*COMPLETED*
Every 3 years there is a Blue Moon.
For centuries, packs around the world have held festivals to honour their dead on this night. But this year, things are different. For the first time in over a century, the Belmont pack and Parsons Pa...
The house shook and the wall behind Penny began to crack. Dust cascaded down. Random cracks spider-webbed from the bottom to the top. No. Not random. The cracks connected and formed a large symbol encircled by smaller symbols.
I ducked as all the lights in the room shattered. Only the moon and the slight glow from the cousins' necklaces were our sources of light. When the rumbling and cracking finally stopped, Penny pressed her hand to the wall. The symbol flashed and a wave of wind whipped out, pressing us backwards.
My body tingled and my chest tightened. A slight heat emanated around my body. But it faded almost as quickly as it came on.
"WHAT THE HELL?" Addie yelled. I looked around and everyone's eyes flashed. Even my normally cool-headed mother looked ready to shift.
"Penny." Elaine noted the shift and latched onto her cousin's arm.
"That is the Liber animarum - the Book of Souls." At our confusion, Penny continued, "It's one of the ancient magical texts that harnesses the dark arts in a way to cause the most chaos and destruction. Every user of those texts went insane and killed thousands. They were supposed to have all been destroyed."
"Okay, but what's with the new decoration?" I pointed to the overly large symbol.
"It's protection runes," Elaine said. Running a hand over the markings. "Magic that is forbidden for anyone outside the Council to use. Who the hell taught you this?"
Penny looked down, refusing to answer Elaine. I rubbed my head and sighed. Every time we got close to ending this something else comes up making this even harder. It's also bringing up a few questions about Penny. Like what kind of witch was she really because that was not nature magic.
She ignored Elaine's question, instead pointing me with a look. "You coming in contact with that book is why they came here. Its magic must have rubbed off on you and when the necromancer began the spell it would have activated the residual magic. Like calls to like." Guilt bubbled. This was all because of me. My pack was dying because of me.
"This symbol will counteract any residual magic that may be here. It should also protect us from any curses she might throw at us. But—" The markings behind Penny began to glow a faint yellow just as howls broke out. "They're here." Just as the words left her mouth, loud screeching echoed through the forest.
Without a moment's thought, the men were gone. Their wolves charged through the trees. I moved to leave as well when Addie grabbed my arm. "We'll need to go to the main house. Protect the wolves there. Mum's not going to let you fight. You know that."
"I have to help, Addie. This is all my fault. I have to make this right."
She squeezed my arm. "Hey. This isn't your fault. How were you supposed to know that you were carrying traces of black magic from a grimoire? You couldn't. So, stop beating yourself up about it." I wanted to argue but she silenced me with a finger. "I'm not going to hear it. Neither will anyone else. This isn't your fault and that's that." Bossy as always. But I loved her for it.
Glancing at the carved symbol, I knew that staying put wasn't an option. Whether anyone thought it was my fault was irrelevant. The fact was, I attracted the spell, and the pack has paid the price. "Addie, I love you, but there is no way I'm going to the main house to bunker down and wait for death."
She side-eyed me. "So, you want me to convince mum to let her youngest child – who's one bite away from certain death – stay where she can be easily targeted?" It wasn't a question. More like a statement.
"You know I'm just going to find a way to sneak out if I go," I stated matter-of-factly. "At least this way I'm not endangering anyone else beyond what I've already done."
She groaned. "Pierce, please, for once in your life just follow the rules." Her eyes were pleading with me, but I wouldn't sit on the sidelines, and she knew that.
"I need to do this, Addie."
Addie sighed. Her shoulders slumped as she accepted my decision. "This is stupid and dangerous and could get you killed." She wrapped herself around me in a tight hug. "So please, please don't die. I can't lose you."
I hugged her back and as much as I wanted to tell her that I wasn't going to die, I couldn't bring myself to lie. So instead, I said, "I promise we're going to see each other again." She gave me one last squeeze before pulling away and wiping her eyes. With a final smile, she walked to the study where my mum had gone.
It wasn't a lie. We would see each other again. But the chances of it being in this life were not high. Not with what I had planned.
Penny brushed her shoulder with mine and stared out the window as wolf and corpse clashed. "I assume we both have the same idea?" she asked in a hushed voice.
I nodded towards the kitchen where Elaine had gone. "Your cousin? Is she coming?"
"She wants to do this by the book. Rely on the council. I've left a paper with exactly what she needs to do in order to make the protection symbol. Besides, what we're going to need to do isn't going to be council approved."
I grinned. I was starting to really like thewitch.
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We made our way quietly out of the house, and I silently thanked Addie for keeping my mum occupied. Outside was a harder challenge though. The forest was filled with battling wolves and prowling corpses. Without my heightened senses and with the possibility that the necromancer is focusing most of her efforts to take out Penny, this wasn't going to be easy.
In one hand I held my 9mm, gripping the handle with comfort. I was thankful that my uncle taught me how to use guns when I was younger. He was adamant that we would know how to defend ourselves beyond relying solely on our abilities. A handy ability, given my current circumstance.
On the other side of the yard closest to the trees was my car. Thankfully completely untouched. I tapped Penny's arm and we made a break for the car. We needed to be fast because all my mum would have to do was look out the window and we were done.
The car dinged and I slid into the driver's seat while Penny fell into the back with a grunt. Before I even placed the key into the ignition, the passenger door flew open. Logan's large frame piled into the car, and he slammed the door shut behind him.
I met his stormy gaze with one of disbelief. "What the hell are you doing?"
"What am I doing? What are you doing? In case you haven't noticed, we're under attack and you're one bite away from permanent death."
"Okay, this seems like a conversation we can have on the way," Penny interjected pointing to a corpse stumbling towards us. But it was missing a leg and not making much ground.
Logan looked at me daring me to argue with him further. But I only had one chance to take the necromancer down. With a loud sigh, I fired up the engine and put the car into gear. Throwing the car around, we sped down the gravel road.
Without taking my eyes off the road I asked Penny, "Can you reach in the back and see if there is anything this prick can put on?" A moment later a pair of bike shorts were thrown in between us.
"I'm not wearing this." He eyed the stretchy material with disgust.
"Quit complaining and put them on. The last thing we need is you walking around town butt naked."
"Aw, ashamed of me princess?"
"I will put a bullet between your eyes if you call me that again." I threw Penny a look in the rearview mirror as she laughed. She tried to hide her amusement by coughing. But she failed. Miserably.
