by Jayne Hawke
Something prickled against my skin. My blood rose and pressed against the edges of my being. Instincts I didn’t know I had kicked in and something formed around me like a second skin. The witch let out a banshee wail of anger before she lunged at me with a savage knife almost as wide as her wrist with wicked serration down one side. I bent away from her swing and tried not to slip on the bloody floor.
“Break the circle!” Sky shouted.
I really didn’t want that mess on my favourite boots.
The witch lunged at me again. Her knife sliced through something half an inch above my skin and I lost all track of the world around me. Everything went quiet as I understood what a risk she was to my people. My focus was absolute as time slowed just a fraction. Enough for me to see the small hand motion the witch made with her free hand and the soft bubbles in the blood filling the jar on the nearby countertop.
Ducking beneath the witch’s arm, I marvelled at the calm serenity of the moment. There was nothing but the certainty that I could keep my fellow garou safe. My body moved with incredible precision and efficiency as I watched my knife slice the witch’s wrist open. Ducking down, I pushed my boot through the circle knowing that I needed Sky’s magic to help me break the spell the witch had been working. The blood would break through whatever was protecting me soon. I could feel the slender slices the magic was making in the protective layer.
Sky was brutal. She moved around to put the witch between us. I was surprised at how well we worked together. Sky kept the witch trapped while I moved in low and cut her open, making carefully chosen cuts on her wrists, stomach, and lower legs. Something within me knew that I needed to make her blood run before we killed her. A knowledge that I couldn’t usually access was right there within my mind, if only I could pull back the black curtain.
The witch lowered her shoulders and tried to tackle me to the ground. I spun away from her. My foot began to slip out from under me on the blood. Something shifted within me, an awareness of my balance I hadn’t had before. My body moved of its own accord, allowing me to remain upright and land the killing blow that broke the witch’s neck.
“I knew you’d find that guardian magic within you,” Sky said with a grin.
The calm distance faded away, leaving me feeling confused and a little lost. I’d been right there the entire time, but it was as though I’d been riding in my body watching from within myself.
Sky ran her sword through the blood on the floor, forming clear lines within it so the circle was entirely broken.
“I’ll call in a clean-up crew,” she said.
I had no idea they existed. Leaning back against the counter, I shook my head trying to remove the feeling of not quite belonging in my own body. Wriggling my fingers, everything suddenly snapped into place and I could think clearly again.
This guardian thing was not as advertised.
47
We scouted out the cabin for some sign of what the witches were planning and where. There were four bedrooms total, each in use, which told us there were three more witches out there. Cupboards were full of old congealed blood. The fridge was a mix of every cheese under the sun, and entrails.
I felt as though I needed to every inch of myself to remove the vile magic and scent from my everything. We picked up a couple of small stones and a similar wooden box to the one that had been left under my bed. Once we were closer to the car, I breathed in the scent of the box and caught the same sandy scent that had been there on mine. Nothing of the witches though; it looked as though they’d taken a car and given us nothing to work with.
“That box and this,” Sky held up the jar of golden sand with a dead snake in the middle, “shows they’re working with the Apophis witch.”
“That’s… great?”
She smiled.
“It is. It means I was right and can continue helping you with the blood witches.”
I had to admit, she had been helpful thus far. She tucked her stolen trinkets into the glove box of her car and turned on the eclectic mix of music before we headed back home.
Closing my eyes, I searched within myself trying to track down the edges of the guardian state I’d entered into. It was such a bizarre feeling, I wanted to know how to control it.
“I’d heard that guardians were immune to magic but it was really cool seeing it in action,” Sky said.
“Hm?”
“Didn’t you feel it? The way her magic bounced off you?”
“I’m immune to all magic?”
I opened my eyes to see Sky wrinkle her nose.
“I think so? I think it’s on a time limit, though. You’re still a garou so you have a finite amount of magic, and that type of shield is really magic intensive.”
“So am I supposed to have a timer in my head or…?”
Sky laughed.
“You tell me.”
“I felt weird during the fight…”
“Kind of separate from yourself? Like you were there but not?”
“Yea.”
“That’s normal. Morrigan witches get it the first time they fight with the goddess within them. You need to relax and really allow your instincts to come forward, then you’ll still be you. It’s like wearing a big glove over your whole body.”
She frowned.
“That was a really bad image. Er, you’re you, but you temporarily level up. That’s better. So you’ll be stronger, faster, have your magic shield, and your instincts and senses should be sharper too. But it’s temporary; the world must be kept in balance.”
“I can undo Adam and Briar’s curse!” I exclaimed.
Sky shrugged.
“Sure. I mean, I’ve heard guardians can help undo magic placed on their people. I don’t see why you couldn’t undo a curse.”
I grinned, feeling on top of the world. I’d killed a blood witch and helped keep my pack safe, and now I could remove Adam and Briar’s curse, giving them real freedom again. Taking a deep breath, I enjoyed the feeling of everything being on track for once.
“You should have taken me with you. They killed my pack. I am owed their deaths,” Cole said, pacing.
“There are three left,” I said.
He frowned at me.
“Promise me, Rosalyn.”
He stared at me until I crumbled.
“Fine. I promise. I will do everything I can to ensure their deaths are at your hands.”
I felt as though he was owed that. After what they had done to his pack and his life. I hated the idea of him being in such danger, but he was an alpha, he could handle himself.
He relaxed some and glanced over at the witches who were poking at the trinkets on the kitchen table.
“It doesn’t feel right having two witches in our home,” Cole grumbled.
I laughed.
“They’re helping us.”
“Is the Morrigan witch staying for dinner?”
“I don’t know; ask her. I’m going for a shower, I feel like the old blood is all over me.”
Cole’s eyes sparkled but he said nothing. I wouldn’t have turned him down if he’d have chosen to join me, but I wasn’t going to push anything.
“I’d love dinner, thanks. I irritated the cook in my coven so I’ll be lucky to get a cold baked potato tonight if I eat there,” Sky said.
“Make yourself at home,” Cole said drily, sweeping his arms wide.
“I am, thanks,” Sky said ignoring the sarcasm.
I stifled a laugh. The Morrigan witch was definitely growing on me.
48
Adam and Briar got in late. They looked particularly happy when they finally strolled in the door. The smiles slid off their faces when they saw the four of us waiting for them.
“What happened?” Adam asked quietly.
“You tell us,” I said.
“We grabbed dinner in town,” Briar said with a shrug.
I heard the thread of a lie in her voice.
“Sit down in the living room, I’ll break your curse.”
<
br /> Adam froze and looked at me with hope shining.
“No, you won’t. And it’s cruel to get my brother’s hopes up like that,” Briar snapped.
I glared at her and she stared me down for two heartbeats before she finally skulked away.
Cole put his hand on my wrist.
“Let her wait,” he said softly.
I growled in frustration. I really could do it this time. They could shift, and we could run as a pack.
Sky and Amy both looked up at the ceiling where Briar’s room was with narrowed eyes.
“What?” I asked.
“Not sure, something… wrong there,” Amy said.
“Agreed,” Sky said.
“They’re just troubled teenagers. They’ve had a rough time,” I said.
The witches made non-committal noises.
“I’m staying here until the blood witches have been dealt with. I’ll grab some spare clothes and be back in an hour,” Sky declared.
“This is not your home,” Cole growled.
Sky turned and gave him a huge grin.
“I’m a Morrigan witch. You know the rules, councilman.”
With that, she turned and left, leaving me to look at Cole and Amy in bewilderment.
“Morrigan witches are enforcers, police, they cannot be denied a place to stay if they need it as part of an investigation,” Amy said.
“She’s staying on the couch,” I said.
As much as Sky seemed cool, I wasn’t ready to bring another witch fully into the fold. Everything was still up in the air.
“She’s staying in the back yard. I have a sleeping bag,” Cole said.
I laughed and he looked at me with a deadly serious face. I shouldn’t have, but I laughed harder.
Cole was true to his word. He tossed a sleeping bag out into the back yard and called it good. Sky had laughed and embraced her new living situation without any argument. She settled herself down in the middle of the space and began stargazing before I went to bed feeling exhausted.
I was about to climb into bed when Cole knocked on the door.
“Tell me about the witches, and what changed,” he whispered.
I stepped aside to let him into the room.
“Amy took the barb out,” I said as I shut the door.
He raised an eyebrow at me.
“It was something else, you had the scent of ice fae on you twice recently.”
I shrugged.
“Eira came by. She threatened Jake and my family. I cut a deal with her.”
“What kind of deal?” Cole ground out.
“She was supposed to help me become a full guardian, and I owed her a favour in return.”
“What!? Do you have any idea how ridiculously stupid it is to owe favours to a fae queen!?”
I levelled a cool glare at Cole.
“I am aware of what I have gotten myself into.”
He exhaled slowly and pulled himself back together.
“There had to be another way,” he said softly.
“Allow her to slaughter everyone I love,” I said flatly.
He squeezed his eyes closed.
“Did you put any limits on the favour?”
“No,” I whispered.
“Oh, Rosalyn,” he said, pulling me into his arms.
“I’ll work it out,” I said with a wan smile.
He kissed me tenderly.
“We will work it out.”
49
I needed to get out of the house. The witches were deep in the pit of research, and I had hit my limit. I took the time to wander down some of my less travelled trails and to try to feel out the guardian side of myself. There was something there, but it slipped between my mental fingers like a fresh creek. The more I poked around inside my own mind, the more I could feel the little differences. My stance and posture had changed, and there was something prickly around my edges. An awareness and ferocity I’d never had before.
A breaking twig drew my attention and I paused to see who else was in the area. The trail was barely wide enough for one person; it wasn’t popular with hikers. I’d chosen it to have a little peace.
Logan Blackthorne strolled out of the forest nearby with a smug expression on his face. His throat was entirely healed, which was a little disappointing.
“I’m so glad we bumped into each other.”
I pulled my biggest knife and gave Logan a razor-edged smile.
“Back for round two?”
He snorted and began to try and circle around me. I moved to block his path.
“I’ve heard all sorts of interesting things recently. There was a rather gruesome murder out on the edge of your territory yesterday. Those packmates of yours have quite a history too. It seems they’re wanted by some powerful witches. How are you keeping them safe and hidden?”
His eyes held mine and I quelled the urge to stab him on principle.
“I have no idea what on earth you’re talking about. The murders were likely committed by hunters. Awful people.”
His smile widened and he took a half step closer to me. He was comfortably within stabbing range now.
“There were no hunters in the area, and we have a policy about leaving witches alone. Garou, on the other hand…”
“I have a zero tolerance policy for hunters, and I recall having warned you that I’d kill you if you came here again.”
He pouted.
“Shame. A garou guardian would have been a delightful addition to the collection.”
Something crackled around me. Logan didn’t waver.
“Working with witches? That’s just shameful,” I said.
I hoped that whatever anti-magic shield came with the guardian gig kicked in quickly. It was looking as though I was about to get pulled into a magic battle.
“Working with? No. Controlling? Yes.”
A shiver ran through me. I wasn’t sure how he was doing it, but it took a lot of power to control a fully-fledged witch. The Blackthornes were more despicable than I’d thought.
The second skin slipped into place just before something sharp struck my cheek. A soft warmth bloomed and dissipated. I tilted my head and gave Logan a very disappointed look before I shot forward and slit his throat. One more dangerous threat removed from my territory.
Pricking my ears, I tried to pinpoint where exactly the witches were hiding. There was nothing. Not a single sound or scent to track. I hated witches.
“He’s dead. Can we call a truce?” I called out.
A young girl barely more than fifteen shimmered into view some ten feet or so in front of me. She walked to Logan’s body and poked it with her boot, raising her eyes to mine. I struggled to hold her gaze. There was a cool glassiness and emptiness there. The kind that came with years of intense abuse.
“Thank you,” she said in a small whisper.
The forest felt as though it began to breathe again. Birds sang and the breeze started licking at my ankles. It was over.
50
“I killed Logan Blackthorne,” I said casually as I returned to the kitchen.
Everyone stopped and looked at me. Natasha looked livid, the siblings’ jaws hit the ground, and Cole gave me his deepest alpha glare.
“When? Why?” Cole growled.
I went to the coffee maker.
“Not long ago, and because he threatened my life. Again. Did you know he had witches enslaved?”
“What type? From where? How?” Sky demanded.
“No idea. The one I saw was young, Briar’s age, maybe younger. She could shimmer in and out of sight.”
Sky pulled her phone out and began texting with her fingers flying over the screen.
Cole ran his hands over my arms.
“Are you ok?”
“Yea. He didn’t do much, he was hoping his witches would take me out. My guardian shield thing kicked in, though, and it was over quickly.”
“This will bring the hunters down on our heads,” he said softly.
“You stupid c
hild!” Natasha snapped.
I glared at her.
“I have warned you,” I growled back at her.
“Natasha’s right. You were stupid to kill a Blackthorne,” Briar said.
I calmed myself as the anger rose. They weren’t entirely wrong, but that did not mean I was going to allow such insolence.
“Why is Natasha here?” I demanded.
“I asked her here. She understands what it is to be a born garou. She’s going to help me find friends my age. Real garou friends,” Briar said.
Adam not to subtly kicked her under the table.
I took a step towards Briar.
“Tell me the truth,” I demanded.
“I have a theory about that,” Amy said sharply.
All eyes turned to the witch.
“Why are you allowing witches to run rampant in your pack, Cole?” Natasha said.
Cole bared his teeth at Natasha.
“Amy, continue,” Cole growled.
“Well, the timing of their arrival is a little suspect, don’t you think?” Amy said to Sky.
“I agree.”
I turned my attention fully to Natasha and the siblings. They were right. The Apophis witch, the blood witch problems, they’d all started when those three had come into my life. I’d been so desperate to have a pack that I’d been willing to overlook it.
“What are you insinuating?” Natasha snarled.
“I believe that the siblings are involved with the Apophis witch,” Sky said coolly.
Briar’s eyes went wide.
“Is there some way you can be sure?” I asked the witches.
Adam and Briar exchanged pleading looks before Adam stood and looked to me with his eyes down and shoulders hunched.
“Please… Rosalyn, Cole, you have to understand,” Adam began.
