Page 18 of Hunter

“I can’t say. Perhaps it was natural, perhaps not. I have not heard of a hunter betraying our cause out West within the last few decades, but I mostly focus my efforts on the East Coast, so it is possible I missed it. But that still begs the question of what to do with you.”

Kana tensed and Sora stalked out from where he had been napping underneath Kana’s chair, an angry growl lifting his lips to show sharp teeth.

Ary looked at Sora and swallowed hard, his fist tightening on his spear. The magic might be gone from the spear, but the silver tip and wooden stake were still formidable weapons, especially in Ary’s skilled hands.

“I am not capable of hurting you, not as I am now, and certainly not on my own,” Ary said, his mouth twisting into a wry smile.

“I don’t suggest even considering it, Hunter,” Shannon said, and both Kana and Ary jumped in surprise.

Shannon was standing in the far corner where he was hidden in the shadows cast by Kana’s reading lamp. He had been in the room for almost as long as Kana, and had been standing silently while Kana had been reading. To be honest, Kana had forgotten he was there, and Ary apparently hadn’t noticed him.

“This witch has been accepted into the werewolf pack. Attacking him would be an act of war,” Shannon explained as he stepped forward into the light.

Ary gaped at him. “An ancient,” he mouthed, the words more air than substance.

“The werewolf pack has been kind to protect my daytime rest, much as they have protected the witch who fights at their side. I recommend your thanking them for saving you and providing shelter, and then going about your business elsewhere.” Shannon walked past Kana to the door, pulled it open, then stepped outside. He didn’t close it behind him, and Kana saw a wolf standing in the hallway. She peeked inside, saw Ary was awake, and trotted off in the opposite direction to Shannon.

Ary had stared at the open door, his mouth agape, but had just turned to Kana, when Ember walked into the room.

“I see you’re awake, Hunter,” Ember said. He looked tired and rumpled, his hair in disarray, but he also looked pleased with the day’s work.

“Yes, Alpha. And I am grateful for you and your witch’s help freeing me,” Ary added quickly with a nod toward Kana.

“Kana’s got a good touch with stuff like that,” Ember replied easily, with his usual half smile for Kana, who grinned back and hoped the sudden thumping of his heart that smile always caused wasn’t noticeable.

“So I’ve learned,” Ary said with a wry look at his spear. “Do you know where my cell phone went? I should call my association so they know what happened with my secretary. You said her name was Samantha, and she was from the Seattle coven?” he asked Kana.

“She had you under a coercion spell,” Kana answered. He glanced at Ember, who nodded, so Kana added, “Your phone and wallet are in the bedside drawer.”

Ary leaned to the side and pulled open the drawer. His phone and other items from his pockets were sitting in plain sight.

“Thank you,” Ary said. “While I am a guest in your house, Alpha, I promise my continued good behavior. Could I have some privacy for this call?”

Ember snorted out a laugh. “Yes, although I will hold you to that promise. Sleep well. Someone will come by in the morning to bring you down to breakfast.” Ember waited for Kana to gather his book, then shut the door firmly behind them once they were in the hallway. “Mika said he marked all the spots he thought needed a protection spell,” Ember said as they started walking. “Do you think you can cast that tonight, or would it be better for you to wait for morning?”

“Better to do it now so we’re prepared,” Kana replied.

Ember smiled and his hand reached out as if to take Kana’s, except Ember glanced down at Sora, his smile abruptly fading, and his hand dropped back to his side. Kana bit his lip and looked down at Sora as they walked.

Did you or Mika say something to him? Kana asked.

Sora huffed. I think he’s decided something based on only half the information. We will have to fix that, but later. Right now, you need to cast the protection spell and get to sleep. As it is, you’re probably going to want to call in sick to work tomorrow.

I can work my spells to protect this place better if I’m here, rather than at work, Kana agreed. At least until we figure out what Samantha’s really after.

You know what she’s after, Sora disagreed. Samantha wants the powerful witch that helped the werewolves destroy a vampire coven. She doesn’t know it’s you, but that won’t stop her.

I know. That’s why I left, remember? If they found out how powerful I am, they would have forced me to produce baby girls for the coven, like a stud stallion locked in a cage. And Kana definitely did not want that to happen now.

When they reached Kana’s workroom, he led the way inside. Mika was sprawled upside down in the hammock, snoring happily away. Sora rolled his eyes at him. He jumped up into the cat tree, then leaped over to the hammock, landing solidly on top of Mika, who yowled. They both fell to the floor with a thud and a tangle of fur and claws.

Kana left them to it while he went to find the chalk and put his book away. By the time Kana had a basic protection circle drawn, Mika was grumpily lying on top of Sora, licking one of Sora’s ears clean.

“Can you show me where you left the markers?” Kana asked Mika aloud for Ember’s benefit. Ember was standing in the doorway, out of the way of cat chaos and magic.

Mika climbed off Sora and shifted to human form. He held out his hands as he walked over to Kana’s circle, and Kana took them in his own. They stepped into the circle together. Kana closed his eyes and concentrated down the link he shared with Mika. A crude map appeared in his mind’s eye, a rough circle with the house in the center.

“That’s the wall around the property,” Mika said. “I put markers on the overlap points, so if you drop a circle on every point, you’ll cover the entire wall.”

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