Witch Way to Turn (20 page)

Breena struggled to stand then hobbled up the stairs, favoring her left leg, which had been fairly twisted in the vampire’s attempt to sling her to safety. When she glanced back at Myles and Orin, they seemed to be holding their own. She had to find Jenny and get them the heck outta dodge.

She limped into the house. Moonlight shone in through the top of the screen door, the only light in the small foyer. She took three or four steps before slipping flat onto her butt, her hands splashing in some kind of lukewarm liquid.

She tried to get up but couldn’t keep her footing on the wet floor. A sharp pain shot through her neck and shoulder. Damn. Myles obviously wasn’t doing too well at the moment.

She backed up to the staircase slowly, using the steps and the banister to hoist herself upright, feeling across the wall for the light switch. When she finally flipped it on, the yellow glow made her see red spots on the floor.

She blinked a couple times to clear her vision, but the spots didn’t go away.

Shit.

They weren’t just on the floor. They’d been splattered across the walls, tracked back into the living room. Breena’s heart dropped to her stomach when she realized the smudges clung to her clothes.

She was covered in dark red liquid. Blood.

Holy Jesus.
Panic soared through her. Adrenaline propelled her forward.
Jenny!

Following the smeared blood, Breena hurried up the stairs. Pieces of flesh mixed with scraps of clothing squished under her bare feet. Why hadn’t she changed and put on shoes? At least flip-flops.

God, as if that matters right now. Get a grip, Breena.

She forced herself forward, clinging to the rail.

When she reached the top of the stairs, she found Real Daughter’s body lying lifelessly on the floor. Susan’s legs had been chewed to the bone and her face looked half eaten–the entire left side was gone, eyeball included. Breena gagged. Not only was it the grossest thing she’d ever seen, it also
reeked
.

She knew she should’ve been horrified but part of her wasn’t. Susan would never stir up shit for Jenny again.

If Jenny’s still alive.

The doubt dealt Breena a second blow and she had to push back the threatening fist of fear before it pummeled her.

And of course, there was still Norma. Where was she, anyway? Hadn’t she tried to protect her own daughter? Probably not. Norma only cared about Norma.

Breena stepped over the bloody mess as she crept toward Jenny’s room. A low guttural sound came from behind her. She slowly turned around. Beady yellow eyes peered up at her. The black wolf dropped a body part to the ground, growled and sprang at her.

Breena’s hands flew up to cover her face, and then she was flat on her back, ears ringing. She’d apparated into Jenny’s room. The sudden poof action left her weak and a fresh rush of adrenaline pumped into her system, which shot her nerves all to hell.

“Sis.”

Jenny!
Oh God. Thank you, God.

She was alive, even if she did sound terrified.

Turning her sore neck, Breena saw her sister cornered under the window, huddled on the floor with her back against the wall. A massive wolf with long silver fur stood in front of her. The moonlight shimmered off the wolf’s pelt and the sight was so beautiful it made it hard to believe the wolf could be dangerous. Until it snarled.

Breena inched to the edge of the bed to put some distance between her and the silver wolf, though it probably made no difference. She had no way of defending herself. She needed a distraction to lure the wolf away from Jenny. Then they would have to go out the window because Black-as-night would surely be waiting in the hallway.

The wolf growled again, but this time Breena swore she could just about make out words in the raspy noise.

“Get away from my sister.” Breena spotted a large round coin on the nightstand. Jenny loved shiny things.

The wolf leered at Breena with kelly green eyes. “Gutsy.”

Yup, definitely words, but Breena didn’t have time to think about how weird it was to hear an animal talk. “What do you want with Jenny?” Breena slowly shifted her stance in the direction of the nightstand and balanced her weight on her good leg.

“Not her he’s after.”

Guess that left Breena.
“Let her go then.”

“I won’t hurt her, but I will shake the life out of you.” The wolf cleared the bed in half a leap.

Breena threw her body weight fully to the right, knocking the coin onto the hardwood as the wolf tackled her flat on her back. It pinned her to the floor with massive front paws and bared its razor-sharp teeth. Pain shot through Breena. She could barely breathe.

Scrabbling on the floor, she stretched her arm out as far as it would go.

There. Almost
.

The wolf’s hot breath scorched her neck. Its teeth were close enough to rip away her skin.

Got it.

Breena slammed the silver dollar into the wolf’s eye with all her might. The animal buckled. Breena managed to pull the coin back and press it into its snout. The wolf choked and clawed at its mouth.

“Window!” Breena yelled. Her sister stood and spun around to work on the only exit strategy they had.

Breena limped to the bed. Jenny had the blinds pulled up and the window unlocked, but couldn’t lift it open.

Breena stuck her fingers under the window seal and yanked. Then the room spun as she was flung by her shirt away from Jenny, face first into the wall. She slid down into a heap of pain on the hard floor.

The silver wolf stalked to her. “It’s a shame he wants you dead. I’d like to turn you.” It licked its lips with a black tongue. “Your survival instinct is impressive, despite the preternatural bitch’s blood in your veins. And you take good care of Jennifer.”

Breena lay motionless against the wall. What was it talking about? Whose blood? Why did it care about Jenny? Breena couldn’t think. Her head pounded. Her leg throbbed. She needed to stand. Willed herself to get off the floor. To fight back. Do
something.

She was halfway to her feet when her blood tingled in her veins. Myles was close by. But when the door swung open, her once-nameless hero stood in the doorway with a gun in his hand. The silver wolf sprang for Breena as the shot rang out.

The bullet cut through the wolf’s back leg instead of its heart. It fell to the ground with a yelp, then pushed off and jumped out the open window.

Orin didn’t have a chance to fire off a second shot.

Breena scrambled to Jenny. “You okay?”

Jenny looked up at her with big saucer eyes. “I’m having a bad dream, Bea.”

“I know, baby girl. I know.” Heart breaking, she wrapped her arms around her sister. “It’s gonna be okay now, short stuff. You’re safe. I’m right here.”

Myles walked in behind Orin, his mouth covered in blood. He looked a little too happy for the situation. Breena needed to get Jenny out of this house and away from the craziness.

Right on cue, Crazy herself walked into the room, leaving bloody tracks on the floor behind her. Norma must’ve been hiding out. No one did self-preservation quite like her.

“You did this.” The woman glared at Breena. Norma didn’t seem at all concerned that her daughter lay in mangled bits in the hallway. Bitch to the core.

Norma ran straight for her, but Orin stepped in front of Breena, stopping her crazy train mid-step. He pushed her out into the hallway. A minute or two later the front door slammed.

Orin walked back into the bedroom. “I confounded her into leaving. She’s pretty screwed up, so it may only buy us a few days.”

Why hadn’t Myles compelled her? Wouldn’t it have wiped her memory?

“Come on, short stuff.” Breena hoisted herself and Jenny up off the floor with sheer determination.

“I’ll carry her,” Myles offered.

Jenny padded over to Myles’s side. No hesitation. “Why’re you bleeding?”

“Nothing to worry about, kiddo. Got a little messy with my dinner.” He wiped the blood off his face with the bottom of his shirt.

“You’re a vampire.” Jenny put a hand on her hip.

“Sure am.”

“I knew it. You’re glow is candy apple red right now.” Jenny stared at Myles.

“Jennifer Doe,” Breena scolded, “what did I tell you?”

“Sorry, Bea.”

Orin gave Breena a questioning glance, but she ignored it.

“Go with Myles to the car. And keep your eyes shut until he tells you to open them. Okay, blue jay?” Breena hoped her sister hadn’t already seen too much.

“Can do, kangaroo,” Jenny replied. Myles stooped down and slung her onto his back.

Even when they were alone, Orin stayed by her side. “What glow?”

“It’s nothing.” Breena moved toward the door.

Orin stepped in front of her. His hand grazed her arm. “She can tell who’s supernatural?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

Lifting his shirt, he stuck the gun in the waistband of his jeans. Once his hands were free, he pulled her close and kissed the crown of her head. “Her secret’s safe with me, love.”

“Thank you.” Breena buried her face in his neck, but not before noticing the wolf bite on the other side. “How’s your shoulder?”

“Better after I feed.” Orin quickly added, “You’ll need to also. To regain your strength and heal your leg. Unless you want to strengthen the blood-bond with the vampire.” He clenched his jaw.

No. She definitely did not want to drink anymore of Myles’s blood. But was she ready to feed on someone’s soul?

Chapter 17

Back at Breena’s apartment, it was all she could do to stand. The rush of adrenaline from the werewolf attack had vanished a while ago, and her depleted soul left her completely out of sorts. She literally felt drained.

She needed her most basic of needs met–sleep. Except about a thousand questions whirled in her exhausted brain like hummingbirds on sugar shooters. Like, why did this new guy want her dead? Why would a werewolf want to turn her? Did they need to report Susan’s death? Would Norma leaving make it easier or harder to get custody of Jenny? Should they clean the house? Would Orin really keep Jenny’s ability a secret? Who was Dandi, and why was she important to Myles? And what in hell was so complicated that Myles couldn’t admit he had feelings for her?

Her emotions sloshed together into an overwhelming glop of worry, confusion, anger, envy and relief. In no particular order.

Strong arms carried her to bed. She felt cold–chilled from deep within–weak and vulnerable. Then covers draped over her. She tried to think of a way to deal with everything, but sleep came like a jealous lover and claimed Breena for its own.

* * * *

Breena woke with a start. Darkness filled her bedroom except for a tiny stream of light seeping in through the crack under the door. She threw back the comforter–she felt fantastic, as if she’d slept for a hundred hours–and darted to the window. The moon nestled under a thin blanket of clouds.

Guess I haven’t been asleep that long
.

Her bladder begged to differ. She hustled over to the bathroom connected to her room.

She washed her hands and face and brushed her teeth. When she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, she looked…amazing. Vibrant, full of life. Her skin practically glowed with health, her cheeks were a rosy pink and her hair looked as shiny as an ad for a Pantene commercial, even in the partial moonlight. She found the light switch and light flooded the room. Her violet eyes were also brighter. And...

Holy Sweet Jesus in Heaven!

Her hands flew up to her head.

No.

It couldn’t be. Breena’s ears stuck up through her hair. When she touched them, their sharpness pricked her fingers. Then she heard a buzzing noise, like being up-close to a bumblebee hovering over a flower. She knew the sound immediately. Soul.

“Jenny,” she breathed.
 

Oh God, oh sweet Jesus!
 

Had she fed on her sister? Turning on her heel, she ran smack into Orin’s chest.

“Get out of my way.” She glared at him. His poof action didn’t faze her this time.

“Jenny’s fine. She’s asleep.” He grabbed her shoulders, but Breena pushed and he stumbled backward.

How hard had she pushed him?

Half a second later, he poofed directly in front of her again, pulled her into his arms and gently caressed her hair. “Let me help you, Breena. You may have overfed.”

“Overfed? What did I do? What’s wrong with me? Are you sure Jenny’s okay?” The swirling darkness she’d recognized deep inside her had seeped out somehow.

“Nothing’s wrong with you, Breena, and Jenny’s perfectly fine. You were weak and injured. You had to feed to heal.” He kept holding her. “It’s natural.”

Breena had a flash of a lonely girl with black hair, green eyes and bright pink nail polish.

What in hell?

“Did I…kill…someone?” Terror gnawed at her insides.