~

 

“We might have the same enemy…” Nathaniel announced as he stalked into the back room of Morgana’s shop and tossed down the bagged wolf’s paw onto the floor in front of the incapacitated alpha.

Michael had tied Reed to the steel girder that ran up the far wall of the shop and was what stopped the upstairs from becoming part of the downstairs. It was lucky that he had when the alpha snarled like he was ready to tear his arms off to get out from the bonds that held him – thick ropes enthused with a magic spell that kept the man superglued in place.

“I will kill you all…” Reed snarled, and he looked the part with his fangs down and his black eyes giving everyone death glares…

“Not if we end you first,” Julian offered from the far wall, and Morgana did a double take of the man. She hadn’t seen him come in when Nathaniel had.

The vampire wasn’t a favourite of hers. Not that she considered Nathaniel a favourite either – he was just less likely to rip her head off while drinking her dry of blood than some others – Julian included.

“Did you really just say my father is meaner than your father?” Nathaniel asked as he turned briefly to shoot Julian a look … Morgana couldn’t help but chuckle.

Now that Nathaniel was there she felt a hell of a lot better about things. Not that she’d tell him that…

“Do you really have to be so obnoxious?” Julian asked with a bored tone as he folded his arms and propped up a wall with his shoulder.

Not that Morgana was complaining if he wanted to hold up a wall or two. After the fight between the vampire and the alpha wolf the walls could probably use some reinforcing.

“Yes, but the question is; do you have to be so vampire-ly obvious?” Nathaniel shot back.

“That’s not even a word.”

“And that’s the only thing you take from our conversation?” Nathaniel offered back and Morgana chuckled again. Pressing her lips together when Nathaniel shot her a fleeting glance.

Nathaniel noted what looked like a red blush to the pale skin of her neck where the alpha’s hand had obviously gripped her tightly. He knew the look – he’d done it many times over the centuries, although, he tried not to do it to a female … he also noted the red welts where the alpha’s claws had pierced her skin, but they were now healing thanks to Michael’s blood …

He’d like to kill him for that … when deep down he knew that he should have been grateful a thousand times over instead. He’d done what was asked and made sure that she didn’t have a scratch on her … even if he’d gone about it the wrong way…

“Can we get back to him?” Michael nodded his head at the alpha. “I’m hungry and have dinner waiting for me in my bed.”

Morgana went to open her mouth and offer him a piece of her mind, but one flick of Nathaniel’s eyes towards her stopped her from saying anything. She bit down on the need to zap the vampire again – harder that time…

“Leech…” Morgana muttered – she couldn’t help herself.

She met Michael’s hard stare head on, and offered him a sickly sweet smile. He grunted in return.

“Let’s not fight among ourselves when we have him to fight with,” Julian offered and noted Morgana’s eyes on him – even if he wasn’t looking at the witch, he could feel her gaze anyway.

“I’m sure you’ve figured out that this is one of yours…” Nathaniel motioned towards the paw and Reed snarled once more. “Do you recognise him?”

Morgana almost choked on her tongue. Her eyes rolled back within her head and she regarded the ceiling for want of something to take her mind of that laughter within her – she hated that she’d found that funny.

“I’m not sure. I’ll check and get back to you,” Reed bit out through clenched teeth.

“Very nice comeback line…” Nathaniel said.

Then he crouched down and flicked out just one claw on his index finger, making a small slit in the bag, and he watched the alpha take that scent as if his life depended on knowing it.

He saw the recognition in the alpha’s eyes – saw the moment that the loss of one of his own hit him hard – and then he saw the steely resolve to kill whoever had done it on his face…

“My sympathies for your loss,” Nathaniel said, and he meant it. At least, Morgana thought he did.

Reed turned his rage into one hell of a death glare towards Morgana and the witch balked at the sight of it.

“Don’t look at me…” she scowled back at the alpha.

“Perhaps he’s cross eyed…” Michael offered.

“I was told…” Reed growled out, hate and bile in every word…

“Wrong … you were lied to,” she tossed back.

“Who told you?” Nathaniel asked and Reed couldn’t have dragged his eyes away from the witch if he’d tried. He was burning her face into his memory so that he’d remember every inch of it for the hunt to kill her…

“Anonymous…” Reed growled out.

“It’s always good to trust that anonymous voice on the end of the line …” Michael offered back. “Because innocents have never died that way before…”

“She’s a witch!” Reed growled…

“That doesn’t make her a bad person,” Nathaniel offered back.

“Just makes her a dangerous, shrew like, killing machine that could easily snap your neck with a flick of her wrist…” Julian set amused eyes on Morgana as she looked at him with a full on death glare and a slightly open mouth…

“Whose side are you on?” She finally bit out.

“Mine.” Julian replied, but then he smiled.

“Is there a point?” Nathaniel asked…

“There’s always a point…” Julian replied.

“There’s always a pointy stick with your name on it,” Morgana tossed back at him.

“Funnily enough, I don’t know if I want to make it now…” Julian offered.

“Julian…” Nathaniel bit out, rolling his eyes.

“My point is – why would she hack off a paw when she could just so easily snap the beast’s neck or … other … stuff?”

“Good point,” Nathanial gave credit where it was due.

“Black magic…” Reed growled. His eyes turned accusing and right back on Morgana again.

“Ah, that’s the enemy I was talking about,” Nathaniel offered with a smirk, and Reed’s eyes snapped back towards him.

“Then look no further,” the alpha nodded in her direction.

“Bite your tongue,” Morgana snapped. Insulted by the accusation.

“Make him,” Julian urged and she scowled at the vampire.

“She’s a dark magic witch…” Reed growled.

“Let me guess – says your anonymous caller…” Nathaniel offered and the alpha snapped his eyes back to the man and growled long and hard.

“Someone is killing my pack…” Reed growled.

“Someone is also killing humans…” Nathaniel said and the alpha’s eyes narrowed on the man, taking the information in, “and she’s trying to help stop it. Which is probably why she was targeted.”

“She killed a she-wolf – that won’t go unanswered.” Reed snarled.

“I did not, would not, and have not killed anybody. Wolf. Human or bloody well Vampire…” she said and Julian snorted with amusement. “I reserve my right to change the would not, to might, in his case.” She eyed the vampire for a long moment, but his smirk didn’t fade.

“And I’m supposed to take your word for it?” Reed bit out…

“Why not? You took the word of an anonymous voice on the phone.” Nathaniel offered back.

Reed thought about that for a long moment. His brow furrowed and his eyes snapped towards Morgana. She shrugged.

“What can I say?” She offered the alpha. “You’re going to believe who you believe…”

“She’s not that kind of witch. I’ve know her for years and she wouldn’t even kick a puppy…” Nathaniel offered, and at the sound of hearty growled warning; he winced. “No … insult intended.”

“You don’t appear to like her…” Reed turned his attention towards Michael and the vampire shrugged his broad shoulders.

“She’s a witch. She serves a purpose…”

“Leech…” Morgana offered back.

“Do I think she does dark magic…?” Michael thought about it for a moment…

“Tick tock, Michael…” Nathaniel sighed.

“No. I don’t think Nathaniel would have a use for her if she did.” Michael offered to the alpha.

“Thank you…” Nathaniel pushed back up to his full height. “So, that four of us to your one mysterious caller – do you still plan to kill her without proof?”

Reed bit down on his desire for revenge. His jaw worked as he debated everything that he knew … and tried to figure out what he didn’t.

“No.” He finally bit out.

“An apology might be nice … I did have to drink Satan’s blood, and not by choice.” Morgana eyed Michael and the vampire started a slow grin back at her – his fangs were down and she sneered back at him.

“About that…” Nathaniel turned towards Michael and the vampire shrugged.

“You said not a scratch. She has none…” Michael lifted his hand and motioned towards the witch.

“Now … she has none now…” Nathaniel said, swinging his fist and landing a punch on Michael’s jaw.

Morgana couldn’t help herself when she gave a small gleeful cheer…

“That’s what I get for saving your life?” Michael asked, rubbing at his sore jaw and eyeing the witch with contempt.

“That’s what you get for force feeding me your blood,” Morgana offered back, as she tipped her chin up in the air in defiance.

“Fair enough. I’ll know better next time,” Michael offered back.

“And what about the state of my shop?” Morgana looked at Nathaniel and the vampire sighed.

“I don’t do housework…” he offered back in a dry tone.