“My father’s entire pack dies. We aren’t going to lose a single member. Let’s make a list of those who owe us favors and others we know. Then we start recruiting.” I turned to Soleil and Carter. “Do you two know any of your species you can call upon?”

  Soleil shook her head. “I’m supposed to be hunting a dictator, remember? Not making friends with werewolves.”

  Carter also shook his head. “I’ve been excommunicated as a traitor. Any jaguar shifters caught talking with me risk death.”

  “Okay, then. You two get over to the Faeble and see what Tap can do for us.”

  They both took off without a word.

  I paced and looked at the names written on sheets of paper. If we could get all of those people to help us out, it would nearly triple our size, but it still wasn’t enough. Not if we were going to annihilate the other pack. I didn’t want to bother the witches or vampires so soon after helping at the Jag, but it might just come down to that.

  Chapter 78

  Victoria

  The hours dragged on as I spent my time cleaning the longhouse and the courtyard. I preferred being outside in the fresh air but was given orders to take care of the indoors most of the time.

  I hadn’t heard from anyone in the pack, and my cell phone had run out of battery life. If I’d been thinking straight, I’d have brought unicorn horn flakes and faerie dust to give it a longer life. It was hard not to worry, especially with work that didn’t engage my mind much.

  There were a few others there like me, who were hiding from someone pursuing them with magical means. We all had our own stories, but the one thing we shared was the hatred of another supernatural creature who wanted us dead. The one I saw most often was an elderly valkyrie in hiding after a failed mission to take out a murderous politician. There was only one punishment for a valkyrie in her position—death.

  Along with us was also a witch, hiding from an opposing coven, but she didn’t show herself often. The valkyrie told me that with her magic suppressed, she was depressed. The other refugee was a human who had become a ‘pet’ to a cruel vampire—basically, a slave.

  I paused from washing a window. “How were you turned into a pet?”

  Stella stared at me with her striking hazel eyes. “She forced me into a verbal pledge of possession, sealed with a mixing of our blood. I didn’t fully understand it, but it’s next to impossible to break the tie. Believe me, I’ve tried.” She cringed.

  “What happened?”

  “Let’s just say it’s physically impossible for me to disobey her. Away from here, anyway. How long are you planning to stay?”

  “I hope not too long. How long have you been here?”

  She sighed, pulling some curly brown hair out of her eyes. “It’s been years now.”

  My heart sank. “Are you ever planning on leaving?”

  Stella shrugged. “Not unless I somehow manage to outlive a vampire.”

  “You never know. Supernaturals get killed, too.”

  “Even vampires?”

  I nodded. “Stake them in the heart or take off their heads. My fiancé could tell you plenty of stories.”

  “Werewolf bite?”

  “That’ll do it, too.”

  Stella’s eyes lit up. She worked more feverishly for a few minutes before turning back to me. “Can werewolves turn people?”

  “You mean into werewolves?”

  She nodded. “Vampires can turn people with their bites. Can you?”

  “Technically,” I said, not wanting to give her hope.

  She clung to her broom and stared at me wide-eyed. “But?”

  “I’ve never done it, and besides I can’t turn in here.”

  “You have to turn sometime, don’t you?” She arched a brow. “You said not turning is bad for you. Turn me then.”

  I stopped sweeping. “It’s risky. My bite could kill you—especially since I don’t know what I’m doing.”

  “Is that any worse than living here for the next seventy or so years?”

  “You’d be a mutt.”

  “I don’t care.”

  We stared each other down. I sighed. “You’ve been thinking about this since I arrived, haven’t you?”

  She looked away. “Maybe. I mean, it’s not like I can turn into a valkyrie or a witch. But a werewolf is a possibility.”

  “You do realize that most werewolves look down on mutts? We can smell one a mile away.”

  “Can’t be any worse than being a common vampire.”

  “Is that what your owner is?” I asked.

  Stella crinkled her nose. “Owner—I hate that term, but yes, she’s common, and horribly cruel.”

  I felt for her. “I don’t know if you turning into a wolf would sever your ties to her.”

  She stood taller. “I don’t care. My bite would do her in. There’s no cure.”

  “Actually there is.”

  Her eyes widened. “That’s not what Verla said.”

  I snickered. “Verla the vampire?”

  Stella shrugged. “What’s the cure?”

  “I doubt she could get her hands on it, but it does exist. It has something to do with the blood of a Fyrsturae—an original vampire.”

  She bit her lower lip and looked deep in thought.

  “What about having one of the werebears turn you?” I asked.

  “They don’t do that.”

  “You already asked?”

  Stella nodded. “Please, will you at least consider it? You have to turn sometime, anyway. I’d rather risk death than live the rest of my life as a prisoner. I want to hunt Verla like she’s hunting me. I hate that she thinks she owns me.”

  “She does, actually. Supernatural law is as strong as any scientific law.”

  “Thanks.” Stella pouted.

  “Sorry. Just pointing out the obvious.”

  One of the bear shifters who took care of the house walked by. “Back to work, ladies. Earn your keep or don't eat.”

  Stella looked at me and rolled her eyes. I stifled a grin, and then we both got back to our chores. She kept begging me with her eyes as we swept around the building. It was going to be hard to say no if she kept that up.

  We made our way back to the room with the cleaning supplies. One of the bears handed Stella a dust rag and me a pair of clippers for the courtyard. Stella held my gaze as I headed outside.

  The rest of the afternoon went by quickly as I focused all my attention onto shaping the shrubbery. By the time I went to my sleeping mat—I was exhausted. It seemed like I was doing far more than earning my keep. I wasn’t sure if it was so much the chores tiring me out, though, as the lack of magic getting to me. Being a creature who thrived on magic, it made me feel strange—empty, almost—to be without it. Plus, every time I saw Stella, she threw me the puppy dog eyes.

  I pulled the blanket up to my chin and let my body relax. My mind quickly wandered to Toby and the pack, and like each time I thought of them, I fought off worry. They were probably just busy. Someone would come back for me as soon as things had settled with the other pack—something that would be no easy task. I just needed to be patient.

  My eyes grew heavy, and soon I found myself dreaming about Elsie just as I had every other night since arriving. I really wanted to find her. We’d been so close growing up, but hadn’t seen each other since the night our father killed her. I’d never found her on the other side, nor had she been with my pack when Franklin forced me into marrying him at the Jag—even though the marriage only last a few minutes before Franklin died.

  In my dream, Elsie swam near the edge of the ocean with friends. I waved and called out to her, but she didn’t see me. She splashed a cute guy in the face and swam in the other direction. He laughed and chased after her, catching her easily. They wrestled for a minute before he pulled her close and kissed her.

  I sat on the shore and watched, happy she was doing well even though she couldn’t hear or see me. Their other friends came over to them, dousing them until they pulled apart. Dark clouds filled the sky, making the whole area appear like night. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed. I jumped up to run for cover when I heard the screams.

  Elsie.

  Rapid splashing sounded alongside the cries. I strained my eyes to see, but with the darkness covering everything, I could barely see my own hands much less Elsie and her friends in the water.

  I threw off my coat and kicked off my shoes, and then ran into the water. I burst into a swim as soon as the water was deep enough. Something burned my skin. I sniffed the air. Acid. The water was acid. That had to be why the others were crying out. I ignored the burning pain and pushed myself to keep swimming.

  Finally, I reached Elsie. The others had disappeared, and it was just the two of us. She whimpered.

  “I’ll get you out of the water.” I grabbed onto her and pulled her toward the shore.

  She fought me off, kicking and hitting. A fist got me right in the eye.

  “I’m trying to save you!”

  “That’s something you’ll never be able to do. Never have, never will.”

  Her words cut like a knife. “I tried to stop Father.”

  “Not hard enough.”

  “Do you blame me?”

  “Why else would I have avoided you all these years? Leave me alone!” She swam away while my heavy heart pulled me under the acidic water. “Stay away!”

  I woke, bolted up, and gasped for air. Sweat drenched me, and it took me a moment to realize where I was. In the safe house, untouched by magic. The dream couldn’t be real—not without magic behind it. But could it be a message from my sister? Something to do with our emotional or biological connection?

  Or it could’ve just been a dream caused by my own worry. If I wasn’t in a magic-free zone, I’d have even thought someone might have cast a spell to cause these dreams. None that I’d had of her had actually been connected. That was it. My tormenting dreams were just a manifestation of my own conflicted emotions.

  I lay back down, closed my eyes, and fell back into a slumber. In my dream, Toby and I were enjoying a picnic by the ocean. Behind us was a quaint little town with a carousal just beyond the sand. Toby hand-fed me a strawberry dipped in chocolate. I ate it and then fed him one.

  The sky turned black and a low rumble grew louder with each passing moment. Light made everything reappear, and Elsie stood in front of us. Blood dripped down her face. She screamed and ran when she saw us. I jumped up and chased her.

  “Stop! Come back!”

  She disappeared before my eyes.

  I woke, again gasping for air. “It’s only a dream. She’s not drowning or bleeding.” I took deep breaths and thought about wedding dresses to calm my nerves. Finally, I drifted off again.

  This time, I found myself in my childhood home. The house was quiet, but I could smell stew cooking. I sniffed the air, hoping to find Elsie. I caught the faintest scent and followed it outside. No werewolves were in sight. It was like our entire pack had died off and only left a ghost town.

  I followed my sister’s scent through the woods, all the way to our school. It grew stronger until I reached the auditorium. I crept inside and heard music and laughter. Our old classmates danced and snacked. Elsie was in the middle, looking happier than I’d ever seen her. She wore the same dress as the night Father had killed her, swinging around with an extremely handsome human boy.

  Something pulled on me, dragging me away from the joyful scene before me. Colors swirled around me as though I’d been pulled into a vortex. With a violent push, I flew past the colors and landed on the ground at the Waldensian. What was I doing at the mansion that had been my home in college?

  I rose and dusted dirt from my clothes. Screams sounded in the distance. Elsie.

  My heart plummeted. I ran toward her voice, which grew increasingly more shrill with each passing moment. I ran through the college campus, hearing her but never finding her. It was a goose chase I couldn’t win. I ran through empty buildings, even passing Toby’s office, until I collapsed with exhaustion.

  Elsie screamed again, this time close. I tried to get up but was frozen in place.

  I woke, my heart thundering in my chest. These dreams weren’t going to let up. They were only growing more intense. Whether they were real or fake, I needed to find her.

  What if she really was in danger? If she was, I needed to help her, even if she did hate me. I owed her that much after not stopping Father from plunging the knife into her.

  I squeezed the blanket, weighing my options. If I left, I would leave myself open for Toby’s father to find me. If I stayed, who knew what would happen to Elsie? I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her since recovering my memories. I just hadn’t been able to go in search of her with all the opposition facing me. I may never have a perfect time to find her.

  If I’d been braver, I might have been able to save Elsie so many years before. It was time to throw caution to the wind and help my younger sister at last—whether she would appreciate it or not. At least I would be able to live with myself and I would know she was okay.

  I got up and hung the blanket back on the wall where it stayed during the day. Heart pounding, I pressed my ear against the door. Everything was silent in the longhouse. I needed to make my escape now, while everyone slept, or the bears would stop me, having been given the job to protect me.

  Stepping back, I tripped over my suitcase. I groaned. Why hadn’t I thought to bring a backpack? I couldn’t travel on foot with luggage. I unzipped it and put on some extra clothes. That would have to be how I carried them—wearing two pairs of pants, two hoodies plus one tied around my waist, and some extra socks. If I grew too hot, I could try to turn one of the hoodies into a bag, tying it around myself. I’d have to leave everything else and hope the bears didn’t get rid of it in my absence.

  I pushed the suitcase against the wall and opened the door.

  Stella stood in the hallway. “Wherever you’re going, I’m going.”

  Chapter 79

  Victoria

  “Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?” I exclaimed.

  “I changed to the room next to you,” Stella said. “I heard you moving around and thought you might be up to something. Nice outfit, by the way.”

  I tugged on my outer hoodie. “You can’t go with me. It’s dangerous.”

  “How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t care. I’m sick of hiding from Verla. I’d rather go on one adventure with you than spend the next sixty years sweeping a longhouse.”

  I couldn’t argue with that logic. “Just know that I can’t make any guarantees. I’ve never turned anyone, and I’m putting myself in danger by leaving.”

  “Okay.”

  “And you’re putting me in more danger by coming.”

  She arched a brow.

  “You’ve got an angry vampire after you.”

  “Yeah, but it’s been three years. I’m sure she’s given up by now. Don’t you think?”

  I shook my head. “Not from what I know about vamps. They have a one-track mind, much in the same way they focus on needing blood. Also, you don’t need to understand the wolves that are after me.”

  “Then why leave?” She folded her arms.

  “Because I have other business to take care of. With any luck, my pack will have already taken care of the other pack by the time I’m done.”

  “So, there’s no problem taking me.”

  “I don’t want to be responsible for another death.”

  Stella tilted her head and her brows came together.

  “It’s a long story. Look, if you come with me, you need to understand the risks.”

  “I could die. Got it.”

  “And I might not be able to protect you.”

  “I’m not asking you to. Just turn me if you can. Try, that’s all I ask.”

  “One more thing you should know before you decide to come with me.”

  “What?” she asked.

  “You can’t survive as a lone wolf. Not for long, anyway. You’ll need a pack.”

  Her mouth slowly formed into a frown. “How long?”

  “I have no idea, really. I’m not saying it’s impossible. You can probably find other mutts, or I might be able to convince my pack into letting you in. We’re a lot more open than most traditional packs.”

  Stella’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

  “There are a lot of what ifs in between now and then—and no guarantees.”

  “Okay. No problem. So, you’ll let me go with you?”

  My stomach twisted in knots. There was so much that could go wrong—anything from a botched bite to Elsie’s pack hurting Stella to a vengeful vampire showing up. And that wasn’t even taking Toby’s father into consideration.

  “If you’re sure you want to go.”

  She moved aside. “We’d better hurry before we wake anyone.”

  I stepped into the hall and glanced around. All was clear.

  “Don’t you want to take anything with you?” I asked.

  “Nah. There’s nothing I want.”

  “Okay.” We walked to the door and stepped outside.

  Stella stretched her hands and spun around. “Ah, sweet freedom.”

  “That may be a bit premature.” I closed the door behind me. “Let’s at least get into the woods before we celebrate.”

  She continued spinning. “Doesn’t bother me.”

  “I hate to burst your bubble, but this isn’t going to be fun and games.”

  “That’s why I’m enjoying myself now.”

  “Come on. We need to get going. We both have targets on our backs and no more protection. The longer we stay in one place, the easier it’ll be for them to find us.”

  She finally stopped. I sprinted toward the woods, remaining at a pace Stella could keep up with. She came alongside me, and we jogged in silence until we reached the woods.

  “Do you know of any areas we should avoid?” I asked. “I’m not familiar with this area.”

  “I don’t think other species make it here very often. The bears do a good job of scaring everyone away.”

  “Good.” I headed for the woods and went north, wanting to get as close to the tip of the peninsula as possible. That was where Elsie had been in a number of the dreams. Of course, that was a large area to explore, but it was at least a start. I knew her scent, and that would help tremendously.