Witchbane (Book 5 in The Twilight Court Series)

by Amy Sumida

  There were two assistants already in the room, both men and both human. They gave us respectful nods and went back to performing autopsies on a couple of witches. Two guys from Wesley's pack. I looked away and swallowed hard. I'd worked with those men very recently. It was hard to see them being cut open like that.

  Lyman led Raza, Killian, and me over to a table in a corner of the cool room. The table was near the only window, though there were enough electric lights scattered around to make the pallid sunlight unnecessary. Which was good, since night was quickly approaching.

  On the table, draped respectfully with a sheet, was Wesley Dearheart. His eyes were closed and his hands laid peacefully at his sides. His full beard and long hair had been combed, lying around his face in a fluffy cloud. There wasn't a mark on him, not even cuts from an autopsy. He looked as if he were sleeping.

  “I'm so sorry, Wesley,” I laid my hand over his gently.

  “He says it wasn't your fault, and not to blame yourself,” Lyman reported as he came to stand beside me.

  “What?” I looked at him in surprise.

  “Oh! My apologies,” Lyman's pale skin flushed. “I thought you knew. All of us sci-psychs are mediums.”

  “Sci-psych?” Killian stepped up to the table, glancing at the massive form of the dead werewolf, before looking back to Lyman.

  “The Human Council's scientists,” I explained to him. “They also have psychic abilities, but they're usually not members of the First Five.”

  “That's the five Irish families, whom all extinguishers are descended from?” Killian asked.

  “Yes, that's right,” I nodded. “The rules for council members are different. They'll recruit from outside the families if they discover a person who is talented enough. But I didn't know all sci-psychs were mediums.”

  “It's not a talent usually found in the Five,” Lyman shrugged. “And it's very helpful when you have to work with the dead.”

  “So you've spoken with Mr. Dearheart?” Raza was standing so close to my back, I could feel his body heat. It was comforting.

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” Lyman gave Raza a little bow, making me smile. “Wesley is here now. He's says he's glad you're on the job, Princess. You and the dragon. He has faith in the two of you. Sorry, King Raza, I didn't mean to be impertinent. It was Wesley's words.”

  “I am a dragon,” Raza shrugged. “Nothing impertinent about pointing out the obvious.”

  “Yes, thank you,” Lyman fidgeted with a pencil in his breast pocket.

  “Councilman,” I reclaimed his attention. “Did Wesley tell you anything about his death?”

  “I'm afraid his soul is very confused at the moment,” Lyman sighed. “And the other witch souls have already departed. We took too long to get to them. I was lucky to have made contact with Alpha Dearheart.”

  “And why were you able to?” Killian asked. “Why did he stick around when everyone else left?”

  “He's the Alpha,” Lyman said as if it were obvious. “He had to stay and see that the remains of his pack were dealt with appropriately. Then I spoke to Alpha Dearheart, and he decided to stay to help as best as he could.”

  “So what does he remember?” I asked Lyman.

  “He remembers entering a building in Alaska,” Lyman reported. “He said he took a terrible blow to the head, and when he awoke, he was somewhere else. But he had barely come to, when a woman with blood-red hair pointed some kind of weapon at him. Then he died.”

  “She just pointed it at him?” Raza leaned towards Lyman, which meant he leaned into me.

  “This is why I think he's confused,” Lyman held his hands out. “Alpha Dearheart doesn't seem to be able to remember the killing blow. What's even stranger, is this,” he gestured us over to Wesley's corpse.

  Lyman pulled the sheet back, folding it over Wesley's groin so that his chest was exposed. There was a discoloration over his heart. It wasn't exactly a burn, but the circular patch was noticeably darker than the rest of his chest.

  “What's that?” Killian peered at the mark.

  “Obviously this is where his energy was stolen,” Raza rolled his eyes and transferred his gaze to the sci-psych. “The spirit is not confused, Councilman. He was never physically struck. It looks as if Dagda's club has become more powerful in the hands of a fairy whom it's brought back to life. Now it can simply pull life force from a body.”

  “Oh my,” Lyman blinked, then turned to a table behind him, and snatched up a notebook. He started scribbling away.

  “So, it's as we suspected,” I said.

  “Yep,” Killian agreed. “Your evil uncle and his witchbane woman are sucking the life out of witches.”

  “Well, at least now we know the how,” I grimaced. “But we still don't know the why.”

  “Because they're evil?” Killian said in a duh voice.

  “Because they wish to raise more evil dead,” Raza added.

  Killian burst out laughing and I sighed.

  “What?” Raza scowled.

  “Nothing,” I waved it off. “It's a human thing. But I didn't mean their goal. I meant, why are they specifically killing witches? They turned everyone else into zombies, but they use the witch energy to fuel the club. Why?”

  “I just told you why. It's in her damn name. Rue is a herb. One of its alternate names is witchbane,” Killian shrugged. “The bitch just hates witches.”

  “What's that?” Lyman looked to an empty space in front of me. “Oh, I see. Yes, of course,” he turned to me.

  “Is Wesley right here?” I indicated the spot Lyman had been focused on.

  “Yes, Ambassador,” Lyman nodded. “And he has one more message for you personally.”

  “Creepy,” Killian muttered.

  “What? The message or the fact that he's standing right in front of me?” I asked Killian.

  “Yes,” Killian grimaced.

  “What's the message, Councilman?” I slapped Killian's shoulder.

  “Alpha Dearheart wants you to know that he was near Ewan Sloane when the extinguisher was killed,” Lyman said gently. “Extinguisher Sloane's last words were for you.”

  “Yes, I know,” I swallowed hard, and two sets of hands went to my shoulders. “Rue left me a note to gloat. She wrote that the last thing Ewan said was my name.”

  Lyman frowned at the spot before me, “No, Alpha Wesley says that's not exactly true. Extinguisher Sloane did say your name, but there was much more to it than that.”

  “What did he say?” I asked the spot before me.

  “He said,” Lyman blinked, swallowed nervously, then set sympathetic eyes on me and started again. “Extinguisher Sloane said this directly to the Alpha, and I shall quote it, 'Tell my daughter, Seren, that I love her'. Alpha Dearheart says this was the other reason he remained with his body. He wanted to deliver Extinguisher Sloane's last words to you.”

  “Thank you, Wesley,” I reached a hand out to the space before me as tears filled my eyes. “Thank you so much.”

  “He says, 'You're very welcome, Princess',” Lyman nodded to the space, “and he's touching your hand.”

  I broke down, falling forward, and two men caught me and steadied me, hopefully before I fell into Wesley. I heard Raza growl, as in a serious dragon's rumble, and one pair of hands fell away from me. I turned and laid my cheek to a warm chest, thick arms wrapping around me and soft lips pressing to my forehead. Raza was speaking Fey to me again, a purring murmur that I didn't understand, and yet my body slowly relaxed with his words. His hand stroked my hair until I was calm enough to pull away.

  “I'm so sorry,” I said to Lyman and Killian. “I'm just tired. I'm not usually this emotional.”

  “You lost a man you considered to be your father, Ambassador,” Lyman said gently. “Please do not apologize to any of us. I'm glad to have provided you some closure as well as a safe place for you to vent your grief. And Wesley has just asked me to say one more thing on his behalf.”

  “Yes?” I sniffed away the last of m
y tears.

  “Wolves see no shame in mourning,” Lyman repeated Wesley's words to me. “We howl until the hurt becomes rage, then we hunt those who have hurt us, and make them howl in pain.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  “I need to return to Unseelie,” Raza said as he escorted me to my rooms. We'd just left Killian at his. “Have you decided if you'll be returning with me?”

  “I can't,” I said with regret. “I want to, but I need to take care of some things for...” I trailed off, looking away as I realized I'd have to check on Ewan's will and possibly execute his wishes.

  “Ewan,” Raza finished for me. “Yes, I understand. I'd stay, but I feel that it's asking a lot of my son. I shall try to return in time to help you with him.”

  “You need to be in Unseelie to settle into your new role,” I shook my head. “Don't worry about coming back for me. I have-”

  “Killian,” Raza growled. “Yes, I know. He's one of the reasons I don't want to leave.”

  “I was going to say that I have my Star's Guard,” I chuckled. “Raza, I've told you how I feel about you, and I still haven't...”

  “Consummated our love?” Raza lifted a brow.

  “Yes, that,” I shifted uncomfortably, thinking about my dream again. “So do you really think I'd jump into bed with Killian?”

  “I see your point,” he smiled. “Are you trying to tell me you're not interested in the witch?”

  “I didn't say that,” my smile turned wicked. “He's attractive and-”

  “Human,” Raza snarled. “That's what draws you, isn't it?”

  “A little,” I was about to go on and ease his mind, when he cut me off.

  “I want you to consider what that would mean for a future between you, Seren,” Raza said coldly. “He will wither while you blossom, and then you will be left with the husk of a man.”

  “Yes, Raza,” I sighed and pulled away from him. “I know all about the mortality of humans.”

  “Seren,” he shook his head and made a regretful sound. “I'm sorry, my love. I reacted poorly to your teasing. It was teasing, was it not?”

  “It was,” I whispered. “Raza,” I chewed at my lip. “Do you have the ability to enter another person's dreams?”

  His head cocked sharply, golden eyes glowing in the low light of the hallway. “Why did you ask that?”

  “I... the fight with Tiernan... I was sleeping,” I looked away, embarrassed.

  “Dreaming?” Raza's voice dropped to a purr. “About me, mo shíorghrá?”

  “About you,” my voice was even softer than a whisper, but he heard me. I saw the flash of triumph in his eyes.

  “Did I say something to you?” Raza kept easing closer, until I found myself pressed up against the stone wall.

  “Of course,” I was breathless, my lungs couldn't seem to pull in enough air.

  “What did I say, Seren?” Raza's hand curled loosely around my neck, fingers arching up beneath my chin, to lift my face to his.

  “You asked me if I loved you.”

  “And then?”

  “I said yes.”

  “But what did I ask after that?” Raza insisted.

  “If I wanted you inside me,” I confessed in a low tone. “When I said yes, you told me I knew where to find you, and then you disappeared.”

  Raza's eyes closed in pleasure, his body leaning into mine as his arms closed around me. He inhaled and then released his breath slowly against my cheek, like a man reunited with his lover. Then he just held me, tight enough that I could feel his heart beating against mine.

  “Raza?” my lips were beside his ear, so close, I was practically kissing him there.

  “Mo shíorghrá,” Raza said it reverently. “We are bound closer than I thought.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I had the same dream,” his face turned to mine, and then we were making out in the hallway like a couple of teenagers.

  Except one of these teenagers had a wingspan longer than I was tall, and he used those leathery appendages to form a barrier around us. It felt like I was wrapped in Raza, his hands hot on my waist and his tongue even hotter in my mouth. He was all heat, my dragon, and I loved playing with his fire.

  But things started getting too intense. He was hard and eager, pushing between my thighs. Rubbing at me intimately. And I was groaning, just as eager for him. This wasn't how I wanted it though. Not there in that hallway, while things with Tiernan were still unsure. We hadn't spoken the words to end our relationship, and I think that was what bothered me the most. I needed to hear that Tiernan and I were over, for certain, before I moved on. Because there was a piece of me that believed we weren't. Or maybe just hoped we weren't. Either way, I couldn't do this with Raza. Wrong time, wrong place.

  “Raza,” I drug my lips away from his and he tried to follow me. I held my fingers to his mouth, and he nipped at them. “Do you really want our first time to be in a hallway?”

  “No,” Raza sighed. “You're right,” he lifted me and started heading for his room.

  “Raza,” I pushed at him. “You know I can't do this now.”

  “Seren,” he groaned, laying his forehead to mine. “You're torturing me.”

  “I know,” I whispered. “And I'm sorry. But I'm torturing myself as well.”

  “Then let's end this torment,” Raza straightened.

  “Raza, put me down,” I said gently. “I can't. I need to know things with Tiernan are truly over before I become...”

  “Mine?” Raza rubbed his lips over mine. “You already are mine, mo shíorghrá.”

  “Damn it, dragon,” I smacked his chest. “Stop calling me that. It's too sexy for me to handle right now.”

  Raza chuckled and then sighed.

  “Alright, Seren. We will wait. When you're ready...” he smirked.

  “I know where to find you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  I knew my Guard was waiting on me, but after Raza went into his room, I turned around and headed back up the hallway. I was looking for High Councilman Murdock. He wouldn't be in the main council chambers anymore, but I was almost certain he'd be staying at the High Fairy Council House until this mess was over. So I stopped the first fairy I saw, and asked if they knew where I could find the councilman.

  I was directed to an entirely different wing of the castle. I found the correct door, and knocked. Murdock answered my knock himself. I was a little surprised he didn't have a younger councilman as an assistant. High council members usually did. But Murdock was a gruff, down-to-earth sort of man, and maybe he didn't want another person underfoot when he was trying to relax.

  “Extinguisher Sloane,” he said in surprise. “Come in,” he waved me into a spacious room. “Sit down,” Murdock gestured towards a sitting area, spread out before the fireplace. “What is it that brings you to my door?”

  “Extinguisher Ewan Sloane,” I said as I sat.

  The fire was hot on my face, reminding me of Raza's scorching embrace. I squirmed a little in my seat, feeling a bit like I'd cheated on Tiernan. But I couldn't think about that now. This was about my dad.

  “I need to ask you a few questions,” I went on. “I'm not sure who else to ask, so please don't be offended that I came to you instead of some council aid.”

  “It takes a lot to offend me, Extinguisher,” Murdock said gruffly. “And I can imagine the type of questions you may have. I believe I can answer most of them, and those I can't, I know who to direct you to. So go on then.”

  “Do you know if someone has informed Ewan's mother about his... condition?”

  “Ah, yes, Councilwoman Sloane,” Murdock sighed. “I believe she has been notified, but I'll check on that. Be at ease, Extinguisher Seren, you will not have to do the deed.”

  “Thank you,” I relaxed a little. “I see you know of our antagonism towards each other.”

  “Your last run-in was here, wasn't it?” Murdock smirked. “Something to be remembered, from what I've heard.”


  “My dad stood up for me,” I smiled in memory.

  “He was a good man,” Murdock nodded decisively, as if disputing claims to the otherwise. “I liked him. Very straightforward fellow.”

  “Yes,” I swallowed hard. “He was definitely that.”

  “To that extent, I think he would want you to know of his wishes, even though he's not exactly deceased as yet.”

  “What wishes?”

  “His will, girl,” Murdock huffed. “I had the wills of all of our POWs brought over with me, in case their loved ones presented themselves to the High Council.”

  “You think other extinguishers will come here?”

  “You were raised an extinguisher,” he grimaced at me. “You know what they're like. They'll want justice. And that desire will bring them to us.”

  “You think they'll ask to join the team you're putting together?”

  “Obviously,” he snorted. “You want to be in the ranks, can you doubt that other extinguishers, whose family members are out there, would want to go as well?”

  “Of course,” I cleared my throat. “So you have my father's will?”

  “I do,” Murdock stood and went into another room. In a few minutes, he returned with a single sheet of paper. He handed it over to me. “Straightforward, just like your father.”

  I looked down and skimmed the page. Ewan must have changed it after my mother's death, because she wasn't mentioned at all. There was more lawyer gobbledygook than actual testament. Ewan Sloane's wishes had been very simple.

  “I leave my entire estate to my only child, Seren Sloane,” I read aloud. Then I looked up to Murdock. “This must have been before we had our...”

  “Split?” Murdock offered and then shook his head. “Look at the date.”

  “This was a month ago?” I gaped from the page to the man and back again. “He updated his will a month ago and still left everything to me? Not that he had a lot, but I would have thought he'd want his possessions to go to his mother.”

  “You were his family, Seren,” Murdock said, suddenly gentle. “A man can say horrible things to family, and never truly mean them. Because he knows that kind of love is strong enough to survive such words.”