Page 20 of Embers in the Wind

“My gramma sent me here. The more I think about it, the more I think she could see the future and knew one day I’d need to come here. But other than to get my head on straight, I have no idea why.”

Rupert caws but looks into the trees and not at me.

“Rupert, I apologized, now tell me what you know about my gramma, about why you think I’m here and why it’s upset the balance of the forest. Please?”

The damnable bird swings his head, his beady eyes focusing in on me. “Ding, ding, ding. She hasn’t forgotten the magic word. It’s true what they say, please goes a long way young lady, and don’t you forget it again.”

Exasperating bird. “Please, pretty please even. I said I was sorry; I meant it Rupert. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

He sends his beak into the air. “But yet you bring the dark lord of death with you by your side. What do you think the witches will think? When they heard whisperings of you traveling through the forest, they thought you were coming to build a life here. There were discussions of allowing it since your parting with the vampires and your friendships. They took pity on a woman with a heart who had nowhere to go. Even allowed you to get to the cavern without interception.”

My chest tightens. I knew something was going on, something amiss as I walked through the forest. The feel of eyes on me, all around, watching me while hidden from sight no doubt. “I didn’t even know they were watching, or that I needed permission from them to come here.”

Rupert nods. “So much to learn, girlie. The witches claim all the land in this area, as do the vampires, but for years they’ve had a truce, witches on this side, and vampires on the other. The witches allowed you, a vampire, into what they believe is their sacred land, their side mind you, and you betrayed them by bringing the dark lord into the forest with you and even further by allowing him into the cavern that you shared.”

“I had no idea. About some of the history, yes. Of course, but I had no idea that the lines were that clearly drawn, that the cavern was still used by the witches or at least controlled, andno idea whatsoever that the dark lord would follow me into the woods. This is not my fault.”

He shakes his head. “But yet, you are being blamed.”

My brow furrows with frustration. I was trying to get away from trouble, from gossip, from being an outcast and now it’s just followed me into the woods. “What about my gramma? Is she alive, a spirit? Tell me something Rupert. And what about the girl in the woods last night? Is she a witch? Watching me? Someone who knows my gramma?”

Rupert rolls his eyes and tosses his head toward the clearing behind me. “Better that you should ask her yourself, girlie.”

Chapter 18

Corvinus

Ishould have known she would run back to the nosy bird who can’t seem to keep his nose out of my business, who shouldn’t be trusted farther than I can throw his scrawny neck. Friends with the witches, friends with the vampires, a neutral party who just happens to keep his family homed on the witches’ side of the sacred land. Playing both for gain, is what I think.

And anyone protected by the witches is not a friend of the vampires. Rupert flaps his wings as I appear before him, the whites of his eyes in the dark of night popping wide. A protective growl emanates from deep in my chest. That female’s scent is everywhere. She’s here and I know it, somewhere close yet not within sight. “Where is Embry?” I growl.

He shrugs, absolutely no help at all. The flaunty bird is about ready to be someone’s barbeque, at least what there is left of him after I set the asshole on fire. “Speak!”

My fangs descend and eyes heat, ready to do him a massive body of harm if he doesn’t tell me where Embry is and do it quickly. She could be anywhere, unprotected from the dangers of this woods.

He doesn’t answer and yet her scent is so strong. “Tell me where she is, or I’ll burn you and that fucking tree alive, bird! I have no patience for you or anyone you protect.”

His wing flaps frantically. “I’m only trying to protect Embry and keep the peace. If you had half a wit about you then you would do the same, you overgrown bloodsucking beast!”

I hover in the air, closing the distance fast, almost instantly right in front of his face midair. “Tell me now, last chance.”

He feels the heat and discomfort of my burning eyes. I know he does. “There! There!” He jumps up and down on the branch, his wing tip pointing toward the witches’ side of the river’s bend, not willing to give up his life for whatever little game he plays. Smart because he didn’t have a minute left before I turned him to a pile of ashes and a thing of the past.

“She’s with the witch. In no harm, I promise you.”

And I am not willing to wait one more second or believe a fucking word the con has to say, not when Embry could be anywhere and a target who’s walked right into the witches’ evil clutches. I move quickly, seeking her out, following that intoxicating scent that has somehow weaved itself into my very being. If someone lays one hand on her, I will end them for sure.

Embry does not know the lure of the witches, the evil side of them like I do. A history sealed by centuries and centuries of magic, trickery, potions, hexes and curses meant to send the vampires to hell and take over the land.

The more the thought of her captured by a witch’s snare, the faster the blood courses through my veins as I fly through the air, transporting to the other side of the bend, territory and boundaries be damned. Alert, searching, scanning the forest with my keen night vision, until finally I see Embry sitting with a lone witch on a large log by the light of flames.

Fire… And fucking Embry sits right next to it as though testing the gods above. If it was meant to intimidate Embryor show her that the witches know our weakness, it failed miserably, because she sits so close that I’d like to wring her little neck.

And if the witch thinks that heat will deter me from ruining her plans, she couldn’t be more wrong. No, it just confirms that she is a manipulator, intent on drawing Embry into her evil web while trying to keep me at bay. That she knows a vampire is nearby, but she only knows what we want them to know. The myths that we’ve allowed to perpetuate and fill their heads as they’ve planned our demise for centuries now.

Fire will not stop me or Embry. It may slow me down, and I may not fucking like it, but I’ll deal. For Embry, I’ll do what I have to do, but right now, getting information is important as long as she’s safe. And she does not look to be in any harm, at least immediately from my vantage point and she doesn’t look intimidated one little bit at all.

I push behind the great girth of a hundred-year-old oak tree, taking refuge in its sturdy round trunk, peeking around to watch as the caped woman from yesterday and Embry sit next to a campfire, Embry rubbing her hands together as if to show the witch her strength, listening while the witch speaks softly to her.

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