Cloaked in Sorcery Page 2

  “Fuck,” Titus said. “We all ate the plant, and none of us are dead. Do it.” He lounged on the table, arms stretched outward.

  I was working with morons who’d walk into a demon’s lair before stopping to consider the risk—two wulfkin who were more interested in fighting, eating, and chasing skirt, in that order—and a charodeyka, better known as a witch, who’d hex me into a boar if she had her full powers. Luckily for us, the talisman that charged her innate magic remained safeguarded in Russia. Without the charm, her ability lay dormant, untouchable. Perfect for those of us who wanted to live another day.

  Natalya pushed the greenery into my face. “You’ll be fine. I didn’t curse the leaf.”

  I snatched it out of her hand, hating how she looked away when she spoke, as if hiding something. Although it wasn’t like I had another option. If we didn’t complete the mission, the alpha would take our heads. He was a tyrant and treated his own kind no better than enemies. But I’d made a decision long ago, after my parents and siblings had been killed for standing against the leader. I could either accept his dominance and cower, or fight from the inside. I’d worked damn hard to take charge of the Russian wulfkin army, and next in sight was the second-in-command position. With me in the alpha’s ear, I could sway him toward decisions that bettered all wulfkin instead of demolishing our future.

  I stared at Natalya and said, “Remember: anything happens to us, and your daughter dies.”

  For those few moments, softness crept behind her gaze.

  I pitied Natalya, but none of us were in an ideal situation.

  The bloody history between wulfkin and witches spanned centuries. The only reason Natalya had joined us was because the great Varlac Tsar, my alpha, who ruled over all wulfkin packs in Russia had captured her. She’d been caught with her daughter in our wolf territory, combining their powers to build a fire spell that would have killed the entire pack. Possessing a witch won wulfkin wars, but it came with incredible risk. Hence why her talisman and the teenage girl were back in Siberia at a secret hiding spot—extra incentive for Natalya to remain under control.

  I stuffed the leaf into my mouth, eying Natalya for any kind of response. Nothing. I chewed on the acrid plant that tasted like dirt. Forcing myself to swallow, I shook my head at the bitterness coating my tongue. “Okay, we do this—and fast. Everyone know their part?”

  Titus got off the table and tugged on his tailored black jacket. He wore a vest with swirl patterns in the fabric and a red tie that matched his belt buckle. Leo wore the same outfit, along with every other waiter at tonight’s function.

  “The moment the owner arrives at the party, inform me,” I reminded them.

  Leo rolled his eyes. “We’ve gone through this already.”

  My pulse was a charging bull. It was bad enough I’d been forced into the errand. I didn’t need shit from a wulfkin who kissed the second-in-command’s ass every chance he got. But the alpha had insisted on these two buffoons because he owed a friend a favor and because Titus was his nephew. And I’d been looped in to babysit.

  “Any monkey can manage this job,” Leo continued. “Sit this one out, Axe. We’ve got it.”

  I hissed through clenched teeth. “I’m in this fucking shithole with you lot because the alpha doesn’t trust you.” I didn’t plan on dying anytime soon. “No screw-ups. No snacking on humans. Follow my orders. If I don’t give you permission to piss, you hold it. Understand?” A snarl hung off my last word.

  Leo glared in my direction before dropping his gaze.

  I turned to Natalya, who gripped her waist, smirking. She might’ve only been in her early thirties, but as a charodeyka, she was perilous. Instead of fighting the wulfkin, I ought to have been watching her. Witches were born with hexing abilities. Back in Russia, many humans claimed to use sorcery, but only two witch families carried the true bloodline of magic. And Natalya belonged to the biggest.

  “Okay, Natalya, do your thing.” She’d premade a spell back in Siberia with her talisman, giving the potion enough power for one use. I prayed she hadn’t done something stupid.

  If it had been up to me, I would have built a relationship with the witch clans, exchanging their services for our protection. Many wulfkin hunted witches, but having a charodeyka was like owning a genie in a bottle. Still, their sorcery came with limitations—they drew on nature, required specific rare objects, and worked with a darker force that drained them. When I returned home, I’d speak to Varlac Tsar about this. His second-in-command had been pushing the alpha to fight, to murder anyone who stood in his way. But there were other options besides mass extinction.

  Natalya spun away, her skirt swooshing, and headed to the table. She emptied the contents of a bag dangling from her wrist. Twigs and bones scattered onto the wooden surface along with two small sachets of powder. One black and the other red. She picked up an empty bowl from a cabinet and laid a feather inside, followed by the rest of the items, and sprinkled the powders on top. Then she opened a small bottle, and the sweet aroma of vodka teased my nostrils. After drenching the contents of the bowl with alcohol, she broke into a mumbling chant I didn’t recognize. Her palms hovered over the bowl.

  “This is taking forever,” Leo whispered.

  I cut him a glare, and he turned away.

  A spark of electricity zipped down my arms, and crackling erupted. The bowl burst into flame. A blue fire licked higher, lengthening by the second.

  Natalya clapped once, and the inferno burst outward.

  “Fuck!” I threw myself to the ground, my hands over my head. The other two wulfkin crouched near the wall, cowering.

  A kindling smell infused with honey filled my nostrils. In a strange way, the scent calmed me, put me at ease. With another lungful of sweet air, every molecule in my body relaxed. My inner wolf was in my chest, rumbling for release. Why not? A whole three hours had passed since he’d last stretched his legs.

  When someone chuckled, I lifted myself to my feet and found a cloud of mist floating through the room at waist height. The fog shifted back and forth as if a breeze pushed it along. I dipped my hand into it—it was cold to the touch. The whitish haze seeped into the gaps around the door and was sucked out of sight.

  Leo was on his feet, punching Titus in the shoulder, and Titus returned the favor. They laughed.

  My first reaction was to cheer them on. Hell, roughhousing was the norm at home. Wait. We had a mission to complete. “Don’t screw up” had been the alpha’s words. I refocused on the wulfkin. “What the hell are you doing?”

  Leo glanced my way, and for those two seconds, something in his eyes morphed, as if he’d realized we weren’t at home. He knocked Titus off him with a shove.

  Except Titus was shaking. His jawline elongated, bones cracking.

  “Son of a bitch.” He was shifting into his wolf. I didn’t need him howling or breaking the door down to attack the humans. Titus still didn’t have full control of his wild side. Another reason I had argued in favor of leaving him at home. But the alpha insisted I bring along his nephew so he could gain field experience.

  I darted toward him and hooked an arm around his neck, a hand covering his mouth and nose. Suffocating a wulfkin mid-change was the easiest way to get the wolf to retract.

  Titus writhed in my grip. He thrust an elbow into my ribs.

  “Motherfucker.”

  Leo was on his feet, staring. “Let him be.”

  “Get over here and help, or I’ll rip your head off!”

  Leo charged, huffing, and gripped Titus’s arms, pinning them down at his sides.

  Within moments, Titus’s body slackened, and when he ceased movement, I released him. He fell into Leo’s arms, who shoved him aside. Titus stumbled into a wall, barely holding himself up.

  “I swear, if you two don’t control yourselves, I’ll bury you both,” Axe growled.

  Leo’s gaze bounced between me and Natalya, his upper lip peeling upward. “This is her fault.” He raced toward Natalya and shove
d her against a wall. “What have you done? Fuck, I’m struggling to even think straight. All I want is to release my wolf and hunt!”

  I leaped after Leo and hauled him back by a shoulder. “You said we’d be fine,” I snapped at the witch.

  Natalya’s face paled, and she shook her head, blond locks bopping over her shoulders, her petite nose scrunching. “I-I didn’t say you would be unaffected. I said the plant would lessen the effect of the spell. I’ve got it contained to the castle. The hex will stay strong and affect humans throughout the building three-fold. It’s what you wanted, right?” Her eyes widened.

  I nodded, swallowing the urge to smash my fist into the wall. I didn’t need my mind messed up on the job. “Okay,” I said to the wulfkin. “Concentrate. Don’t get distracted, and for goddess’s sake, keep your wolves inside. Now, let’s do this.”

  I opened the door and peered out into the dimly lit corridor. “Leo and Titus, you two head out first.” The sound of voices and violins from the courtyard floated on the air. I waved a hand at the two wulfkin to leave. They dragged themselves out and disappeared down the hallway. My head was a wave of confusion, as if my mind was swimming through fog.

  I turned to Natalya, who was smiling as she batted her eyelashes.

  What the shit?

  “I believe we’re meant to act as if we’re a couple.” She slid her arm around mine, sidling too close. It’s not that I had anything against witches per se, but their magic scared me. Whoa! What am I saying? Damn, nothing terrified me. I squared my shoulders.

  We strolled out of the room and shut the door behind us. I was ready to do this.

  Natalya snuggled up against me and stole glances my way.

  Yep, tonight might kill me.

  Chapter Three

  Kalin

  Giddiness curled deep within my chest. The strangest desire to burst out laughing pressed on the front of my mind, though nothing hilarious had happened. I balanced on the edge of my chair near a small table decorated with black velvet and my tarot deck. Four feet away lay the uncovered courtyard located in the center of the legendary Bran Castle. A cobblestone patio sprawled outward, flanked by white stone walls, a balcony sweeping across the first floor overlooking the courtyard. Farther ahead sat a raised platform with an old-fashioned well in the center. The whole place screamed “fairy tale.” Talk about feeling like a princess.

  Humans were everywhere, enjoying the celebration, but there were other hired entertainers for the Halloween-themed party besides Lenuţa and me. Fire jugglers, magicians, and folks dressed up as Dracula, a mummy, and even a werewolf. I cringed at the cliché costumes straight out of the movies—we wulfkin walked on all fours when we transformed into wolves, not two feet.

  Lenuţa and I sat under an arched thoroughfare, far enough from the party to not get in anyone’s way, but in plain sight for anyone to find us.

  In the distance, a turret with a pointy roof stood erect, as if watching over us. I’d read that many modern features had been added to the castle—from an elevator to a mechanized system to deliver five o’clock tea to a queen who’d once lived on the premises. Ha. I could do with one of those back home.

  I glanced at Lenuţa, who fidgeted with her puffy red sleeves. “Why don’t we wear such outfits all the time?” she asked. “I’m putting similar sleeves on all my dresses.”

  “They’re cute.” I stared down at my gloves, reached up to my biceps, and traced a finger over the fur trim. I lifted the feathery softness to my cheek. “All my clothes are getting fur trimmings.”

  “Yes, do it!” Lenuţa squeaked.

  A brilliantly fast beat started from the band of violinists. It was a cross between a disco beat and a barn dance. My feet were tapping to the tune. Flaming torches lit the place. People chatted, laughed, kissed. Wait . . . I leaned forward in my seat. One man was hugging a woman from behind while another guy smooched her on the mouth. Okay, a bit early in the night, but hey, it was a private event, so whatever. Most of the castle remained open for guests to enjoy, and with the trio going at it, I understood why.

  As long as we got paid, I didn’t give a pig’s ass if everyone danced naked.

  There were only two rules tonight: Keep the clients happy with positive readings, and no one leaves until sunrise. Yep, we were locked up, and I loved the idea; I planned to explore the building. Bran Castle was featured in the fictional story Dracula, though in truth, the real Vlad Țepeș, whom the Count had been fashioned on, hadn’t used this fortress as his main residence. Still, many vampire-loving tourists visited the location. Must be why the Halloween party included entertainers and actors.

  “Damn,” Lenuţa said. “Look at the eye candy just ahead. That’s a tight ass.”

  I stared at the guy in question. Tall with a firm butt . . . Yep, he had potential. He looked over his shoulder at Lenuţa with intrigue in his gaze, and that’s when I spotted the curled mustache. Oh, that counted me out. Fancy facial hair didn’t do it for me.

  “See the way he stared at you?” I stretched over and poked Lenuţa. “He wants you.” Hell, I’d reverted to a schoolgirl. Straightening my posture, I reminded myself professionalism was a requirement for this job. I shuffled the cards in my hands, hoping to grab someone’s attention.

  I huffed and nudged Lenuţa’s arm again. “I’m so bored. Think I should sneak us a glass of bubbly?”

  She clapped and bounced in her seat. “Yes.”

  Setting the pile of cards down, I got to my feet, wiping my hands down my flowing blue skirt. It was silky smooth.

  I spotted the drinks at the other end of the courtyard. Lenuţa tugged on my dress. “Bring back those hors d’oeuvres with smoked salmon. I’m starving and could eat a horse.”

  I’d never tried horse, but yeah, I was famished, even though I’d eaten three large steaks earlier to get through the night. I didn’t need my inner wolf to sense humans as food. My stomach grumbled. Right. A mountain of nibbles was in order.

  Halfway across the courtyard, I discovered the trio huddled in a dark corner, making out. Shit, was this party about sharing partners and such? I wasn’t sure I had it in me to watch all these people do the dirty.

  Overhead, the night sky shone brilliantly with stars, and I broke into a hum as I made a beeline for the food table. A breeze swirled around me, and on my next inhale, a new scent teased me. Earthy, timber, and all wolf. I halted. It didn’t belong to any familiar wulfkin. We’d told Damir to go home. I spun toward the crowd, my dress billowing outward.

  A man, who had to be close to eighty, clapped and smiled at me. “More, more,” he said.

  I grinned and bounced on my toes, spinning . . . Then the wolf smell hit me again. Oh, right. I was tracking the strange wulfkin. With a quick wave to the old guy, I circled the courtyard.

  Maybe meeting new wulfkin wouldn’t be so bad. I mean, how would Lenuţa and I ever find our own mates if we didn’t venture into the world? My inner wolf would know when I’d met him.

  A tingling sensation grew in the pit of my gut. A warning. Yeah, I understood. A wulfkin entering our territory posed a danger. But what if they were just lost or there to party? Why couldn’t we all get along? The castle was going to stay locked up for the night, so we weren’t going anywhere.

  Swinging around, I scanned the dancers and the waiters in their penguin suits filling empty glasses.

  Unfamiliar wolf smells, perspiration, and food floated on the breeze. My stomach groaned, but I pushed on, weaving between the attendees. Still, the scent remained strong. What if the wulfkin was strolling in the woods outside the castle?

  The right thing to do was to inform the pack about the intruders in our territory. I pulled out the phone I’d tucked into my corset and flicked it on. No signal. Great. I’d had one when we’d first arrived. I rushed to Lenuţa, who was sitting across from the human she’d been eying earlier. Both laughed as she held his hand, palm up.

  I nudged her shoulder. “Got a sec?”

  Lenuţa excused herself
and followed me to a dark corner beneath a verandah in the courtyard. “What’s going on?” she asked. “Can’t you see who I’m talking to? You should hear his voice. He might just melt my panties right off.”

  Damn, seeing Lenuţa smiling so wildly made my heart flutter with happiness, because everyone deserved joy. Yet, something kept nagging at me to inform the pack with urgency.

  “Focus for a second,” I said. “Can you smell wulfkin?”

  Her brow pinched. “Yeah. You.”

  “No.” I raised my voice and then lowered it again. “Intruding wulfkin?”

  She lifted her chin and sniffed the air. Her eyes widened, and she smiled. “Are they here to join our party?”

  I shrugged. I wanted that to be the case. “Don’t know if they’re in the castle or passing through the woods. Anyway, I’ll find a way to contact Alena. Until then, keep watch for any sign of wulfkin.”

  Lenuţa’s gaze sailed to the guy waiting at her table.

  “Are you listening?” I grasped her arm.

  “Keep your pants on; this is a party. If there are wulfkin, it’s because they were invited or maybe working, like us.” She smiled in a way that said, Are we done yet? “Gotta go. I have a customer waiting.”

  Before I could respond, she’d swung back around to her seat, breaking into a high-pitched giggle, laying it on thick.

  Though she wasn’t taking the threat seriously, and my head and internal wolf screamed at me to do the same—maybe return to the buffet and gorge—I’d message Alena first. It was the least I could do.

  Up on the next floor, I headed down a narrow corridor and passed a group of people chatting. I was convinced the entrance was this way.

  I turned right again. Or was it left, left, right?

  I kept checking my phone and walking until I found myself alone. Still no reception. “Come on.” A techno violin song began along with cheering in the background. Part of me craved to return and watch what was happening. After all, this was my first real human party, and I didn’t know what to expect.