Witch Undecided: The Thirteenth Sign Book 2 Page 16

  I walked toward the table and stopped a meter or so from it. “Hey. How you doing?”

  Silence greeted me and then a tingle spread across my body. “What are you—"

  An invisible hand gripped my throat, cutting off my breath and my words with it.

  “Cora?” Sloane’s voice was a distant thing, and then I was no longer in the room.

  The world was gray and silver mist rose up around me, thick and viscous.

  I turned on the spot, scanning the thick mist. “Hey? What the hell?” The air was thicker, heavier, and my body felt detached and grounded at the same time. “This is the kind of shit that makes me stabby.”

  And then the sound registered—moans, screams, and shrieks of pain. They rose in volume, tearing at my senses and battered mind.

  “No more.”

  “Make it stop.”

  “Please…”

  The crack of a whip, the whirr of cogs, and the wet sound of metal piercing flesh spawned images of torture. My pulse hammered in my throat, fear a lump of ice in my belly.

  Figures stepped out of the fog—the silent sisters. The horrific sounds swelled and then cut off as if someone had flipped a switch. The fog pressed in as the sisters surrounded me, circling me.

  “What the hell is this place?”

  An invisible pressure exerted itself on my body.

  Hell no!

  My power surged up, hands fizzing in response to whatever they were doing. The tingle intensified as they pushed further, searching for something. Yeah, I didn’t like this.

  Darkness whiplashed out from my solar plexus and the hold they had on me snapped.

  I staggered back, lip curling as anger flared in my chest. “Take me back. Now.”

  She is not of the bloodline.

  What the fuck were they on about?

  This cannot be possible.

  And yet it is.

  Which means it will come to pass as she foresaw.

  Do you see it? Do you see the residue?

  Hush now.

  Not now.

  The redhead stepped forward.

  “There are trials ahead, child.” Her voice filled my head, but her mouth didn’t move. “So many trials. You will be tested, and you must pass if we are to reset the balance.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “The balance must be restored. The power that was taken must be returned. It is almost time. You must see him for what he is before you can save him.” Her mouth turned down. “We were wrong, and we pay the price.”

  “The price for what?”

  “For taking what we should not. For stealing from the well.”

  Low moans filled the air. Pained moans that made the hair on my nape stand to attention.

  But can you taste it?

  Can you feel it?

  The redhead closed her eyes.

  The connection. We could have it. We could have it, if we keep her.

  What the fuck?

  The redhead’s eyes snapped open, vibrant like a lush forest dappled in sunlight. “No!”

  Her hand shot out to punch me in the chest.

  Forgive…

  The fog melted and I was back in the domed room with the silent sisters watching me innocently from behind the table as if nothing had happened, as if they hadn’t just yanked me into an alternate plane, talked gibberish, and then punched me in the chest.

  “Cora!” Sloane’s arms were around me, her chest to my back. “You okay?”

  “I’m fine.” I shook off the sense of displacement and fixed a glare on the silent sisters. “What was that about?”

  Silence greeted us.

  “Hello?”

  Sloane’s grip on me tightened. “Give us the glamour we came for.”

  One of the witches stood and walked toward us with a box. She held it out and Sloane took it.

  “The glamour?” Sloane demanded, her tone tight with anger.

  The silent sister nodded.

  Sloane kept her arm around me and pulled me back with her. “Portal home, please.”

  The witch pulled a coin from her pocket and threw it into the air. This time instead of a door a shimmering oval rupture appeared.

  Sloane maneuvered me toward it. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  But the silent sisters’ warnings were ringing in my ears. I glanced over my shoulder and locked gazes with the redheaded sister just before Sloane propelled us through the portal.

  My blood ran cold at the look in her eyes.

  Hunger.

  Tear your skin off and eat your insides hunger.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “What the fuck?” Sloane paced Anna’s office.

  I’d filled them in on what had happened with the sisters.

  Anna sat silently behind her desk. “I was afraid that might happen. There are rumors about the sisters. I think I mentioned that the silent sisters draw power from an unnamed source, but that isn’t strictly true. They drew from it once in order to create Croatoan’s prison.”

  “I thought the elder witches did that using celestial power from the Sons of Adam.”

  “The Sons of Adam were one of the ingredients. The stories say there is always a cost to using this fourth power. A sacrifice the silent sisters made. They were changed. Left with a residue of this power forever inside them but also left with a void for more that can’t be filled. But the prison provides some relief.”

  Relief. The screams of torment… “Wait, they feed on the prisoners’ pain, don’t they? They’re not in their cells, they’re in that weird misty place they took me to.”

  “And contemplated keeping you.” Sloane’s mouth turned down. “Anna, you should have warned us.”

  “Why would they keep me?”

  Anna blinked sharply, as if momentarily thrown, and then pressed her lips together. “Because you have power. You’re the anchor. You have a direct line to the cosmos and constant miasma being filtered into you from your mates.”

  Made sense. “Okay, so what’s in the box?”

  Anna flipped open the lid to the box the sister had given us and lifted out a leather bracelet with a charm attached to it.

  “Four bracelets for four Elites,” she said. “These must be carrying the glamour charm.”

  Sloane took the bracelet off her and slipped it on. “Well?”

  “You look the same to me.”

  Anna plucked a note from the box. “The brown one is for you, Cora. It works with your amulet so it won’t be muted.” She continued to read. “It looks like the bracelets only work when they’re all worn at the same time and will only serve to hide your true natures from warlocks.”

  Well, that sucked. “So, there’s no way to know if they work without trying them out at the warlock club?”

  “We could totally do with Elijah right now,” Sloane said.

  Elijah still hadn’t checked in with me, not that he was obliged to, but…I mean, we were friends, right? Plus, I was worried.

  “Anna, have you heard from him or Bramble?”

  “Actually, I had a message from Elijah this morning. Bramble is with him, and they have a lead on the Sons of Adam location.”

  I sat up straighter. “And you’re telling us now?”

  “Elijah asked that I not mention anything to you, but since you asked directly…” She smiled. “He said he’d call again in a couple of days when he was sure his intel was solid.”

  He hadn’t wanted to get my hopes up. “He could have messaged to tell me he was okay.”

  “He explained that he and Bramble no longer have cell phones. He has the mansion number memorized.”

  Okay, so I guess I could let them off the hook, but it made me wonder how they’d lost their cell phones. I’d have to let Lauris know Bramble was okay, that she was with Elijah.

  Sloane handed me the brown bracelet. “If Elijah has the vamps’ location, then all we need is a way to stop them.”

  I stood and slipped on my bracele
t, noting the prickle that ran over my skin. “Let’s hope that Conah finds something in that journal.”

  We’d be patrolling tonight but I’d forgotten my weapons belt at the cabin. Leaving Sloane to update the rest of The Elites, I hurried home through the woods. Home. Yeah, that’s what it was now. Home.

  Except the guys weren’t here.

  I stood in the kitchen with a hollow feeling in my chest. God, what was wrong with me? It had been one night and half a day since I’d seen them. Snap the fuck out of it. Cor, grab your shit and get out of here.

  I ran up the stairs, grabbed the belt and my black patent knee-high boots, which had a beautifully intricate metal-designed heel and five buckles to match the stunning metal work. They screamed sex, but also sported a sturdy enough heel to allow me to run and fight if needed. I would have packed these last night if Sloane hadn’t made a big deal about my taking too many boots. I mean, four pairs wasn’t too many, was it? These were super comfy with an extra dagger sheath. They would work well for patrol tonight.

  Warmth bloomed in my chest and my nape prickled. My head whipped up. Rune was here.

  I turned to find him standing in my doorway, huge and golden, hazel eyes bright from exertion and fixed on me.

  “Hey.”

  I sensed you.

  “I came back for some stuff. How are things?”

  We’re all set up. The varga will have a tough time breaching our defenses.

  “How long do you think you guys will have to be gone?”

  I don’t know. He padded closer. But we want to be here, Cora, you know that, right?

  “Pfft, of course. Who wouldn’t?”

  He looked up at me with his knowing, gold-flecked eyes. We missed you last night.

  I crouched and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I missed you guys too. It was weird not being home.”

  Home.

  “Yeah. Home.”

  He rested his head on my shoulder. I’m glad you feel that way.

  Something churned in my chest. Anxiety…sadness.

  “Rune, are you okay?” I pulled back to look into his eyes. “Talk to me.”

  I’m fine, Cora.

  “Liar. I can feel what you’re feeling.”

  Just tired. Worried about the varga attacks. It’s nothing.

  He was hiding something, but my gut told me not to push him. “I’m here if you want to talk about anything, you know that, right?”

  I do. Tell me how your day has been so far.

  Deflection. Okay, I’d go with it for now. I filled him in on Meredith and the silent sisters and the glamour. “Elijah checked in too and Bramble’s with him. They may have a lead on the Sons of Adam’s location.”

  A low chuckle filled my head. Seems like it’s been an eventful day for you.

  “And it’ll be an eventful night. We’re headed into the belly of the beast.”

  Disconcertion bloomed in my chest. His disconcertion. “I’ll be fine.”

  I know, I just…I wish I could be with you.

  There was a double meaning to his words. “Me too, Rune.”

  My heart ached to ask him about his secret, about why he couldn’t shift into human form. But he’d asked me to respect his privacy once before, and I wasn’t about to push him away by bringing up the topic again.

  Be safe on patrol. A few of the pack females are in town tonight for a pre-mating night out and we’ve warned them to steer clear of The Order club.

  “Like a hen do?”

  I suppose so.

  “Isn’t that dangerous with the varga trying to take the females?”

  The town’s the safest place for them. Varga never attack in town. Their rifts have always been localized to the woodland and plains. But the women will be accompanied by a couple of beta wolves.

  “I’ll keep an eye out for them. If patrol goes well, we’ll probably head into town for a drink.”

  Outliers?

  “Yeah.”

  I love that place. His tone was suddenly more animated and excited, and a feeling of joy and possibility swelled inside me. Lauter, the owner, loved me playing guitar on a Friday night and then we’d—

  He cut off suddenly and blinked sharply, and the balloon of joy popped.

  “Rune?”

  I should get back to the pack house.

  He padded toward the door.

  “Rune? I’d have loved to see you play.”

  He paused and looked back at me. I’d have written a song just for you.

  Then he was gone.

  “What if they don’t work?” Jessie fiddled with the leather bracelet around her wrist. “The sisters aren’t infallible.”

  “They might as well be,” Poppy said.

  “Is that why they went all crazy on Cora’s ass?” Jessie asked.

  Poppy wiggled her fingers in the air. “Power hungry.”

  I sat in the window seat of the lounge in The Elite quarters. The furniture was all mismatched colorful shit that made my eyes hurt and my heart happy. The ladies knew how to make use of throws and oversized cushions. Jessie and Poppy were curled up on the three-seater sofa, and Sloane had taken a single-seater and had her feet propped on the coffee table, purple fluffy socks on display. There were four bedrooms leading off the huge lounge. The doors to three were ajar but the fourth was shut tight.

  Brie’s room.

  The room a new fourth Elite would occupy, but they hadn’t offered it to me, and I didn’t want it. I might be an Elite, but I was also the anchor, and my home was with my mates. And yes, if a few weeks ago someone had told me I’d be thinking this mushy shit, I’d have laughed in their face and then slapped them for good measure. But I was changed.

  It felt good.

  Scary but good.

  Sloane had dumped my bags in her room, and I’d gotten a peek into a black and cream haven with a flat-screen TV bolted to the wall. The bed was a large double, big enough for the two of us, and after last night, sleeping snuggled up to Sloane, I was no longer nervous about sharing a bed with her. I’d be safe, as long as I kept wicked Cora under control and didn’t try and tease her.

  “How’s Wren doing?” Poppy asked.

  Shit. “How did you hear about that?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Ghosts talk. You might not have noticed, but the little tyke has stolen many hearts at the mansion both living and dead.”

  And if what Conah said was true, then he’d be tearing out those hearts soon enough.

  How much did they know about his condition? “What have you heard, exactly?”

  “That he’s under the weather.” Poppy scanned my face and frowned. “But there’s more, isn’t there?”

  These were The Elites, and I was one of them. We were a team, and maybe if they knew the truth, when the time came, they’d help me to…do whatever needed to be done. God, I felt sick thinking about it.

  “Wren might be dangerous.”

  “Fuck off,” Jessie said.

  I sighed. “According to Conah, Wren is definitely dangerous.” I filled them in on what the reaper had told me. “But Wren’s different.” I pleaded with my eyes. “He’s not the typical egocentric, selfish mogwai. You know, you’ve met him.”

  “He almost died saving you from the revenant,” Poppy agreed.

  “Exactly.” I shot her a grateful smile.

  Sloane tipped her head to the side, electric-blue eyes narrowing in thought. “There are anomalies in the world, exceptions to the rules. We can’t condemn Wren until we know for sure.” She locked gazes with me. “We’ll do this together, Cora. Whatever needs to be done. If he’s what Conah says he is, then we’ll find a way to control his bloodlust. No one will condemn him before we know the truth.”

  Her words were a weight off my shoulders. It was going to be okay. “Thanks.”

  “Enough chit-chat,” Jessie said. “We need to get ready to go. The Order won’t fuck itself over.”

  “No,” Sloane said. “That part is up to us.”

  Jessie and Popp
y headed to their rooms to change for patrol, but Sloane lingered.

  “It’ll be okay, cupcake. The glamour bracelets will work, we’ll take out some revenants, Conah will find a way to stop the original vamps, and then we’ll have a party to celebrate.”

  Her optimism reminded me of Fee. “And Elijah will find the Sons of Adam’s base.”

  “They don’t call him the bloodhound for nothing.”

  “They call him that?”

  “No, but they should. Elijah finds stuff— artifacts, people, obscure spells. It’s his gift.”

  There was so much I didn’t know about the warlock. “And he works with witches.”

  Sloane smiled. “Elijah is one of us.” She stood and stretched so her tee rode up to reveal her taut abdomen and neat six-pack.

  My stomach fluttered. Look away.

  “Nah, cupcake, feast your eyes if you like.” She smirked. “You can even have a feel later when we’re in bed. Like I said. I don’t bite, not unless you ask me to.”

  She padded out of the room. I exhaled and shook off the frisson of desire she always seemed to evoke before turning my mind back to Elijah.

  The fact that he was good at finding stuff was great, but this time he was after original vampires. Ancient creatures that we had no idea how to kill.

  I was worried about him.

  Really fucking worried.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Bramble

  I sit on a chair by the window of the inn. If the sun were out I’d see the whale bone arch in the distance. A great place to take photos, or so the brochures say, but there won’t be any sunlight for another two months at least.

  It’s dark and ominous and I hate this place. “I think my ass is frozen and I can’t feel my face.”

  “Can you ever feel your face?” Elijah asks with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

  I poke my cheek. “Nothing.”

  He reaches over and pulls my beanie down over my ears before sitting back in his seat. The room is warm, but it’ll take time for the chill we carried in from the outside to dissipate.

  There are plenty of rooms free, but Elijah only booked one with twin beds. I didn’t miss the odd look on the receptionist’s face as she booked us in. Probably wondering if we’re related or lovers. Daughter or girlfriend, and if daughter then way too old to be sharing a room with her dad.