by Leia Stone
I nodded but I made a decision right then. If Kai didn’t find where Layla was hiding Sadie and Tara soon, I was going to finish this by myself. I quickly cleared the thought so he couldn’t pick up on it. It was the only thing left to do.
Fighting with Prudence had given me an idea. After dropping Kai off at home, and setting up the guest room for my mom, I called Sylvia and the coven over and we all met inside the barn. Since I wasn’t allowed to leave the mountain anymore this barn had become my little meeting place.
When Sylvia and the others had gathered, I stood and addressed them all. Sylvia had once told me that the only real way to harm a witch as powerful as Prudence, was to use her full-given magical name in a spell.
“Prudence has powerful magic and she just tried to kill my mom and capture me, so I want your help in finding out her full-given magical name,” I told everyone gathered.
Some of the women gasped, and I saw many shake their heads. They looked afraid but Sylvia seemed to consider my words. Sylvia was the one who named me. Someone had to have named Prudence. If I could find them and get the information out of them, Prudence was mine. Layla was too powerful with Prudence helping her. I needed to even the scales.
“I know what you’re thinking, but the person who named Prudence is dead,” Sylvia said.
I gasped. “How do you know that?”
Sylvia looked at Gretchen. “Because it was our old coven leader. Prudence killed her the moment she named her. To keep anyone from ever having control over her.”
I sank down and put my head in my hands. No. I needed to catch a break! “Prudence was in this coven?” I said in disbelief.
Sylvia sighed. “Only for a short while. After she killed Gloria, she ran and started her own dark coven.”
Gretchen moved forward and placed a healing hand on my back. “I have an idea if you’re open-minded.”
I felt waves of peaceful energy saturate my body as I looked up at her. Her hair was half up, half down with a crown of braids. I envisioned Gretchen and Sylvia kicking back the witches’ wine on Friday nights for fun and had to stifle a chuckle.
Gretchen was looking at me oddly as her hand hovered over my back, then she smiled. “Oh, you’re pregnant,” she declared as all of the witches gasped in excitement.
My mouth dropped open as I ran my hand over my flat belly. “What? It’s too early to tell,” I told her, but I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face. Holy shit. Excitement mixed with fear bubbled up inside of me.
Gretchen raised one eyebrow. “Not for me. I always know.”
Sylvia came over and gave me a hug. “Good for you, dear.”
My hand still rested on my flat belly. Suddenly, my wolf felt very protective. Wow. It was happening. I needed to get rid of Layla and Prudence fast, so I could focus on becoming a mother and starting a family with Kai.
I looked at Gretchen. “I have an open mind. What’s your idea?”
Gretchen nodded. “You’re a powerful seer. That means not only can you see the future, but you can see beyond the veil. We put you in a trance and you contact the dead spirit of Gloria so she can give you Prudence’s full name.”
Genius! But Sylvia looked worried, shaking her head no. The other witches were tossing salt and praying and acting all kinds of scared.
“Gloria died a gruesome death, she was betrayed. I don’t think contacting her spirit will be a good idea,” Sylvia told the room and a few witches agreed with her.
“No, it’s a good idea. I’ll be fine,” I told them all sternly. I knew my eyes were yellow. I needed the upper hand with Prudence and this was the only way to get it.
Sylvia looked to the other coven members, unsaid words passed between them. They all nodded. “Fine, but invite your shaman. He can help protect the open portal to the spirit world,” Sylvia told me with once flick of her slender hand.
Nahuel. I nodded and walked outside. Reaching into my shirt, I produced the protective pouch that Nahuel had given me. I buried the arrowhead into the earth and waited. A little while later, Nahuel walked out of the woods. He never ceased to amaze me and I wondered if there were limits to his power. So far, I had seen him stop time, change into a panther, and materialize out of nowhere. What more was there, I wondered.
“This mountain has seen a lot of death lately. It needs to be cleansed,” he said cryptically. His smooth, graceful walk reminded me of his panther form. Hair in a long, thick braid, jewelry littering his fingers, Nahuel looked his usual shaman self.
I smiled. “Hey, it’s good to see you.”
He nodded and peered at me with kind eyes. “I’ve been waiting to hear from you.”
I shrugged. “Sorry. I need your help now, though. The witches and I want to contact a spirit.” I chewed my nail nervously, not sure what he would think of my statement.
Nahuel nodded calmly as if this were a normal request. He pulled out a dried sage bundle and touched his palm to it, igniting it with flames. Oh yeah, add materialize fire out of nowhere to his list of amazing acts. After blowing on it, he fanned me with smoke.
Then he scanned my face seriously. “You seem different.”
I grinned. “I think I’m pregnant.”
His calm façade broke and he lit up with a smile and brushed ash across my forehead. “That’s wonderful but that’s not what I meant. Your eyes are green not blue, the black chunk in your hair. I think you’re letting the Devi take control.”
His words sent fear rippling through me. I touched my cheeks with a shaky hand. My eyes were green? I had forgotten about the chunk of black hair. Oh, shit. “Maybe that’s a good thing?” I offered. Maybe the Devi needed to take control so I could kill Layla once and for all. Yeah.
Nahuel shrugged. “Maybe.” He didn’t sound so sure.
I decided to focus on the spirit séance and ignore this new revelation, so I turned and led him into the barn without another word.
Sitting in a meditative pose, I took a deep breath and stared at Nahuel sitting across from me. We were in a circle surrounded by the witches. My eyes were half-lidded as I deeply breathed in and out. The witches chanted around me and mist leaked from the walls and saturated all of us.
“Gloria Sinclair! We call thee from beyond,” Sylvia shouted as the temperature in the barn dropped and mist crawled along the floor and up the walls.
Nahuel looked behind my left shoulder. “Her spirit his heavy,” he said calmly.
Shit, how often was Nahuel chatting with dead people? This didn’t look like his first rodeo. I tried not to freak out but having someone look over your shoulder at a ‘heavy’ spirit was a frightening feeling.
I slowly turned to see a wispy, white ghost glide towards me. Her hair was long and flowing, her face looked haunted. “How could she!” she screamed at me and whooshed in front of my face, bringing the freezing cold with her and sending goose bumps up my arms. My breath caught in my throat.
Nahuel clapped hard and Gloria jerked back, looking at him. “Don’t touch her,” Nahuel told the spirit.
Gloria sobbed. “I can’t believe she killed me. My own student!”
I looked at Sylvia and the other witches, but it didn’t seem like they could see her. Just me, Nahuel, and one other witch, Bonnie, a seer. Bonnie met my eyes and nodded. Here goes nothing.
“Prudence?” I asked Gloria.
Gloria’s face suddenly looked angry. “Yes! That traitor. She betrayed me. I can’t cross into the light while she still lives!” she screamed and ice cold air blasted me again.
I swallowed and tried to rein in my fear. “I can help you with that. If you can tell me her full magical name, I will make sure she no longer lives and you can cross over. You named her. What was it?” I asked Gloria as she stared off at all of the witches.
Her head suddenly snapped in my direction. “Hey, I know you. I’ve seen you before. You’re going to be over here soon, too. Can you stay with me? Then I won’t be alone.”
Dread churned in my stomach. What the eff was she talkin
g about? I looked at Nahuel.
“What?” I asked her.
She smiled. “It’s okay, dear, we can keep each other company.” She floated closer to me.
“No!” I shouted and stood.
The witches began chanting protection around me as Nahuel slowly rose from his sitting position.
Gloria glared at me. “Don’t yell at me!” she told me with malice.
Nahuel clapped again and thunder cracked outside. The barn walls shook.
“Tell her the full name of the dark witch Prudence or be gone!” Nahuel roared and held a smoking sage bundle in front of him like armor. I swallowed hard.
Gloria frowned. “I remember that day like it was yesterday. Prudence was my brightest student. The affinity for the power stone worried me a little but not really. She was a nice girl. As the head priestess, it was my honor to name her. I did the ceremony and the second I cried out ‘Prudence Heather Sorenson,’ she killed me!”
Yes! I grinned. Prudence Heather Sorenson was going down.
“Thank you,” I told Gloria honestly.
Nahuel began to fan her with sage as the witches chanted.
“No, I want to stay!” she called out, reaching for me.
I put my hands in front of me and mist poured out of them. “Go back to where you came!” I commanded her firmly.
The mist and sage smoke wrapped around her. Frowning, she looked around the room. “Tell them I miss them,” she said sadly, and disappeared.
I looked at Nahuel. “Thank you.” I’m not sure that would have gone down so well without him.
He nodded but looked at me with reservation. Were my eyes green again?
Suddenly, he took me in an embrace. “Goodbye, Aurora.” He squeezed me hard. Nahuel wasn’t the hugging type. That wasn’t a normal goodbye. Sadness overcame me as he let go and walked away.
‘What’s wrong?’ Kai picked up on my feelings.
‘Nothing, just doing a spell in the barn,’ I told him. I couldn’t let Nahuel leave like that.
I pushed past the witches and followed Nahuel outside. “Wait! What’s wrong?” I called out.
He looked over his shoulder. “Nothing, little sister. The time has come for me to fulfill my purpose just as you should fulfill yours. Our time together has come to an end. You’re ready.”
Panic gripped me. “Will I be able to?”
He gave me a look. “I’m not worried about that. You are powerful, too powerful.” He said it like it was negative.
“The Devi,” I stated.
He nodded. “There’s a reason everything has come so easy to you. When the Devi gets what she wants …”
Realization crashed over me. He was saying goodbye because he knew I would defeat Layla and then I would die. “So, you’re saying I’m only strong because of the Devi. That I’m not strong enough by myself. To survive.” My hands shook.
He gave me a pained expression and walked back over to me. “I’m saying it has been my pleasure to guide you. I’m here for you and I believe in you.”
What the hell? Why was he always so serious? Why did I feel like I wouldn’t see him again? “I love you,” I told him. I didn’t want him leaving without knowing how much he meant to me. Because this sure as hell felt like a goodbye.
He smiled. “And I love you, little sister. Remember that. Only love is real.”
Great. Leave me with a metaphor. Typical Nahuel.
He walked off into the woods, leaving me confused.
I exhaled. It was true. I was super powerful, two affinities, Matefinder, werewolf, witch. Earthshaking magic, healing abilities. I swallowed. If I took Layla down and survived the Devi leaving me, I would be a completely different person. Still a Matefinder, but … who knew? I shook off these thoughts and turned around to see Sylvia was waiting in the barn doorway for me.
I tried to put on a smile. “I got her full name.”
Sylvia nodded, but her eyes gleaned with tears.
I walked over to her and frowned. “What’s wrong?”
She laughed. “I’m just proud of you.” She smoothed my hair. “I’ve watched you grow from a scared, unsure, newly-changed werewolf, to a beautiful, strong woman. I’m very proud. As if you were my own child.”
“Sylvia.” I hugged her, but I couldn’t help but feel like people were saying goodbye to me. What the hell?
When she pulled back her face was serious. “Do you trust me, Aurora?”
I frowned. “Of course.”
She nodded and produced a dagger and glass jar, then asked for my finger tip. I hesitated for a second but I did trust her. I extended my finger and she pricked it, milking the blood from it. Then she pulled a hair from my head and placed it in the jar.
I wanted to ask her what it was for, but part of me didn’t want to know.
She gave me a sly smile and a big hug then walked back into the barn to get her things and left with the rest of the witches. I stayed behind for an hour or so, lost in my thoughts. I thought back to a year ago; my biggest worry was getting enough donations to keep Safe Haven running. Now I had two locations, I was married, probably pregnant, and had a legion of vampires after me and another soul sharing my body. WTF? Major life issues.
I put my head in my hands. There was also RAIDOS to worry about. They were so hell-bent on taking me out, they almost killed Earl, a human. They had gotten reckless and it scared me. The world was a scary place right now. I was so lost in my thoughts I didn’t sense Kai approach until he was right behind me. Not being able to smell him was so weird.
“I can feel your stress,” he said and began to massage my shoulders.
I sighed and let my head roll forward, pulling my hair out of the way so he could rub my neck.
“I’m just trying to make decisions that will be the best for everyone involved, while also having my happy ending, too. Sometimes I don’t think I can have both,” I confessed.
Kai stopped massaging me and sat down beside me on the bench.
“Don’t say that. Where is my confident ‘I can do anything and I don’t give a shit what you think’ Aurora?” He gazed in my eyes and I laughed.
God he was gorgeous. My gaze roamed over his body.
“Maybe I just need something to take my mind off of everything.” I raised one eyebrow. He grinned and his white canines pressed into his bottom lip. I was told newly-mated couples rarely left the bedroom. Kai and I didn’t have that chance with all of the drama. He got on his knees before me and peeled my shirt up over my head revealing my black lace bra.
“I am at your service,” he said and kissed me with heated passion. I smiled as he lay back and pulled me on top of him. How would I explain this feeling to a human? This complete wholeness that comes over you when you’re with your mate. People go lifetimes without ever finding a love like this. I had made a lot of stupid choices in my life, but being with Kai wasn’t one of them. No matter how much people wanted to bring us apart, Kai was my destiny; I knew it.
Healing
I had just finished another shift of watching baby Avery. Emma was doing well and Kai was in the basement with Jeremy and Alek. Today was day five of feeding him clean blood and they were testing whether or not he could be let free. I sat there playing with Luna when Alexa knocked on the door.
“Come in!” I shouted.
She came in holding a tablet. “We might have some more trouble,” she said. Alexa and Jameson were so damn cute together. I was really happy for her.
“What’s up?” I stood.
The tablet flickered in her hand. Alexa had a gift of shorting out appliances and lights. She could make an EMP blast and take out entire buildings. She was inarguably our most valuable wolf.
I took the tablet from her and saw a news clip. “We’re live and humans have stationed themselves at the base of Mount Hood. They are requesting a meeting with the wolves,” a newswoman said and the camera panned to a scene that showed the humans at our farthest check point. Some militia members and Anna were holding them
back. Shit.
Kai burst into the room then, as I continued to watch the screen. One man wheeled a frail woman with no hair forward. “Is it true that if you change a human into a werewolf, they won’t have disease or get sick? Please change my wife. Save her!” he shouted. The other humans shouted Change me! Change me!
“Shit,” Kai said and started running outside.
“Stay here,” I ordered Alexa and ran after him.
We ran to the base of the mountain in human form and slowed when we saw reporters so we wouldn’t scare them with our super speed. Seriously? Could we catch a break? It was one drama after another, but I guess that was life. The militia had barricaded the small two-lane road with two pick-up trucks parked sideways. There were a dozen humans and a cameraman with the reporter. Kai leapt up into the back of the pick-up truck making the humans go quiet.
“I am going to say this one time, so listen up!” Kai said with a deep, booming Alpha voice. “We do not change humans for fun. We have rules that our society has followed for thousands of years. If the rules are broken, wolves die. I can speak for every wolf alive when I say that we will NOT be changing humans to grow our numbers. Go home!” he roared.
A few of the younger teenagers wearing wolf t-shirts booed and walked away, but the man who stood behind his wife in the wheelchair came forward. She was in her early thirties, a breathing skeleton. I swallowed hard and tried to control my emotions. She reminded me of our Anna before we saved her.
“But to save a life? She’s terminal. One month to live.” The husband hunched over her wheelchair, a broken man looking for any option. He was maybe thirty-five years old, but this disease had aged them both beyond that. My heart hurt for them. This was the kind of shit that would keep me up at night. Anna met Kai’s eyes. Oh, Anna. Our sweet Anna who was dying of cancer when I found out she was Trent’s mate.
I could feel Kai’s pity through the mate bond. “Women rarely survive the change. It’s a dangerous process. It’s painful. If it worked, your wife would live on for a hundred years and you would grow old and die,” Kai said as the camera panned back and forth between them.
