Chapter 16 #3
“We will have our dance, don’t you worry, dustslinger.
But not tonight. For now…” He lunges at me with such speed he’s on top of me before I can make myself vanish.
With strong hands, he’s pinned me to the ground.
His weight is ten times heavier than the werewolf that attacked me last night.
I try to pull myself inward, escaping in one of my dust clouds, but I can’t transport myself away from him.
What the hell?
He leans closer, his glowing yellow eyes searching my face.
Voices are shouting from all around, except I can barely hear them.
They sound so far away. Looking over the beast’s shoulder, I see some kind of shell, like a giant soapy bubble over us.
Then, to my right, the witch sits up on her horse, one arm stretched out with her fingers splayed open as she whispers words I can’t hear.
“You’ll learn soon enough, but I’ll clue you in now.
My pack isn’t like the other packs in Graveyard Territory.
I’ve got a few outside aberrants in my pocket.
That’s Viola, my faithful witch with a hearty appetite, who likes to play with her food before devouring their essence.
It’s quite disgusting to watch, even for me. ”
He leans back but still holds me pinned to the dirt.
“Viola has perfected this bubble to prevent you from using your powers. The old dustslinger figured out how to avoid Viola’s magic—but you’re fresh and don’t know shit about these parts.
” He smiles, showing off his sharp teeth.
Saliva spills from the corner of his mouth and onto my neck.
The slimy, wet feeling trickles down along my collarbone.
I want to scream and punch and…and cry. He could end my life right now if he wanted.
Why had I let my emotions and impatience get the better of me?
“Now, I said I would give Maureen one week. Should I rescind that and take the wolf and your sister tonight?”
Shaking my head, I plead with him, “No. Please, no.”
“You won’t get any more mercy from me in the future. I think you’ve used up all of your…” His face contorts into a mocking one and he says with a childlike voice, “I’m new to all this.” His expression hardens, and his eyes glow bright. “You have one week to say your goodbyes.”
I’m about to nod, to agree to whatever this asshole wants, but the bubble around us pops and he’s up on his feet so fast and assessing the attack.
I roll onto my side and search out the witch.
She’s on her back a few feet away on the dirt road, rolling onto her side as if the air got knocked out of her chest.
“You touch my sister again and I’ll kill you!” Nina shouts.
“No!” I shout, my voice still finding purchase in my throat. The fear of Cletus on top of me is taking longer to shake off. “Run, Nina! Get away!”
“You’re going to pay for that,” Cletus says, seething between gritted teeth.
“No!” Viola coughs, as she calmly gets to her feet. She hobbles over and rests a hand on Cletus’s shoulder. His chest is heaving with deep breaths as he rages from my sister’s attack on his witch. His claws are fully extended, and his feet are poised to lunge at my sister.
“Not tonight,” she says, sliding her hand down his arm, then holding him at the elbow.
She positions herself directly in front of him, not apparently angered by my sister’s attack.
His yellow eyes lock onto her face, and I wonder if he’ll listen or toss her aside.
I pray she has some kind of sway over the alpha prepared to spill blood.
“It’s too easy tonight, and where’s the fun in that?” She drags her long black nails across his chest. “I say, give ’em the week.”
His heaving breaths ease up, and eventually he nods.
They stare at one another as if speaking through their minds before he finally turns away.
The witch spins on her toes and marches over to Nina.
Hunter bares his teeth, growls, and creeps to intercept, except Viola lifts him off the ground and holds him suspended in the air with one of her bubbles.
Damn, this lady is powerful.
While holding the wolf a good distance away, Viola approaches Nina.
I struggle to get to my feet, wanting to rush over and protect my sister, but my spine and tailbone ache from being thrown back to the ground when Cletus lunged at me.
The witch whispers something in my sister’s ear.
Then, when she backs off, Nina simply nods.
Viola turns and saunters away. As she walks by me, she doesn’t even acknowledge me, as if I’m no threat to her.
Who’s the alpha in this pack?
Cletus whistles, and Viola takes to her horse. The pack and two riders head out of town while Cletus lingers. “Seven days, Maureen. I’ll be back to take what’s mine.” His giant of a horse turns, its hooves pounding against the dirt road, as he saunters out of Gravers Junction.
I want to burst into tears. Not only because of embarrassment at my actions but also because the countdown starts now, and in seven days, I may lose my sister forever.