Dark Coven

by J. C. Diem

  My chest hitched in a near sob and Reece’s hands clamped down on my shoulders hard enough to hurt. The pain helped me to focus and to drive my grief away, at least for the moment.

  “I’d been keeping a watch on the house,” Mark said. “I saw a woman sneaking in through the nursery window. I was about to go in after her when Philip entered the room. He was armed and his reputation as a crack shot was already well established. I stayed outside to provide backup if it was required.”

  “I didn’t want to admit to myself what Katrina had become,” my dad said. The tears in his eyes almost broke my heart. “But I couldn’t let her kill you, even if that meant I had to kill her to keep you safe.”

  “You shot her in the head,” I said, remembering the faint scar on Katrina’s forehead. I’d had a dream about being snatched out of my cradle by a monster and my father coming to my rescue. It hadn’t been a dream at all, but a memory of the night my mother had tried to drain me.

  He nodded in confirmation. “It didn’t kill her like I’d hoped, but it hurt her. She staggered back and dropped you. I caught you just before you hit the floor.” He looked down at his hands as if he was picturing me as a baby again. “There was so much blood and you were so tiny.” He shook his head, unable to go on.

  “Your mother was gravely wounded,” Mark explained. “I’d only been in the PIA for a couple of years by then and she was the first vampire that I’d encountered. I knew that a single gunshot to the head wouldn’t kill her. I dragged her out through the window and saw she was already starting to heal. I’d brought along a stake just in case she showed up.”

  “I take it you didn’t get a chance to use it,” Reece said dryly.

  “No,” he admitted. “She knocked my hand away before I could stake her. She escaped into the swamp and it would have been suicide to follow her. Her maker and the rest of their nest were somewhere close by. I couldn’t take on that many vampires alone and hope to survive.”

  “I saw Mark drag Katrina out the window and figured he knew she wasn’t human,” my dad said. “He told me that she’d escaped then offered to call a doctor who was a friend of his. I couldn’t take you to the hospital. How could I possibly explain what had happened to you?” It was a rhetorical question and I didn’t try to answer it. “I agreed to his plan. The doc stole some blood from the hospital where he worked. He gave you a transfusion and stitched your wound.”

  “Did you go after her?” I asked, already knowing the answer. He would have felt compelled to try to put an end to the woman he’d married. He wouldn’t have wanted her to remain a bloodthirsty monster.

  “We did,” he confirmed. “But the entire nest had fled. Mark figured her master was too smart to stay in town after they’d been discovered. We searched for a few days, but couldn’t find any sign of them.”

  It was all so clear to me now. Mark had introduced my father to the Paranormal Investigation Agency after he’d helped save my life. They’d stayed in touch all these years without me even knowing about it. Rather than telling me the truth after I’d learned that supernatural beings existed, they’d decided to hide it from me. They’d continued their deception even after I’d become a monster myself.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” I ground out.

  “I was going to,” he replied. “I’d already arranged to take a vacation so I could tell you all this. Mark was going to give you a few days off when I returned home.”

  Mark backed him up. “It’s true. I’d already booked you a flight back to Texas, but then this mission came up and we had to postpone your vacation.”

  “What else haven’t you told me?” I asked them and received blank stares.

  “We’ve told you everything, honey,” my dad said.

  “Something else must have happened to me.” I was frustrated and even the touch of my fellow shifters wasn’t enough to calm me.

  “What makes you think that?” Mark’s question was cautious.

  “Because I’m not normal!” I felt Reece flinch both in body and mind. He knew what I was talking about. I was different from him, even though we were the same species. “I’ve been bitten by both a vampire and a werewolf and I’m still alive. I can see ghosts and I can control dogs with my mind. God only knows what else I can do that I haven’t discovered yet.”

  “Wait.” My father held up a hand to stop me. “You can control dogs with your mind?” He was clearly stunned by that prospect. Kala sniggered at his surprise and Reece glowered at her in warning. Now wasn’t the appropriate time for her humor to surface.

  Instead of disgust or fear, my dad shook his head in amazement. “What’s so great about being normal anyway?” He opened his arms and I didn’t hesitate to launch myself at him. He caught me and held me tightly. I had to swallow back sobs of relief that he still loved me even though I was a freak.

  ₪₪₪

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  It was embarrassing to have a mini meltdown in front of everyone. Considering the circumstances, I didn’t think anyone would blame me. I sensed tension coming from the bond and couldn’t decide if I was amused or appalled when I realized the cause.

  Reece was jealous of our closeness. His instincts were to protect me and someone else was standing in the way of him doing his duty. Being around an alpha could be very trying at times. It didn’t help that I was apparently also an alpha.

  Deciding to ignore Reece’s grouchiness, I slung my arm around my dad’s waist. He carried a handgun in the small of his back, hidden beneath his shirt. It wasn’t the most comfortable place to carry a weapon, but it gave him quick and easy access.

  “What exactly are we facing here?” my father asked. It seemed that he’d decided he was going to assist us with our mission. No one protested. Frankly, we could use the help.

  “Originally, we were investigating a coven of witches,” Mark explained. “Now, it appears we also have Katrina to contend with.”

  “What did the witches do to deserve being hunted by the TAK Squad?”

  “They’ve been killing young men and women for the past couple of hundred years,” Kala said. She was eyeing my dad with interest, which made me highly uncomfortable. I knew she liked to play around and the thought of her with my father made me want to shudder. “They drain their life force to keep themselves alive,” she explained.

  “I take it we can’t just gun them down in cold blood?”

  I rolled my eyes at his simple solution. “They’d already be dead if that was an option,” I said. “The ghosts told us that we can only kill them if we destroy some kind of talisman first. They have wards set up around the perimeter of Bradbury. They’re designed to warn them if any humans who are aware of their existence enter the town.” I didn’t know much about spells, but it seemed very sophisticated and complex. It would take a lot of power to set them up and maintain them.

  “I guess this means you and I can’t directly assist the squad in this mission,” my dad said to Mark.

  “Entering the town would be deadly for us both,” he confirmed. “We need to think of a way to lure the coven out of town. We’ll only have a short time to search the building where the talisman is probably being kept.”

  Reece figured it out before the rest of us did. “You think it’s in the center of the pentagram. Either in the coffee shop or in the apartment above it.”

  “It makes sense that it would be at the center of their town where the most power is concentrated.”

  “I’ll search the café,” I volunteered, surprising everyone with the offer.

  “No,” Reece argued immediately. “It’s too dangerous. I’m not going to let you go in there alone.” Our gazes locked and neither of us were about to back down this time.

  “Why should you be the one to search the place?” my father asked, giving me the opportunity to look away without actually conceding defeat.

  “The ghosts can scout the area for me and warn me if the witches are coming,” I said. “I can also call on the dogs, if I need to.�
�� I was reluctant to do that. It would undoubtedly draw unwanted attention if the café was surrounded by a pack of canines.

  “Can you explain how you can control dogs?”

  “When we were looking for the witches’ houses, I ran into a few of them,” I explained. “I had to establish dominance over them so they wouldn’t bark and give away my presence. That seemed to have formed a brief link to them. When one of the witches attacked me, I sort of reached out with my mind and called on the dogs for help. They came to my rescue and drove her off before she could kill me.”

  He paled at how close I’d come to dying. Sadly, I was starting to get used to my close encounters with death. It was turning out to be an occupational hazard. “I take it the ghosts have been helpful so far?” he asked.

  I nodded and automatically glanced around to see if any of the spirts were here. They weren’t and we were still alone. “They warned us to get out of Bradbury then one of them pinpointed where each of the witches houses were. They attacked the vampire when she came for me in the cemetery.” It hurt to think of her as my mother and it was easier to refer to her as impersonally as possible.

  “I couldn’t see the ghosts, but they did a good job of scaring the bloodsucker away,” Kala said with a smirk.

  “How did they manage that?” Mark asked. He was itching to take notes, but didn’t reach for the tablet that was in an inner pocket of his jacket.

  “It was pretty scary,” I said. “They changed from normal, benign spirits into these hideous, clawed monsters.”

  “It sounds like they turned vengeful,” he mused. “I wonder why they don’t turn against the coven?”

  At his question, the handsome young man who had helped us out several times appeared. He shook his head anxiously at the mere suggestion that they might turn against the people who’d killed them.

  “I don’t think they can attack the witches directly,” I said and the ghost nodded. “Would it harm you if you tried?” I asked and he nodded again. “If we were to kill them, would it set you guys free?” I didn’t know where that notion had come from, but it was a good guess. He smiled, inclined his head for a third time and reached out to pat my arm.

  Everyone was looking at me strangely at my apparent one sided conversation with an invisible being. “I think I know why the ghosts are willing to help us now,” I said, trying not to pull away as the coldness seeped from him into my flesh. “The witches have some kind of power over them. It’s keeping them here instead of letting them move on.”

  As I spoke, the old church began to fill up with spirits. “If we can destroy them and their talisman, then the spirits will be free.” The longing on their faces was poignant enough to almost bring tears to my eyes.

  “So,” my father said, “all of these ghosts are young men and women?” I nodded and he frowned. “Then who is the boy? What part does he play in all this?”

  It was a good question and one that none of us had considered. The child in question appeared and stared up at me forlornly. I crouched down in front of him so we were face to face. A horrible suspicion hit me and I voiced it. “Is your mother one of the witches?”

  He screwed his face up and he silently began to cry as he nodded. Just like I had with my father, he flung himself into my arms. His sorrow was almost enough to make him corporeal. The usual deep chill sank into me as I did my best to soothe him.

  The young man stepped forward and drew the child away. Flynn helped me to stand then put his arm around my shoulder. He rubbed my arm to give me some warmth. Reece glared at Flynn in automatic jealousy. Kala’s lips twitched and I sent her a narrow stare. This routine was already starting to get old.

  “How are we going to lure the witches out of town?” my father asked, bringing our focus back to the task at hand.

  Mark had a solution, but it would be risky. “I think the best way would be to trip the wards again.” Our whole team rounded on him in protest. He held up his hands to stop us before we could unleash our complaints. “It’s the only way we can draw them out long enough for Lexi to search the café.”

  “What if we tripped it in more than one place?” my dad said. “That’ll force them to split up. Dividing their forces will help add to the confusion.”

  It was a sound idea, yet I was far from happy that he was volunteering to put himself in danger. It was bad enough that he faced human enemies on a daily basis. Now he was taking on people who possessed unpredictable and uncanny powers.

  “What if they’ve changed the wards so they can kill intruders rather than just warn them that someone is on to them?” I asked.

  Mark hesitated, clearly he hadn’t thought of that possibility. “I’ll test the wards. If I just get a nosebleed again, then we can proceed with the plan.”

  “And if you die?” Kala asked. For once, she was standing still rather than shifting from foot to foot restlessly. “How do you think we can go on without you as our leader?”

  “Of course you can go on without me,” he said, waving away her concern. “I’ve taught you everything you need to know. Reece can easily lead you in my place.”

  “Mark,” I said and he looked at me warily at my sharp tone. “You might not be their biological father, but you’re still their dad. They won’t be able to function if you die.”

  Their expressions backed up my warning and he blew out a sigh of acknowledgement. “I know,” he admitted. “I just want to get this mission over and done with.”

  “Can we get help from another witch?” my dad asked. “A good one, if there is such a thing?”

  Mark pondered the idea and eventually nodded. “I know someone who might be able to assist us. She lives in England, so it might take a while for her to reach us. I’ll call her and see if she’s available.”

  He moved away so he could speak as privately as was possible in such a small place. The rest of us huddled together. Wan daylight filtered through the holes in the roof. They cast narrow beams of light through the gloom. The church was creepy even in the daytime. I wished we could find somewhere else to hold our meetings.

  Mark returned after a few minutes. His expression was somber. “Beatrice is willing to assist us, but the soonest she can get here is in three days.”

  “That’s cutting it close to the full moon,” Reece pointed out. “We’ll only have two days left to carry out this mission.”

  None of us wanted to postpone this any longer than we had to. It wasn’t just the coven that was a danger to us. Katrina was also lurking around, waiting to strike. She hadn’t seen my father for eighteen years. I wondered how she’d react if she knew he was here. For all I knew, she might want to make him her husband in semi-death as well as in life.

  ₪₪₪

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  We returned to Dawson’s Retreat and Margaret met us at the door. She offered us morning tea. Mark accepted, of course, and we headed to the parlor.

  “Since we have plenty of time to kill, how about you bake that cake you promised?” Flynn said to Reece as we all took a seat.

  Reminded of what day it was, I turned to our boss. “Happy birthday, Mark.”

  He offered me a weary smile. “Thank you. I’m sure it will be a memorable day.” It already was and it wasn’t even lunchtime yet.

  “Don’t let Margaret help you,” Kala reminded Reece as he stood again. “Lexi, make sure he does this on his own.”

  Remembering the promise I’d made to Margaret that I wouldn’t let him burn down the kitchen, I stood as well. My father watched us in bemusement as we headed for the door. Our hostess arrived with a trolley full of coffee and tea before he could ask us what was going on.

  “I’m going to utilize your kitchen for an hour or so,” Reece told her.

  Margaret shot a worried look at me and I patted her on the shoulder as I sidled past. “It’ll be okay. I’ll watch him closely.”

  “I bet you will,” Kala murmured just loudly enough for us shifters to hear her. Flynn looked down at his feet, trying hard no
t to grin.

  Following Reece into the kitchen, I sat on a stool while he searched for a cake recipe on his cell phone. The kitchen was gigantic, with a large island counter in the middle of the room. Pots and pans hung from hooks above the counter and cupboards were set beneath it. A massive stainless steel fridge stood next to the sink. A dishwasher had been added to the right of the sink. While the house was old, the kitchen had been modernized.

  Choosing a recipe, Reece searched the cupboards for a mixing bowl and a cake tin. He retrieved the ingredients that we’d bought yesterday. Flynn’s memory had been accurate and he had everything that he needed. Setting the oven to preheat, he proceeded to mix the ingredients together. Unlike Kala, he didn’t simply dump everything into the bowl at once, but added them in the correct order.

  I shouldn’t have been surprised that he was adept at baking a cake. Kala was a disaster in the kitchen, but the rest of us were far more competent. She’d be devastated when his cake turned out so much better than hers. It would be one more sign that she was inferior when it came to cooking.

  That reminded me of the other talents that she’d mentioned. “Who did Kala have to torture for information?” I asked while Reece slid the cake into the oven. He turned the timer on then began to clean up the mess he’d made.

  Glancing around to make sure Margaret wasn’t about to walk in, he handed me the spoon that he’d used to scoop the mixture into the cake tin. I licked the chocolate off it and his eyes followed the movement. Heat rose to my hairline as we both remembered using our hands and mouths on each other. I moved to the sink to rinse off the utensil.

  Ignoring the tension that had just sprung up between us, Reece carried the bowl over to me. I took it from him and washed it by hand. “It was during one of our early missions,” he said. “We were sent after a ring of sexual deviants who preyed on children.” My expression reflected my disgust and he picked up on my wish not to know the details of their crimes. “We knew who most of the members were, but we didn’t know who the ringleader was.”