Dance with Death

Book Three of the Curse Breakers Series

Becca Vincenza

Copyright

ISBN-10: 9781686984617

Copyright © 2019 Becca Vincenza

Cover: Covers by Christian

Editing: Girl With the Red Pen

Proof Reading: Andrea Rivera

All rights reserved. The book may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

The books are works of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author‘s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Epilogue

A Special Tease

Books by Becca Vincenza

CURSE BREAKERS SERIES

Art of Death

Secrets of the Dead

HEXED SERIES

Hexed Hearts

Hunter’s Heart

THE REBIRTH SERIES

Damaged

Healed

Burned

Stolen

MERCENARIES FOR HIRE

Freelance

Hired

Contracted

Authorized

Dedication

To Chex-Mix the snack that gets me through the workday

Acknowledgements

I want to always first thank my support system, who probably get annoyed with me but still get me through the hard times. This crew knows who they are because I apologize constantly to them about bugging them.

Thank you so very much to my editor who helped me whip this book into space – Stacy you are amazing! And I apologize for not letting you edit this portion.

Thank you to the readers who have been with me since the very first book ever, and those who have been with me since the beginning of this series! I love this series so much and I hope it continues to entertain you all.

Enough thank yous because those who work with me know I probably thank them a hundred times over – and if I don’t it’s only because I forgot. 

Chapter 1

Panting heavily, my lungs burned with exhaustion. My chest heaved and sweat poured down the back of my neck. My arms ached with fatigue. Pretty sure this is how I was going to die. The pounding in my chest made me rethink a lot of choices I’d made up to this point in my life. Pain radiated up the back of my legs, and soon after, I went flying.

Smack.

Grunting, I blinked as I stared up at the ceiling. As I was aching and groaning from pain, Indigo’s stupidly handsome face appeared above me.

“Quicker.”

“Quicker,” I mocked, annoyed.

“Rowan,” Indigo chastised as he offered a hand to me. I gripped his hand, and he helped me off the floor.

“I know. I’m focusing at the task at hand.”

“No, you’re not.”

As much as the argument sat on the tip of my tongue, he wasn’t wrong. My thoughts were scattered with thoughts of my twin. Abel was dutiful, calling every other day to keep me updated. He missed only once before, but after that, he didn’t miss our next scheduled day.

“Abel hasn’t called,” I admitted.

“No excuse.” Indigo whacked his staff into my side, careful not to hit my ribs. He had informed me that I needed to become well-versed in multiple weapons. When I disagreed and told him I was plenty good at handling my kodachi blades, he laughed at me. Laughed at me. I could have sliced him.

“Fuuucc-ddgee.” I side-eyed Indigo, not trusting he wouldn’t hit me for swearing. He’d done it before. Dick. In training, we don’t swear. In training, we don’t argue. In training, we don’t get distracted. Had I known training with Indigo would be like this, I would have listened to my parents and kept up my own training.

 “Rowan, we’ve gone over this. If you want to be part of the team, you have to be up to par.”

“Does that mean I can’t worry about my brother?” I asked with a raised brow.

Indigo dragged his hands over his face, exasperated with me. Admittedly, I’d been testing his patience for the last half hour of our session. Cornelius flat-out refused to train me after a week of messing with him.

“Rowan, we’ve been over this.”

I released an exhausted breath. “I know, drop the emotions when fighting.”

“You have to. A calculated fighter doesn’t make as many mistakes as a passionate one.”

Indigo took up his stance again and waited for me to join him. I stepped over, holding my staff between my hands. Indigo had commissioned one crafted of onyx for me but wouldn’t let me take it out of the gym until I became an expert with it.

“Again,” Indigo barked, slamming the end of his staff onto the gym floor.

The sound echoed around the room. While it refocused me on our training, it also reminded me of the massive space around us. The apartment building Cornelius and Indigo lived in had a massive gym on the basement level for which only--surprise, surprise--Cornelius and Indigo had the door code. Both refused to give it to me, telling me that to use it, I needed to go downstairs with one of them.

A smack on the back of my calf dropped me down to a knee. Mock growling, I rubbed out the cramp that knotted in my muscles. Indigo appeared in front of me, his eyes flashing with his wolf as he took a step backwards.

“Get out.” Indigo’s jaw was clenched tight.

Breathing out slowly, I stood. I collapsed my staff. It was specially made, making it easy to slip into a pocket or purse. I was excited about the idea of having another portable weapon, even though I couldn’t take it with me. I hoped Indigo would be distracted enough that I could slip out with it.

Willow and I had taken up residence in the apartment next to Indigo and Cornelius, and the overbearing males drove us to the absolute brink. Willow’s newfound freedom had been cut short at a young age, and she wanted more of it. Not that I could blame her. Finally, we were in the big city without the impending threat of world-ending problems looming over our heads.

Of course, vampires were still after me, and another set of vampires were after Willow. But other than that, we didn’t have too many odds stacked against us.

Indigo’s growl cut through the room. “Leave the staff, Rowan.”

Grumbling, I extended the staff again and dropped it, stomping out of the gym before pulling open the thick gym door and letting it slam behind me with a resounding crash. Indigo’s furious howl followed me. Shaking my head, I tried to figure out what happened to the controlled werewolf I used to know. Indigo hadn’t been the same since he arrived back in Kodiak Falls about two months prior. Then again, I wasn’t the same, either.

Abel disappeared for almost three weeks before he resurfaced with information about the secrets my family had kept. He wanted to find a way out of the contract and did everything in his power to postpone what was to come, but the wheels had already been set in motion. I followed his footsteps after being attacked by other necromancers, erroneously thinking they had taken him.

Abel and I became hot commodities even as babies because I was the first female necromancer born in centuries, the act of which broke a curse on my family and marked us both as Curse Breakers. In our community, Curse Breakers were rare and highly sought after because our powers were amplified after the event, depending on the amount of time the curse had been in effect.

Our powers started to mature on our twenty-first birthday, almost two months ago, even though they weren’t cemented until we completed a sacred ceremony. Since we both fled our hometown after completing it, I’d been in Seattle with Indigo training. Because whatever organization Indigo worked for didn’t have a necromancer on staff, I lucked out and got to train myself.

Speaking of training, I needed to make a trip to a cemetery in the very near future. Abel often reminded me to keep up with my spiritual training in addition to my weapons drills, but my powers were better used physically. Since we arrived here, all I’d concentrated on was physical training with weapons.

During my captivity after being kidnapped by the same vampire coven that was after Willow, I’d somehow managed to control a Master vampire for a limited time. I needed to be able to explore my powers and see what my limitations were.

“Rowan.”

Realizing I’d been walking with no real destination in mind, I blinked and looked up, standing eye-to-eye with Willow on the stairs that led to our apartment. “Hey, Willow.”

 She wore a confused expression. “I’ve been calling your name for a while now. Do you realize you’ve been standing on the same step for about five minutes straight?”

“Just lost in my thoughts, I guess.”

“Well, are we still on for tonight’s activities?”

“Yeah.”

It was about time too because after having one of my ghost friends eavesdrop, I discovered that Cornelius and Indigo would be leaving for the evening on another secret mission. That meant Willow and I would finally have time to ourselves without their domineering presence.

Coming into my powers meant I could connect with certain plants and stones, so when Indigo first brought us back here, he offered to take me to a Mystic store that specialized in herbs and stones. There, he insisted on buying me any plants, crystals, or stones that called out to me. As soon as we stepped through the shop’s doors, onyx called to me, along with various pieces of agate. Indigo paid for the onyx and commissioned the staff to be crafted for me, using the agate around the apartment building to ward off spirits.

Willow came with us on the next trip and picked out a ton of plants. She explained that wil-o-wisp lived in forests, and she felt lost throughout the years without them around. After being in servitude to the vampires for who knew how many years, I let her have whatever plants she wanted. Of course, after the first week we lived together, she instructed me not to touch her plants anymore since I almost killed three of them by “helping”.

 “What’s going on down there?” Willow asked, leaning over the banister to stare down into the maze of stairwells. The sound of Indigo tearing up the gym echoed up to us, punctuated by booms and grunts.

“You know, the usual,” I said sarcastically. “Werewolves living up to their stereotypes.”

“Don’t be so keen to pass judgment on something you don’t understand. Now move along, both of you,” Nix’s grumbling voice came down behind Willow where she stood clinging to the banister. Startled, she jumped and disappeared out of his way. A werewolf’s brusque voice could be intimidating, especially to someone who hadn’t grown up around them.

Nix’s wolf sat on the surface, barely restrained, and his eyes glowed with a predatory glint. Unlike Willow, instead of feeling the need to look away or do his bidding, all I felt was annoyed. Alphas did not like that. He lifted his lips to show off his sharp canines. I climbed the rest of the stairs and gave him a wide berth.

It hadn’t taken me long to figure out what he was, since I grew up around werewolves and their mannerisms were very familiar. Nix thundered down the stairs, and I could already hear his rumbling growl. Deciding not to get involved, I followed after Willow.

Not surprisingly, Willow had escaped Nix’s wrath by returning to our apartment. With the same layout as the one occupied by Indigo and Cornelius, ours was covered in plants and sprinkled throughout with various sizes of agate and onyx stones. Part of me thought the overkill of wards was simply because Indigo didn’t want me to go out looking for trouble, something I was very well known for in our hometown. But after learning how Abel had a ghost spy scouring the city watching for any vampires associated with the Morris clan, I felt unsafe not being able to contact my ghostly friends.

“Did you manage to smuggle out the staff?” Willow asked as soon as I stepped inside and closed the door.

“Not tonight. I’ll have to train with it some other time.” I still had my kodachi blades that I kept on my person. Indigo was smart enough not to take those away from me. Cornelius took Willow to the basement gym to train her at different times than me, which meant I didn’t know what weapons she normally trained with. She’d been super secretive about her powers, choosing instead to speak of superficial things.

“Oh, well, are you ready to go?” Willow was perched on the edge of the couch, surrounded by two small trees, practically vibrating with energy.

“Now would probably be the best time. If Indigo’s wolf is all worked up, he’ll need to work off his frustration up until the time they leave for their mission. Have you seen Cornelius around?”

“He stopped me before I got in here. He was headed out, saying something about having to go scout out the place beforehand.”

Cornelius was a giant gargoyle who worked as Indigo’s partner, who also seemed to have taken quite an interest in the little wisp. It wasn’t necessarily a good thing. Willow didn’t seem to notice, and if she did, she didn’t make a fuss about it.

“You ready to go?” Willow asked, buzzing with excitement, her eyes aglow with a faraway blue flame. She’d shown me her powers only once before, but she rarely showed them off.

“Yeah, let’s head out,” I agreed. “I’m getting a little stir crazy.”

“What does that mean?”

I shook my head, amazed at how innocent Willow seemed. “How long were you a slave to the vampires?”

Instantly, Willow got quiet and dropped her shoulders, her long blonde hair cascading down her shoulder and partially covering her face. The little wisp had such an inner light that when we first met, I thought she was a pixie, an overly hyper thing. The second time I met her, she tricked me by asking a witch to put a spell on me and then helping her vampire master kidnap me. Even so, I never blamed her for her actions. After all, she was just as much a prisoner as I was, residing in the cell across from me.

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I cringed at the insensitivity of my question, knowing from personal experience there were some things you just didn’t bring up. I’d briefly skimmed over my horrific experiences when my brother asked, but only the people on Indigo’s team knew about the brand burned into the skin on the back of my neck by the vampire coven who kidnapped me. It was a pain I never wanted to relive.

 “I’m sorry,” I said.

“Don’t worry about it. You want to go?” Though she tried to brush it off, Willow’s cheer sounded like it had been sucked out of her.

“Ever tried ice cream?” I asked.

Instantly, Willow’s eyes, which were already abnormally large, got bigger and brighter with the promise of a sugary apology.

Chapter 2

Watching a cross-eyed wisp lap up an ice cream swirl for the first time was a hilarious, magical experience. The night was warm and the ice cream a perfect treat, especially after working up a sweat with Indigo. Using an app on the phone Indigo bought me, since my old phone was thrown out of a moving car and my burner phone was destroyed by vampires, we located an ice cream store nearby. Willow pulled the cone away from her lips, and her face twisted with pain.

“Brain freeze?” I guessed.

“How do I make it stop?” she moaned, holding the side of her head.

“Easy, just put your tongue on the roof of your mouth,” I said.

Willow did as I instructed and happily went back to eating her ice cream cone. I preferred a bowl over a cone and eagerly lifted a spoonful to my lips. As I enjoyed my first bite, a person walked by us. Willow’s attention immediately diverted to the person passing by, and her powers flared once again. As soon as they were out of sight, her powers died back down.

 “What was that about?”

A sheepish look crossed her features as she answered, “They have a curse on their family. Sometimes my powers just react.”

“You can sense curses too? Can all wisps sense that?”

It shouldn’t have surprised me; after all, Willow was the one who found Abel when the rest of us couldn’t. He left town to try and find a way to save me but ended up being captured by another necromancer family. Willow explained to me that since she had the power to find Curse Breakers, Indigo asked her to search for Abel. But I didn’t realize her powers allowed her to sense people who still had curses on them as well.

 “No, it’s a special and rare gift. So is my ability to sense Curse Breakers. Most wisps just lead you to your destiny, as small or big as it can be.”

It was tempting to ask her if she could do the same for me, but I wasn’t ready to find out if my destiny resided with a vampire who was bound and determined to marry me. Balthazar is only in my mind lately because of the threat he poses to me and Abel, I tried to convince myself.

Although no one told me the specifics, Abel’s interference with the contract would have dire consequences for him and possibly my family. Letting Balthazar and his coven believe Abel was still missing was the only way to protect him.

 At that moment, a ghost passed me, looking lost and dazed. When I first arrived in the big city, I had a hard time getting a handle on my powers. Without the help of my onyx kodachi blades, I had to practically put my powers on permanent lockdown. Once I returned home, Abel and I completed the sacred ceremony for necromancers. Afterwards, it was like our powers clicked back into place but much stronger than before. I didn’t know about Abel, but I had much better control.

It was shocking to me how frequently death occurred in the city, and as a necromancer, my powers eagerly sought out death. My fingers twitched, and power tingled in my fingertips. Shooting up my arms, the urgent desire to use my powers grew. A fresh death was near.

“Thank you for this, Rowan,” Willow said as she got to the lip of the cone, eyeing it carefully before taking a bite of it.

I nodded my head and ate another spoonful of mine. My phone chose that moment to buzz in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see who it was. The front screen flashed with a picture of Abel and me before we parted ways. He looked haunted, and I wished I had a different one. Willow leaned over and saw Abel’s picture.

“I’ll let you talk to your brother. Meet you back at the apartment?”

“I might stay out here and try to train a little.”

“Okay. Catch you later.”

As Willow skipped off in the direction of our apartment, I shook my head. I wished I knew how she managed to keep her spirits high after all she’d endured. If I knew her secret, perhaps I could offer it to Abel. I couldn’t imagine what he’d been through, and I knew he hadn’t told me everything that happened to him. Then again, I’d also kept the details of my torture and confinement quiet.

 “Hey, big twin,” I said.

“Hey, little twin. Sorry I missed your call earlier. We ran into a bit of trouble. I can’t talk long, but I wanted to let you know I’m safe,” Abel said.

There was a scoff of disbelief on the other end. His enigmatic friend. My brother refused to tell me who this mysterious person he got to help him was. Abel ignored his friend’s wordless commentary and remained focused on our conversation.

“Keep your eyes open, Ro. My friend gave me some information about the vampires in Morris’s coven. I’m not sure we’re safe from them just yet.”

“What about Mom and Dad?” I asked.

“You and I are acting on our own. I made certain our escape at midnight was spread around in all the right places. Don’t worry, Ro. I got them.”

That was Abel. Responsible and always at least five steps ahead of me. My parents were wonderful people, and they did the very best they could. But when they had six other children to worry about, they did what they had to do to keep the rest of them safe. Our parents explained their predicament when they made the contract with the Morris coven, after another necromancer family made an attempt on Abel’s and my life.

“Thanks, Abe. How are things on your end?”

“I gotta go, Ro. Stay safe. And even though I know you won’t listen, try to listen to Indigo.”

Before I could say anything in response, he hung up on me. Anxiety crept through my bones at the abruptness of our phone conversation.  I had to trust that Abel could take care of himself. It was part of the deal we made when we separated. We’d been together our whole lives, but now, we needed to learn to live independently from each other.

Replacing my phone in my pocket, I stood up and stretched, immediately feeling the tug to a fresh body again. It twisted through my body, the euphoric sensation rushing through my veins. Rotating my right wrist, Death Lines sparked at my fingertips. Breathing out slowly, my powers flowed down my arm and ignited my veins.

Following my instincts and my forming Death Lines, I headed down the road in the direction of the fresh kill. The further I walked down the road, the stronger the scent became. While the nuances of Death’s scent were slightly different for every necromancer, the pull of it was the same for each person within our race. It was pleasant, the smell of nature after a heavy, cleansing rain.

It reminded me of the first time Indigo kissed me, right after a massive rain shower we’d gotten caught in. Seeking shelter from the deluge, we ended up underneath a rocky ledge. We were so young, but even then, something about that kiss clicked. Fervent hands, eager tongues, and a whole lot of teenage mistakes. But it was still the kiss that made me blush. As the scent tickled through my system, the memory filled my head with more and more memories featuring him.

For many years, I successfully managed to keep Indigo out of my head. Then he came rushing back into my life very publicly at the only diner in Kodiak Falls, our hometown. Indigo had been my best friend, my first love and first kiss…He was my first for a lot of things, including heartbreak when he left me behind and moved to the big city. He wasn’t always the giant beast of a werewolf he was now. At one time, he was the runt of the litter.

Shaking my head, I tried to erase those thoughts from my head. Finding the dead body was more important. The body was like a siren call, and the scent grew stronger as I stepped closer. Glancing around, I realized I didn’t recognize the neighborhood. Then again, I also hadn’t had a chance to explore the city since I moved here.

A salty breeze blew past me, interrupting the fresh rain scent. In my trance, I had managed to walk closer to the pier without paying attention to my path. Stepping toward the scent again, the draw of death pulled me closer and closer.

My hands and arms started to tingle with the awakening of my necromancer powers. I released my Lines and allowed them to rush out of my body. In a flash, they led me to the lifeless body that beckoned me. The alleyway I approached was glamoured, meant for an entrance to a Mystic business. Without walking inside, I couldn’t see further down the alley to figure out what type of business it was.

It didn’t matter that the body was lying under a rather pungent pile of trash. The death scent of fresh rain overpowered the stench. The stronger scent made me wish I’d paid more attention during my lessons. I spooled out my Death Lines, wrapping them around the body and commanding him out of the trash. The fully intact body stood.

As the refuse fell from the towering figure, I couldn’t help but notice the male was very, very naked.

“Damn, sucks that you’re dead.”

The dead body didn’t react to my observation. Instead, my Lines continued to pump magic into the corpse, who stood stoically. I mentally commanded him to step forward, but when parts of him started to swing, I decided I needed to find him a blanket or something.

As he stepped closer, his memories started to pump into me. At first, they were hazy and confusing. The Mystic was terrified and angry. He was on the run from something. As his feverish thoughts bombarded my mind, my control over the body intensified. His memories cleared.

Running from something. No, someone. The dark presence lingers…He’s closing in. I can feel them. His heart hammers in his chest. Pressure builds, pressing down on his chest and making it hard to breathe. Something’s not right. His pawns are here!

I tried to extend my powers to get a peek at who the pawns were, realizing quickly they were trapped inside of me.

One of the goons approaches, sneering, “Thought you could escape?”

“Who are you?” a masculine voice whispered in my ear. Shivers went down my spine as the ghost touched my shoulder.

“Just your friendly neighborhood necromancer,” I grumbled. The ghost shifted in front of me, his face echoing the one on the body I controlled a few feet away. His face twisted with anger at my comment, and a malicious energy pumped off him in waves.

“You’re not funny,” he seethed.

“Not joking. I am a necromancer. How else would I be having this conversation with you?”

The ghost looked back at his body for the first time, looking curiously at his reanimated corpse. “What are you doing with my body?”

 “I said necro, not nympho, psycho.”

“Alright then, if you really are a necromancer, help me find my killers.” The ghost’s energy crackled furiously, and for a moment it looked like he was on the verge of turning vengeful. Darkness swirled in his aura. I couldn’t do this on my own. I had to be smart about my decisions.

“I’ll get my people down here. They’ll help you. We will help you.”

His malevolent energy simmered, but it still worried me. I pulled out my phone and stepped away from the hovering ghost.

“Where are you?” Indigo growled, his voice barely recognizable.

“Oh, you know, hanging out with a dead body and his ghost down by the pier. Care to join me?”

“Don’t move.”  

Chapter 3

Scuffling steps followed me as I led the body to a less populated area where I could keep him until my backup arrived. The night had turned brisk, and my nose twitched with the chill. Indigo was furious to say the least. He kept calling every other minute to make sure I didn’t move. Then Indigo called to demand I move because I wasn’t secure. Then he worried someone would follow our scent, so he commanded me to remain where I was. His indecision drove me nuts, to the point I stopped answering my phone, but after the fifth missed call, I received a text from Willow, asking me to answer.

As I answered the next call, Indigo practically roared into the phone about how I wasn’t answering. Nix took the phone at that point and told me to go to a less populated area. The walk didn’t take long, and when we arrived, I instructed my dead friend to sit down. I sat on a nearby park bench and twirled my blades impatiently while I waited.

Suddenly, there was a perceptible shift in the air, and the hair on my arms stood on end. When the feeling crept up my neck, it felt like eyes were watching me, everywhere and anywhere. My paranoia is getting the best of me. I stood, twisting my onyx blade around one more time.

“Bacon!”

I glanced down at my stomach, my brows pinched with confusion. “Are you really that hungry you learned to talk?” I asked my stomach.

 “Bacon!”

Distinctive snorts followed the call. I stood up and pulled out my kodachi blades, readying myself for whatever was approaching. The snorts got louder, followed by a clicking sound on the road. A power much like my own brushed against my skin. I shivered, recognizing the power of a fellow necromancer.

A girl with pink hair trotted after a squealing, happy pig with riding goggles perched precariously on top of its head. I rubbed my eyes, trying to figure out if I’d lost my mind or not. Then again, I did just think my stomach shouted out bacon.

“Grab that pig!” the girl screamed as she ran down the road. Acting purely on instinct, I put my blades back into their sheaths and dove for the pig. He scuttled away, indignant, and I glared at him. He stopped, twitching his little nose at me and snorted.

“Bacon!”

The pig turned and stared at the pink-haired girl, grunting his displeasure.

“Well, I can protect you just fine. Now come here.”

The pig lifted its head and had a staring contest with the girl. She opened her mouth, but before she could scold the pig, it stepped forward.

“Thanks for trying to grab him. He can be squirmy.”

She lifted the pig into her arms and began to strap him into a baby carrier secured to the front of her body. He snorted once more and situated himself into a cozy spot before closing his eyes and falling blissfully asleep. The pink-haired necromancer sized me up. She looked like she’d gone a couple rounds with a vampire by the amount of scratches and bruises she sported on her arms and face.

“Nice blades, by the way,” she offered conversationally. “Where did you get them?”

I pulled out one of the onyx blades and twirled it around so she could see the handle. “A Mystic blacksmith here in town. My father had him make weapons for all his kids. Interesting fellow, from what I heard from my brothers.”

Bacon, the pig, grunted and kicked his little legs, probably dreaming.

“Nice piggy. Where did you get it?”

“Butcher shop. Where else?”

I suppose she had a point. Where else would one get a…pig?

With that, the girl turned and headed back in the direction she had come.

“Hey, wait!” I called. ”What’s your name?”

She looked over her shoulder and smiled at me. It looked strained and uncomfortable, like she wasn’t used to being nice to people. “Octavia Hollows. Don’t look me up. Trouble will follow.”

As she disappeared, the brush of her power went with her. Whoever that girl was, she felt just as powerful as Abel and me. With that reminder, I conjured my Death Lines again and wrapped them back around the still super naked man, moving him back into the tree line. Even though he was dead, naked, and wouldn’t be helpful in a fight unless I commanded him, it gave me a sense of security.

After my strange encounter and the departure of pink-haired Octavia, I still didn’t feel like I was alone. The itchy feeling of being watched followed me, which meant it wasn’t Octavia or her grumpy piggy.

Commanding the Mystic’s body closer, he stood almost flush against my back. Scanning the area, nothing stood out to me as being particularly dangerous or out of the ordinary. As an echoing sound rattled in my ears, I strained to listen.

The sound got closer and closer, and then a howl followed in the wake of claws against the sidewalk. Instantly, I commanded the body to crouch in front of me in a defensive maneuver while I pulled out my second kodachi blade. Twisting the kodachi blade around, I stepped around the body just before he was knocked to the ground by a massive beast.

The heaving wolf stood on his hind legs; his claws bloodied with dead man’s blood.

“Fuck, Indigo! Overreact much?”

The huge werewolf’s attention swiveled to me, and he bared his teeth. His nostrils flared, sniffing the air, and the fire in his eyes dimmed down. His heavy breaths settled and calmed, and then he took a step closer to me.

“Indigo,” Nix’s deep baritone sounded behind him, but Indigo didn’t turn to look.

Instead, his lips peeled back once again as he refocused his attention onto the naked, doubly dead man. The spirit wouldn’t be happy if he came back and saw his body had been mutilated. A deep grumble rattled from Indigo’s chest.

Rolling my eyes, I stepped in front of Indigo and stared him down.

“What the fuck is she doing?” Cornelius asked, bringing up the rear of their fearsome foursome, Willow trailing beside him.

“Rowan, what do you think you’re doing?” Nix repeated.

Indigo’s growls got louder at the intrusion of all the male voices coming from behind him. Werewolves didn’t like not being able to see everything around them, but they also didn’t like to take their attention off the immediate threat and look around. He had one eye on me and the other trained on the dead man.

“This guy is dead. Remember, that’s why I called you?”

Indigo looked at the unmoving body. When he was in his wolf’s form, he was more beast than man. He looked from the body back to me, and then slowly lifted his bloodied claw and smelled it. Snorting much like the little piggy I just met, I laughed for a moment. Indigo lifted his head sharply and leaned forward, reaching out with his sharp, dirty claw. Staring at the claw, my lips twisted with disgust.

Indigo pulled back and made a face at his claw. Slowly, his humanity would return to him, and he would be able to shift back. Nix, Cornelius, and Willow stayed far enough away while Indigo regained his composure.

Indigo took a measured step back as his fur receded. Skin started to show, and I quickly realized I would have two naked bodies on my hands. And since they probably parked a block away, they didn’t have easy access to a full outfit. Leaning past Indigo, I tried to see if Cornelius had on his I-don’t-want-to-wear-a-glamour outfit, which included a long trench coat.

“Gonna need some clothes over here.”

“Once he’s done shifting,” Nix answered.

Rolling my eyes to the sky, I wished Nix would give me a fucking coat already. One naked guy, fine, but two was a crowd. Instead, I was forced to wait until Indigo shifted back and returned to his senses. He’d always had a quick recovery time. Hopefully, that stuck with him through the years.

“Why does it smell like pork out here?” Indigo asked.

“You don’t ask that in a lady’s company, Indigo,” I replied drily.

“There are so many missed opportunities,” Cornelius added as he held out his coat for Indigo to take. Indigo ignored it at first, his nose high in the air, taking in all the scents.

“A dead pig?”

“Not dead,” I sniffed. “Bacon was running around and squealing. Little dick made me jump after him.”

Everyone in the group stopped to stare at me for a beat.

“Did the owner plan on eating the pig?” Nix asked.

“What? No! The pig doesn’t matter. We got a dead Mystic here,” I said, stepping aside to present the man I had called them about. Indigo kept his sights on me while the other three stepped forward.

“Did you get any memories from him?” Nix asked as he stepped forward, his eyes flashing with his wolf. A calmness swept over his features as he examined the body.

“Tell me more about the owner of the pig,” Indigo demanded.

“Young, attractive, pink hair. Why? Are you interested? She might have a thing going with the pig.”

“Don’t get smart with me, Rowan. I rushed over here because my wolf was out of control. When Willow returned without you, she said you were right behind her, but then you never showed. Those vampires didn’t just disappear off the planet,” Indigo said.

“I know, but I need to practice my magic. It’s different since I got back. I can’t leave it dormant and not learn how to control it. You of all people should understand that.”

Indigo gritted his teeth and stepped around me to help Nix, followed by Cornelius. I allowed the tight leash on my powers to slip a little, allowing the ghosts in the nearby area to appear. After moving the body out of the alley, I’d tightened the leash on my powers to the point where I wouldn’t be surrounded by ghosts. Or specifically, the vengeful spirit who used to occupy the dead body currently being examined by two werewolves and a gargoyle.

Ghosts crowded around Indigo, Cornelius, and Nix. At first, the ghosts were so focused on the three men that they ignored my presence. It wasn’t until they sensed my powers that they started to turn.

Abel had often spoken of echoes. “Echoes” were spirits who were forced to relive their moment of death over and over again. Usually, the death was so traumatic, they were unable to break free of the moment. Abel had been caught in one once. I was terrified for him, left clueless of how to react. My father had to step in and help him out of it.

When Abel came out of the echo, he told me that reliving their deaths was horrific. But the worst part was when he caught sight of their eyes. He explained that it seemed he was looking into a soulless pit. As all those eyes focused on me, it felt like my blood turned to ice in my veins, and I knew exactly what Abel meant.

My lungs shuddered as if coated in a layer of ice. Before a billow of frosty air could come out of my mouth, I pulled back my powers. Indigo turned around just as the last ghost around him disappeared.

“Ro, you’re pale.”

“I’m fine. Just probably didn’t have enough protein today. Should have stolen the pig for myself.”

“Just to be clear, Rowan...Willow and you are not getting a pig, as a pet or otherwise,” Cornelius cautioned. Willow, who had been uncharacteristically quiet next to me, dropped her shoulders in disappointment. Apparently, she had plans up her sleeves.

“Pigs are fairly well behaved,” Willow whispered. “We could have an undead pig, right, Ro?”

“Her pig was very much alive.”

“Rowan, where did you originally find this body?” Nix interrupted, straightening and turning his attention to us. The glow of his wolf remained.

“I can take you there. It’s only a mile or so away.”

“You’ll have to. Willow, I would like to use your powers next.”

Willow stepped forward, blue flames sparking in her eyes. The flare of her powers caused a ripple in the air, and I had the uncanny sense of being watched again. I rubbed the back of my neck and peeked over my shoulder. Nothing there, but the feeling didn’t fade.

“Why are you fidgeting?”

“I move. It’s a thing I do, Indigo.”

Indigo got quiet but kept his focus on me for a long time. I tried to ignore his gaze and focus on anything else.

“Come, Rowan. Take me to where you found the body,” Nix directed.

Chapter 4

“Rowan.” Nix was quiet for the first half of our walk back to the alleyway, and Indigo was reluctant to let me out of his sight. Only after a direct order from Nix did he back off and stay behind with Cornelius and Willow. Why Nix wanted Willow to use her powers was a mystery to me, but I didn’t have time to ask before he led me away.

In our shared silence, I kept thinking back to the ghosts I’d allowed to creep in and surround the three men. The look in their eyes haunted me. Only when Nix said my name did he pull my thoughts away from those empty, soulless eyes.

“Indigo cares a great deal about you, and what happened tonight was unacceptable,” Nix chided. “His wolf completely took over. He didn’t exaggerate about running to you. Leaving the apartment unsupervised was highly irresponsible. The vampires that kidnapped you are still at large, and Indigo told me you are still on the run from your past. Either start acting smarter, or I will confine you to your apartment. Is that understood?”

“Did you bring me here to lecture me?  Because I already have a father and seven brothers, one of whom is my very overprotective twin. Plus, I have Indigo.”

“Yes, you have Indigo. He is who I am protecting, not you. Remember that, Ms. Hayes.” Nix stepped forward, his nostrils flaring as we got closer to the alleyway. “You didn’t mention that this alleyway led to a Mystic-only bar.”

 “I didn’t know. I just knew it led to a Mystic business.”

“If I’m training you, then you need to start learning these things. You must be aware of your surroundings and gather more information. Go into the bar and see if the bartender has noticed any unusual activity.”

Instead of offering the snippy retort that rested on my lips, I nodded curtly and headed down the alleyway. Passing through two wards and a few very convincing glamours, I found the entrance. The industrial door swung open with ease, and I stepped into the dimly lit bar. Music thrummed through the speakers mounted throughout the space, providing a backdrop for the crowded floor of dancers. Mystics didn’t much care for modesty and danced any way they pleased. At a glance, I saw a few succubi and incubi snacking, while shifters behaved as if they were in heat.

“You interested?” A sensual whisper against my ear calmed my wits.

“Not even a little bit. Just lead me to the bar.”

A shifter with bright green eyes stepped around me and held his hand out for me to take. A voice in my head told me absolutely not, and for once I was inclined to listen. I stepped past the offered hand and further into the bar. Beyond the dance floor, I made out the shadowy outline of the bar. Through a warzone, then. Dancing was not my forte. In fact, I’d once elbowed someone in the eye back when I was in school. It looked like slipping through the crowd would be my best bet.

The shifter laughed at my rebuff but left me alone afterwards. After weaving my way through grinding bodies and carefree nymphs, I found the bar. I scanned the area, trying to be more vigilant. At the other side of the bar, I could have sworn I saw a head of blond hair that looked a little too familiar. But if Balthazar found me, he wouldn’t be keeping his distance. He would strike quick and efficiently.

“What can I get for you?” The bartender stepped in my sightline, and I took a step back when I spotted fangs.

“Just curious if you noticed anything unusual near the entrance of your bar,” I inquired.

“Honey, are you serious? You’re in a Mystic bar in the hottest city right now. Of course, something unusual is going on!” he said with a laugh, moving on and helping someone further down.

Not really the information I hoped I would get, but at the same time, I couldn’t blame the man.

“You’re asking all the wrong questions, duckie.”

A familiar chill went down my spine. My instincts insisted on flight instead of fight. The voice and nickname rung out in my memory like a gong. Outside the airport, he’d just come to speak to me for a moment before Indigo came to my rescue. Even then, something was off about the man.

“Eavesdropping is not only annoying, but seems a little immature for someone your age, don’t you think?” I turned to face the mysterious man.

He was tall and willowy, with the stature and build of a blue blood who had been running the world for ages. And being in a Mystic bar, I wouldn’t be surprised if he told me that he had been. His blue-black hair was neatly trimmed and gelled into a fashionable style. He had sharp, Victorian-era features, but the faded accent sounded Irish. If I had to take a guess on what he was, my money was on Fey. “You’re looking for answers, are you not?

“Don’t know what you could possibly mean,” I replied suspiciously.

“No, duckie, I suppose you don’t. Not yet.” He placed a card in front of me on the bar. Tipping his chin down as a nod, he left. The hair on the back of my neck stood on edge again.

“Don’t trust him,” a whisper sounded next to me. I looked over to see my ghost friend that belonged to the dead man outside.

“Where did you go?” I asked. I wished that I’d ordered a drink to hide my lips behind as I held a quiet conversation with a ghost. I didn’t like others knowing a female necromancer was here, hanging out by herself.

“Seeing my body...” The ghost got a faraway look in his eye before turning back to me. “Am I dead?”

I didn’t have a ton of experience with new ghosts. The ghosts back in Kodiak Falls were all tethered to my family or members of the community who had died of old age, which for a Mystic was a rare and gifted treat. The ghosts closest to me were the ones my parents insisted watch over us when we were young.

“Dead? What does that really mean? You’re still here, aren’t you?”

“But only you can see me.”

“For now. As long as you keep your cool,” I muttered.

The ghost flickered but stayed nearby. If I was smart, I would have paid more attention when my parents taught us about tethers. Abel was much better at them than I was. But I wouldn’t be able to force this ghost out; all I could do was hope he wanted to find his killer and would follow me on his own.

There was that sensation again, tickling the back of my neck. Unable to help myself, I peeked over my shoulder once again. That same spot and peek of blonde hair. Paranoia was getting the best of me again.

I left the bar and found my way out of the maze of people. When I came outside, Nix was standing in the alleyway, still sniffing around. And in the literal sense, not the human phrase. The glow in his eyes was a dead giveaway.

“We’ll return later for a better examination of the drop off spot of the body, but I don’t believe his death happened here,” Nix noted.

The reclaimed memories I’d sifted from the ghost crept into the back of my head. Seeing it through his eyes, it felt like it happened here. It felt expected, the culmination of a series of events, and like this was where it came to a head. Admittedly, the memories were unfocused, and I didn’t have enough context to refute Nix’s assertion. My father always said to only reveal what you know, when you know it.

***

The ride back to the apartment building was awkward, especially since I was put right next to Indigo upon his insistence. Willow sat on the other side of me, remaining unnaturally stiff and quiet. It couldn’t have been her first dead body, particularly knowing her captors were vampires, and they kept her an unknown amount of time. But the scene seemed to affect her. I tried to remain silent and allow everyone time to process.

“Indigo, we’ll meet in your apartment to go over what we know. Rowan and Willow, you will join us,” Nix instructed as he pulled up to the apartment complex and parked.

We headed upstairs together. Once we all gathered and found our places in Cornelius and Indigo’s sparse apartment, Nix stood in front of the TV.

 “The information we gathered so far isn’t much, and I can’t launch an actual investigation until I get the official word. That means anything we learn stays inside this room. I’ll return the body to where Rowan originally found it and call the Guard. After that, we will follow their ruling.”

“Nix, the ghost found me in that bar. Shouldn’t we try to contact him again?” I asked.

“No. This case is not formally ours, which means we will respect our laws. For now, since you aren’t here in an official capacity, Rowan, we will tell others that I scented the body. I have to get back to the scene but remember what I said.” With that, Nix turned and walked out of the apartment.

Frustration bit at me. I had a direct—or almost direct—line to the killer. I could find more information if only they would let me use it.

“Come on, Ro. I’m exhausted.” Willow sighed, standing and pulling me off the couch. Indigo watched us leave, though I had a feeling he wanted to say one last thing.

“Before you say anything, Indigo, don’t,” I said.

His lips twitched into a snarl, then he left the room and stormed into his bedroom, punctuating his departure with a slammed door. Yeah, not a whole lot had changed about my childhood friend. He still had lectures up his sleeves.

“Rowan, don’t be too harsh on him,” Cornelius implored. “He was wrong. I’ll give you that. We all agree that you need to practice your magic, but there’s still a lot you don’t know.” He followed us to the door, staying close to Willow’s side.

His words haunted me that night as I lay in bed after taking an obnoxiously long shower. Cornelius was right. There was still a lot I didn’t know. About Indigo, about his job, and about what I was training for. Perhaps more disturbingly, those wayward ghosts sat heavily on my mind as I slipped further and further into a dreamless sleep.

Chapter 5

The chill in the air intensified over the next couple of weeks. Nix didn’t bring up the dead Mystic I found, and since the ghost disappeared, I didn’t bother trying to call him back. Indigo had taken a hiatus from training me. I’d probably pissed him off too much when I disappeared under his watch. Cornelius took up his spot, and I hated every second of it.

Nix finally approached me and told me I made the right move practicing my magic. He encouraged me to continue and often texted me times I could go out to practice. I had a sneaking suspicion it usually aligned with when Indigo left for a mission. Tonight was no different.

As had become a common occurrence of late, I had the distinct feeling of being watched as I made my way to a nearby cemetery to practice. To others, the thought of practicing in a cemetery was probably disturbing, but it came with the territory for my race.

Right after my twenty-first birthday, I had a whim to use a recently deceased body to attack another necromancer after he tried to kidnap me and threatened my brother. I didn’t actively think about what I was doing; I just acted. My power quickly spiraled out of my control, and I got trapped inside the ghoul’s body. Indigo was the one to pull me back out.

Peeking over my shoulder, I saw the only people sharing the streets with me were ghosts who were aimlessly wandering the realm. Back in my hometown of Kodiak Falls, the ghosts there moved with purpose and seemed to be well-adjusted. Here, they all seemed a little lost. I thought it had to do with the city’s higher death rate, and the fact that most ghosts I saw here were new and hadn’t had time to adjust.

Confirming that I had, in fact, been paranoid, I continued my walk to the cemetery. My playlist switched over to a song that began with a howl, which made me snort derisively. Indigo’s howl was much louder and a lot more fearsome. Remembering our most recent misadventure, I hoped I wouldn’t be hearing it from a distance anytime soon. The ornate, wrought-iron fence of the cemetery border peeked through the vines and overbrush. That’s where I would find my friends tonight.

Walking toward the gate, I opened it, the rusty hinges squealing their protests into the night. I stepped inside and secured the gate, and then headed toward the groundskeeper, Charlie’s, house. He was an older Mystic who liked to live on his own. I hadn’t managed to figure out what type of Mystic he was, but he’d helped me several times to unearth bodies and put them back to rest, so I didn’t push too hard for answers he didn’t want to volunteer.

I turned off the oh-so-popular song about the undead and checked out the graveyard. The trees swayed gently in the quiet breeze, the biting chill of the cold air forcing me to snuggle a little deeper into my sweater. The feeling of being watched returned.

“You ready, girl?”

My heart pounded out of my chest before settling. The voice was hoarse and crackled as if he had smoked over a hundred years, and then some. A crotchety old man stepped out from behind a massive headstone, revealing Charles the groundskeeper.

“I mean, is anyone ever ready to dig up one-hundred-year-old bones just to make them do a little jig?”

He squinted one eye at me. “Wanna learn how to control them powers, girl?”

“Lead the way.”

Charles wasn’t much for jokes. Or any type of relationship with me other than straight up business. The first time I came to his graveyard, he had either sensed me or was walking past and saw me. I wasn’t entirely sure, and he wouldn’t say. But it led to me coming up with a mini white lie that I was adopted out to humans after both my parents were killed, and I was trying to discover my powers...to use them for good and save the world. Not really the last part because Charles didn’t give me time to finish.

He merely grunted at me and said, “Meet me in the back. I got a couple freshies for you.”

The first night of training he watched over me, so I couldn’t fully flex my powers. But over the next couple trips, he started to leave me alone longer. I hoped tonight he would scatter until I needed him to help me re-earth the bodies.

My powers came easily. Death Lines and Control Lines appeared with little to no effort. Controlling one body seemed like child’s play; the barely restrained power in me hungered for more.

At the far end of the graveyard, I saw the backhoe he used to dig out the coffins. As we got closer, I realized that he’d already laid them out for me.

“I got business elsewhere. Lay them to rest properly, and I’ll bury them after you’re gone,” Charles offered gruffly. Pleasantries over, he split off and headed to the opposite end of the cemetery.

Well, there you go.

I stepped over to the open coffins and peeked at their headstones. Only bones and a few scraps of clothing remained within their coffins, but their headstones gave me a clue who they were. Bowing my head, I said a momentary thanks to the spirits for allowing me to use their bodies after they had passed.

Unfortunately, some necromancers skipped this old tradition or were in situations where they didn’t have time to observe the formalities. However, it was important to our kind, especially in my family, to respect the bodies we used and honor the spirits. Most spirits leave their bodies after death and move on, which is the natural order of things. Others remain stuck and are unable to pass to the next spiritual plane, though this is rare.

When I was training, I always took the time to thank the spirits. I needed to respect my powers as well as the tools I used for them. My ancestors gave me my powers, and those spirits demanded respect.

As soon as I stepped up to the three bodies, my Death Lines formed eagerly at my fingertips, seeking out death. My power swelled inside of me, and the links I felt to each body formed. I asked each body to stand, but as they stood, they started to crumple. The problem with using skeletal bodies meant they didn’t have the muscles or joints to keep them upright. Pushing more power through each Death Line, I acted as a tether to all their limbs. My Lines, red for the Hayes family, twisted and climbed as vigorously as the vines and ivy I saw outside the cemetery walls.

First, they were shaky, but after reinforcing each bone with more Control Lines, the bodies stood at attention, awaiting my command. My magic painted them in an eerie glow. Focusing my attention on my Lines, I tried to recreate the clairvoyant Lines I created when I was captured by the vampire coven. But no matter what I did, I couldn’t get it back. Ignoring my failure for now, I practiced different offensive and defensive maneuvers my parents had taught me when I trained with them, mimicking the movements in my head to pass the thoughts to the bones.

Still, my power demanded more. More of what, I didn’t know. Ignoring the compulsion, I practiced doing separate commands to each individual body. Coming up with three commands and trying to send them separately only resulted in the bodies standing still. No command made sense to my reanimated helpers; the messages I sent were all jumbled in their empty heads.

Trying again, I issued one command to the first body, another to the second body, and yet another to the third. They still stood motionless, seemingly confused. Annoyed, I pulled back my Control Lines.

How can I separate their commands?

Having a fleet of undead helpers was fine and dandy, but if all they could do were the same motions at the same time, I was gonna be shit out of luck.

Like a separate being in my body, my powers suddenly flared to life with heightened resolve. Rolling my neck to loosen the clenched muscles, I exhaled and released the hold on my powers. Expanding outwards like a fog, my Control Lines sought out every available body nearby.

Being in a graveyard, one could see where this might be a problem. Reining my powers back in before I managed to touch every dead person within a two-mile radius, I focused on the three who stood stiffly in front of me.

How do I separate my will to spread across three separate bodies?

Trying it once again only managed to paralyze them into doing nothing. Trying a different tactic, I started to move them with smaller movements. I wanted to see if I could manipulate them into changing their forms just a little differently each time while dropping the intensity of my magic.

I worked on these small tweaks until sweat beaded down my forehead. Even with the chill of the breeze that swept through the cemetery, using my magic in such a way and more extensively than I had in a while was physically taxing. Working from memory of countless hours spent in front of the TV, I had my ghouls moving in a dancing formation of the song I’d listened to earlier. It was easier to manipulate them when they were supposed to move like zombies in the first place.

The night was getting later, and I knew my practice time would be up soon. As I was working one last dance step out of them, pain seared up my back. With no warning or time to prepare myself for the worst, I couldn’t hold back a scream of pain.

Dropping to my knees, my back arched as if my muscles and nerves were trying to escape my body. It felt as if I was reliving the pain of being branded all over again. The pain gradually ebbed, and eventually, all I was left with was a hollow ache and a throbbing spasm at the branding spot. Panting in exhaustion, I dropped my hands to the soil and tried to ground myself. When I did, the bodies I had been controlling tumbled to the earth in a pile of bones.

 “That was an impressive display of your powers just now.”

Fucking hell.

“What are you doing here?” I snapped, not bothering to look in his direction.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on you,” he answered, his voice oily on my skin.

“Why haven’t you taken me back to your Master and forced us to get married yet, Balthazar?”

He moved silently over to where I stood. Even if he came through the gate, the hinges never once made a noise. The thought made me tense.

How long has he been following me? I touched my side where I had the collapsible staff after Nix let me borrow it.

“No need to grab for your weapon. I already told you I’ve been keeping a very close eye on you. There have been multiple opportunities for me to attack you and steal you away, if that was my intention.” Balthazar’s red eyes roamed over me hungrily as he looked for an injury.

“Tripped,” I offered, not liking his attention or the force of his gaze.

Balthazar gallantly held out his hand to help me stand, and I reluctantly accepted his offer. Even though Balthazar was my betrothed, I thought my whole running away from him phase made it obvious I wasn’t interested. Of course, ours wasn’t a love match that went wrong; it was an arranged marriage through a contract my parents made with his Master. But by the terms of the contract, if I belonged to Balthazar, I would also belong to everyone in his coven.

After Indigo was unable to convince his superiors that Abel’s disappearance needed to be their top priority, I was forced to seek out other avenues. Abel had already sacrificed so much; I wouldn’t allow him to keep being tortured and used because of me. That was why I promised I’d return home with Balthazar if he helped find Abel. Big mistake.

“Rowan.”

“Look—either you’re here for a fight, or you can leave, but either way I need to clean up.”  My back was stiff as the muscles slowly released from their tense positions. Any moment, it felt like my back would spasm again. Snorting at my own lie, I knew it wasn’t a spasm and hoped it wouldn’t happen again soon.

“You’re exploring your powers more,” Balthazar commented, his interest piqued.

“Yup.”

Ignoring him, I felt my powers rekindle and wake. But with him here, I had to hold back. I didn’t trust my magic completely, and I had used Control Lines on him and another vampire before. As much as I wanted to explore what I could do with that, I needed to get out of here as quickly as possible.

“Aren’t you the least bit curious as to why I’m here?” he baited.

“Nope.”

“Rowan, you will discuss this with me.”

Balthazar stood in front of me, moving faster than I could blink. Those red eyes glared down, demanding my surrender, but I stubbornly refused. Once you’d looked into the eye of an Alpha in a rage, there wasn’t a whole lot that could make you back down.

“You did not trip. What happened?”

“Back spasm. Happens with old age, or when someone has been creeping on you,” I said, waving away his worry.

“You’re lying.”

“No shit.”

He sighed. “Why must you make things so difficult?”

“Really? That’s rich, coming from you.”

“Do you honestly think I chose this life for myself? To be tethered to a bride who would rather run off with a mutt than remain with me? A bride who would rather spit in my face than lean into my loving embrace?”

“You have a loving embrace?” I asked.

“Rowan, I wanted more from this arrangement than an alliance and partnership with you.”

“What exactly do you want?” I asked, alarm bells going off in my head.

“Your love.”

Chapter 6

“What?” My head ticked back in surprise.

“You heard me.”

“Yes, but I’m not convinced you haven’t been replaced by a pod-person.”

“What nonsense are you speaking of?”

“Hmm, that’s exactly what a pod-person would say.”

“You’re being ridiculous, Rowan. Consider what I’m offering.”

“And what is it that you’re offering, Balthazar? That I suddenly fall in love with you and thank you for the fact that you and your coven want to take away any freedom I have? Yeah, not interested.” Turning away, I went to step around him to take care of the bodies I had been practicing with.

Balthazar touched my arm and gently grabbed my hand. It was the gentleness of his touch that stopped me. I waited for him to say what he needed to say.

“I don’t want to take away your spirit. You are unpredictable and very powerful.” His gaze went to the bodies that laid in piles.

“Just the way to a girl’s heart.”

“You misunderstand me.”

“Do I?” I pulled my hand back. “It’s great and all that you don’t want to take away my spirit, but you do want to break it. You lust after the power I can give your coven, but you don’t look at my character or my desires and give two shits. If I was just a normal girl, would you still want me?”

“Why worry about the hypothetical while you are here in the flesh as you are?” he posed logically.

“That’s exactly why.”

I stepped around him, and this time he let me go. As I casted my powers, I commanded each body one by one back into their graves.

“If you would only let me explain—” he began, moving to follow me.

“You already tried.”

“I was born a vampire. This is the only life I have ever known. My parents belonged to an abusive vampire who only wanted to take. He used us all as tools. But Morris gave me a way out. He saved me. And more, he offered me something I never thought I would get: a bride. A woman I could love, cherish, and take care of.”

“See, that’s where you have a problem. I don’t need you to do any of those things. Leave me be,” I retorted, growing more agitated by the second.

“What would stop me right now, Rowan, from taking you back to Morris and forcing you into this marriage?” Balthazar asked, moving closer into my space and forcing me backwards. My heart pounded, and anger was quick on my fear’s heels.

“Scared I’ll kick you in the balls?” I lashed out.

“Must you be so vulgar?” Balthazar asked as he caged me against a nearby mausoleum.

I flinched, not because of what was tucked behind me, but rather the vampire in front of me. “Must you?” I deflected.

Balthazar’s pretty brows pinched together as his lips pressed together in exasperation. “I cannot say the right things to you, it seems.”

I gave him a sad smile and patted his cheek. “Maybe you should stop trying to, and maybe say how you really feel. Or better yet, show me. Or, even better yet, leave me and my family the fuck alone,” I offered with a hopeful, but very forced, smile.

“And what of their safety?”

“What do you mean?”

“My reports keep Morris at bay, but if they were to stop coming...” He let the threat hang over my neck like a guillotine ready to fall.

It never occurred to me that they would go after our family, but in the same vein, Balthazar was using what he could as leverage. Thus far, he’d managed to keep his Master from descending on us, but not even the laws of the treaty between necromancers and vampires could protect us. We had a binding contract.

“What do you want?”

“A chance.”

“That ship kinda sailed, don’t you think?”

“I believe you and your brother will do absolutely anything for each other. I also believe you care just as deeply for the rest of your family. Accompany me on a date.”

“A single date?”

“As many as it takes to win your heart.”

I debated the merits of his offer. It won’t kill me to go on a couple dates with him. It will buy Abel time, and he won’t have to worry about the vampires coming after him. It will be hard to get around Nix and Indigo, but if I tell them I’m out training...

“Fine.”

“Perfect! Shall we?” Balthazar replied smoothly, holding out his arm for me to take.

Glancing down at my clothes, I peeked back up at him with raised eyebrows. Currently, I was covered in dirt, sweat, and a little bit of shame. Okay, a lot of shame. But we did what we had to do to protect those we loved. And going out with Balthazar couldn’t possibly be as bad as what Abel had done for me.

“Maybe a different night. And anyway, sun’s almost up, right? Means it’s time for you to return to the coffin from whence you came.”

“Your humor is very peculiar.”

“So I’ve been told.”

“You agree to this, then?”

“Yeah.”

“Excellent.” Balthazar moved before I knew what was happening, once again. Stupid vampire speed. He grabbed my phone from my back pocket and unsuccessfully tried to unlock the home screen.

“You need the password.” I held out my hand for my phone, ticking my fingers forward.

“You don’t trust me?”

“With that sort of information? Absolutely not.” I did my pattern and handed it back to him. At this point, I had to play nice, and then I needed to get back to the apartment before Indigo or Nix did. Not only did I need to shower off the stank of the cemetery, it was vital I change clothes, so they wouldn’t detect the scent of a vampire. I would find something to do with the clothes.

“Alright, I’m headed back now. And please stop following me everywhere. You aren’t that great at hiding.”

“What do you mean?”

“I sensed you earlier this evening, and the other night when I found that body. Should have known it was you.”

A look crossed over his features, but before I could even try to gauge its meaning, he went blank-faced again.

“I will try to be more cautious, then. Do you need an escort back to your abode?”

“Nope. Thanks for the offer, though. Also, don’t follow me.”

Balthazar grabbed my hand again and pressed a light kiss to the back of my hand. I tried not to snatch it back, letting him have his moment. It was vital to keep him happy and keep my family safe.

Hmm, it seems my imprisonment started early.

****

After convincing Balthazar to let me walk myself home, I headed back to the apartment. The walk usually gave me time to decompress, but tonight a nervous energy strummed through my body, and my heightened energy levels wouldn’t diminish. I gripped the staff, collapsed to only a few inches long now, and tried to use it as a conduit for my powers. It didn’t work as effectively as my kodachi blades. But I’d had my blades for a very long time, which meant I was used to their power and they were used to mine.

 Instead, channeling into the staff resulted in intermittent flares of my powers I was unable to predict or control, with ghosts flashing in and out of my sight without warning. It was enough to give anyone a headache, but paired with the lingering pain in my back, this episode made me long to return to the apartment, shower, and then sleep for days.

During another burst of power, the ghost of a naked man appeared in the street ahead of me. I knew that ass, though. Realizing it was the nameless John Doe I stumbled across outside the Mystic bar, I sped up a little. Trying to modulate my powers, I kept sight of him as he wandered down the road. Was he caught in a memory and trying to find his way back home?

Abel had always been better with the ghost stuff and understanding their actions, whereas I just wanted to be friends with them when we were younger. The older I got, the more interested I became in the physical aspect of our powers.

The ghost continued down the road, but instead of calling out and spooking him, I kept following at a respectable distance. I hoped he would be able to lead me to more clues as to who he was. Why I’d become so obsessed with him, I wasn’t sure. But a compulsion in me needed answers. Why him? What happened? Why did I stumble across his body?

The ghost kept walking down the street, walking through unsuspecting people. Usually watching ghosts walk through Mystics made me laugh just a little because they would get the same shiver a human did, but they realized what it was. The look of slight disgust on their face made it worth it.

Stifling a laugh at the next Mystic he walked through, the ghost slowed and started to look over his shoulder. I straightened, waiting for the ghost to turn, but he remained on course. Following him, he went past business after business. Never stopping to look at the storefronts, it was almost as if he knew his destination and was determined to get there as quickly as possible.

It made sense why he was moving so quickly if he didn’t want to forget where he was going. Some newer ghosts had a hard time holding on to information. The further he walked, the dumber I realized my plan was. I wanted to impress Nix and even Indigo if it meant I was about to get a little more information on him. But the further we traveled, I realized it was more than that. The compulsion had become overwhelming.

Finally, he slowed and then stopped in front of a hole-in-the-wall pub. The bar looked less than desirable; the neon sign outside flickered with only three working letters, leaving the real name a mystery. Did he use to work here?

The ghost looked back at me and smiled wickedly, jerking his head at the bar’s front window. I felt foolish, realizing he’d known I was behind him the whole time, but stepped closer to him and waited to see if he would say anything to me. He didn’t, instead indicating once again to the inside of the bar.

Nervous energy spiked in my gut like the first hit of caffeine in the morning, strong and potent. The thought of looking in there held a mixture of wrongness, but also an eagerness I couldn’t deny. My curiosity was enough that I couldn’t ignore it. What mystery did he want to show me so badly that he had me follow him here?

Turning, I looked through the window. Cornelius and Indigo stood together at the end of a ratty pool table watching another patron in the bar. The patron was clearly drunk and hanging over the bar top. He seemed to get louder and unrulier, but when the bartender gave him a stern look, he backed off.

The ghosts that clung to Indigo and Cornelius surged, angrily glaring at the two men. If I could hear inside, I was sure their agitated voices would drown out all the noise.

“Why are they always hanging around them?”

“Ask them and find out.” The ghost beside me disappeared, and I was left with the scene unfolding before me. Indigo straightened and nodded at the bartender, and the bartender nodded and walked into the back. Cornelius and Indigo stepped forward, surrounding the drunkard.

At first, I thought they were going to tell him he needed to leave. Not that he appeared to be bothering the handful of other looking-shady-as-hell people. Instead, Indigo slammed the guy against the bar top, enraging the ghosts around them further.

Without meaning to, my power surged and brushed against the angry ghosts. They turned as one and stared at me, slowly moving forward and walking through the wall of the building. They stood in front of me still and silent as ever, until one stepped forward and touched me.

Darkness swirled around me, and their tattered memories eclipsed my mind.

Chapter 7

The cold slab of concrete seeped into my skin as reality came crashing back to me. The visions I’d received blurred my thought processes, because as my vision cleared, an echo of the memory stood over me.

Indigo leaned over me in full Alpha mode, in his beast form, and he was pissed. Am I still living in one of their memories? Reaching out to see if he was real, a voice broke me from my stupor.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Rowan?” Cornelius demanded.

Blinking, I pulled my hand back and glanced up at the giant werewolf in front of me. Oh, that saliva dripping down his jaw was real, all right. Grimacing, I pulled my hand back and wiped off the bit that dribbled on me. “Gross,” I muttered. “Watch where you drool.”

Indigo snorted at me and took a step closer, lifting his lips to show off his pointy teeth.

“I’m not going to ask again, Rowan,” Cornelius fumed.

His wings trembled as a look I’d never seen crossed his features. He was seriously pissed. Must have messed up big time. Well, when haven’t I?

“I was taking a stroll.”

Indigo growled and stepped closer to me. Cornelius watched him and his hand twitched, but if he interfered, he would only make it worse. As discreetly as I could, I shook my head at him. I could deal with Indigo’s wolf.

“On this side of town?” he pressed.

“Got lost in the music,” I replied with a sarcastic smile. It was my own private joke about my practice session earlier, but it reminded me of how I arrived at this point. And what happened. Indigo stepped closer, his nostrils flaring.

“Step back, puppy.” I lifted my hand and posed my fingers, ready to flick him on the nose. Indigo leaned closer, his teeth showing.

“You better back up,” Cornelius warned.

I ignored him, and Indigo ran his tongue over my fingers, humor lighting his eyes. Just like that, his more human half was back in control. He took a couple steps back as the transformation began. Indigo shifting in front of me wasn’t a new thing, but as his fur melted away to skin, I discreetly averted my eyes and turned around.

“Well, look who’s suddenly all shy,” Indigo taunted.

“Not shy, just doing the decent thing.”

“When have you ever done that?” Indigo asked, his tone playful.

I smiled. “First time for everything, right?”

 “I would prefer if you started a different time,” Indigo replied, desire lacing his voice.

“I’m still right fucking here,” Cornelius griped under his breath. Fabric rustled and smacked against flesh. “You can turn around now, Rowan.”

I spun on my heel and turned to face the men. Their faces mirrored each other, both looking pissed and annoyed. I was relieved to see that Cornelius had given him a pair of gym shorts. Where he’d hidden them, I had no idea. But if you travelled with a werewolf, it made sense to keep extra clothes around.

“Why were you following us, Rowan?” Indigo crossed his arms over his bare chest.

“I wasn’t following you.”

“Then why are you out here?”

Cornelius stepped forward and cocked his head as if sensing something. “We need to get moving.”

“We’re not done talking about this, Rowan.” Indigo stepped forward and grabbed my hand.

****

I slinked away from Indigo and Cornelius the moment we pulled up to the apartment complex. They were silent on the drive home, and I was too exhausted for banter. Dealing with their brand of co-parenting was something I needed to skip tonight.

A chill followed me the moment we arrived back home, and even cocooned in my blankets, I couldn’t get warm. As I lay in bed, a memory from years ago surfaced. Alaska had been hit hard with one of the coldest winters we’d endured in a very long time. My blood had always run hot, so the cold didn’t normally bother me, but that winter was almost unbearable.

Indigo had been staying over and crawled into bed with me to keep me warm. We were still so young. He didn’t come in because of the urges that typically propelled a boy on the cusp of manhood. He came as a friend. Holding me in his wolf form, he exerted undeniable control. Not only did he make me feel safe that night, but I was the warmest I’d been all winter.

That same unrelenting chill hit me now, and nothing could warm me. I closed my eyes and hoped for sleep.

****

The werewolf stood over me, his fangs dripping with saliva, and his claws gleaming in the moonlight. Death was bound to come for me, but this was not what I expected. The last image that filled my mind were of those sharp claws raking over my throat. Warm blood poured down my skin and pooled on my chest. My blood gurgled and bubbled, drowning me as I tried to breathe.

The next scene flashed in my head—a glimmer of wings before coarse fur brushed against my arm. I fought against my assailants, but their physical strength was far greater than mine. Magic sparked in my fingertips, but before I could mutter a curse, there was a pop and then the world went dark.

The next one started off almost in reverse. Death had already leeched into my veins and crept closer to my heart, slowing it, and blood poured from multiple bite wounds and scratches. My attacker growled as he stepped closer. Severe blue eyes belonging to a werewolf stared back at me. Though they belonged to eyes I recognized, I realized the memory I was trapped in did not belong to me. I was seeing someone else’s death, someone who didn’t know my wolf. He just knew him as his killer.

All through the night, I continued to live through a series of gruesome deaths. Those ghosts that clung to Indigo and Cornelius when I first arrived at the bar suddenly made sense, but as much as I wanted to hate Indigo, he had never been a cold-blooded killer. That much I knew. He wouldn’t have done this just for the sake of bloodlust.

At least that’s what I told myself as I tried to pull out of the dreams that haunted me. Even after I managed to wake from the never-ending nightmare, I couldn’t seem to shake off the chill. The memories clung to me and followed me into the shower.

When I first came to the city, Indigo said he wanted to start over and give me the answers I sought, but I wasn’t ready before. Before, I wanted to keep all my focus on finding Abel. After we reunited and then promptly went our separate ways, things just got buried. But as one of my heavier flaws, I held a grudge against someone who I thought cared about me and broke the trust. I held it in an iron-fisted grip, protected by the most powerful wards I could think of, and refused to let it go.

But after experiencing those memory-dreams last night, I decided to find Indigo and finally get some answers.

After I showered and got dressed, I walked out of my apartment and crossed the hallway to Indigo and Cornelius’s. I lifted my hand up to knock, debating with myself if I really wanted to know. After all, I could just let it be and keep things the way they were, adding it to the list of reasons I shouldn’t give him another chance.

Just then, Cornelius swung the door open and glared down at me. “Is there a reason why you’ve been standing out here for five minutes?”

“Why did you wait so long to check?”

“Indigo wanted to wait and see what you were going to do, but then I got a text from Nix asking for a brief on what happened last night. Am I telling him how you stumbled upon us after you were...what was it again?”

“Dancing?” I offered helpfully.

“You don’t dance, Rowan,” Indigo added from inside the apartment.

“Things change. You, of all people should know that, Indigo,” I fired back, still staring up at Cornelius.

He narrowed his eyes but pressed his wings tightly against his back. He moved past me and stomped down the hallway, his tail dragging behind him. Still weird, seeing him walking around all gargoyled up. Shaking my head, I walked into their apartment and closed the door, turning to face Indigo.

“What’s going on, Ro?” he asked, concerned.

“Do you remember when you told me you wanted to explain, and that you had a lot to tell me?”

“Yes?” Indigo got off the bar stool he was sitting on and stepped over to me. Suddenly asking him felt daunting. Knowing the truth would make those dream-memories real, but if I backed off now, I could still chalk it up to being the result of a very long night.

“I...”

Indigo stood in front of me, and for a moment, those blue eyes from the memory didn’t match the ones before me. Not in the slightest. His wolf remained in the background, but he wasn’t malicious or dangerous. For a moment, I was transported back to a time when I was a kid in love. A girl with a stupid fantasy. I breathed through my nose and broke my gaze with Indigo, ignoring the flutter in my heart. A palpitation, that’s all.

 “Rowan?” Indigo must have sensed the change in my demeanor and took a step back from me. His shoulders dropped in defeat.

“I need to ask you something.” Because whether I like it or not, I need to trust the werewolf in front of me.

“Anything.”

Ring. Ring. Ring.

The muscle in Indigo’s jaw twitched as he pulled the cell phone from his pocket. He took one look at the name, and his lips tightened as he swiped the screen and put the phone to his ear.

“What? Okay. No, she’s here. I—” Indigo shut up and looked at me. “Fine.” Indigo dropped the phone back in his pocket and remained quiet for a beat before his top lip curled back. “Nix wants to see both of us.”

“You don’t seem very happy about that.”

“He has a mission.”

“Oh.”

Indigo led me out of his apartment, and we walked down to the lobby area. Willow and I had taken to sneaking out of the back of the building, which meant we rarely left through the front entrance. The lobby was quiet, clean, and standard issue with mailboxes and a small sitting area. Willow had already claimed a chair, and a certain grumpy gargoyle was hanging around her side. I took the opportunity and snuggled in next to her.

Indigo gave me a look of annoyance, but I ignored him. Nix hadn’t arrived yet, but others from Indigo’s small team of whatever-they-were came through the elevators. Stephan and Kayana stepped through the doors and made a beeline toward us. Both were there to rescue me when I had been taken by a rival vampire coven.

I didn’t stick around to thank them afterwards. Not once I found out that Nix, their team leader, planned to abandon the search for Abel. Seeing them again made me feel a little uncomfortable. Maybe my actions were rash, but I had been trying to protect my brother.

“Hello, stranger,” Stephan announced with a nod in my direction.

“Hey, Stephan.”

“There has been another death, with the same techniques and circumstances as the death Rowan stumbled upon last night,” Nix began without preamble as he joined us in the lobby, coming from the hallway of his office. “It’s why I asked you to come down. And Willow, your talents will be needed as well. Kayana, you won’t be needed this time, but I need you and Stephan to handle a different task for me. I will discuss it with you later. For now, Rowan, Willow, Cornelius, and Indigo are with me.”

Nix breezed out of the room as swiftly as he came through it. As leader, he expected his commands to be followed without question. Another fun werewolf trait. Willow shrugged her shoulders, seemingly not too surprised by the turn of events. Kayana and Stephan followed Nix. “Come on, Ro. You need to get ready,” Indigo said, grabbing my hand.

What worried me was the body. Another one, and only two weeks apart from one another?

Small town life didn’t prepare me for the dead bodies stacking up in the big city.

Chapter 8

Indigo was not happy about me coming along. He made that abundantly clear as we prepared to leave. He led me down to the gym to gather my staff, which Nix made me return after my last adventure, and to grab extra gear. He seemed reluctant to hand over the weapon to me, and the low hum of his growl was impossible to ignore. Cornelius and Willow stood on the other side collecting weapons, and Cornelius grabbed a couple of his glamoured accessories he wore in public to appear human.

After collecting our supplies, we returned to the lobby. Engine already cranked, the SUV they brought to the last scene sat right outside the doors. Nix sat in the driver’s seat, waiting for us.

Taking the same seats as before, I slid in the middle of the back seat as Indigo sat on one side, growling constantly, and Willow sat quietly on the other side of me. I was tempted to elbow him in the gut just to get him to stop. Let his throat get hoarse. Maybe then he won’t be able to talk at the crime scene.

“Indigo.” Nix met his gaze in the rearview mirror. My instincts said to look away, but I kept watching and waiting. “We’ll talk later,” he added meaningfully.

Indigo turned his gaze away but didn’t look down. I wondered how two werewolves handled a situation when neither of them held dominance over the other. Growing up with weres, I understood the importance of it, but it seemed the rules of their world had changed from my isolated hometown to the big city. Rules, I discovered, would be a lot different when it came to Mystic deaths.

Several days had passed since I stumbled upon the first dead body, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the man I found and how his ghost led me to Indigo and Cornelius’s dark pasts. His death had obviously piqued the interest of whatever organization Indigo worked for. Any time I tried to ask questions about it in training, Indigo avoided the subject. While my normally curious personality demanded I follow up until I got answers, Indigo knew how to shut me down quickly.

Usually, all he had to do was stop in the middle of training, look at me with a very serious look on his face, and say those magic words. “Keep your head down and keep your brother safe.” Using Abel was a low blow, but one to which I responded well. Willow had been binge-watching a show about reincarnation on a streaming site, and she mentioned that Abel and I reminded her of the brothers on the show who kept dying for each other.

The rest of the ride was silent until Nix parked the SUV, and we all piled out. Cornelius had on his glamour pieces, made by Kayana, I’d learned, and he looked human. The entire effect was strange because I had an almost double vision of him—his true form, and the human one plastered on top.

“Another Mystic reported the death to the Guard,” Nix announced. “They will be here in a half hour, according to my contact. He tried to give us as much time as he could, but we’ll need to move quickly.” Nix led the way through the parking lot, winding through the district. The area was a little more secluded, the buildings spaced farther apart.

The familiar scent of death filled my nose. For most necromancers, death had a unique but pleasant smell. My twin and two of my other brothers used to play “Scent the Dead.” Necromancer children were the queens and kings of creating morbid games.

The closer we got, the stronger the scent became, and the faster the muscle in Indigo’s jaw ticked. He never liked our game when we introduced him to it. He had heightened senses, which meant he smelled the decay more intensely than most.

Willow’s flames sparked next to me, and I glanced over at her to see her staring off in the distance. What did she see that upset her? Maybe it was the idea of finding another dead body. Necromancers had a higher tolerance for the idea of death.

I reached over to touch her and offer comfort, but when she met my eyes, a carefully blank look slid over her features. I retracted my hand and faced forward. Soon, the scent of death beckoned me forward, and I ignored the rest of our party. Death held a certain sway over necromancers, as blood did for vampires and the moon did for werewolves. Someone called my name, but it sounded muffled and distorted. I stepped closer to the grisly scene.

The discarded ghost stood near its body, looking lost and confused. When coming to a violent end, some ghosts needed time to realize what had happened to them, and as a result, they existed in a dazed state. At least that was what Abel always told me. The closer I got, the stronger my magic grew, bubbling under my skin.

Trying to avert my gaze from the very undressed ghost, I kept my eyes on the body. Magic crackled between my fingers, the Control Lines threatening to leap out and attach to the corpse. Doing my best to tamp down my magic, I stepped a little closer.

Magic akin to mine suddenly brushed against my skin, and someone else’s Control Lines wrapped around the wrists of the ghost. Stepping up, I glared at the warring bright green lines. At the same time, the ghostly girl looked up at me with a haunted look in her dead eyes. Her mouth opened as she started to speak. When nothing came out, I realized that the necromancer who was trying to steal the ghost away had commanded her to remain silent. Acting out of instinct, my magic burned as I tried to take over and steal away control. As soon as my lines crossed theirs, the foreign power seeped into mine.

Cringing against the intrusive feeling of another’s magic against my own, I tried to pull back. “What the fuck?”

Cruel laughter echoed in my head as I realized the other necromancer had somehow managed to use their lines to communicate with me. Gritting my teeth, I focused on trying to break the connection I had unwittingly formed.

“You certainly aren’t as powerful as your brother. He is a true treasure,” the disembodied voice said with a smirking tone. The voice in my head was distorted, which made it impossible to tell whether I spoke to a man or woman.

“Well, I’ve been hearing that my entire life, so you’re going to have to try harder with those taunts. Maybe get a little more personal next time?”

“More personal than your family? I think not. I know a nerve when I’ve struck it.”

“Well, I know a two-bit hack when I feel one. Now, how about you let my friend go?” Two months ago, I would have trusted I was strong enough to break the connection the other necro had, but now my powers were too volatile to try something so unnatural. Getting trapped inside the ghost’s or the necro’s body wasn’t an appealing thought.

Instead of answering like a good little villain and spilling all their secret plans, the interloper pushed back at me. Out of frustration, I unspooled a little more of my power. The ghost stumbled forward from my command.

“So stubborn. Your brother is the same way.”

“Which brother?”

“Your twin, Abel.”

The shock of those words made me lose control for a fraction of a second, which was all it took for the other necromancer to pounce.

“And what do you think you know about Abel?”

“A great many things, but that’s a tale for another day. For now, I’ll be taking my prize.” The necromancer’s Lines slithered like a snake around the petrified ghost, trapping her further. Stepping forward, I had every intention of breaking the Lines with my blades. Reaching for my kodachi, its weight resting steadily in my hand, I allowed my magic to seep into the blade before stepping forward and attacking the Lines.

“Rowan!” The roar this time held a twinge of power to it. After growing up with and around werewolves, I’d become almost immune to their powers. While it might not affect me the same way, it was like getting an unexpected shock. Surprising, maybe a hint of pain, but very easy to ignore. Unfortunately for me, it was that extra second the other necromancer needed. The ghost was dragged away and disappeared before I could take another swing at the Lines.

“Why the hell did you stop me?” I fumed, spinning on my heel.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Indigo asked, his gaze fixed on the weapon I still held between my hands.

“Trying to save the ghost from being taken!” I replied, frustration leaking off me in waves.

Indigo eyed my kodachi blade again.

“I was trying to break someone else’s Control Lines.”

While Indigo fought with me on my tactics and lack of finesse—my word, not his—Willow stepped closer to the body. Her eyes glowed with the fire deep inside of her and became unfocused as she stared intently. “She’s the same as the last body,” she confirmed.

Nix stepped forward, his lips tightening. “What are the chances?” he mused mostly to himself.

“Chances of what?” I asked.

Nix turned to look at me. “That two Curse Breakers are found dead, in the same way, not two weeks apart from each other.”

Icy-cold tendrils coiled around my belly.

What were the chances, indeed?

Chapter 9

There were moments in everyone’s life when they needed to make a split-second decision that would change their lives. Sometimes those moments came way too frequently and suddenly. Finding out that the two bodies we found were Curse Breakers was one of those defining moments. What came later would eventually change everything, even though I didn’t know it at the time.

Curse Breakers. One of whom a necromancer spirited away before I could question them. A necromancer who also happened to know Abel. I stepped away from the group and immediately called Abel. I glanced over at the others as they continued to examine the body and the scene.

“What, Rowan?” He sounded strained, like he was in the middle of something.

“What to you, brother? Meet any necros lately?”

“Fuck. Hang on, Rowan.”

Leaning away from my phone to glance at the screen to confirm it was Abel I’d called, my brows rose. My brother didn’t swear. There was a rustle of clothes and a few more choice words. It sounded like he was speaking to someone else, but it was muffled, and I couldn’t make out the words.

“Who the fuck was that?” I asked.

“Don’t worry about it, Rowan. Now, what did you say about a necromancer?”

“Well, I’m one, you’re one, and then this crazy necromancer who claimed to know you is one,” I emphasized, hoping he would catch on to what I alluded.

“Did you see her face? What color were her lines?”

“First off, how do you know it’s a she? Second, they were green. And third, what the hell are you doing?”

“Rowan, right now you need to listen to me. Really listen. The necromancer you met is dangerous and powerful. Stay away and leave her to her own devices. I’m trying to come up with a way to fix everything.”

“But, Abel...” I argued.

“Rowan, stay out of it!” Abel snapped.

I ended the call, my muscles itching to toss the phone across the road. Immature, sure. But in my defense, he was being an asshole and deserved it. Abel had always been protective, but this time it felt different. He was being dismissive of me, which wasn’t like him. Maybe that was why when the next name popped up on my screen, I answered a little too eagerly.

“You got something you need to talk to me about?”

“Tomorrow, my deehire,” Balthazar purred through the phone line.

“Why tomorrow?” Why me? Though I realized Past Me said she would go on a date with him to pacify him, right now, Present Rowan was annoyed and wanted nothing to do with the pretentious vampire. “I mean, can’t we push this off for, I don’t know, a hundred years or so?”

“No.”

“Well, that’s unfortunate, because I’m completely booked for at least the next two centuries.”

Balthazar sighed. “Rowan, I don’t believe you grasp the full weight of this situation. Morris will not tolerate this charade for long. He barely condones it now. Will you be ready and dressed appropriately tomorrow at six p.m. sharp outside your building? If not, you will not like the consequences.”

Before I could offer a rebuttal, Balthazar hung up. Well, there goes my chance for asking what “appropriately dressed” means. Could be a great number of things. He just shot himself in the foot with that one. Either way, that’s Future Rowan’s problem.

Right now, I had to worry about the mystery surrounding the two dead Curse Breakers. While I’d been taking care of business, Willow had been speaking with Nix about the power levels and different aspects of the victims. I stood on the sidelines, watching as the others worked. Indigo kept peeking over at me, especially after my little altercation with Abel. I hoped the surrounding city noises managed to drown out my conversation with Balthazar.

Indigo crouched next to the body and spoke softly to Cornelius, who stood watching, and then looked over his shoulder at me. My heart fluttered with an echo of feelings. Maybe it was just the talk of dates with Balthazar, but it brought back memories of my dates with Indigo. He knew me, as I knew him. Indigo stood and clapped his hand on Cornelius’ shoulder before heading in my direction.

“Hey there, soldier.”

Indigo gave me a weird look, and I responded with my own.

“We should head out. The Guard is coming, and Kent might be on the squad headed over.”

Damn. If my brother saw me here, he would grab me and send me home. I couldn’t risk running into him.

“Okay, should I get Willow?”

“No. She, Nix, and Cornelius still have work to do.”

I nodded, and we headed back to the street, leaving the others to their work.

“We can get a taxi,” Indigo offered. “They’ll take the SUV back.”

I nodded, lost in my own thoughts as we walked back to the main road and hailed a taxi. After we settled into the warm car, Indigo asked the driver to stop at a different address from the apartment complex. Too tired to question it, I pressed my face against the window and enjoyed the feeling of the cool glass pressed against my forehead. After a short ride, the taxi stopped, and we got out. The night was chilly, but I didn’t mind it with my extra layers. Indigo walked next to me.

“Tell me something about what you were doing out here when you left home,” I asked, still hedging on whether I wanted to know. Why did he leave me and not come back? I grew up around werewolves and knew what happened as they got older. Younger Me had hoped...assumed...I shook my head. Ancient history.

“Honestly, I spent a lot of time training. And trying to stay away from home.”

“You could have called.” I cringed as it slipped out.

“Rowan...” Indigo grabbed my hand.

I stopped walking but couldn’t force myself to meet his gaze. An old hurt that I thought had healed flared to life.

“It’s fine,” I brushed him off, tugging my hand back.

We walked in silence until the apartment building came into view.

“We should get inside. It’s...dark,” I added weakly, uncertain how to break this awkwardness between us.

Indigo grunted but stepped back, opening the door. I headed up to the apartment without a glance back at him.

****

Feeling restless and with an itch under my skin, I stopped pacing a hole in my apartment and changed into workout clothes. While it hadn’t been my thing for the last couple years, a shadow lurked in my mind, reminding me it might be time to come out of retirement.

I stepped out of my apartment after changing and throwing my hair into a messy bun. Indigo stood on the opposite wall, his wolf burning in his eyes.

“Can...I help you?” I asked cautiously.

“I’ve been waiting for you to stop pacing, so we could go train. I think you need to work out what’s going on in your head.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but he stopped me.

“Rowan, I know you.” Indigo led the way to the basement gym, and I followed.

A restless coil of unease stirred in my gut and encapsulated my mind. When we were kids, he was always there with me, ready to take off on any asinine adventure I’d chosen to do. Warmth slowly replaced the cold that had settled into my bones since learning the status of our two victims. It wasn’t fear for myself but fear for my brother and those who also had to suffer with the title of Curse Breaker.

My parents had warned me and Abel all our lives that because of what we were, our lives would never be easy. And for Mystics who already had to fight a little harder than the day-to-day human, our odds were even worse.

The further we walked down to the gym, the more the words wanted to explode out of me. What would he do if I pestered him about the case? The Indigo I knew from our shared childhood caved to most of my whims, but even then, every time he got scolded by his father, I was wracked with guilt.

“I don’t know that I ever apologized for all the times I got you in trouble,” I offered almost shyly.

“You don’t have to apologize, Rowan. I chose to do those things, and I accepted the consequences.”

Pressing my lips together, I realized how mature my best friend was and how he allowed me to do everything I did. I thought about the date I promised to Balthazar, knowing that if it kept my family safe, I’d gladly accept the consequences.

“Why did you do it?” I asked curiously.

“Because you asked.”

A flush most definitely didn’t creep up my neck, nor did my heart flutter a little. First love never really died. It grew and formed into something new and different and gave you a diverse perspective. Even so, sometimes it settled into you like a trained reaction.

We entered the gym, and Indigo positioned himself on the sparring mats. “Come on.”

My eyebrows raised into my hairline. “Why sparring tonight?”

“Why not? You have pent-up energy you need to release, and this way, I get to touch you.” His eyes burned brightly, and I wondered if he meant to say that out loud. When we were kids, he had complete control, but his wolf was never like the other pups.

“Well, I guess we begin.” I stepped forward to get into a defensive crouch, and he whipped his arm out, trapping me against his chest in the blink of an eye. “Hey! I wasn’t ready.”

“Are you going to tell that to the person who tries to abduct you?”

“Probably, then I’d follow up with this,” I grunted, moving to knee him in the groin. When you wanted to escape, there was no time for clean play. I’d fight as dirty and gritty as needed. However, Indigo already had his hand out and instead of connecting with his groin, my knee hit his palm.

“Your usual tricks are expected.” His voice was full of criticism.

Changing tactics, I released the tension in my body and lay against him, my arms draping over his shoulders and one hand toying with his hair. Indigo narrowed his gaze but didn’t drop his guard. The problem with me was that I liked to win. Especially when I had a few losses under my belt. And they were hanging heavily around my neck. With the loss of the ghost, followed closely by Abel’s blatant dismissal of me, coupled with the knowledge of two Curse Breakers dead. All of it.

At least that was the reasoning I gave myself as I leaned flush against his chest. With my chest pressed snugly against his, my breaths slowed to something a little heady. His breath fanned against my lips, soft as a summer breeze, but as shocking as a winter morning. Unexpectedly, my heart stammered in my chest at my body’s visceral reaction to his. Blinking twice, I dragged my eyes up to his and met his gaze. The draw I’d noticed as a teen was still there, enticing as ever.

Breathing in that same scent, the one that drew me in and entangled me, I filled my lungs. Every memory I had of a stolen kiss or secret glances we shared as we lagged behind Abel, taking a half-step shorter than him until we were alone, filled my head. My heart ached to go back to a time of innocence, secure in the unrealistic love we shared. The knowledge of how it all ended didn’t stop me from wanting it again, not even for a second.

Leaning a little closer, Indigo’s eyes burned brightly. “Mine,” he whispered before his grip grew taut and brought me impossibly closer. My lids fluttered shut as I allowed him to comb his fingers in my hair. He brought me down, closing the space between us. “Say it.”

Even with my heartbeat in my throat, the words wouldn’t come. The love and trust I’d once placed in the boy I loved didn’t shine through to the man before me.

Instead, I used the leverage of my arms on his shoulders and sacrificed the threat of getting my hair pulled out to step on the hand he was still using to protect his most sensitive region. Using as much force as I could muster, I pushed back and broke free of his hold.

“Rowan.” Indigo’s voice had an edge to it that I recognized in many of the other werewolves around him. Especially lately, since they were getting to the age when they started to hunt for a mate. While wolves lived a long damn time, the mating instinct hit hard in their earlier years.

“Don’t run. I know.”

“Leave.” The growled tone brooked no argument.

I slowly backed out of the gym. Maybe I poked the beast when I shouldn’t have, and maybe I should have stayed to face the consequences of my actions. But something else nagged at the back of my head.

I knew if I stayed, I may never leave.

Chapter 10

Apparently, “dressed appropriately” didn’t mean jeans and a hoodie, even if I wore my best of each. Balthazar gave me a death glare coupled with a heavy sigh before opening the door to the town car he rented for the evening. Or so he told me. If it was meant to impress, it did the opposite.

“Where we off to?” I asked as I slid into the supple leather seat.

“Dinner. I plan to properly court you, since you will not willingly abide by our original contract.” Shutting the passenger door with a click, he walked around the car and got in on the driver’s side.

“Don’t you want to get out of this contract?” My curiosity tugged as insatiably as a toddler needing to show off; an unstoppable force of nature. I remembered the feeling well, since I used to babysit for my nephew.

He looked over at me with an incredulous expression. “Why would I want to do that? By pairing myself with you, I simultaneously establish my place in our coven and please my Master. You speak so passionately of your family, but soon you will come to think of our coven as your family and will understand my place.”

“But why me? I have to be your less-than-ideal choice.”

“Whether you choose to believe it or not, you are not unappealing, Rowan. Rough around the edges, perhaps, but you make up for it with your talents, and dare I say it, your wit.”

Balthazar had an unwavering gaze that tracked my every fidget, and it bothered me. He saw too much. Using deflection as my shield, I replied, “Ah, my wit is what brought all the boys to the yard.”

“At least it was not your milkshakes.”

I raised a brow, glancing over at the stuffy vampire as he smoothly pulled the car away from the curb.

“I may be old school in your eyes, but I am not dead.”

Raising my other brow as slowly as I could manage, my lip twitched upward.

“Poor choice of words,” he amended.

“Or was my wit rubbing off on you?”

“Hardly,” he said with a small smile of his own.

For a brief moment, he didn’t seem like the enemy, and that was a very dangerous thought. Refocusing, I turned to look out the window to observe the city I was slowly falling in love with as landmarks sped past. When I first arrived here, the expansiveness was too overwhelming, especially when my only goal was to find a single person amid this bustling metropolis.

“Why do you reject the contract? Why risk the safety of your family with careless actions?” Balthazar asked, as if sensing I was pulling away.

Selfish as it was, I wanted my freedom for the first time in my life. My childhood belonged to the shadows and the confining rules my parents placed upon me and Abel. While I understood their reasons, it didn’t change the fact that my life had always belonged to someone else.

“Is it because of your murderous mutt?”

Before I could express my outrage or ask him what he meant, the car stopped, and he moved quickly to open my door. Placing his hand in front of me so I couldn’t ignore it, I slipped my hand into his and stepped out of the car. His skin was smooth. So different from the calloused, warm hands of Indigo.

We headed to the restaurant, he dressed in freshly pressed black slacks and a crisp button-down shirt, and me in my jeans and hoodie. I snorted to myself. It took a lot to embarrass me, but I had a feeling he wouldn’t be too pleased walking in there with me on his arm.

The hostess let her gaze linger on Balthazar for a beat longer than could be deemed appropriate. He had classically handsome features—I couldn’t deny that—but he certainly wasn’t my type. When she spotted me, she looked me up and down and peeled her lips back into a sneer. I smiled back imperiously, straightening my back.

“Your table is ready, sir. Let me show you the way.” She didn’t turn her attention back to me, effectively acting as if I wasn’t there.

Balthazar took the lead, snagging my hand as an afterthought, like he thought I would run off after getting here. I agreed to this charade to protect my family, but it didn’t mean I couldn’t have a bit of fun. Once seated, Balthazar finally released his hold on my hand. When the waiter came, he didn’t even drop off menus; instead, Balthazar ordered dinners for us both in another language. If there was one thing that truly annoyed me, it was when someone ordered for me.

Vampires didn’t have food allergies like humans, and very few Mystics did. While I didn’t have any, it was still rude to assume. What if I didn’t want what he ordered?

After the waiter scampered off with our order, Balthazar peered across the table with a speculative look. “You seem annoyed.”

“I am.”

“Why?”

“Right now, or my general list?” I said with a roll of my eyes.

“Now should be sufficient,” he remarked drily.

“You ordered for me, even though you don’t know what I would have wanted or what I was in the mood for.”

Balthazar smiled, and the serenity on his face pissed me off further. I didn’t like that I wasn’t getting under his skin. It was unnerving.

“Your resistance and anger are unnecessary. Truthfully, I would have been disappointed if you had accepted me so easily. It just proves that our life together will be filled with challenges and excitement. But don’t fret, you will like what I ordered. How is your training coming along?”

“Worried I’m not up to your standards?”

“No, I’m merely concerned that since you are so powerful, your powers may overwhelm you. Or you will be caught unaware.”

Though he didn’t mean to, he sparked memories of my time at the hands of the cruel vampire coven that tortured me, who happened to be after the same thing as his coven. A necromancer and vampire could only join willingly to be able to share each other’s powers. It was an ancient spell placed upon our race after centuries of vampires hunting my kind down.

Rumors had it that certain necromancers, if they were strong enough, could control a vampire...which I did. And not just any vampire but a Master. I didn’t know if I could repeat the performance, or if it would even last that long since it only sprouted in a moment of sheer desperation. After Balthazar found out what happened, there was no stopping him. He had to take me back to their coven, and after that, a contract was authored. And in the Mystic world, a document such as that was binding. Either I would have to accept my fate or forfeit my family’s lives.

I hesitated to speak as the waiter dropped off a bottle of red wine. Balthazar poured us each half a glass of wine, and I stifled my sneer.

After he left, I spoke up, “Training is coming along nicely. Sometimes the swell of power is too much, and I haven’t figured out how to tap into it to get enough. I’m still finding my balance.”

“Give me your wrist.”

My gaze shot to his, alarmed. His canines dropped a little, dimpling his bottom lip.

“I promise not to bite.”

Rolling my eyes, I did as he asked and gave him my arm. He pressed his fingers to my wrist and waited in silence.

“Try to summon your powers as you would have before you came into all of them.”

Before, it was merely an extension of myself, and there was no need to “call” upon it. It just happened. Now, it felt like there was a massive pool of power from which I had to pull, centered all in one place. Without realizing it, my heartbeat pounded harder as I worked to control my magic. Bewilderingly, the soft, subtle brush of his thumb against my wrist settled me. My eyes met his.

“You need to stop fearing your power,” he guided. “It is still part of you, just stronger than before. You have untested limits you are still yet to discover.”

I left my wrist in his care for a moment longer, his thumb still brushing against my heartbeat. The waiter came back and placed the food before us. Interrupted from our momentary calmness, I snatched my arm back and considered his words. He wasn’t wrong, but there was a part of me that feared what I could do and the attention it would bring with it. After all, I was conditioned to feel that way my entire life.

Steaks were set in front of us both. While Balthazar’s had a redder tint to it, mine was cooked medium well, which was what I preferred. Annoyed that he’d gotten it right, I cut through the tender steak and started to eat. While it wasn’t my number one choice, it was a rarity that I craved every so often. Growing up around werewolves, meat was always on the menu, but with a massive pack to feed and limited resources, we often went for cheaper cuts. Even my family did the same, since there were so many of us.

“How did you know?” I asked, unable to squash my unnatural curiosity.

“I did my research on you, deehire. Do not think I would enter into our marriage blindly. Just as I know you followed that mutt here.”

“Okay, first off, stop calling him that.” I might be mad at Indigo for leaving me, but despite my feelings, he would always be family. “And second, why did you call him a ‘murderous mutt’ earlier?”

“You’re a powerful necromancer, deehire. You should be able to sort through the indiscretions of the last four years he has been away from home. But I do not wish to speak of the other male you hold so dearly.”

And just like that, the subject was closed.

****

The date, if you wanted to call it that, ended shortly afterwards. His words weighed heavily on my mind, and I couldn’t break free from them. Memory after memory hit me. When Indigo and I first arrived in the city, I remembered my powers spiking and the ghosts that clung to Indigo and Cornelius. I thought back to the ghosts that surrounded them at the crime scene and again at the bar. When Balthazar dropped me off in front of the apartment building, I stood in front of it, but something held me back.

A shot of fire sprouted from the base of my neck and spread outwards, burning through my joints without easing. Shaking, with a mind of its own, my hand released the doorknob to the apartment building. Darkness crept into the sides of my vision as the binding spell attached to the brand on the back of my neck flared to life, commanding my muscles and joints. Clenching my jaw tight as I fought against my traitorous will, I stared up at the apartment building as my body betrayed me and started back down the street, away from the apartment building.

Reaching down into the depths of my strength and pushing back, I stumbled forward, my breath coming out in harsh pants. The spell had momentarily been broken, and I rushed back to the building before it could begin again. I suspected the wards surrounding the building kept me protected, and the farther I was from the spell caster, the easier I could break free from their spell. But that brief moment reminded me how much I remained at the mercy of my captor.

Slamming the door closed behind me, I thought of the one person I knew who had dealt with the same situation. She might be the only one who could help me break this spell for good.

****

Back in our apartment, I found Willow concentrating on a puzzle. The girl had an insatiable appetite for new activities; right now, she had about three different puzzles going on. Two had taken over the dining table, while the one she worked on while watching TV was scattered across the coffee table. I had introduced her to a classic sitcom from the nineties that featured six friends. After watching the first episode, she declared that she loved it and insisted we watch a couple episodes together each night, to which I eagerly agreed.

It felt nice having quiet time with her. I didn’t know if I felt close to her because she was down in those damned cells with me, but being around her was a comfort, and I looked forward to our binge-watching sessions.

Hearing the front door close, Willow smiled at me brightly before it was washed away. “What happened?”

Only the team knew about my brand, but I didn’t think any of them understood that it had a spell interwoven into it. Instead of telling her, I turned, pulling my hair over my shoulder and tugging my shirt down.

“The Ferrer coven put a spell on it, didn’t they?” she asked with the confidence of already knowing the answer.

A lead weight settled in my gut at learning the name of the coven that had kept me prisoner for so long. “I’m pretty certain.”

Willow opened her mouth and then closed it wordlessly. The pity in her gaze sparked a different reaction in me.

“Guess I need to find a dragon to burn it off,” I joked with humor I didn’t feel. “How about a couple episodes, and then I’ll help you with one of your puzzles?”

Willow blinked at me, at a loss for words. As she gazed at me with wide eyes that made her look like such a pixie, I was reminded again how much she had suffered at the hands of her imprisoning coven for so long.

Didn’t they do the same thing to her? But if they did, wouldn’t she be afraid of the same thing I was—that one day, they would get close enough for the spell to activate in earnest?

She shook her head. “Sure. And Rowan, be careful.”

That was a given, but I nodded and joined her on the couch. She fired up the next episode and quickly became engrossed in the show, our conversation seemingly forgotten. I picked up a few pieces of the puzzle, but my mind was on a bigger puzzle...the one that surrounded my life.

Chapter 11

The next morning, I stepped out of my room, noticing Willow’s puzzle at the coffee table remained untouched from what we finished the night before. I assumed she hadn’t woken up yet since she often started working on it during breakfast. I took a moment to stretch, the exertion from the last couple of days still lingering in my muscles. I would work on summoning the ghost of the murdered Mystic again to see what information he could give me. Since the first time I’d encountered him, every time we spoke, all he did was raise my suspicions about both Indigo and Cornelius.

Abel was more skilled at summoning, but I hoped with our powers finally at full strength, I’d be able to do a summoning of my own. I’d managed it even before our birthday, but I also had a lot riding on doing it successfully. And I had supplies—supplies I didn’t particularly want to go searching for again since the last place I went to, I ended up casted on and knocked out.

Grabbing a washable marker from Willow’s last hobby, I got onto the floor and drew the runes I knew so well. After studying them for most of my life, they were emblazoned in my memory. Once I’d drawn the runes in a small circle, I focused on the little I knew about the Mystic ghost.

Unwittingly, Balthazar’s words came back to me, as well as the slow brush of his thumb against my wrist that incited a peaceful sense of calm. My magic wasn’t new or different; it was just more powerful. I needed to treat it like it was still mine and not a foreign substance that had been injected inside of me.

Breathing in steadily, I released the tightly coiled hold I had on my powers, and it rushed through my system like adrenaline. I knew even after the adrenaline left, there would be no crash. Rather, it would be a steady stream of power running under my skin, through my blood. Taking a moment longer, I pictured the ghost in my head and waited for the familiar dip in temperature.

The answering chill brushed against my arms, and a comforting heat blazed against the tattoo I shared with Abel. His powers enhanced mine; even miles away, we could draw on one another now. I’d take a minute to marvel on that when I had a second to breathe. For now, the ghost in my living room took priority.

The ghost met my steady gaze, announcing, “I thought I’d pissed you off or frightened you away when I took you to see your friends in action.”

“Too bad, so sad, but no dice. Now—we can do this my way or the hard way.”

“What are you going to do, Princess Undead? Shred me? There hasn’t been a kind in your race to do that for centuries.”

“That you know of, Curse Breaker.”

As soon as I uttered the words, his eyes widened a fraction before he seemed to calm down. He touched his feet to the ground and acted more alive. It was impossible to tell in death what some Mystics were. Some were shifters, some werewolves, some even witches that didn’t have distinctive markings to identify what they were.

“So, looks like you did some real detective work. Good job, Princess Undead.”

“I’m not undead. I control them.” I raised a brow, indicating that was what I was doing with him. “You seem livelier than the last time we met. What happened?”

He spread his arms out wide. “Let’s call it the overarching dance with death. At the time we met, I was still processing, still going through a list of all the possibilities in my head that landed me there. You caught me at a particularly vengeful moment.”

“Are you implying that you don’t think it was Indigo or Cornelius who killed you?”

He shook his head. “I can guarantee they didn’t, but it still doesn’t erase the blood on their hands or the ghosts that follow them, as you well saw. And, I’m sure, felt.”

Dragging the last word out, now there was no denying who was behind the assault of all those memories.

“All right, let’s wrap up this tango for two. Who killed you and the other girl?”

“What girl?” His voice took on a vicious tone, one that bordered on dangerous.

“I didn’t catch her name. Another necromancer swooped in and stole her away before I could speak to her. But she was another Curse Breaker like you, found the same way. Dead, naked, and do I need to repeat the fact that she was a Curse Breaker?”

“Cassidy.” He whispered her name like a secret, and the power around him expanded and took on a wrathful air.

So, definitely a mage, which was odd. A lot of witches and mages didn’t form curses on each other because they were usually too heavily guarded.

“That fool. I told her not to do anything rash.”

I scrunched up my face, confused. “Mind explaining?”

“She’s my—was my—wife. It’s never a good idea when two Curse Breakers pair up,” he mused, almost to himself. “Better for all of us if we maintain distance from one another.”

“Can you tell me what happened?” Bedside manner and I were not friends, by any stretch of the imagination, but after getting Cassidy torn away from me so quickly, I needed to act fast.

“Why should I help you?”

“Don’t you want justice?”

A malicious glimmer entered his ghostly gaze. “No, I want revenge. And I can gather enough power on my own to procure it for myself,” he declared, his eyes burning with the magic that followed him into death.

Most mages or magic users only had a limited supply of magic left when they died. I remembered hearing of one witch who passed in our town when I was a child. With the last remaining power she had, she used it to bloom a flower for her daughter. The flower lasted for only the time she remained on this plane. She crossed over and so did her flower. But it was a comforting gesture, one that made her daughter smile.

The power he held was different, so very different. It prickled over my skin, and my runes started to burn away, which wasn’t a good sign because they were there for my protection.

“You need to calm down.” My gaze dropped to the runes on the floor again. The acrid smell of smoke rose up, and I crinkled my nose. Shit. A certain neighbor of mine would smell it eventually and come to investigate. Then again, the fact that Willow hadn’t even come out to check on the commotion worried me.

“Calm down? After I died, and you summoned me here to the belly of the beast? I think not, little necromancer.”

Shit.

His power grew more stifling, overwhelming the small space as the pressure built.

Yeah, I done fucked up this time.

Whispering ineffectual words under my breath, I worked on undoing my runes and banishing him before he could burn them all off. It meant the ghost would be trapped in here until I could banish him for good because of the wards and crystals I’d put up around the house. Muttering the Latin words wasn’t necessary to get rid of him, but it offered a modicum of comfort.

A knock on the door stopped me mid-sentence, but my ghost friend smiled gleefully.

“If it’s your werewolf, by all means, invite him in.”

“Not going to happen. Thanks, though.”

I backed away, glaring at him and pointing two of my fingers at my eyes then back at him, so he knew I was watching him. He still gathered his magic but slowed it considerably.

“Who is it?” I called whimsically.

“Rowan, open this fucking door.”

“Nah.”

“Nah?” Indigo growled in response.

I opened the door a crack, holding tightly to the knob and peeking my head around. “I’m...indecent.”

“When has that ever stopped you?” he scoffed.

I opened my mouth to answer and shut it, trying to think of something he couldn’t refute. “I’m having…feminine issues.”

“Feminine issues?”

“Yes.”

“Open the door.”

“No, Hodor’s name was actually from the phrase, ‘hold the door,’ but you’re getting closer. Proud of you, bye.”

I tried to shut the door, but Indigo moved way too fast and wedged himself inside the door. My ghost friend was cackling behind me. Indigo wouldn’t be able to see him, but he would be able to smell and see the runes. Not to mention probably sense the mage’s magic.

“Rowan, let me in.”

Something about those words, coupled with the knowledge of how everyone seemed to be attacking him lately, and I couldn’t resist. I released my hold on the door, even though I knew he could have ripped it away from me any time he wanted.

His nostrils flared, his sharp gaze catching everything. “Which ghost did you summon here?”

“The first victim, who happened to be a mage Curse Breaker. He believes the second body we found was Cassidy, his wife, but then he sort of flipped out on me, and I haven’t been able to get much more information from him.”

“And what is he doing right now?”

“Gathering magic to use against us.”

His upper lip curled back to expose his growing canines. “Well then, use your powers and control him before he can leave.”

Indigo stepped behind me, silently allowing me to take the lead. Since he was unable to see the ghost, he wouldn’t be able to do anything other than watch as I got my ass handed to me. Having him at my back gave me a boost of confidence, and a surge of power blasted through my core. My powers amped up quickly, and suddenly, dealing with this angry ghost didn’t seem like a problem at all. Just a minor inconvenience.

“Trust in your powers,” Indigo offered.

I didn’t, though. Mine had always leaned more toward the physical, ever since I was a child and would reanimate roadkill that followed behind me like my own morbid Snow White rendition. It was in Abel’s magic that I trusted. Our shared tattoo flared against my skin.

“You don’t have the strength to shred me, Princess Undead,” the mage ghost growled.

“Again...I’m not undead. I control them. Please call me by my actual title: Queen of the Undead.” Gritting my teeth, I pushed a wave of power at the ghost, forcing him to pause in his power-gathering activities as my power pulsed against him like a shockwave.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he snarled at me. “Don’t you want the answers you seek?”

“No, I’ll find them another way.”

“Good cop, Rowan,” Indigo reminded me quietly.

But I didn’t want to play that game. This ghost had pissed me off, and he was going down. I was trying to help find his killer, but all he wanted to do was hurt the people I cared about.

Using some of the energy he’d been able to amass, he casted a wind spell at me that threatened to knock me on my ass. It would have, if it weren’t for Indigo stepping behind me and holding me in place.

“You motherfucker! You messed up Willow’s puzzles!”

Okay, maybe it was less about Willow and more about the fact I had helped with half of them. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, the puzzles had become increasingly addictive. The activity calmed my mind and kept it occupied enough that I didn’t have time to think about anything else.

“Rowan!” Indigo’s shout kept me focused.

“Right.”

The more I focused my strength toward banishing the ghost, the harder he fought back. Controlling the physical was a different sort of power that felt almost too easy for me to handle. It’s why I’d fallen victim to slipping into ghouls’ bodies more than once. My control was shaky, at best, so I had to pinpoint my focus onto whatever energy I could get from the ghost. It was why Abel excelled with his control over ghosts.

Just then, the door opened behind us.

“What the fuck is going on?” Cornelius sounded more annoyed than angry, like he expected something like this to happen eventually.

“Oh, you know, just the typical, run-of-the-mill, accidental-summoning that turned into making a poltergeist.”

Luckily, my ghost hadn’t quite earned that title yet, but he was becoming angrier and stronger by the minute. Because of his status as a mage, he already had an upper hand. Even worse was that he was a Curse Breaker. If he managed to access much more magic, he would quickly turn into a full-blown poltergeist.

“Banish him, Rowan.” Nix’s deep timbre came from the doorway. I couldn’t spare a glance behind me, but it sounded like Cornelius shifted his massive body out of the way, so Nix could see inside. Indigo still stood behind me, holding me in place. His scent, reminding me so much of home, settled my racing heart.

The longer I breathed in the uniquely woodsy scent that filled my childhood, the easier it became to see the Lines from which I needed to pull. As the threads appeared, I pulsed my magic through it. The shock registered on the mage’s face a split second before I unleashed all my strength into banishing him. Once out of the building, he wouldn’t be allowed to return unless I summoned him, even if he was strong enough to get through my wards.

I staggered back a step, falling more securely into Indigo’s waiting arms. The ghost roared with rage as he was forced out by my magic. A smile blossomed over my lips as he disappeared from the building.

“Well done.” Indigo leaned down, his lips brushing over the shell of my ear. I didn’t want to acknowledge the unsettling warmth that spread through my body.

“Yes, well done. But Rowan, in my office now,” Nix demanded. I stepped away from Indigo and watched as Nix left the doorway. Cornelius’s lips pressed tightly together.

“The ghost messed up Willow’s puzzles?”

“Yeah,” I answered absently, the warmth fleeting for something much colder.

“Fuck,” Cornelius said.

I agreed wholeheartedly.

Chapter 12

Nix’s office was located on the ground floor through a maze of hallways and confusion. If Indigo hadn’t walked down with me, there was a good chance I wouldn’t have found it on my own. Cornelius refused to leave my apartment, stating he would inform me if the ghost somehow managed to return.

“I fucked up big time. Why does going to see Nix feel worse than facing my father?” I whispered, anxiously cracking my knuckles and fidgeting. Indigo reached down and lightly touched my hand before I could crack another finger.

“It’s scarier because he’s not family, but don’t worry. Nix won’t kick you out on your ass. I won’t let him. Just be honest with him. But I gotta ask...” He added, his tone lighter, “what exactly was your plan?” Indigo stopped me by lightly brushing his fingers over my wrist.

Peeking through my lashes, I glanced up at him. Sometimes it still hit me hard, the change from the boy I knew to the man standing in front of me. Sometimes, before I got a good look, old feelings resurfaced and twisted my gut.

“I needed answers.”

“To what, exactly?”

“To everything that’s going on. Why are Curse Breakers being targeted? Is Abel in danger because of it? You guys keep shutting me out, but I can take on more responsibility. I’m not the same reckless teenager that dragged you and Abel along to do stupid things. I want to help.”

“There’s a time and place, Rowan. We have protocol and procedures we must follow,” Indigo said.

I didn’t think he even realized he was doing it, but he hadn’t released his hold on me. As he continued to brush his thumb against my wrist, my anxiety began to ebb.

“You know how to handle werewolves, Rowan. You’ve been doing it your whole life. Don’t forget that.”

“Rowan,” Nix called through the closed door of his office.

I took a step backwards and looked at the door, knowing he must have heard our entire conversation. My face burned with embarrassment. I knew better than to have sensitive talks near a werewolf. Breathing in, I braced myself as I stepped into his office and shut the door behind me.

“That was an incredibly foolish thing you did.”

“Yeah, I forgot you were a werewolf. Otherwise, I would have had my little conversation farther away from your office.”

Nix leveled his gaze on me. He didn’t appreciate my humor. I dipped my head, chastened. Most werewolves reacted better if you submitted both vocally and physically.

“What was your plan, exactly?” Nix asked, echoing Indigo’s earlier question.

He sat at his massive desk, looking official. Although as big as it was, it still didn’t dwarf the werewolf sitting behind it. He had the same commanding air as Ibrahim, his brother and Indigo’s father, but Nix’s wasn’t as abrasive. His office was decorated sparsely, holding only a desk, one file cabinet, and two chairs positioned in front of the desk. I opted not to sit in case I needed a quick getaway.

“I wasn’t able to get the evidence I needed from the first ghost we encountered. I thought that by contacting him again in a controlled environment, I could get different information.”

“And you decided the appropriate ‘controlled environment’ was to summon him here in our home?”

Hearing Nix say it out loud made it sound infinitely worse than it was. But hearing him call the apartment building home hit me the wrong way. From my perspective, I was homeless. While I shared the apartment with Willow, it was merely a temporary place to stay.

My childhood home had become a warzone where I was sold to a vampire coven as a trophy wife, which was not a fate I planned to follow through. At least that was my hope, but then Abel left before I could offer to go with him to search for a way out of the contract. Being the protective twin he was, he wouldn’t have allowed me to go anyway. With Balthazar’s renewed interest, it meant I had to stay around to appease him and keep his coven away from my family. I would never turn my back on my family, but once everything settled down and got resolved, what home did I have to go back to?

“I did what I thought was best,” I said.

“Let me ask you this, Rowan,” Nix began, a speculative glint in his eye. “Since I’m not very acquainted with necromancers and their craft, is it possible for a ghost to be tied to another necromancer? And if so, would they have the power to not only extract any information they wanted from said ghost but also be able to trace them?”

I think I got hoodwinked. Swallowing hard, I nodded.

“Right. So, when you summoned a ghost here, did you happen to use any sort of protection against your ghost being traced?”

With a shake of my head, Nix nodded.

“Isn’t this exactly how you and my nephew came under attack when he returned to Kodiak Falls?”

“Yes, sir. But...”

He cut me off with a sharp slash of his hand. “No. Rowan, you are living under my roof, working with my people as a consultant. This is being done on a temporary basis as a request from not only an employee but from a family member. Indigo went out on a ledge for you. Now, while I believe you could be a beneficial part of this team, you are only proving you cannot be trusted. You’re on very thin ice here, Rowan. Anyone else, I would have fired and kicked out immediately.”

Sweating bullets didn’t seem like a far-off statement to describe how I felt standing in front of Nix. The control he held over his wolf seemed unreal to me. Even as angry as his words were, he kept himself in check. Most of the wolves I dealt with would have at least let out a growl or two, or at the very least, their wolf would shine through their eyes. Yet, Nix remained completely in control.

“I will give you one more chance but with stricter rules than before. If one more mistake endangers my pack, I’ll have you removed. My brother may not agree with my choices in life, but I consider the welfare of those I protect over my own wishes. I don’t think I need to state the importance of that to you.”

“No, sir,” I replied.

He didn’t need to state the reasons for his decision. I’d seen Ibrahim do far worse to those he deemed betrayers of the pack. Once, he even kicked out an entire family just because he suspected them of leaking information to another family. While the werewolf pack didn’t own my hometown, we respected them and their decisions since they were a force to be reckoned with, and they offered their protection.

“Now that you understand the severity of what you’ve brought upon us, please tell me exactly what this ghost divulged to you.” Nix indicated to one of the chairs in front of him, his manner calm and unruffled. It was unnerving how easily he was able to change his tactics. Most wolves I knew were highly emotional, and it took them a while to calm down. Nix was an enigma for which I wasn’t prepared.

I pulled out the chair and told him what happened from the time the mage was summoned to when Nix arrived. One didn’t lie to werewolves, so I made sure to tell him everything I thought he would consider to be useful. When I finished, he sat back in his chair with a thoughtful expression on his face.

“If it was, in fact, the mage’s wife, this would change the profile of our killer. His death may not be so different from the humans’ most common reason of murder—that of a crime of passion.” Leaning forward, he asked, “Tell me again what happened when you encountered the second ghost.”

After reviewing how the other necromancer came in and stole her away from me, excluding the parts about my brother, as well as the conversation I had with my brother, I explained how the ghost was dazed after learning of her untimely demise. Truthfully, she wasn’t much help.

Threading his fingers, he leaned forward. “Do you have a way to keep another necromancer from tracing a ghost with which they have a tie?”

“I might be able to do it.” If I could get ahold of Abel, I thought to myself. He probably already knew how, and I could learn quickly through him. Of course, I would want to do that away from here, especially after what Nix said.

“Allow me to think on this. We may need more information from her. We are still working on discovering her identity, but if they were married, I’m not willing to throw out the idea of it being a crime of passion. Mystics are smart and thorough with their murders. It wouldn’t be outrageous to think they would hire a necromancer to dispose of the ghost. You are dismissed for now. I’ll let you know where we go from here.”

I stood and left his office without another word. For once, I feared anything I said would only get me in more trouble. Even so, Nix was very diplomatic, even if it felt like he was moments from throwing me out. My heart pounded against my chest so hard, I felt it in my throat. Reality was a cruel mistress that hit me hard. If he decided I was a liability, there went my only protection. Balthazar seemed okay with taking it slowly for now, but what happened when he was tired of waiting? He held more cards than I was comfortable with.

I closed the door behind me and released the breath I’d been holding. Indigo pushed away from the wall he had been leaning against and reached out to brush his fingers against mine. The touch didn’t bother me; in fact, I needed it more now than ever. Even the briefest touch calmed my racing heart, even though I knew it was stupid to take such pleasure in him giving me the briefest moment of relief.

“You have nothing to fear, Rowan. I’ll do anything to protect you.”

I let out a half-hearted laugh. Now wasn’t the time for the old grudges that still seeped into my mind. Betrayal was almost impossible to shake off, and my trust in someone I’d never questioned before was destroyed. Yet with every sweet thing he said to me, and each time he swooped in as my hero, my heart weakened. My knee-jerk reaction was to tell him off again and push him away, but that just left me in perilous waters with no life-raft.

I pressed my forehead against his chest and wrapped my arms around his waist. Indigo growled contentedly and wrapped his arms around me, holding me tightly.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t talk right now,” I said, soaking in the safety I always felt in his arms. It was the same warmth that filled me since the moment I realized I’d fallen in love with my best friend.

First love never faded, right?

****

Indigo walked me back to my apartment where I saw the puzzles had already been put back the way they were. It was strange knowing that Cornelius was the one who fixed them up, or at least I assumed it was him. Willow had been withdrawn since we found the two bodies, and I wondered if it brought up bad memories. She kept to herself and refused to talk about her past.

I stepped over to her door and knocked. She didn’t answer. “Hey, sorry about the commotion earlier,” I said through the door. “I promise the next time I decide to summon a vengeful ghost, I’ll do it far away from the puzzles.”

Still no answer.

I looked back over at the puzzles, realizing it had been a while since she’d come out of her room to work on them.

“Willow, I’m worried, so I’m going to open the door. If you’re naked or doing God knows what, please tell me now. I’m not ready to take our friendship to that level.” I inched the door open a crack and listened for movement, but when she still didn’t answer, I swung the door open.

Inside, I saw that she’d swapped out the old curtains with light, flowing fabrics. Her fluffy pink comforter looked untouched. Stepping further into her room, I expanded my senses. When nothing called to me, I released the breath I’d been holding. At least my roommate and friend wasn’t dead. That was the upside to my powers. I would never have that shocking moment of stumbling upon a dead body.

“Willow?” I called again, even though I knew she wasn’t in the room. I bit my lip and debated my options. After just getting my ass handed to me in the mother of all lectures that could only be matched by my father’s when he caught me sneaking some of his liquor, I needed to establish the best course of action.

Nix encouraged me to get out of the apartment and practice my magic. I could use that as an excuse to go search for Willow, though I didn’t have a clue where to start. Too bad I didn’t have a werewolf or another Mystic nearby who could use their enhanced senses to track her. Rolling my eyes, I worried what her fate would be if Nix found out she had disappeared. And for how long, I didn’t know.

Where would she have gone?

Uncertain if I should, I went deeper into her room in the hopes of finding a clue I could use to help me decide where to start looking. Even if she was the reason I was captured, tortured, and almost turned into a slave, she was also the reason we were both free now. Willow was a victim as much as me.

From what I understood, she was a slave to the vampire coven for years before I came along. And since most Mystics lived extended lifespans, it may have been decades. As I rounded her bed, I stepped on a matchbox. Lifting my foot, I inspected the front flap, surprised to see the cover was glamoured. Peering closer, I saw the name of a Mystic nightclub.

Was this where she went? What was she up to?

Charged with a newfound purpose, I went to my bedroom to change into something more club appropriate, or rather the closest thing I had to club appropriate.

I had a wisp to find.

Chapter 13

Who the fuck said leather was breathable and easy to move in? Liars, that’s who. People who never walked in stiff, uncomfortable, newly bought leather. A wedgie was so far up my ass, I didn’t think I’d ever get it out. But hell, did it make me walk straighter and strut my stuff...right up to the point I stepped into a pothole and rolled my ankle.

Though my badass strut to the club named Seduce was not as glamorous as I hoped for, I still felt the comforting weight of my kodachi blades strapped over my shoulders. Before I left, I sent a quick text to Nix informing him that I was leaving the apartment to work on my craft. Then I promptly turned off my phone.

Seduce was primarily a Mystic club, but humans could frequent it as well. The front entrance, which led to the human side, already had a line that stretched around the block. Most of the girls were dressed much more provocatively than I was, which made me feel slightly better about my choice of attire since I didn’t want to stand out too much. The black tank top I wore was longer and sat low on my hips. My front pocket held my ID, while my back pocket held my phone and the set of silver knuckles Abel gave me on our eighteenth birthday. I tried to avoid close hand-to-hand combat, but the silver knuckles were helpful in a pinch.

The streets were crowded, even with the bitter chill of winter closing in on us. I didn’t relish the idea of going out of the house without extra layers, but they would only limit my movement. Not to mention make it incredibly difficult to pull out my blades. The blades were useful as a bluff and afforded me an opportunity to gain the upper hand while people gawked at my steel.

I’d considered calling Willow’s cell phone for a second but knew it would be pointless since the girl forgot it everywhere she went. While my mind knew it was a complete long shot that I would find Willow here, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to come. A tug of destiny brought me closer to this place. Whatever it was, I’d follow with my eyes wide open.

Following the glamoured signs around to the back, I found the entrance where Mystics entered. The Mystic entrance seemed to be as packed as the human side. Deliberating my options, I decided I could either stomp to the front of the line and act like I belonged, or I could stand here forever and wait in line. Both were shitty options. Gritting my teeth, I chanced a peek at the bouncer.

He spotted me looking, and recognition blossomed in his gaze. It freaked me out, and my guard went up even higher. Waving me forward, I double-checked behind me to make sure I didn’t have that awkward moment. No one else stood behind me, so I went for it. Caution be damned. My curiosity would be the death of me.

“You related to Ever, by any chance?” he asked, curious. “You look a helluva lot like him.”

“Cousin,” I answered with an easy smile.

“Eh, go on inside. He’s bartending tonight, but I’m sure he’d love to see you.”

I nodded and plastered on my best fake smile. Meanwhile, the chorus of fuck, fuck, fuck me was on repeat.

In a city this big, how the fuck did I end up at the same bar my brother worked at?

Sweating bullets, I was glad for the black-on-black attire. No wonder the bouncer thought we looked so similar. It just so happened that tonight, I was sporting my third oldest brother’s favorite attire. Black.

I slipped inside the club, garnering all sorts of pissed off cat calls and groans from the people still waiting in line. Shrugging my shoulders, I ducked my head inside, brushing my hair over my shoulder. The tickling sensation made me shiver. Taking a deep breath, I sneaked a glance at the bar. Everette was behind the bar, spinning bottles like a pro as he mixed drinks. He looked completely in his element, and watching him enjoy his work made me smile.

Ever was the quiet glue that kept us all sane and together, even though he seemed like the oddball of the family.  He had on his classic goth attire, and I thought I saw the flash of a new eyebrow piercing. I hoped it was fake, or else our father was liable to rip it out the next time he saw it. As if sensing my gaze, Ever lifted his head and searched the club. My heart pounded in my chest, and I ducked behind the first thing I could find.

It happened to be a person, and they glared over their shoulder at me. I forced a shaky smile on my face and continued. Sneaking another glimpse at the bar, I saw Ever lean over to speak to a female customer. I decided to find a dark corner to hide in, so I could escape without my brother seeing me and still search for Willow.

The wisp shouldn’t be that hard to find in a dark club, seeing as how she shone brightly with her bouncy blonde hair and excitable personality. Slipping further into the club, I spotted a short blonde and followed. The blonde stopped at a table, and I caught a glimpse of her profile. Definitely not Willow.

I stepped around another person who gave me a weird look before recognition flashed across their face. When the person leaned in close to me, I backed off a step.

“Personal space, bud.”

“You can see me.”

“Oh, fuck,” I whispered. There were some ghosts who managed to blend in well with people, and with the dark lighting in the club, I didn’t realize what they were.

The ghost persisted, “You’re like the bartender, only he won’t give me the time of day. Please, I just need your help.”

“Sorry, nope.”

“Please! I need your help!” He was shouting now, looking distraught.

No one else in the bar would hear him, besides another necromancer. Fuck. I squinted, looking through the ghost. On the other side, my brother’s angry gaze met mine.

Ever didn’t waste a second. Ignoring the pretty female patron, he hopped over the bar and stormed over to us. “Out back. Now. Both of you.” Ever glared at me and the ghost, wrapping his hand around my bicep and leading me out. Ever grumbled under his breath and stopped to call out to another employee. “Take over for me for a few. I’ll be back!”

The other employee nodded before taking Ever’s place behind the bar. Outside, the cold air bit into my exposed arms more intensely than before. Maybe I only felt more exposed because my brother held my arm in a vise-like grip. A sickening feeling swirled in my gut.

“All right, let’s deal with you first,” Ever bit out, turning to face the ghost. “What’s your issue?” Ever kept his hold on me.

Smart man, my brother, because I was already plotting how to slip away while he was busy talking to the ghost.

“You wouldn’t listen to me! I was killed. Murdered! Why won’t anyone help me?”

“Maybe because most people can’t see you, and those who can, usually only help if they’re under contract,” Ever responded.

I tested his hold on my arm and leaned a centimeter away. Ever side-glanced at me.

“Don’t even try me right now, Rowan Charlotte Hayes.”

My eyes widened, and I remained right in place. My oldest brothers were almost as terrifying as my parents when they used my middle name. Since necromancers lived longer, my parents had the older boys almost a century before Abel and me, so they had plenty of practice.

“I need help, though!” the ghost insisted. “I was murdered.”

“Come back during my business hours, and we’ll talk. Got any family left? Find their contact information and bring it back to me in a couple hours. For right now, leave.” The command in Ever’s voice had the ghost flickering out before he realized what Ever had done.

“That was impressive.” And it was. It was a rare thing to see any of my brothers use their powers. In our small town, the demand for necromancers wasn’t very high. My brothers and I came from a powerful line, and it showed with the little amount of power he used to banish the ghost. While I was still working on not overexerting myself and sometimes not putting enough power into my commands, he did it flawlessly.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Rowan?” Ever asked as he turned to face me. His brows dropped down in anger, and I noticed the eyebrow piercing was real.

“When did that happen?” I diverted, pointing to the offending shiny object on his face.

“Rowan.”

“Everette.”

“Don’t start with me. What are you doing here? The moment Wilson or Kent find out you’re in town, they’ll take you back home. Stress levels are high, you ninny,” Ever said with his best stern tone.

“Don’t call me a ninny.” I punched his arm.

“Well then, don’t be a fucking dumbass. Rowan, the coven is looking for you, and Mom is being watched. Your fiancé was sent out here to look for you, and he vouched for our family. He told the coven that he’d been in town and knew you went searching for a ‘friend’ when they went missing. Balthazar lied for you, but Ro, I gotta tell you, it won’t last much longer.”

“You mean you’re not going to take me back?”

“No. Abel and I spoke when you two returned, and he told me what’s been going on and what his plan was. You two idiots are in way over your head, but Abel isn’t wrong. I’m just going to pretend I never saw you here tonight. What the fuck are you even doing here?”

“Believe it or not, I’m actually looking for my friend. Pixie-like, with long, bright blonde hair. Fiery blue eyes. About this tall.” I motioned with my hand.

“Yeah, she’s been stopping in every night for the last week, but she left about an hour ago. But Rowan, be very careful with her. The person she’s been seeing is bad fucking news. Ghosts cling to him, and anytime I try to contact one of them, another necromancer pulls them back.”

A lead weight settled in my gut. What was Willow up to?

Ever let go of my arm and pulled me into a hug, then he released me and held me by the shoulders. Expecting words of wisdom, instead I heard, “Stop being such a dumbass.” Patting me with both hands, he turned to go back inside the club. As he headed back inside, he stopped to look back at me. “Also, don’t ever show up to my workplace again.”

After he left me outside the building, I spent a couple minutes debating what to do next. This took a lot longer than I expected. The ghost that visited Ever still lingered in my mind. He had been murdered, too. In a city this big, it didn’t seem unlikely, but with the current string of deaths, it seemed too coincidental.

Ever didn’t want me coming back, but there was a good chance I would be back to see if I could catch Willow. But for now, I had someone else to find. With a final glance back at the alleyway, I left Seduce behind.

After a short taxi ride back to the apartment building, I stood outside as a heavy weight in my gut dropped and twisted inside me. This place felt like a prison. Secrets weighed heavily on me, and the knowledge of what was happening to my family worried me. Balthazar never mentioned what he’d done for me by vouching for my family or that he lied to his Master for me.

But the most pressing matter was that Willow, someone I considered to be a friend, was keeping secrets. Big ones.

Chapter 14

Breathing in deeply, I opened the door to my apartment where I saw Willow hunched over, working on a puzzle on the coffee table with a TV show running in the background. She looked up at me with those big, blue, innocent, lying eyes and smiled at me.

“Hey!” she chirped. “Sorry I started without you. Cornelius said you had a meeting with Nix, but then you disappeared afterwards. I didn’t know when you were getting back.”

“I went out to train, then I stopped by a club on my way home,” I said, watching for a reaction. She didn’t give any.

“Well, come on. It looks like you were working on it earlier.”

“Uh, no. We had an incident with a pissed-off ghost.”

Willow pinched her brows together and shrugged her shoulders, not bothering to ask a follow-up question. She went back to the puzzle and waved me over.

It could be that my brother was mistaken about who he saw. Hell, I was there for one hour and followed a girl, thinking she might be Willow. I walked over to the coffee table and joined her. For now, I would put my worries to rest. But my doubts still lingered.

****

The next couple days moved like molasses, and my suspicions of Willow didn’t disappear, though she kept close to the apartment complex and went about her daily routines. She had a meeting with Nix, but I wasn’t dumb enough to try to follow her down there to listen in. Nix probably would have heard me sneaking around and really kicked me out. Knowing the very precarious edge I stood on, I didn’t want to play that game.

I kept up the pretense of going out for training during the later hours of the evening. In truth, I was staking out Seduce, waiting for the ghost to return. Each night I came back empty handed and more frustrated. The case was moving a lot slower than I expected. In crime dramas, they seemed to move at lightning speed, but sitting around, doing nothing, and getting no further with the case itched under my skin.

Indigo and Cornelius were sent out often on other missions but came back empty handed as well. Kayana, Simon, and the elusive Keller, who I’d only seen in passing, were working on other cases. Nix still hadn’t pulled me aside to discuss the possibility of summoning the female ghost, and doing nothing made me restless. Even more so because I felt like the other shoe was going to drop at any moment.

Preparing to leave for another night standing outside Seduce, I checked the puzzles on the dining room table. They looked untouched, and I realized it had been a day or two since I noticed Willow leaving the apartment to do any of her normal activities. That night as I worked on the puzzle, I assumed I was just missing her.

Closing my eyes, I tried to convince myself not to go check her room again. But before I knew it, my feet were moving toward her bedroom. I knocked, and there was no answer, so I peeked inside. Nothing again. I left her room, determined to find her.

Snatching my blades off the counter in the kitchen, I ran out the door. Leaving the apartment complex, I took off toward Seduce. The whole way there, I reached between my shoulder blades just below my neck and itched the irritated skin. Rolling my shoulders, I tried to relieve the tension, but it hooked into my muscles like barbs. Nothing seemed to soothe it.

Each night I made the trip, I chose a different route. Sometimes I had the cab driver drop me off at different spots and hoofed it the rest of the way, while other times I rode all the way to the front door. Tonight made me wish I’d asked him to drive me to the front door.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

When the sign for Seduce came into my sights, I sighed. Finally. The club seemed daunting tonight, and the closer I got, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Something was off tonight. Expanding my senses, I realized there was more death in this area then there had been any other night. Breathing in, a sharp pain splintered down my spine. The burning sensation was far too familiar.

The activation of my brand hit me all at once, and my muscles seized as the spellcaster ignited the spell. Unable to control my movements, I robotically walked away from Seduce, my jaw muscles closed as tightly as if they were wired shut. Even if I wanted to scream, I couldn’t.

“Rowan.” A deep voice called out behind me, but my legs still moved forward, compelled by the spellcaster. He called out again, and when I didn’t respond, Balthazar stopped in front of me.

I stepped around him automatically but kept my gaze on him, hoping he would understand.

“Deehire, I do not appreciate the games. Cease this.”

Rolling my eyes, I tried to unhinge my jaw to speak. He followed and grabbed my elbow. It was enough to get me to stop, but the burn that originated from my brand continued to flare.

“If I could, I would,” I managed to mumble. The last time the spell took over to this extent, I’d needed something to break me from it. I cringed as I remembered the remedy from before. “Kiss me.”

Balthazar’s deep red eyes darkened with desire as his gaze dropped down to my thermal long-sleeve shirt and skinny jeans. His fangs dipped down and dimpled his bottom lip. Swallowing hard, I immediately regretted my choice, but as blinding pain punctured through my thoughts, I wished I had enough control over my limbs to pull him close. I needed something to shock me out of the spell. Something, anything else, on which to focus.

Balthazar’s nostrils flared as he leaned closer. He smelled clean and crisp, but as I waited for the lightning strike that would break me from the spell, it didn’t happen. I stood there waiting for the butterflies to take flight, but nothing.

Balthazar brushed his cold fingers against my neck, causing me to shiver, and leaned in closer. His breath was minty fresh, but none of those sensations muted the pain coursing through me. I tried to focus on the thoughts that had broken the spell before.

Closing my eyes, I imagined very different lips moving close to me. And as nimble, thin fingers combed through my hair, I imagined thicker, more calloused ones. When his lips brushed mine, it cooled down the fiery burn in my skin. The kiss was pleasant; definitely not like Randy, the lick-a-saurus who I made out with one drunken evening. But it didn’t cause small explosions in my mind, nor did it break the connection of the spell.

Balthazar wrapped his free arm around my waist and pulled me flush to his body. I pressed my hands on his shoulders to try to keep us at a more comfortable distance. As the spell demanded I push away from him and continue forward, he pulled back, sensing the tension in my arms.

“Is it not to your liking?”

“No, fuck,” I groaned, my jaw clamping shut again. Without thinking it through, I brought my hand to my mouth and clamped my teeth against the sensitive skin between my forefinger and thumb. With the strain in my jaw, it was strong enough to draw blood, and the pain shocked me out of the spell. Stumbling backwards, I breathed a little easier. Whomever cast the spell would be able to weave it again soon, the brand its unerring anchor.

Balthazar’s gaze was drawn to the blood welling up on my hand. His eyes darkened even more than when I asked him to kiss me. He gripped my wrist in an unbreakable hold that felt like my bones were being grinded together.

“Balthazar,” I warned.

He leaned forward, closing his eyes and flaring his nostrils. His tongue peeked out, unable to resist the temptation that was before him. Pulling back, I tried to stop him from licking the blood away. If rumors were correct about vampires, if they got as much as a drop of your blood, they could track you down anywhere you went. The thought terrified me because if we managed to find a way out of the contract, would he let me go?

“Balthazar!”

He growled at me but pulled away and took a couple steps back. “Go inside the club and wait for me. I need to calm down,” Balthazar instructed with a thick voice.

I backed away from him, but like a wild animal, I never turned my back to him. Once I hit the edge of the building, I walked further down the alleyway until Balthazar disappeared from view. The burn from my brand had cooled to the point where I could ignore the tingle for a little longer.

Expanding my senses once again, I felt the alluring draw of death. The scent, a dangerous waltz of death, tickled my nose and had me surging forward. I breathed it in deeper. Like a tether, it pulled me closer and closer. The alleyway opened to the other side of the road. I followed the pull farther down the street.

Once there, the ghost I met at Ever’s club waited. He was fully clothed, thank goodness, but the haunted look in his eyes told me he was on the verge of losing it. I wondered what triggered him.

“Hey,” I called out, not remembering if he’d given me his name the last time we spoke.

“Him. He was there.”

“You’re going to have to give me a little more than that.”

“It was him.”

Abel had the patience of a saint, but he took my share of it in the womb and left me with a very short fuse. Breathing in deeply, I noticed that the air around the ghost was thickening. The streetlamps across the road flickered in a way typically caused by supernatural forces. Whatever. It probably meant that whomever he saw triggered his undead anger.

“Who’s him?” I tried again.

“He did it. He bought me and the others.”

Blood rushed in my ears, and my vision tunneled. Bought. He bought them. The ghosts we’d been trying to find were sold like cattle and murdered. While logic reminded me that humans still used slavery, it burned my insides. A rage I couldn’t control crashed over me like tumultuous waves against a stormy beach.

Having just kissed a man who had essentially bought me, my heart shuddered for a moment. My lip twitched downwards. The ghost’s words hit me hard in a deep place that I’d tried to smother, so I could deal with it later. After. My magic crackled between my fingers. I felt just as in sync with it as before, but this time it was stronger. Much stronger.

Pulsing a wave of my power outwards, I felt the corpses stir within a cemetery several miles away. Tantalized by the strength of my pull, tendrils of my powers flicked out, combined with more Control Lines than I’ve ever produced before. Wrapping around the ghost, my Control Lines captured him, and his gaze shot to me. The anger I felt flared through his undead eyes back at me.

“Release me.”

“Tell me everything.”

His lips peeled back in a snarl, and his canines elongated and thickened. Shifter Curse Breakers were very rare, since most witches or mages didn’t want to deal with their kind. But they still existed. Someone was always getting pissed off with one family and cursing human children for a certain number of years. But once the curse was broken, the next shifter born was often born as an Alpha. One comparable to a werewolf Alpha.

“They stole everything from me. Hunted me down with a wisp,” he snarled.

Chapter 15

“A wisp?” I questioned as I tightened my control around the ghost, my tattoo flaring as I borrowed Abel’s strength.

My world felt as if it had tilted off its axis. Not Willow. Even as I tried to convince myself, I knew wisps weren’t exactly common. As I tried to right the thoughts spinning a million directions in my head, the shifter began to speak again.

“I was an Alpha. Powerful, with a pack I had to leave behind. I don’t even know what became of them. But I vow to destroy those who took me away from my family.”

I could relate to all his feelings, considering the situation in which I currently found myself. Anger pierced me, but more than that, helplessness fueled me. I didn’t yet know what was real, but all the facts pointed to Willow being the wisp who was helping this mysterious murderer. Or at least getting these Curse Breakers into a position to be killed.

But who was killing them and why? Why wasn’t he naked like the other two? Had he spent more time as a ghost and managed to figure this afterlife-ness out?

“Can you tell me who bought you?”

An anguished look crossed the ghost’s features. “Not sure who bought me, but I know a little blondie touched my arm one day, and next thing I knew, my world went spinning. My pack screamed for me in my head, but there was nothing I could do for them. I was kept drugged and spelled up until the night of the auction.”

“Can you tell me more about the blonde? How did you know she was a wisp?”

The shifter gave me a half smile and released a breathy laugh, full of ill humor. “You know her, don’t you? Tell me, necro, how many wisps have you met in your life?”

Pressing my lips together, I didn’t answer. Even if I was young in the eyes of most Mystics, I knew the chances of me meeting a wisp at all during my lifetime were slim to none. From what I gleaned from Willow, they lived in the forests of Scotland. When their powers were discovered by some power-hungry Mystics, they became even more reclusive.

“Exactly,” the shifter ghost snarled. “That bitch sensed my powers and cast a sleeping spell on me. After that, I was placed into a holding cell before the auction. Whoever ran the fucking thing was a real piece of work, too. He kept the wisp next to him the whole time. When I was placed up on the chopping block, the wisp was there to verify to the buyers that I was a bona fide Curse Breaker. My line hadn’t been cursed long since my grandparents worked hard on finding a way out of the curse, but it was enough to rack up my price.”

“Did you see any of the sellers?”

The shifter laughed again. “First time on the job, little necro?” His nostrils flared as if he wanted to take in my scent. But even as he tried, the realization stole over his features. In death, he wouldn’t be able to scent the emotions or garner any information from me other than my words.

“What’s wrong with my question?”

“Maybe it’s bitter resentment that I’m dead, and my case is in your hands.”

Using my powers, I twisted a bit more strength and control over the Alpha shifter. He snarled, and I gritted my teeth at the power behind his rising anger.

“I’m trying to help you!”

He closed his eyes, visibly trying to calm his anger, and continued, “For slave auctions like the one I was held at, the buyers don’t show up in person. That would be too dangerous, you see. They use decoys with phones who make the bids, or they video in with their side of the call blacked out. I don’t know who bought me, because after being purchased, they kept me sedated. It wasn’t until I woke up dead that I realized they had killed me.”

I mulled over everything he said. A slave trade...an auction...and there were Curse Breakers involved. What was the end game? There were too many unanswered questions, and I knew he couldn’t give me the information I needed. But there was someone who could.

I needed backup. And help.

“Well, do you want to stick around here and hope my brother eventually comes out to help you, or do you want to follow me and get help from a group of professionals?”

The choice seemed obvious enough for me. I spun on my heel and walked away from the ghost, giving him the choice to follow or not. I had his imprint, so I could call him to my side if need be, but I wanted him to help us voluntarily, so we could secure justice for his lost life.

Balthazar was waiting for me at the other entrance to the alleyway. As I approached, he stepped out of the shadows. “Anything interesting?” he asked, indicating to the area where I’d spoken with the ghost.

“Interesting enough,” I answered unhelpfully. “Look—I’m going to head back.”

“Please allow me to walk with you. This night has been a bit of a disaster, but it would be wrong of me not to escort you home,” Balthazar said.

“That’s not necessary.” After talking with a ghost who was killed after being sold to someone, being close and friendly with my own slaver wasn’t exactly appealing. While I understood Balthazar and I were both pawns in the game, I was still bound to him against my will. I still had a lot to learn about my powers, but maybe one day I would be able to control him. Until then, he would have the advantage.

“Yes, it is. The city is large and dangerous. It would be wrong of me not to take my deehire home.”

I cringed at the title he gave me. “Do you truly want this?” I asked, unable to bite my tongue about it.

Balthazar’s heated gaze dragged down my body, pausing at my curves and settling back onto my lips. I waited for a shiver of anticipation or even delight to be aroused from his perusal. At most, a slight warmth brushed my cheeks, but nothing that stroked an inferno. Then I remembered a touch that did, which caused my blush to deepen.

“What is there not to want?” he answered smoothly. “As I get to know you more, you have a very desirable effect.”

“Hmm, what every girl dreams of. Giving a guy a feeling of desirable effect.”

“Twist my words if you must, but your lack of desire will not change the outcome.”

That’s what you think. It was hard to think of Balthazar as the bad guy when he offered to walk me home and make sure I arrived safely. But with a ghost following close behind, it was easier to remember why I was going to such great lengths. Not only because I desired my freedom, but everything else that came with it. I wanted to catch the mastermind behind the plot to capture, purchase, and slaughter Curse Breakers.

Abel was doing everything in his power to find a way out of my contract since I couldn’t do it without drawing the vampires’ attention. While he was busy helping me, I vowed I wouldn’t disappoint him.

The short drive back to the apartment complex made me twitchy. Balthazar had insisted on calling a town car when I would have happily taken a cab or even caught the bus. Using a bus was always trickier since the apartment looked like an abandoned warehouse to human’s eyes.

When we pulled up, Balthazar stepped outside to open my door, even though I was already halfway out of the car. “Thanks again for the ride. I’ll see you soon.”

Balthazar gently circled my wrist with his hand and brushed his thumb over my pulse. I feared Nix wouldn’t approve of having uninvited Mystics so close to his headquarters. While there were others living there, and the building acted as the apartment building it portrayed, I felt as if the others were spies for Nix. People he trusted to be around sensitive information.

“You will. Until we meet next, my deehire.”

When Balthazar lifted my wrist to his lips and pressed a lingering kiss at my pulse, I smothered the urge to snatch my hand back from him. Instead, I smoothed my face into the best smile I could muster.

“Until next time.” And because I lacked any sort of finesse or chill, I punched his shoulder lightly and retreated to the apartment complex without a glance back. I had no clue how to respond to him. He didn’t make my heart flutter, and the very real possibility of us living the rest of our lives together was daunting.

“Shoulder punch. Not the way I would have gone.”

I growled at the ghost still standing next to me. He had followed us into the town car and was fairly silent through the whole drive.

“Who is he to you, anyways?” he asked curiously.

“Real quick question for you before we get into the more personal stuff going on with me. What’s your name?”

“Jason Montgomery.”

“Jason Montgomery, can I call you Wolfie-boy?”

He growled, although the sound lacked the fire it probably had when he was still alive. “Only if you want to join me in this hell.”

“Did you just say Jason Montgomery?”

Breaking up our bonding moment, Indigo stood right inside the door, staring at me. Now that we were away from the harsh streetlights, and even with the look of confusion and desperation on his face, I could tell Jason had been a looker in his former life.  Maybe not a classic beauty with a sharp jawline covered with stubble and high cheekbones, but I bet this boy crushed quite a few hearts in his lifetime.

“Um, yeah?”

“The Alpha shifter who left his pack in disarray almost six months ago?”

I looked over at Jason for confirmation. Instead, he gave me another haunted look, power swelling around him. To Indigo, it probably felt like the temperature had dropped a couple degrees.

“Six months? You mean I’ve been dead for half a year?”

“Well, maybe not dead, exactly. You could have been missing for that long and only recently died.”

“That doesn’t make it any better.”

“Sorry! Just trying to help.” I lifted my hands up in surrender.

Jason glared at me, and I realized just how Alpha he was. That stare would give even a werewolf pause.

“Stop with the helping. Got it,” I said, folding my arms over my chest and looking over at Indigo. His nostrils flared as he took in the scene before him. A myriad of emotions played over his features; some I could decipher, others that were a mystery.

“Where have you been, Rowan?”

“Training.” Sort of. Technically, I was brushing up on my detective skills. So not really a lie, just a stretch of the truth that would keep his sniffer from knowing the difference.

“Where were you training?”

“Here, there, all over the city, really,” I offered dismissively. “Can’t keep going to the same cemetery all the time, you know. While one grave keeper might be okay with me doing the Thriller dance with skeletal remains, not everyone appreciates it.”

“What about just now, Rowan?”

He was taking on an angry, annoyed tone he never had when we were kids. Idly, I wondered what was bringing it on now. Either way, he meant business, and it meant he would keep digging until he got answers.

“Does it really matter? I have a new contact, and he has some very interesting information that I’m sure Nix would be interested in hearing.”

“It matters to me,” Indigo retorted through clenched teeth. He stalked forward, and I tucked my wrist behind my back, wishing I had a moment to run to the bathroom to try and wipe away the scent of vampire. Chapstick, hopefully, masked most of the scent of Balthazar on my lips.

“I don’t feel like this is something we need to figure out right this second.”

“Where, Rowan?”

Indigo was cornering me, and I hadn’t been paying enough attention. With my back to the wall and my wrist trapped behind me, I didn’t have anywhere to look but up into those dangerously blue eyes that knew too much. My heart pounded in my chest as the butterflies that were so silent with Balthazar fluttered around with wild abandon. Risking another peek up, his far-too-kissable lips beckoned me forward. This was how it felt so long ago. So right, so tempting that young, hormonal Rowan couldn’t resist. Hell, adult Rowan was having a hard time trying to resist.

Indigo brushed his fingers over my cheeks. “I’ve missed you.”

His words caused a deep ache in my heart, reminding me why I continued to resist. Why it was imperative to stop this before it even began. “You’re the one who left.”

He closed his eyes as pain flickered over his face. “Do you think I don’t regret that every waking moment? Every time you push me away? If I could have taken you with me, I would have.”

“But you didn’t, Indigo. And we all have to live with our decisions.”

“Are you saying you’ve already made yours? With the reek of that vampire on your skin?” Indigo bared his sharpened canines at me, his wolf lingering in his eyes.

I shoved him, placing my hands directly on his chest. “Fuck you.”

“Did you let him, just to get a couple more months free from your wedding?” Indigo spat.

The air left my lungs as rage fueled my insides. I didn’t even feel my hand move until it struck him across the face. “Who I decide to fuck is my choice. Not yours to judge or comment on,” I seethed.

“Yes, it is!” Indigo raged back.

“Why?”

Indigo opened his mouth to answer when the clacking of footsteps hit the tile.

“Is there something wrong?” Nix asked with a level of calm neither one of us felt.

Indigo took a measured step back and tried to school his features into an emotionless mask. “Rowan has some new information to share with us.”

Nix nodded his head. “Indigo, go grab Cornelius and Kayana. I believe they will want to hear of this new development as well.” Nix indicated for me to follow him to his office, adding, “Rowan.”

Dread pooled in my gut as I watched Indigo walk away. What was he about to say? Why was I still holding my breath to find out?

Chapter 16

I squirmed in my seat. Next to me, the ghost sighed heavily as he rolled his eyes. Across from me, a werewolf sat behind his desk with his hands steepled, and his elbows propped on the desk, watching me with a pensive gaze. I cracked my middle finger as I waited for him to speak.

“Did I walk into a rom-com of some sorts? I thought you said you were going to help me find out who killed me, so I could have justice?” Jason said, Nix completely unaware of him.

“Shut up,” I mumbled out of the corner of my mouth, refusing to look his way.

“Excuse me?” Nix asked before settling back into his seat.

“Nothing.” I wasn’t ready to reveal that I’d brought another ghost into his building, even though he had expressly forbidden me from doing it just a couple days prior.

“Are you aware of my nephew’s plans to claim you?” Nix asked.

No beating around the bush with this guy.

“Um...” Even without witnessing our scene, it didn’t take a genius to figure it out. Indigo had made it a point to tell me why he left, and I had a feeling his lingering feelings kept him wanting to come back. But more than that, I worried that the bond he formed with me and Abel as kids was still affecting him.

Nix continued, “My nephew is in love with you. Even you have enough sense to pick up on that. I don’t become involved in his love affairs. He came to me because I’m less volatile than my brother. Two hot-headed Alphas rarely work. Having my brother attempt to control his wolf would have resulted in a pack war that neither of them wanted. That’s why my brother and Indigo decided it was best for him to come here, so he could train under me. Indigo has worked hard over these past years, but that first year after he left you…” Nix paused. “I will put this delicately, but you need to understand the lengths he went to for you. If your name was mentioned, he would howl for nights on end. His wolf and he missed you a great deal. But his wolf became unruly with even the thought of returning home to you. He and I both worried his wolf would force himself upon you if he returned before he had control.”

“What do you mean by that?” But deep down I knew, and it pierced my heart with pain and admiration. While I knew he had stayed away for my benefit, I didn’t realize how far it went. Then, girly doubts filled my head before I could stifle them.

Why didn’t he want to claim me? One-year post disappearance, I probably would have still taken him up on any offer.

“He would have claimed you as his mate. One way or another.” Nix waited a beat, letting that sink in.

Jason barked a laugh. “And they call my kind animals. At least we can control our animalistic instincts. If I had a mate, I would never hurt her.”

“You understand, Rowan?”

“Sorry?” I had been listening to Jason.

“Do you understand that sometimes our beasts take control, and we can’t do anything to hold them back?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve implemented very few rules for you, Ms. Hayes. Mostly because you are here as a guest. While I seek your help, it does not make you a trainee. A possible candidate, maybe. But I will remind you again that I’ll only tolerate so much of your antics. These are my people I am looking after. If you put them in harm’s way, you will return home. Don’t mistake my kindness for being oblivious. I realize the trouble that brought you here, and you are flirting with it every time you see that vampire.”

Nix’s lectures matched the intensity of my father’s. It was terrifying, and I felt compelled to explain my actions. His disappointment and his opinion, whether I liked it or not, meant something to me. I opened my mouth to respond, but a light knock on the door stopped me before I could begin.

Kayana opened the door. “Please join us, Kayana,” Nix greeted. “Am I correct in assuming Indigo is on the roof getting Cornelius?”

“Yes, he is. Cornelius has been very...distracted lately.”

Nix flickered a glance at me before pushing his chair back and standing. Kayana came around to sit in the other chair across from the desk, which happened to still be occupied by Jason. I cringed as she sat on top of him. A visible shiver went up her spine, one she was unable to hide.

Jason stood; his features pinched with annoyance. “Fucking rude.”

I wanted to reply that she couldn’t see him, but I wanted to wait until the last minute to reveal that I brought him along.

“Glad you could join us,” Nix said, walking over to the bar area and pouring himself a tumbler filled with light amber liquid.

My mouth watered at the idea of a hard slam of scotch. This long night was about to get a lot longer. To distract myself, I turned to watch as Cornelius entered. His wings were flared a little, and his tail whipped around in agitation. His dark hair tangled around his horns and made him look more like an avenging demon.

Behind him, Indigo walked in, looking somewhat more composed. His eyes sought mine and warmth shot through me as they darkened. With desire or anger, I didn’t know; it could have been both, to be perfectly honest. Broad shoulders and a chiseled body destroyed any reminders of the boy I used to know. But my heart still trembled, even with those warring images clashing together.

“Rowan, why don’t you tell us what you’ve been up to?” Nix said.

That was when I realized I might be shooting myself in the foot. But as I looked over at Jason, a literal shadow of the shifter he used to be, I couldn’t stay quiet. Even if it meant Nix would fulfill his threat to send me back home. Balthazar would get his wish, and there would be no more stalling.

“A couple nights ago, I went searching for Willow since she wasn’t in her room.” I looked at Cornelius and cringed. “She’s been disappearing a lot lately, and I got worried. I found a matchbox of a Mystic club in her room, so I decided to go there and look for her. Once I got there, I realized she wasn’t there, but I was approached by a ghost.” They didn’t need to know that my brother also happened to be the bartender.

“The ghost was able to give me some information. He had been hanging around the bar and saw someone who looked exactly as I described Willow. After that first night, I realized someone was drawing him to the bar, so I returned every night, hoping to see the ghost again. He came back tonight.”

And so, I explained to them exactly what Jason told me. Cornelius let out a rumble or two when I mentioned Jason knew a wisp was behind outing him as a Curse Breaker. I gave a brief synopsis of his captivity and how he was sold on the Black Market. Throughout my revelation, everyone remained silent.

“Thank you for the briefing, Rowan. We would like to ask this ghost a few more questions, as well as the second victim we found, if you can summon her,” Nix said, not taking his eyes off me. “For now, I will not formally accuse Willow of wrongdoing on the off-chance Jason is mistaken. Cornelius, will you go to their apartment and see if Willow is there?”

Before Cornelius could leave, I blurted, “I haven’t crossed paths with her in at least a day or two, but I’m worried she’s being used by this mysterious person. I think it may be the same person who sold her to the vampire coven that held me.”

“If that’s the case, it makes her a great danger to us,” Nix replied.

“I don’t think she would betray us.”

“I certainly hope not.”

“Why would two of the victims be naked, while Jason was dressed when you found him as a ghost?” Kayana asked, thankfully changing the subject.

“Fresh ghosts die as they are, but the longer they stick around, the more they pick up. If Jason went missing six months ago like Indigo said, he had time to figure everything out. Or, it could simply be that he was killed in his clothes.”

“I examined both the bodies, and while they did show signs of puncture wounds, we know vampires can seal the wound if they choose, unless it’s a repeated offense. But why would they dump the bodies in plain sight?” Kayana straightened her back, her long locks hanging over the chair’s armrest as she moved.

“Perhaps that was the plan, to let the humans discover the bodies before we did. Where did you say the puncture wounds were?” Indigo asked.

“Consistent with drug users. Crooks of the arms and other hidden areas.”

Why naked, though?

“If vampires were feeding on them, then they would want easy access all the time,” I mused. “But they might put clothes on them if they wanted them to look like human drug addicts. But maybe something happened, and they ran out of time.”

“Precisely. Very good, Ms. Hayes,” Nix added with a nod. “But we cannot just assume they were in the same situation as Jason Montgomery. I believe our next course of action is to have Ms. Hayes summon the second victim, so we can question her further. I also have more questions for Mr. Montgomery. I assume he is the one you’ve been glancing at and speaking with in this room?”

Busted. I swallowed hard before nodding.

“Very well. I will set up a place for you to properly summon the second victim. Tell me what you need, and we will provide it. Cornelius?” Nix greeted Cornelius as he re-entered the room.

Jeez, these men move silently through the night. It was utterly insane to me how quiet they could be.

“She was not in her room, and her scent is weakened, as if she hasn’t been there in some time. The puzzles she was working on are untouched,” Cornelius revealed.

“Very well. This serial murder case seems to have expanded to a missing person’s case, as well. I have paperwork to fill out. The rest of you, sleep if you can. We will reconvene in the morning.”

Kayana and Cornelius left, but I stayed behind to tell Nix what I needed to summon the second ghost. Jason hung back, as did Indigo.

“I need the victim’s full name, if you have it. I have some crystals in my room I could use, but if you have fresh mallow or know somewhere we can get some, it would definitely help. Oh, and a washable marker.” I wanted to do a more proper summoning, so I wouldn’t have to leech from Abel’s powers again. I didn’t know what situation he was in, but I didn’t want to leave him weakened.

“I will ensure those items are available for you. Indigo, is there something you need from me?”

“Nope, just making sure Rowan doesn’t take any detours on the way back to her room.”

“A grand idea. Now leave. I have hours of paperwork to do.” Nix waved us away.

Indigo waited for me at the door, Jason following on my heels. He had been remarkably quiet during my explanation, and I wondered if he was trying to think of anything that might help with the case. Death wasn’t as linear as people assumed. Nothing went in a straight line for a ghost. I saw the look of shock on Jason’s face when he realized six months had passed; while to him, it felt like minutes. Seconds.

Lost in my own thoughts, I didn’t realize when we arrived at my apartment door. My hand hovered over the knob, but I couldn’t bring myself to turn it. Maybe it was paranoia, or maybe it was good old-fashioned sorrow, but knowing Willow wasn’t on the other side made me want to avoid it at all costs.

Indigo seemed to sense where my head was at and led me to his apartment across the hall. I went willingly, exhausted from the night’s events and the news that I’d learned still churning through my head.

Even without Indigo’s guidance, I trudged into his bedroom. After stealing one of his shirts and a pair of gym shorts I knew would be ridiculously large, I changed in the bathroom.

He waited for me silently, holding me close as I tried to go to sleep. “We’ll find her,” Indigo promised.

But I worried about that exact thing. What would we find when we found Willow?

Sleep came, but it was fretful. Every time I closed my eyes, I would be sucked into a nightmare. Each one started the same...A bag was tied over my head, and it was impossible to get any scents through the hood. Voices were muffled. I would force myself awake when the hood was ripped off, and then the dream would start again.

Indigo held me all night, tightening his grip when I woke, whispering to me that it was all right and it was just a dream.

But was it truly just a dream, or was I seeing someone’s memories?

Chapter 17

I took a deep breath, slowly breathing back out.

“Focus, just focus,” I whispered as I pepped myself up for stepping out of Indigo’s room. Unfortunately, I didn’t wake up when he left to take a shower, which would have been a great time to sneak out and head back to my apartment. But boy, was I awake when the shower turned off. I had a decision to make. Either I bolted then and there, potentially catching a glimpse of Indigo fresh from the shower, or I waited there and definitely caught an eyeful.

Mmm...choices, choices. But since I’ll have a long day of conjuring...

Twisting the doorknob, I opened it a sliver and peeked out. With the coast clear, I swung the door open and strode forward, my escape in sight. Keeping my sightlines low, I slammed into a very firm, warm, wet wall. Taking a step back, the first thing my eyes caught on was an incredibly fit back, muscles bunched together, as water made rivulets down his back and rolled down to the towel loosely secured around his waist.

My heart jumped to my throat, and my lips suddenly felt unbelievably dry. Licking my lips, Indigo turned right at that moment. His eyes flared with hunger and stirred something inside me. Swallowing audibly, I took a measured step back.

Don’t look, don’t look, I’m totally looking. Fuck. Muscles shouldn’t have muscles piled on top of muscles on his chest. I’d loved Indigo for everything he was before, but that image of him as a boy slowly burned away to make room for the Alpha standing in front of me.

“Where were you going, Rowan?”

The dark rumble in his voice made me snap my gaze to his. I found myself unable to look away as his wolf pushed through. “Heading to my room to change. Big day ahead with the summoning and the mission...” I trailed off. “I mean, there’s all sorts of stuff that needs to...be done...”

“Hmm. If you want to wait, I’ll change and come with you.”

“No!” I answered quickly, and maybe too squeaky and fast. I squeezed past Indigo, refusing to look at him again. His stifled laughter followed me as my cheeks burned red. Cornelius sat in the front room and barely acknowledged me on my hurried path to their door. He always seemed to have something to share, even if it was just a look or a word, but this morning, he sulked silently on the couch.

He and Willow had a strange relationship, ever since they rescued me from the vampires. I never asked because it didn’t seem like either of them understood what was happening between them. But it hurt me to see this strong, untouchable gargoyle look lost and defeated. I’d come to care for him.

“We’ll find her,” I whispered before slipping out of their apartment and heading to mine.

As soon as I shut my door, I pressed my back against it and breathed for what felt like the first time since last night. I meant what I said to Cornelius. I would find Willow. She had become family to me in the short time we’d spent together. So what if we’d had a rocky start—what with her helping to kidnap me—but she also helped me escape. She kept me sane those first couple of days. Willow was their captive as well.

Shaking my head, I refocused my thoughts. Today we would summon the second victim, and for once, I would go in prepared. More importantly I would have backup, not that any of them would be able to do anything against her powers. Ghosts used a spiritual magic that was only accessible to them and necromancers, but it affected everyone just the same. It was what made poltergeists so dangerous.

Back in my apartment, it felt cold and lonely. The puzzle on the coffee table was finished, and it remained right where we left it. The other two on the dining table were still unfinished and untouched. All puns aside, it felt like a ghost town.

I walked into my room and changed out of Indigo’s clothes, picking out an extra set to take back over to Indigo’s apartment. Walking to my bookcase, I collected one of the two Tomes that I’d taken with me when I left home the second time with Indigo. One was mine, while the other belonged to a deceased uncle. Abel insisted that I take it because it contained good information concerning vampires. I’d flipped through it a couple times but not often. My Uncle Horace had compiled a lot of interesting theories on vampires, as well as some details about the “Other Side,” a sort of purgatory that some ghosts lived in before crossing over to the next plane.

Nix had promised to collect whatever information they could find on the victim, which he would provide to me on our way to a secret location where I would perform my summoning. After I gathered my blanket and wrapped it around my clothes, I carried the bundle over to the guys’ apartment.

I knocked on the door and stepped inside their apartment with my eyes closed, calling out, “You better have clothes on! Otherwise, I brought extra over.”

“Back to sleeping over, are we? Going to slip out like last time?” Cornelius asked. I opened one eye just a sliver while keeping the other securely closed, seeing Cornelius fully dressed and weaponed up. He had a blade concealed on his hip, but any Mystic or human with a sharp eye would easily catch sight of the pommel. Tucked under his wings, I noticed an array of guns holstered as well.

Why the man who had built-in weapons carried extra made me even more nervous. What sort of trouble did he think I caused?

“Packing a lot of heat there, bud.” I glanced at his sword again.

A growl came from down the hallway, and Indigo stepped out of the shadows, his eyes blazing. His lips were peeled back from his teeth, his canines thickening.

“Calm down, Indigo. She meant my sword.” Cornelius turned and spread out his wing to show Indigo what he meant. Anger slashed over Indigo’s features as he stormed closer, snatching me up in his grip.

“Whoa there, nelly,” I said. Indigo set me behind him so fast, I barely had time to blink. I pressed my hand against his taut back, the muscles twitching under my hand.

“You need to calm down.”

“I am calm. You don’t need to show her your weapons.”

“They are for my protection against her. Your little hellion causes trouble wherever she goes,” Cornelius sneered.

I stepped out from behind Indigo’s back to see Cornelius wink at me. It was good to see some of his humor had returned; although he wasn’t entirely wrong. Indigo sighed, seeing that I hadn’t stayed where he placed me. Instead, he grabbed my bundle of stuff and took it back to his room.

“Well, that was...”

“Awkward, yes, but that’s just Indigo being territorial. It’s his time of the month.” Cornelius cringed.

Oh boy. The closer we got to the full moon, the ornerier werewolves got. In a way, it really was their time of the month.

“Come on.” Indigo came back out, tugging on a worn leather jacket and looking a little clearer in the eyes. Cornelius headed to the door and went out first. I started down the hall to retrieve my blades from Indigo’s room, surprised to see Indigo holding my holster in one hand and my blades in the other. I strapped the holster on and grabbed my blades.

“Rowan?”

Glancing up at him, a feeling of nostalgia crashed over me, filling me with a long-forgotten warmth. A feeling of home. Safety.

“It’s all right, I promise. Thank you for grabbing these for me. I’ll need them to make sure I don’t overshoot,” I said with a smile.

“You’ll be fine. Let’s go meet everyone downstairs and get some answers, shall we?”

“Yuppers.”

Indigo and I followed Cornelius, who had already disappeared down the hallway and was holding the elevator for us. Our floor only held our two apartments, which meant it was a short walk to either the elevator or the stairs. The industrial style made the glamour outside feel a little more real. What should have felt cold and sterile felt stylish and unique. Almost homey.

We were silent on the short ride down, and when the doors opened to the lobby, Nix stood waiting for us. A reusable grocery bag sat next to his feet, and he held a blue folder.

“Oh, presents for me?” I asked as I walked toward him. Indigo quietly growled behind me but didn’t say anything. Rolling my eyes, I crouched down and rummaged through the bag’s contents. The mallow I had asked him for sat on top, and I brought it to my nose. The scent was fresh and strong, and my powers flared at the closeness of the conduit for my powers. Placing it on the floor, I checked for everything else I might need. “The onyx in my blades should be enough to banish her if she gets feisty, but someone will need to hold them a safe distance while I try to summon her, or it’ll counteract the pull.”

“We can discuss details on the way, but right now we should get going. Simon and Keller are out on another case, and I need to be back in time to hear their reports.”

Nodding, I piled the materials back into the bag, tossed it over my shoulder, and headed outside to the waiting SUV. Cornelius took the driver’s seat, Nix took shotgun, and Indigo and I filed into the back. Nix handed the blue folder to me over the seat. As we rode through quiet streets, I read through the files. The information they had on her was slim.

Cassidy Knox, a Curse Breaker witch. Another rarity of its own. When witches cursed another family, it usually started an all-out feud war. The coven she belonged to probably turned around and cursed the family who cursed them. It was a vicious cycle. And from what I knew of witches and mages, they could track each other’s magic. A girl I went to school with had been a witch, and she described it by saying each magic had a sort of flavor to it. When I explained to her that necromancers used a similar approach and could discern different scents for death, she stopped talking to me. Funny that.

Cassidy was reported missing by her coven, but because Mystics often left their families or chose to leave to explore the world, missing cases were rarely followed up on. The only cases I knew people took seriously were those of missing Mystic children. Because of their extremely long lives, it was often the case that those children either lost touch with their families, or they merely forgot they existed.

The date on the missing case file was from almost five years ago. By now, her family had probably given up. No marriage license was found through either the Mystic database or the human one. If this was the first victim’s wife, then why wasn’t he listed?

There were small details scattered here and there about where she had supposedly been sighted over the years, but nothing concrete. The fact that Mystics moved often and frequently to avoid scrutiny from humans didn’t help.

Though I was disappointed by the lack of details, her name would be enough to summon her. I just hoped the name of her family was still Knox and that it hadn’t changed. It would help me connect to her. The car slowed, and I peeked around the headrest to see where we were. Woods surrounded us, and the car bumped as Cornelius pulled off to a dirt road. Indigo sat close by, and with each bump of the vehicle, our legs jarred against one another, eliciting fresh flares of heat throughout my body.

“Where are we?”

“I own this property, which we use to escape the city,” Nix explained. “It’s technically in the city limits, but far enough away that we have our privacy. Is this sufficient?”

I thought of the night Indigo took me to a cabin he used as a hideout in the middle of the forest. We had worked together then to summon a ghost, as well.

“Yeah, this is good.”

“I brought paper for you to draw your runes on. It’s in the bag,” Nix said.

“I can draw in the dirt.”

“Good, then let’s go. Cornelius will take your blades and remain a safe distance away. Indigo and I will stay by your side. Throughout your exchange, I need you to repeat every word she says back to us. I will prompt you with questions.”

“That isn’t necessary. You can talk to her as if she’s there. She can hear you.”

“Good, that will cut out time. Let’s begin,” Nix said.

We began our walk into the forest. Though it was still morning and the sun shone brightly over us, the leaves and trees blocked out most of the light. The chill in the air was more prominent, and I tugged the sleeves of my hoodie over my hands.

“Are you cold?” Indigo asked, concerned.

“Nah, I’m good.” I forged ahead, Indigo staying close, his warmth helping me fight off the chill. Once we’d gone a fair distance into the forest, we slowed down until Nix looked back at me for confirmation. At my nod, we stopped.

It took me a few minutes of preparation. My fingernails were caked with dirt after drawing the runes that I’d copied from the Tome. There were a few I hadn’t used before, and my magic surged as I drew them. The earthy scent that drew me forth filled my nostrils, and I settled on my knees and whispered her name.

“Cassidy Knox, witch of the Knox coven, come out of the dark and visit us here on the earthly plane.”

Magic crackled between my fingers as Control Lines sparked to life.

Chapter 18

Reaching into a void of existence, the Control Lines sought the name I whispered over and over, and the runes around me sparked to life with my magic. As the tugging began, I felt the vibrations through my Lines, reverberating up my arms. The strings tightened as if there was magic holding her back. With a snap, I felt whatever hold was keeping her away break, though my shared tattoo with Abel remained quiet. No flares. Breathing deeply, I glanced up.

Floating in front of me was Cassidy Knox, her neck twisted and snapped in half. Well, that certainly wasn’t how we found her. But that wasn’t to say her killers didn’t correct her neck to make the humans believe she’d died in a different way. The exposed parts of her skin were riddled with holes, some still leaking pus, others blood.

“Help...me...,” she croaked, her words garbled in her throat.

Unable to tear my eyes away from the macabre scene before me, I announced to the others, “All right, she’s joined us.”

Indigo moved a little closer, and I didn’t realize how cold I’d gotten until his heat penetrated my skin. Breathing a little easier, my gaze drifted over her again.

Is that what would have happened to me if I had been given to the vampires? If Indigo and the others hadn’t saved me? A shiver went up my spine.

I heard the soft rustle of fabric as Indigo draped his body-warmed coat over my shoulders. His woodsy scent filled my nose, and I patted his hand that lingered on my shoulder. It was both a thank you and a reminder that I was safe. I vowed to find the people who did this to her. They would pay.

My powers flared at my emotional spike, and I cringed as I felt my Lines spiderwebbing outwards and latching onto the carcasses scattered throughout the forest.

“Cassidy, we are here to try and discover the circumstances surrounding your death,” Nix said.

A chilly breeze swirled through the trees, and Cassidy turned her steely gaze to Nix. I didn’t think she appreciated Nix referring to her brutal demise as a death, but he couldn’t see what I could. When we found her, she only had a few puncture wounds. At least, that was according to Kayana’s reports.

“He can’t see you like I can. But I will relay to them everything we discuss. I wanted to tell you that I spoke to a man who said you were his wife. However, when we went through your records, there was no record of a husband.”

Cassidy’s features crumpled as she took in a shuddering breath. “They killed him,” she sobbed. “They found out about us and killed us both. We weren’t supposed to, but...”

“All right, slow down. Who were they? Can you tell me a little more about why they killed you both?”

Cassidy breathed in and glanced up at me from the awkward position of her crooked neck.

“Do you know how to right yourself?”

Cassidy took a moment, and the snapping of her bones made me cringe and flinch. I was envious of the others since they didn’t have to listen to it. After straightening herself, she blinked as if she was seeing clearly for the first time in a long time.

“Can you tell me who the necromancer is who controls you?”

“No. No.” The hesitant, scratchy voice told me what she couldn’t. Whoever was controlling Cassidy allowed her to come to me but with limited information. With the stilted way she spoke and the way she avoided eye contact, I wondered...What information could she give me?

“Can you tell me who killed you?”

“My owners. They killed us both. He was purchased a couple months after I was, but we were often kept close together. We fell in love, but we had to keep quiet. He was mine as much as I was his. Then they found out...through my blood.”

“Found out what?”

Cassidy touched her belly, holding it as an expectant mother would, and I realized how the vampires learned about her relationship. Bile coated my throat, and my magic flared, tightening my holds on the carcasses of the animals around us. I felt them skittering closer to come to my aid.

“Tell me about the auctions. Do you remember anything about what happened before?” I asked.

The werewolves around me shifted uneasily, and Indigo touched my shoulder. I heard it too, the scurrying of the undead as they came closer. It was getting harder and harder for me to control myself when my emotions took over.

“I remember her haunted eyes, but then she touched my arm, and the world went black. Next thing I knew, I was standing under a spotlight, naked and completely exposed, and my magic bound. The binding magic was something I’d never felt before.

“My line has been Cursed for many generations, and my great-great grandmother was the last witch in our line. She managed to keep the curse quiet from the rest of the coven. She was not from a very powerful line, and she worried they would disown her if they found out about the curse.

“My great-great grandmother brought me into the fold by saying I was a distant relative’s kid who had been cursed and asked for me to be raised as one of their own. I don’t how they found out, but the ones who captured me knew about the lie, about everything. I was sold to a vampire coven. They...they ...”

Cassidy looked like she was having a panic attack. Fear flooded her eyes, and she tightened her arms around her belly, cradling the life that no longer lived there. Rage pumped into my veins. They killed her and her child, and then the man she fell in love with while in captivity.

“They drank our blood every day, multiple times a day. The vampires offered us to their friends when they visited, saying how ‘Curse Breakers’ blood is like a fine wine. Something you can only buy off the Black Market.’ Their joke, not mine.”

Anger boiled beneath my skin. “Do you know which coven?”

“No. They were very careful about that.”

“Okay, hang on, Cassidy.” I relayed to Nix everything she said, leaving out the fact that she had lost her child along with her life. No point in making her go through that again. An angry ghost led to dangerous waters. My own turbulent emotions weren’t helping my anxiety levels as the scent of death slowly crept closer. My focus was centered on keeping Cassidy here as long as possible. The runes glowing with magic around my feet helped to center my energy; however, holding the others back was more difficult, requiring additional concentration I didn’t have to spare.

“We need specifics. Any small detail would be helpful,” I prodded. “We know the Black Market exists, but the slave trade for Curse Breakers is difficult to pinpoint.”

Cassidy glanced over at Nix before returning her gaze to me. “The magic that bound me tasted like fire, and there’s only one type of magic I know of that tastes like that—a wisp’s. Joel, my husband, said that when they brought him in, he felt the same kind of magic. Moments before they sold him, he caught a glance of the seller. A well-dressed man. Very posh...”

Vampires didn’t use magic. They used their brute strength.

“Where did the vampires keep you?” I asked.

“At first, we were kept separately in different cells next to each other, but the couple of times they threw us in together, I think it was because they acted almost drunk on our blood.”

I repeated everything back to Nix.

“I believe we are done here,” Nix announced, half-bowing to the area I had been staring at. He was offering what dignity he could to Cassidy. I looked back over at her.

“Promise me you will find the person who started this,” Cassidy beseeched as her power swelled. “I never want anyone to endure the powerlessness we felt trapped inside those cells. Never knowing when they would come and take us from each other, or what day would finally be our last.”

Every word she spoke struck me deeper and harder than the one before. Unable to control myself, my powers grew as my conflicting emotions swirled through me. Hatred led the forefront, followed closely by helplessness that clung to my skin, coupled by the desperation I felt to do whatever it took to keep it from happening again. The calls of the dead became louder. The leaves rustled and branches snapped as carcasses trudged through the forest closer to me, beckoned forward by my ghastly siren’s call.

“Rowan, calm down,” Indigo pleaded from behind me. His fingers touched my shoulder, but his gentle caress didn’t help. Nothing could bring me out of the vortex of memories, feelings, and utter helplessness.

“Rowan, control your powers,” Nix said a little more urgently.

My hold on Cassidy was threatened by a powerful tug. Refocusing my attention back to her, I tried to prevent her from being whisked away by the other necromancer’s pull. Agony crossed her features as two necromancers played tug-of-war with her soul.

Gritting my teeth, my power swelled considerably, and I felt more Lines splinter outwards. Animals were significantly easier to control than humans, but my far-reaching Lines strained my mind and body. My determination to keep Cassidy here was overwhelming.

I didn’t want her to endure a hellish afterlife, not after the significantly shortened life she led as a Mystic or the horrors she suffered in her final days. Our world wasn’t always roses and rainbows, but we strived for a mostly peaceful, happy existence.

“Rowan.” Nix’s voice held a warning that shouldn’t be ignored, but I couldn’t, wouldn’t, let her go. My magic still pushed and pulsed through my Lines, calling the undead to me. The strain caused a headache to blossom in my right temple, but even so, I refused to let go.

“What’s happening?” Cornelius’s voice joined the chatter around us. The sounds of the undead creatures were becoming louder. A small army was on its way to us. “Because there’s a small graveyard about three miles away, and the ground is moving.”

“Rowan, you need to stop,” Indigo warned.

Hmm. So that was why some Lines required more power than others. But if I release them, I’ll have to release my hold on Cassidy.

“Give me peace by finding those who stole our lives away. Please, just let go!” Cassidy cried out.

Only I could hear her plea. I could keep fighting to keep her here, and she could be with us until the end. She could cross over and not be forced to do the bidding of her captor.

“Release me.”

“Rowan, you need to let her go.” Indigo came into my line of vision as he knelt in front of me and brushed warm fingers over my chilled cheeks. As he wiped away the tears I hadn’t realized were trickling down my face, I took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

“I can’t send her back to them,” I cried out in anguish. “Not after everything she’s been through. She deserves peace.”

Indigo searched my gaze. Oh, so slowly, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my forehead. Pulling back, he wiped another tear away with the pad of his thumb. “You deserve peace, too. We’ll find them. Release her.”

“But...”

“Rowan, please...”

It was the first time Cassidy used my name, and as my name tumbled from her lips, my power faltered. Seeing her hauled away for the second time flared my fear again.

Indigo shifted on his knees so he was all I could see. Nodding, I drew back my magic, letting my hold on the animals around us go and untangling the web I had constructed around the bodies in the cemetery. Then, when the only thing remaining was my Line connecting me to Cassidy, I said, “Cornelius, I need my blades, please.”

He walked to me and handed me one blade, hilt first, and took a step backwards. I motioned for Indigo to move back, so I could cut the Line that tied us together. It was woven so tightly that she was almost connected to me.

Looking up at Cassidy, she blurred a little in the split second before I brought my blade down on my Line. I didn’t have the power to cut someone else’s Line, not when the ghost was tied to the other necromancer. Cassidy faded from view as the other necromancer pulled her back to them. Whoever it was, I would force them to break their ties with her. A tied ghost couldn’t cross over;  not until the necromancer severed their connection.

“We have to find the people responsible,” I said to no one in particular.

“We will,” Indigo confirmed as he helped me stand.

Nix and Indigo were quiet as we turned back the way we’d come, heading toward the SUV. Cornelius went in the opposite direction, his wings flaring out wide as he flew to the cemetery to make sure I hadn’t unearthed anyone. We sat waiting for him to return, and I shut my eyes, wishing I could shut out the world for just a little while.

Chapter 19

As heavy as my body felt, my heart hung even lower in my chest. The weight of Cassidy’s revelations clung to me like static electricity. Anytime I tried to pull myself away from the pain that threatened to suffocate me, it came crashing back even harder than before. After Cornelius arrived back at the car and confirmed that none of the bodies I’d been trying to resurrect came to the surface, the drive back to the city was quiet.

Once we arrived back at the apartment complex, Nix parked the SUV, and we walked silently across the parking lot. To keep my mind from obsessing over her last words and seeing her disappear, I started to follow Nix. I wanted to know what our next step was. I needed to keep my mind occupied. Indigo grabbed my hand gently and halted me from following Nix. With a meaningful look our way, Cornelius branched off, and Indigo and I were left standing in the lobby.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, not really. What I want to do is find out what we’re planning to do next.”

“I think it would be a good idea to let Nix have the afternoon to cool off after witnessing your little display. Maybe you should go rest for a while.”

“I’m not a child who needs to be coddled, Indigo.”

“No, you’re not. But you haven’t dealt with what happened.”

“You don’t have any right to judge. You don’t know—”

“Stop it, Rowan! You aren’t the only one with scars or the only one here who has experienced pain. You don’t know what happened to me after I left,” Indigo barked.

It was so unlike him—at least this new him that I’d been dealing with, the one who tried not to upset me. But the old Indigo wasn’t afraid to be real with me—to tell me exactly when I was being an ass or not seeing the bigger picture. Unable to help myself, I smiled.

“Why the fuck are you smiling?” he growled.

“Just nice to see you acting like yourself. It’s been a while.”

Indigo took a step back and shook his head, obviously flummoxed by my sudden attitude shift.

“I need to get my mind off what happened back there. Will you come spar with me?” I asked.

“Go change, and I’ll meet you there in fifteen,” Indigo agreed with a heavy breath. His shoulders dropped a little, and for the first time in a long time, I saw him relax. Just a little.

***

After sparring with Indigo for a half hour, the only thing left in my head was how sore I was. Hobbling around like an eighty-year-old man, I snatched a water bottle from the bench. Indigo didn’t even look slightly winded. I glared at him as I drank down half the water.

“Stop glaring at me, Rowan. I train, and my body is made for hard labor. Just because I don’t sweat like you doesn’t make me the devil.”

“So says you,” I mumbled against the lip of my bottle. He laughed a little but didn’t respond. I desperately needed a shower, stat, and he was walking around fresh as a daisy. Actually, from a distance, he smelled better than ever. He came and joined me over on the bench, wrapping a cool towel around the back of his neck. Curiosity tugged at me until I couldn’t ignore it any longer.

“What happened?”

Indigo tipped his head back and blew out a breath. I took a moment to study his profile, noting how much his hair had grown, his bangs exposing his forehead. It reminded me of the time he tried a very human, fad-style haircut that caused a lot of the other wolves to make fun of him. As dashing as he looked, and no matter how much my teenage heart throbbed over the idea of the swoopy haircut, he grew it back out. But the memory made me smile.

“What’s that for?” He poked my cheek, which I used to do to him whenever his dimple appeared.

Unable to bring myself to ruin this moment with a fight, I changed the subject. I slapped his hand away, a blush creeping over my cheeks. “Just remembering that haircut you got when we were going into our freshman year. Do you remember?”

He shook his head ruefully. “How could I forget? Ira made fun of me constantly for it. Kept saying the only reason I did it was to impress you. He wasn’t wrong. The other wolves at that age were focused on growing their hair out to get it long enough to look more warrior-like.” Indigo smiled. That dimple appeared and before I could stop it, a breathy little sigh left me. His eyes popped open and stared at me.

“That was a hiccup.” A hiccup? I cringed at my ridiculous lie.

Arching a brow, the smile faded from his face. “What?”

I swallowed. “I’m going to take a shower.”

Escaping from the gym, Indigo’s laugh followed me. Rolling my eyes at myself, I trudged upstairs to the shower.

***

After wringing the excess water out of my hair and redressing, I wandered back downstairs. Uncertain where Indigo went, I went to Nix’s office, hoping he could either point me in the direction of Indigo or give me an idea what we planned to do next. The workout helped me center myself, but it also made me more determined. I vowed to do what was needed to make sure those involved paid for what they did.

I gradually became aware of raised voices the closer I got to Nix’s office, and the closer I got, the louder the voices became. Jason suddenly appeared next to me. I glared at him, irritated that he’d missed the summoning but secretly relieved he skipped it. If the necromancer who controlled Cassidy had tried to take him too, I really would have lost it.

“Eavesdropping on werewolves? How very daring of you.”

I gave him a baleful look, annoyed with his antics. He could speak as much as he wanted, and they couldn’t hear him, but the moment I made a peep, I knew they would stop talking. And I needed him to be quiet, so I could listen in.

Nix’s voice came through the door, “Travis said he would be able to get someone in. We need more information, and information like this is delicate. Obviously, situations like this can only be done discreetly. I believe I know what our best option is, but after today’s display, I don’t believe it will work.”

Is he talking about me? About how I lost control in the forest?

I’d never heard his team mention someone named Travis before. I waited, not even daring to breathe, as I waited for the other person in the room to respond to Nix. Jason gave me a wink before striding through the wall and into the office.

“You’re right. We need a better approach,” Indigo said. My head buzzed. Was he agreeing that I wasn’t ready?

Jason materialized back in the hallway with me, anger slashing across his features. “Do not go in there, Rowan. I see some of their plans, and it’s not right.”

No. I’m done running. I will face them and tell them I’m ready for whatever they have planned.

Walking the last few steps to the office, I didn’t try to be quiet. The werewolves quieted down as they heard me approach. Stepping into the office, I saw Kayana, Cornelius, and Indigo all standing around awkwardly. Nix sat behind his desk with a stack of blueprints and papers scattered around his usually pristine desk.

“Glad you could join us, Rowan,” Nix responded smoothly. “We were just discussing our plans for infiltrating the Black Market. Our government allows the idea of a market that caters to illicit products and services, as do the humans, but when it comes to slave trade and murder, we will take action. Kayana just came to inform us that the lab results came back for Cassidy. She was pregnant. The higher-ups don’t take kindly to that, and once the Knox coven finds out, they will declare war. Since she was their Curse Breaker, we need to wrap this up as expeditiously as possible.”

My anger simmered under my skin. He spoke so clinically about Cassidy and everything she went through.

“We have an informant who claims he can connect us within the Black Market slave trade, but he’s not high enough on the food chain to make contact with this mysterious puppet master.”

“Let me guess—you need to use someone as bait, but you don’t think I’m ready?” I asked, my chin raised defiantly.

“Quite the opposite, actually. My dear nephew vouched for you today. We haven’t been able to pin down who among us will play the role of ‘seller.’ Kayana can’t do it because of her other work. Unfortunately, Cornelius is not very discreet and easy to remember. We don’t want our faces to be remembered for obvious reasons, and Indigo has proven time and again that he cannot take his emotions out of the equation when it comes to you. He will not be able to do what is required.”

Nix sat back in his chair, steepling his hands together again. I realized he did that when he was feeling smug.

I should feel ashamed, but I didn’t. I did feel slightly foolish, but my overreaction was a logical deduction. Nix made it obvious that my presence here was barely tolerated. While I could help, he was clear that he didn’t see me as a candidate for permanent placement within his team.

“What’s the plan, then?”

From what I understood, they didn’t have someone to act as a slave. And since I was the only person in their camp who was a Curse Breaker, it had to be me.

“We must find someone to act as your owner for now, a person who can realistically portray someone who wishes to rid themselves of you. You are too unruly or impulsive, perhaps,” Nix suggested wryly. “Our best option would be to explore other teams who may have a vampire on their roster. Unfortunately, all that will take time. Time is of the utmost importance, since we don’t want the puppet master to decide he needs to disappear in the dark. Especially if these deaths are brought to light. We can only hold back the news for so long, at which point he will retreat.”

My mind raced for a moment before settling on the only option I saw. One I realized would not only endanger me but upset Indigo. He would fight me on the idea, and I worried what I would have to offer up in exchange for the other party to agree.

“There is someone we can ask. A vampire I know who will keep me safe. It’s in his best interest, after all,” I suggested, speaking directly to Nix. The heat of Indigo’s gaze burned me to the core. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his nostrils flare as he took a step forward, the look on his face speaking volumes. If he could, he would stop me from speaking with that look. Well, buck up, buttercup. This is my life to wager with.

“And who is this vampire you trust not only with your life, but with the secrets of this organization?” Nix asked, sounding like he already knew the answer.

“Balthazar, my contracted-fiancé. My parents offered me up as collateral to protect me and my twin brother, since we are both Curse Breakers. We were being systematically hunted, and a newly formed vampire coven was looking to make allies and build their own power. Right now, all Balthazar cares about is winning me over. He has stated before that he doesn’t want us to have a loveless relationship, since we very well might live very long lives together.”

Indigo was unable to disguise his feelings. The growl started out quietly, but by the time I finished, it rumbled throughout the room. As he stepped closer to me, Nix shot him a warning look.

“I’m aware of your situation, but Rowan, I must ask you—what will he ask in return? Are you willing to pay it?”

I swallowed, feverishly thinking through my options, and then Cassidy’s face came to mind. Then Jason’s, who hovered anxiously behind me, and lastly, Willow’s. Sweet Willow, who had the briefest moment of freedom before it was stolen away from her again.

“I will pay whatever is required,” I answered confidently. “It will be an agreement between the two of us. But he could very well be the answer to our problem.”

“I will consider it,” Nix said, effectively ending the meeting.

Chapter 20

Indigo left the room in a fury after Nix concluded the meeting. After a quick, wordless exchange between Cornelius and Nix, Cornelius followed after Indigo. My heart sank.

“Thank you for your input today, Kayana. I will call on you soon,” Nix said very properly and graciously. She nodded and offered me a sympathetic smile before leaving the office as well. I waited until the door clicked behind her.

Nix sighed heavily with his gaze locked on the door.

“My nephew has plans for you. He loves you, which we both know, even if you don’t want to admit it. In any event, I cannot condone his plan.”

“As his uncle or as his boss?” I asked.

“As both. Indigo would be a liability either way. He will not agree to you negotiating any terms with the vampire.” Nix paused a moment, carefully choosing his words. “Indigo has spoken of you often over the years, telling me of your wild, free spirit. And I will admit I was very apprehensive when Indigo asked me to house you for those exact reasons. Would you tell me the truth if I asked, Rowan?”

I smothered the laugh that threatened to bubble up my throat. One didn’t simply lie to a werewolf. They were essentially human lie detectors. But I knew what he was asking. He wanted my loyalty and my trust, a very werewolf move. One I was familiar with and of which I understood the weight.

“Yes, which is why I have to tell you that even if you reject my idea, I’ll go to Balthazar and ask for his help. Cassidy and Jason, Curse Breakers and Mystics, shouldn’t be sold like cattle. They deserve their freedom.”

Nix tilted his head and inspected me. “And their freedom is more important to you than your own?”

 “Yes.”

“You don’t need time to think it over?”

“No. I’ll do what I have to. And in the end, if I can preserve my own freedom, I will. But if I have to sacrifice myself to a life of veiled chains and bars, then so be it. I’ve been behind real bars under the care of a vampire coven that would do anything to get what they wanted.” As if on cue, the brand burned into the back of my neck burned and itched.

“Would you deny her that?” Nix asked, raising his eyes and looking behind me. I turned around to see Indigo had snuck back into the room, looking at me as if he’d never seen me before. While I understood they each had their own version of pain and dealt with it as they saw fit, this was how I needed to deal with mine. The last thing I wanted was to be owned, but I could almost stomach the idea if I knew it released others from their prisons.

“I will not stop trying to find a way out of it, but I will relent this one time.”

“I mean, honestly, we might be making mountains out of anthills. He wants me to care, and Hades help me for saying this in the presence of two werewolves, but I think he’s a vampire of honor, one who truly wants me to want him.”

“Indigo might not hold them in great esteem, much like my brother, but I have met many honorable vampires in my lifetime. Here’s what we’re going to do. Rowan, contact Balthazar, but tell him we will meet in a neutral zone and discuss our options. You are dismissed for now. Indigo, please stay. And Rowan, please take your ghost friend with you.”

I cringed, not realizing Jason had moved closer to the desk. The cold that wafted from him would be easily dismissed by someone who didn’t know what I was, or how I snuck glances at him when Nix was speaking to Indigo, but not Nix.

“Come on, Jason,” I mumbled as we left the office together. Eavesdropping on them was pure dumb luck earlier, and it wouldn’t be an option again. Instead, I decided to return to Indigo and Cornelius’s apartment to get my phone. I trudged upstairs, lost in my own thoughts, trying to decide how to breech this subject to Balthazar.

What exactly would he ask from me in return? For me to return home with him to complete the ceremony? Something more? Something less? I didn’t have a very good pin on him. Cracking my knuckles, I wondered if he would even go along with the plan or if he would be as protective as Indigo. As I told Nix, there was only one way to find out.

***

I twirled my phone in my hands as I stared up at the stars. On my way to the boys’ apartment, I ran into Kayana on the elevator. Needing somewhere I could be alone, I asked her how to get to the roof. She gave me directions, and after getting my phone, I went straight up.

The stars were muted in the city but still visible through the hazy film that settled over the sky. I breathed in deeply before scrolling through my phone to hover over Balthazar’s name. Right above his was Abel’s.

Who to call first?

I pressed send and put the phone to my ear.

“Deehire, is there something wrong?”

“Depends on what you mean. What’s wrong with the world? What’s my current standing problem? Or...”

Balthazar sighed. “You know what I meant, deehire. You would not have contacted me if you didn’t have a reason behind it.”

“I may need your help, but I need you to hear me out before you say no. I also need you to understand that there are some things I cannot discuss with you.”

“Go ahead. I am listening.”

I gave him a watered-down version of what was happening, peppering in some creative half-truths. I told him my brother Kent worked with the Guard, who informed me they had contacted some ghosts who mentioned that Curse Breakers were going missing. I said the Guard needed someone to go undercover, and that I was the perfect choice. Lies tangled with truth to form a newly woven story that would keep Nix’s organization out of it and give him a reason to help.

“You want me to offer to sell you.” Suspicion laced his tone, and it was as if I heard the wheels turning in his head.

“I understand it seems like a farfetched, elaborate plan to get out of our contract, but it’s not,” I argued.

“How can you guarantee that?”

“Well, for one, I don’t really relish the idea of being sold on the Black Market with no certainty of my safety during that time. What happens if something goes wrong?”

“Exactly,” he seized on my comment. “Yet you wish me to go through with this plan?”

“Is there anything I can offer that will convince you?” I asked, leaning over the ledge and staring up at the stars.

“I already have everything I want, and anything else, I can get on my own. I merely want your word that you’re not trying to sabotage our relationship.”

“That’s all you want? My word?” I asked.

“My people consider it sacred. I would hope that you uphold it with the same respect I do.”

Balthazar had the look and character of a born vampire, but for the first time, I wondered if he had been human at one point in time, especially with his comment about how he was willing to give us both time to adjust and get to know one another.

“I give you my word that I am not doing anything to sabotage this.” Because truthfully, I wasn’t. Certainly not by rushing into danger to avenge a ghost who didn’t deserve what they got, simply because some vampires got their kicks off using them. Like me.

“I agree to the terms, then. But I will insist on keeping you safe above everything else. If the situation starts to spiral out of hand, I will extract you from it, and we will return to Kodiak Falls.”

Fuck.

“Okay.”

As I ended the call, a cold wind gusted though me, and my hair went flying.

“You just sold your soul to the devil,” Jason remarked as he sat down next to me.

“Maybe, but my body and life already belong to him.”

“Mmm, but your soul and spirit always belonged to you.”

“You’re a terrible friend.”

“I never claimed to be a good one.”

For the first time that day, I genuinely smiled.

***

The next two days were a flurry of activity. After letting Nix know that Balthazar was willing to meet and repeating the story I wove for him, we began our preparations. Jason and I trained, both with my magic and his lingering presence. He needed to learn how to move objects. It was a crucial part in Nix’s plan for extraction. Jason would tip over a jar we set aside to indicate it was time. Nix wanted me to be ready and spent hours briefing me on their protocols and how they would maintain contact with me. Audio contact would be extremely limited since I would be wearing very little to believably play the part of a slave.

Fear swelled inside me as the prospect became more real. I reminded myself that they would come for me. Indigo would come for me. He had before, and he would again. If not, then I would fight like hell to get myself out. My range was farther than it had ever been before. The dead couldn’t hide from me. I would use any advantage I had.

We were getting ready for the meeting with Balthazar, and tomorrow, we would begin the process. Travis, Nix’s contact, would join our meeting, but Balthazar and I needed to get into character before pairing up with him.

Everything felt as if it was moving a mile a minute but as slow as a snail. The anticipation ratcheted up my anxiety levels.

Indigo let me sleep in his room again that night, and when I woke in the morning, he was wrapped around me. In his defense, I clung to him in my sleep.

“Rowan.” Indigo touched my elbow as I stared out the window of the apartment.

Soon, we would leave, and I would be placed in Balthazar’s care, handed over to him by the werewolf I’d known all my life and who still cared a great deal about me. Indigo knew the situation I was in, but I doubted either one of us ever thought he would meet my betrothed.

I brushed off his concern, unwilling to let him see how nervous I was. “I’m good. We ready to head out?”

“Yeah. Do you have your overnight bag?”

“I got it.”

“Keep Jason close. If it comes down to it, have Jason contact your brother Kent.” When I nodded, he continued, “Promise me that if anything goes south, you’ll send Jason to your brother. Promise me you’ll ask for help when you need it.”

“When haven’t I?” I asked, poking his side.

“Why don’t we start from the most recent example and work our way back? There was the fire escape at the apartment buildings back home. Remember that one? The ghost was haunting you, but you didn’t tell anyone until he led those people there to kidnap you. Or what about the time when we were in high school...”

“Okay, stop, I get it! I promise to ask for help if I need it,” I promised.

“Then let’s go.”

Chapter 21

I patted my thighs apprehensively, my stomach clenched with anxiety. Shouldn’t this be easier? The meeting of the two men in my very strange, not-quite-realized love life. Balthazar stood quietly, elegantly dressed in black slacks paired with a dark charcoal gray button-down, sleeves rolled to the elbows. He looked the part of a brooding vampire.

Where Balthazar was all clean-cut, freshly styled hair, Indigo was wild and unruly; the werewolf I’d known all my life, yet he was just as much a stranger to me as Balthazar. He wore faded jeans, relaxed and comfortable, topped with a leather jacket and a black t-shirt underneath.

To a human, it was the obvious choice who looked the part of dangerous and scary. Balthazar peeled away from the brick wall outside the café where our meeting had been arranged. It was on the opposite side of town as far away from our home as we could get. Nix didn’t know that Balthazar already knew where I was staying.

Balthazar looked at the two werewolves flanking me, his gaze sharpening on Indigo. Werewolves and vampires had equally talented sniffers, and I knew Indigo knew Balthazar’s scent. I began to suspect Balthazar recognized Indigo’s.

“I will speak to him. You two remain quiet,” Nix said. I gave Indigo a look, but his jaw was clenched, hints of anger sparking in his eyes.

“Balthazar,” Nix greeted, holding his hand out cordially to shake.

“I fear I am at a disadvantage. I do not know your name.”

“Phoenix Kenneally.”

“Ah, I know your brother. Great Alpha. You must be Ibrahim’s youngest son, then. I knew I recognized you.” Balthazar didn’t offer his hand, nor did Indigo.

“Yes, my nephew will be helping on the investigation. He can serve as backup, if need be. For now, I would like to go over the particulars with you. Rowan will be leaving with you. She understands her role, but I need you to understand yours. We do not enjoy bringing outsiders into our business, but because of the time sensitivity of this particular case, we need your help.”

“I understand, and I am willing to help in any way I can. If my deehire is going to be in a dangerous situation, I am glad I will be there to protect her.”

A quiet growl rattled from Indigo’s throat. I didn’t forget that we were close to the full moon, and he was on edge more than usual. I nudged him with my elbow to try and slow his motor. He grunted and glared at me.

“Let’s proceed, shall we?” Balthazar opened the door to the café. I slipped through the door first, scoping out the place. There was a small booth near the back, sort of secluded, probably for couples coming in for a date. The plan was for Indigo to stay outside while the three of us talked. Well, I knew it would mostly be Balthazar and Nix speaking, but Nix insisted that I listen to the plan again.

Indigo looked like he wanted to follow us, but he did as his uncle asked, remaining dutifully outside. Once we sat down, a waitress stopped by to ask for our drink orders. After she left, Nix went over the plan again.

Nix had communicated with Travis, his contact, the same day we decided to go through with the plan of selling me and was surprised how fast he had an interested buyer. It worried me how quickly this all seemed to be moving, but Travis assured Nix that Curse Breakers were a hot commodity, especially on the Black Market. He said a lot of people claimed to have one, only to have it fall through once it was discovered the Curse Breaker was a fraud. Savvy buyers learned to pick up on a reliable source quickly.

“Travis will meet you here.” Nix handed Balthazar an address.

They continued to speak in quiet tones at a level where only vampires and werewolves could hear, but I could recite it word for word. Travis would be waiting for us. I would be blindfolded for the drive to wherever the potential buyer was waiting. I had to wear a bare slip of clothing, and the part Indigo didn’t hear was how I would also wear bracelets that signified me as a vampire’s blood slave. Which again, Balthazar would supply. Only they could buy them, and it had to be approved by their Masters.

My blood curdled at the thought of wearing them, but it had to be done. It was all part of the ruse. After that, we would be going in blind and would need to place our trust in Travis.

“Act the part of a disgruntled owner, someone who has had enough of her attitude, and who lacks the time to sufficiently train her. Whatever you choose to do. But listen to Travis.” Turning to me, Nix asked, “Rowan, you understand your duties, correct? You will not engage them. Just get the information we need and get out. You have three days to escape on your own before we come in after you.”

“I understand.”

We debated on the number of days I should stay. We all assumed I would be placed into a holding area, and I wouldn’t be auctioned off right away. There was no telling if this interested buyer was our guy, which was where Jason came into play. He promised to help any way he could. Travis warned Nix that it might not be a clear-cut exchange. I could pass hands without a way to tell the others. The options of me getting the man we were hoping for were slim, but if we didn’t try now, he would move us on to the next potential buyer.

When I was in captivity, I had to wear both blood slave bands and a faux staurolite band around my upper arm. Staurolite warded off ghosts and acted as a power dampener for necromancers. Kayana had added a location spell on it, buried deep into the stone, that would hopefully go undetected. 

They discussed the safety measures that would be enacted to protect Balthazar after this was over. Balthazar kept one eye on me while they spoke, touching my knee under the table as if to reassure me. I stood and excused myself, unable to handle his touch.

Taking the long route to the bathroom, I stepped outside, breathing in the fresh air. It was mid-afternoon, and the chill still hadn’t left the air. Tilting my chin up, the warmth of sunlight beamed onto my cheeks.

“Having second thoughts?” Jason asked.

“Nope.”

“Vampire is a fine-looking man.”

“Well, if you were alive, I’d say he’s all yours,” I answered, still soaking in the sunlight with my eyes closed.

“I don’t swing that way. Death’s just given me a new perspective on life. Has a certain werewolf caught your eye?”

I snorted.

“What did he say?” Indigo asked. I popped my eyes open and looked over at him.

“Huh?”

“I’m guessing you were speaking to your new ghost friend. What did he say to make you snort?” Indigo asked with a smile tugging at his lips.

“Guys weren’t his thing while he was alive, but death gave him a new perspective,” I said with a smile.

“Great advice from the dead. How are you feeling, Ro?”

“I want to find this guy. I need to.”

“Don’t forget, Ro. This is a mission, a job. We are here to serve the people and save them. But be careful and remember not to make it about revenge.” Indigo paused, letting that sink in.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a simple onyx ring. The cool magic from it pulsed as if calling out to me. The ring would act as my conductor. Kayana had interwoven into the design a magical tracker. Hopefully, one that would be undetectable. The plan was that if anyone started to suspect me, I would pulse my power. Kayana would be able to pick up on my surge of magic and would call in the troops.

“For you. Keep it close and safe. Our secret.”

Our secret. My lips tipped up at a memory—the three of us whenever we got into some sort of trouble I led us to. It was our pact.

Indigo touched my cheek, and I peeked up at him through my lashes. My heart stuttered in my chest, and my stomach fluttered.

The door chimed loudly behind us.

“Rowan, we will be taking our leave,” Balthazar said as he joined us in front of the café. Nix came out a moment later and glared at his nephew. Balthazar clutched my bag in one hand, and when I reached for it, he held it a moment longer, waiting for me to meet his gaze. Looking him in the eye, I pulled the bag from his grasp. A possessiveness swirled in his stare—one I didn’t want him to have regarding me.

“We’ll be in contact,” Nix said.

Without a backwards glance, Balthazar grabbed my wrist and tugged me in the opposite direction. So, this was it. The start of our mission. My heart pounded in my chest as I peeked over my shoulder to look at Nix and Indigo.

Indigo’s rage was sketched all over his features. His lips were peeled back, his fists were clenched, and he looked like he wanted nothing more than to follow us and snatch me from Balthazar’s grip. Nix had a restraining hand on his shoulder as a warning for Indigo to stop.

I offered a half smile. “I promise, Indigo,” I said loud enough for him to hear. I would keep myself safe for him.

***

Balthazar and I went back to his very fancy hotel room. He explained to me that he’d been staying there since he followed me after my exodus to the big city. The hotel felt too nice for someone like me. One of those hotels you weren’t sure you would be able to walk around in freely without getting stopped by someone and asked to leave because you didn’t belong. The view was out of this world, though. His window overlooked the city, and as the days got shorter, the light went faster, and the nightlife roared to life.

“Would you like me to order you something to eat, Rowan? You should consider eating a more substantial meal since we don’t know the situation in which you will be placed in the coming days.”

“No.” Though I knew Balthazar cared for me and was only concerned for my well-being, my stomach was in knots. Indigo may have calmed down after I promised him, but the weight of the situation settled ponderously on my shoulders. I wasn’t officially trained for this sort of thing. Even if I was, how could you possibly prepare for a situation where literally anything could happen?

“I insist that you eat. I will order something on your behalf if you continue to refuse, Rowan. I will take care of you until I am no longer at the point I can do so,” he added, handing me a menu. I stepped away from the window and looked it over, settling on a burger.

Half an hour later it arrived, and the smell alone made me realize how hungry I was. Balthazar placed a hefty tip in the room service manager’s hand and closed the door. I removed the platter and brought it to the bed, sat with my back pressed against the pillows, and took a large bite. Balthazar approached me slowly, perching on the end of the bed.

“I have my concerns,” Balthazar began as he watched me eat. I swallowed my bite and watched him carefully.

“What does that mean?” I asked cautiously.

“You have a backup plan for your group to find you, yes, but what if you are stripped of everything?”

It was a situation we discussed, but the results outweighed the risks. Jason would always be near, and we set up a system for him to alert the others if I needed to be extracted. Kayana’s magic was infused in both the “stifling” metal band on my arm, and the onyx ring, which did the opposite.

The food in my stomach turned sour, and I set my burger down. My gut twisted as I realized I didn’t like where the conversation was heading.

“We have multiple plans to pull me out if needed, and they are confident they’ll be able to find me. If, for some reason they can’t locate me, I will fight my way out.”

“And what if you are drugged?”

“I will rely on the others,” I said, no doubt in my mind that Indigo would come for me.

“Yes, that is the part I have a problem with,” Balthazar revealed, steepling his hands together and dropping them between his knees.

I didn’t lift my eyes from his long, elegant fingers. Unease lingered through me. “I’ll deal with it as it comes. I’m not completely useless,” I snapped.

“I am well aware of that, but you are still my deehire, even if you refuse to acknowledge it. Your safety remains my top priority. If you wish to live out this fantasy, then so be it. But we will be smart about it. There is one way we can ensure that I will know you are safe.”

Glad that I’d already set down the burger, my gaze darted to his eyes. The determination I saw there made my stomach lurch forward as I realized what he was suggesting.

“No.” I shook my head in denial.

“Yes. Otherwise, I forbid you to go through with this. I will not go along with the plan, and I’ll do whatever I deem necessary to keep you away from the situation.”

Anger bubbled under my skin, fueled by desperation. “I’m not letting you drink from me.”

Balthazar gave a sympathetic smile that felt fake and greasy to me.

“I’ll only need a drop.”

Just one drop, and he would be able to find me whenever and wherever, which was the problem. Although the act of sacrificing a drop to him would only take a few seconds, it also meant he would have more power over me than I wanted. It felt wrong. But the strong set of his jaw and the conviction in his tone demonstrated he wouldn’t drop it.

“How long will it stay in your system?”

“A month, tops.”

A month? Longer than I thought. There were too many possibilities, too many dangers to accept, but what other option did I have? Saying no would ruin our chances of finding these guys.

“I agree, with the stipulation that you don’t drink from my vein.”

“A simple prick from your finger will suffice.”

I took another cleansing breath, let it out slowly, and held out my hand. “One drop, no more,” I warned as his hungry gaze latched onto my finger.

A smile tugged on his lips as he replied, “I promise, my deehire. I can control myself even with a temptation such as you.”

My heart jumped to my throat as he got onto his knees and brought my finger to his lips. I knew there was nothing I should fear, but it still swirled inside of me. I dared not examine the type of fear it was.

Quick as a whip, Balthazar pricked my fingertip with his sharpened nail and let the blood well up. Slowly, savoring every second, he brushed his tongue against the blood, smearing it across his tongue. He rocked back, savoring my taste, and I scooted away from him, farther onto the bed. I picked up my hamburger, not sure I wanted to continue to eat, but craving a distraction from the sense of foreboding that settled over me.

After I finished eating, Balthazar finally stood. When he insisted I take the bed for the night, I didn’t argue. Instead, I curled up, still wearing my jeans and sweatshirt. I didn’t want to lose the sense of comfort the extra layers provided until I absolutely had to. Tomorrow, I would have to wear something I’d never voluntarily wear. And who knew how long I’d be able to wear even that scrap of clothing?

Sleep took me under, even with all my anxieties and doubts fluttering in my mind like overactive bees.

***

Sunlight peeked over the edges of the buildings and blinded me as soon as I blinked my eyes open. I crawled out of bed and looked over at Balthazar who still slept.

I grabbed my bag, which contained the customary outfit of a slave, or rather a blood slave. It wasn’t unnatural for blood slaves’ owners to lick their bites closed. It wasn’t a concern, especially since Balthazar was playing the part of a slave seller. But as I went to the bathroom and slid on the slip of white, I felt utterly exposed. I touched my onyx ring, a little strength whispering through my veins.

Jason appeared behind me. “For us, right?”

“Yes.” As I brushed my hair in the mirror, I realized with a start how much it had grown out, long enough now to drape over my shoulders. I would need to play the role of slave, which was not an affectation that came to me naturally. Hunching my shoulders protectively and trying to make myself as small as possible, I stepped out of the bathroom.

“You look stunning, all things considered,” Balthazar complimented as he sat up from his makeshift bed.

My stomach curled as I tried not to cringe at his words.

“You should get ready. We need to leave soon.”

“Of course, my deehire.”

Chapter 22

Sweat pooled at the base of my neck, and my heart stuttered in my chest. My feet were bare, and as the cold cement bit into the soles, I curled my toes to try and generate heat back into them. Balthazar stood quietly beside me as we waited for Nix’s contact, Travis to join us. He had texted Balthazar the location of our meeting just a little over an hour before. It seemed I’d covered more ground in this city in the last few days than I had since arriving. Shifting on my feet, I fiddled with the blood slave bracelets on my wrists.

“Stop fidgeting.” Balthazar touched the intricate, far too ornate bracelets. The flashier the bracelet, the more expensive the blood slave was.

A gangster with a shaved head pulled up on a motorcycle and eyed us both. His eyes landed on the bracelets, and his hungry gaze jumped over to Balthazar, who possessively gripped the back of my neck. His hold was gentle, but the meaning was profound. It said I was his to play with, his to sell if he wanted. The massive male, tattoos creeping up his neck from below the neckline of his shirt, got off his motorcycle and came closer. I tensed under Balthazar’s grip.

“You must be Balthazar and Rowan. I’m Travis.” He held out his hand, which Balthazar ignored, but I took. He gripped my fingers and tugged me forward roughly. “You’re a slave now. Never undermine your owner. Do only as he asks. Remember that. We’re going into dangerous territory, little Curse Breaker.”

I took a wobbly step back and remained silent, dropping my embarrassed gaze to his collarbone.

“Good. We’ll take your car, since mine isn’t an option. I’m going to blindfold you, Rowan. Balthazar, do you understand your role in this?”

“I do.”

“The next hour will be very stressful. Don’t do anything dumb,” Travis instructed.

The last comment felt directed toward me, and I glared at him under my lashes. I kept my thoughts to myself, though. I needed to prove to everyone I was strong enough to do this, which meant I couldn’t lose my shit every time a snide remark was thrown my way. The walk back toward the flashy SUV with black-tinted windows was quick. Once inside, Travis wrapped a blindfold around my head. To further our charade, the bracelet on my left arm was attached to a chain that shackled me to the car door. Even with the blindfold on, I closed my eyes.

“How are you doing?” Jason asked, feeling his comforting presence beside me. I felt the flare of my powers and shook my head. I didn’t completely trust this Travis person, and I didn’t want him to know I had a ghost ally.

“Rowan, you’re not going to like what happens next,” Jason whispered, his voice dark with anger. He’d confided that he didn’t remember much of what happened to him, but sometimes ghosts repressed memories, just as they did when they were alive.

The SUV rolled to a stop, and I heard the soft whirr of a window rolling down, followed by Travis’s low voice as he spoke to someone. I couldn’t hear the words from where I sat in the back of the SUV, but I kept my head down and tried to remain as small as possible. I wanted to draw as little attention to myself as I could. The vehicle started moving again but only to park. The vehicle jerked to a stop, and since I couldn’t see to brace myself, my shoulder rammed up against the door. Swallowing a curse, I waited in the darkness for someone to unchain me.

“Belly of the beast now. No backing out,” Travis warned from the front seat.

My door opened, and I shivered as the cold air twisted around my bare legs.

“I do not understand why shoes were unnecessary.” Balthazar’s disapproving voice came next to me.

“Told ya, slaves don’t wear them. Makes it harder for them to escape, even for a Mystic. And depending on the type of Mystic, they’re supposed to have dampening metals on them,” Travis added, his voice fading as he opened his door and got out.

The air smelled fresh and clean, so unlike what I expected. It seemed too nice to be the entrance to the Black Market.

Goosebumps prickled my skin as Balthazar ran his fingertips over my bare arm, down to the wrist cuff that was still attached to the chain on the door. My line was taut, and I leaned toward the open door to give it slack. The cold tightened my nipples to tight buds, and I squirmed, uncomfortable knowing they were probably poking through the white slip I had to wear, the scratchy lace at the bottom of my slave uniform chafing my skin.

As the pressure from the chain relaxed, I relaxed my arm, tamping down the uncontrollable desire to pull the blindfold down. Balthazar grazed cold fingers against my cheeks. I flinched at the suddenness of it, and he untied the wrap around my head. I blinked as the harsh sunlight hit my eyes. Once my vision cleared, I focused in on the view around me. Every inch of the place was filled by shadows and trees.

“This...is not what I expected,” I muttered.

“It’s glamoured with very powerful spells to keep others out, but we are in an actual forest. It’s safer than trying to conduct business where the Guard and human police roam all the time. Unfortunately, the location will change in a few weeks,” Travis explained as he joined us.

Balthazar looked down at my bare feet and the ground with a distasteful grimace. I swung my legs out of the SUV and stepped onto the cool grass, causing a shiver to race up my spine.

“Let’s go. The longer we linger, the more nervous people will become,” Travis encouraged. He led the way as Balthazar took over the chain that had been attached to the car door.

The sunlight glinted on the metal links, and my stomach churned. The what ifs played in my head for a moment before I saw Jason walking next to me. My secret weapon. I touched the onyx ring, a reminder I wasn’t completely powerless.

Once into the thick of the woods, the shadows seemed to wrap around us like a living thing. My feet were bruised and battered by the rocks, and I got very little relief from the intermittent patches of grass. Pressure built up in my ears like they were about to pop, and then a second later, the world exploded with noise. We had arrived in the Black Market.

Trying to keep in character, I kept my chin tucked to my chest and my gaze on my feet. I fought against my desire to see it all, noting every detail, so I could report anything that would take down the slavers. Travis and Balthazar walked side-by-side while I trailed meekly behind. The place was crowded, but it was spacious enough that no one bumped into each other. Probably a good thing, since some of the people walking around looked like they would kill you if you so much as looked in their direction.

A series of canvas-topped booths were stationed along each side of the path, most of them set up where you had to pass a massive bodyguard to get inside. At one tent, I even saw a gargoyle stationed out front. The constant chatter of a marketplace droned around me, but there was an undertone of violence in most of the exchanges. As we walked past one tent, someone was shoved out and fell on his ass. The aggrieved Mystic bared his teeth at the man who kicked him out.

“Come this way. Most of this is just petty stuff that the Council regulates,” Travis said quietly to Balthazar, who nodded in response.

Balthazar wore a blank, expressionless look on his face. Cold and detached. A shiver of fear worked its way through me. Which was the real Balthazar?

The promise I made to him hovered over my neck like a blade from the guillotine. I didn’t feel like I had the full story; it seemed like he expected more from me. Breathing deeply, I let the thought go and focused on the task at hand. We picked up our pace and moved deeper into the marketplace.

Just then, the little hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and I instinctively knew I was being watched. There was a peculiar feel to this stare, one I knew was different from the others I’d felt upon entering the marketplace. Peeking over my shoulder, I saw someone with their hood up, but it looked oversized and hid most of their features. I saw a delicate chin and a snippet of white-blonde hair.

A nervous flutter went through my stomach, and without realizing it, I turned toward the figure. Willow? The figure stood alone between the trees, but it seemed to have her features. Someone called my name, but I didn’t listen. Instead, I remained focused. My wrist was pulled by the chain that stretched taut behind me. Still, I ignored it.

“Slave.” The dark whisper in my ear made a shudder go up my spine. A body pressed against mine, his hand pressed firmly against my stomach, pushing me closer to his body. The stranger grabbed my hair and tilted my head to the side, pressing his nose against my skin. A tongue snaked out and left a trail of wet stickiness behind before I felt the pinch of teeth dimpling my skin.

“Get off her. She’s still mine,” Balthazar growled and stepped closer, his once-blank mask morphed into one of unbridled fury.

“She bears the mark of blood slave, brother. Does she not belong to us all?” The vampire behind me trailed his hand upward, bunching my slip and exposing even more of my thighs.

I tried to remain complacent, but rage boiled under my skin. Magic crackled between my fingertips. I could feel it this time, and I knew that controlling the underling vampire behind me would be so easy.

“Step away from her.” Balthazar’s blank look returned, but his gaze flickered to me for a moment. Could he feel the swell of power in me? How I wanted to latch my Lines around this vampire and force him away? Hell, I could force him to impale himself on a stake.

“Calm yourself,” Balthazar directed that to me.

“Brother, I am calm. Just want a taste, that’s all. She smells so unique. I wonder what she will taste like.”

As he lowered his lips again and settled his fangs against my pulse, an involuntary growl worked its way up my throat. Anger flitted through my blood, and it took all my willpower to tamp down my powers.

Balthazar’s icy voice cut like a dagger. “If you dare pierce your filthy teeth into what is mine, I will rip your fangs from your gums and force them down your throat. Get away from mine.”

The underling vampire raised his head but kept his grip on my waist. “So, you brought your slave here to show off but not to taste?”

Balthazar took a threatening step forward, but Travis placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. “Hands off. She’s going to auction soon and cannot be damaged.”

“How long has she been in your care? She doesn’t feel very broken in. Tensed under my hands, and instead of fear in her scent, all I smell is rage.”

Travis waved to me. “She is uncontrollable, has tried to escape multiple times, and my friend here has decided she’s not worth the effort. The offers we have received haven’t matched what we feel is worth such a unique acquisition.”

“And what is that, exactly?” The vampire behind me tightened his grip.

“A female necromancer.”

The vampire sucked in his breath and dipped a little closer to me, excitement rolling off him in waves.

“A Curse Breaker necromancer.”

My heart thumped loudly in my ears, and I wouldn’t be surprised to hear it was audible to anyone within a fifty-foot radius. The vampire behind me twisted me in his grip and faced me head on. His eager red eyes met mine with open hunger.

“A true treasure, indeed.” Desire filled his eyes. “Follow me.”

Chapter 23

Balthazar tugged me closer to his side once the vampire released me, though he continued to eye me as if wondering what would happen if he took a quick taste. He knew a compliant necromancer was the only way to form a bond, so even if he broke skin, it would be for taste only, because I wasn’t eager for it. The way his gaze kept dropping to my jugular, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to stop the throat punch I silently planned.

The vampire threw one more longing look before stepping around us and leading the way. Balthazar exchanged a wary look with Travis, who only shrugged his shoulders. Apparently, this was the norm, but Balthazar didn’t seem comfortable with the idea.

“Where exactly are you taking us?” Balthazar asked the other vampire.

“To the man you will want to see about selling your blood slave.”

He said the word like a caress. Like I should be proud of the title. Like I should want this. Rage burned under my skin. The market thinned and then crowds reformed as we walked through mazes of booths, tents, and other stalls. Mostly, it looked like a hodge-podge of specialty weapons, drugs that were off-limits, and other normal contraband items. But still, the frenetic pace of the Mystics and the shrouded air felt wrong.

People kept a safe distance away from the vampires and Travis, but if I walked outside the safety of their bubble, Mystics bumped into me. Most sneered or growled in my direction as if it was my fault. Jason continued to walk next to me as people walked through him, occasionally sending me a keep-your-cool look. Ignoring his look, I continued.

The three men were silent as we walked through a darker part of the forest where the air chilled, and wards tingled against my skin. My magic felt stifled, and much to my embarrassment, my knees went weak. Blinking sleepily, I looked over to where Jason should have been, alarmed to see he was barely there. Travis and the new vampire looked fine, but I noticed how Balthazar’s jaw tightened.

“Power weakening wards. It’s pretty standard in this area. The stronger you are, the harder it hits you,” he said, taking another peek at me. He didn’t miss my misstep or the way I stumbled.

Fewer people walked in this area, and those who did wore voluminous clothing that concealed their shape and identity. I felt utterly exposed. Wrapping my arm around my stomach, Balthazar tugged on the chain, resisting the movement I made. Gritting my teeth, I held back the retort that settled on my tongue.

Even though this was all fake and Balthazar didn’t really own me, a sense of embarrassment and shame clung to me. Those around us looked down on me, considered me less than human. How normal blood slaves handled it, I didn’t know, but I imagined it was because of the high they got from being bitten and giving blood back in return.

“We are here. I will go in and speak with him first. If he’s interested, he will call you in. You may tie your slave up over there.” The vampire indicated to a post that would have been used for horses back in the day.

My stomach dropped, sickness swirling within my core. The vampire ducked inside a nondescript canvas tent that looked startlingly familiar to all the others. Did they do that on purpose? Probably, so you couldn’t point it out from the others.

Balthazar looked at Travis.

“This is better than we could have hoped for. The vampire’s interest in her is good. You may be able to turn her over sooner than you thought,” Travis said, keeping up our ruse within earshot of the others.

“Yes, she is far too troublesome to keep on my own anymore,” Balthazar replied smoothly, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.

Allowing my weakened powers to swell, I tried to feel for any dead bodies in the vicinity. It shouldn’t have been so shocking to feel as many vampires here as I did, but I was amazed by the amount of bodies nearby. Trying to produce my Lines caused my head to explode with pain.

The lackey vampire poked his head out of the tent and looked at me, then glanced at the others with a raised brow. Lackey, as I thought of him now, gestured for Balthazar to enter.

Balthazar moved in a blink of an eye to stand in front of me. He gripped my chin and forced my gaze upwards. “You will cease, or I will punish you right here in front of everyone.” Anger that didn’t seem fake flared in his eyes.

I whimpered as his grip tightened as another warning.

“Say it.”

“Fuck you.”

Balthazar twisted me in his grip, facing us towards the others. His chest heaved against my back as he forced my neck to the side just as the other vampire had. I struggled in his grip, the other vampire watching in rapt interest. Travis looked bored.

“Now, slave, or I will take your blood.” Balthazar placed his other hand on my hip, his fingers firm but still gentle, even though his threat felt a little too eager. From what I’d heard, bites could go one of two ways. Painful or sexual. Neither was something I was willing to endure.

“Yes...master.” I gritted my teeth.

“Very well. Travis, you will remain out here with her. She obviously cannot be trusted.” Balthazar handed the chain to Travis, who nodded.

After the two vampires went inside the tent, I wandered closer to see if I could hear anything. Travis watched me intently but didn’t make a move to stop me. He was a strange fella, this Travis, but as long as he didn’t blow our cover or endanger me, I had no issue with him. Hopefully. Even so, I missed the comforting weight of my blades and wished I had them with me.

The tent muted anything happening inside, and I stalked away. I paced the space in front of the tent flap, feeling stares on me like ants crawling across my skin. Jason looked worse by the second, and each time he tried to enter the tent, he bounced back. I supposed it wasn’t surprising that whoever was inside wanted to retain as much privacy as money could buy. Warding away ghosts wasn’t hard if you knew how.

“Slave, you may enter now.”

Lackey opened the flap from the inside, and I saw nothing but inky darkness waiting for me. Is the other person inside also a vampire, hence the low lighting? They could see in the dark, but my vision was only a fraction better than a human’s. As I stepped forward, Travis released my chain, and it brushed against my bare foot. The cold metal caused me to flinch and lift my foot away from it.

“I see you are fairly new. Not used to the touch of your chain, are you?” a deep baritone voice insinuated as I stepped inside the darkened space, one that tugged at my memory.

Why does it sound so hauntingly familiar?

“You certainly did get a prize. How exactly did you say you came across her?”

“Her parents requested the assistance of my coven for protection while she grew up. Unfortunately, they allowed her quite a few liberties in her youth. I’ve found that she’s too much of a project for me to take on, as my coven is very new.”

It was all so close to the truth that I flinched.

“Have something to say, little duckie?”

Icy fear froze the blood in my veins. The man I met when I first arrived in town called me that, and again when I saw him in the Mystic bar. That was why his voice sounded so familiar. Did he remember me? What were those words he said to me? Fuck, I can’t remember. The more I chased the memory, the faster it slipped from my mind.

“Come closer, duckie.”

My nerves felt raw hearing him call me that, but I did as he asked. The lights in the room flared as I moved further inside the tent. The interior had been glamoured to look like an office rather than a tent in the middle of nowhere. The ground was still packed-hard dirt, but the walls looked as if they were made from sturdy wood. Oil lamps were mounted around the room, their flames flaring and becoming brighter as I approached the buyer.

He was seated behind a heavy desk, as if this was just a regular day job, and he was doing his paperwork. The thought made my magic flare, which caused a sudden spike of pain in my veins. It was like getting hit with a powerful volt of electricity but inside my bloodstream. He stood and walked around the desk to meet me halfway. His willowy frame and neatly combed blond hair sparked signs of familiarity.

Stopping in front of him, I tried to smother the smirk that crossed my features when my chain swung forward and hit his legs. It wasn’t hard enough to actually hurt, and he didn’t give an outward reaction.

The buyer responded, “I find that being an aggressive male gets me little results. My acquisitions never know what to expect from me at first, but they learn. If you like, I could train her for you.”

 “No, I don’t have time to waste on an unruly blood slave. I need one I can use and trust now, since my coven is working hard on finding a traitor. We need a necromancer who will follow orders, and compliance is not quick to acquire,” Balthazar said.

I hated the way they spoke as if I wasn’t there, but I had to keep my mouth shut.

The buyer laughed under his breath as he checked over me again. He saw too much; his gaze was all-consuming and very sharp. This man wasn’t someone who saw only what was on the surface, which worried me. I didn’t expect someone this savvy being in charge. But the others had to know what I would be walking into. They believed in me.

“Well, she is certainly a find. While I trust your word that she’s a Curse Breaker, I would like to confirm it. Then we will discuss the numbers. I expect a sixty-five, thirty-five split of the money.”

“Forty-sixty, and I will not go lower than that. While I appreciate you moving such a sensitive piece of merchandise, as I stated, my coven is fairly new. I will not sacrifice their needs for this. I’d sooner pass her over to another coven to forge an alliance,” Balthazar said, reaching for my arm as if to leave.

“I’ll agree to your terms, if you allow me to keep her in my possession until after my client has decided to pick her up. Think of it as collateral,” the broker said.

“I agree.” Balthazar held out his hand, and the elusive broker reached around me to take it.

“Delightful.” The smile that graced the other man’s face said it was anything but delightful. “Willow, come in.” The buyer didn’t take his gaze from mine, and I saw the hint of fire in his eyes. A fire I recognized well. The same one that lived inside of my roommate.

A small figure with white-blonde hair stepped into the room. Her hood was down this time, and I saw the blue flames rise in her eyes. She looked like the picture-perfect view of compliance. Controlling my reaction, I kept my sights on the broker. While I was unsure of her motives, I certainly didn’t trust his.

“This is my daughter, and she is the best at what she does. Willow can detect if your blood slave is what you claim her to be.”

“Is this really necessary?” Balthazar argued.

“It is. Willow?”

Willow stepped forward and touched my shoulder. Her eyes flared with power, but other than that, she didn’t act like she knew me. The blood rushed into my ears, blocking out all other sounds.

“She’s a Curse Breaker,” Willow confirmed, peeking up at me with tears filling her eyes. Before stepping back from me, she blinked them away and schooled her features into an expressionless mask.

“Excellent! I accept the terms. As of now—” he snapped his fingers, and blue flames formed a band around my wrist, “—she belongs to me. I will contact you within a week.”

Chapter 24

The next couple hours were more stressful than the night I discovered Abel had gone missing. The broker didn’t offer a name or anything to call him by, but Balthazar and he spoke of what would happen next. I would be kept at an undisclosed location until the time of the auction. The broker had to build a list of potential buyers and gauge interest. Since they were both in it for the money—supposedly—they wanted to get the best client list that would include the highest bidders.

The broker sent Willow away once she confirmed my status, and I was made to stand exactly where I was. The cool fire from the magic-made cuffs on my wrists flared each time I tried to move or when my powers flared. Balthazar sat in the chair across from the desk while the broker took his seat behind it. He kept his focus trained on Balthazar, but I couldn’t help but think he was watching me the entire time.

Did he sense this was all a ploy? He couldn’t see through our plan, could he? Worries flitted through my head at one hundred miles per hour, but as they concluded their business and it became apparent that Balthazar would soon leave, my panic increased further. Was I ready for this? Then I thought of Jason, who couldn’t be in the tent with me because of the spells. He didn’t get a choice when he was sold. He had no one waiting on the sidelines to swoop in and save him.

Once business had been concluded, the broker stood and produced a cellphone through a flare of magic. It looked like a burner phone, and I wondered exactly what a wisp’s magic entailed.

“I will contact you when the deal is done to provide you with the details of the transaction. Thank you for your business.” The broker nodded his head and handed the phone to Balthazar.

Balthazar followed suit and took the phone, and then turned and left the tent without a second look.  It was something we’d discussed, the fact he would need to leave without looking back. No attachments. We were a business deal from the first place to the last.

“You took that remarkably well for someone in your position,” the broker remarked once the flap was pulled back over the entrance.

The silence in the room felt deafening. How do I answer him correctly?

“Speak plainly, duckie. That is your one freedom here.”

“I doubt I have any freedoms here,” I muttered, unable to help myself.

“Ah, there is the spark I knew was inside of you. So complacent since you arrived here, yet your eyes track every movement with a fiery rebellion. I see why he was eager to unload you onto me. But don’t fret, duckie. I will make sure you know your place.”

The broker stepped out from around his desk and circled me, inspecting me from all angles. I fought the urge to turn around once he stepped behind my back. Cold fingers pulled the hair off my neck and laid it over my shoulder. My breath hitched as my fear escalated. I had kept the brand hidden from those closest to me, yet he zeroed in on it immediately.

“I’m glad to see he at least had the sense to do this.”

As he pressed a sharp nail into the design of my brand, blinding pain forced my knees to buckle. I screamed until my throat was raw and fell to the ground on weakened knees. He took his hand off the magical seal; the only sound in the tent was my heavy breathing. Sweat dotted my forehead, and my mouth went completely dry.

The broker leaned in close, his breath moving the hair around my face. “Let me make one thing very clear, duckie. I will see that fire extinguished, if that is the desire of your new master, by any means necessary.”

He pressed his finger against the brand again. With my strength depleted, I couldn’t stand the pain any longer. My vision faded.

****

The feeling of waking on a concrete slab with gravel that jutted into my back would have been comforting. It wouldn’t have lulled me into a false sense of security. Instead, I slowly came into consciousness with a silky-soft pillow under my head and cool, crisp sheets on my legs. Rubbing my feet against the sheets, a quiet moan built in the back of my throat. Maybe it was all a dream. The painful press of my brand that knocked me out cold; the broker, who also happened to be Willow’s father; the hungry way Balthazar kept sneaking glances at me.

Instead, as I opened my eyes and blinked through the haziness, I realized this wasn’t the apartment I shared with Willow.

As I slowly came face-to-face with reality again, I checked my wrists and peeked down at my ankles. Everything came back clear. No shackles, either of the metal or blue flame variety. Only the staurolite band on my arm and onyx ring on my thumb remained. I touched the black stone, finding it to be cool to the touch with no magic pulsing from it. Letting out a breath of relief, I swung my legs off the bed. My lips twisted in a grimace when I realized I still wore the ridiculous slip.

The room was mostly bare. The bed was on a raised platform frame. Out of curiosity, I kicked it, and it remained exactly in place. Bolted down...good to know. A desk sat on the opposite wall. What purpose does it serve? I wondered.

There were no windows and only one door, which I was sure was locked. The walls were painted a soft green color that was probably meant to be calming.

“Fuck, it took forever to find your room,” Jason grumped as he stepped through the walls.

Well, it was good to know he was able to slip past any wards the broker had enacted. His tent had been smaller and easier to fortify, but if this room was in a bigger house, it would be harder to protect.

“Do you know where we are?”

“No, unfortunately.” Jason flickered, and I realized how hard it was for him to remain in this space.

“Are you all right?”

“Not really. It feels like I’m losing my mind.”

Jason flickered again, and I realized I needed to send him away. If he tried to stay with me, it might scramble his brain. Ghosts were more delicate than we made them out to be. Forcing themselves into a place warded against them could tear their minds apart if they weren’t strong enough to resist it.

“Leave, Jason. I’ll be good for a couple days. Tell the others where I’m at, but tell them to be safe,” I said, infusing courage and confidence into my voice.

Pushing a bit of my power into the command, he opened his mouth to resist before he was pushed out of the room. I felt his presence growing more distant by the second. Then, silence settled.

****

I’d lived through a week of torture with the vampire coven in a setting a hell of a lot worse than this. At least the bed was nice, and the room was kept at a decent temperature. But during my other confinement, at least I had someone to banter with. Even in those hellish dungeons, I had Willow. Uncertain how much time had elapsed since I first arrived, I assumed by my sleeping and waking pattern that at least a day had passed.

Throughout my ordeal in the tent, my bladder was empty without any food or drink, but as I woke, it burned with a desire to be relieved. I went to the door and pounded on it for what felt like hours, until my fists were sore. Hearing no movement outside, I sat on the floor next to the door, knocking my fist against it every so often.

After an indeterminate amount of time, I heard footsteps outside, and my heart pounded. I pulled away from the door and waited until the lock turned over, and my eyes flicked up. I scrambled to my feet when the door opened a crack, revealing Willow’s slight frame as she squeezed inside. When her eyes landed on me, her shoulders relaxed.

“Hi.”

“Is that how we’re going to play this?” I asked, folding my arms and trying not to think about my screaming bladder.

“I’m so sorry, Rowan.” Willow stepped closer with outstretched hands, as if she wanted to grab mine.

“Can we please, for the love of fuck, put this on hold for just two minutes? I need to pee. Badly,” I groaned, twisting my legs together.

Realization dawned, and she nodded before running back to the door. She poked her head out and looked both ways before waving me forward. Opening the door wider, Willow nudged her head for me to follow. I did, but only because it was a matter of urgency.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, Willow led me back to my room, and we found ourselves back in the same position as before. Willow didn’t look up at me at first.

“I don’t hate you, but I want to understand what’s happening,” I finally said, breaking the silence.

“My father, the man who is going to auction you, is named Euan. He’s a dangerous man, Rowan. If you came for me, it was stupid. He...” Willow glanced at the door as if expecting him to come busting through it and catch us red-handed.

“It wasn’t only for you, Willow. Did you know he was doing this? That he might be connected to the murdered Curse Breakers?”

“He’s not the only person who sells them, but yes, I knew. He was the one who sold me to the same vampires who took you. Technically, I was on loan to them. He had accidentally sold them a dud, and in exchange, he offered my services to them for some time as repayment.”

It didn’t escape my attention that she was being intentionally vague about how long she was supposed to serve them, but right now, we needed to stay on task. Make our next move.

“I need to find out who he’s been selling the Curse Breakers to and who has been killing them.”

“Rowan, you don’t understand what you’ve gotten yourself into. The people in those auctions don’t show their faces.” Willow crossed her arms and rubbed them vigorously as if trying to chase off the threat that loomed over us both.

“Yes, but if we can spark their interest, if I can get a friend in there with me, he might be able to get a memory or two back. I might be sold to the same person who killed him.”

“No! My father will drug you. That’s how he does it. He strips everything away from you and slowly tears you down to nothing. Takes away your pride, your dignity...anything you hold dear.”

Her words should have spiked fear in me, but instead, all I felt was a sense of urgency fueled by the inferno that grew hotter and stronger inside me. I couldn’t leave others to this fate. Not when my fears hung over my head just waiting to come down.

“It’s too late,” I answered.

Her blue eyes filled with tears. The tip of her nose turned red. “You’re right. I promise to help you anyway I can, but you have to trust me. No matter what,” Willow pleaded.

“I trust you.” She helped save me once before, and I’d trust her with my life again. Anxiety filtered through me. I had to trust my gut on this one, even if my stubborn mind wanted to reject her word.

Chapter 25

Time stood still in the gilded cage, and the lack of distractions brought me to my knees on what I assumed was the third day. It simultaneously felt like seconds and years since I’d spoken with Willow. With nothing to distract me from my hunger or thirst, I started to pound my fists on the door again. I suspected the others didn’t have to go through this waiting period. Since they were just taken off the streets, the slavers knew they weren’t already slaves.

The quietness of everything is what drove me insane. I didn’t know how long I sat with my back to the wall, knocking. Eventually I slept, waking with a kink in my neck and my back feeling like it had aged about eighty years. Rubbing the grime from my eyes, I blinked and straightened my back. The lack of food and water caused my head to pound.

In my delirium, I swore I heard water sloshing around in a bottle. Pressing the heel of my palm into my throbbing eye, I glanced up to see none other than Euan himself sitting on the bed.  He wore a tailored suit, his hair was slicked back, and he looked ready to step out to go to an important meeting.

“Allow me to get out of your way,” I greeted him snidely as I used the door as a brace to help myself stand.

“No need. I understand you may be very weak. It has been a couple days since you arrived here. Would you like some water?”

“I’m sure the proper response would be No, I don’t want your water. I want my freedom, but as far as I can tell, that’s not an option. So, I’ll take the water.” His presence disturbed me.

“You are much more agreeable than your previous owner led me to believe.”

“I know how to weigh my options.”

“Very smart, little duckie.” He stood and handed me a water bottle.

I sipped greedily, regretting the decision as soon as I remembered what Willow said. He will drug you. And since he knew I was a necromancer, he would know what to use. Sage could be used to send ghosts away, but if ingested by necromancers, it weakened their powers. Pulling the water bottle away, I eyed it suspiciously.

“Don’t fret. It has not been tampered with. I came to discuss your future with you.”

“How generous,” I scoffed. “Are you here to give me options?”

Euan laughed for a moment, the blue fire flaring in his eyes. “You are certainly more entertaining than most of the ones who come my way. But tell me, duckie, was it truly so bad with your old master? He seemed quite...protective of you.”

“This is still a cage, even if it’s made of silk.”

“I think you’ll discover the difference once you’ve had the pleasure of experiencing the opposite,” Euan remarked dryly.

I hid my reaction, even though it thrummed through me to tell him I knew the difference. Instead, I masked it by taking another long gulp of water. Most of it was gone now, but I still found myself wanting more.

“What made you decide on this as a career choice? The rest of the booths at career day fill up too fast?” I taunted.

He smirked at me. “When you’ve lived as long as I have, you learn never to reveal your entire hand. Just give them enough of a peek to feel overconfident.”

My head began to spin, and I reached out a hand to catch myself on the wall. Blinking hard, I stared at the bottle in my hand. Fucker. Why did I believe him when he said it was safe?

“Not the water, duckie. You certainly are more agreeable when you’re asleep. Sage mingled with propofol has an interesting effect, don’t you think?”

The more I tried to focus on his words, the harder it was. My mind was muddled, and my powers felt miles away. I touched my neck to find a small injection site.

“We will head to the auction soon. You’ve caused quite a stir, more than I’ve seen interested in quite some time. I will return momentarily, and we will be off. It has been a pleasure, Rowan.”

Fear escalated the effects of the drugs he gave me. How does he know my name? Did Willow tell him? Or does he know what we’re up to?

Blue flames engulfed him as he disappeared. Well, at least now I knew how he got into the room without opening the door. My head spun, and I tried to remain upright. I needed to be conscious and aware for this to work. Stumbling toward the bed, I wondered if I could sleep it off before he got back. Purging my stomach wouldn’t work since the sedative had been injected. I wondered if I could burn it out of my system.

Turning inwards, I tried to draw on my powers, but just like before my birthday when they sharpened and came to life, they felt distant and untouchable. No matter how I tried to use them, I couldn’t access the Lines. Feeling helpless, I stumbled my way to the bed. As I flopped down, the room twisted and spiraled. I saw blue flames erupt from the corner of my eye, and I rolled my neck to check on my new visitor.

“Oh no, he beat me here,” Willow lamented as she stepped closer, her flames dying away. I tried to sit up, but my body felt heavy. “I can’t make the effects go away completely, but I can tamper the intensity, so you can at least access some of your powers. Anything more than that, and Euan would know the difference. He’s liable to do something stupid. But Ro, you need to be careful. He can sense your magic.”

“If he can do all that, why does he use you?”

“He can sense magic. All wisps can. But only female wisps can detect specific kinds of magic.” She glanced back toward the door anxiously. “I’m sorry. I don’t have time to explain everything right now. Here, drink this.” Willow handed me a cup filled with foul-smelling liquid.

“Why does it always have to smell bad?” I moaned as I took the drink. Throwing it back, I swallowed as quickly as I could. The effect was almost instant. My powers surged forward again as if excited to be reunited.

“Okay, Ro, focus. You cannot use your powers in an excessive amount. And do not, I repeat, do not tell my father you know who I am.”

“Wasn’t planning on it,” I mumbled as I tried to breathe through the sudden cramps in my stomach. The noxious taste of the drink she provided made me nauseous. My head was still spinning, and exhaustion tugged at my limbs. Blinking heavily, I dug my nails into the palm of my hand. That’s when I felt it. The pinch of my onyx ring. It still sat on my thumb, a friendly reminder of Indigo’s dimpled smile, quickly followed by the promise I made to him.

Jason came to mind, too. His dark brown hair with his sharp nose and strong jaw. He had the look of an Alpha, and I remembered the pain in his eyes when he realized how long he’d been gone. He feared how his pack would fare without him. He and his pack deserved the peace of knowing who killed him. Not to mention the mage and witch who both died. They deserved justice.

“Do you believe I can actually do this?” I whispered, still feeling out of it, like I’d had seven shots of tequila, but without the warmth of it all.

“If there’s anyone who can, it’s you,” Willow confessed before disappearing into flames just as her father had. Her father was behind this all, yet she was still trying to help me. She was a victim the same as me and needed saving as much as I did.

I would get us out. I had to.

****

I didn’t know how long it was before the door opened, revealing Euan in a far less dramatic entrance this time. He still wore the snazzy suit, but a glamour I couldn’t see through covered his face. His features were muddled and distorted with his normally sharp cheekbones rounded, and his aquiline nose shaped more Roman-like. The change was startling, because while I knew what he looked like, I couldn’t see it.

“Come now, duckie. We have an appointment to get to.” Blue-flamed cuffs appeared on my wrists, and at his words, my wrists were pulled forward. Still semi-drugged, I couldn’t resist the pull of his magic. Before I even made it out the door, a scrap of fabric covered my eyes, leaving me in darkness.

“You don’t expect me to walk blindfolded?” I slurred. It didn’t come out quite that clear, but the intent was there.

“Don’t worry, duckie. Your job is to remain silent, complacent, and subservient.”

As I opened my mouth to reply, a swirl of magic wrapped around my throat and cut off my words. He may be able to compel my silence, but he couldn’t force me to accept my fate willingly. I hated dealing with magic to which I didn’t know the limits. I raised my chin defiantly. Even if I couldn’t see, I still had my pride.

I didn’t know how long we walked or even where. The air tasted sterile, everything around me stagnant, and it made me feel unbalanced with no indicators to orient myself. It was a strange experience, walking blindfolded in an unfamiliar terrain. The trust I was obliged to put into Euan was forced and uncomfortable but necessary.

“Brace yourself,” Euan warned a second before my stomach dropped.

My foot hit air and kept going, but he grabbed onto my elbow and caught me before I went flying forward. My heart jumped into my throat.

Fuckity-fuck.

Breathing deeply, I swallowed and tried to gain my footing again. It was a cheap trick, and much to his delight, it instilled uncertainty into me.

“Almost there, duckie.”

The nearness of his words made me flinch. He had moved so that he stood directly behind me, his breath tickling the top of my ear. Anxiety swarmed in my belly.

“You will need to take a step down,” he added, humor lacing his words.

I inched forward, scraping my foot across the floor to feel where the step ended. I found the edge and slowly made my way down three steps. Euan never rushed me or pushed me forward, which only added to my worry. What exactly was his plan here?

Euan stepped around me, his hand trailing down my arm. He grasped my wrist and directed me further. Curiosity burned in me with the desire to know what sort of maze we’d just walked through. Was it a mansion? An elaborate trick of walking me around the same place over and over to throw off my sense of direction?

A door swung open, and the sounds of the outdoors greeted me. Then I felt the brush of fresh air on my cheeks. The air was bitter cold, but it tasted like momentary freedom.

Euan’s grip on my wrist tightened, and he tugged me forward. Now he seemed to be in more of a rush, and I realized we might be in a populated area. He wouldn’t want an audience. If I wanted to escape, now was the time to react, but I didn’t.

“Don’t make a sound,” Euan whispered, sensing my indecision. New footsteps came from the opposite direction, and I turned my head. Rough hands lifted me in a cradle hold, and I squeaked, swiveling my head as I tried to see, even though I was still blindfolded. After the person placed me in a car and buckled me in, it roared to life, and we were on the move.

We were barreling toward the auction for my life.

Ironic, since this was what I’d been trying to avoid.

Chapter 26

As my lungs expanded in my chest, my breasts heaved and barely stayed contained in my ridiculous white slip. After wearing it almost a week, it smelled gnarly, but the black video screens surrounding me wouldn’t be able to smell it. The blindfold had remained on until Euan positioned me to his liking and took it off. As soon as I could see again, my heart slammed in my chest. No matter how much I wanted to pretend that fear hadn’t woven throughout my body and tightened like a snake slowly suffocating its victim, it had. So many things could still go wrong.

The uneven concrete floor pressed into my feet, and I shifted my weight to relieve some of the pressure, the lacy bottom of the slip irritating my skin. The drive was long, and when we finally arrived, Euan helped me from the vehicle. Willow’s warning to not use my magic still pounded in my head. As much as I wanted to call for Jason, I worried that Euan would sense my magic.

The moment my blindfold came off, I expected the very classic blinding moment of bright light in my eyes. That’s why I was sorely disappointed by the lack of spotlights. The room was darkly lit, and my eyes adjusted easily. The area around us was the brightest part, but with only oil lamps and flickering candles, it didn’t illuminate a wide perimeter.

A video camera was directly in front of me, hooked to a laptop on a small stand. As I stood there half-naked and fidgeting, Euan tinkered with the laptop for what seemed like hours. Restlessness nipped on my nerves.

“When do we start this shindig?” I asked.

“Anxious to begin?” Euan asked as he checked more information on the computer.

“Just want to get out of your hair,” I replied flippantly.

“You’re rather lively for someone who is about to be sold into enslavement,” Euan said without looking away from the computer.

“Well, Hades knows it won’t be much different from the situation I was already in,” I answered with a forced smile.

“Do you think me a fool, child?” Euan didn’t look away from his work, but his tone and words had my stomach dropping faster than if I was on a roller coaster. He briefly glanced up from the screen.

“Don’t know you well enough to judge you.”

“Play coy if it makes you feel safer, but I’ve been doing this for centuries. You are but a child who has not had the pleasure of being truly owned. Careful with your biting tongue, duckie. You may dig yourself a deeper hole.” Euan finished up on the computer and called out for one of his goons.

“Watch her while we bring in the buyers,” Euan said loud enough for me to hear.

I ignored him. This was when I needed to make my move. Though the drugs that still lingered in my body made me feel weighed down and exhaustion kept tugging at me, my brain was wired and alive.

My magic surged as I called on it. Breathing in deeply, I sighed with relief. I felt right again, my magic back to normal. Whatever medicine Willow gave me to counteract the drug was finally working. Jason appeared next to me, sizing me up with a cursory glance. With a nod, he took in the rest of the room.

I had so many questions, but I couldn’t speak to him, not with Euan’s goon still in the room. He might not know what I was, but I couldn’t take that chance. Jason had told me before that he was kept blindfolded during his auction, but he said he would be able to tell the voices.

The only hope we had was that I would be sold to his buyer, but we knew the chances of that were slim. It would have been more helpful if I could have gotten Cassidy here or even her angry mage husband. If, like me, they weren’t blindfolded and could see the room, they might have been able to give more information.

“The others are worried about you. I’ve been checking up on them like you asked. That wolf of yours is going to lose his damned mind soon. The full moon is tomorrow, and I wouldn’t be surprised if his wolf came searching for you,” Jason said.

My heart jumped. Gods, I needed him to stay away. But it still did something funny to my insides knowing that Indigo, or at the very least his wolf, would do that for me.

“Nod if you have been treated well or as well as can be expected,” he suggested.

Letting my chin drop, I kept my eyes on the door.

“Good. Don’t try to run. At this point, you’ve dug yourself in too deep. If you piss him off now, who knows what he’ll do...” Jason advised.

He incorrectly assumed I wanted to run. Instead, I was waiting for Euan to show his face again.

As if summoned by my thoughts, he stepped back in the room, followed by four other Mystics dressed similarly to the goon. They stayed behind the computer, and I noticed each held a disposable phone to their ears.

“Live, sir,” one of the goons said.

Euan stepped up next to me and leaned in close.

“Now, to present you to your potential buyers,” Euan whispered before doing something I didn't expect. With a sharp tug, he tore away the front of the slip and exposed my breasts. In a blind fury, I attacked. Pulling away from him, I darted my leg out to kick him, but he caught my ankle. Blue flames erupted from his hands and shackled around my ankle. With another wave of his hand, he used his magic chains to yank my leg backwards. I fell to my knees but kept my arms wrapped over my chest.

“Buyer Hop offers one.”

“A fucking dollar?”

Euan leaned down, his lips pressed against my ear. “No, duckie. One million.”

“Buyer Tank offers seven.”

“Buyer Whip offers fifteen.”

Jason stiffened, but I didn’t think it was because of the rising prices, even though it had me bulging my eyes a little. I knew Mystics had money; a lot of us lived long, long lives, but the way the bids moved up so quickly, it felt more like they were offering thousands instead of millions. The numbers continued to climb between the four buyers.

There was a twinge on my brand, and my muscles tightened as I prepared to flee. My flight instincts kicked up another notch as the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. The bids were still climbing, not as quickly as they started, but enough that I tugged the ends of my slip closer to cover my exposed chest. Euan didn’t try anything funny after that, but he kept the blue-flamed chain around my ankle.

Jason was keeping close but remained quiet, allowing us both to hear all the names.

Tank, Hop, Whip, and Snap. Such odd code names. I expected something much more sinister.

“Boss?” the fifth goon who was standing at the computer called out. Euan nodded next to me, and the bids stopped. The four on the phones didn’t move or speak anymore. It was creepy, and the more I tried to look at them, the harder it was for me to focus on their faces. All of them had the same build, and from the dark lighting of the room, I couldn’t see their faces. But I knew Euan’s. I didn’t think I’d ever get the image of his face out of my head.

“Snap has a private offer.”

Euan flicked his wrist at me, and more shackles appeared on my other leg and both my arms. As he tightened the chains, I could no longer hold what remained of my slip together, and the cold air of the room brushed against my exposed breasts. Jason growled, holding the echo of an Alpha. He moved to stand in front of me to block their view, but only I could see him.

My heart broke at the gesture. He would have been a fine Alpha, one who would have taken care of his pack. But instead of letting him live out his life, someone here purchased him, so they could kill him. Lifting my chin, I refused to give Euan the pleasure of seeing my shame. Exposing me to them, both physically and mentally. Not anymore.

“It would seem, little duckie, that someone is determined to have you.” Euan typed on the computer quickly, and three of the men left. The last one remaining offered his phone to Euan. “We will discuss the details.” Then he hung up. He looked back at me with a spark in his eye. “You were a much better purchase than I would have hoped for, young necromancer. Lester, if you would.”

The goon who had been standing behind the computer stepped toward me, pulling something from his pocket. As my eyes fixed on the capped syringe, I started to struggle in earnest. None of us counted on medical sedation, just magically induced. What was in it? Would it sedate me until I was exchanged? Was it the same drug he used to stifle my powers earlier?

Standing on weak knees, I tried to pull away from him. As the goon Lester tugged off the cap, Euan continued to type on the computer, studiously ignoring my struggles. Lester stood in front of me, and still this close, I couldn’t pin down his features. I wanted to make sure everyone involved got their just desserts. Baring my teeth at Lester like an animal, I jerked away as he stuck the needle deep into the meaty part of my arm.

“Snap will transfer the money immediately, and then I’ll wire her old owner his funds. But they want her as soon as possible.”

The faster my heart went, the quicker the drug moved through my system. But I couldn’t slow it down.

“When you wake, duckie, you will be with your new owners.”

Jason sucked in a breath.

“Fuck.” He and I said it at the same time, right before the world went black.

Chapter 27

Moaning at the stabbing pain in my head, I tried to bring my hand up to rub away the sting, quickly realizing my wrists were cuffed together. I rolled over, trying to get better leverage to stand up, the rocking movement intensifying my headache.

“Fuck,” I muttered, taking stock of my current situation. The bones in my wrists screamed in agony from the pressure of being bound so tightly, though I was somewhat comforted by the fact they were bound in front of me instead of behind my back. Peeking down at my hands, I glimpsed the handcuffs Euan had used. I was relieved to see human handcuffs, as well as the cuff around my upper arm. It was the one that wouldn’t do much to stifle my powers, but he didn’t know that.

The space I was in now was nothing like the one I’d woken up in when I was first put in Euan’s custody. This place was cold and made of metal. Scooting around so that I sat upright, I pounded my foot on the floor, surprised to hear the tinny echo.

A storage unit or a shipping container, maybe?

The space didn’t seem to hold any heat, and goosebumps pimpled my bare legs. With my slip lying in tatters, it was useless to pull the sides together for even a hint of warmth. My toes felt like they were already past the point of frozen. The skin around my brand that always seemed to hold a small measure of heat prickled.

It seemed doubtful that Euan would ever allow his clientele anywhere near his home base. Even if they weren’t undercover members of the Guard or belonged to a group like Nix’s, they weren’t exactly upstanding citizens. What happened next? Leaning my neck back, my head hit the wall. With no lights in the container and only the sprinkling of tiny openings from rusted away holes, I could see very little around me.

“Jason?”

He appeared next to me.

“How are you holding up?” he asked, avoiding his gaze from my exposed top.

“Just dandy. How does it look out there?” I asked.

“It’s a shipping yard. A secluded one that bumps up to a small patch of woods and a couple boats. The yard is filled with more containers.”

I nodded, trying to map an idea of the grounds the more he explained them. But it sounded like a maze, and my directional skills were bad enough.

“Well, was the auction at least a success?”

“I recognized one of the buyer’s names, Whip, but the others, including your buyer, Snap, were foreign.”

Slamming the back of my head against the wall out of frustration, I let out a very poor intimation of a growl. “All this for the wrong fucking buyer.”

“Rowan, it’s not for nothing. You put a face to Euan, and he’s the reason the rest of us were sold. He put us in that position. You have to cut the head off a snake to get the rest of the body to die,” Jason reasoned.

But it didn’t stifle my disappointment or anger. Yes, chopping off the head might stop it for a while, but worms like Snap and Whip would always find a way. I wanted to stop the people who thought they could kidnap, buy, and murder Curse Breakers and get away with it. Revenge was an all-consuming desire.

“Rowan, we need the others to pull you out.”

“No, first we need to determine the real identity of the one who bought me. After that, they can come get me. If I can’t take out the buyer who bought you, then I’ll destroy this one.”

“Think about this, Rowan. This might be your only chance to get out. You don’t know what hell may await you next. Remember your promise,” Jason reminded.

Indigo’s words came tumbling back to me, settling over my shoulders like a heavy weight I couldn’t shake off. I knew Indigo would ask me to make it about justice, not revenge, but as far as I was concerned, they went hand in hand. Cassidy is being held captive, even in her afterlife, while her husband was still trying to find her and get back at those who cut their lives so short. Jason, the Curse Breaker Alpha, had to leave his entire pack behind. They deserved to know that those who killed him got the justice they deserved.

“I can’t leave.”

“Rowan.”

“Don’t Rowan me. Don’t ask me to give this up just because it’s gotten a little dangerous. It has been since we first started,” I said.

“You’re being foolish. You’re still alive. I’m dead. Live, when I could not. Don’t throw your life away like this. Not for me.”

“I’m staying. Don’t you dare give them the signal.” A surge of power splintered into the command, and Jason lowered his eyes obediently. Something he never would have done if he were still alive. Seconds later, he faded and disappeared. The wrongness of my command tightened around my neck like a noose. I was left alone with my scattered thoughts within the chill of the storage unit.

****

I drifted back to sleep when it became obvious nothing would be happening soon. How long would they keep me here? If it took too long, I didn’t think Nix and the others would wait around, signal or not. Jason and I had worked on training him to move smaller objects around. I studied the Tome Abel gave me, but it had remarkably little on ghosts themselves and more on vampires, especially the theories of necromancers being able to control them. But with me, it wasn’t a theory. Though I didn’t have many vampires to try it out on, I had managed to control not only Balthazar but a Master as well.

While vampire-rich, I did manage to pick up on a few things for ghosts within that Tome. I learned that emotion played an important role with our powers, and it could become dangerous if we didn’t maintain control. I taught those same basics to Jason. He would need to divert his anger to tip over the jar we’d placed in Nix’s office. Once he did, it would set off a chain reaction for Kayana to locate me using the magic that was infused in the cuff on my arm.

Then there was the backup plan that only Balthazar and I knew about. By ingesting my blood, Balthazar could locate me no matter where I was taken. I still cringed at the thought but knew it was the only way he would agree to being part of our plot.

Left alone with my thoughts, I became increasingly bored and agitated. My last conversation with Jason swirled in my head. Perhaps I was being a tad stubborn, but the image of him standing in front of me, even as a ghost, to try to protect me was seared in my brain.

Leaning up against the cold metal wall, I managed to get to my feet and then started to pace the small space. The cold had only gotten worse and moving around helped stimulate my blood. As I walked, I slowly became aware of voices coming through the rusted spots. I walked over to the closest one. It was too high for me to press my ear against it, but I still strained to listen.

“The broker said she would be in this unit,” a gruff male voice came from outside the container.

“Yes, I can smell her and hear her heartbeat. She is awake. We need to return with a sedative.”

The two voices disappeared.

Well, that doesn’t bode well for me. I needed to be lucid and awake in order to see them and memorize everything about these men.

Suddenly regretful of pissing off Jason, I tried to call him back to me. I tugged on our connection, but he resisted. Until the situation became more serious, I wouldn’t bother him. He might need time to cool down, and I didn’t need a pissed-off ghost trying to help me out of this situation.

Time seemed to stand still inside the storage unit, appearing as if I had been sucked into a void of nothingness. Bored, I went over the fighting stances that Indigo taught me during our short-lived training sessions. When that ceased to entertain me, I checked the connection between Jason and me. The tension there had slackened, but he still didn’t come.

Footsteps sounded from outside, and adrenaline spiked my veins. My heart started to pound in my chest when pain suddenly radiated from the brand on the back of my neck.

“No.”

The pain continued to pierce me, and I realized the grave mistake we had made. We were so focused on one set of buyers, but we forgot there was another vampire coven out there that wanted me. It shouldn’t have surprised me that they would have kept their ears to the ground, but through all the excitement of finding the murdered Curse Breakers, they became afterthoughts.

Even Willow said her father had offered her to them as payment for a transaction gone wrong. My mind raced, and I called for Jason again, this time more urgently. The tattoo I shared with Abel on my hip burned as I used some of his magic.

“What?” Jason appeared and saw me on my knees, my jaw clamped shut with pain. “What happened?”

“There’s a brand on my neck,” I hissed.

“What?” He stepped around me, and I managed to pull my hair away for him to get a glance.

“My slaver never did that.” There was disgust in his voice as if he felt I’d had it worse than he did, even though he was murdered in the end. The debilitating pain ebbed away, but the stiffness remained in my bones. Breathing heavily, I fell forward, my cheek hitting the metal floor.

Loud metal clanks from the locks on the front of the storage unit rang through the small space. Moonlight streamed in, which I was thankful for. It would give me a sliver of an advantage, because at least I wouldn’t be blinded by the sun. I gathered strength by rubbing my fingers over the onyx ring around my thumb.

“Go give the signal,” I instructed Jason as I tried to regain my composure.

Power thrummed through me as two forms silhouetted by the full moonlight stepped forward.

“Come at me, motherfuckers.” Control Lines whipped from my fingertips as Jason watched me in wonder for a second longer.

He shook himself out of his stupor, confirming, “I already warned them by causing quite a scene. They’re on their way. Kayana is tracking you through that.” He pointed at the onyx ring I was currently using as an anchor.

Letting my anger boil into my veins and heat my blood, it seeped into my magic and strengthened it. My Lines wrapped around both men and latched on as an unbelievable surge of power lanced inside me.

These vampires didn’t know what they’d just gotten themselves into.

Chapter 28

It had probably been centuries since older vampires dealt with a necromancer who could control them, and it probably wasn’t discussed very much with the new vamps. It went back to the wars that plagued our two species for centuries until the Council, the Mystic government, stepped in to enact a treaty between our two races.

One vampire submitted almost immediately, a newly made vampire, from the surprised look of shock on his face. The other vampire, older and wiser, moved against my Lines, fighting the command to remain still. The more power I pulsed into him, the more I lost control over the younger one. Although he was younger and easier to hold, he had a boost of speed for which I wasn’t prepared. He moved closer than I wanted before I finally managed to reconnect my Lines. He stopped dead in his tracks again, a growl rattling his throat.

Acting fast, I compelled the younger vampire to break my handcuffs. He snapped the metal chain, but I didn’t want to take the time to completely remove them. I commanded him in front of me again, not trusting him to stay at my back. Bringing my arms forward, I shook them out, feeling a painful tingle as the blood began to flow back.

The older vampire broke through his Lines and began to stalk me, carefully and methodically. Acting on pure instinct, I released any hold I had left on the older vampire and redirected my Lines to the younger one. Channeling my commands through my magic, I forced the younger vampire to act as my bodyguard. My brand started to flare again, and my eyes darted to the opening of the cargo trailer.

Who was controlling the magic connected to my brand?

The older vampire slowed and cocked his head, a cold smile creeping over his lips. I tamped down the worry that tried to creep in, knowing I had to keep my focus.

“Come now, little necro. You belong to us again. Master can’t wait to get his fangs into you.”

Icy fingers slid up my spine at his words. As if my brand called to its Master, pain radiated and flared to life. Clenching my fists, the onyx ring cut into my skin, reminding me to stay strong.

Jason looked around the storage unit and growled in frustration. There was nothing he could do to help me. “You need to get out of this small space,” he warned. “They have others waiting for them at the car. If these guys take too long, they’ll come and lock you back in.”

I nodded, realizing I didn’t have much time to act. Commanding the young vampire to protect me at any cost, I tried to lure the other vamp to the opposite side of the shipping container. If I could divert him away from the entrance, I could lock them both inside. The vampire I controlled lunged forward, stopping his comrade from getting close to me.

“Rowan, release your hold on the young one and focus it on the other.”

My raised brows must have carried enough of a What the fuck? look for Jason, because he stepped closer to me.

“Once you do, run. The young one will be disoriented for a few seconds. I’ll wait for you outside and shut the doors. The lock should slam down on its own.”

“And if it doesn’t?” I asked, keeping my eyes on the older vampire.

“Run like hell and latch onto anything you can control,” he offered grimly.

Awesome. I took a small step backwards, and the older vampire narrowed his gaze. He could see better than I could, and I only had the assistance of slivers of moonlight provided by the open doors.

“Run all you like, little necro. You cannot hide. Not with our mark on you,” the vampire taunted. He lunged again, moving quicker than I could follow, but the younger vamp moved a little faster still, blocking him from reaching me.

It was all the opening I needed. Releasing my control over the young vamp, he stumbled forward, his momentum driving him into the other vamp. The older one noticed and turned his attention to me, but before he could move, my power wrapped around him and stopped him in his tracks. I commanded him the same way I did the other one, to protect me. As I ran to the opening of the shipping container, Jason stood outside.

The young vamp twisted on the ball of his foot and took after me again. Cursing, I pumped my arms faster, determined to leave this hell behind. My powers acted on instinct, and I felt the draw as my Lines connected with the older vampire again. This time my levels felt the same, my control over both was even, and I stopped them both as I stepped over the threshold of the cargo trailer.

Jason did as he said he would. Gusts of wind that weren’t caused by natural means sped past me, and the heavy steel doors slammed shut. As promised, the clang of metal on metal caused the lock to fall into place. Wincing as my bare feet hit the cold concrete, I ran. The air stung my cheeks as I sprinted and being so close to the water only chilled the air more. But I didn’t stop. Jason led the way.

“Stop, someone’s coming. I’ll scout ahead. You stay here.”

Breathing heavily, I swallowed and nodded. I didn’t remember the last time I’d eaten, and my weakened body was slowing me down. The last sips of water I had were poisoned—well, drugged—but the same thing. Any sleep I’d managed to claim was fitful or drug-induced since we left the hotel, which felt like months ago, but could only have been days.

I backed up against the shipping container where Jason stopped. Pressing my hot brand against the cool metal provided momentary relief, but something else was still stifling my magic. The metal braces from the handcuffs still encircled my wrists, but I didn’t have time to mull it over before Jason reappeared and motioned me forward. I wanted to point out that he didn’t need to be quiet, but I swallowed it down.

“An SUV is parked at the entrance with one guard and a witch. There are two other vampires searching the grounds, and the two in your container haven’t moved.”

I didn’t take the time to explain that I still had control over them, which was the only thing keeping them complacent. “Where are the other vampires searching?”

“Searching the opposite side but staying close to the SUV.”

I bit my lip. “Any other transport nearby?”

“Freight ship. If you have your sea legs, it might be your best option.”

Snorting a quiet laugh, my breathing finally evened out, and my brain kickstarted. If the vampires locked in the container managed to overthrow my magic and regain their control, they would return to the SUV. Or at least one of them would. Stealing the SUV would be the most logical choice, especially since I didn’t have shoes or enough clothing to cover me.

“How far away is Nix’s team?”

“I called for them when you told me to, but Kayana was having a hard time pinning down your location. The witch’s magic is interfering with hers.”

Nodding absently, I worried about the implications of my situation. Jason gifted me with more time by ignoring me. My mind raced.

There’s a magic user somewhere out there who has control over my brand. The brand can either render me useless from the pain, or the user can control my muscles and make me do whatever they want. That sort of magic is limited, but if their magic user gets into range and manages to stop me long enough for a vampire to get into reach, I’m done for. Even if I had my blades, the chances of making it out of here are slim.

“Rowan, you have to move.”

I nodded, my fate decided. “Take me the safest route. We need to get somewhere with more cover.”

Jason nodded and led the way again. He scouted ahead, letting me know when it was safe to move. I couldn’t hear the vampires, but they moved more silently than I could track. As the magic in my brand flared, I cringed. This time it locked up my muscles. Jason continued to speed ahead, not realizing I’d fallen behind. My heart sank as I realized he would be powerless to break me from the caster’s spell.

My usurped body twisted around, heading back in the direction from which I fled. Frustration ate at me, my mind raging while my body betrayed my escape. I thought of the ways I’d broken this spell before.

Indigo’s kiss, which knocked me on my ass as old feelings ignited in a new, fresh way.

Balthazar’s kiss didn’t really pull me the way I needed it to.

But pain. Pain could work.

Slipping my tongue between my teeth, I chomped down. The pain was staggering enough for a split second that I stumbled out of the spell. It weaved slowly through my body, the muscles in my legs tightening and twitching as the power of the spell abated.

“Rowan.”

The voice stopped me cold. Partially released from the caster’s spell, I twisted around and glared at the newcomer.

“You better have brought backup.”

Balthazar’s blond hair seemed almost white in the moonlight. His pale skin was ivory, the richness of the night accenting his otherworldly beauty. Another shiny addition was what really caught my attention, and I looked at the beautiful black blade hanging from his hip.

“Oh, please tell me that’s for me.”

Balthazar gave me a predatory smile that stirred something in me I didn’t like.

“It’s all yours.”

At the seductive purr in his voice, my gaze flickered up to his hungry look. What the hell has gotten into him? Balthazar usually acted like such a gentleman, but this wasn’t the time to question his personality change. We had more pressing matters to attend to.

The spell that had been weaving up my legs faded and then disappeared entirely, which didn’t make sense. In any other situation, the magic user would have sensed the spell working and moved in to capture me. I held out my hand for the blade as I looked behind me, searching for Jason. Soft fabric landed in my palm instead of the cold metal of my blade, and I turned around in confusion.

Looking at my outstretched hand, then to a suddenly half-naked Balthazar, all I could mutter was, “Uhh...”

Balthazar’s gentlemanly gaze dropped down for a second before returning to my face. My burning, red, hot face. In the excitement of Balthazar arriving and the brand spell activating, I forgot about my utter state of undress. Quickly slipping the shirt on, I refused to look Balthazar in his red wine-colored eyes. Instead, I held out my hand again for the onyx blade.

“Don’t use it on me, please. I had to park my vehicle quite a distance away, so it wouldn’t be seen by the others. We will have to be fast and quiet.”

I nodded at his instructions. Escaping was my top priority. I’d already risked enough trying to stick this out. All the adrenaline that fueled my initial escape had long since faded, and the weakness from earlier was settling back in.

Just a little bit longer, then home.

The word home brought to mind the apartment across from mine, which was so sparsely decorated it shouldn’t feel like home, but it did. Indigo did. He always had, and the thought of returning there and finally getting to sleep perked me up once more.

With a lazy swirl of my wrist, I tested the weight of the borrowed blade. I certainly wasn’t used to such a heavy weapon, but it would work in a pinch. The onyx on the sword hilt felt muted, unlike the onyx pressing into my thumb from the ring Indigo gave me.

“I’ll take the lead,” Balthazar declared as he turned and started in the same direction Jason and I were heading. I reached out to contact Jason since he hadn’t come back to check on me, but the connection felt disrupted. Tightening my grip around the handle of the new blade, I cleared my mind and focused on following Balthazar. Jason would be okay, and I’d reconnect with him once I was safe.

Balthazar was too far ahead of me, and I loped after him. We made our way through the maze of the shipping yard without incident. For once, it felt like things were beginning to look up. Relief coursed through me as we jogged through the parking lot to Balthazar’s car. He turned and finally noticed I was hobbling on the hard cement and lifted me bridal style into his arms.

“Whoa.” I wrapped my arms around his neck at the unexpected move.

“I apologize for the wear on your feet. I should have addressed this sooner.”

“It’s fine. I’ll survive.”

Balthazar took the last remaining strides to the car and expertly opened the door with me still in his arms. I raised my brows at him as he set me gently inside. His gaze went to the broken handcuffs still hanging off my wrists and deftly pinched the metal, breaking it, the pieces falling to the ground with a thud.

Freedom. I sighed.

Balthazar offered me a weak smile and closed my door. I flipped down the visor mirror and scrutinized my face. Fuck, I look absolutely horrible. My cheeks were gaunt, and the purple rings under my eyes made it look like I’d been punched...repeatedly. My hair needed about four washes and a brushing or three. I slapped the mirror shut and put the visor back up as Balthazar climbed in.

“Rest. You’ve had a long week.”

“Yeah, true. Although I’m sure my night has only begun. I’m pretty sure Nix and Indigo will grill me to within an inch of my life,” I admitted with a quiet laugh. But the warmth of the heated seat had already begun to lull me to sleep.

Rest. Finally.

Chapter 29

In my restless dreams, a howl echoed around my head, sounding so sorrowful and broken, tears pricked my eyes. The siren call of sleep forgotten, I twisted in the seat and inhaled deeply before stretching and slowly blinking my eyes open. The sunlight finally did it, waking me completely. I squeezed my eyes shut before braving the harsh light again.

Squinting one eye open and gradually adjusting to the brightness, I opened the other and looked out the passenger side window. The terrain around us was seriously lacking in buildings, though it had a surplus of trees. Anxiety wrapped around me like an itchy blanket I couldn’t shrug off.

I glanced over at Balthazar, who was wearing a new shirt to replace the one he’d offered me.

“What’s going on?”

“I’m sorry to have done this, but Morris called. He’s been keeping an eye on us in the city and has grown very concerned with your apparent lack of self-preservation. Not to mention my lack of control of the situation. He demanded that we return immediately for an evaluation.”

I went to grab for the blade that Balthazar had given me at the docks but found it was missing. My worry increased, and my stomach tightened. While I didn’t want to give away my only trump card here—the fact that he didn’t know I could control vampires—I’d be willing to do it to free myself from this situation.

“Morris has been updating your parents. They seem concerned with what they’ve been hearing. Morris is eager to find your brother as well. Since you are my deehire, you are considered part of the coven family, which means your brother is, by extension, also a member. He plans to send another unit out to find him.”

The glaring threat in his voice caused the breath to leave my lungs, and they started to constrict. Rubbing the onyx ring on my finger for comfort, I tried to keep up a facade of calm.

“Do you think they’ll find him?” The worry in my tone was real but not for the reasons Balthazar thought. As far as I knew, the vampires were under the impression Abel had been kidnapped.

“I believe they will be able to bring him home, yes.”

“And you’re ready to jump right into this?” I asked, nervous to hear his answer. I didn’t know where he stood with his wooing me.

“Well, I believe you first need to connect to the rest of your powers, and the ceremony is a very important aspect in your culture. I’m sure you have felt incomplete without having concluded it. Returning to Kodiak Falls will be safer for you until we can retrieve Abel. Then, you both can begin your lives. And we can begin ours,” Balthazar announced, watching the road, but tightening his hands on the wheel.

“You still want to go through with it? Even if I’m not ready?”

“While I understand that you have only recently discovered our engagement, I have been aware of it for the past twenty-one years. Your parents began giving our coven updates around the time you were growing into maturity. I am ready, and Morris has become restless. Let us just return and settle his worries. We will discuss the next steps after that.”

It felt like he was trying to justify his actions and make me compliant, and I’d already made a fatal mistake. He still had my blood in his system, which he claimed would linger a month or more before that link dissipated. By then, I suspected he already had a plan for us to be mated and tied to one another forever.

“You should drink some water. You’re probably dehydrated.” He indicated to the water bottle sitting in the cupholder between us. My stomach soured. The last thought on my mind was rehydrating.

“Do you have a phone?” I asked, changing the subject.

“Your parents already know we’re on our way back,” he answered primly.

“Yes, but Ind— ...Nix,” I quickly corrected, hoping he didn’t catch my flub, “doesn’t know what happened. I don’t want him to worry or waste their resources trying to find me,” I insisted.

“I’ll call him once we arrive home. You slept for quite a while. It should be about ten more hours before we arrive. If you’re hungry, I can stop and get you something.”

“No, I’ll just rest some more.”

Truthfully, I was starving, but I didn’t think any food I ate would stay down. My stomach churned, and anxiety thrummed through me. Playing along would be my only option for survival. And the first chance I got, I would get my hands on a phone. I needed to call Abel and warn him.

Balthazar’s warning rang through my head. My parents had been threatened before, and the contract was still in place. Everything he was doing was legal in the eyes of the Council.

But anger simmered under my skin with the knowledge that I walked right into this. Offered myself up on a silver platter.

Balthazar grabbed my hand, the one with the onyx ring around my thumb, and brought it to his lips.

“I was so worried about you while you were in the custody of that slave trader.”

I made a noncommittal noise and twisted in the seat away from him, closing my eyes. I gripped the door handle in my hand and tried to call Jason, but my powers were distant and muted. Balthazar released my hand, assuming I had fallen sleep again.

Opening my eyes a sliver, I stared at the band around my arm, suddenly realizing it looked different. The color of the staurolite was a more vibrant shade than before, which meant it definitely wasn’t the same band that Kayana put on me.

Dread swirled in my gut with the realization that Balthazar, knowing the other band was fake, switched them as I slept.

Jason couldn’t help me or reassure me now. Not with my powers being muted by my oh-so-concerned fiancé or with the threat hanging over my parents and Abel. Did I really have a choice not to play along?

My weapons were left behind, along with my sense of safety. For once in my life full of werewolves, I felt like I was walking into the wolf’s den.

Epilogue

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

The tinny recording of her voicemail clicked. “You’ve reached Rowan. You know what to do.” Beep.

Gritting my teeth, I glared at my phone. This was the tenth time I’d tried to call Rowan within the last half hour. She always had her phone on her. Now, more than ever, she needed to answer. I was running out of time. I couldn’t hold onto this phone any longer. I just had to hope my warning would reach her before it was too late.

“Rowan, stay away from the Morris coven. I was tipped off by a very reliable source that they are not all they seem to be. Under no circumstances are you to return home. I’m destroying this phone and going deep underground. Shit is about to go down, little twin. Be safe, and stay close to those who love you.”

Hopefully, she would know I meant Indigo. He would do anything to protect her. Anything. And that was exactly what she needed. I considered calling him as a back-up, but that was risky. As the full moon hung above us, I didn’t know if he would have enough control not to react impulsively.

Acacia watched me with a careful eye.

“Don’t give me that look.”

“You should have told her everything,” she chastised.

“Really? You’re going to lecture me on keeping secrets?” I snapped, still annoyed by her latest revelation.

“She might be better prepared.”

“Unless someone else has her phone, listens to my message, and then learns exactly what we know. I can’t risk it until I actually hear from her.”

I hoped I made the right decision by being vague with my message, but my gut told me something happened to Rowan. Gritting my teeth, I flung my phone to the ground and stomped on it with the heel of my boot. Hopefully, I would be able to get in contact with her soon.

“We have to get moving,” Acacia warned.

“Then let’s go.”

We took off like we had hellhounds on our heels, which wasn’t far from the truth.

To be continued...

A Special Tease

Willow

My father didn’t know that I’d escaped his clutches again. Of course, the first time I had help from Rowan, and it was about time I repaid the favor. She didn’t realize who had bought her, but I overheard my father and knew it was the same vampire coven to whom he’d given me—the one who branded and tortured Rowan.

The shipping yard was one of many places he used to drop off his merchandise, but using my magic to trace her, I followed and waited. I planned to extract her before the other vampires arrived, but some dropped by unannounced to check out the unit where she was being held captive. After that incident, my father instructed a few of his goons to keep an eye on the area. In their excitement, the vamps arrived too early and set off his alarms. I knew how to get around the vampires, but the goons, I did not.

My father dabbled in dark magic that our kind detested.

Night fell, and another set of vampires arrived with the witch, Sierra, who was there to activate Rowan’s brand. No one knew that my magic could counteract hers—a secret I kept to myself. I offered as much support to Rowan as I could while she fought to escape. It didn’t bypass my attention that the vampires who went to grab her hadn’t returned.

I hoped my assistance was enough, because it wasn’t long before Sierra realized what was happening and came in search of me with another vampire. Sierra cast spells at me with increasing ferocity while I deflected, but it was the vampire who worried me the most. Magic wasn’t a problem; however, the speed and strength of the vampire wasn’t something I could escape. As I was busy blocking another fireball from Sierra, the vampire moved in to snatch me.

As his claw-tipped hands reached for me, a solid body suddenly landed between us. A muscular tail wrapped around my waist, tugging me out of the way of another fireball, and wings expanded as another form of protection.

My eyes were like saucers as I gaped, “Cornelius?”

“Where the fuck have you been?” he growled as he grappled with the vampire, whom he matched in both speed and strength. All while he kept me wrapped in his strong tail, dodging me from Sierra’s magic.

“Um...”

“We’ll discuss it later. Right now, we need to find Rowan,” he grunted, continuing his battle with the vampire.

I turned my attention to Sierra. Using my blue flames magic, I created a whip and forced her on the defensive. While cocooned in Cornelius’s grip, we compelled her to the ground. With a snarl, Cornelius twisted the neck of the vampire with a crack—not killing him but definitely knocking him out for a couple hours.

He pulled me around, so I stood in front of him, brushing a calloused finger over my cheek. I closed my eyes, enjoying the small touch. His earthy scent filled my nose, reminding me of a home I had long since forgotten.

A howl, so mournful and heartbroken, pierced the air, and I stumbled backwards.

His jaw tightened as Cornelius looked in the direction from which it came.

“Indigo.”

LAST WORD FROM THE AUTHOR

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Stuff about the Author

Becca Vincenza lives in wonderful Michigan. She has an obsession with candy, her animals, and of course books. When she's not wearing her author hat, she's working to pay off her student loans for her acquired English degree.

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