Cold Blooded

Supernaturals tolerated each other for brief interludes when it was mutually beneficial. Tally blamed me for Marcy’s disappearance and I owned that. I should’ve been more diligent. I couldn’t keep running around pretending the Prophecy wasn’t real and the supernatural race wasn’t going to notice me. My negligence had put people I loved in danger and I owed it to Marcy to cooperate with her aunt.

“I don’t care where they go”—Tally flicked her head toward the group—“but you’re coming with me. We head back to my Coven and gather information, including from the wolf who you say is tracking her. Regardless of what we find, we move in two hours. I’m not leaving my niece in the hands of the Baldies any longer than necessary.”

Nick stepped forward, composed as always. “Ms. Talbot, I’m sure there’s a way we can find neutral ground—somewhere we can all gather that’s not within your direct boundary or ours.” I could always count on Nick to stay levelheaded. Tally’s home base would be a giant disadvantage if we had a disagreement about how things should run. I smiled at Nick to show my appreciation. I’d missed his brown curls, golden eyes, and sweet smile. There wasn’t a nicer guy on earth.

Tally shook her head. “It’s too dangerous. The sorcerers will pick up our trail as soon as they arrive. Our signatures are all over this parking lot. We can’t linger at any unwarded location or we’ll be vulnerable to attack, and I don’t have time to put up the necessary spells to keep us safe somewhere else. We head to my Coven, where I have full protection in place. No compromises.”

Rourke took a single step forward. “You guarantee our safety first, or nobody goes with you, witch.”

“Of course,” Tally snipped. “What do you think I’m going to do—harvest your body parts for my bubbling cauldron? You’ll be safe as long as the priority remains to get my niece back.”

Tally had a point.

Because the sorcerers knew we’d arrived, protection was the most logical option. But the best thing for my team would be to keep some people on the outside in case things went wrong in the Coven. “Fine, the three of us will go with you.” I motioned between Rourke, Nick, and me. “Tyler and Danny will head to the Safe House.” I nodded to them both. “Find out anything you can on James’s whereabouts. I want a phone call in less than two hours, whether you find something or not. Contact Dad,” I told Tyler, “and let him know what’s going on. After that, we rendezvous at an agreed-upon spot outside the Coven and head out.”

“Jess—” Tyler started.

I cut him off in my mind.

Tyler, we don’t have a choice. If I refuse to go with Tally, it’ll bring more trouble than we need right now. And the priority is Marcy.

I don’t like it. That witch could do a thousand things to you inside that house, not to mention she wanted to use you as ransom an hour ago.

Tally’s original plan was to ransom me to the sorcerers, which was still a viable option if we couldn’t track them. I’d trade myself for Marcy in a heartbeat, but not without a solid plan. Tyler didn’t have to know that, and in order to move forward, we needed to pick Tally’s brain about the sorcerers anyway. I hear you, but you’re going to have to trust me on this. We’ll take the necessary precautions, and I have an angry cat with me who’s not about to let anything go wrong.

He grumbled but looked resigned.

“Give me the keys,” I asked him out loud. Tyler reluctantly reached into his pocket and pulled them out. The Safe House was only a few miles away. They could make it on foot in a few minutes. Remember, we still have this. I tapped my finger to my temple, trying my best to reassure him. Then I glanced over at Rourke, who stood frowning at Tally.

She glared back, her arms still crossed.

“Before we leave, I want you to swear an oath, witch,” Rourke said. “Or the deal is off. Covens are notorious for holding prisoners, and breaking layered wards by multiple witches is next to impossible.”

“I swear not to hold you against your will,” Tally stated evenly. “But I want a vow in return that you will do whatever we deem necessary to get my niece back, including a ransom if your wolf has failed to track her.” She narrowed her eyes. “Without doing so, you risk a war with us.”

Before Rourke could protest, I said, “I swear we will do everything we can to find your niece. Whatever it takes.”

Tally nodded once, accepting me at my word.

“Keep your wits about you, then, Jessica,” Danny quipped as he gently prodded an unhappy Tyler backward. “We’ll plan on seeing you shortly.” He winked as they took off into the night.

As they ran, their combined uncertainty jumped through my blood. Being an Alpha, even for this short time, wasn’t an easy job. The responsibility for their well-being pressed down on me. We needed to find my father soon so he could take back their Troths and fix this.

I directed my attention to Tally. “I’ll drive, because there’s no way we’re fitting in your car.”

She didn’t argue. Her silver two-door Camaro was still parked at a haphazard angle by the back door where she’d clearly spun it to a stop. The car had missed the mayhem of the Orb, but just barely. It had to have been warded against damage, because there wasn’t a scratch on it.

I walked around to the driver’s side of the Humvee with Nick following closely.

“I haven’t had a chance to tell you,” he said, reaching out to give me a quick hug, “but I’m incredibly glad to see you back so soon. It’s been quiet around here with you gone. And as much as I knew you’d make it home, seeing you not dead, broken, or battered is the best gift I could’ve asked for.”

“It’s really good to see you too,” I told him honestly, hugging him back. Nick had been my best—and only—friend growing up on the Compound, where physical strength had meant status, and we’d both had none. During our childhood we’d forged a solid, unbreakable bond and I was extremely happy to see him. “I’ll fill you in on all the details as soon as I can, but Selene is going to be gone for a very long time, in a place where she can’t touch us.”

In the Underworld, specifically.

“I knew you’d beat her.” Nick chuckled as he opened the back passenger door. “I never doubted you for a second.” He cocked his head slightly as he got in. “Well, maybe I had a few errant thoughts, but they passed quickly enough.”