33. Trap
33
Trap
I turned to find Lauren and Beatrice approaching with their mother. Lauren wore a black dress that would have looked more appropriate at a heavy metal concert. Beatrice was in a pink taffeta confection and filming everything with her phone.
Victoria stared, surprised. “You’re still in town?”
“We were planning to leave yesterday, but Priscilla insisted we stay for the ball,” Danielle explained. Her mouth pressed to a thin line as she studied her youngest. “Beatrice, what did we discuss?”
“But, Mother, my followers will love this!” Beatrice protested.
Danielle scowled. “Give me the phone.”
Beatrice reluctantly handed over her cell.
Hugh’s face had glazed over at the sight of Beatrice in her dress. Samuel elbowed him sharply in the ribs.
Before I could decipher what that was about, I spotted the Council of Elders entering the ballroom. Martha and Felicity detached themselves from the group and came over.
“Has anyone seen Camilla?” Martha asked curiously.
Victoria shook her head. “We just got here.”
“Did you know the Holts were planning to hold a ball?” Caroline asked Martha and Felicity.
The pair exchanged a guarded look.
“It was news to us,” Felicity admitted quietly.
“Judging from the rest of the Holt pack, it was news to them too,” Martha said shrewdly.
I followed her gaze to a group of werewolves standing near the dais. Several were talking in low voices, their expressions strangely tense. The rest forced diplomatic smiles on their faces as they greeted guests.
Didi’s voice suddenly crackled in my ear. “Your three o’clock. Those four waiters behind that ficus. They’re mercenaries.”
I picked a couple of champagne flutes from a passing server and turned to hand one to Samuel. The suspects appeared in my line of sight.
“You see them?” Samuel murmured, taking a leisurely sip of his drink.
“Yes.”
“Is there something going on?” Lauren’s puzzled gaze swung between us.
I hesitated and looked at the Hawthornes.
“It wouldn’t hurt to have more allies if things go south,” Caroline said with a shrug.
Kent nodded beside her.
“You can trust these ladies,” Victoria stated confidently.
“I hate to admit it, but we could do with having Lauren and Beatrice on our side,” Samuel said reluctantly.
“Wait,” Didi exclaimed in my ear. “You’re not seriously thinking of bringing civilians in on this assignment, are you?!”
“That’s a bad idea,” Gavin mumbled.
Lauren narrowed her eyes, oblivious to the arguments taking place over my earpiece. “Now I’m positively dying of curiosity.”
My gaze swept our surroundings. “Let’s move this conversation somewhere the walls don’t have ears.”
We found a quiet spot on a terrace outside the ballroom. Caroline and Kent kept a lookout while Samuel and I briefly explained the situation to Martha, Felicity, and the Luptons.
“Holy shit,” Beatrice said leadenly.
Danielle had gone pale. “ That crystal skull went missing?”
I nodded reluctantly and glanced at Lauren’s scowling face. She seemed terribly upset for some reason.
“You really think Priscilla and Marcus are going to use it at this ball?” Martha asked uncertainly.
Felicity clutched her walking stick. “I know Priscilla can be unpleasant at times. Arthur’s disappearance really affected her, after all.” She frowned. “Still, I can’t believe she would do something so dangerous.”
Caroline came over. “We should head back. It looks like our hosts will be making an appearance soon.”
Bo padded toward us when we entered the ballroom. “Where’d you go?”
“We were on the terrace,” I explained. I tensed at his agitated look. “What’s wrong?”
“I got a close whiff of one of the bad guys,” Bo whined. “They’ve got something strange on them.”
Pearl’s eyes shrank to slits. “I hope I’m wrong, but I think it’s wolfsbane and silver.”
Caroline swore. Kent scowled. Lauren looked like she wanted to say something.
A muscle jumped in Samuel’s jawline.
My stomach sank. I’d forgotten to ask the Hawthornes about werewolves’ weaknesses.
“What happens if we come in contact with those?” I asked nervously.
Samuel opened his mouth to answer when a commotion at the head of the ballroom drew our gazes. Our hosts had appeared.
Priscilla looked resplendent in an emerald gown. Diamonds glittered in her ears and at her throat.
Lauren stiffened at the sight of Marcus shuffling nervously beside his mother in a black tuxedo.
The rest of the Holts gathered around them as Priscilla accepted the champagne flute a waiter handed her.
An expectant hush fell over the ballroom.
“Welcome everyone,” Priscilla said with a smile. “It has been some time since the Holts last held a ball.” Her expression turned misty. “Although I still miss my dear Arthur, my son Marcus convinced me I should let go of the past. It was his idea to host this ball and I am truly pleased that he will be soon be the alpha of the Holt pack.”
Marcus paled at little at her words. He put on a brave smile as a round of applause echoed across the ballroom.
My pulse quickened. I exchanged a startled look with Samuel.
“The ball was Marcus’s idea?!”
“Looks like Priscilla may not behind whatever is going on here,” he said in a hard voice.
Didi’s voice came urgently over my earpiece. “The woman in the red dress at your nine o’clock is one of the witches Wheeler contacted. And Nigel just identified four more mercenaries among the waitstaff.”
My wolf stirred. The vampires I’d spotted before had been joined by more of their associates and were spreading out across the ballroom. Surprise jolted me in the next instant.
Something had just surged deep beneath the ground under my feet.
Pearl’s fur rose on end.
“Guys,” Didi said stiffly. “Nigel’s picking up some strange energy readings. He thinks the ley lines are becoming active.”
I clenched my jaw. “I can feel them.”
That’s when I picked up the troubling magic I’d sensed at Chateau Montmartre. It was stronger than it had been outside the forest where I’d chased Wheeler.
My head snapped around, my wolf scenting the trail. Bo’s hackles rose.
We both stared at Marcus as he made swiftly for a corridor to the right.
The magic scent was coming from him.
Marcus looked nervously over his shoulder. I followed his anxious gaze. Before I could figure out why he’d glanced at Lauren before staring at one of the vampire mercenaries, he faced forward again and quickened his steps as if the hounds of Hell were on his tail.
I turned to Samuel, my heart slamming against my ribs. “I need to check something out.”
His eyes narrowed behind his glasses. “I’m coming with you.”
“No.” I squeezed his arm. “Stay here and keep an eye on things. Bo and I will be careful.”
He didn’t look happy but nodded nonetheless.
“Don’t do anything stupid,” Pearl warned.
Caroline, Kent, and Lauren watched us leave with faint frowns.
I slipped through the crowd and escaped the ballroom with Bo.
“Where are you going?” Didi asked suspiciously.
“Following Marcus,” I said quietly. “You were right about that magic I smelled at Chateau Montmartre. I’m pretty sure it’s coming from the crystal skull. And Marcus reeks of it.”
We moved silently, following the growing trail of eerie magic laced with Marcus’s scent. It led us up a sweeping staircase to the first floor.
Bo sniffed the ground and looked up. “It’s coming from there.”
I narrowed my eyes at the double doors at the end of a shadowy corridor to my left.
The only light illuminating the hallway was a ray of moonlight that had escaped the overnight sky and pierced the tall windows overlooking the front courtyard.
We crept closer to the doors.
One of them was ajar. A sliver of brightness escaped from the room beyond.
Voices drifted through the gap as Bo and I pressed against the wall.
“Who—who are the people you brought with you tonight?” Marcus stammered agitatedly. “I just smelled wolfsbane and silver on one of them!”
“I’m surprised you managed to detect that with your weak nose.”
A chill danced down my spine. I exchanged a shocked look with Bo.
It was Camilla, but not the Camilla we knew.
The woman who’d just spoken had ice in her voice and sounded infinitely more dangerous.
I clenched my jaw. Was this the real Camilla?
The loaded silence coming from my earpiece indicated Didi, Gavin, and Nigel were listening in on the conversation.
A choked sound escaped Marcus. “What—what do you mean by that?”
Camilla sighed. “This is getting boring. Grab him.”
I tensed as Marcus’s protests got lost in the sounds of a scuffle. Bo tucked his tail between his legs and shifted closer to me.
“What is the meaning of—of this?!” Marcus shouted angrily. “I did everything you asked of me! I got you that crystal skull and convinced Mother to host this ball.” His voice broke abjectly. “You said you would bring my father back! Damn you?—”
The rest of Marcus’s words got cut off. He grunted and wheezed like he’d been hit in the gut.
My blood ran cold. If Camilla had tricked Marcus into working with her by making a false promise, then the only thing he was guilty of was being gullible.
“Make sure he stays quiet,” Camilla said coldly. “I’ve always hated the sound of that idiot’s voice.” She paused. “Well, well.” The Council secretary’s voice hardened. “It seems we have visitors. How about the two of you reveal yourselves? I can smell you rats outside.”