Awakening (Covenant College #1) (31 page)

Tara stood expectantly and turned to the other wolves. While we had been talking, they had constructed a crude bonfire. I noticed – with a certain amount of trepidation – that they had erected two crosses in the center of the bonfire. That couldn’t be good.

Tara saw where my eyes had traveled and laughed out loud. For a second, I pictured her in a
straight
-jacket. I think sanity had fled Tara a long time ago – maybe when she was still known as Lola.

“Those aren’t for you,” Tara soothed.

“Well that’s good.” I forced a smile.

“Who are they for?” Paris’ question was so quiet I barely heard it.

“Those are for our special guests,” Tara smiled evilly.  “What I have planned for the two of you is much, much worse.”

Well, that was comforting.

I didn’t get a chance to ask who the “special guests” were. I heard a commotion from inside the house and I saw two figures being wrestled out to the backyard. One was clearly a male and the other was clearly a female.

I strained to see if I could recognize them – but they both had canvas sacks over their heads.

The wolves forced them to the crosses and proceeded to tie them up like they were creepy scarecrows. Scarecrows
that were
still alive and struggling desperately for their lives.

“They’re stringing them up like Jesus Christ,” Paris breathed.

Huh. I hadn’t noticed that symbolism.

“They’re not crucifying them,” I offered. At least I hoped that wasn’t the next step. From what I could tell their arms were just being spread eagle and tied to the cross arms. Their feet were drawn together and tied around the bottom of the crosses – a mere two inches above the bonfire area.

“Well that’s a small favor,” Paris tried for a lame joke. She looked pained when she finished.

I put my hand reassuringly on her arm. “We’ll figure something out,” I promised.

“You don’t mean that,” Paris said.

“I mean it. I just don’t know if it’s feasible,” I admitted.

We both turned our attention to the crosses – where Tara walked up and dramatically removed the bags from her guests’ heads.

I don’t know what I was expecting – but seeing Rafael’s disheveled black locks tumble down around his shoulders wasn’t it.

When I turned to see who was trussed up beside him I practically choked. It was
Brittany
.

Thirty-Seven

My heart felt like it was going to leap out of my chest. That’s when it wasn’t lodged in my throat. This couldn’t be happening.

I glanced at Paris – but her eyes were glued on the scene in front of us. I think she’d lost the ability to blink, let alone speak.

Rafael’s eyes searched the crowd and landed on me. He seemed surprised to see me. Frankly, I didn’t blame him.

Brittany
just seemed confused. “What is going on?” She sounded like a wounded bird.

Rafael slid his gaze sideways and took in
Brittany
’s disheveled appearance. He immediately turned his attention back to me. Tara noticed and she shifted her gaze back and forth between us.

“Just how well do you two know each other?”

“I already told you,” I snapped. I glared at her as I got to my feet. A steady growl went through the assembled wolves. I noticed they’d made a circle around us. I didn’t like this one bit.

I scanned the crowd hopelessly. I didn’t see any wolves that I recognized unfortunately – except for Brett. Why didn’t that surprise me? Brett sidled through the assembled wolves and took his position next to Tara. They smiled at each other – and I couldn’t help but notice the adoration washing over his face.

“Good grief,” I lamented. “Are you two a couple?”

Tara frowned at me. “I told you I had a boyfriend.”

“You didn’t tell me he was a sociopath that drugged women.”

I couldn’t help but feel a little smug when I saw the confused look wash over her face.

“What is she talking about?” Tara turned to Brett with her hands on her hips. “You told me she made that up.”

“She did,” Brett averted his gaze.

“He’s lying. That’s
a
tell
,” I crowed.

Tara seemed to agree. “Were you drugging women to have sex with them?”

“I said no,” Brett practically bellowed.

“I think she’s right and you’re lying.”

Good. I’d sufficiently derailed the current stake burning for a few minutes.  I needed to think.

Paris was looking to me for cues.
Brittany
was desperately struggling against her restraints – all the while making this really annoying mewling noise. And Rafael was just hanging there like he didn’t have a care in the world. Well, actually, he kept shaking his head occasionally, but I got the impression he was more upset about his hair being out of place than anything else.

“You know what? You say that you’re different but you’re a typical man,” Tara was still raging. “It’s all about you and your needs.”

“Who found a body to substitute out for you to fake your death?” Brett wasn’t backing down.

“Oh, big deal, you broke into the morgue. You’re such a big man.”

“What is your deal? Is it that time of the month?”

All the wolves sucked in a breath and looked at Tara to see what her reaction would be.

“Oh, that’s always your excuse for why I don’t want to sleep with you,” Tara complained. “Did you ever think it’s you?”

“Me? I am great in bed.”

“Who told you that?”

“Anyone I’ve ever slept with.”

“Well, they’re lying.”

“Excuse me?”

“Just a tip, jack-rabbit humping me isn’t going to get me off. It’s not going to get anyone off but you.”

“You screamed like it got you off.”

“Yeah, you imagined that. I have never screamed during sex with you.” Tara focused her eyes back on me. “What is it with all guys thinking they’re awesome at sex?”

I’d often wondered that myself. “I think they learn it from porn.”

Tara thought about it a second. “That makes sense. Porn isn’t even remotely realistic and yet men act like the second they climb on you that you’re having an orgasm. They’re so stupid.”

Brett looked irate. The rest of the wolves just looked confused. I could only hope they were as stupid as they looked.

“Can you do anything?” I hissed to Paris.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know
,
can you start them on fire?”

“I’m not that kind of witch.”

“What kind of witch are you?”

“I’m a solitary practitioner.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“It basically means I can read people’s auras and make a few potions.”

“You can read people’s auras? Well that should be helpful.”

“No one needs your sarcasm.”

Tara was still belittling Brett. If I had to guess, his package had shrunk to the size of a carrot stick and raisins. On second thought, it probably looked like that all the time. That would explain why he was always overcompensating.

I looked up and met Rafael’s steady gaze again. I guess I was hoping he’d figure his own way out of this mess, because I was certainly at a loss for ideas.

Tara and Brett had finally stopped sniping at each other. Crap.

“We are gathered here tonight to make our offering to
Samhain
,” Tara started in an ominous voice. Good grief.

“Halloween isn’t for another week,” I offered. What? I was trying to help.

“I know,” Tara acknowledged with a shrug. “We’re all busy on Halloween. No one wanted to give up the big Halloween party.”

Oh.

“So, what are you trying to accomplish here?” I knew I was getting desperate to stall for time, but I didn’t know what else to do.

“We’re sacrificing two tributes to appease
Samhain
,” Brett answered simply.

“Why?”

“So he will reward us.”

“With what?”

Brett looked blank. He turned to Tara. “What are we asking for again?”

“We’re not asking for anything,” Tara sighed. “We’re just trying to appease our God.”

Something occurred to me. “You’re lying.”

Tara turned a glare in my direction. “I am not.”

“You don’t even believe in this
Samhain
nonsense. You’re just doing this as a cover to kill Rafael.” I don’t know why I said it. The minute I uttered it out loud, though, I knew it was the truth.

Tara looked uncomfortable. I knew I’d hit the nail on the head.

Brett turned to her expectantly. “That’s not true. Is it?”

“When you saw Rafael at the bar that night you freaked out.” I still had no idea why. “You faked your death. You did that really quickly, by the way.
Kudos.
Then, when you found out that I knew Rafael, that’s when you freaked out.”

Brett didn’t look convinced. “We’ve had this planned for weeks.”

“Yeah, since Rafael saw Tara.”

Brett turned to Tara with a questioning look. He didn’t say anything, but I could see his mind working. It looked like it was taxing him.

I turned to Rafael. “What’s the deal between the two of you?”

Rafael seemed surprised to be addressed. “I’ve known her.
For a long time.”

“Since she was Lola, right?”

Rafael looked surprised. “You’ve been busy, Nancy Drew.”

“And how did you know Lola?”

Rafael set his jaw. “Lola has been killing my kind for 20 years. She started with my father.”

“You had a father who was a vampire? I thought you had to get bit to be a vampire?”

“Not always.”

My head was spinning.  Maybe I should have paid more attention to Blake and his teachings. I was starting to feel guilty for just dismissing him. Cripes. Who needs that?

“You’re father had it coming,” Tara seethed. “He hunted my family for years.”

“Maybe that’s because you were evil,” Rafael countered.

I could believe that.

“We were not evil! We were just trying to survive.”

Rafael glowered at Tara. I had no idea which version of truth was the right one. I just knew that I wasn’t in the mood to watch a human barbecue.

“Why don’t you just agree to disagree?” I offered.

“It’s too late for that.”

I figured that’s what she would say.

I turned to the assembled wolves. “So, you’re willing to kill two people for a grudge match between a witch and vampire?”

Brett shrugged. “We don’t really have a choice now do we? And, by my count, we’re going to have to kill four people.”

“He’s talking about us,” Paris muttered.

“Thanks, I figured that out.” She really was no help in a crisis.

“How are you going to explain the disappearances of all four of us?”

“Vampires disappear all the time,” Tara explained.

“And three roommates?”

Tara paused.

“She has a point,” Brett looked worried.

“We’ll go back to the dorm after this and take all their stuff. People will think they all took off together.”

“Why would we do that?”

“Who knows? The police won’t look that hard. Trust me. I put a very simple glamour on a week-old body and they not only believed it was me but never questioned the disappearance of the other body. Cops are stupid.”

After meeting the two idiots that came to our room, I couldn’t help but agree.
Double crap.

“Light the fire,” Tara instructed Brett.

He reached into his pocket, pulled out a lighter and obediently made his way over to the stacked wood.

“What about your little ceremony?” I asked desperately.

“You’ve erased the need for that,” Tara said with a wicked smile. “Thank you.
All that
pretense was going to be tiresome.”

That’s me, always being helpful.

I got to my feet again. I had no idea what I was going to do. I just knew I couldn’t let this happen.

Brittany
picked this moment to start wailing. “What did I ever do to you?”

Tara regarded her like a bug on a windshield. “You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“I won’t tell anyone. I promise. Just let me go.”

“I don’t believe you. You have a moral code. A really, really annoying moral code that no one – not even you – can live up to.”

“I thought we were friends,”
Brittany
whimpered.

“You thought wrong,” Tara said simply.