our resident werelock ?”
Micah asked.
“My
mate has been taken.”
Micah’s
brows lifted. “I didn’t realize you’d taken a mate.”
“It’s
new. Her name is Breena . She’s a—”
“Witch,”
Micah interrupted. “I’m familiar with her.”
“Some
of your pups were harassing her the other night. It worked out in my favor, I
think. She’s a little upset with me at the moment, and now that she’s been
taken, I’m sure she’s even more perturbed.”
“Perturbed?”
“All
right, she’s probably downright pissed at me.”
“So
who has her?” Micah asked.
“The demon, Asmoth . He asked me for
a spell a few months ago and I refused. Now that I’ve taken a mate, he’s
decided to use her as leverage. He wants a spell and my servitude. The spell I
could do, as much as I would hate to, but the other is out of the question. It
would be bowing down to him and giving whatever he wanted whenever he wanted.
Nothing good could come of it.”
“So
what do you need from me?”
“I
was hoping the pack might back me when I decide to go against him. The only way
to get her back without giving up too much of myself is to fight. But I won’t
win against him alone. The pack, however, would distract him long enough for me
to work my magick. I’ll come prepared with some spells and potions, but I’ll
need a window of opportunity.”
Micah
gave him an incredulous look. “And you think the pack will be strong enough to
go up against a demon? We’ll be slaughtered!”
“I’ll
give you protection charms, it’s the least I can do. I know they won’t be foolproof,
but—”
“I
need to think it over. You’re asking a lot.”
“There
isn’t time! I know he’s going to ask for my answer soon. I need to know if the
pack will back me.”
Micah
sighed.
“If
it helps, I’m going to the warlocks next.”
“I’d
ask you to swear to keep the pack safe, but I know you can’t do that. Will you
at least promise me that the warlocks will aid us, watch over my packmates ?”
“I’ll
get them to swear to it,” Cade promised. “It’s the least I can do.”
“Then
you have our assistance,” Micah vowed. “I don’t like the idea of that sweet
witch in the hands of the demon. Hell is no place for her.”
Cade
wondered just how well the alpha knew Breena , but
thought it best not to ask. If his mate had been intimate with Micah, he wasn’t
sure he wanted to know. Obviously, there were men in her past, and he judged
her age to be at least fifty or so, which meant there were probably more than
he’d like. If there was one thing he’d learned during his long life, it was
that you didn’t ask a woman her age, not even a paranormal one.
Excusing
himself from the alpha’s house, he made his way to the head warlock’s house. It
would take forever to meet them one at a time, and time was something he didn’t
have. Not if he wanted to save Breena , and his own neck
as well. He arrived at Jared’s and wasn’t surprised to find the warlock waiting
for him. He knew Jared was not the man’s original name, but his name had been
lost centuries ago. Only those closest to him knew who he really was, and Cade
was fine with that.
“So
your little witch is in trouble,” Jared said as Cade slung his leg over his
bike.
“I’d
ask how you know, but you seem to know everything.”
Jared
smiled. “It’s my job. And you’ve come to ask for my help.”
“Yes.
The wolves have already agreed to help, but they wanted my assurance that the
warlocks would watch over them. I already promised to make them charms.”
“You’re
one of ours, in a way, so of course we’ll help. I can’t guarantee that all of
the warlocks in the area will come, but I know of four that will for certain.
And, of course, I’ll be there. Just tell me what you need us to do.”
“Watch
over the wolves, help battle whatever back-up Asmoth brings with him. I’m taking on the big demon by myself. I’ll make sure I’m
prepared, but
Learning to Kill: Stories