Balance (12 page)

                Kai
frowned. “What do you mean?”

                I
sighed. “She’s playing me. Maybe I need to go after her alone.” I stalked off
and headed to the front of the house.

                ‘Don’t
say that. I’m sorry for controlling you before,’
he said as I walked away.

                ‘That’s
not what I’m talking about, Kai. Layla knows I care about all of you. She uses
you guys to keep me weak. Prudence made me hear Emma’s fake scream last time.
This time they used my mother and then Layla knocked you out.’

                ‘It’s
good that you care about us,’
he
told me and I turned to see that concern lined his face.

                “I’m
not so sure. If I wasn’t mated, and so attached to the pack, I would run off
and take her on myself. The Devi and I could do it together.”
I knew my
eyes were fierce.

               
“Don’t say that,”
he said with fear. He sensed
the certainty through our bond.

                I
got in my car. “I’m saying it.”

                Kai
slid in the passenger seat beside me. “We’ll find her and the female wolves she
has taken. Together,” he declared.

                I
looked out at the trees, letting my hands rest on the steering wheel, but I
didn’t respond. Kai grabbed my face and forced me to look at him.

                “Look
what we learned today. She must be staying within the area. Tara was taken
yesterday so she is still in the area.”

                “That’s
what she wants you to think! She could have a private jet taking her to New
York. You know nothing about her! She’s winning!” I slammed my palm on the
steering wheel. I was having a hard time figuring out if I was so angry or if
it was the Devi. It scared me not to know if I was myself or not. Tears lined
my eyes.

                Kai
took my hand in his and kissed the top of it. “Let me make some calls. We
haven’t exhausted all options. Your mother is safe, you are safe. That’s all that
matters right now.”

                I
nodded but I made a decision right then. If Kai didn’t find where Layla was
hiding Sadie and Tara soon, I was going to finish this by myself. I quickly
cleared the thought so he couldn’t pick up on it. It was the only thing left to
do.

                Fighting
with Prudence had given me an idea. After dropping Kai off at home, and setting
up the guest room for my mom, I called Sylvia and the coven over and we all met
inside the barn. Since I wasn’t allowed to leave the mountain anymore this barn
had become my little meeting place.

                When
Sylvia and the others had gathered, I stood and addressed them all. Sylvia had
once told me that the only real way to harm a witch as powerful as Prudence,
was to use her full-given magical name in a spell.

                “Prudence
has powerful magic and she just tried to kill my mom and capture me, so I want
your help in finding out her full-given magical name,” I told everyone gathered.

                Some
of the women gasped, and I saw many shake their heads. They looked afraid but
Sylvia seemed to consider my words. Sylvia was the one who named me. Someone
had to have named Prudence. If I could find them and get the information out of
them, Prudence was mine. Layla was too powerful with Prudence helping her. I
needed to even the scales.

                “I
know what you’re thinking, but the person who named Prudence is dead,” Sylvia
said.

                I
gasped. “How do you know that?”

                Sylvia
looked at Gretchen. “Because it was our old coven leader. Prudence killed her
the moment she named her. To keep anyone from ever having control over her.”

                I
sank down and put my head in my hands. No. I needed to catch a break! “Prudence
was in this coven?” I said in disbelief.

                Sylvia
sighed. “Only for a short while. After she killed Gloria, she ran and started
her own dark coven.”

                Gretchen
moved forward and placed a healing hand on my back. “I have an idea if you’re open-minded.”

                I
felt waves of peaceful energy saturate my body as I looked up at her. Her hair
was half up, half down with a crown of braids. I envisioned Gretchen and Sylvia
kicking back the witches’ wine on Friday nights for fun and had to stifle a
chuckle.

                Gretchen
was looking at me oddly as her hand hovered over my back, then she smiled. “Oh,
you’re pregnant,” she declared as all of the witches gasped in excitement.

                My
mouth dropped open as I ran my hand over my flat belly. “What? It’s too early
to tell,” I told her, but I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face. Holy shit.
Excitement mixed with fear bubbled up inside of me.

                Gretchen
raised one eyebrow. “Not for me. I always know.”

                Sylvia
came over and gave me a hug. “Good for you, dear.”

                My
hand still rested on my flat belly. Suddenly, my wolf felt very protective. Wow.
It was happening. I needed to get rid of Layla and Prudence fast, so I could
focus on becoming a mother and starting a family with Kai.

                I
looked at Gretchen. “I have an open mind. What’s your idea?”

                Gretchen
nodded. “You’re a powerful seer. That means not only can you see the future,
but you can see beyond the veil. We put you in a trance and you contact the
dead spirit of Gloria so she can give you Prudence’s full name.”

                Genius!
But Sylvia looked worried, shaking her head no. The other witches were tossing
salt and praying and acting all kinds of scared.

                “Gloria
died a gruesome death, she was betrayed. I don’t think contacting her spirit
will be a good idea,” Sylvia told the room and a few witches agreed with her.

                “No,
it’s a good idea. I’ll be fine,” I told them all sternly. I knew my eyes were
yellow. I needed the upper hand with Prudence and this was the only way to get
it.

                Sylvia
looked to the other coven members, unsaid words passed between them. They all
nodded. “Fine, but invite your shaman. He can help protect the open portal to
the spirit world,” Sylvia told me with once flick of her slender hand.

                Nahuel.
I nodded and walked outside. Reaching into my shirt, I produced the protective
pouch that Nahuel had given me. I buried the arrowhead into the earth and
waited. A little while later, Nahuel walked out of the woods. He never ceased
to amaze me and I wondered if there were limits to his power. So far, I had
seen him stop time, change into a panther, and materialize out of nowhere. What
more was there, I wondered.

                “This
mountain has seen a lot of death lately. It needs to be cleansed,” he said
cryptically. His smooth, graceful walk reminded me of his panther form. Hair in
a long, thick braid, jewelry littering his fingers, Nahuel looked his usual
shaman self.

                I
smiled. “Hey, it’s good to see you.”

                He
nodded and peered at me with kind eyes. “I’ve been waiting to hear from you.”

                I
shrugged. “Sorry. I need your help now, though. The witches and I want to
contact a spirit.” I chewed my nail nervously, not sure what he would think of
my statement.

                Nahuel
nodded calmly as if this were a normal request. He pulled out a dried sage
bundle and touched his palm to it, igniting it with flames. Oh yeah, add
materialize fire out of nowhere to his list of amazing acts. After blowing on
it, he fanned me with smoke.

                Then
he scanned my face seriously. “You seem different.”

                I
grinned. “I think I’m pregnant.”

                His
calm façade broke and he lit up with a smile and brushed ash across my
forehead. “That’s wonderful but that’s not what I meant. Your eyes are green
not blue, the black chunk in your hair. I think you’re letting the Devi take
control.”

                His
words sent fear rippling through me. I touched my cheeks with a shaky hand. My eyes
were green? I had forgotten about the chunk of black hair. Oh, shit. “Maybe
that’s a good thing?” I offered. Maybe the Devi needed to take control so I
could kill Layla once and for all. Yeah.

                Nahuel
shrugged. “Maybe.” He didn’t sound so sure.

                I
decided to focus on the spirit séance and ignore this new revelation, so I
turned and led him into the barn without another word.

                Sitting
in a meditative pose, I took a deep breath and stared at Nahuel sitting across
from me. We were in a circle surrounded by the witches. My eyes were half-lidded
as I deeply breathed in and out. The witches chanted around me and mist leaked
from the walls and saturated all of us.

                “Gloria
Sinclair! We call thee from beyond,” Sylvia shouted as the temperature in the
barn dropped and mist crawled along the floor and up the walls.

                Nahuel
looked behind my left shoulder. “Her spirit his heavy,” he said calmly.

                Shit,
how often was Nahuel chatting with dead people? This didn’t look like his first
rodeo. I tried not to freak out but having someone look over your shoulder at a
‘heavy’ spirit was a frightening feeling.

                I
slowly turned to see a wispy, white ghost glide towards me. Her hair was long
and flowing, her face looked haunted. “How could she!” she screamed at me and
whooshed in front of my face, bringing the freezing cold with her and sending
goose bumps up my arms. My breath caught in my throat.

                Nahuel
clapped hard and Gloria jerked back, looking at him. “Don’t touch her,” Nahuel
told the spirit.

                Gloria
sobbed. “I can’t believe she killed me. My own student!”

                I
looked at Sylvia and the other witches, but it didn’t seem like they could see
her. Just me, Nahuel, and one other witch, Bonnie, a seer. Bonnie met my eyes
and nodded. Here goes nothing.

                “Prudence?”
I asked Gloria.

                Gloria’s
face suddenly looked angry. “Yes! That traitor. She betrayed me. I can’t cross
into the light while she still lives!” she screamed and ice cold air blasted me
again.

                I
swallowed and tried to rein in my fear. “I can help you with that. If you can
tell me her full magical name, I will make sure she no longer lives and you can
cross over. You named her. What was it?” I asked Gloria as she stared off at
all of the witches.

                Her
head suddenly snapped in my direction. “Hey, I know you. I’ve seen you before.
You’re going to be over here soon, too. Can you stay with me? Then I won’t be
alone.”

                Dread
churned in my stomach. What the eff was she talking about? I looked at Nahuel.

                “What?”
I asked her.

                She
smiled. “It’s okay, dear, we can keep each other company.” She floated closer
to me.

                “No!”
I shouted and stood.

                The
witches began chanting protection around me as Nahuel slowly rose from his
sitting position.

                Gloria
glared at me. “Don’t yell at me!” she told me with malice.

                Nahuel
clapped again and thunder cracked outside. The barn walls shook.

                “Tell
her the full name of the dark witch Prudence or be gone!” Nahuel roared and
held a smoking sage bundle in front of him like armor. I swallowed hard.

                Gloria
frowned. “I remember that day like it was yesterday. Prudence was my brightest
student. The affinity for the power stone worried me a little but not really.
She was a nice girl. As the head priestess, it was my honor to name her. I did
the ceremony and the second I cried out ‘Prudence Heather Sorenson,’ she killed
me!”

                Yes!
I grinned. Prudence Heather Sorenson was going down.

                “Thank
you,” I told Gloria honestly.

                Nahuel
began to fan her with sage as the witches chanted.

                “No,
I want to stay!” she called out, reaching for me.

                I
put my hands in front of me and mist poured out of them. “Go back to where you
came!” I commanded her firmly.

                The
mist and sage smoke wrapped around her. Frowning, she looked around the room.
“Tell them I miss them,” she said sadly, and disappeared.

                I
looked at Nahuel. “Thank you.” I’m not sure that would have gone down so well
without him.

                He
nodded but looked at me with reservation. Were my eyes green again?

                Suddenly,
he took me in an embrace. “Goodbye, Aurora.” He squeezed me hard. Nahuel wasn’t
the hugging type. That wasn’t a normal goodbye. Sadness overcame me as he let
go and walked away.