Chapter Twenty-four
Stood just inside the doorway of her apartment, Paisley knocked back the elixir and shuddered a little. ‘Tastes like green tea, but super minty.’
Emberlyn took the empty potion bottle from her and jammed the stopper into it. ‘You nervous about tonight?’
Paisley let out a quick breath, putting a hand to her stomach.
‘Yes. Crew keeps reassuring me that I’ll be fine; says he’ll be right there and won’t leave my side.
But even now, the lunar goings-on are affecting me.
Like my body knows that a full moon is coming.
I’m a little scared to find out just how strong an impact it’ll have.
I don’t want to end up in my In-between form, or wake up smelling of bad sexual decisions. ’
‘If Crew said he won’t leave you, then he won’t leave you. Which means the only person you’d be getting down and dirty with is him.’
Paisley’s lips hitched up. ‘He rocks in bed, so I’d be fine with that.’
Kage pushed away from the wall. ‘Wait, you’re sleeping with Crew?’
‘Why, you gonna be the protective big brother and go order him to treat me right?’ Paisley asked, a mocking note to her tone.
Kage blinked. ‘And contribute to your happiness?’ He paused, humming. ‘I don’t know. The thought never really crossed my mind.’
Paisley squinted at him. ‘You’re such an ass. We’re twins. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?’
‘Should it?’
Letting out a sound of exasperation, Paisley turned away from him. ‘Be thankful that you’re an only child, Emberlyn. Siblings are the worst.’
Feeling her lips twitch, Emberlyn peeked up at the wall clock. ‘We’d better get downstairs. The hub needs to open in, like, two minutes.’
‘First, you have to tell me about the secret convo you had with Ripper last night at the game. You told me you’d give up the goods today.’ Paisley folded her arms. ‘Let’s hear it.’
Kage cocked his head, visibly intrigued.
‘Reena came to see me yesterday.’ Emberlyn relayed the entire conversation to her friends, adding, ‘I wouldn’t have thought she’d ever seek me out for advice; it still feels weird that she did.’
Kage rubbed at his cheek. ‘She could be just trying to make you think she means you no harm when, really, she’s plotting to take you down. But that doesn’t sound like Reena.’
‘No, it doesn’t,’ agreed Paisley. ‘She may be right that she’s the real target. It would actually be kind of smart of whoever’s responsible to make it seem that they’re after you. It’d mean that people would suspect your enemies, not hers.’
‘I think it has to be someone in the faction, or maybe several of them.’ Emberlyn looked from Kage to Paisley. ‘Do either of you have any inkling as to who might be part of the group?’
Kage pursed his lips. ‘There are lots of witches who think the coven should be taught about malevolent practices for informational purposes. I’ve never heard anyone openly admit that they want to dabble in them, though.
Whatever the case, this faction will be tight. Secretive. Maybe even generational.’
Emberlyn nodded. ‘And they will have infiltrated Reena’s inner circle for certain. They’d need to keep tabs on her and be sure she isn’t figuring shit out. It also means they can mislead her and paint people as trustworthy when they’re anything but.’
‘It’s partly her fault that it’s gotten this bad,’ Paisley claimed.
‘She never took the faction seriously. Prior High Priestesses kept an ear to the ground. She ignored any and all rumors of the group, acting as though it didn’t exist; too arrogant to consider that it might ever work to undermine or overthrow her. ’
‘Well, she’s considering it now,’ Emberlyn muttered.
Paisley plucked at her lower lip. ‘I don’t believe any of my family are part of it, but I also don’t think they’d much care if she was replaced.
They don’t like having a leader who never holds her close ones accountable for anything.
She always makes excuses for them, especially Tyra and Sera, and will even give them false alibis. ’
‘Speaking of Sera, I wouldn’t be surprised if she wants to be part of the faction. I don’t think she is, because they seem intent on not drawing attention to themselves. No one can say that about Sera.’ A secret organization wasn’t likely to trust her.
‘She claims to look down on you but, really, she’s jealous.
You have what she wants – the freedom to practice whatever forms of craft you choose.
So yes, she’d definitely be interested in being part of the faction.
But I can’t see them reaching out to her and inviting her to join.
She’s too mouthy and dramatic.’ Paisley tilted her head.
‘Did I tell you that she’s been advising my mother to officially disown me? ’
Emberlyn felt her brows snap together. ‘The fuck?’
‘Our cousin gave us a heads-up about it,’ said Kage, his jaw tight.
That fucking heifer. ‘Why would Sera care either way?’
‘Because if I’m upset you’ll be mad, maybe?’ suggested Paisley. ‘She can’t go at you, but she can irritate you via other people.’
Emberlyn pressed her lips tight together. ‘Someone needs to shoot her in the ass.’
‘There’ll be people who’ve thought about it. It’s not just you she annoys.’ A sudden shiver racked Paisley’s body, and she let out a shaky breath.
Concerned, Emberlyn studied her closely. ‘You all right?’
‘I keep getting shivers. Crew said it’s normal for a newbie werewolf on the day of their first full moon.’
Ah. ‘If at any point today you feel like you need to get out of here because the upcoming full moon is playing havoc with your system, just go.’
Paisley saluted her. ‘Will do. Thanks.’
‘You have any regrets about taking the Change?’
‘Not one. I mean, it’s still weird having no connection to my magick. But I don’t feel like it’s left a hole behind. Being a werewolf is its own form of magick, really. I find it way more fulfilling than I did living as a witch. And it feels really good to not be seen as the weak link, you know?’
‘I can imagine.’ Emberlyn had worried her friend might later lament her decision, and it was a relief that she didn’t. ‘I’m glad you’re happy.’
‘Aw, you’re the bestest.’ Paisley held out her arms. ‘Can I have a hug?’
‘No.’
Paisley pouted, her eyes dancing. ‘I know you’re not a hugger, but I’m a werewolf. We need touch.’
Emberlyn poked her in the forehead. ‘There you go.’
‘I said touch, not pain.’ Paisley rubbed at her forehead.
‘I really never got why werewolves were so tactile. But it’s a kind of language.
A way we communicate. It feels more natural than using words.
We do it to comfort, to check in, to reassure, to express affection, to .
. . anything.’ She sniffed at Emberlyn. ‘I’ll bet you let Ripper cuddle you, yet here you are denying me one. It ain’t fair.’
‘I’ll hug you, sis.’ Kage wrapped his arms around her. ‘Love you.’
Paisley smiled, hugging him back. ‘I love you, too.’
Emberlyn felt her mouth curve. ‘Aw, that’s sweet.’
‘Not really,’ said Kage. ‘I’m only holding her here so she has to smell my fart.’
Paisley’s brow furrowed. ‘What? You can’t be – oh my God, what the fuck have you been eating? That reeks!’ She gagged. ‘I’m going to be sick. Really, I’m gonna hurl. Make him let me go! Now, now, now!’
Ripper was shoving clothes into his duffel when his phone rang. He crossed to the nightstand, his muscles tight, his body feeling charged and restless due to the upcoming full moon. He lifted the phone receiver and put it to his ear. ‘Yeah?’
‘It’s Kerr, you want a ride to the clearing?’
Ordinarily, Ripper would have accepted the offer. He needed to shift; to run off the energy invading his system. The pull of the moon tugged at his skin, sang in his blood and hummed in his bones.
But another pull was so much stronger.
‘I’m not going to the clearing tonight,’ replied Ripper. ‘There’s somewhere else I want to be.’ Someone he wanted to be with.
‘Figured as much,’ said Kerr, a smile in his voice. ‘Say hi to your witch for me.’ The line went dead.
Ripper lowered the receiver back to its cradle. Your witch. He’d grown to like the sound of that far too much.
Once upon a time, the draw he felt toward her had been powered by sexual chemistry. It was no longer a simple case of that. Emberlyn was his own personal magnet.
Ripper returned to the bed and zipped up his duffel. He’d packed himself some gear because he planned to run to the manor in his wolf form. He’d need clothes for when they ate dinner – which would come after he fucked her.
He stripped off his clothes, snatched his duffel and stepped out onto his porch. There, he let the shift take him. Parts of his body shrank, others elongated, bones moved and popped.
Done, he shook his body, settling into his fur. With his teeth, he grabbed his duffel and then took off.
He galloped through the woods, winding his way through weathered trees sporting territorial marks. He kicked up dead leaves, dodged animal droppings, leaped over fallen trees and stomped over clumps of spongy moss.
Branches shuddered with the breeze that raked through and rustled his fur. Brambles and bushes shook as small forest creatures scampered into their burrows. The scents of greenery, animal scat and a hint of ozone laced the air.
Grass slid over his legs as he ran and ran, enjoying the burn in his muscles. He smelled a deer nearby but ignored the temptation to hunt. The temptation of Emberlyn was stronger.
Finally, he arrived at the manor. He nudged open the gate with his head and trotted up the path. His claws scrabbled the porch steps and deck.
He was about to paw at the door, but it swung open. No Emberlyn stood on the other side. He padded into the house, dumped his duffel and then followed her scent, tracking her to the kitchen. She stood near the sink in a silky, mid-length robe . . . and quite possibly nothing else.
She blinked as she noticed him. ‘The house let you in again, huh. Don’t shift just yet.’ She squatted in front of him. ‘Damn, you’re huge.’