Dead. She’s dead. Jewel couldn’t stop staring at the woman. Amy. The woman has a name. But still, she’s dead.

“What the hell just happened?” Sly’s voice rose in the background as Jewel stared down at the woman who’d fallen to the ground. She was lying on her back, staring up blankly. She looked anything but peaceful.

“HELLO!” Sly yelled. “Wheelers! What. Happened.”

“We heard you the first time,” Anna snapped. “We’re trying to process this, so if you could just shut your warlock trap for just a second that would really help.” Her voice was shaky, and Jewel could tell the girl was every bit as terrified as she was.

“What have we done?” Jewel whispered. “I don’t understand. I did it the exact same way I did it with you.” She glanced at Anna and then looked back down at the woman. It was like a horrible accident, impossible not to stare no matter how badly it freaked her out.

“You said we were taking her essence,” Anna said. “Something about her soul.”

Jewel nodded. “I saw her memories and felt her emotions. It’s like they were merging with my own.”

“Yeah.” Anna breathed out a trembling breath. “That’s what I felt and saw, too.”

“But why?”

“I don’t know.”

“Geeze, Anna. We killed her. We killed Amy. Do you know how long we could go to jail? Does California have the death penalty?” Jewel asked as her eyes widened and she looked back at Anna.

“You’re the genius. How am I supposed to know?”

“I don’t know all the states that kill people who kill other people. I never exactly planned on killing someone.”

“Well, it wasn’t premeditated, so won’t that get us a break?” Anna asked.

“Yeah, that sounds right.” Jewel nodded, thinking she probably looked a little frantic. “Crime of passion. Surely we’d get a break on that.”

Suddenly, their ears perked up at the sound of sharp whistle. Their heads snapped to the left, and Jewel frowned at Z, who was pulled his fingers away from his mouth.

“Nobody is going to jail or facing the death penalty. You two need to pump the brakes on getting a new wardrobe consisting only of orange jumpsuits.” He pointed to Amy. “There’s no way for the human police to tie her to you two. And what would they charge you with? Murder by magic? But you probably shouldn’t be standing here chatting when someone comes along to find her. I’m not sure if Volcan has a good lawyer on retainer, but I’d rather not find out. We need to make tracks … now.”

“We can’t just leave her here.” Jewel gasped.

“We can, and we will,” Sly argued. “There’s nothing you can do for her. She’s gone. A casualty of war.”

“We aren’t in a war,” Anna countered.

“Aren’t we?” Z asked. “Volcan is the enemy, but you’re stuck in his army and you have to do what he expects when he expects it, unless you want to end up just like her. Actually, if you two don’t figure out a way to start making his witches, Amy’s end will look pleasant compared to what will become of you.”

“By all means,” Anna said, glaring at Z. “Don’t pull any punches.”

“Don’t worry,” Sly smiled. “We won’t.”

“Now, we need to go.” Z motioned toward the door. “We need to plan your next move.”

“Our next move?” Jewel asked. She felt as if she was hearing everything from underwater. Their voices and words were distorted, and her brain was beginning to feel oxygen deprived. Was she going into shock? She started to review the symptoms of shock in her mind, but then wondered if she would really be able to go over the symptoms of shock if she were actually going into shock.

“Jewel,” Anna said, shaking her arm. “You okay?”

Jewel shook her head. “I’ve never killed anyone.”

“That’s really good to know,” Anna said, obviously trying to lighten the moment. “I haven’t either, and it sucks, like seriously sucks, but the warlocks are right. We can’t fix her. It’s done, and we can’t be here when she’s found. We have to go.”

Jewel knew Anna spoke the truth, but her feet wouldn’t move. She wished Dalton were there to carry her. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Dalton. She would have to tell him she’d killed a woman. What would he think of her then? Would he still want her? Could he still love a murderer? She didn’t realize she was moving until she looked down and saw her other hand in Anna’s. Anna was in front of her, pulling her through the building and out of the doors.

Z and Sly were moving at a jog and Anna was picking up her pace as well, causing Jewel to have to have to scurry to keep up.

“We can’t call a cab until we’ve put some distance between us and this place,” Sly shouted out so they could hear him.

That made sense, Jewel thought and then felt as though she was going to throw up. They were trying to put distance between themselves and the dead body they’d just left behind. What was wrong with them? Had they lost all their morals simply because an evil fae was forcing them to create witches? What was their other option? She couldn’t think of one, at least not in that moment. All she could think about was Amy and her empty eyes. Would she ever be able to close her own eyes and not see Amy’s blank face staring back at her? She doubted it.

“Come on, Jewel,” Anna called over her shoulder. “You’ve got to move!”

Jewel shook her head, trying to clear her mind and focus on surviving. That’s what she had to do—survive. She would deal with her guilt and shame later. Her feet began to move faster as she followed the others, but she kept her hand wrapped around Anna’s. She needed the connection to another living being. She needed to know she wasn’t alone.

They alternated jogging through alleys and briskly walking down streets for several blocks. Other pedestrians were few, and no one seemed to pay them any particular attention. At some point, Z took Jewel’s hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He pulled her close and began singing a bawdy song at the top of his lungs. Jewel heard Sly behind her joining in on the chorus. A quick glance showed her that he had wrapped himself around Anna. He appeared to be using her as a crutch as he mimed stumbling along. The rounded a corner into a trendy bar and restaurant district where people waited in line to enter eating and drinking establishments. After a few more blocks, they stopped under an awning, and Z pulled out his cell phone and called for a cab.

“We’re going to go back to the motel and get some rest,” Sly informed them. “Tomorrow, we will hit up some of those occult shops and see if we can try this again.”

Jewel felt the panic starting to rise again. “Again? What if we kill someone else? Are we just going to keep doing this and killing people over and over again and become serial killers?”

“Hey, keep it down.” Z hissed. “We’ll talk about it when we back to the motel.”

Fifteen minutes later, a cab pulled up and they all clambered inside, Jewel and Anna, somewhat shakily. Sly told the driver the motel name, and they all rode in silence. It’s quiet as the grave in here, Jewel thought. Great, now all I can do is think about death. Jewel squeezed her eyes closed and fought off the tears that wanted so desperately to fall. It seemed cruel not to cry for Amy. She should grieve for the life the girl would never have. What about her family? Did she have kids, parents, aunts or uncles? How many people would be affected by her death? How much pain would it cause? And Jewel had been the source of that pain—or at least half of it.

She felt Anna nudging her and opened her eyes. They were parked in front of the motel. The neon lights felt like huge arrows that pointed at her and screamed ‘murderer sleeping right here.’

Z paid the driver in cash, and they all climbed out of the cab and walked to their rooms. It felt like they’d checked in weeks ago, not simply one day. One day and they’d gone from gypsy healer witches to murders. Quite the transformation, Jewel thought.

As she got ready for bed, Jewel was moving on autopilot. There was no thought as she brushed her teeth, changed her clothes, and washed her face. She climbed into bed and waited for sleep to take her away from the horrific reality that had become her life.

Anna didn’t say anything as she and Jewel moved around each other. The younger witch changed her clothes, took care of her bathroom business, and, by the time she was done, Jewel was already in bed. Anna turned off the light and climbed in next to her friend. Anna wasn’t sure how Jewel was coping but knew the girl must be hanging on by a thread. Who could blame her? The two of them had killed someone. No, they hadn’t done it intentionally, but they had intentionally tried to turn Amy into a witch. That decision had directly led to the poor girl’s death by their hands.

Anna’s eyes slipped closed as she felt sleep begin to pull her under. For a minute, it seemed as though something was causing her to become extremely drowsy, making her want to sleep more than anything else in the world. But then she hazily considered the events of the evening. It would make sense that her mind would want to shut down. She was not only physically exhausted but emotionally as well.

It felt like her eyes had just closed when she opened them again. She blinked a few times and looked around. She wasn’t in the motel. She was lying on a plot of lush grass. Anna pushed herself up, and her brow dipped low as she tried to figure out where she was. Was she awake? Surely not.

“It’s a dream, Criña,” a deep, sensual voice said from behind her.

She knew that voice. She’d heard it in her mind several times and, just like on previous occasions, it soothed her. Anna turned slowly, moving onto her knees as she did. Her breath caught as she looked at the tall, incredibly handsome man before her. He had broad shoulders and clearly took his physical fitness seriously. His eyes were a dark, rich brown and piercing in their gaze. His hair was black, slightly wavy, and long enough to brush the collar of his shirt. He was dressed in black slacks and a white dress shirt that was tucked in at the waist. He had on a black belt and black dress shoes. It looked like the kind of apparel that would cost her a year’s salary to afford—expensive, finely tailored, and classy. In short, he was the complete package. And if all of that wasn’t sexy enough, he also had a tattoo that ran down half his neck, disappearing under his shirt. She’d be a liar if she said she didn’t wonder how far down that tattoo travelled. Yep, she was going to hell—killed a woman a couple of hours ago, and now she was lusting after a Spanish god when she should be sitting and rocking back and forth in shame.

“You’re Gustavo?” she asked, still attempting to get over how attractive her was.

“I am,” he said with the hint of a crooked smile.

“And you are my Anastasia.” His Spanish accent made her name sound seductive and cultured at the same time.

“Yours?”

He nodded. “As I am yours.”

“You mean the whole true-mate thing,” she said.

He nodded again but said nothing.

“This is a dream.” It wasn’t a question. “But how? I don’t know what you look like. Am I just making up what you look like in my mind?”

“This is a dream, yes, but it is more than a dream. Our minds are linked. What you see is my true form. Just as I see your true form. You are very beautiful, Criña.”

Anna didn’t know what to say. She didn’t understand how it was possible to be accurately dreaming about a man she’d never met in person. Then again, she didn’t understand how werewolves could exist, and yet they did.

He took a step toward her, and she scrambled to her feet, taking a step back. He took another forward, and she mirrored his by taking another step away from him. Her back hit something hard. Stupid tree. She mentally growled.

“I won’t harm you,” he told her gently.

“I don’t know you.”

“Not yet. But you will.”

“Why are you here?”

Gustavo’s face darkened. “I could feel your fear. It was sharp and painful. I couldn’t help you, and I wasn’t sure if you were safe. Truthfully, I didn’t know if reaching for your mind in sleep would even work. We haven’t met in person, and I have not marked you. Perhaps my need to see you made the bond stronger.”

His words reminded her of Amy. She saw the girl’s dead body lying alone in a cold warehouse. Anna looked away, unable to meet his eyes. She was afraid he would see what she’d done. She pictured a wall in her mind, pushing the memory behind it, hoping he would never discover the truth.

“What happened, Anastasia?”

She shook her head and closed her eyes. She didn’t hear him move, didn’t realize how close he was until she felt his breath on her face. Anna jumped when she felt his hand touch her face. She was crying and hadn’t known it until Gustavo started wiping away her tears.

“Carina, please tell me what happened.”

She shook her head. “I can’t.”

“Por que? Why?” he asked.

Because it’s horrible. Because you would see the darkness inside of me. She didn’t say either of those things. Instead, she lowered her head more so he couldn’t see her shame. It was pointless. Gustavo simply placed a finger under her chin and raised her head until she had to look at him.

“Let me help you bear whatever it is that weighs upon you. That is the purpose of a true mate. You aren’t alone. You don’t have to endure hardship on your own.”

“It isn’t your burden to bear, Gustavo,” she said, hoping he could see the pleading in her eyes.

“You are mine,” he said, his voice a guttural growl and laced with possession. “Everything and anything that is yours to bear is also mine. That will never change.”

He spoke with such conviction she almost believed him. But there was no way he could accept her. Once he found out what she’d become, he wouldn’t want anything to do with her.

“If you won’t talk to me about whatever it is that is hurting you, will you talk to me about something else?” he asked.

“Like what?”

Gustavo took her hand and tugged her gently away from the tree. He sat down on the plush grass, which almost made her laugh, considering he was dressed so impeccably. He pulled her around until she was across from him and motioned for her to sit. Even sitting, he was taller than her, and she had to tilt her head up just a bit to look into his eyes.

“Tell me about yourself,” he said as he picked a blade of grass and twirled it between his fingers. He didn’t attempt to touch her again. Part of her was relieved, while another part of her was terribly disappointed. It must have been the stress of previous evening causing her to desire the touch of a stranger—mate or not. Sure, that must be it.

“I’m from New Orleans, an only child, and my mom is a gypsy—an American gypsy,” she clarified. “Not the kind of gypsy I am.”

He nodded and continued to stare at her, all the while winding the blade of grass around his finger and then unwinding it. When she didn’t say anything else, he smiled that crooked smile and said, “I’m sure there is more than just those three things.”

She shrugged. “I work, well, worked, in the store my mother owns. It’s called Little Shop of Horrors. My mom began to travel a lot once I was old enough to take care of the store and myself. I love to read. I like plants. Before I was told about the supernatural world, I was about to start at a community college. I’m eighteen. I’ve never had any real friends until I met the other healers.”

“Must have been lonely, with your mother gone,” Gustavo said gently.

“Sometimes,” she agreed.

“Any boyfriends?”

For some reason the question made her smile. “Would it matter if there had been?”

Anna didn’t miss the way his jaw clenched, though he tried to remain unaffected. “If you’re asking if I’d still want you, the answer, of course, is yes. There is nothing that could keep me from you. I’m not going to pretend I wouldn’t be jealous. It is in my nature to be possessive of my mate.”

“Even though you didn’t know me?” she asked.

“It doesn’t matter if I knew you. You were created to be mine. So it is hard to think you might have cared for another male, or touched another male, or allowed him to touch you in return.”

Anna held up a hand. “Okay, you can stop right there.” She felt the flush in her face and knew she was probably an unattractive shade of red. “There has never been a boyfriend. Ever.”

“You’ve never kissed anyone?”

He sounded skeptical, which sort of made her want to kick him. “Why does that surprise you?”

“Because it is not typical of someone your age. Relationships are much more nonchalant than they were a long time ago.”

“Exactly how long ago are we talking here?” Gustavo looked to be in his mid-twenties, but Anna knew he was probably much older than that.

“A few centuries,” he said casually.

“Oh, is that all?” Anna asked dryly. The crooked smile was back and she wondered how many women had fallen prey to it. This made her wonder about his own experiences with the opposite sex.

“And what about you?”

“Me?” he asked, a small frown replacing the smile.

“Yes, you. Any girlfriends? I mean, after three centuries, there has to have been someone, or multiple someones, who you’ve cared for.”

“Has no one explained to you what it means to be true mates?” he asked. “How intimate and deep the bond is?”

“Peri and Sally talked to us about it.”

“They must not have done an adequate job.” He grumbled and said a few words in Spanish that sounded less than complimentary.

“What does that have to do with anything?” She picked her own blade of grass and began to play with it, just to give her hands something to do. For some reason, the thought of him with other women really bothered her. Like, really bothered her. Why? She hadn’t known him. She hadn’t even known he existed, let alone that he was essentially her soul mate.

“It has everything to do with it,” he said. “Most of the males of our race wait for their true mate. They do not date, as humans do. They do not have casual sexual relationships. They do not touch any other that isn’t their mate.”

“Most?” she couldn’t help but ask.

“There are exceptions to almost every rule. There have been males who’ve strayed before they met their mates. Though the ones I know that did regretted it greatly once they’d finally found their mates. It hurt their females. The females of our race are guarded, protected fiercely. Any male showing interest in a female that wasn’t his own mate, or any human showing interest, would be dealt with.”

“Killed?” Her eyes widened.

“Not necessarily. But sometimes.” He reached over and took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers so that her hand rested on the back of his. “In all the centuries of my life, I have never been tempted to stray.” Gustavo’s dark brown eyes began to glow and his teeth appeared a bit larger. “Even if I had, my wolf would not have allowed it,” he continued. “I have dreamed of the day I would meet you. I have longed for you as a drowning man longs for air. And had I not met you in this century, I would have continued to wait for you into the next.”

“You’ve never kissed anyone?”

He chuckled. “I just expressed my undying devotion to you, and that’s what you gleaned from my declaration?”

She shrugged. “You thought it was strange that I”—she pointed to herself—“an eighteen year old, hadn’t kissed anyone. I think it’s a little more bizarre that a man, as handsome as you, centuries old, hasn’t kissed anyone.”

He bowed his head slightly. “I concede, Criña, you are right. To a human, it would seem bizarre.”

“So you’ve never found another woman attractive?”

“Not in the way that you mean. I notice if a woman is beautiful, of course, but I’ve never desired any of them. And even if I had, that desire would have paled in comparison to the desire I have for you.”

Anna’s mouth dropped open. What was she supposed to say to that? No guy had ever even been interested in her, let alone declared his desire for her. How did she feel about that? Shouldn’t she be a bit freaked out? Maybe, but his words were so sincere, and the way he looked at her, as if she was the most incredible thing he’d ever seen, made her feel so very special.

“You are very special,” he said as he ran a finger down her jaw, her neck, stopping on the spot where her neck merged into her shoulder.

“Are you listening to my thoughts?” She was trying, and failing, not to lean into his touch, but it felt so good and so right.

“Sometimes, your thoughts are loud.”

His finger was making small circles on the spot of skin at the bottom of her neck, and Anna was sure that if she was able, she would have purred like a contented cat. “Do you have a thing for necks?” The words were out before she could censure herself.

“I have a thing for your neck and this spot in particular.”

“Why that spot?”

“This, mí amõr, will be where you will bear my mark.”

Her eyes popped open. “That’s the biting part, isn’t it?”

Gustavo licked his lips, and she decided it should be an action banned in all fifty states. He should not be allowed to lick his lips, ever. Not. Ever.

“Yes, that’s the biting part. It’s part of the bonding. There are three things that confirm the true mate bond. First, the mind link. After initial introduction is made and the mental link is established, the male’s markings will change, and matching markings will appear on the female.”

“Markings?”

He pointed to the tattoos on his neck. “These markings.”

“Not tattoos?”

He shook his head. “These are a part of our supernatural make-up.”

“What do you mean they will change?” Anna asked, her eyes tracing over the black marks.

“They will spread. I am a dominate wolf and an Alpha. My markings are on my right side. When I meet you in person, they will expand until they are on the right side of my torso, the front of my neck, and down my right arm. Your markings will be a match for mine, like two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together.”

Anna was trying to remember the conversation that Sally and Peri had with all the healers, explaining all of what he was saying, and some of it was coming back to her. Memories concerning the markings were a tad fuzzy. “Where will my markings be?”

“I do not know. We won’t know until they show up.”

“What about the other girls?” Anna jumped when he let out a deep, rough growl. “Wrong question?”

“Only a mate is allowed to see markings of his female. It is a very personal and intimate connection. I have never seen another female’s markings”

“What would happen if you did?”

“Her mate could kill me for such an offense.”

“And if another male saw mine?” She knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it from his lips.

“They would die by my teeth.”

Was it her imagination or were his eyes glowing even brighter?

“My wolf desires to take control,” he explained, obviously having caught the question from her mind. “He’s quite possessive of you.”

“Okay.” She was pretty sure there was never uttered a lamer answer in the history of lame answers, but she wasn’t sure what else to say. “Is the biting part really necessary?”

His grin was positively wicked and seductive, a lethal combination. “Very. But the male is not the only one who does the biting. The female bites her mate as well.”

Her mouth dropped open, then shut, then opened again. She would have to bite him? Wasn’t that unsanitary? “Does it hurt?” Dumbest. Question. Ever.

“Considering I’ve never been bitten by you, I don’t really know. But when my father explained true mates to me, he told me that the bite from my mate would be pleasurable. And my bite would be the same for you.”

Anna shifted in her spot on the grass and dropped her hazel eyes from his very intense dark brown ones. “Okay then.” She wanted to ask more, especially about when the biting part actually happened. Would it be the minute he met her? He’d say hello and then strike? Or would they date and get to know one another? But just when she was about to open her mouth to ask she felt herself slipping away from him.

His face darkened, looking frustrated, but his eyes also held sadness. “You’re waking up,” he explained. “Please, stay safe, Criña. I need you, and though you don’t realize it yet, you need me just as much.”

Anna bolted upright in the bed. Her breathing was as fast as the galloping heart in her chest. She looked around and saw she was still in the motel, and Jewel was fast asleep beside her.

“Just a dream,” she whispered. But it had felt so very real. She could remember the warmth of his breath on her face, the strength of his hand as he held hers, the heat his touch caused as he traced the spot on her neck where he’d said he would place his mark—his bite. It was crazy a dream could feel so real.

“You okay?”

Anna looked over at Jewel who was frowning at her from underneath a blanket. “What if I told you I dreamed about Gustavo, the werewolf who is to be my mate, and it felt as real as this conversation we are having?”

Jewel shrugged. “I’d say I believe you. I’m pretty much going by the anything-is-possible philosophy now.”

“Probably a really good one to adopt,” Anna agreed. She reached over and picked up the cell phone on the bedside table and checked the time. It was seven in the morning. It felt as though she’d only been a sleep for less than hour.

“I could use some breakfast,” Jewel said. “Is it wrong of me to want to eat, considering what happened yesterday?”

Anna climbed out of bed, stretched her arms over her head, then bent at the waist and stretched her back. “We can’t stop living,” she told her. “And at this point, Jewel, it’s kill or be killed. I’m not saying that makes what we did okay, but what else are we supposed to do?”

“We need to figure out how to turn a woman into a witch without killing her,” Jewel answered.

“Agreed. But that might mean we kill more as we try to figure it out. Trial and error.”

Jewel nodded solemnly. “Let’s just try and limit the errors as much as possible.” She, too climbed out of bed. She seemed to be moving just as slowly as Anna. “So breakfast and then we hit some occult shops,” Jewel said.

Anna raised her hand and waved behind her as she headed for the shower. It was going to be a long day.