Bewitched, Bothered, and Bitten (16 page)

“Follow me,” I commanded before I left the kitchen and went back to Finn’s study. I guessed it was my day to fix everything.

Once we were behind closed doors, I rounded on Calder. “What the fuck are you doing?” I asked.

He blinked at me, obviously shocked by my tone. Then he frowned. “Listen, witch, I don’t need a lecture from you.”

“You’re right,” I agreed. When his frown faded, I continued, “You need me to turn your ass into a toad.”

He growled at me so I zapped him. Damn, why couldn’t I do this before now? There were quite a few ex-boyfriends in my past I would have enjoyed shocking when they were acting like jackholes.

“Hey!” he yelped.

I moved closer, getting into his face. In the wolf pack, that was a definite act of aggression. I knew it would get his complete attention. As a beta, he wouldn’t be able to back down from the challenge. “You listen to me, dumbass, and you listen well. Despite your behavior, I think you’re a good match for my friend, so, if you want to keep your mate, you’re going to listen to me right now and do…Every. Fucking. Thing. I. Say.”

His eyebrows rose at my words. “I’m listening.”

“Ricki is human, Calder. You can’t treat her the way you do the bitches in the wolf pack.”

“I know that,” he snarled.

“Do you?” I asked. “Because, from what I’ve seen, you aren’t treating her any differently.”

“We’re at war.”

I rolled my eyes. “It doesn’t matter! If you don’t start talking to her and explaining what your mark means for you and for her, you will lose her. Do you want that?”

He shook his head.

“Good. Now, there are two things you must do if you want to convince her that you are her mate. First, you need to woo her. And I don’t mean the way wolves woo by jumping her ass every chance you get. I mean, you need to do things for her, say nice things to her, treat her as though she’s special to you.”

“How in the hell do I do that?” he asked.

“Do you think she’s pretty?”

“She’s fucking gorgeous,” he snapped.

“Tell her that.” I bit my lip to keep from laughing at his expression. Wolves were not the most verbose supes by nature, but compliments and sweet talk were words that were really not in their vocabulary. “If you notice that she likes certain things, be sure to bring them to her. Like her favorite foods or if she likes to read mysteries or romances or watch movies.” Though I knew her likes and dislikes, Calder needed to learn for himself. I knew he would pay attention if I told him it was important. Werewolf males were notorious for taking excellent care of their mates, catering to their needs without being asked. Unfortunately, they were controlling as hell and sometimes a little thick-headed, so werewolf females often fought courtship and mating every step of the way.

“Okay, I can do that.”

“And be affectionate without sexualizing it.” This time I did laugh at his blank expression. “Hold her hand, hug her, and kiss her without trying to get into her pants,” I explained.

“What?” he snapped.

“Calder, human women enjoy non-sexual attention just as much, sometimes even more, than they do sex. It makes them feel as though you care about them as a person instead of seeing them as a walking vagina with a nice rack.”

He nodded as though my explanation made sense. Then he smiled. “So, you’re going to help me?” he asked.

“Yes.” I leaned closer, poking the center of his chest. “But know this. If you fuck this up and hurt my friend in any way, I’ll castrate you and make you eat your own testicles.” Then I let a little surge of power flow down my arm and out my fingertip, giving him a nice little shock. “Understood?”

With a new light of respect in his eyes, Calder nodded. “I understand.”

“Good, let’s go eat. I’m starving.”

L
unch was awkward.
Ricki looked close to tears and Calder resembled a kicked puppy. He kept staring at her with a hang dog expression on his face. Everyone else looked as though they were trying not to laugh.

While I didn’t think that Ricki’s obvious upset was funny, it was entertaining to see Calder at a loss for how to charm his way through problems with the opposite sex. Most of the females of the wolf pack might not want to mate him, but they rarely turned away a romp between the sheets. Also, they would never go out of their way to avoid him as Ricki was doing.

Finally, after an hour of strained silence interrupted with small talk, Conner arrived to collect Ricki. He and Calder conversed briefly and I saw the werewolf smile and nod before Conner left with his wayward mate.

Coming up behind him, I asked, “So what did Conner say?”

Calder grinned. “He told me to bring by Ricki’s bags tonight and that my usual room was available should I need it. He also mentioned that her room was next to mine.”

It seemed that all of us were playing matchmaker when it came to Ricki and Calder.

“Well, I guess we’ll know where to find you,” I teased.

He shrugged. “It depends on what Lach says.”

“For fuck’s sake, go. You’re pitiful. Worse than any lovesick pup I’ve ever seen,” Lachlan yelled from the next room. “In your condition, you’re worthless anyway.”

Completely unfazed, Calder sauntered back into the kitchen where Finn, Lach, Chloe, and Belinda waited. “Well, I’ll hang out here for a bit. Gotta give her time to miss me before I show up again.”

Shaking my head, I followed him. A little levity was a relief after the stressful events of the last few days. It seemed the hits were coming hard and fast and it felt nice to take a break and remind ourselves exactly what we were fighting for.

Unfortunately, my semi-relaxed state was short-lived. Belinda stood when she saw me.

“Kerry, I think we need to discuss a few things.”

I stifled a sigh. Just when I thought I would have a moment’s peace. “Okay. Why don’t we go out into the solarium? I have all my books and notes out there and I need to discuss the research with you.”

She nodded and followed me through the house to the sunroom. Her eyes widened when she saw the large, bright area. “This is beautiful.”

“Yes, it is. Finn brought my things out here because he thought it would remind me of my study at home.”

The High Priestess smiled serenely. “You have a good match there.”

I fiddled with some of the papers on my desk, my hands restless. “Do you think so?”

“Of course.”

Our eyes met. “But I don’t think the coven will,” I murmured.

“I’m sure there will be some in our community who will think that consorting with vampires is a bad idea, but most of them are the elders. The younger generation,
your
generation, doesn’t seem to take the antiquated attitudes towards vampires and werewolves as seriously as the older witches. I think you’ll be able to bring them around, eventually.” She paused and said something totally unexpected. “And if not, well, they’re getting up there in years, so they’ll die of old age soon anyway.”

I snorted, my laugh taking me by surprise. Belinda rarely said anything even remotely sarcastic or snarky. “I guess you’re right.”

She walked back to the table and leaned a hip against it. “Don’t worry about it, Kerry. Even if they don’t approve now, they’ll soften to the idea once it’s revealed that the vampires can be trusted.”

“Do you think they can be?” I asked.

Belinda arched her eyebrows. “You don’t?”

I groaned. “I know several that I would trust with my life and the lives of my friends, but my experience has been limited to them or the ones that want to kill me or kidnap and use me. I don’t know what I believe.”

“The world is rarely black or white, Kerry. You know this already. Just as there are good humans and bad humans, there are good and evil witches, vampires, and shape shifters. You can’t judge the entire species on the actions of a few. Just as you can’t be judged by the actions of your parents.”

She was absolutely right. If I was to be judged by the actions of my family, well, I would be the darkest of dark. My father saw to that before he died. Refusing to dwell on the bad memories, I shook my head. “You’re right.”

Belinda patted my hands. “Don’t let past sorrow dictate your future happiness, my dear. And don’t let those old bitches in the coven decide it for you either.”

I snorted, once again taken aback by my High Priestess’ words. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Now, let’s get to work on this prophecy and see if we can’t figure out what it means and if there is anything we can do to keep the supernatural apocalypse at bay.”

*     *     *

“Oh my, what
time is it?”

Belinda’s question interrupted my concentration. “I’m sorry, what?”

“What time is it?” she asked again.

I looked at my phone. “It’s after seven.”

Now that I was no longer wholly focused on the texts in front of me, I realized my back was screaming at me to stretch. Moving stiffly, I straightened my back and felt the vertebra in my spine pop as I lifted my arms over my head.

We hadn’t made much headway in the stack of books and notes on the table, largely because many of the texts contradicted one another in some way. We were slowly making our way through the similarities and differences, trying to figure out what the prophecy meant. Divination of this sort was always told in some form of riddle or puzzle that must be solved. The purpose of prophecy was enlightenment.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to achieve enlightenment. There was too much at risk.

“It’s time to stop for the night, Kerry.” Belinda’s quiet voice broke through my rapidly swirling thoughts.

“I just feel like I’m missing something important,” I responded.

“We’ll figure it out. Now, I’ve already spoken to Finn. He will bring you to the coven meeting tomorrow at eleven. I need to announce you as my successor before we discuss the meeting that we attended with the Council and the pack.”

“Can’t you just stab me with something? Maybe in the eye? I think it would be less painful.”

Belinda shook her head. “I’m sure it won’t be that bad.”

I gave her a look.

“Okay, so it won’t be the best meeting in the history of our coven, but we’ll get through it.”

“You better bring a whip,” I quipped. “You’ll need it.”

“Kerry.”

“What? You know I’m right. The elders in the coven are going to have a shit fit when they realize that you’ve chosen me as the next High Priestess. Between my black warlock father and my progressive, free-thinking mother, I’m lucky I’m still even allowed in the coven. Then, you announce our alliance with the vampires and shape shifters? They’re going to think you’ve lost your fucking mind.”

“Enough with the swearing, Kerry.” Belinda’s voice whipped through the solarium, sharp and clear. “I know this won’t be easy and I’m sure that there will be some things said tomorrow that will hurt, not only you, but me as well. We have to weather it. This isn’t about me and it isn’t about you or your lineage. This is about the future of the entire supernatural community and we need to make them realize it. Holding the position of High Priestess isn’t the easiest job in the world. You have to put the welfare of the coven before your own. And you have to be impartial and open-minded. Honestly, I think you are the only witch strong enough to hold the position and wise enough to do a good job. When things get heated or uncomfortable tomorrow, show the other witches of the coven why I chose you. Handle it with dignity, grace, and a firm but gentle hand.”

“I will, Belinda.”

She nodded. “Good. Now, I’m sure Lachlan is climbing the walls by now. He hates being away from the compound with the situation being what it is.”

I followed her out of the solarium and into the den where Lachlan, Calder, Finn, and Chloe were all watching a movie.

Lachlan was on his feet as soon as he saw Belinda. “Ready to go?”

She smiled. “Yes, please. I’m hungry, tired, and in desperate need of a hot bath.”

He ushered her out of the den and into the foyer. The rest of us followed. As Lach helped Belinda with her coat, Chloe and Calder shrugged into their jackets as well.

Just as they were getting ready to leave, I called out to Belinda. “Are you sure you can’t just stab me with something pointy and painful instead of making me go tomorrow?”

“Eleven, Kerry.” Belinda looked at Finn over her shoulder before she started down the steps of the front porch. “Make sure she’s there.”

“I will.”

As the werewolves and my High Priestess climbed into the car, I elbowed Finn lightly. “Traitor.”

He didn’t respond, merely wrapped an arm around my shoulders and guided me out of the cool night air back into the house.

Then he asked me a question guaranteed to put me in a better mood.

“How about a long, hot bath and a massage?”

Belinda was right. Vampire or not, he was a keeper.