Page 26 of Warrior Witch

As I stared, trying to process the development, a fine line extended to the side of my name and forked several times.

“Nope. Nopenopenopenope.” I shoved the book at Lindsay and turned to leave, freezing in place at the sight of a portrait hanging beside the door I’d entered through.

The figures in the portrait wore clothes that would have been modern at the time Spells Hollow was a thriving community. The man had been painted wearing a white shirt and brown vest, while the woman was in a dress suited to a renaissance faire. The man’s dark hair was tousled, and the artist had managed to capture a wicked glint in his eye and a lift to his lips that made him seem roguish and approachable all at once. My eyes slid over to the woman again, despite my wishes. She had the same dark hair. Her eyes looked similar to her brother’s, but the comparison was insignificant seeing as she looked identical to another person in the room.

“Why is there a painting of you in ye’ olde garb?” Lindsay asked, moving toward the portrait for a closer look.

“This is too much,” I muttered, striding from the room and hitting the stairs at a run.

“Harls, wait.”

Lindsay’s voice followed me out the front door, but I couldn’t wait. I had to get out. To get away and clear my head.

“Where are you going?” Bruin paused in the process of hefting a chair at the front window of the house next door, but I had no words for him.

“Stop her,” Lindsay yelled at the biker, but I wasn’t in the mood to sit in a sharing circle and sing Kumbaya.

Electricity skated over my skin, zapping Bruin as he made a grab for me.

“No way am I getting electrocuted again because she has it in her head to do something stupid.”

“Harlow.” The panic in Lindsay’s voice broke through my need for escape long enough for me to force a deep breath.

“Get the others and head back to the motel. I need to clear my head, so I’m going to walk back. I’ll see you soon.”

“But—”

“It’s fine. I’m the strong one, remember?” I held up my hand in demonstration, then turned on my heel and stalked into the woods.

Images of family trees and doppelgangers consumed my mind as I skirted trees and stepped over rubble. As an orphan, I’d never felt like I belonged anywhere. To anyone. And now a blood moon vision had sent me to the home of my ancestors? It was too bizarre to process, and I found myself wishing for the mother I never knew. I’d been too scared to look at her name on the tree. I knew how she’d died… at least how they’d told me she did. The idea it could have been this curse instead? Nope. It wasn’t the time to open that can of worms.

I lost track of the path as I wove my way deeper into the woods, led by my thoughts more than my feet, and it wasn’t until I realized the light had dimmed significantly that I stopped to look around. An unnatural twilight descended around me, stealing the sun’s light despite the fact it couldn’t have been later than three in the afternoon. Shadows reached across the ground toward me as the insect sounds cut off abruptly. Flexing my hands, I allowed a trickle of power to dance across my fingertips as I waited to see what would emerge from the darkness. The snap of a stick brought my head around, and I caught a glimpse of movement beyond the dark trees.

“Come out, come out,” I muttered and planted my feet wide, ready to fight.

A chuffing sound came from my left at the same time leaves rustled to my right. Shit, how many of them were there? I raised a hand, ready to send out a warning strike and hopefully dissuade whatever creature had decided to try me.

At the last moment, movement in my peripheral vision made me swing my arm around and release a solid bolt of electricity at what looked like a giant gray wolf. The beast didn’t even slow as he launched himself at me.

We crashed to the ground in a pile of limbs, and I winced as my skull bounced on the packed dirt. My ears rang, vision blurring as I tried to dislodge the heavy mass of fur growling in my face. Saliva hung from its muzzle in long drops as the beast opened its maw. I tried to shock the thing again but gasped in pain as the wolf flexed its paws, digging its claws into my flesh as it lowered its head and growled.

What kind of animal was immune to magic?

I could be in real trouble here.

I began to struggle in earnest, kicking at the ground as I tried to work my arms out from under the beast, but froze as a deep growl rumbled to my right. The sound was deeper and far more menacing than the wolf had made, but my body responded by going completely lax. Maybe I’d hit my head harder than I thought. Or maybe this was the curse all my family succumbed to. My family. The most inappropriate giggle bubbled out from between my lips at the thought of finally finding out who I belonged to, only to die, just like the rest of them.

I closed my eyes, sending up a silent apology to Lindsay and Addie as the wolf’s foul breath ghosted over my face. Something soft brushed against my skin, then I could take a full breath again. Cracking my eyes open despite the throbbing in my head, I was faced with the sight of a huge white wolf facing off against my attacker. The gray wolf growled as it sank onto its haunches and sprang forward, but the white wolf effortlessly absorbed its attack, swiping at its face until blood dripped from its paws.

The scene began to blur as my heartbeat pounded in my ears, and the last thing I saw as consciousness slipped away was the gray wolf turning tail while the white wolf stretched up onto two legs, taking on a masculine form. Sunlight flared in my eyes, blinding me for a moment before everything turned black.

Ranto

Small rocks and sticks stabbed at my bare feet as I stumbled over to the unconscious female on the ground, cursing my vulnerable human form. A warm breeze brushed against my naked skin, and I resisted the urge to shift and regain my protective layer of fur. I’d spent too long in my wolf form this time around, and it would take me a while to adjust to the discomfort of my human form, but I couldn’t find it in me to regret it. Not when the single most important being in the world was finally close enough to touch.

I’d accepted the job to investigate the Grim Hearts MC on a whim. As a PI, most of my work consisted of proving cases of embezzlement and infidelity. But when your best friend from the police academy calls you up with a chance to help bring down one of the most notorious crime organizations in the state? Sign me the hell up. The fact that it would mean going an indeterminate amount of time without having to take candid shots of old, rich, white guys’ naked asses as they pounded their social-climbing secretaries into the desk was just an added bonus.

I never dreamed I’d finally come face to face with my mate.

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