Throne to the Wolves_An Urban Fantasy Novel

by J. A. Cipriano

  “Deal’s off.” Blair cocked the shotgun, eliciting one of the scariest sounds in the world. Laugh all you want, but go anywhere and cock a fraking shotgun. That sound will clear buildings with a fatness. “Now. Get. Out. Of. My. Shop. Wolf.”

  “No,” he said, straightening to his full height and holding his hands out in mock surrender. Unfortunately, he kept me pinned to the ground with one foot. “I need her. It’s important.”

  “She’s just a fucking hedge witch,” Badger said, peeking out from behind the curtain. His eyes widened as he saw Justin. “Wait… are you?”

  “Guilty,” Justin said, a smirk melting across his face as he nudged me with his shoe. “I think we got off on the wrong foot.”

  “If you don’t get the fuck out of my fucking shop, I’m going to make you leave with no foot. Understand, wolf?” Blair took a step forward and sighted him down the barrel of the gun. I wasn’t sure what it was filled with, but unless it was like napalm or something, it wouldn’t do more than piss Justin off.

  Okay that wasn’t totally true. It’d throw him backward in a spray of blood and shred him up pretty good. But I’d seen werewolves way weaker than he seemed to be shrug that shit off like it was a goddamned stubbed toe. Because, you know, it wasn’t enough for werewolves to turn into vicious killing machines. No, they had to have crazy healing abilities too.

  “That’s not going to happen,” Justin said, and as he did, Blair pulled the trigger. The gun roared, shattering my hearing as the blast of silver light lifted Justin full in the air and threw him backward through the glass door. It shattered into a million pieces of gummy safety glass that rained down around him as he struck the concrete outside.

  Without missing a beat, Blair smacked her hand on the Vampirella statue to the left of the curtain. A crackling web of blue energy sparked to life, rippling up along the inside of the shop as solid steel shutters fell down over the windows and broken door, sealing us inside both physically and magically.

  “Dude, you just shot Justin Bailey,” Badger said, brown eyes practically bulging out of his thin face.

  “Annie, are you okay?” Blair asked, ignoring him as she moved toward me. Truthfully, I could barely hear her over the ringing in my ears. “If I’d known he was a werewolf, I wouldn’t have accepted the appointment. I know how you are about working with them.”

  The barrel of her gun was so hot, it glowed bright red. I wasn’t sure what had come out of it, but judging by the wards spilling crimson light into the room like Santa had just exploded, I was guessing it’d hurt Justin pretty fraking good.

  “Yeah,” I said, letting her help me to my feet. My scalp hurt like a bitch, but I was so shocked by what had just happened, I could barely orient myself to this strange new reality where my boss had gunned down a fraking werewolf. “I told you they didn’t like me.” I tried to smile. “It’s not just me being crazy.”

  Part of me felt strangely vindicated. Blair had tried to get me to work with the wolves a few times over the last six months or so, but I’d always refused outright for obvious reasons. If the werewolves knew who I was, they’d kill me just like they’d killed my brother, and every other animator they found. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

  She’d insisted money would solve those problems, but you know what the problem was with money? It doesn’t spend well when you’re dead, and even though the idea of having a funeral straight out of “My super sweet sixteen” was strangely appealing, I wouldn’t be there to enjoy it.

  “I’m surprised they sent a prince. What does that scumbag want with you?” Blair asked as she neared me and put a hand on my shoulder. Her touch was so cold, I nearly shivered. To be fair, I wasn’t sure what the extent of Blair’s powers really were. I knew her root talent let her restore paper-based objects like priceless artwork back to full health, but from the touch of her skin and the way the gun had exploded with silver light, I was betting she had a few tricks up her sleeve she wasn’t sharing. Guess, we all had our secrets.

  It sort of irked me, but then again, I hadn’t exactly explained the nature of my powers either. All she knew about me was that I could usually get objects to tell me their memories. Yeah, it wasn’t terribly useful, but I could tell if some jackoff had tried to increase the price of a comic book by restoring it on the down low. Nothing pissed Blair off more than spending a week restoring a book only to have Certified Grading Company find a replaced staple or something else. Then the things would come back with that stupid purple tag, and let’s be real, no one wants that.

  “I have no idea. He came in asking about your Hulk #181,” I said as her words dawned on me. “Wait, did you say prince?”

  “Yeah, prince. Meaning he belongs to the royal houses, and his father or mother gained their station by being stronger than anyone else.” She shook her head in annoyance. “So yeah, this is a big fucking deal, Annie.”

  “Is no one concerned that Blair just shot a fucking movie star in front of the store?” Badger swallowed hard as he hid behind the curtain so only his head poked out. “I mean what if the cops come?”

  “The cops better fucking come. Do you know how much of my taxes go to their salary?” Blair glared at Badger and shook her head, and I knew she was seconds from launching into a rant. “Besides, he won’t be there when they show up. This is just buckshot mixed with some ice magic.” Before she could say more, the horrific sound of meat smashing into metal filled my ears.

  I spun toward the door in time to see a fist-shaped dent bulge in the thick security steel. The magical shield inside the room shimmered with stress, flaring so brightly I had to turn away to keep from going blind. Even still, little spots of color danced across my vision.

  “Holy frak,” I said, wide eyed. Part of me had expected Justin to just leave. I mean, he’d likely come back later with help and track my happy ass down, but no way did I expect him to try and break his way in. Judging by the way both the steel and the wards stressed with his blows, I was betting he had the power to do it.

  “You need to get out of here,” Blair said, spinning on her heel and heading toward the back room. “I’ll keep him busy while you do.”

  “What if he kills you?” I asked, even though everything in me wanted to run away. I was good at it. I’d done it before when the werewolves had killed my brother. Sure, that had been a few years ago, but it still felt like yesterday.

  I knew I could melt into the city and vanish before Justin found me. Hell, I was going to have to do that anyway. Only, I couldn’t leave Blair to pick up these particular pieces. The last time I’d done that, people had died. Granted it’d just been my master, but still.

  “I’ll be fine. I’m reasonably hard to kill,” Blair said and as she spoke, I almost believed her. Almost.

  As another dent pushed the metal to its limit, I realized we didn’t have time to argue because the werewolf was coming in here whether we liked it or not. Once Justin got back in here, we were all going to die. Werewolves were bad motherfuckers, and if he was a prince, it meant he was even stronger. Let’s just say the last time I’d seen a werewolf go full on rage beast in a room full of mages, they were wiping witches and wizards off the floor with a fraking napkin.

  “There’s a blood feud,” I said, looking at my friends as I made my decision. I fiddled nervously with my charm bracelet as I smiled at them. “I’ll take care of this. I don’t want you guys involved. If I give myself up, he’ll probably leave you alone.”

  “Annie, you can’t,” Blair started, but I cut her off with a wave of my hand because she was probably going to go all “Annie, don’t be a hero” on me. Fortunately, I wasn’t good at being a hero, but if my former master had taught me anything, it was how to be a damned good villain.

  “I’ve got my lightsaber. I’m good,” I said, patting the replica Darth Vader saber strapped to my hip. “If he tries something I’ll go full Dark Side on his ass.”

  “Oh my God, Annie’s gone full retard,” Badger said, mouth hanging open as he looked
from me to Blair and back again. “You’re never supposed to go full retard!”

  I was about to explain, I was not, in fact, going full retard, but before I could tell them that despite the fact I’d surrounded myself with geeky obsessions, I was a grown ass woman and totally capable of taking care of myself, the shriek of metal filled my ears. I spun in time to see the security door tear off of its mounting and fly inward through the building. The magic shielding us buckled like tissue paper as the door tore through it and ripped a furrow in the cheap linoleum floor before coming to rest at Blair’s feet. If she hadn’t jumped back, it’d have hit her, and adamantium bones or not, that shit would have put her down.

  Resolve filled me. I would not let him hurt my friends. I. Would. Not.

  My hands reached down toward my lightsaber as I turned my gaze toward the werewolf. Justin stood there seething, folded arms sheathed in fur. My eyes widened in shock. To cause a partial shift like that he’d have to have pretty insane control, but there it was. He stood there looking like a fraking supermodel who had traded arms with a golden-haired gorilla. His amber eyes met mine and the sight of his fully wolf eyes made me grip my toy saber. He might be a werewolf, but I had a couple tricks up my sleeve. He was about to find that shit out first hand.

  “Come with me if you want to live,” Justin snarled, holding his hand out to me. “If you do not, things will not end well.” As he moved, the fur melted away so the only thing left behind was pristine, sun-kissed skin. It happened so smoothly, I couldn’t really fathom the where and when of his shift. It was like trying to pinpoint the exact moment a flower bloomed.

  “Is that a promise?” I asked raising an eyebrow at him as I gave him my “I will not be intimidated by the likes of you” glare.

  “Yes, you have my word.” He nodded and glanced past me toward Blair who was sighting him down the barrel of her shotgun again. “If you shoot me again, it will not end well for you. I will pull out my phone and call my lawyer. I will bury you beneath so many lawsuits, you won’t be able to pay your way out even with a box full of Action Comics #1s. Are we fucking clear?”

  “What do you want with her?” Badger asked, and the bravery in his voice surprised me. God, I had great friends, which was all the more reason to get out of here before something really bad happened to them.

  “None of your fucking business,” Justin replied, glaring hard enough at Badger to make him duck fully behind the curtain. So much for bravery, I guess. Part of me was relieved. Justin wouldn’t hurt Badger unless the guy did something, and it wasn’t like there were weapons in the backroom. Call it a hunch, but something told me Badger wasn’t going to assault Justin Bailey with his bong.

  “Annie?” Blair asked, and the question in her voice was obvious. If I said the word, she’d blast Justin in the face with her shotgun and screw the consequences. Part of me wanted to let her do it and flee, but I couldn’t. Blair was my friend.

  Sure, I’d only known her a few years, but ever since I’d wandered into her shop, she’d been the older sister I’d always wished I’d had. I couldn’t let her throw away everything she’d worked so hard for. Not for me, at least. I wasn’t worth that.

  “I’ve got this,” I said, trying to sound confident as I turned toward the wolf and summoned my magic. It swelled up inside me, filling me to the brim and begging me to release it. If he tried anything, I’d blast him myself. “Take me to your leader.”

  “Call off your magic,” he said as his eyes faded back to perfect cornflower blue. He smirked at me like he was trying to play off what had just happened. “I’m glad we handled this all agreeable like.” His gaze shifted past me toward Blair once more and his smile grew brighter than the sun. Under other circumstances, it would have melted me into a puddle of goo and it wasn’t even directed at me. Man, my smile could sure take pointers from his. “I don’t suppose your Hulk 181 is still for sale?” He arched an eyebrow.

  “No.” Blair shook her head, and I could actually see the muscles in her hands tense. She still wanted to shoot him. “Even if it was, I wouldn’t take the money you steal from your subjects for it.”

  “Figured,” Justin replied, and the disappointment in his voice was obvious. It looked like he wanted to say more, but instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a fraking gangster roll of cash. He tossed it onto the counter. “That’s from my personal salary. It should cover the damages.” His gaze shifted to me, and he gave me a once over. “Nice shirt.” He held out his hand to me. “Let’s go.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest, suddenly hit by a bout of self-consciousness. I had a lightsaber strapped to one hip and a Star Trek phaser on the other. My charm bracelet filled with replica mana and health potions didn’t help much either.

  To make matters worse, I was wearing jean shorts and a black Werewolf Ninja hoodie that said “Got fur?” and OMIGOD, I was wearing a hoodie for his stupid movie. All I needed was a pair of black eyeglasses taped around the middle to truly fit the whole “geek girl chic” thing I had going on.

  It was weird because I’d never felt self-conscious about how I dressed before, but then again, I had no idea where he was taking me. Something told me my state of dress wouldn’t inspire fear in the hearts of my enemies, but then again, fuck ‘em.

  For one, I wasn’t a tight leather kind of girl. For two, after I escaped a master who turned my brother to the fraking Dark Side, I could dress how I wanted. Still, part of me wished I was wearing something a little flashier, like my “Han Shot First” shirt. As I had that thought, I scowled. Justin had just kicked in a steel door and thrown me to the ground like a rag doll. No amount of dress was going to impress him or his people.

  “My eyes are up here, jackass,” I said, stepping past him and out into the warm sunshine. I wasn’t sure if it was the last time I’d get to see my friends, but if it was, I wanted them to remember me leaving like a badass. It was silly, I know.

  “Whatever you say, Ambrose,” Justin replied, stepping past me onto the street and moving toward the silver Maserati parked at the curb. “Just get in the fucking car before I go all sorts of Count Domino on you.” He smirked as he pulled open the passenger door and held it open for me. It struck me as incredibly polite given the last several minutes’ worth of events that had happened.

  “You know Ambrose is a boy right?” I replied, sliding onto the black leather seat. The car was immaculately clean. Like, not even a single speck of dust clean and smelled like forest. Part of me wondered if he’d just had it washed, but there wasn’t an air freshener to be seen.

  “Yeah, I do, since I played him in Werewolf Ninja. I just didn’t think you were a princess in need of saving, but if you want, I can call you Condi.” He closed the door before I could squeak out “I’ll take Ambrose.”

  As I watched him move toward the driver’s side door, the absurdity of the situation faded away in a way that made me wish I’d run for it.

  I mean, here I was getting into a car with a werewolf prince who had just beat the shit out of a security door after tossing me to the ground. What’s that say about me? As long as you don’t rip out my heart and eat it, I’ll get in your car no questions asked? Man, Badger was right. I had definitely gone full retard.

  3

  “So, uh, where are we going?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at him as he pulled out of Magic Alley and onto the busy Los Angeles street amid a chorus of blaring horns. “And why do you want me? I’m nothing special.”

  “We’re going to the set of my latest movie, Eternal Vendetta,” he said, reaching down and hitting something on the touch screen. Immediately, Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust,” filled my ears. He began thumping on the steering wheel with one hand, no doubt content to ignore me while we traveled toward his set. Still, I wasn’t quite sure if he was being truthful or not. Did he seriously mean he was taking me to a movie set? It didn’t seem likely, mostly because the douchebag had just kidnapped me and gone all werewolf super predator to do it, but then again, he wa
s an actor…

  If he’d wanted me to go to the set of his movie, he could have just had his people call my not people. It wasn’t out of the norm for Blair to get jobs for me to read an object for someone. Not super common, but totally within the realm of possibility. Then again, he’d said he had done that and Blair had confirmed it. She just hadn’t known he was a werewolf because who the frak would have expected a billionaire playboy actor to also be a werewolf prince?

  Maybe he hadn’t known I was an animator and had just meant to impress me with his fame? I mean, I worked for a lady who specialized in comic books. Was it possible things had just gotten out of hand? It didn’t seem likely because it sounded abso-fraking-lutely insane, but at the same time, I had seen all of his movies. If Blair had told me to go to the set of Justin Bailey’s latest movie, I’d have shown up with bells on and probably my nice underwear.

  “Did you even really want the Hulk #181, or were you just screwing around?” I asked because I didn’t want to ask him more about why he wanted me. If he was taking me to a movie set that was groovy, but if he was lying about it, not only would that break my nerdy heart, but that meant he was taking me somewhere else. A place where he could properly observe the blood feud between my clan of mages and the werewolves. I really did not want that to be the case.

  “Yes,” he said, gripping the steering wheel angrily for a second. “Do you know how fucking hard it is to get a CGC 9.9?” He lowered his Ray-Bans and glared daggers at me. It made me want to crawl under my seat and hide, but I didn’t. It’d take more than mean looks from him to scare me. Well, to scare me more. “Even when you have money, people don’t like to part with them because if someone has one, he probably has a shit ton of money too.”