Page 39 of Seduced By Moonlight

“Yes,” Hudson said.

“But it was onlyoneparanormal DNA strand, am I correct?” Ward asked.

“By the dead gods, Ward. What shit have you stumbled into?” Kage asked slowly.

“Ever heard of the Power of Three?” Ward asked, staring out the balcony door.

Growls erupted from both Hudson and Kage.

“I’ll take that as a yes. But even that isn’t the most significant part of this scenario. The person who was kidnapped and almost sacrificed on my land? Well, she is also a witch—from another realm.”

“Oh, fuck me,” Hudson exclaimed. “What?What?”

“Exactly,” Ward said, then launched into the whole convoluted story.

After he finished speaking, there was dead silence on the line.

“Well, I didn’t see that coming,” Kage finally said. “And also? Holy shit.”

“Just how powerful is she?” Hudson asked.

“I honestly don’t know. For the time being, I’ve asked her not to practice any magic of serious consequence without supervision until we’re certain it’s safe—for us and her.”

“That makes sense. Hopefully, she’ll do as you asked,” Hudson said.

“No reason to think she won’t since she swore an oath to you, correct, Ward?” Kage asked.

“Yes, and I felt the bond snap into place,” Ward replied. “She hasn’t given me any reason not to trust her word as yet.”

“Well, there is that, at least,” Hudson said. “I find it ironic that the covens in San DeLain refused to assist us in dealing with the hunters—”

“Don’t know why,” Kage groused. “They’re nothing but a bunch of mercenary women.”

“—yet these witches attempted to sacrifice this hunter. Let me finish, Kage.”

“That last part actuallydoesn’tsurprise me. But honestly? She’s not really a hunter,” Kage said. “They might have mutated her DNA and given her the Power of Three, but she didn’t work for them.”

“And it was her misfortune to escape the hunters but end up in the clutches of a coven here in San DeLain,” Hudson finished. “Speaking of which, do we know which coven targeted her?”

“Does it matter?” Ward asked.

“Well, we know most magic users refuse to join covens here because they are all….” Hudson trailed off.

“Wicked? Evil? Vile. Power-hungry and mercenary? I mean, take your pick,” Kage supplied. “I have a magic user in my clan. Susan could’ve joined a coven in San DeLain and refused to.”

“As do I,” Ward added. “Celine refused, just as your member did, Kage.”

“I still think it’s important that we figure out which coven was on your land, Ward. You said the one who escaped transported out. That means she’s powerful. Possibly even a high priestess. Would you recognize her again?”

“Oh, absolutely.” Ward quickly described her.

“That’s a very striking woman,” Kage said. “I’ll ask Susan if her description sounds familiar. If I could suggest the same to you, Ward?”

“Know thy enemy,” Hudson said quietly.

“Exactly,” Kage agreed.

“I’ll ask Celine. I warned the witch that if she trespassed again, I would take her life,” Ward said.

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