Midnight Kisses (Shifter Island Book 1)

by Leia Stone

  Dark mages were bad, but the high mage had said Madam Evil-Magic was the only one who could heal Kaja.

  “Do we have another option?” I asked Nell.

  She blanched and shook her head. “But the cost will be high.”

  As if cost mattered. This was Kaja.

  After a deep breath, I clapped my hands and yelled into the tent. “Madam…?”

  Nothing.

  Rue closed her eyes and clapped loudly. “Madam Surlama, we are seeking a healer.”

  The curtain parted, and I gasped.

  I’d expected a gangly old hag of a woman, not this … goddess who stood before me, dressed in boho chic. Her long inky black hair fell to her waist in waves, and her alabaster skin was so pale the blue-tinged veins traced her skin like a network of tattoos. Pursing her glossy red lips, she studied us with her vibrant blue eyes. Then, she beckoned us forward with a wave of her hand.

  We wheeled Kaja closer, and the mage peeled back the sheet, exposing my friend’s entire body.

  The dark mage clicked her tongue against her teeth. “On death’s door.”

  “What?” Nell cried.

  “Come on, then. Better hurry if you want me to save her.” She disappeared behind the black curtain, and Nell and I shared a look.

  But we both knew there was no other option.

  Stepping forward, we started to push the wheelbarrow into the split in the curtain when Rue’s arm came out and clamped over mine like a vise. “If she asks for blood payment, don’t let Nell do it.”

  Blood payment? Was that a thing?

  “Promise me,” she growled, pain flittering across her face.

  “I … promise.”

  Rue had clearly come here before, and whatever happened must’ve been awful. Somehow, none of that surprised me.

  “I’ll look after them both,” I promised the shy twin.

  Please don’t let me regret that.

  She nodded, and then I was pulled into the darkness. Nell and I traversed a dark hallway, following the sound of clinking jars and bottles.

  “Where did she go?” I asked.

  Nell shrugged, her eyes as wide as my own.

  “Umm, miss mage?” Nell called.

  “In here, dears.”

  Dears?

  Her voice came from the left, so Nell directed the wheelbarrow that way.

  Dark mages were notoriously selfish, so why was this one being so friendly? I didn’t like it.

  Light filtered into the hallway from a room ahead. A few steps later, we entered a wide-open room with a courtyard visible beyond.

  The scent of smoked meat and wet feathers wafted in the air, and I shared an alarmed look with Nell. If it was anyone else besides Kaja needing a healer, I’d be out.

  The woman beckoned us again with another wave. “Put her on the table.”

  She pointed to a gray marble slab that had intricate carvings around its perimeter.

  “So you can heal her?” I pressed. “For sure?” I wanted absolute certainty.

  She grinned, a full pearly white smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Honey, I know the keeper of souls. There’s not much I can’t do.”

  The keeper of souls was like the god of the dead. I gulped. Not exactly the reassurance I’d wanted.

  “Come on,” Nell nudged me as she hefted Kaja under her armpits with a grunt. I grabbed Kaja’s ankles, and together, we hoisted her onto the cold, stone slab.

  The mage walked around the marble slab, poking and prodding Kaja’s body, finally leaning in at her neck where she took a deep inhale. She straightened and faced us, eyes narrowed.

  “She’s an alpha heir,” she stated. “To heal her will cost you double.”

  Double … what? I crossed my arms, but before I could speak, Nell nodded.

  “Name your payment.”

  The dark mage flicked her gaze my way, letting her attention linger on my chest before running the length of my body. Magic washed over me, the same way as when creepy Kian, the high mage, inspected me.

  “One thimble of blood.” She nodded as if confirming the price to herself.

  My stomach dropped. Blood? The one thing I promised Rue I wouldn’t let Nell do.

  “A thimbleful of blood every full moon, for a year,” she added quickly.

  “A year?” WTH? Shaking my head, I protested, “What about when school is out?”

  That was only about seven months away. Maybe I could barter.

  “I’ll do it,” Nell blurted out.

  She thrust her wrist at the mage, and I stepped forward to cut her off.

  “Not from you…” The mage waved Nell off and then pointed at me. “From her.”

  Relief and trepidation washed through me with equal measure. Why me? No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than I shook my head. Who cares? I’d help my friend and, for some creepy reason, also get to keep my promise to Rue.

  Nell glared at the mage. “What? Why? She’s my sister.”

  The stunning dark mage raised one eyebrow. “Because she’s more powerful than you.”

  My cheeks flamed with mortification as if the statement were an insult to Nell.

  However, Nell merely nodded before facing me with a pleading look in her eyes. “I can’t expect you to do this—”

  “Oh, I’m doing it.” I extended my arm. “She may be your sister, but she’s my bestie. I’ve got this.”

  Sort of. I hoped. Once a month, I’d take a boat trip over here, no big deal. Right?

  Remembering my other friends, I faced the mage. “I’ll do it if you give me enough potion to save two people.”

  The dark mage’s brow furrowed, and she chewed on her lower lip. Finally, she shook her head. “I don’t negotiate.”

  I frowned as if considering whether or not I was willing to drop my price. But I wasn’t. The Midnight prince’s mom had shown me kindness even if her husband was a total asshole. He’d left the island during the attack, and she’d nearly died trying to protect her students. I’d save her too. That was non-negotiable. One of them, either Rage or Justice, was my mate, and they hadn’t been on campus to protect their mom, so this was the least I could do. This was how a mate should act. Maybe my mate didn’t know how to be a good companion and partner, what with the way King A-hole treated his mother.

  And Kaja…

  I’d been clueless when I started school here, and it would’ve been an absolute lonely hell if it weren’t for her barging into my dorm and befriending me.

  I let the silence stretch, my heart thundering against my ribs as my panic swelled. Come on, greedy witch…

  “Fine,” she snapped. “Healing potions for two lives in exchange for a thimble of your blood.”

  Nell lowered her voice, stepping closer to me, and said, “I don’t think you understand. A blood sacrifice is dangerous.”

  “I don’t care,” I told her, waving away her concern.

  Holy-frickin’-mage, this had better work.

  The dark mage grinned wide, and her elation made my skin prickle. Holding her hands into the air, she clapped twice, fast and sharp.

  A stout hairy man with a hunchback shuffled into the room from the courtyard. “My lady?”

  “Fetch two life potions from the dungeon.”

  Dungeon? I scanned the silk tent, realizing how much bigger it was inside than it had appeared outside.

  Magic.

  The dark mage crouched and pulled boxes out from under the stone table, muttering to herself.

  Nell sidled up next to me, her eyes brimming with tears. “Thank you.”

  There was no way to tell her all I felt, so I just nodded and squeezed her hand.

  “Come … sit here, child.” The mage motioned to a dusty couch at the back of the room that I was 99.5% certain hadn’t been there when we first walked in. With one last squeeze, I dropped Nell’s hand and walked over to the dubious piece of furniture. When my gaze landed on a jagged knife lying on the armrest next to a giant jar labeled “thimble,” I got woozy.<
br />
  “What’s that?” Nell growled, pointing to the jar.

  The mage turned, sneering. “This is my thimble.”

  Nell frowned, and my stomach churned.

  Not gonna lie; when the dark mage started cackling, doubt hit me like a pickup truck.

  “It’s huge! That’s not fair,” Nell snapped.

  The mage shrugged. “If you wanted something smaller, you should have stated so before the contract.”

  Contract? What the what? When did I sign a contract? Were verbal contracts binding … oops.

  Leaning in, she smelled the skin of my palm and then groaned, a guttural sound deep in her throat. “A virgin? I would have given you twenty vials of life potion had I known.”

  Frick. How did she know I was a virgin? Seriously, mortifying and creepy! Also, I might not be so good at this whole dark mage negotiation thing.

  I glanced nervously at Kaja. “Just hurry.”

  The mage nodded and picked up the knife before she drew it across my wrist with one clean slice.

  I hissed as the fresh wound seared across my skin. Holding the “thimble” under my wrist, the mage collected the dark crimson blood oozing in thin rivulets from my arm.

  Mother Mage, protect me. The burning began to work its way up my arm, skittering over my shoulder and across the top of my back. Sweat broke out on my brow.

  “Ahhh,” I hissed, and my cry became a roar as fire exploded from the base of my skull all the way down my neck. Damn. That was another mark! I knew that feeling by now.

  Why did this keep happening, and what did these marks mean?

  “Are you okay?” Nell’s voice warbled above me, and I blinked, trying to focus my now-blurry gaze. I glanced at the giant jar. Wait … it was halfway full a moment ago, but now it looked empty again.

  What the hell?

  Wooziness overwhelmed me, and I scanned the area for Nell. As soon as I spotted her, she morphed into Rage.

  “It’s me. I’m your mate,” Nell-Rage said.

  “I knew it.” My words slurred together, and I started to giggle.

  The mage then turned into Justice. “No, Nai, it’s me. I’m in love with you.”

  My eyes widened. “You are?”

  I had no idea if the mage was professing her love or Justice. Something wasn’t right here.

  Nell’s shrill scream burst through the hallucination, jarring me back to the present. “You’re killing her!”

  I stared at three blurry-Nells, and they all lunged at me then, yanking my arm out from under the mage’s blade. The mage dropped the knife and pulled the jar to her chest with both hands as Nell swiped the blade from the ground and waved it at the witch.

  “That’s not fair. You tricked her!” Nell bellowed. “That jar is spelled. It never fills.”

  “If either of you had wanted something specific, you should’ve demanded it before we sealed the contract.” The woman grinned. “Life’s not fair; neither is death. Remember that.”

  She walked away as if Nell threatening her life didn’t bother her one bit.

  Maybe it didn’t.

  “Nai, are you okay?”

  Nell’s concerned face swam into view just before I shook my head to clear my thoughts of Rage and Justice.

  Oww. Bad idea. The headache was akin to that cursed blade stabbing my brain. I held my hand out to examine the cut, which was now healing, and croaked, “Fine.”

  Two of the hunchback dudes shuffled into the room then coalesced into one, carrying two potions in his hand. The purple iridescent fluid danced in the small glass bottle.

  Nell gasped. “That’s the same stuff Justice got when he saved your life.”

  Shock ripped through me. Would Justice have seen the same mage? Would he have given a blood sacrifice to save me?

  No way…

  “Wake Kaja,” I said, shoving one of the vials toward Nell. I took the other bottle, the one intended for the Headmistress Elaine, and uncorked it. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to walk out of here in my current state, so I’d have to follow my instinct. Tipping back the vial, I took a tiny swig of the syrupy liquid into my mouth and swallowed. Immediately, my entire body heaved at the revolting taste, and I would’ve spat the liquid out if I hadn’t already swallowed. Even so, I gagged and spit, wishing for a mint…or even a drink of water. Peering back at the vial, I prayed that three-quarters full was enough to save the Midnight princes’ mom.

  “What is in that?” I rasped.

  The dark mage ignored me, whistling happily in the corner as she poured my blood into a huge wine barrel labeled “Virgin Blood.”

  Before I could repeat my question, Kaja gasped and then started coughing.

  Legit, almost dying sucked.

  Stumbling toward my BFF, I swayed as the tent spun around me.

  Nell tucked the now-empty vial into her pocket, tears streaming down her face. She turned and stepped away from Kaja, catching me by the upper arm just in time for me to avoid a faceplant. “Maybe you should take the other one.”

  I held my hand out to stop her coaxing. “I took a sip. I’ll be okay.”

  That second vial was for my mate’s mother.

  We helped Kaja sit up, and Nell dipped her head to look her sister in the eye. “Hey, girl. How you feeling?”

  My bestie’s hair was matted with blood, and her eyes held dark circles. “Near death … and jittery.”

  My head started to buzz, and my body twitched with a sudden need to move.

  Nell chuckled. “Well, that’s accurate.”

  Kaja opened her arms, and we all crowded in for a group hug. “I love you guys.”

  The dark mage stared us down from the corner of the room. “All right, wolves,” she growled. “I’ve got another client, so it’s time to skedaddle.”

  Would she have bled me dry had Nell not intervened? I pushed the thought from my mind. All I could do was bring someone with me next month who’d have my back.

  Kaja was still weak, so we lowered her cross-legged into the wheelbarrow. Once she was settled, Nell pushed her toward the entrance of the tent with me trailing behind.

  “See you next full moon, virgin!”

  I faced the dark mage and gave her a brittle smile.

  Next month, I’d tell her to keep the v-word on the down-low.

  Geeze.

  Maybe I wouldn’t even show…

  “Just in case you’re wondering … if you don’t come, a curse will fall upon you and all of your future children.”

  Great. I should’ve known. “What kind of curse?”

  She grinned but didn’t answer. Of course not.

  “See you next month,” I growled, and followed Nell out of the dark mage’s tent and back into the market.

  “Kaja!” Rue screamed, throwing her arms around her sister. When she looked up at me, her gaze fell to the healing gash on my arm. “You did it?”

  Nell’s eyes widened as she stared at Rue. “Is this where you snuck off to every full moon last year? You were paying a debt?”

  Rue swallowed hard. “I don’t want to talk about it. Can we just … go home … please?”

  I patted my pocket. “We need to get this healing life potion to the headmistress.”

  “Life potion you say?” a man asked, his voice low and growly as he grabbed my arm. “I’ll take that off your hands.”

  I jumped, and a group of five thugs converged from between the tents, knives at the ready.

  I was way too depleted of energy to make a fireball; my arms felt like they were filled with lead. We were grossly outnumbered here, so my adrenaline needed to kick in—pronto.

  Nell growled beside me as fur sprouted down her arms while Rue stepped in front of Kaja’s wheelbarrow.

  Before either of them could shift, a dude jumped between us and the goons, bringing with him the scent of sandalwood.

  I blinked, and all four Midnight princes appeared before us and then proceeded to kick the shit out of the thugs.

  “Rage,” I s
creamed, my heart thundering to life at the sight of my sometimes frenemy.

  He pounded the guy in the ribcage, pummeling with his fists until the dude dropped the knife. As the thugs ran off, Rage spun, and—chest heaving—he ran his gaze from my head to my toes.

  “Why are you bleeding?” he demanded.

  “What are you doing here?” Justice asked.

  Noble stepped forward. “Are you hurt?”

  They crowded around me, and Rage grabbed my arm and ran his fingers over the still-healing gash. His gaze flicked from me to Madam Surlama’s tent and back. “You didn’t…”

  “What’s going on?” Justice growled, bringing the heat of his body closer to me.

  I tried to see which of the two boys had been hurt, but it was impossible to tell. For all I knew, that’s why they were here, but neither wore a bandage now.

  “While you were gone, the school was attacked,” Nell said.

  Immediately after Nell, Rue said, “Dozens are dead, including all the palace healers.”

  All of the princes’ eyes widened; they had no idea. They must’ve been here all day… while whichever one was injured healed.

  “Kaja almost died,” I said, by way of explanation. “And your mom was hurt too.” Reaching into my pocket, I handed Justice the serum. “Now we’re even.”

  His jaw dropped, and he blinked at me for several awkward seconds before he managed to swallow. “You … did this for our mom?”

  Rage stepped between us.

  “Who attacked you?” he growled in a voice that was barely human. Black fur ran the length of his arms, and his eyes gleamed yellow.

  “Shifters. All kinds.” I glanced back at Nell, Rue, and Kaja, and all three sisters nodded.

  Nell stepped forward and added, “Bears, foxes, selkies. They’ve all banded together.”

  Honor swore. “Come on. We need to get back to the island and help.”

  I didn’t have the heart to say they were too late. They’d find out soon enough.

  Chapter 19

  Sunlight streamed in through my window, and I warily watched the warmth and cheeriness creep across my dorm room. As soon as the light hit my bed, I threw back the covers and rolled out with a groan.

  My body was good as new, thanks to that tiny sip of healing potion, but I couldn’t say the same for my mind. Legit, someone should have a chat with the alpha king regarding therapy for the students at the academy. Maybe he didn’t offer it because any decent counselor would start by telling King Declan that he was a douche-canoe. Not that anyone needed a Ph.D. in psych to figure that one out.