Witch Undecided: The Thirteenth Sign Book 2
Page 2
The conversation I’d eavesdropped on a few days ago came to mind. “Is that what Dimitri was talking about in your study the other day?”
“Yes. Dimitri is a Renfield. He’s a human who feeds off the Sons of Adam’s power and works for their interests. The original vampires can’t go out in the day. Dimitri is their eyes and ears in sunlight. He’s been their carer for centuries, but they’re only now awakening, and they need blood.”
“My blood?”
“You’re the anchor,” Anna said. “Your blood is powerful.”
Talk about shitty timing. “Then let’s just give them some blood. Can’t we just stick a needle in me and take a pint?”
“I suggested that.” Anna looked sheepish. “They want you. The body that produces the blood. They want you for the next one hundred years as payment for what the coven did to them.”
“Like fuck!” Tor vibrated with indignation. “No one touches our mate.” His eyes darkened with rage, pupils dilating in warning of a shift. “Your coven did this. You fix it.”
“It’s not that easy,” Anna said. “The Sons of Adam aren’t willing to negotiate. I was hoping they were simply blustering, that they were too weak to come and collect. I guess I was wrong.” She pressed her lips together. “Dimitri was clear. If we don’t hand over the anchor, they’ll attack the coven.”
Jessie’s lip curled. “I’d like to see them fucking try. We just beat back four revenants and five banshees. I think we can take three vampires.”
“They’re not vampires,” Anna said. “They’re something else. Something ancient and powerful, and if they attack, I’m not sure we’ll survive it.”
“So, what do you suggest?” Elijah asked.
Anna shook her head. “I don’t know. You say only one attacked you?”
“Yes.”
“Which means we have time. The other two must still be too weak. We could have years before they’re strong enough to retaliate. In the meantime, we can strengthen our wards. It won’t stop them from getting onto the grounds, but it will weaken them while they’re on our land.” She nodded to herself. “There are precautions we can take. Jessie, can you ward this house and the cabin?”
Jessie nodded. “I’ll go get my supplies.” She headed off.
Anna turned to me. “Cora, you’ll be safe during the day, but you can’t be alone at night.”
“She won’t be,” Tor, Leif, and Rune said in unison.
My gaze flicked to Jasper to find him watching Anna with narrowed eyes. “And what happens when these vampires are strong enough? What happens when they’re ready to attack?”
Anna lifted her chin and met his gaze levelly. “Then we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
“Not good enough,” Jasper snapped. “I heard your little meeting with your fellow elders. Some of them want to hand Cora over. What was it they said?” He tapped his chin. “Oh yes, she can be the anchor whether she’s here or there.”
A growl erupted from Tor’s throat and Leif stepped in front of me. The air crackled with tension, and the scent of pine and earth filled my nostrils. The guys’ wolves were close to the surface, and the threads that bound us thrummed in warning.
Anna must have sensed it too because she backed up, hands in the air in a placating gesture. “I would never do that. You must believe me.”
Tor’s chest rumbled; he was clearly unconvinced.
“I believe you,” Elijah said.
“And that makes it okay?” Jasper snorted. “Forgive me if I don’t drop my guard.”
Elijah sighed, shooting Jasper a wry glance. “The Sons of Adam could drain Cora and shatter the seal. Handing her over is too risky for the coven.”
“Exactly.” Anna smiled gratefully at Elijah. “Our purpose is to protect the seal. To maintain the barrier. We will not compromise that.”
The rumble in Tor’s chest stopped and his hand came to rest on the small of my back, a welcome brand of heat seeping through my shirt.
Anna’s shoulders sagged in relief. “I swear to you that the anchor’s life is our priority. We cannot risk it.”
“Especially when you no longer have any potentials to take her place,” Jasper said dryly.
“Yes,” Anna said simply. “Especially now.”
Wow, at least she was honest. I respected that.
“But.” Elijah’s gaze flicked to Jasper. “We need to be proactive, not reactive.” Jasper nodded in agreement. Elijah focused on Anna. “Where’s their base?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “Any accounts we may have had of their whereabouts were lost in the fire.”
Jessie returned. “All set. I’ve etched the runes. I just need to adjust the central wards back at the mansion.”
“I’m sorry,” Anna said to me, “for everything. But I promise you, we won’t allow any harm to come to you.” Her gaze lifted to Tor’s. “Nighttime will be when they might try to take her. Be vigilant.”
“We’ve got this,” Tor said.
“She won’t be alone,” Leif added.
Anna took her leave with Jessie, but Elijah lingered. “Can I have a word, Cora.”
I followed him out into the lounge, leaving Jasper in an eye-off with Tor. They’d be fine, right?
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there,” Elijah said. “I want you to know we would have been there if we could.”
“We?”
“Jasper and I were magically locked in my office. By the time the spell broke it was too late. The attack had already taken place and been dealt with, and you were gone.”
“Wait, Charlotte locked you in your office?”
“Yes. We just finished interrogating her, actually.” His mouth turned down. “Bramble wanted to be there, but Anna vetoed the idea, so she left.”
“Oh fuck, where did she go?”
His chest heaved and he shook his head slightly. “I’m not sure, but I believe she needs time to grieve the loss of the mother she knew and reconcile to the fact she was used as a pawn.”
Poor Bramble. She adored Charlotte. Trusted her. Loved her. “I need to see her. She needs to be with friends.”
“She needs some time. Give it to her. She’ll come back when she’s ready. What Charlotte did was unforgivable, and it’ll take time for Bramble to process that.”
Charlotte betrayed everyone, but it wasn’t all black and white.
It never was. “She did it for the love of her mates, the family the coven gave her, the one she’s loved for a century.” I gave Elijah a wry smile. “The coven did this. They put her in an impossible situation. They gave her everything she could ever want and then they said, sorry, time’s up. Time to take it all away and you can watch it burn. Thanks for your service, love.”
His brow crinkled in a frown. “You empathize with her?”
Fuck me. I guess I did. “I don’t agree with her actions. She put a lot of lives in danger for selfish reasons, but yeah, I get why she did it.” I pressed my fist to my chest. “It’s why I’ll never let my heart get invested in this. I made the decision before, but Charlotte’s actions have made me even more determined. Loving my mates is too dangerous.”
My stomach went hollow with the words, as if protesting. But in this case, I’d be thinking with my head, not my heart.
Elijah studied me for a long beat, his turquoise gaze drifting over my face. “I’m proud of you, Cora.”
“Eh?”
“Your resilience and determination and the way you’ve adjusted to all this.” His gaze dropped to the bandages on my neck. “I promise you I’ll do everything I can to stop the Sons of Adam. I’ll find a way to protect you from them.” He grazed my cheek with his fingers, and my eyes fluttered closed briefly beneath his touch. “Stay with the wolves. Stay safe.”
My pulse hitched in understanding. “You’re leaving?”
“I won’t find the answers I need here. And we can’t rely on reacting. We need to be proactive.”
Foreboding raced through me.
I gr
He’d been my anchor for almost a year as I navigated the outskirts of the witch world and tried to keep my distance from what I was. He’d been the soothing voice on the other end of the line no matter what time, day or night. He’d been my counsel and my friend and now…now he was about to go looking for danger to protect me.
Panic was a hot coal in my belly. Panic and fear. Fear that he’d be hurt or killed. That I’d never see him again. I couldn’t bear that. I couldn’t lose him.
He studied me with a frown, gaze tracking across my features, and then he blinked, the corner of his mouth lifting in a teasing smile. “Why, Cora Dawn, are you worried about me?”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course I’m worried. These are original vampires. Like uber powerful blood-sucking ancients. They’re unique.”
“So am I, Cora. So am I.” He dipped his head, pressed a quick kiss to my forehead. “I’ll be back before you know it.” He strode out the door before I could protest.
It hit me that I had no idea who Elijah was, or why he worked for the coven, or how powerful he was, but he couldn’t be that powerful if Charlotte had managed to lock him in a room for hours, right? Fuck. I hated that my stomach was now churning.
“He’ll be fine,” Jasper said.
“Yeah? And how can you be so sure?”
He smiled thinly. “The spell on the room to keep us pinned was Order-made, a level-ten enchantment.” He arched a brow. “Do you know what one of those is?”
“You know I don’t.”
“It’s one of the most powerful binding spells out there, and it takes blood and chaos magic to weave. Elijah broke it.” He looked at the door Elijah had just exited through. “I have a feeling our resident warlock is more powerful then he allows any of us to believe.”
I glanced up at him. “You sound almost impressed.”
Jasper looked at me, his emerald eyes bright in the gloom. “Oh, I am, Cora. I am.”
A shiver ran up my spine at his words, because up until I’d put the amulet on, Jasper had been one of the most powerful entities I knew. And if he was impressed with Elijah, then what the fuck did that make the warlock?
Elijah had a story, and my gut told me it was one I needed to learn.
Chapter Three
Torsten hammered the last nail into my windowpane to keep it from opening as I climbed into bed. ’Cause that would totally keep out an ancient original vampire who could turn into a bat at will. But whatever helped the wolves feel better. I was just too tired to give a shit right now.
It was almost two in the morning and my eyelids were heavy with sleep. A yawn ripped my jaw wide. I needed to pass out now.
I’ll stay with her tonight. Rune padded into the room. We can take shifts during the week.
God yes, his voice was a lullaby that I craved.
“It’s a good plan.” Leif stood in the doorway.
Tor nodded. “I’ll do tomorrow.”
“And I’ll take the next day,” Leif said.
“Or,” Jasper said, materializing by the bed, “you can all fuck off and I can keep her safe.” He smirked. “All she needs to do is take the amulet off and she’ll have all the protection she needs.”
Tor was across the room in a flash, his hand whipping up to grasp Jasper’s throat, but my malevolent tag-along was no longer there. He’d misted and was standing by the window that Tor had just nailed shut.
Jasper crossed his arms. “You all know it makes sense. I can keep her safe.” His gaze dropped to me and the smirk fell, his expression softening slightly. “You know I can keep you safe.”
There was sincerity in his tone that tugged at the heart of me. I closed my eyes, staunching the emotions. “I can’t give myself to you, Jasper.” And yes, I was discussing this in front of my mates. Fuck it. Cards on the table and all that. “I can’t give you what you want.”
“Can’t, or don’t want to?” He sounded…hopeful.
Fuck, I wanted him. I always wanted him, but I didn’t want to want him, and now, with the seal at stake, wanting him was dangerous. He was even more dangerous than my mates because he and I already had a connection that went deeper than sex. Yeah, time to admit that shit. Time to accept that I had…gag… feelings for the malevolent fucker, and those kinds of feelings needed to be off the table.
I lifted my chin and lied. “I don’t want to, Jasper. The amulet stays on.”
I didn’t trust myself to take it off. Ever.
Jasper’s expression hardened and then his mouth twisted cruelly. “In that case, have fun staying alive.”
He vanished and I sagged back against the pillows.
Leif climbed onto the bed beside me, his eyes warm with compassion. “You still feel it, don’t you?”
He was referring to Jasper’s influence, and my feelings for him that were supposed to be muted by the bond I’d formed with the three wolves.
I closed my eyes and nodded. “Yeah.”
“I’m fucking sorry.”
“What the fuck is this about?” Tor’s face was contorted in confusion. “And how do we get rid of him for good?”
We don’t, Rune said softly.
“I’ll fill you in, Tor.” Leif sighed. “Cora, get some rest.” He kissed my cheek, his lips warm and lingering on my skin, and I allowed myself to breathe him in before he slipped away, taking Tor with him.
Rune settled on the floor by my bed, but for some reason I was suddenly cold and bereft, like a chasm had opened in my chest.
Cora? The mattress dipped with Rune’s weight. You’re sad.
Urgh. I’d be okay after some sleep. His hazel eyes bore into mine for a long beat, gold flecks swirling almost hypnotically. Then he settled beside me, head on my pillow, and closed his eyes.
I can’t hug you, but you can hold me if you like.
Yes, that was exactly what I needed. I turned on my side, slung my arm over his back, and sank my fingers into his silken fur.
He chuffed. Sleep well, Cora. I’ll watch over you.
But I was already drifting away.
Rune was gone when I woke in the morning. Bright sunlight filled the room, kissing me with deceptive warmth because the frosted window told a different story.
I washed and dressed quickly and hurried downstairs to find Tor and Leif sipping coffee in the kitchen. The room smelled of the forest, and if their state of partial undress and the dewy look to their bare torsos was anything to go by, then they’d just come back from a run.
At least they’d put on joggers to cover up the majorly distracting bits, although to be honest I wouldn’t have complained about the show. I made a pointed effort not to stare at the tattoos and washboard abs, instead glancing up at the clock on the wall.
It was gone eleven a.m. “Why didn’t you wake me?” I pulled out a seat and parked my ass. “It’s late.” I yawned. “Urgh.”
“We thought you could do with a lie-in,” Leif said with a grin.
Tor poured me a mug of coffee. “There’s nothing urgent for you to do today.”
“Aside from the fact that the women of Vita Pack have invited you over for a late lunch,” Leif added. “My mother and sisters would love to meet you.”
“Mana and Holm Packs will expect similar visits.” Tor reclaimed his seat and rubbed the back of his neck with one huge hand. “They’ll want to get to know the new member of their pack.”
“Me?”
“You’re a member of our packs now,” Tor explained. “You’re our mate and we’re your family.”
Family…I liked the sound of that. “Okay, I can do the rounds.” My gaze flicked to the door, because we were missing one huge shaggy dire wolf shifter. “Where’s Rune?”
Tor and Leif exchanged glances, and it was Leif who responded.
“Rune needs to officially pick a proxy for the breeding ceremony.”
Leif looked away and Tor’s throat bobbed. This was good. A reminder of why getting too close to these guys was a bad idea. They were going to have to breed with other wolves soon. And no, it didn’t bother me. Not one bit.
I was a great liar.
But what did they mean about a proxy for Rune? “I don’t understand. Why does Rune need a substitute? Wait, how would that even work? Don’t the kids need to be primal bloodline?”
Last I’d heard, Rune and Halle were the last of the Holm Pack primal bloodline.
“Yes,” Leif said. “The proxy will be Halle. As his twin, and one of the last of the primal bloodlines, Halle will be bred to produce heirs. Rune is passing the mantle to her, and she’ll pick wolves to breed with before she picks a lifemate.”
“But…Why can’t Rune have his own children?” I looked from Tor to Leif. “Wait, are you saying he can’t shift out of wolf form?” I shook my head. “No, even if he can’t, surely he can still procreate?”
Leif tucked in his chin and slid a glance Tor’s way.
“That’s Rune’s story to tell,” Tor said gruffly. “Don’t push him, though, Cora. He’ll tell you when he’s ready.”
God, I hated intrigue, it made my stomach ache with the need to solve it. Mysteries didn’t sit well with me and secrets were one of my pet hates.
“You want some breakfast before we head to Vita?” Leif asked.
It was almost half eleven now, and if lunch was like any other meal the wolves and witches had, then I’d need to leave room to do it justice. “Nah, I’ll save myself for lunch.” I sipped my coffee. “So, how many women will be at this lunch?”
Leif winced and Tor ducked his head with a wicked smile.
I paused, coffee mug halfway to my lips. “What?”
“Vita Pack is the only pack where the females outnumber the males,” Tor said. “It’s estrogen central.”
“Mana doesn’t complain when your males need mates,” Leif retorted with a grin.
Tor shrugged a powerful shoulder. “Not complaining, just warning Cora what she’s about to step into.” He met and held my gaze. “Female wolves are extremely territorial. You may be mated to their alpha, but you’re not one of them. You’ll have to work for their respect, to be accepted. It won’t be easy.”
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