Page 14 of Coven

Kana’s gathered magic froze, and his breathing stuttered into a gasp. The circle faded from his mind, replaced by the photo. Kana’s face was clear; anyone who saw it would recognize him, even all these years later. He would definitely be found if that were posted.

“Our Alpha said if you didn’t get in the car, this would be all over the internet by tonight. He wondered who besides him might come knocking on your door?”

“What…” Kana’s voice came out as a croak and he swallowed to try to get some moisture back into his mouth. “What does your Alpha want from me?”

The wolf shrugged. “Just to talk.”

Kana very much doubted that, but what choice did he have?

What do I do? he asked Mika and Sora.

Go with him, I guess, Mika replied.

We can always blast them all later, Sora added.

Kana looked at the photo again, then up at the wolf whose face was stern and unbending. Kana didn’t think he was lying.

“Just to talk,” Kana said as firmly as his shaking voice could. He turned and climbed into the back seat of the SUV. Two more wolves were inside, one driving and the other across the seat from Kana behind the driver.

The spokes-wolf took the front passenger seat and the second wolf waited until Kana moved over to take the middle seat before he climbed in and shut the door. Kana buckled up and closed his eyes, hugging his backpack tightly to his chest and hoping this adventure really would be “just to talk.”

Chapter Six

THIS IS DEFINITELY not the way to the vampire’s house, Kana told Mika and Sora after they were driven for ten minutes in the opposite direction, heading north toward Saratoga Springs rather than west to Schenectady.

Maybe there’s more than one pack living in this city? Mika guessed. They might not be happy the vampire’s pack moved in and want your help?

Which means they were watching the vampire house and saw your spell, Sora added with a grumble.

And they followed me home and had someone surveil me this morning, otherwise how else did they get that picture? Kana said.

How did they avoid your detection spells? Sora asked. We put warning circles all around the neighborhood.

Did we calibrate them for werewolves? Mika asked.

Kana mentally sighed at them. Of course not. I didn’t think werewolves would be a problem. Those circles are meant to detect witches and other witches’ circles. It would be far too complicated to make a circle to detect every single magical being.

The car left the city entirely, now heading out into the rural areas where land was cheap and mostly used for farms. Werewolves would much prefer having space rather than being squeezed into a house in the city, even one with as much land as the vampires’ house.

Twenty more minutes found them at the foot of a long, paved driveway. The car turned in, and after another minute, they rounded a curve and stopped at a large iron gate set between ten-foot stone walls that appeared to surround the entire property. The driver rolled down his window and pressed some buttons into a keypad and the gate rolled to the side. The car drove through the gate, and a glance behind showed the gate slowly rolling shut again.

Kana didn’t think the driveway would ever end. The car continued to drive along an endless sea of neatly mown lawn. Neither shrubbery nor even a dandelion was visible as a potential landmark. He guessed they traveled at least a mile before a house suddenly appeared on the horizon. From what Kana could tell at first glance, the house appeared massive, sprawling across the lawn with wings in all directions. It was at least four stories and Kana noticed casements so there likely was at least one basement level.

The driver stopped the car in a wide parking area in front of the house, although the driveway continued to the left to where Kana guessed a garage of some sort must be located.

“Out,” the spokes-wolf growled—the first thing he had said since getting Kana into the car—before opening his own door and climbing out.

The wolf sitting next to Kana on the passenger’s side got out and held the door for Kana, who obeyed and stepped outside. The car drove away the second the doors were closed again.

“Follow me,” the spokes-wolf said. He climbed the front steps and opened the door, holding it until Kana and the other wolf had walked inside. He closed it and started walking farther into the house.

If the vampires’ house had been overstated opulence, this house was its exact opposite. Everything was elegant and simple, from the smooth, wide-plank wood floors to the simple paint on the walls. The occasional picture or side table filled the space, but they fit with the overall theme. The place felt light and airy to Kana, who couldn’t help breathing in the calm the building exuded.

They didn’t walk in circles. After only two hallways, the spokes-wolf stopped and knocked on a closed door. He didn’t wait for a response, simply opening it immediately after. He held the door for Kana, but didn’t go inside. Once Kana had walked through, he closed the door, leaving Kana in a sitting room.

A man was standing next to one of the windows, looking outside with his back to Kana. He turned and Kana blinked, surprised.

“Ember?” he asked.

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