Oath Sworn

by Kristen Banet

  I showered quickly, not giving myself the time to just enjoy the hot water pouring over me. I kept an ear open for her moving around in the apartment but no one was below and she never tried to leave, which was good.

  When I stepped out, I was greeted by my reflection and it reminded me why I was doing this. My gold feline eyes were still there, the only marker that I was anything but human. Here I was, thirty-six, looking twenty-six, a werecat and beholden to rules and a lifestyle I didn’t have any say in.

  When I was human, I hated my brown curls because they were so normal. Now I loved them for that. I had a soft face which many took as me being a soft girl, but they couldn’t be further from the truth. My body told a similar story. It wasn’t cut or lean, but it didn’t carry much excess fat either. It refused to put on any more weight, and I ate a lot to keep my calories up. As I kept staring at myself, my pupils constricted into the feline slits seemingly on their own, but it was probably my own anxiety over what I’d just gotten pulled into. I would need to wear sunglasses to make sure no one saw that outside, since I hadn’t been able to convince them to go back to my hazel.

  “Fuck me,” I groaned softly, finishing up by brushing my teeth and pulling my hair back into a ponytail. I dried off and dressed, walking out into my living room, finding Carey immediately and watching her play on my computer. There wasn’t anything there for her to find, so I wasn’t sure how to react to the violation of privacy. I could stomp over and slam it closed. I could ignore it and let her know it was okay, even if I didn’t feel that way. I wasn’t good with children and it was becoming more obvious every second I stood there. She finally looked up and closed the laptop on her own.

  “I was just wanted to…I don’t know. I wasn’t doing anything.” With a shrug, she stood up and left my chair, going to another and crossed her arms, seeming smaller every second.

  “You’re fine. I have a few games on there if you want to kill the time, but maybe we should get you some clean clothes first. The best thing here is a Walmart, but it’ll have what you need.” I didn’t know what sort of lifestyle this girl was used to and I didn’t want to make any assumptions.

  “Yeah, thanks.” She stood up and grabbed her bag as we walked out. I led her out the back of my bar to my hatchback and held the door open for her. The strong shell of curiosity had obviously faded and now I was stuck with a somewhat sad little girl. Not that I could blame her. She was in a rough spot and one that I had the utmost sympathy for.

  “So…” I had no idea what I was doing with an eleven-year-old. If her father was alive, I hoped he realized he sent her to possibly the worst werecat he could find for this sort of thing. I might have been the closest one to his pack, but I wasn’t good with kids.

  “Why do the Laws say you can’t help?” she asked, and I could hear the sadness. Hopelessness and sorrow. She had really thought that I would help her dad. “I’m human, so I’m not taught a lot. Dad says if I decide to try and be Changed, I’ll learn a lot more, but I’m too young to consider that, and now this…”

  “The Laws,” I said softly, staring out into the bright sun. I grabbed my glasses from the center console and slid them on. I didn’t want to consider her being Changed one day. It wasn’t my business, and I knew she was now seeing realities of her world that she thought would never touch her. Children thought their parents were indestructible. The shattering of that belief was something that shook everyone eventually. “Over eight hundred years ago, there was a very big and very deadly war between werewolves and werecats. I don’t really know the why, but because of it, humans were starting to notice we existed and were not just scary stories. They started hunting all of us. Vampires, fae, witches. They were all caught in the crossfire too. They forced werecats and werewolves to sit at the same table and talk. The werewolves aren’t as strong as werecats, but my kind were being driven to extinction. We wouldn’t give up until one of our most ancient werecats forced us into the peace talks to save us.

  “Well, the sides all sat down and we made the Law. The witches and fae used their magic to make the Law binding. Now, I’m really young. I’ve been a werecat for less time than you’ve been alive, so this is all secondhand.” I stopped for a second, glancing at her. She just nodded, accepting that I might have some of this wrong. I didn’t think I did. Hasan was ancient, and the likelihood he got anything wrong was low. It helped he was there when it happened. “The end agreement was simple. If we wanted the wolves to stop hunting us because we started the war, then we needed to give them something back. We’re viciously protective over something we consider ours, and they used that. Now, we’re not allowed to meddle in werewolf politics. We must also uphold the Duty to protect any human at threat through no fault of their own from supernatural species. It doesn’t matter the threat; it doesn’t matter the human. If a human approaches a werecat and gives me the ritual request for me to defend them, I do.” I sighed.

  “Do you know how the war started? I mean, you just said werecats did it…”

  “No. No one has ever told me exactly how the war began, only the Laws we were left with. And the Laws aren’t just for werewolves and werecats. The other big species all sat down as well, or sent representatives for the collective. Like the fae. There are hundreds of types of fae, but we look at them like a collective. There’s Laws covering everyone.” I shrugged. “There you have it. The Laws. Do you see why I can’t help your father? I’m sure he’s a nice man.” Not really, but I knew I needed to make her feel good. “I just can’t break an eight hundred year peace for one werewolf. I can’t do it.”

  “I understand,” she whispered, pulling her legs up to her chest.

  The drive to Walmart was a short one and I got out before her, scanning the parking lot. There were no other supernaturals in my territory, no other predators that needed to be handled, but my own instincts drove me to even look at humans as possible threats. That wasn’t a bad thing either. Every supernatural species employed humans. Normally it was for simple tasks like accountants and lawyers if the supernatural didn’t have those skills or the time, but sometimes it was for dirty business.

  Dirty business like capturing a little girl to use as a hostage, or worse.

  “Come on, Carey,” I said, thumping the hood of my hatchback as I walked around to her side. I got the door for her and closed it behind her, playing the perfect bodyguard. “What kind of style do you have? Anything in particular? We can also pick up some groceries—”

  “You don’t need to try and be my friend,” she mumbled.

  “You think I’m trying to be your friend?” I began to chuckle and it broke into a full out laugh as we walked across the parking lot. “Eleven-year-olds are not my friends. I’m trying to make this easier on you. There’s no reason for you to starve while under my protection. There’s no reason for you to do anything except hope your father is going to show up, okay?” I looked down at her, suddenly sad for her again. “Let me try to do this for you. You aren’t the only person out of your comfort zone here.”

  “My dad might be dead,” she muttered, crossing her arms as we walked. “He might be dead. My brothers might be dead, and…”

  I saw the tears come and reached out for her, wrapping an arm over her shoulder. Gently, I pulled her to me and let her hide her face in my side as we walked. It was all I could do.

  Grabbing a cart, I took us to her section for clothing first and waved over it. “Pick enough out for a week,” I ordered gently. “This shouldn’t last too much longer than that.” I hoped, anyway.

  She did as I asked, going to the racks and just taking things off, her eyes lacking any sort of spark of light. There wasn’t anything I could do about that, no matter how much I wanted to. Seeing her, all I wanted was to go to the city and find her father and deposit him at her feet. I wanted to find the wolves that ripped this family apart and left this girl in my care, alone, possibly forever.

  I couldn’t even ask for updates, though. It would appear to be meddling. I co
uldn’t find out anything for her, and I didn’t feel comfortable with giving her a cellphone and having her talk to anyone. She needed to stay clear of everything too if this was going to be safe.

  I should have paid more attention to my surroundings, but I jumped when someone came up behind me and began talking.

  “Family emergency?” he said softly.

  My heart wanted to climb out of my chest and go on vacation. I turned quickly to find Joey, his eyebrows raised. He looked slowly around me at Carey, his eyebrows going further up.

  “Yes.” I didn’t have really much else to say. Well, except one thing. “I’m not a werewolf.”

  “That’s getting hard to believe,” he replied quietly.

  “She’s not a werewolf,” Carey said, dumping more shirts into the cart. “I would know.”

  He eyed the little girl, looking back at me when she walked back to the racks, hopefully picking out jeans now.

  “Don’t ask questions with answers I can’t give you,” I warned. Maybe coming out into public wasn’t the best idea, but she needed the clothing and there was no evidence that anyone would come out to Jacksonville to take her, not yet. Hopefully the wolves would be too busy fighting amongst themselves to cause any trouble for them. It was really all I had so far as a plan. “But I can tell you this is legal and calling the human police will just cause more problems for everyone involved.”

  “Ok.” He shrugged and started to walk away. I sniffed the air, tasting its particular flavor as he walked farther away. He didn’t trust what I had to say, but I didn’t smell anything to worry about.

  “Fuck,” I muttered, then closed my eyes for just a second. I was cursing a lot in front of a kid. I needed to quit, but it had been a long time since I had to worry about who heard my mouth. I owned a bar, damn it.

  I opened my eyes again to find Carey right in front of me. She was watching me carefully, frowning. She was an odd child, or maybe I was an odd adult and knew nothing about eleven-year-olds. I had no idea which was right, but something about whatever we were was odd. Maybe it was the whole ‘sworn to protect and maybe die for her’ thing.

  “You okay?” she asked, that frown never leaving.

  “It’s not a problem you need to worry about,” I answered, giving her a tight smile. She didn’t need to worry or care about how I would probably need to pick up and move after this. I was always careful about who and what I was. This was exposing me as anything but human. Sure, the annoying question about being a werewolf would probably happen anywhere, but my lack of oddness had kept suspicion at bay.

  After this, nothing would be the same. They’re all going to know I’m a freak, if not a monster.

  “So, you want to pick up some food, too?” she asked, kicking one of her feet, looking as uncomfortable as I felt.

  “Yeah— hey, do you play video games?” I wanted to find something to help pass the time and I personally loved them, but I didn’t think Carey would be interested in anything I played.

  “Yeah! I don’t get to play them that often since my dad limits my screen time. Can we get some games?” Her face lit up into a real smile for the first time since I had met her. All I could do was nod, enjoying how lovely her eyes were when she was happy. They didn’t seem so grey-blue anymore, instead looking more like the summer sky.

  I ruffled her hair, smiling back. “Come on. I own a Switch and you can get some games for it.”

  “You own a Switch?” Her jaw dropped and I couldn’t hold back a laugh anymore.

  “Yeah, though I never use it. I use my PC for everything.” I started pushing the cart, keeping her next to me.

  We hit up the electronics section and then I let her pick out a lot of junk food and snacks. I knew I needed to feed her real food, but I was already stocked up on everything I needed for a couple weeks. If I could treat her with a mini vacation during the mess her family and life had become, I would.

  She was happier when we were back at the bar. Together, we managed to get everything upstairs and she changed into cleaner clothing. I kept her old, dirty, and torn things, putting them in a plastic bag. I didn’t know why I wanted to keep them safe, but the urge was there so I followed it.

  As I cooked dinner later that night, I figured things would be great for the week. Her father, no matter what happened to him, raised a good kid and she would be fine in the end. I just had to keep her distracted and happy.

  That was, until my magic screamed at me. I gasped, dropping the wooden spoon I had been using to stir the chili I was whipping up. My chest tightened as I closed my eyes and focused, trying to decipher what my magic was telling me.

  “Wolves,” I whispered, knowing she couldn’t hear me. Then I snarled loud enough that she jumped. “Wolves are coming.”

  5

  Chapter Five

  It took less than a minute for me to get all the information I needed. I started rambling, hoping Carey picked any of it up, since it was unnatural for me to tell others these sorts of things. Normally, I went on instinct. My magic would tell me of an intruder and that drove me to chase down the new predator in my territory. I couldn’t do that this time, not if I wanted Carey to stay safe.

  “They just entered my territory. They’re moving too fast to be in their wolf forms, so they must be on US-175. That means they’re coming right this way, or close by. They might be following a trail—or maybe they had a lead on where we are. It gives us roughly thirty minutes until they get here if they stay on the road.” I locked eyes with her across the room as I turned the stove off. The chili was practically done anyway. “Carey, when I say hide, you will, is that clear?”

  “Yes.” She dropped the Switch and jumped off the couch, twiddling her thumbs. “Um. What if they’re my family? What if they’re here to get me and take me somewhere safe?”

  “That’s not how this works,” I answered. “Your father, if he knew how this works well enough to send you here, would know that I can’t give up claim on my charge until I know without a doubt that he or she is safe. I told the big honchos that run things on this continent that I had two conditions for that. One was peace in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The second is that I know your family is alive or dead and that no more trouble is coming their way.” I ran a hand through my hair, looking up to my ceiling, trying to think of the best way to say what I needed to. “Carey, if these wolves are here, they can’t be friends. Any allies we might have wouldn’t come to try and take you from me or give away your position. Did anyone in the pack know I was here except your father?”

  She only shrugged, which didn’t bode well for me. I figured when she arrived that her father wouldn’t tell anyone who he was planning to have protect his daughter, but secrets always got out. That meant I had to adjust. After this, I had to get her packed and into my car.

  “Anything? Do you have anything that could tell me who these wolves might be? Who was in your father’s inner circle? Who were his top five?”

  “I don’t know! They kept me pretty far away from pack things!” Carey threw her hands up.

  I sighed, nodding. “Okay. I want you to grab your bag and the new clothes and take it all to my bedroom. I’m going to go down and secure the bar. You have to stay up here, okay? No matter what you hear or what anyone says to you, you have to stay here.”

  “Until?” Her big grey-blue eyes were wide in fear now. At least the severity of what was happening was sinking in.

  “Until I come get you and we leave. They’ve come on my territory and they know better. There’s only one way for this to end.” I started walking, not bothering to grab shoes or anything. It would all be in my way anyway. When I reached the door, I turned back to her, watching her grab everything she could hold and begin to haul it out of the room. “Carey. These wolves might have been a part of your father’s pack, but I need you to remember one thing for me.”

  “What’s that?”

  “That the loyalties don’t matter anymore. Right now, every wolf from your father’s pack is on
their own until stability is brought back to the area. You can’t trust them.”

  “But I have to trust you.”

  I winced at the bitterness in those words. I was telling her to not trust men who probably guarded her, helped raised her. They were probably honorary uncles and friends she watched grill with her father. She was probably friends with their children.

  “He sent you to me,” I said gently. “He didn’t send you to them.” Why? I had no idea, but I was absolutely planning on finding out when I got my hands on him. If he was dead already, I figured a witch might help me contact his spirit. That wolf needed a piece of my mind, and I fully intended to give it to him. “He sent you here, sweetheart.”

  “I know…” She continued walking after that, disappearing into my bedroom.

  “Lock all the doors, then hide in the closet!” I called, turning to leave.

  I jumped down the entire staircase, checking my back door first. I bolted it closed, then the secondary lock. I didn’t need it for the area I was in. No, the extra locks were only because of what I was and the potential trouble being a werecat could bring me. Now they came in handy.

  With that door secure, I pushed open the door that led to the bar. I propped it open. I needed to be able to see the staircase in case any of the wolves tried for it. I kept the blinds closed and went to the front door. It was locked, but that’s not what I wanted. I flipped the latch, hoping the wolves would try it first. It was past dark now. Perfect.