The Ancients Series

by Christine M. Butler

  “Puppies?” Ashley asked, then she smiled at me. “You can tell me all about it later. I’m glad you got to have a good day, finally. Sucks that Evan had to ruin it this morning. I’m sorry about that. It’s hard on him. Asi told me there was a girl before, that Evan liked, and it didn’t work out. He wouldn’t elaborate, but he said this stuff with Antoine making you date both of them is bringing up some really ugly shit for Evan. Hell, even Asi has yelled at him for how he’s treating you. Old wounds or not, there’s no reason to take it out on you.”

  “Yeah, well, he’s dooming himself. If he keeps this up, it won’t be Evan I pick.” I was crying now. My tears were made up of the same emotions I couldn’t wrap my own head around. Anger, sadness, disappointment, and regret all mingled together, and they were streaming hot down my face.

  “Aww, come here, Jess.” Ashley pulled me into a hug, then she took the edge of her sleeve, and wiped at my face. “We’ll figure everything out, okay? Maybe, I don’t know, maybe I should have a talk with Evan. Or maybe Leanna should. She seems to want you to be with Evan.”

  “I’d rather not involve any more of that family in all of this. I don’t know why, but Annabelle gave me the creeps, and I really don’t know what Leanna is up to.” I shrugged. “I’ll figure it out.”

  “Well, come on, let’s get you to class now. We’ll work on everything else later.”

  “Oh, hey, how did your test go yesterday?”

  “It went. I’ll find out tomorrow when I go back to that class.” Ashley chewed on her lip. “I’m not sure I studied enough. I’ve had a lot of distractions lately.”

  “I know. I heard you being thoroughly distracted last night.” I was laughing at her as we walked near the fountain on the quad. Ashley smacked my arm.

  “Shut it!” She was laughing too, though.

  “Oh, no way. You don’t get to demand juicy details from Mikael, and have me remain quiet about all the screaming we heard from your apartment.” Her blush let me know she was more concerned about the fact that Mikael heard her too. “Oh yeah, he walked me to the door, and stood there with me. My keys were locked up in your apartment, so I couldn’t take my Jeep home. That’s why I ended up going back to his place.”

  “Damn.” She whispered.

  “I have to say, as many times as I’ve been in your apartment when you’ve brought guys home, I have never heard you quite so vocal. Asi must be doing a good damn job.”

  “Oh, he really is.” Ashley took a breath and got ready to launch into details I probably didn’t want, when I felt that weird tingle down my spine. I grabbed her arm hard, which shut her right up. “What?” She asked, and quickly realized something was wrong, because the playful demeanor fell away from me, replaced by fear. I scanned the area, looking for a sign of something, or someone, out of place. I didn’t see anything that stood out at first, and then a woman stepped around the fountain heading towards us with a purpose in her step.

  “Ashley, be ready to run. She’s a witch.”

  “That means running will do no good, if I wished you ill.” The woman called out to us, hands raised in a pose that said she meant no harm. “I just want to talk for a moment.”

  “I can’t even fathom why you would need to talk to me. I don’t meddle in witch business. I’ve never even met one that I know of.”

  She smiled, “well now, you’ve met me. I am Estella Sophia Marquez.” My brain fired off a response to that name, but it took a second for me to place why I recognized it. “I see you know the name.”

  “You’re the one who helped Antoine.”

  “Guilty.” She sat down on the edge of the fountain and looked up at me. “Now, you understand why a witch is meddling in your affairs, because they are entwined with the De’ Lunes, and because you are the white wolf.”

  “How?”

  “Witch.” She pointed to herself. “Wolf.” She pointed to me. It is my job to know these things.”

  “You were in the woods yesterday, watching us?”

  “Indeed. I do hate to spy, but I needed to see something for myself. I’ve heard the warning bells lately. I just needed to make sure you were on the right track.”

  “Okay, that really didn’t clear anything up at all.” My fingertips were suddenly massaging my temples, because I felt another headache coming on. This one was not Antoine induced though.

  “You are the last white wolf. If your line dies, the white wolf dies with it.” She looked at me gravely then. “Do you understand?”

  “How do you know I am the last?”

  “Witch.” She stated again simply.

  “Right. So, I’m in danger? Again?”

  She huffed out a laugh that sounded disturbingly like a snort. “Child, you are fated to be in danger, it seems. It is the burden of the white wolf when she comes into her power. Once you have achieved all, the danger will lessen, but you are vulnerable now. You must be cautious.”

  “Clearly.” I agreed.

  “You must also choose wisely. You have a decision to make amongst which mate you will take, correct?”

  I nodded my head, not trusting myself to speak.

  “One will see your flourish and bloom. The other will destroy you. A choice must be made soon.”

  “That’s not cryptic or anything.” Ashley chimed in finally.

  Estella smiled, “You are the red wolf. You will know before she does which is worthy. Make her listen!” She eyed me longer, seeming to see something that wasn’t obvious to everyone else. “You are coming into more power, be careful how you use it. Do not tip your hand too soon.”

  “What?” I asked, but Estella had already gotten up and turned her back on us.

  “Keep your growing power to yourself. Those who covet it will show themselves, those who care not are your allies. Keep this one by your side. She is your balance.” The woman drifted off beyond the fountain to blend with the students milling about the quad, and then she was gone.

  “Just what I needed. Crazy witch prophecies on top of all the other shit.”

  “We need to call Asi, and let him know.” She looked at me, with her phone in her hand. “I didn’t know if you wanted to call Mikael or Evan though.”

  I just closed my eyes, and sat down on the rim of the fountain. “Just Asi.” I put my head down in my hands.

  “Well, at least I didn’t have any tests today.” She glanced at her watch as she waited for someone to pick up on the other end of the line. “Asi, we need you at the school. We’re waiting in the quad, right now.” She was silent a moment. “It’s very important, and I don’t…” her voice cut off. “There was a witch here talking to Jess.” She was quiet again for a minute, then hung up the phone. “Asi will be here in a minute. He’s bringing us to Evan too, so get yourself prepared for that.”

  “I figured.”

  Asi showed up about ten minutes later on high alert. The few people still milling about in the quad between classes were enraptured with him. The men looked like they were trying to figure out what his deal was. Asi could have been security detail, spy, or drug lord. He was dressed to impress today in slacks, a button down shirt, with blazer over top, and shiny dress shoes to round out the look. His sandy hair was slicked back from his face with some styling gel, and the longer ends were beginning to curl up on him. The women in the quad, were gawking. A couple brave ones started heading towards him until they realized he was walking with a purpose, and ignoring them completely. He was scanning the entire area as he approached, no doubt looking for threats, but he seemed unaware of the attention he was getting. “Come on, let’s go.”

  We followed Asi to his car, and got in with him. “What about…” I started to say, but he cut me off.

  “We’ll come back for your Jeep later. I’ll send someone else to make sure it wasn’t tampered with.”

  “What do you mean tampered with? If the witch wanted to hurt us, she was standing two feet away. I’m sure…”

  “Jess, I know you enjoy your independence, but I work
for someone. I can’t question direct orders.”

  “Fine. Whatever.” I was angry again.

  “Jess, it’s not…” I cut Ashley off before she could finish defending Asi.

  “I know it’s not his fault, but damn it I am tired of people acting like I am not my own person, in charge of my own destiny. If one more man tries to tell me how to run my freaking life, who to love, how to use my cell phone, or when to drive my own damn car, I am going to blow the fuck up!”

  Ashley’s eyes were huge, and she was staring at me like she didn’t even know me. “You need a serious vacation,” She looked me over once more, “or maybe at least some chocolate, or good sex.” I rolled my eyes at her, but I couldn’t help the smile.

  “I’m not hormonal, I’m pissed.”

  Asriel was apparently feeling brave, because he chimed in with, “I think we get that.”

  I sat in silence for the rest of the short drive. We were being taken to De’ Lune’s, the club, not a private residence. That was good, or at least I thought so until we walked in. Evan was waiting for us in the back room of the club. He was not alone though. Eleanna was there with him. Both of them looked stunning, which made me wonder what everyone had been up to today while Ashley and I were at school. Ashley didn’t really seem to be caught off guard by everyone’s dress, so I assumed she already knew.

  “Jess,” Evan spoke first, “come tell us what happened.”

  My first instinct was to tell him, and his whole family to fuck off. Instead, I took a deep, calming breath, closed my eyes for a minute, and then started in with what I wanted them to know. “A lady approached us on the quad today. She said her name was Estella Sophia Marquez.” Leanna sucked in a breath at the mention of the name.

  “It really was a witch, then,” she said.

  “How do you know?” I asked her.

  “Because she’s the reason I ended up bonded with Antoine. Estella, well she goes by Sophia, is the one who stripped his first bond.”

  “Oh, right!” I squeaked out. “Sorry, I feel like I’m in a stress blender today.” Everyone was talking in a big cacophony of noise after that. I was tuning them all out successfully, while lost in my own thoughts, until someone grabbed my arm.

  “Jess!” Evan snapped, trying to get my attention back. “We need you to tell us what happened.”

  “She just said I had to choose a mate soon, and that one of you would destroy me, and one would help me, or some nonsense. Of course, she wouldn’t tell me which was which, so fat lot of good that conversation did.”

  Evan looked hurt, and I realized that may have been because I made it sound like there was a choice to be made now, instead of insisting that I would be with him. I hadn’t thought about it like that. Even though I had a good day with Mikael yesterday, I still didn’t see him as competition for Evan. I just saw him as something completely separate, while Evan and me had our problems we needed to work out. I was not going to get into that with Evan in front of everyone else though.

  “Was there anything else?” He finally asked.

  “Nope. She just faded off into the crowd and vanished.”

  Ashley looked at me like I had two heads again, but she didn’t dare say anything about the rest of it.

  “You’re sure?” Leanna asked. “That seems very obscure. Why would she come to tell you to choose soon, but not say why, or who, or anything else?”

  “Well, Leanna, maybe, just maybe, unlike everyone else around here, she values my ability to make a decision for myself instead of being forced into one.” Leanna looked taken aback, and actually got up to leave. Then I felt bad, because she hadn’t done anything wrong to me personally. “Sorry.” I added, “I’m extremely frustrated right now.”

  “Believe me when I say, I understand.” She said to me. I slouched down into the couch and buried my head in my hands ready to cry, scream, or just take a damn nap. Honestly, I didn’t care which at that point. “I have to be going. Jessica, call me if you need to talk. If you need someone just to listen, or if you could use some advice. I would be more than happy to help ease some of the burden you are having to carry.” I heard the clickity clackity sounds of her heels as she walked briskly to the back door and saw herself out.

  Ashley came over and patted me on the back, “I’m going to go up front and get you a drink, maybe a few of them, because I think you need it at this point. We are going to talk later though.” She walked away. “Asi, come with me, please.”

  Just like that, I was left alone with Evan. My head was still firmly hidden in my palms so I wasn’t sure exactly where he was until he sat down beside me, put his arm out, and pulled me to him. I let it happen, because I was too embarrassed, angry, confused, and whatever ugly mix of emotion you could throw in the blender along with those, to worry about anything else. “I’m sorry.” Evan whispered into my hair as my head tipped down onto his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Jess.” I didn’t say a word, just focused on what his voice sounded like as he spoke. His warm arm snaked around me, something I had grown so accustomed to before, and didn’t realize I had been missing.

  “How did everything turn upside down and then inside out so quickly?” I didn’t expect an answer from Evan, I was just thinking out loud.

  “I don’t know, Jess. I guess a lot of it is my fault. I…” He stopped for a minute, trying to collect himself or figure out what he was trying to say. I didn’t know, then he started again. “I went through this once before, and it made me crazy. I forget sometimes that you are the present, and not my past. It’s been difficult on all of us, but I’ve made it worse for you than it needed to be. I apologize.”

  I still didn’t say anything until after Ashley came back with the drinks. When she walked in the room and saw me leaning on Evan she looked disappointed. It was just a second, a brief glimpse, something Evan, himself, probably wouldn’t have noticed. Ashley and I were close though, and I knew that face, and I would have to talk to her about it later. I took one of the drinks from her and sniffed. It was a rum and coke.

  “Bless you my child, for you are a saint!” I said to her, and then tipped back the cup and took a couple deep swigs. That was about the time I felt my phone buzzing. I put my drink down, and grabbed it out of my back pocket to take a look. It was definitely an incoming text.

  Just wanted to check on you, and make sure you got to school all right this morning. It was from Mikael.

  I didn’t even think before my fingers flew over the keys. I texted right back.

  Got there ok, but had to leave. The witch found me, and delivered a message.

  WHAT? Where are you?

  I’m fine. Was with Ashley. Asi brought us back to De’ Lune’s. We’re there now.

  Good, stay there where someone is keeping an eye on you.

  Ok.

  Jess, she didn’t do anything to you, did she?

  No. She just warned me that I needed to make a choice of mate sooner rather than later. I’ll tell you about it when I see you.

  I’m on my way.

  That’s probably not a good idea, and you know why.

  I don’t really care about his feelings, when you have a witch trailing you.

  “Jess? What’s going on?” It was Evan, and he didn’t look happy. He nodded at the phone in my hands that I had been furiously texting on.

  “Nothing.” I said, and then I texted back to Mikael. You may not care about his feelings, but I do. And I don’t want any more fighting right now. Please!

  Fine, but you go nowhere alone. Promise me.

  I promise.

  “Unbelievable! You’re texting him, aren’t you?” Evan’s tone got my attention quickly. It was all accusation, and I felt myself getting pissed all over again.

  “What?” My fury was stewing as I snapped the one word, and just like that, his switch flipped, and he was in pissy-jealous mode again.

  “You’re sitting here, practically in my lap, and you’re texting Mikael.” He hissed out, and then looked at me as if I had grow
n two, very hideous, heads. “I can’t believe you.”

  “Excuse me?” I jumped up off the couch, and looked down on him now. “First of all, I wasn’t in your lap. For the five minutes you decided not to be a douchebag, I let you hold me. I won’t bother making that mistake again.” He flinched, now that hurt feelings were boring in through the flash of anger he had. “Second, Mikael was with me when I first saw the witch yesterday, so I thought he should know when he just checked in on me.”

  “What do you mean when you saw her yesterday?”

  “While we were out, she was there, I felt her presence, but she didn’t approach. She waved at me and faded off into the woods. We left after that.”

  “You need to tell me exactly what happened yesterday. Right now, Jess!”

  “Actually, I really don’t. That’s the only thing you need to know about yesterday. I saw the witch. She left, and then today she showed up at school.”

  “Damn it, Jess! Stop playing games. What the hell were you and my brother doing in the woods?”

  That was it. I lost it. “You know what, Evan? Screw you!” He was so taken aback he flinched as if I had hit him. “That’s right! Screw you, because you know what? It’s not even about you. It’s not even about you being worried about the witch. You want to know if your brother and I were running together, letting our wolves bond, or whatever. Well, it’s none of your business. And if you keep it up, soon nothing about me will be your business. I hope you’re understanding what I am putting out there, because I’ve had it with your bullshit.”

  Ashley and Asi had not left the room this time, but they did keep themselves out of the way as I let lose my temper tantrum. Asi tried to pretend he wasn’t paying attention, but Ashley was unabashedly watching the drama unfold. She mouthed, “you okay?”