The Witch, The Wolf and The Vampire Series Boxed Set

by A. K. Michaels

  Josef stopped less than a foot in front of him, his nose wrinkling at the rank body odor reeking from the man. He stared down into his terrified face, not blinking, just glaring, his face hard and cold. Donovan stood to the side slightly, making sure the man had no way to turn.

  “Who are you?” Josef barked out, and the man visibly winced at his words.

  “My name’s Steve, I don’t know who you think I am...”

  “Stop! Do not even attempt to lie. I can smell the witchcraft all around you. You are a Witch, a rather malodorous Witch, but the stench does not cover what you are. You have one chance to possibly stay alive...who sent you and why are you watching my mate?”

  Josef’s tone was like ice, so cold. The man in front started to shake...with fear? Josef wasn’t sure, and didn’t care. He needed to know if Peri was, once more, under threat, and he would do whatever was necessary to get the information out of this man...including violently invading his mind if needs be.

  “Please, you’ve gotta understand, I’m only doing what he ordered me to – shit, if we thought Dave was bad...”

  “Dave? As in Peri’s father? What has he to do with anything? He’s dead.” As soon as the name fell from the Witch’s lips, Josef felt great anger, then fear. Please don’t let his mate be in danger again...she was pregnant, for fuck’s sake!

  “Yes, I know he’s dead, but his acolyte rushed back and took over, and within an hour, he had killed anyone who even thought about standing up to him. Then he sends me here – tells me to keep watch on you three, I don’t know why, I only know that if I don’t do what he says...he’ll kill me.”

  “Who is he?” Josef asked calmly, still keeping his ice-blue eyes on the Witch.

  “I don’t know his name, he was always around on the sidelines, but then the Leader moved him up to be his acolyte – like a second in command kinda thing – and he would only answer to ‘acolyte.’ Then when he came back the other day, he wants everyone to call him Master, so I still don’t know his actual name, really I don’t. I would tell you if I knew, honest, I would!”

  The man was now shrinking in on himself, almost falling to the ground as he did so, the wall at his back seemingly the only thing holding him up. Josef watched him closely, saw into his mind, saw the truth of what he had said. Unfortunately for the Witch, he also saw why he had been lured to join the sect in the first place – taking advantage of young girls, even going so far as rape.

  “What would you say if I told you I can read your thoughts...specifically the reason why you joined this sect in the first place? Hmm, what would you say about that?” Josef’s head was cocked to the side, his eyes examining this sorry excuse of a man in front of him, as if he was an insect under a magnifying glass, waiting on his reply with barely an interest.

  “What?! Oh, uhm, well, the truth is I wasn’t a nice person, no, I admit that...then...I wasn’t a nice man. I’ve seen such terrible things, though. It’s changed me, it really has! I’m not that man any more, you’ve gotta believe me!”

  The Witch’s voice had risen in panic at the thought of the Vampire knowing his deep, dark, sordid secrets. His fear had now grown to absolute terror, which Josef and Donovan could clearly see – and smell.

  “Hmm, what to do with you? Donovan, do you have any ideas?” Josef addressed the other Vampire for the first time. It seemed to only now register with the man in front of them that there were, in fact, two Vampires, as his eyes shot over and stared at the hulk standing impassively to the side.

  “I’ve got plenty of ideas, you want me to deal with him?” Donovan sneered at the Witch as he spoke, and both of the Vampires then scented another smell...urine. The Witch had lost control of his bladder and the front of his jeans and down one leg was now soaked in pungent urine.

  “Oh for Christ’s sake!” Josef cursed as he took a step back.

  The Witch’s face burned red with embarrassment as Josef took another step away.

  “Where are you based? Where can I find this Master? What’s his telephone number? Tell me now and I may let you live.” Josef almost snarled at the man in front of him and saw his mind turning over…tried to catch a glimpse of where they were.

  “I can’t! And I don’t mean I don’t want to! I do! I really do! I can’t! He puts a spell on anyone he sends out to do anything for him. We can’t even think about the base far less speak of it. I don’t know his number either, we communicate through a mind spell, I’m sorry, but I don’t know it! Please, I’m telling the truth! I can’t tell you anything!”

  The man was openly crying now and it was not a pretty sight. As Josef probed his mind he saw the truth of his words – there were large chunks completely gone from his brain, hidden and beyond his reach. Josef’s anger spiked as he realized he could get no further useful information from this Witch.

  He turned to walk away. “Kill him,” he threw over his shoulder to Donovan as he made his way to the elevator, the things he had just learned rolling around in his brain.

  As he got inside and the elevator doors were closing, he could clearly hear the scream coming from the man he had just condemned to death. At least it would be quick, Donovan didn’t play around when ending someone. Probably better than what would’ve happened if this acolyte had got ahold of him.

  Now he had the information that Peri was still in the sights of that sect, he would have to decide what to do. He may just hunt them down...and kill the whole damn lot of them. Remove the threat, once and for all. That may be the only way to have his mate safe, finally.

  Chapter 7

  Josef put a mild block on his mind as he neared the door to the penthouse, not wanting even a slim chance that Peri would sense something amiss. She was pregnant with the child that was going to make them a family...he would not have anything, anything at all, impacting on that.

  As he walked through the door he heard the television tuned to a news channel, and Peri’s voice, high-pitched and full of feeling.

  “We have to help, we have just got to help them, where’s Josef? We need to get Josef and help them!”

  What on earth was going on? He thought. He walked further into the room, asking, “Who do we have to help?”

  Peri turned her head, relief flooding over her features. “Josef! There on the news, a little baby has been kidnapped – we need to help them. I can do a locator spell, I know I can find him. Look at that mother...she’s devastated. I can almost feel her pain. We can help them!”

  Gabe moved closer to her, pulling her into his arms, rubbing up and down her back with one of his huge hands. “Shh, calm down, we’ll try and help...won’t we?”

  Gabe was now looking pointedly towards Josef, who looked at him with a raised eyebrow...a missing baby. A kidnapped baby, just the kind of thing he expected Peri to want to help with. Her eyes joined Gabe’s in looking at him, the plea in hers clear to see. Didn’t look like they had much of a choice in the matter.

  “Firstly, who and where?” he asked as he moved forward, staring at the TV screen. He saw an image of a small, swaddled child in the bottom left corner while the main screen showed a distraught mother.

  A man Josef assumed was the father stood behind the pale woman, the contrast between them striking. The tall, African-American man had a hand on her shoulder, as if trying to give her some comfort. The woman looked too far gone to even acknowledge the father of her child, tears streaming down her pure white face and into a tissue that was crumpled in her trembling hands.

  Gabe was shaking his head, as if the thought of taking a young baby from its mother was abhorrent to him. “It’s the computer mogul Calvin Jones, and that’s his wife, Eleanor. Their baby son, he’s only fucking three months old for Christ’s sake, he’s been kidnapped and there’s a two mill ransom.”

  “I see, and where are they?” Josef was still looking at the screen, watching the lives of these two people unravel on national television.

  “San Fran
cisco, they live outside San Fran, got a heap of land apparently. Mom and dad were out at a charity event last night and when they got home, the baby was gone. The nanny was sound asleep in the next room and says she didn’t hear a thing.”

  Gabe was relaying the information they had gleaned from the newscast before Josef arrived. As soon as Peri had seen it she had got very upset, saying they had to help.

  “Josef, didn’t you say you sometimes helped folks in these sorts of cases?” Peri was peeking out at him, cradled as she now was in Gabe’s embrace.

  “Yes, we do sometimes take on this kind of work, usually for a large fee...”

  “Oh for goodness’ sake! We can’t ask for money to help them find their baby! That’s just wrong! Look at him, just look at him, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful child, and he’s gone, just gone!” Peri’s voice rose at the end of every sentence, emphasizing her upset at the mere thought of asking for cash.

  “I see, so you expect me to drop everything and run off to help these two? Who, no doubt, have an army of people to help?” Josef looked at Peri, trying to hide the small smile that was attempting to make its way onto his lips. She looked downright adorable right now, full of righteous outrage and worry for the child.

  “Yes! That’s exactly what I expect you to do...” Her voice tapered off as she realized what she was saying, how she was saying it, and to whom she was saying it.

  He raised an eyebrow as he saw her stutter, trying to reform words, as she stared at him. “I mean, it’s the right thing to do, and I know that’s not how you normally work, but please, please, let’s help.”

  Peri moved from the confines of Gabe’s arms and walked over to Josef, smiling shyly, her head to the side, looking up at him through her lashes. God, she wanted him to go and look for a baby...when all he wanted to do was pick her up and carry her to their bed, and keep her there for a very long time.

  “Please?” she said quietly, drawing nearer and nearer until she was within reach.

  As soon as she was he pulled her in, cupping the back of her head with one firm hand and the other around her slender waist. His head lowered and his lips brushed hers, the sweet taste of his mate making him growl deep in his chest. He held her for a moment or two, giving his lips free rein over hers, his tongue engaged in a dance with hers.

  Reluctantly, Josef pulled away, staring into her eyes. “Just how am I supposed to say no to such a beautiful creature as you? Hmm, how?”

  His words brought a radiant smile to her mouth, lighting up her entire face, her eyes glittering as she giggled. “Thank you,” she whispered before placing a kiss on his cheek.

  “I’ll have to reschedule the appointment regarding what will be required for the child. I’ll set up another for next week. That gives us plenty of time to do your good deed.”

  “Oh, I forgot about that! Sorry, but we’ve got enough time for her to come next week, it’s not like I’ll be having the baby in the next few weeks.”

  “Yes, I know, but I do like to be organized. But next week will do, I’ll sort it.”

  “So, how do we do this, helping find the baby?” she asked.

  He sighed...time to get to work. “Leave it to me, I’ll call Ronan, tell him we wish to avail the family of our services, and we’ll be there in a few hours. Go and pack, we’re going to San Francisco.”

  He turned her around, swatted her ass, and then made his way to his office. Another call to Ronan, seemed as if they were crossing paths quite frequently recently. It was always good to have contacts in law enforcement.

  Sitting down at his desk, he dialed Ronan’s number from memory, and it was picked up on the second ring. He almost smiled at the barked “What?” that came over the line. Almost, but not quite.

  “Ronan,” was all he said and he heard the large Vampire moving around at the other end.

  “Sorry, Josef, didn’t realize it was you, am kinda in the middle of something here. Can this wait?”

  Josef heard noises like a scuffle, then a few grunts and thuds...sounded like Ronan was in the middle of a fight. Nevertheless, he continued on. “Afraid not, Peri has seen the news about that missing Jones baby, she’s got it into her head she wants us to help. So, that’s what we’ll do. We’ll be in San Francisco as soon as we can get there, so please alert them that we are coming and send all relevant information to me. As you sound as if you’re busy, I’ll let you go, just remember to do as I ask.”

  “Hmm, yeah, will do,” Ronan muttered and Josef heard the distinct sound of a fist hitting flesh and bones, the sound of a nose being broken very clear to his sensitive hearing.

  “Serves you right, you asshole!” he heard Ronan shout before he spoke into the phone again, “Sorry ‘bout that, Josef, so you’re going to go and help find this missing baby? Is that right? I did hear that part right?”

  The slightly mocking tone in Ronan’s words didn’t escape Josef. “That’s what I said. Have your ears been damaged? No? Well, then, do as I ask, and send me the address and anything else the police and FBI have.”

  “Okaaayy, might take me an hour or so, I’m not in my office right now, I’ll get the info sent as soon as I can...and good luck, no baby should be taken from its mother, even a human one.”

  Ronan didn’t say ‘goodbye,’ hanging up when he finished speaking. Josef nodded his head. Ronan was correct, no child should be without its mother, and no mother should have their child ripped from their family home. Peri was right to want to help, so that’s what they would do, and God help whoever had taken the child. He would make sure they paid dearly for their crime, if he got the chance.

  As he was already in his office he started to check on some business, making sure everything was running as it should, and canceling a few conference calls. After all, he was going to be in San Francisco finding a lost child. He also called his pilot, Andrew, telling him to ready the jet for take-off, asking him to use the smaller, out of town airstrip near San Francisco.

  Once everything was checked, with emails sent to confirm details on some deals he had in the works, he sat back and started thinking about the Witch. The one that had been sent to follow Peri. That was something that was worrying him greatly, knowing that once the man didn’t check in, the new leader of the sect would send someone else, or come himself.

  It seemed a good idea to be leaving for San Francisco for a few days. It would give him time to mull over what he planned on doing. Although, at this moment in time, he wanted to hunt the whole damn lot of them down and destroy them. At least that way he would know for certain Peri would be safe...and the child she was carrying.

  As if he knew what was going through Josef’s mind, Gabe appeared, coming into the room and closing the door behind him. A frown marred the Wolf’s normally cheeky features, stress visible in the way he held his large, strong body.

  “What’s going on?”

  Gabe sat down in the chair in front of his desk, though didn’t lounge with his feet on the end of the desk, as he normally did. He sat upright, straight, and stiff, and Josef could sense the inner turmoil in his friend. The young Wolf seemed able to sense things when it came to their mate. Josef knew Gabe wasn't going to like what he was about to say.

  “We were followed earlier. I sensed it when we left the restaurant, spotted the tail. It was a Witch. A dirty, foul-smelling man who had been sent to follow Peri...”

  “What?! What the fuck, Jo – who is he and why is he following Peri?” Gabe had stood up abruptly, almost knocking his chair over as he did so.

  “Calm down, Gabriel! We don’t want our mate to hear this, do we?” Josef’s voice was low but firm, and he saw Gabe’s face flush a slight red.

  “Sorry,” Gabe said quietly, knowing Josef was right. Peri most definitely didn’t need any more worry right now.

  “Donovan and I retrieved the man from his vehicle and had a talk with him in the parking garage. Peri’s father had an aco
lyte that appears to be even worse than their previous leader, it was he that ordered the man to follow Peri. The man appeared to be terrified of this new man in charge, so it seems that Peri is still in the sights of this sect. A few days in San Francisco will be good. I can decide what to do.”

  Gabe was nodding his head as he now paced back and forth in front of the desk. “Okay, but this is pure shit! Why won’t they just leave her alone! We need to make sure she’s safe, she’s got our pup inside her!”

  It didn’t escape Josef’s notice that the Wolf said ‘our’ when referring to the child their mate was carrying, and it brought a frisson of a smile to his face. “I know,” he said as he watched the young Wolf prowl about the room.

  “Where is he? I want to question him.”

  “I got all the information he had, he was no more than a pawn. However, after I saw his past deeds in his mind...I let Donovan deal with him.”

  “So he’s dead?” Gabe said quietly.

  Josef nodded his head, his friend knew him well. “I would much prefer to get to San Francisco as quickly as possible. We have no notion of when this acolyte will send someone else, or indeed, come himself, so it may be best to be away for a few days. I’m not certain how I wish to proceed on this matter. Taking out the whole lot of them would be my preferred course of action, however, I am not sure our mate would agree.”

  Gabe had stopped his prowling and stood in front of the desk. “We don’t need to tell her?”

  “If it was anyone other than Peri we were referring to, I would agree. I’m not sure we would be able to keep this from her, though. At some point she may catch a glimpse of it in either of our heads, and if that happens, I’m pretty sure she would be more than a little upset. We’ll think on it, for the next day or two at least, then decide. You, young Wolf, will have to try and guard your thoughts. I have already placed a small block on my own mind, so she cannot sense anything.” Josef raised an eyebrow at Gabe, knowing that he found it difficult to place blocks on his thoughts, it wasn’t something Wolves tried to do very often.