The Witch and the Wolf: Part Two

by Lola Kidd

  The Witch and the Wolf: Part Two

  Lola Kidd

  Copyright 2014 by Lola Kidd

  All rights reserved.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is entirely coincidental. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents are the product of the authors imagination or used fictitiously.

  Table of Contents

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Coming Soon

  About the Author

  Other Works by the Author

  One

  “We’ve done some digging and I think we’ve found her,” Magda said.

  Rory had been on the phone with her Mom and Jamie since the ghost of Beatrice Silver had disappeared. She had holed up with her phone in a room by herself for the night to get away from Cross. Not that it did much good.

  He was sitting outside the closed door. He hadn’t said anything, but she still knew he was there. Or, to be more precise, her body knew he was close and it was almost driving her insane. Denying herself was torture but it was the way it had to be. She would do her best not to give in. He was a werewolf, and witches didn’t date werewolves. It wouldn’t work. Most of all, her feelings weren’t even real. Cross’ wolf had claimed her as its destined mate. Her attraction to the young wolf had been growing for a while, but it didn’t compare to how she felt now.

  It would be a whole different story if what she was feeling was real. It was more than lust at this point. She wanted to be with him. Forever and ever after with rainbows, glitter, and puffy hearts. It was ridiculous. She hadn’t told anyone at home about their little claiming problem. Cross seemed to think it was permanent but what did he know? He had hadn’t even thought it was possible for a witch to accept a wolf’s claim. There had to be a way to for him to unclaim her or for her to decline his invitation.

  Unfortunately, they had bigger fish to fry before they could solve that problem. A ghost had appeared to them and said she was related to Rory and that she knew why the Sun Riders werewolf motorcycle gang was after Rory. The silly ghost had disappeared before she could give them any more information. It had taken a few hours for her mother to find any information.

  “Well?’ Rory asked, impatient.

  “She must have been lying because her home is really close to you guys,” Magda said. “We have two choices. Either Ursula and I will come up and you can wait for us, or you and Cross can check it out before we get there.”

  So her mother was coming no matter what. That could be a problem. She would flip shit if she knew Cross had claimed her daughter. Rory wanted them to focus on how to stop the Sun Riders from coming after her. If they got sidetracked by this claim issue, it would slow down the important issue at hand.

  “We’ll go check it out first,” Rory said. “How are you guys coming with the Sun Riders thing?”

  “There’s been some developments,” Magda said, and didn’t say anything else.

  “Um, are you going to fill me in here?” Rory said. “I am a member of the Cleary Coven too, Mom.”

  Magda sighed. “The Moon Brothers are almost positive that the Sun Riders are working for Olaf Summers.”

  Rory almost dropped her phone. “They must have their information wrong. Why would the King of the Midwest want me?”

  “Honey, why would any vampire want you? And their information is good. It’s the talk of the supernatural world now.”

  “That explains the ghost,” Rory said softly.

  “It does,” Magda said. “After the last attack, the Sun Riders alpha was pretty angry.”

  Cross banged on the door. “What’s going on in there? Are you ok?”

  Rory ignored him. “Mom, does he want to hurt me?”

  “I don’t know,” Magda sounded surprised. “We just know they want you taken alive. That doesn’t mean they won’t hurt you later.”

  “I’m going to kick the door down if you don’t say anything,” Cross warned.

  “I’m on the phone! I’ll be out in a second!” Rory yelled.

  “Is the wolf behaving?” Magda asked.

  “He is,” Rory lied. “I just wanted a minute to myself. We’ve just spent the last few days constantly together.”

  “It must be tough,” Magda sympathized. “You can come home any time you want. I know you think you’re keeping us safe or something, but we would love to have you back.”

  “Not yet, Mom. What’s the name of the town?”

  “Sand Springs. It’s very small. It was a boom town during the Gold Rush. I think it’s mostly rich retirees now.”

  “Ok. I’ll call you when we know anything. I love you.”

  “Be careful. I love you too.”

  Rory got her toothbrush out of her backpack.

  “I’m going to go and brush my teeth and then I’ll meet you in the kitchen. Get away from the door now,” she called to Cross.

  “I’ll wait on the landing, but I’m not going all the way downstairs.”

  “Whatever. Fine.” She waited until she heard him walk away to open the door.

  He was glowering on the landing just as he had promised. She brushed her teeth and splashed her face with water. She felt a little more normal after the clean up. She really wanted to shower, but that was pushing it. The last time she had gotten in the shower things had gone…awry. She wasn’t going to risk that again. She went to the stairs and followed Cross to the kitchen.

  “You want some food?” he asked. He pulled the cereal and milk out before she answered. “I’m eating so you may as well too.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I can eat. We have to go to Sand Springs.”

  He pulled his phone out. “That’s pretty close. We can get there in a half hour or so. What’s there?”

  “Hopefully, Beatrice Silver’s ghost.”

  “The ghost bitch better have something more to say if she is there.”

  “Hey! That’s my however many times great-grandmother you’re speaking about.”

  “Sorry, I talked to Ozzy too. I’m sure your mom told you about Olaf.”

  Rory nodded. “She did. I really don’t see why he would want me.”

  “It has to have something to do with the Lost Tribe,” he held up his hand when Rory started to protest. “I have nothing to back that up except for gut feeling. You know Olaf is a collector. I think he wants to trade you to them for something else.”

  Rory’s brow winkled. “Why would the Lost Tribe want me?”

  “If I knew that we wouldn’t be sitting here, would we?” Cross sounded irritated. She wanted to reach over and stoke his hand to calm him down. She fought the urge.

  “Geez, you don’t have to bite my head off,” she said. “You’re throwing stuff out of left field here.”

  “I’m sorry,” he handed her a bowl and spoon before pouring himself some breakfast. “I have no idea why they would want you, but it makes the most logical sense. If I’m wrong, the real answer is going to be even more out of left field.”

  Rory took the box when he was finished. “That’s true. I still can’t think of any reason they would want me. There is literally nothing special about me. There are literally thousands of witches more powerful than me and there are hundreds with a better a bloodline. Maybe Beatrice will be able to shed some light on this whole thing.”

  “That’s if the ghost knows anything,” Cross said with a scowl. “And I beg to differ about you being so common place. I think you’re pretty fucking special.”

  “Y
ou have to say that because you want to have sex with me.”

  “Can’t blame a guy when you look like that.”

  Rory blushed. “Shut up and finish your breakfast. We need to get on the road.”

  ***

  Sand Springs was much nicer than its name suggested. Cross felt like a scumbag driving his motorcycle down the pristine city streets. He knew it was only a matter of minutes before the local law showed up. There was zero chance the two of them belonged in the town. Rory would be fine if she was alone, nobody ever questioned innocent blondes. If they had been in a car, Cross would have passed too. But on his bike they were a huge target.

  He followed the signs to the town visitor’s bureau. Magda had given Rory a town but not much else information. Beatrice Silver was one of their ancestors and she lived in the town of Silver Springs. That was all they had to work with. Cross knew that would be enough. Anytime there was a ghost, it was a violent death. With a witch of Beatrice’s era, he was pretty confident they were looking for the mass grave from a witch trial.

  “What are we doing here?” Rory asked, taking off her helmet.

  “We’re going to find out about the town’s history.” He looked behind her as a cop car turned the corner onto the block. “We’re a young couple on a ride across the country and we’re sight-seeing in town.”

  “I don’t think we’re going to need a cover story but fine,” Rory agreed.

  “Hello! Welcome to Sand Springs,” a nice-looking, older woman greeted them as soon as they walked inside the small building. “I’m Mrs. Thomas. What brings you kids to our lovely town today?”

  Cross gave Rory an I-told-you-so look. “We really needed a rest stop and decided to stop in. We’re on a road trip across the state and all these old towns have such interesting back stories.”

  “You two are on that bike!” the woman’s eye brows shot up. “That must be so uncomfortable. Let me guess. This was your idea, young man. The things we do for love.”

  The woman gave Rory a conspiratorial look. Rory beamed back at her. “How did you know?”

  “I was young once too, dear, and let me tell you, all the young men looked like this in my time,” she winked at Cross. “Though my mother would never have let me on the back of a motorcycle.”

  “I doubt my mother is very happy with this situation,” Rory quipped.

  “But that didn’t stop you now, did it?” Mrs. Thomas chuckled. “It’s so nice to have a young, beautiful couple interested in history. I’ll let you two have a look around. Everything is pretty self-explanatory, but if you have any questions, I’ll be right up here.”

  “Thank you,” Cross said smiling at the woman. He took Rory’s hand and led her toward the exhibits. She was going to be pissed at him, but it was worth it. She couldn’t shake his hand off or cause a scene here.

  “You think you're real slick,” she told him.

  “I don’t think I’m the only one who’s feeling a little…slick today,” Cross said with a smirk. He could smell how much she wanted him. The minute he took her hand, her body temperature had shot up. She had been squirming against him the entire ride up to Sand Springs. He wished she would stop being so difficult and just let him finish claiming her already. He wanted to fuck her, she wanted to fuck him. They were both of age and consenting adults. She was letting the whole different supernatural creatures things get in her head too much.

  It wasn’t like his dick knew she was a witch or her pussy would be able to tell it was getting railed by a werewolf. Once the clothes came off, it really didn’t matter who was what. Plus, it would really clear both of their heads once they got it over with. His wolf had been on edge since the incident when they first got to Sienna. He had barely slept at all last night and it would keep up like that until he joined with her.

  They both needed to be at the top of their game right now. The Lost Tribe and the Vampire King were nothing to joke around with. Going up against one of them was enough of a challenge, but if they were working together it was damn near impossible. Their best bet was to stay hidden, keep on the defensive, and let their pack and coven take care of it. This little detour had better net some answers or he was going to piss on that witch's grave. She was playing with his mate’s life and that wasn’t something he took lightly.

  “I think this might be it,” Rory said.

  He squinted at the painting they were in front of. It was a picture of a town gathering at a gazebo. “I don’t see anything that would help us.”

  Rory pointed “Look closer. And it’s called the Trial of the Unforgiven.”

  There was a figure in the middle of the group with blond hair. The person was facing away from the painter but it was something.

  “I think I know where to go. Come on,” Rory said, pulling him out of the bureau.

  Two

  “Where to now?” Cross asked.

  They had been driving around the town for twenty minutes. In a town as small as Sand Springs that meant they had driven from one side of town to the other. Twice.

  “I’m not sure,” she admitted. The gazebo in the painting was easy to find, but there had been no ghost at the site. “I’m starving though. Can we get food?”

  They went to the only diner open in town and got food.

  “I can’t believe you ordered another cheeseburger.” Cross smiled and shook his head.

  “I like meat. Leave me alone,” Rory laughed. “I really thought that painting was the answer. I mean it had to be a witch trial. We need to go back to the visitor’s center and ask Mrs. Thomas about it.”

  “You talking about that witch painting?” the waitress had come back to check on them.

  “Yes, actually. It looked like there was a story behind it,” Cross said. He gave the waitress a smoldering look. “We found the gazebo, but there was nothing about the painting there.”

  “Well,” the waitress said, leaning toward him, “there is a story behind that alright. You wanna hear it?”

  “Of course,” Rory said. The waitress looked her up and down and then slid into the booth next to Cross. He gave Rory a look, but she didn’t react. If the lady wanted to press up against Cross, she could do it all day as long as she told them more about the painting.

  “Back in the late 1800s this was a very different town,” the waitress began. “It wasn’t all rich folks like it is now. Back then it was mostly miners and railroad men. There was one family that lived on the outskirts of town. The lady was accused of being a witch by another woman in town. Said the woman had come in and stolen her unborn baby and that was why she had a miscarriage.”

  The waitress paused for dramatic effect. Rory feigned a look of horror. “No way!”

  Cross leaned in against the woman. “Wow, that is some scary stuff.”

  Miley, according to her nametag, smiled at Cross. “It sure is. Anyway. Other women in town started saying the same thing. After enough women started telling the story, the men folk got in a tizzy and dragged the accused to the gazebo for a trial.”

  “What happened to the woman?” Rory asked with bated breath. She was hamming it up for Miley’s benefit. She knew perfect well how the story was going to end. With a roasted witch.

  “Well, the town’s people let her go because the local sheriff said they couldn’t go around lynching white women like barbarians or something. The woman lived just outside of town near the mill. And after they let her go, her house was burned to the ground less than a week later. But that isn’t the shocking part.”

  “Go on,” Cross spoke right next to Miley’s ear. Rory could see her shiver. A wave of jealously hit her hard. She wanted to tear the cheap extensions out of the bottle-blonde's head. She tried not to scowl at the woman and knew she failed by the look Miley gave her. As if she actually had a chance at Cross.

  “The woman had a family, a husband, and a son, but she was the only one to die in the fire. The son and husband both went missing after the fire. Even better? The woman who had originally accused her of witchc
raft disappeared too. Rumor has it the two lived together a state over after splitting town,” Miley raised an eyebrow and smirked at Rory.

  What the fuck? Was that supposed to be some kind of challenge?

  “So, where are you two staying?” Miley asked, her story finished. “I live in town and if you guys aren’t busy tonight maybe we could hang out and do…something. You know the three of us.”

  Oh dear Goddess. That wasn’t a challenging look, she was hitting on her. On both of them! Gross.

  “We’re only passing through,” Cross said blandly. “Could we get the check?”

  Miley looked pissed. She slammed the check down hard enough on the table to spill some of Cross’ water.

  “Poor thing,” Rory said. “Guess that animal virility of yours is irresistible…to most women that is.”

  Cross put money on the table. “It’s only a matter of time, darlin’. You’re not going to be able to help yourself.”

  “I’m doing a pretty good job so far,” Rory said. “Well, I think we know where to go next.”

  “Yeah,” they went to his bike outside. “You don’t think it’s strange that the ghost hasn’t shown up yet? I mean we’re right in her town now.”

  Rory pulled her long blond hair into a low bun so it would fit better in her helmet. “Not really. Ghosts are tricky. Especially one that’s been around as long as she’s been.”

  “I think I can find the old mill pretty easily. I saw a sign when we were driving around aimlessly.” Cross said.

  He wasn’t lying. They drove around the area near the mill for almost a quarter of an hour before hitting pay dirt. Rory was so glad to find the house. She was going to suggest finding a car rental when they got back to the cabin. She didn’t think she could keep riding on Cross’ bike. It was really getting her too worked up. By the time they got to any destination, she was always sweaty and quivering with lust.

  The sight of the burned house helped kill her desire a little. There wasn’t anything left of the house but the earth where it had been was permanently charred. All that destruction over a man. What a waste.