Howl (Witches & Warlocks Book 4) (13 page)

Daya’s face gets all pinched as she listens. I swear, anger crackles around her, almost visible and definitely palpable. “Have you spoken to Albert about this?” she asks with an edge to her voice that’s hard to discern.

“We considered it, but then, we weren’t sure how much he knows about the Trinity, how much he knows about what we were doing.” I hesitate, not sure how much I should tell Daya, how much I should trust her. But then, Noah’s words come back to me and I realize just how absolutely, positively tired I am of wondering who I can trust. I throw caution to the wind. “And, we weren’t sure if he’s on our side or not. What if he’s more Team Vampire than Team Witch, you know? We wanted to talk to you first.”

Relief floods Daya’s face and she graces us with a proud smile. “Good for you. All very good decisions. With the two of you spending so much time with the wolves, I was afraid that you’d let yourselves grow too close to Albert.”

I have about a million questions to ask her. Is there a reason I shouldn’t get close to Albert? Is there a reason not to trust him? Did she mistrust us because we’ve been going to the gym? Oh my gosh…

Is that why we haven’t been getting any missions?

I never get a chance to ask those questions, though. There’s a crash in the kitchen. Glass breaking and twinkling against the linoleum. The rush of fire and the panicked mew of a kitten. Heat rushes towards us with smoke hot on its heels and Daya and Noah and I spring to our feet. There’s a hand on my arm, pulling me towards the door but I pull against it.

“We gotta get out of the house,” Noah hisses at me, pulling even harder on my arm.

I yank out of my grasp. “Not without my cat.” And with that, I run towards the kitchen, choking on smoke and the smell of gasoline and burning stuff.

Chapter Fifteen

The fire is everywhere, on everything, and my kitchen is basically melting. Daya and Noah rush from the living room and skid to a halt beside me. Without hesitation, Daya lifts her arms and there’s a rush of magic. “Aqua perdere ignis,” she cries and plumes of water sweep from her fingertips, rush through the room in huge rope-like strands, spraying water onto the flames.

Noah adds his voice to hers. “Tueri socius,” he says, a protection spell for my kitten. Golden magic skitters along his edges and dances among the fire. It swoops down and surrounds Twinks in a mass of glowing energy, twisting and spiraling around him as the little guy bolts towards me.

Me? I send a wave of magic out beyond the confines of the house, a blast of power out towards the trees. This is my house. My home. No one has the right to make me feel unsafe. If my magic finds whomever threw the firebomb in through the window, he might find himself a little singed around the edges.

It doesn’t take us long to get the fire under control. I scoop Twinks up and cradle him in my arms. His tiny little kitten body is trembling and he’s coughing and wheezing. I send my magic out to him, check him for injuries, and do my best to soothe his nerves and his irritated lungs. He’s gonna be OK, but he burrows himself into my hair, nuzzles into my neck, half perched on my shoulder, purr box going like crazy.

The kitchen is less OK. The smell alone is enough to choke on. The linoleum is melted, burned and twisted. Smoke rolls off my brand new curtains. Everything’s covered in soot and is just charred and nasty. Between the three of us, it shouldn’t take too long to clean up, just a few spells and a couple hours, but I never even get time to suggest it. Daya’s leading us out of the kitchen and Noah’s got my arm. They’re grabbing coats and I’m busy protesting.

“I’ll look outside,” Daya says, ignoring me and speaking right over my protests. “I’ll confirm it was the wolf. Don’t even bother with the car. Just take her to Windsor. I’ll follow.” As we head outside, Twinks secure inside my coat, zipped in tight and warm against my body, Daya stops Noah. “Check the area before you go inside.”

I don’t know, maybe I’m in shock. It all seems like a lot of hubbub for not that big of a deal. I mean, the fire wasn’t much more than a slight annoyance. We’re all safe. I don’t think there’s much that Ty could do to us that we aren’t prepared to deal with at least a hundred times over. But despite my best attempts to say any of that, Noah’s casting the transportation spell. There’s the familiar wrenching and Twinks’ claws dig into my belly. I hug him tight and then we’re standing outside Windsor, the howl of a wolf fading in the distance.

“Did you hear that?” I ask Noah, suddenly acutely aware that the sun has set.

“The wolf?” His face is grim. “Ya.” And his eyes dance around the area.

“Was that here or at home?”

“No clue.”

Hand in hand, we stalk the perimeter of Windsor, muttering spells and incantations and find nothing that seems too out of place. I mutter one last spell,
vigilate periculum
, a spell designed to alert me to any danger and head inside to wait for Daya in her office.

Turns out she’s waiting for us. “It was definitely a wolf,” she says before we’re even two feet past the door.

I unzip my coat and let Twinks poke his head out. “We heard one as we left, but weren’t sure if it was here or there.”

“It was at your house,” Daya says and drops into her seat. “There’s no doubt in my mind that it was your wolf.”

Noah starts pacing the tight confines of the office.

“So what do we do? This guys is totally unhinged.” I invite Twinks to come out, but he seems more than fine to stay bundled up against my chest. Poor little guy.

“The problem is,” Daya says as she drums her fingers against her desk, “is that with me being there at your house when the problem arose, it’s official. You can’t do anything drastic behind my back, because I’m fully aware of what happened. And in my opinion, drastic is what this guy deserves.” There’s a look in Daya’s eyes that I’ve never seen before. One that I’m not sure I understand, but it’s fierce and it’s protective and thank God it’s not aimed at me.

Noah stops pacing and takes a few steps towards Daya. “What do you mean, we can’t do anything behind your back?”

“Think it through. If I hadn’t been there when this guy attacked, you could have attacked back and no one would be the wiser. But I was there. So, if you go and take action against the guy without going through all the official channels, it makes me look bad in the eyes of the wolves. I’d have to reprimand you, punish you, there’d be a summit…”

“But, he attacked me. I’m not allowed to retaliate?”

Daya shakes her head. “Not really. Not if you want to operate within the confines of the law. You need to make an official complaint with me and we’d then need to make an official complaint with Albert. And given all that’s going on right now, what with Lucy and Barnabe and…” Daya trails off. Notices who she’s speaking to. Sighs and changes subjects. “Well, it’s just really a bad time for us to be operating behind the law.”

“So what do we do?” Noah drops into one of the chairs near Daya’s desk. “She can’t be alone. As a human, he’s no match for her, but it’s only a matter of time before he comes at her as a wolf. She’s not had to deal with a wolf before.” There’s so much left unsaid in that statement that I shudder a little. The wolves had never really popped up on my radar as dangerous, but that last statement makes me question whether or not it’s smart to underestimate them.

“We’re gonna have to do this using official channels.”

I’m seriously starting to lose my patience here. “And what exactly does that mean?”

“You need to file a complaint with me.”

“OK. Consider it filed.”

Daya smiles a little. “And I need to file a complaint with Albert.”

“Well, then, let’s move onto step two.”

Daya explains that Albert may or may not deem the threat substantial enough to take action. If he doesn’t take action, we can appeal. Maybe hope that Ty does something a little more aggressive, but not aggressive enough to actually cause me harm. You know, just basically wait around for the guy to attack me so that I have more of a case.

“And if Albert does consider the threat substantial enough?”

“Then the wolf will be executed without trial at the next summit.”

My mouth drops open. A death sentence without a trial? The sentence handed down on the strength of my testimony alone? That’s a lot of power in my hands. “They won’t just lock him up or take away his … I don’t know … his wolfishness or something?” I fully unzip my coat and pull Twinks into my lap, stroke his back with my sweaty hand.

“The pack has strict laws. If a beta — any wolf who’s not the alpha — goes rogue, breaks the laws set by the alpha, the sentence is death. So either Ty is operating without Albert’s consent and is breaking the laws of his pack by attacking a witch, or he
does
have Albert’s consent and that’s a whole different set of problems.”

The thought of Albert sending Ty after me sets my teeth on edge. Albert’s been nothing but friendly to me. Hell, I’ve not met a wolf yet who’s been anything but warm and welcoming. The thought that it’s all been a ruse? Something ugly plants itself in my belly and I’m suddenly not at all OK with any of this. I’m out of my chair, clutching Twinks to my chest. Pacing while Noah and Daya watch.

“For the record,” I say, “I’m very,
very
tired of not knowing who to trust and who’s a friend and who’s gonna end up wrapped up in some huge plot that’s gonna end up with my life in danger.”

Neither of them have anything to say and I continue pacing, practically abusing poor Twinks I’m petting him so frantically.

“So,” I say after a few minutes of extended silence. “How do we bring this to Albert and find out what he really knows?”

Daya smirks. “That part is insanely easy, my dear.” She picks up her phone, presses a button or two and waits until someone picks up on the other end. “Albert, it’s Daya,” she says. “I hereby request a formal meeting and invoke secrecy and truth between us.”

I use just a tiny bit of magic so I can hear his response. Maybe not the most ethical of my decisions, but hey, my life is in danger and I’m tired of relying on other people to tell me what’s going on.

Albert curses. “Really?” he asks. “Is all the formality necessary?”

“Yes,” is all Daya says.

Albert tells her he’ll be there in a little over an hour and that’s just not gonna work for Daya. “If you’re ready, I have transportation lined up for you.”

Albert barely has time to make a sound of affirmation before Daya hangs up the phone and stands. Waves her massive arms through the air in a series of gestures, magic trailing off her fingers as she mutters an incantation. She closes her eyes. Concentration strains across her face. And then, looking every bit as confused as he should, Albert appears directly in front of her.

Noah makes a surprised little sound and I turn to him, eyes wide. I had no idea that kind of spell was even possible. I mean, I’ve been transported before, but it’s always been when I was standing next to the person casting the spell. The thought that it’s possible to reach out across time and space and pull someone to me? I don’t even know what to do with that.

Apparently, neither does Albert. “What the hell, Daya? What if I was … indisposed?” He glances around the room, brow furrowing when he sees Noah and me.

“I’d like to assume that if you were indisposed, you wouldn’t be answering your phone,” Daya says with a curt lift of her eyebrow.

Albert concedes the point and perches on the edge of her desk. “What’s up?” he asks, his tone not doing the formality of Daya’s request justice.

She’s clearly worn from the spell and plops into her chair before she explains the situation to Albert, carefully avoiding anything about my ability to make vampires human again. She glosses over the reason Ty’s been threatening me. Simply says he asked me to do something I didn’t want to do.

I watch Albert closely as he listens, looking for anything that makes me think he knew or that he’s lying or anything that would mean he’s yet another someone that I can’t trust. Of course I don’t see anything. He’s either telling the truth or he’s a really good liar. And I have to assume that if he’s the alpha, if he’s been leading the wolves for however long he’s been leading them, he’s had a long time to work on his poker face.

He looks appalled. Asks about Ty. Stands and paces and clenches his fists and jaw as he listens. His rage is barely contained and I’ve never seen Albert look like this. He asks Daya a few more questions. Answers a few more of hers. Checks to see if I’m OK. Asks me a few questions and listens with growing impatience as I answer.

Finally, Daya asks him to sit and looks him straight in the eye. Sweat is beading on her upper lip and at her forehead. Her face is strained and I don’t know why. “Albert,” she says, “did you sanction these attacks?”

“God, no. This kid is acting on his own. Against the will of the pack. Against the will of his alpha. Justice will be swift.”

Daya nods and smiles. Turns to me and sinks back into her chair. “Well that’s a relief.”

I’m out of my chair before I even have time to think about what I’m saying. “That’s it? You’re just gonna take his word?” Twinks hops out of my arms and bounds across the room. “He just says ‘it wasn’t me’ and you’re good?” I mean, I know I have a trust issue, but this is just too much.

“Zoe.” Daya tries to get my attention, but I'm too busy pacing and muttering, lost in my shock that all Albert has to say is that he’s not lying and she’s gonna believe him. “Zoe!” There’s a sharpness to her voice that brings me to a standstill. “Of course I wouldn’t just take his word on something like this. He passed my truth spell.” She wipes a hand across her brow. “And I went all out.” She smiles up at him. “He thinks he’s so tough, likes to give me the run around, but this old woman still has a few tricks of her own.”

Albert drops a hand on Daya’s shoulder. “Woe to the man who underestimates this woman.” There’s something comfortable between them and as much as I’d like to give it a moment’s thought, the tiger roars to life in my head pacing and roaring, whiskers and tail twitching. Something’s alerted my danger detection spell. It’s growing more and more insistent and I’m finding it harder and harder to sit still. My hands are balled into tight little fists on the edges of the chair. Across the room, Mr. Twinklebottom arches his back and hisses, his hair standing on edge. And then someone knocks on the door. Goosebumps flare over my skin, sending every single hair on my body on edge. I leap out of my chair, body tensed, magic at the ready.