Chapter Thirty-Two
“Should we wait on Ava?” Catty asked Granny and then froze.
Coming up in front of them were the Louisiana Assassins and a very familiar female.
A female that Catty hated with a vengeance.
Ella. The Witch of Yazoo City.
“Keep moving, female” the Guardian named James growled, but Catty wasn’t having it.
Ella spotted her and her eyes widened. She quickly recovered, fixed a smirk on her face, and stopped.
“Well, you’re looking well, Kitten.” Ella tossed her red hair over her shoulder and smirked.
“The name’s Catty, you psychotic bitch.” Catty lunged, but one of the Assassins stepped in front of the witch, blocking Catty. The Mississippi Guardian James, held Catty back.
“Back off, female.” The large Assassin, she believed Brutus was his name, glared at her.
“You gonna make me, asshole?” Catty shook off James’s hold. Her hands curled into fists. “I have a score to settle with that bitch. She put a sword through my chest, and I intend to pay her back.”
“Not tonight you won’t,” Brutus said. He looked from her to the other women. “She’s under the protection of Edward Boudier. She is a witness for him in the Tribunal.”
Granny shoved her way past both the Mississippi Guardians and stepped up to Brutus. She shoved her bony finger in his chest and growled. “If she’s on his side, then she must be a liar. I know Jaxon and he would never murder anyone… without a damn good cause.” She lifted her chin to make her point.
“Lady, I don’t know who you are, but you better get that finger out of my chest,” Brutus growled.
Catty stepped up beside Granny. “If you so much as lay one finger on her, I’ll rip your fucking head off.”
“Language, Catty,” Granny chided. “Besides, if anyone is going to rip heads, it will be me.”
“You won’t touch these females, Brutus. Barrett has ordered us to make sure they get back to their car unharmed.” Michael, the Mississippi Guardian, stepped up beside them. He narrowed his gaze on Brutus. “You three males could use some manners when it comes to talking to a lady.”
Brutus growled.
Catty looked past him to the one who looked familiar. Very familiar.
Her chest tightened when he met her gaze.
“You should know your brother is finally healed from what Boudier did to him. I can’t imagine staying loyal to a Pack Master who tried to have your brother skinned alive. But then again, you are nothing like Lucien. You won’t ever be half the male he is.” Catty turned and headed down the trail. If she’d stayed any longer, she would have shifted into wolf and torn Ella’s throat out.
Then she would have gone after Lorcan.
* * *
Ella watched as the group of females headed down the trail.
“Sounds like you make friends super easy,” Lorcan said.
“Sounds like you need to shut the fuck up.” Ella gritted her teeth and wrapped her leather jacket tighter around her. “Boudier said he was going to meet with me before the Tribunal, so I suggest you three pretty boys get to moving. I’m sure he doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
Brutus ignored her and kept walking. Brutus never said anything other than a grunt or two. Killian didn’t make eye contact. He’d probably heard about her powers of glamor and didn’t want to get caught under her control. She didn’t tell him that he didn’t need to worry. She could only glamour humans.
She squeezed her eyes shut and sucked in a deep breath. She could feel her power fading, and she knew she was going to have to spill some blood soon to keep from being sucked back into the cemetery where she was cursed to spend all eternity.
She cut her eyes at Lorcan. While all the Assassins were eye candy, Loran was pretty hot. Even she had to admit that. Plus, he had a smart-ass mouth. She appreciated a man who could verbally spar with her.
They continued up the trail and then turned off into the woods. They walked a further until they came to a break in the trees. She saw a small, rusted trailer sitting under a tree. It was large enough to carry a motorcycle, and judging from the dust and weeds growing up around it, it had long been abandoned.
They stopped in front of it. Edward Boudier stepped out from behind a tree.
“Well, well, well. The Witch of Yazoo City.” Boudier smiled and clasped his hands together. “We meet at last.”
“I have a name. It’s Ella. And if you expect me to testify for you, then you’re going to have to provide a blood donor.” Her vision began to blur and she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to stay conscious. “I don’t have much longer before I’m sucked back to the cemetery. Once I’m there, you don’t have a witness. There will be no getting me out of there again. Jack Welbourn will make sure to have someone guard me to make sure I don’t get out again. He seems to think I’m on a killing spree.”
“Ah yes. That.” Boudier’s creepy grin grew wider. “It seems I’m the reason he thinks that.”
Her eyes popped open. “What? Why would he think that? I didn’t drain them, nor did I kill them. They were very much alive when I left them.”
“Because, my dear, I’ve been following you. Every time took blood from a victim, I ordered my Guardians to kill them.” Boudier sighed and looked around.
“Why would you do that?” Her mouth dropped open, and she took a step back.
“Because it was the only way I could ensure that all the other Pack Masters knew you were dangerous. I know you’ve wanted your freedom for a long time, and I wanted to make sure the other Pack Masters would never broker a deal with you.”
“You killed people so people would blame me for it.” She felt like she’d stepped into a trap.
“Yes. You see, I have this reputation for willing to work with, how do you say it? The unsavory. And once I made you into a psycho killing witch, I knew it was only a matter of time before you would come to me wanting my help. And see, it worked. The cameras at John’s house put you outside the house at the scene of the crime. You are going to be my star witness to the crimes against Jaxon Taylor.”
“I’m not psychotic. I’m borderline personality, you dumb shit,” she spat out.
His grin faded. “Be careful, Witch. I don’t allow anyone to talk to me like that. You want your freedom and you need a blood donor. I can offer you both in exchange for your testimony and something else of mine that I know you have.”
Her eyes widened ever so slightly, and then she fixed an innocent look on her face. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Yes, you do. The packet that Ginny dropped off at the bar. The packet you stole.” He glared.
She shut her eyes. She’d been holding onto it to use as her leverage against Boudier. Now the tables were turned.
He laughed. “You don’t have much longer. I can see how weak you’ve become. Agree to my terms of being my witness and saying that you saw Jaxon murder those two people, and I will give you the blood you need and the freedom you seek.”
She swallowed. “How will you give me my freedom? I saw a bunch of fucking Arkansas and Mississippi Guardians on our way up here. I’m practically surrounded by them.”
“Under the Pack Law, a witness in a Tribunal will not be harmed and is under the protection of the Pack Master involved. Once you give your statement, I will give you immunity from all past crimes.” He grinned and nodded to the Assassins. “Ask them if you don’t believe me.”
She looked at Lorcan. He simply nodded.
“Fine. I’ll testify. But I need blood.” She clenched her hands together and took a deep breath. “The envelope you want is hidden underneath the seat of the car I arrived in.”
“Perfect. I’ll send a Guardian to retrieve it. Now to uphold my end of the bargain.” He waved his hand in the direction of the trailer. “Your salvation, my dear, is inside that trailer.” Boudier snapped his fingers, and half a dozen Louisiana Guardians stepped out from the shadows.
A Guardian stepped forward and tugged the door open. She squinted, but it was too dark to see inside. She took a step forward.
“Now,” Boudier said behind her.
She was shoved inside. She fell inside the cramped trailer. A large figure fell on top of her, and the door slammed shut. She was trapped in darkness.
“Get the fuck off me.” She wheezed, shoving at the massive body of muscle on top of her.
He grunted and rolled off.
“A Guardian. What the fuck? So your own Pack Master offers me your blood.” She felt around in the dark. “How do you feel about that?”
“Not too fucking thrilled,” Lorcan replied, his tone even.
“Lorcan?” Her knees buckled and she slumped to the floor.
“Yeah. Do you need a knife or something?” Lorcan asked.
She was so stunned she couldn’t speak for a few seconds.
“A knife?”
“For the blood. The blood you need to keep you here.” He spoke slowly, like he was explaining something to a child.
“A knife would be good,” she said carefully. “Did you volunteer for this?” She couldn’t imagine the Assassin volunteering to give his blood.
“No. Take this.” He grabbed her hand and pressed the blade into her palm.
She took the knife and felt her way around his body. The dude was built like a freaking wall of muscle. She grinned and dipped her hand past the waistband on his pants.
He grabbed her hand. “Easy. I don’t want anything down there cut.”
“Wasn’t going to cut there. Just checking out the situation.” She smirked.
“Well, don’t.”
“Fine.” She sighed. “Where can I cut you?”
“You’re asking?” His tone was one of disbelief.
“Yeah, well, I’ve never actually had anyone volunteer.” That wasn’t totally true, but he didn’t need to know.
“Do my neck. Then it will be easier to cut my throat after you’re done.”
“I’m not cutting your throat. Jesus.” She was fading fast. She sliced the blade against the side of his neck. Immediately the coppery scent of blood filled the tiny trailer. She leaned in and pressed her cheek to his bleeding neck.
He stiffened. “I thought you didn’t drink blood.”
“I don’t, you idiot. I do, however, need to feel it on my body.” She laid her forehead on his shoulder. He could almost hear his pulse beating in his chest. “Relax. I know you’re a werewolf. You’ll heal quick enough.”
“Not this time,” he said solemnly.
“What do you mean?” She frowned but didn’t lift her head.
“After you are done with me, Boudier’s Guardians will come in and put a silver bullet in my head. To finish me off.”
Her eyes popped open, and her power was back. She lifted her head. With his blood, she could even see him in the dark. “Why would they do that? Guardians don’t kill their own kind. Not within their state.”
“In Louisiana they do. When given an order by Boudier the Guardians they will do what they’re told.” He winced and pressed his hand to his still-bleeding neck.
“Why would Boudier order that?” Her stomach twisted. She knew she was making a deal with the devil, but she would do anything to keep from going back to that cemetery.
“Because he knows I helped my brother escape. He suspects I helped the Arkansas Guardians get out of Louisiana.” He shrugged. “He may even suspect that I helped get Jaxon across the border before we caught up to them.”
“Did you?” She froze.
“I’m not telling you.” He glanced at the closed door that would lead to her freedom. “You need to go. Boudier is waiting for you. If he suspects we talked, then he won’t hesitate to end you.”
“Well, I’m a little hard to kill.” She bit her lip.
“No doubt.” A small grin crept across his lips.
“I’m not safe with him, am I?” She waited for his answer.
He stared at her hard and then slowly shook his head. “No one is.”
She heard movement outside and some yelling.
“When they open that door, run. Don’t look back,” he said.
“Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?” She didn’t trust anyone. Least of all a shifter.
“It’s my way of trying to make up for my past,” he said.
She leaned down, pressed her lips to his, and kissed him long and hard. He didn’t fight her or shove her away. She pulled out an envelope out of her jacket and tucked it inside his leather jacket. When she pulled back, she winked. “Thanks for the blood, sugar.”
“Well I really didn’t have a choice.” Lorcan said.
“This is yours.” She handed him the knife back. “Take care of yourself, Lorcan.”
The trailer door creaked open, and she bolted out into the darkness.