it to Mick, who pecked out the digits into the directory. Jax accepted it back and pressed send.
“Direct to voicemail,” he commented and proceeded to tap out a text message to Avery.
“Doesn’t surprise me she’s not answering. Always forgets to turn on her phone,” the warlock told them. “Look, I’ve got nothing else to tell you. But please, feel free to join the vampire. And when I say feel free, I mean, go find him. I’ve worked hard to keep this a no fang zone, and I’m sure the girls aren’t very happy he’s sniffing through their things.”
Jax didn’t bother saying thank you as he took off with Katrina toward the house. After his interaction with Avery, he’d witnessed her mischievous nature. She’d taken great pleasure in making Katrina jealous, deliberately coming on to him. But at no point had he sensed malevolent intentions from the witch.
The warlock, on the other hand, presented as a ditzy mess of a leader. In all his years, Jax had never met a high priest who loosely attended to coven members the way Mick did. The flare of anger the warlock had displayed may have been a natural reaction to the destruction of his club, but was contrary to how he’d acted in the past. Jax doubted that Ilsbeth had ever groomed him, and he wondered who else was strong enough to lead the witches in New Orleans or who might be vying to be a high priestess. Even though Mick had taken over since Ilsbeth’s disappearance, it was likely others were staging a coup.
Noting the rotted wooden step, Jax tested it with his foot before ascending. It crackled underneath his shoe but held. Two women wearing colorful sundresses rocked back and forth in a vintage porch swing, unfazed by the creaking of the rusted chains that secured it to the peeling ceiling above. They gave him a small smile, and Jax thought their placid disposition odd, given the fire.
Instead of making casual conversation, he ignored them and reached for the screen door. He peered inside, scanning the area before allowing Katrina to follow him into the foyer. The stale odor of musty carpets saturated the air, and he noted a faint scent of cat urine. The walls, covered in textured wallpaper, had been partially scraped, revealing teal-colored paint. Large bins filled with debris sat stacked in a corner along with several paint rollers.
“Luca!” Jax kept his sight trained on Katrina, who inspected items that rested on a wooden curio table.
“Looks like they’re renovating. Sage,” she speculated, picking up a clump of herbs and holding it to her nose.
“Apparently so. Guess it’s good they have a place to live.”
“You think she did it?” Katrina asked.
“Avery?” Jax shrugged, his eyes inspecting a large antique chandelier that hung precariously from the second floor ceiling. The hundreds of crystals dripped from the light fixture like pearl necklaces.
“She seemed to enjoy causing trouble the other night. But it doesn’t quite make sense.” She paused and set her focus on Jax. “Why hit on you if she’s in love with Mick?”
“Exactly.” Jax loved how his mate’s mind worked, as he’d been thinking exactly the same thing. “Do you hear him?”
“Upstairs,” she responded. “Luca!”
“Let’s go up…” Jax stilled, as his cell phone buzzed in his back pocket. Retrieving it, he slid his finger across the glass and froze as the image appeared. Although he was hesitant to show Katrina, he wasn’t about to keep this secret from her. “Kat, I need you to come see this. We’re going to find her.”
“Oh Goddess, no,” Katrina exclaimed.
Jax immediately recognized the location, its brownish stone walls stained with the blood of its victims. Sitting, she appeared calm, despite the flecks of fear in her eyes. Her mouth had been duct taped shut, he presumed to keep her from uttering spells. With manila rope bound around her wrists, her hands rested on her swollen belly. Samantha.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jax weaved his way through the crowd, making a concerted effort to personally greet every wolf in the pack. With over a hundred adult members in attendance, he’d been acutely aware of every precious second that passed. Although he knew they sensed his bond, and quite possibly scented her in the building, introducing Katrina as his mate required patience.
Through the A-frame wall-to-ceiling windows of the ballroom, dusk fell over the shimmering lake. While Jax generally retreated to his private luxury cabin, he’d built the mansion for pack meetings and company events. The two hundred and ninety acre property housed a boat house, three swimming pools, a basketball court and a bowling alley. With over thirty rooms, it easily accommodated groups of out of town guests.
What Jax hadn’t anticipated was fighting an enigmatic adversary on his own turf. While they’d fought the occasional territorial war over the years, wolf against wolf, he’d known his enemy’s weaknesses and strengths. Tonight, however, they were going in on a wing and a prayer. A medieval ring coupled with the promise of a cryptic message. At best, they were theorizing that Katrina would have the power to ameliorate the demons, using the slice of the ring and her blood. At worst, Ilsbeth had set them up for failure, a cruel joke added to the damage she’d already inflicted on Dimitri.
Calming Luca down after he’d seen the image of Samantha had been no small feat. The vampire had been on the edge of losing it completely, and Jax had considered leaving him in New Orleans. A loose cannon, Luca could be more of a detriment than a help if he decided to go rogue. Only after gaining Kade’s assurance that the vampire agreed to defer to the Alpha’s orders had Jax allowed him to come to New York.
On the flight up to New York, Luca had disclosed Samantha’s rapid rise within the coven. Trained under Ilsbeth, she’d hidden her abilities from other witches, concerned that her power would be misinterpreted as threatening. Luca and Samantha had discussed the possibility of her becoming high priestess after Ilsbeth had disappeared, but they’d decided it wasn’t in the best interest of the baby to cause any conflict within the coven. With child, she’d retreated, only practicing her craft within the safety of her home. They expected a daughter, and it was foretold she’d be a witch.
Tonight they’d work together to destroy the demons. Freeing Samantha was critical, not only to ensure the safety of her child but for her to help fight the black magick. Jax knew as well as Luca that it was a miracle she was even pregnant. A rare phenomenon; vampires didn’t have children. It was only through the magick of his mate that they’d conceived.
As Jax approached the podium, the room went quiet, and he sensed her presence. Katrina. Planned to the second, she’d arrived exactly on time. Luca, Finn and Jake protectively surrounded her as she approached. Even though they’d been together just hours before, his heart caught, seeing her. Her long blonde hair had been braided down her back. Jeans and a black leather jacket presented an edgy exterior but he knew in their private moments, his mate softened, fit him comfortably and perfectly.
Intrepid and confident, she smiled at him. Goddess, he loved her. Revealing the secrets in his heart would come soon, he knew. But when he did it, he planned to make it special. No demons or witchcraft, fear of death or war would be involved when the words were spoken. The memory of their love would be an extraordinary, unforge
ttable moment.
Silence in the crowd morphed into a low roar and Jax tapped the microphone. Katrina, Jake, Finn and Luca joined him on stage. He gave them a small nod before he began.
“Agrestis Wolves. Today is a beginning and an end. An evil has been brought to New York. This enemy, these creatures are responsible for my abduction. They practice and utilize an insidious form of black magick, the likes of which I’ve never seen. The demons, they seek to shift into wolves.” Jax inhaled, pleased his pack had snapped back into obedience, listening attentively. Despite Katrina’s presence, they hadn’t challenged her…yet. “Their goal is to steal the magick that belongs only to wolves. They don’t wish to only replicate our human forms. They seek our beasts. The animals that run free within our souls. They seek to infiltrate our packs.”
Jax paused to allow the message to take hold, then he continued.
“They have the ability to cause illusions. They lie. And they’re here in our state. Our territory. Our woods. Where we run. Where we raise our pups.”
As he expected, muffled whispers rumbled through the crowd. He held up a silencing hand.
“They’ve taken Luca Macquarie’s fiancée, Samantha…a witch who’s with child. They’re also responsible for impersonating and kidnapping Katrina Livingston.” Jax drew a breath and reached for his mate, who placed her hand in his. “You may ask, why should I care about Katrina, a Lyceum wolf?”
Jax brought her to his side and wrapped his arm around her waist.
“As many of you know, Agrestis Wolves have endured a contentious past with Lyceum Wolves. My father…some of you lived under his savage reign. You watched as he incited territorial wars, brutalized wolves and humans alike. You watched as he beat his own son. You watched as I returned to challenge him, to kill him, to lead Agrestis Wolves as your Alpha. However, you were not the only wolves who took notice of my father’s sins. Tristan Livingston has been rightfully cautious of me over the years. While I have never been my father, nor will I ever be, his heinous acts continue to leave a blemish upon my reputation. So when these demons lied to Katrina, she asked her brother to keep me away from her. Although the untrue rumors proliferated, Katrina only sought to protect me from what she thought would be my certain death. But the fact of the matter is that you cannot deny what nature demands. If it is meant to be, destiny will bring two individuals back together. That’s exactly what happened the day I rescued her. You see, Katrina,” he smiled at her and turned his focus back to the pack, “she’s my mate. The bond is complete.”
