Pure Blooded (8 page)

We stopped at a ten-by-ten-foot wooden platform set up with a crude table and chairs and a rain tarp strung up between the trees. “How are you killing them without getting cursed?” I asked, thinking back to the big battle we’d fought with the vamps and witches against the demons, when we first discovered my dad had been cursed. Tally had managed to explode one and Ray had sucked the life out of the others.

“Basically we have to give them a lobotomy. Once their brain function is dead, they crumple like marionettes,” he answered as he pulled out a chair and sat down. He gestured for us to sit. Rourke, Tyler, Danny, and I complied, while Naomi and Ray stood behind. For the first time, I noticed Marcy wasn’t with us. I glanced around the small space. She must have made a beeline to find her man. I smiled, thinking of how sweet their reunion would be.

“How is that done, then?” Danny asked. “Do you have to tear their heads off?”

My father shook his head. “No, we’ve all been carrying these around.” He unsheathed a sharp blade, about three inches long, from its holder on his waist. “We stick it right behind their eye socket. It happened by chance the first time. We’d been breaking their necks, their bones, everything, and those suckers wouldn’t die. We started taking up arms, guns, knives, anything to combat them. Then one attacked and Nicolas managed to get a knife securely into the brain and the thing dropped like a bag of garbage.”

“Oh my goodness, Nick! Where is he?” I asked, restraining myself from jumping out of the chair to go search for him. “I can’t wait to see him.”

“He’s at the far camp, two over from here,” my father answered. “I put him in charge and he’s doing a fine job. He’s grown into a great leader with a keen mind.” There was pride in his voice, and it was nice to hear it. Life growing up on the Compound had never been easy for Nick. And if a fox was in charge of wolves,
then his standing in the Pack had definitely gone up since I’d left. “Don’t worry. You’ll see him soon. He’ll be over here tomorrow morning for a prearranged check-in.”

I nodded. “I always knew Nick would be a great leader. He managed to keep me safe for all my formative years, and that took some gumption. How many status fights has he had?”

“Three,” my father said. “After that, I placed him in charge of the younger wolves, and there have been no further issues. He’s like a son to me, and my wolves know that, wolf or not. But I will not tolerate any underhanded dealings. If one of my wolves wants to challenge him, as they will, we’ll set it up appropriately. For now, next to James, he is the best person I have to keep these camps running so we can efficiently take out the threat.”

“One more question before we discuss what happened to me while I was away, which I know you want to hear sooner than later,” I said. “You keep referring to this threat as a ‘priestess.’ Do you know for sure that’s what she is?”

My father shook his head. “I’m not sure of anything, but I refer to her as that because that’s what Redman called her. When I came down here the first time and tried to talk some sense into the Southern Pack, he insisted that she had been in ‘his’ territory for years and that they previously had an understanding. She kept to herself and they left her alone. That’s how the fracture wolves knew how to find her. She’s a legend in these parts.”

“And he said ‘priestess’ for sure?” I asked.

“He said something like that, but mainly he called her a nuisance. Why do you ask?”

“Because Marcy seems to think she’s not a priestess, but something more powerful.”

“And what would that be?”

“A sorceress.”

“A sorceress?” My father scratched his head. “I guess that makes some sense given she can make rabid wolves. My understanding of priestesses is that they feed the ghosts they worship or some such nonsense. I’ve never paid much attention.”

“I don’t know the role a priestess plays, but in voudoun Marcy said the sorceresses are called bokors.” I wished Marcy was here to explain, but I would do my best to relay her thoughts.

“That sounds about right. I’ve heard of them before, but only vaguely.” My father shifted in his tiny seat.

Rourke cleared his throat. “I’m not up on the practices of Haitian voodoo in the last few hundred years, but I agree with Marcy’s assessment. I’m somewhat familiar with voudoun. I know it started in the Congo at least a thousand years ago, and from what I’ve heard on my travels, a bokor does indeed specialize in mind control. I’m not sure if the creatures they puppet are dead or cursed, but it seems to fit the bill here. They also use fetishes. It’s their specialty. I know this because some
supernaturals are willing to pay large sums of money to procure them.”

“I’m assuming you’re talking about an object—that kind of fetish?” Danny asked. “Or are they just really into certain things, like feet or belly buttons? I can totally understand the belly button part, because who doesn’t love a good navel? But feet? No, sir, I’ve never been a fan.”

Rourke arched an eye at Danny. “They trap magic into objects to enhance their power when they need it later. No navels.”

I drummed my fingers on the table. “So this is another supernatural who can harness power and magic?”

My mate turned to me, his face grim. “There are no accidents or coincidences where you’re concerned, Jess. I believe that. Like Eudoxia said in the Underworld, the fact that we’re where we are right now is not a mistake. This bokor is aware of you. My guess is she knew you’d show up eventually if she kept sending rabid wolves out. The minute we entered her territory, she let you in, and when you left, she gave you an ominous message. None of that was a mistake.”

“What did this sorceress say?” my dad asked, leaning forward.

“She said that we would meet again soon,” I answered. “And she called me a wild animal in some kind of Creole. Naomi heard it.”

My father raked a hand through his hair and leaned back in his chair. “If she’s a bokor, and those Made wolves are dead, this just became more complicated. Dammit.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “I wanted to eradicate this threat and be home before you arrived back from the Underworld, but that clearly didn’t happen. So here we sit, playing chess with a sorceress who wants to harm my daughter by draining her power.”

“A sorceress who’s likely been playing games with us since before Stuart brought his ragtag pack of wolves to her doorstep,” I said. “She must have taken one look at him and saw her
opportunity. She set this up so we’d be forced to come here, and if she can pull power or magic out of me, there’s no doubt she’ll try.”

“The question is, how do we fight her?” Tyler asked. “Do we know enough about her magic to gain an advantage?”

My father shook his head. “No, we don’t know anything about her, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find a way to best her. I’ll put a call in to Devon as soon as I can. He’s been busy gathering information from a home base in Florida. But before we try to figure out a game plan, I need both of you to fill me in on what happened while you were in the Underworld. I can sense your signature change, Jessica”—he leaned over, his eyes grave as they met mine—“and your power feels layered. I need to know what’s going on.”

“Of course,” I said. I had so much to share. “Is this the only place we can talk?” I glanced around at the small space. “Where do you eat and sleep?”

“We have another area where we keep our food and supplies. We can move over there, though it’s not much more comfortable than this,” my father answered. “We had to take some trees down to gain the space. But you’re right, let’s head over there first and get situated. I want James to hear this too. There are twelve of us in this camp, and fifteen in both the others. James usually stays at one of the others, but we knew you were coming, so he’s here now.”

I chuckled as I stood, following my father’s lead. “He might be a bit busy at the moment. Marcy came with us. But she needs to be in on whatever we’re doing. She’s the only one of us who knows anything about the kind of magic we’re dealing with.”

Relaying the entire story of our Underworld escapades took two full hours. I told my father every detail, ending with the power of
five, killing Lili, the fact that I’d made a mistake by ending her life one hundred years too soon, my possible place on the Coalition, the Hags’ anger, Juanita, and finally the plane crash. Then I filled him in on what the airboat guides had told us of this place and how we’d just escaped the priestess’s alternate reality. My brother told his part, including the length of time that had passed for him in the Underworld, his torture at the hands of the demons, and added details I didn’t have about the rescue of the Prince of Hell.

My father sat back, his face set as he absorbed it all. Finally he said, “That was quite a story. I’m not sure where to begin.” James sat next to him at another makeshift table, this one a little bigger. We were surrounded by crates of supplies and hammocks strung through cypress trees. “How about we talk about Jessica’s new power acquisition first. What can you do now that you have the power of five? I’ve never heard of a supernatural absorbing magic before you. It’s truly amazing. I’m at a loss for words.”

I stared at him and blinked. “That’s a good question.” I nibbled my lower lip. “I’m not sure. I barely figured out how to harness the demon magic while I was in the Underworld, as I told you. My wolf sort of stored it away as fast as we gathered it.” My wolf growled, showing us glowing with multicolored magic. “My wolf is indicating that we can pull it apart as needed, but I don’t know how to do that… yet.”

“Well, it makes sense it would take some time to figure it out, but it means you’re extremely powerful,” my father said with finality. “It took me fifty years to figure out all my strengths and weaknesses. I don’t want you to feel any pressure. I just wanted to try and get a gauge on what we’re dealing with here.”

“Jessica,” James interjected. “Your new power gives you one thing for sure. It ensures that you can defend yourself, and that will be your biggest asset.”

My father nodded. “James is right. That’s the most important piece in all of this, and it’s what will keep you alive.”

“There’s one more thing,” I said. “It concerns Tally and the witches. I told you the witches disappeared, that the circle was dead in the Underworld. But I’m going to let Marcy share what she found out from a witch in Europe. Things might be brewing in Italy.”

My father turned to Marcy. She was perched on the edge of James’s leg. She straightened under his intense gaze. “Jessica’s right. According to the witch I spoke with, there’s been a convergence of supernatural activity in Italy. Florence, to be precise. She told me supes were flocking there by the hundreds. I feel, because of that, it’s a good indication of where my aunt may have gone—either by choice or against her will—but her leaving without sending word, whatever the circumstances, is highly unusual. We are the only true family we have. My feeling is she was taken, kidnapped or worse, and her witches went after her.”

I nodded along. “Tally wouldn’t have broken her word and left us stranded in the Underworld unless something extreme had happened. She’s proven herself loyal.” I glanced around the table. “And I also believe the event of her leaving or being taken coincided with me killing Ardat Lili.”

“You can’t know that for sure,” my father said. “It could be an internal power struggle, witches fighting witches. But, I agree, there is some merit to it. From my understanding, if there’s an open seat on the Coalition to be filled by a particular Sect, the power shift is felt by all in that Sect. I haven’t felt anything yet, but that doesn’t mean we won’t. I suspect, across the board, there will be skirmishes to gain power before the final five supernaturals take their permanent positions. It could be all-out civil war inside each Sect until that final day comes.”

“What do you mean? I thought we were fated to our seat on
the Coalition?” I asked, my wolf echoing my sentiments in my mind.

“Fate has something to do with it, and in your case particularly—as there are no other female wolves to fight you. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be powerful female supes vying for a place on the Coalition. No supernatural will step aside willingly if they think it’s their right. Fate can shift, as you’ve now seen firsthand.” He raised his eyebrows. “It’s not infallible. Choices are made, paths shift, and supernaturals will die. Sitting on the Coalition is the ultimate station in our world. Now we know all five will share power, making the entity of the Coalition the strongest supernatural group on earth. We believed they were in stasis all this time—at least I did—but they were clever. A rebirth means all five seats will be filled at once.”

Marcy gasped, slapping her hands on the table. “That’s true! That might be
it
—the reason my old biddy of an aunt has disappeared.”

“What?” Tyler asked.

“Your father hit on something. My aunt is indisputably the most powerful witch in the world. The power of our Sect lies insider her, so logically, if the seat was open, it would go to her. But there’s bad blood between her and a witch who ascended to godhood. When the previous Mistress of the Covens, our leader, died around four hundred years ago, this witch figured the mantle of our Sect would shift to her, because she was both a witch
and
a goddess. When it didn’t—and it went to my aunt instead—she lashed out. Tally defeated her, three times to be exact, but she’s always carried a grudge. I can assure you she thinks that seat belongs to her.”

“Who is it?” Danny asked. “Which goddess?”

“Ceres,” Marcy answered.

“Angie the Awful’s
sister
? The Goddess of Fertility?” I gasped.
Angie was the irritating witch who gave us a scooter to escape the sorcerers, knowing it would leave us open and exposed. “I don’t really get it, though. Doesn’t being a goddess trump being a regular witch? Why didn’t the power of the Sect transfer to Ceres?”

“The short answer is the witches never do anything the easy way,” Marcy said. “The long is godhood doesn’t equal total power when it comes to ruling a Sect. Godhood is about immortality, and think about it, once you attain it, you don’t really need a Sect any longer. Sects by definition are formed to make a species strong. Strength in numbers and all that.”

I shook my head. The entire godhood thing was confusing at best. “How does anyone actually become a god or goddess?” I asked. “Do you know?”

“I must confess,” Danny interjected, “I’ve never understood that part either. It seems very random and contrived, if you ask me. Why couldn’t I just declare myself the God of Thunder? Oh, wait, that title is already taken,” Danny snickered. “No matter, I’ll just become the God of
Tundra
instead. It makes no sense, and who needs immortality anyway? The wolves have never needed it. We regenerate just fine. If you manage not to die, it’s not an issue.”

Marcy shook her head at Danny, smiling. “Very funny, God of Tundra. It’s humans. Humans are the ones who decide godhood.”

“Humans?” I said. That’s the last thing I thought would come out of her mouth.

Marcy arched a look at me. “Yes, humans. That’s why there hasn’t been a new god or goddess—at least that I know about—in centuries. Humans don’t pray to new gods anymore. I think it might be time for a supernatural intervention with you. We can call it Marcy’s Magical History Hour.”

“Hilarious,” I said. “I’ve been a wolf for a total of five minutes in the scope of things. Wolves, from what I know”—I glanced at
my father—“have kept themselves in the dark about supernatural things on purpose. Our motto has been ‘If it doesn’t concern us, we don’t bother.’ ”

“That’s true,” my father said. “It’s never been our practice to concern ourselves with the outside world—but, in our defense, we’ve never had a need. We keep our heads down and fight our own battles. I believe it’s always been our way. But I can see those ways won’t work for us now. It’s time for a rebirth for us too.” He grinned. “The wolves, under my command, will become educated in all things supernatural. They will be aware of every possible threat so we can take care of them efficiently.”