by Jayne Hawke
Jogging down the stairs, I was greeted by the scent of coffee and mouth-watering foods. Fresh bacon competed with vanilla and butter as I headed down the hallway to the kitchen. I stepped into the large room full of bustling people and laughter to find two serving platters heaped with pastries fresh from the oven. They were even still steaming a little. Cade was filling another plate with bacon and sausages while Kerry placed a serving bowl full of scrambled eggs on the table.
Ethan was bringing a huge pot of freshly made coffee to the table and Matt had been roped into buttering a pile of toast. Matt looked so completely at home there. He laughed a joke that Cade made and seemed more relaxed than I’d seen him in a long time. It felt wrong to pull him away from that and drag him back home. Maybe the pack would be ok with him staying there for a little while longer. I didn’t want to be a burden, but I wanted Matt to be happy.
“Come on, dig in!” Cade said.
Everyone took up their usual seats and began piling food onto their plates. I grabbed a couple of still-warm pain au raisin before I handed Dean the plate of sausage and bacon. Matt filled his plate with toast, sausages, and croissant. The look of bliss on his face as he slathered raspberry jam on his toast melted my frosty heart. We hadn’t been able to afford jam in months, and it really was the little things.
“We found out where the witches are hiding out. We’re going over there once we’ve eaten,” Kerry said.
“Priorities,” Matt said with a laugh.
“You can’t expect us to fight evil on an empty stomach,” Cade said seriously but couldn’t keep the grin off his face.
“Here, have some more before it’s all gone,” Ethan said as he heaped sausages on my plate.
“I can’t eat that much!” I said, trying to hold the sausages at bay.
“More for me then,” Dean said as he stole a sausage off the plate.
Ethan glared at him, but Dean ignored it and bit into the stolen sausage.
I was completely stuffed. I wouldn’t be able to walk if I ate another bite. The rest of them wolfed down the entire batch of food and left barely a crumb. Matt was glowing with happiness as he helped them clear the table and tidy up.
“Why don’t you stay here and see what you can find out about the hounds and their possible role in all of this,” Dean said to Matt.
“You can work in my office. Use the red laptop,” Kerry said.
“Thanks!” Matt said with a grin.
I was glad to have him kept out of harm’s way. He could fight, and he had his cait sidhe magic, but it wasn’t in his nature to harm people. I couldn’t inflict that on him.
“We need to prepare for the fact that hounds could be there,” Ethan said.
My blood ran cold. The hounds would know what I was.
FORTY-TWO
The Aphrodite witches were hiding out in a little cottage not that different to the pack house. It was positioned at the edge of an old estate that had since been claimed by the fae in the area. The once proud, stately home had been reclaimed by tall oaks and vines. Within the broken walls, nymphs and other nature fae doubtless resided.
We parked half a mile away from the cottage to try and assess the situation. The white walls were sturdy and thick with small windows and a thick thatched roof. Roses grew in wide flower beds on either side of the narrow path leading down to the black wooden door. The rest of the space in front of the cottage was filled with an array of wildflowers. I had no doubt they were useful in potions and other things.
Cade and Kerry circled around the back and reported that there was nothing there but a parking area. The wide cobblestones were well worn, and two cars were parked there. A small kitchen window looked out and made an approach difficult.
None of us had glamours or any magic that would hide us, which meant they’d see us coming. We had no choice but to rush them. I hated that idea. The witches had been skilled and strong when I’d last faced them.
Ethan pulled me into a tender kiss, taking my breath away before he said, “Go, now.”
And just like that we were running at the cottage with our weapons raised, ready to cut some throats.
The front door burst open, and a pair old witches stepped out. They held up their hands.
“We’ll speak to you,” the older one said with an air of authority.
We had been expecting a big fight. Ethan held up his hand, and everyone came to a jolting stop.
“Cu sith hold enough sway that we will answer your questions,” the older witch said.
The witches were all wearing black military trousers, boots, and a long-sleeved black shirt with their white half-masks. Their hair was pulled back into a harsh bun, the entire thing giving them an intense and harsh appearance.
“We want to know about your involvement in the theft of the Hecate torches,” Ethan demanded.
“We’ll speak inside,” the older witch said.
Ethan lifted his chin.
“We’ll speak in the open,” he growled.
The witch sighed.
“Fine, then we will speak around the back.”
She led us around the cottage, following the narrow path where brilliantly coloured flowered brushed against my legs. Sunshine yellow flowers wound around pale silverly flowers producing a beautiful natural bouquet. I knew better than to reach out and touch them. Who knew how much poison hid within those delicate purple leaves?
There were eight witches in total, all women ranging from late teens through to mid-forties at a guess.
“Now, ask your questions,” the witch who had spoken before said.
I noticed a thin red line running around the edge of her collar, which I assumed was a mark of rank and leadership. The younger witches had a small rose-gold pin in their hair. Doubtless they doubled up as weapons.
“Why did you take the Hecate torches, and where are they now?” Ethan demanded.
Cade remained close to Ethan, his eyes constantly scanning, looking for trouble. Kerry was watching the roof, and Dean slowly walked around the perimeter. I stepped back to better watch Ethan’s back.
“We had nothing to do with the theft of the torches,” the witch leader said evenly.
“Some of your witches attacked my packmate, here, and they warned her to stay away,” Ethan said.
“They weren’t my witches,” the leader said coolly.
The youngest of the witches edged towards me. I narrowed my eyes and gripped my daggers a little tighter.
“Then tell me your role in the stolen god magic,” Ethan pushed.
“We haven’t heard about any stolen god magic,” the leader said.
Ethan growled in frustration.
The young witch nodded for me to move closer to the cottage away from the group. I glanced at Ethan and the others. I could handle myself if this went sideways.
I slowly walked away with the younger witch as Ethan tried to get some information out of the leader.
“You need to leave that fae mutt. You’re not safe. Run far, run fast,” the young witch whispered.
“Excuse me?”
She looked at the leader, who had crossed her arms and was staring Ethan down.
“For your own sake. Run. You do not want a part in this,” the witch insisted.
“A part in what?”
“What you’re being led into, what’s coming,” she hissed.
“Tell me what we’re being led into.”
“I can’t. Just leave, leave the territory. For your own sake. Go while you still can,” she whispered.
The leader caught the young witch’s eye, and she quickly returned to her original place. I had no idea what to make of that. Her words had sent a chill through me. There was a desperation about her. Standing a little taller, I returned to Ethan. Cu sith or not, I’d signed a contract and I was going to see this through to the end.
FORTY-THREE
Ethan was deathly quiet on the drive back to the pack house. He gripped the steering wheel in a death grip as he glared at the road.
I chewed on my bottom lip as I thought through what the witch had said. Should I tell Ethan? It was probably nothing but a scare tactic, but she had seemed so desperate and sincere.
“Just tell him, it’ll come out eventually,” Cade said from the back seat.
“Tell him what?” I asked, feigning innocence.
“Whatever’s rattling around your head,” Dean said.
Damn cu sith, I thought I’d been at least sort of subtle.
“A young witch came up to me and told me to run. She said we were being led into something. She refused to say what,” I said.
“Someone is playing us, that much is for certain. I don’t know who, or why, but I do know they’ll regret it when I get my hands on them,” Ethan said coldly.
“Do you think the hounds are screwing with us?” Dean asked.
“I’m not sure yet. I suspect that the Hecate witch kidnapping and the stolen torch were tied into the missing god magic. I don’t know how exactly, but I think the torch theft was a distraction. Someone is pushing us and feeding us information. There have been too many dead ends,” Ethan said.
I went very still at the idea of the hounds playing with us.
“Why would the hounds give a damn about us?” Kerry asked.
“I don’t know yet. If they are trying to get onto fae, they could need us for something,” Ethan said.
“You think your rank and position as a prince will help them?” Cade asked.
Ethan glared at him over his shoulder.
“I am not a prince. I rejected that position,” Ethan growled.
Cade put his hands up.
“Your blood remains that of a prince, that could make a difference to the hounds,” Cade said.
“Wait, I thought fae had lords and ladies?” I said.
Ethan sighed.
“We do. It’s complicated. The lords and ladies control the territories; they fought for their position to do so. Some of them came from nothing and killed their way to the top. The princes and princesses, however, are born of the Tuatha Dé Dannan, and should we so choose we can claim a position at the head of the courts. Only one prince has done so. The rest of the Tuatha offspring forsook their heritage and lived their lives as they saw fit,” Ethan said.
“Wait, does that make you a demigod?” I asked.
“Yes,” Ethan said flatly.
I was beyond screwed. Of all the predators in the entire world, I had to start falling for the goddamn demigod. I never did things by halves, but this was beyond ridiculous.
The pack had gathered in Kerry’s office to see what Matt had managed to dig up while we were gone. Ethan had taken my hand and led me into his office on the opposite end of the cottage. It was a comfortable room with a soft blue-grey colour on the walls and lots of landscape paintings scattered throughout. The back wall was covered in a deep bookshelf full of well-worn and clearly loved books. His desk was a sturdy dark wooden affair which would hold up very well should we decide to put it to good use.
I cursed myself out for even thinking such things. The witch was right. I needed to run fast and far.
Ethan looked at me with a small crease between his brows, and his mouth was tugged down.
“Listen to me, Kit,” he said as he took my hands in his.
His strong hands wrapped around mine, and a warmth spread through me. It was so easy to relax into him.
“I know what you are,” he said gently.
My breath caught in my throat. I tried to run away, but he held me fast. I went to kick him, but he spun me around and held me against his hard chest with his powerful arms wrapped around me holding me tight.
“I know that your father was a fallen god, and your mother was a powerful dark witch. You have both of their magic running through your veins and you need to start using it. Whatever we are running headfirst into is dangerous, and I will not lose you. There is a very real chance that you won’t survive whatever this is without your magic. We will protect you. I promise you.”
My heart was racing in my chest. I had no idea what to say. Emotions collided and tears ran down my cheeks while I tried to fight my way out of his embrace. He held me firm until I calmed myself and really thought about his words. He had sworn to protect me. He knew, and he wanted to protect me.
He released me and pulled me into a gentle hug when I relaxed.
Stroking my hair, he whispered, “Let me help you.”
I looked up into those liquid gold eyes and breathed in the scent of fresh cut grass after a storm. Everything about him felt right.
“How did you know?” I whispered.
He smiled, a warm gentle smile as he caressed my cheek.
“I suspected before I met you. You were just too good for a normal human. I felt your magic when you fought the guy hopped up on stolen god magic. It’s incredible, and I can’t imagine how difficult it’s been for you to hide it all of these years,” he said.
I had to trust him. I had no choice.
FORTY-FOUR
Ethan had taken me out into the back garden to do some work with my magic. I’d never done much with it for fear of the hounds coming for me.
“They won’t touch you while you’re a member of my pack,” Ethan reassured me.
Even in his jeans and long-sleeved t-shirt, he somehow looked far more put together than me. His curly hair fell around his eyes and softened the beautiful razor-edged cheek bones a touch. Everything about him screamed predator, from the powerful muscular shoulders to the way he stood with easy confidence. And yet, I saw something beneath the surface. A kind and caring soul that maybe, just maybe, I was willing to trust Matt’s and my future to.
“Take a slow breath, and allow your magic forward. The basics should run on instinct,” he said.
I swallowed hard. My magic was dangerous. That was why I’d be hunted if people found out. Closing my eyes, I shoved aside my fear. If my parents could handle it, then so could I.
For the first time, I felt two different forms of magic within me. Dad’s god magic was a cool liquid metal that casually flowed like a stream deep within me. Mum’s witch magic was more like a web of silken threads that pulled on something outside of me. Her magic gave me an awareness of my surroundings I hadn’t had before. I knew that witches took their magic from everything around them, but it was weird to really feel it.
The god magic was more familiar, it was something I’d used many times in the past, even if only a little. I tugged on the liquid metal within me and nudged it out towards my hands and into my veins. I suddenly felt more alive than I had ever done before. Emotions slipped away, and I felt like a warrior. My daggers were an extension of me, my body was a finely tuned machine, and my balance was perfect.
Ethan grinned at me before he surged towards me with a sword. He swung the sword as though to behead me, but I saw it coming. My body knew exactly what to do before I did. The magic made me faster, stronger, and more knowledgeable in a fight. I saw the small weakness in Ethan’s left hip and the way he didn’t balance through his right foot as well as he could have.
My foot connected with his hip in what almost looked like a blur before I ducked down and hooked my foot around his right ankle, yanking that leg out from under him. Of course, Ethan was a demigod himself. He threw his centre of balance to compensate for the sudden shift in his footing and grinned at me.
“Now your witch magic,” he commanded.
I grasped onto the god magic and tried to bind it back inside me, somewhere deep and dark. It physically hurt to drag it from myself and bury it once more. The witch magic was far quieter and more insidious. The sharp threads of magic covered my skin and allowed me to connect to anything around me. Ethan’s blood called to me, a sweet song fluttering just beneath his skin. I knew that I could drain him dry and feel like a goddess riding a high like no other. His blood would make me more powerful than any being in the territory.
Ethan’s grin became sharper, toothier. His muscular forearms tensed as he made a small hand gesture,
challenging me to try it.
Reflexively I reached out with my mind and yanked on the threads of life magic running through the nearby plants. Unlike the heavy, viscous god magic, everything about this witch magic was light and delicate. The life magic crumbled beneath my mental fingertips, and I found myself growing in frustration. His blood would make everything easier, better. Just one little drop...
Ethan came to me and gently cupped my cheek in his hand. His eyes contained such gentle affection that I found my darker urges slipping away, leaving me exhausted as the witch magic faded.
“Come on, you’ve done enough for today,” he said gently.
I stretched up onto my tiptoes and brushed my lips over his, needing to feel that tenderness against my skin.
“I will never be scared of you,” he whispered.
He should have been.
FORTY-FIVE
To Ethan’s irritation, Matt and I returned to our home after dinner. It was a bittersweet moment walking through the front door. Everything seemed so dim and dull as I looked around the small space. When I looked at the kitchen, I could remember mum helping to bake cookies and dad sitting at the table reading an old leather-bound tome. When I looked away, I also remembered the moment we realised we were alone. Dad wasn’t coming back.
“I start the alchemy training next week,” Matt said brightly.
“Ethan knows what I am. He had me practise with my magic,” I said.
Matt turned around and looked at me with those large cat eyes. His ears pointed a little at the very tips, and he tugged at the hem of his old blue sweater.
“What does that mean for us? Do we need to run?” he asked softly.
“He considers us pack. He said nothing will harm us while we remain that way,” I said.
Matt visibly relaxed and began to smile.
“Kerry gave me her number so we can hang out. She has the most awesome collection of movies and games. She said that when I have some spare time from my apprenticeship she’ll teach me some of her cool computer stuff, too. I know a bit of coding, but she is out of this world,” he said.
