Watch of the Wicked (Devil's Witch Book 3)

Viktor

“Noctus!” I holler.

Using my portal was something I was not hoping to do today. It smells like wet dog in here. I did not come here to clean up.

A door opens at the end of the red carpeted hallway. The vampire steps out, giving me a sideways glance before shutting the door quietly behind him.

He transports himself in front me while adjusting his police hat.

“Kinky,” I mutter.

His bloodshot eyes sharpen on me. “I was about to go to work.”

“Oh! Well, then I’m glad I caught you at a good time. I’ve been keeping an eye on the activity of this town. You’re probably looking to leave now, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Viktor. That’s right,” he begins in his southern twang. “My wife and kids too.”

“I can relate. Now, you’ll have to get that portal open though. I don’t like their people either, so we can do a trade off. I’ll let the witches out and let your family come down.”

“She won’t want to.”

“Valerie is going to have to. It’s a small price to pay for your mass murder, isn’t that right?”

I watch his jaw twitch, knowing I’ve struck a nerve. Of course what I say is exactly right. He killed hundreds of witches in one day. How could I forget?

I was the one automatically responsible for finding them homes in my domain. Homes that weren’t ready yet. The witches live like pigs. And they have a knack for destroying property too and upsetting other dead supernaturals.

He smirks. “There was enough hate spreading still when reason no longer worked. I did what needed done.”

“You did indeed.”

I honestly don’t care about the murders because I’ve had my fair share of them. I’m more concerned with the state of Hegley Hallow right now -- our afterlife.

“What are you, anyway?” he asks me with new reproach.

“A...faery,” I answer carefully. “Did you forget?”

“No.”

I’m not an idiot.

If I told him I was part demon, he’d probably call the little witch sleeping in his bed right now out here to exorcise me or something.

Me and my mate have been watching them all interacting for the passed few months. It’s been quite entertaining really. Our amusement ended when our population increased by one coven too many all in one day. The one named Patricia is the worst and her damned barking familiar bit one of my kids yesterday.

“So, I was hoping to ask something else of you -- if you know anything about familiars.”

“I am one,” he remarks briskly. “But usually it is animals who are turned to pets. My case is unusual.”

“Does the council of supernatural affairs know?”

His smirk returns. “No, why?”

“You’re one of them, aren’t you? Anyone else would have been sentenced to death doing what you’ve gotten away with.”

He shoves his hands into the pockets of his police jacket looking down his nose at me. “Don’t get so excited. I’m working undercover, but my case is closed now. Everyone killed was convicted of a high degree crime -- beginning with their headmistress’s use of arson. Most were sent to your realm in peace, the young ones spared. The adults were shot on the spot after.”

“And where are these little mindless magic time-bombs now?”

“A summer camp.”

“You’re putting them through social conditioning?” I ask impressed.

“No,” he states with a brooding look. “The devil is, but we aren’t here to discuss him now, are we?”

“Nope,” I say quickly wanting to avoid the subject. “There’s a new coven forming somewhere in the Carolinas. A town troubled like yours is, I mean, was. They’ve got a bunch of issues. Too many supernaturals knocking on death’s door for my liking. We don’t have room to keep housing hoards of people popping up yet. If we can get a human or two to round them up, the problem will be resolved.”

“Why humans?”

“You know they hold the middle ground. If I sent you, or a witch, it’d be easier, but a mistake nonetheless. Enough killings have happened.”

The hybrid folds his arms. “Humans cannot be relied on for something like this.”

“Well, they’ve been doing it for some time. Killing supernaturals and covering up their tracks. The duo I found are private detectives. I’m going to send them a list with names. And when I say I, I mean you.”

He looks me over with that cold cop gaze of his, unimpressed by my request. “I’m supposed to do this before coming to the afterlife?”

I nod and then hand him the plane tickets along with the hit list for the humans to handle. “Take your wife and go on vacation or something,” I encourage with a shrug.

I give him a moment to read over the profiles in the packet of names -- names to be found and killed.

He raises an eyebrow. “Why me? Anyone could deliver this for you.”

“Because I want to measure your loyalty. I know you want your stake in ruling the afterlife too. It was not meant to be ruled by a single entity. In fact, it was meant to be ruled by seven.”

“I know.”

“Then you know I’m one of those seven and soon you will be too. If you want to avoid hell, don’t question me.”

A glint forms in his eyes as he finally looks up from the list. “I don’t keep all my eggs in one basket, Mr. Durand. If anyone is going to hell, it’s you. What if I don’t want to leave as soon as your hoping?”

I scoff at his bold words, but he isn’t wrong. I don’t have access to hell like I used to. I’ve burned many, but been burned myself too. If I were to be sent there again, I wouldn’t be able to get out without the help he already has -- a witch.

“Fair enough. Let’s get into the details, we’ll agree on a deadline.”

***

Between the cracks in the curtains of the window, slivers of sunlight pierce through. I close my eyes, not really ready to wake up. I can’t believe we’re married.

All I had to do was sign a couple papers. After Nick left to drop them off at the court, he said we’d be official as soon as they mailed us back our marriage certificate. Technically, we were already are married by magic terms so it really doesn’t feel any different.

Our certificate came in the mail yesterday. Deep down, I hoped for the whole traditional blow-out human wedding, but I think Nick wanted to keep things quiet. I’m not sure if I made a mistake, but I’m tired of taking care of the kids alone. I’m tired of being afraid.

I haven’t forgotten anything he’s done, but if things get worse, if he gets worse, there’s nothing stopping me from leaving. The children are safest here I think. I can’t wait for them to get from their summer camp.

I blush, remembering our first night together as a married couple. It feels weird to wake up and know our relationship is validated, legally -- by human law that is. When the coven finds out, we’ll be in trouble.

I sit up in bed, seeing the space beside me empty. I pull my bathrobe around me and trudge out of the room.

Downstairs, I find “Noctus” as he admitted his birth name was when signing the papers for the court, not sitting in the kitchen. I thought he wouldn’t have left for work yet.

My nerves are on edge as I walk out the back door where the cattle roam behind the gated fencing. By one of the closed gates, Will stands with Nick having an animated discussion, or more accurately, argument.

Fear is written all across my ex-boyfriend’s face. I shut the door behind me.

“Marriage?” Will yells in my direction.

I don’t want to be put on the defense like this. It’s none of his business anymore. Initially, his tone and position with my people makes me feel shameful, but when I remember why, the feeling gets forgotten. Along with the hurt and pain too.

Nick’s gaze hardens on him. “Yes, Will. Enough is enough, I don’t want you around here or my family.”

My blood goes cold feeling my magic stripped from me as he wields both of ours in a radiating ball of threat over Will’s head. Will steps out from underneath it, appearing unaffected by Nick’s open use of our conjoined magic.

“Settle down!” Will tells Nick. “When was the wedding day? I just think I have a right to know...” he says while putting his hands up in defense.

I speak up first, eager to get him to leave. “There was no ceremony. It was two days ago when the court processed and filed our paperwork and certificate.”

“Oh.”

Thunderclouds roll overhead as barking comes from the other side of the house. My face turns a deep shade of red feeling Nick give some of my magic back to me right in front of Will. He walks over to me.

William checks his phone. He glances at the house nervously. “Jackson is here,” he grits through his teeth. His death glare has yet to leave Nick. “The black diamond pack would like to talk with you, Valerie.”

“Round them up and take them off our property,” Nick counters in a low voice. He unholsters his gun aiming it steadily at Will’s face. ”Now,” he hisses through his fangs.

Several of the brown beef cows behind us “moo” as a group of dark grey wolves descends the hill above their pasture. Smaller werewolves join them as they run around the house meeting us in the yard.

My breath catches in my throat hearing the wolves scamper around the cows and us, yapping and snapping their jaws. The cows take off in the opposite direction, the hills. We, on the other hand, are trapped with the weres on both sides of us.

Shadows move between the trees in the surrounding woods at the foot of the mountain backing our large yard. Nick slips his hand over mine while biting roughly into his wrist. He lets the blood drop down on the ground between us with a downcast stare.

I squirm nervously against his side while watching him transform into his snake form. Without warning, he bites the nearest werewolf, erupting the crowd of furry beasts into chaos.

I have enough magic for myself and intuition to know we aren’t going to get out of a fight like this by ourselves. We need to leave.

"Vandiris,” I whisper.

It’s not something I want to do, but Nick isn’t going to listen otherwise. He shrinks in size. I watch with unease as my familiar curse does its magic and brings him slithering rapidly back toward me. I pick him up and close my eyes, ignoring Will’s arguments.

The wolves start closing their circle around us, but my broom is in my hand now and Nick in the other. My eyes flutter open as I hop over my broom. Nick hisses down at our onlookers as we hover high up above them now.

Not long after, I use our conjoined magic to fly us a safe distance away.

“Where should we go?” I ask Nick.

“Just wait over in the woods, they’ll leave soon enough. Hover by the shed. They won’t be able to see us over there.”

I wince, grunting in misery when my broom becomes out of my control.

A scream escapes me as I fall toward the ground. Cold arms grab onto me, barely managing to break my fall. The werewolf men smell like beer and cigerattes. I wrinkle my nose seeing Jackson smile down at me with his hands on his hips.

A ragged cry escapes me when Jackson takes the initiative, under Will’s watch, and bites hard into my shoulder. He pulls away quickly looking pale when nothing happens.

“Why isn’t she changing?” he asks in a small voice.

I whimper seeing Nick appear in his tainted hybrid form behind him. His eyes are on me as he shoots his half brother in the leg. Jackson wails in misery, peeling over onto the ground where Nick proceeds to kick him in the ribcage.

I still can’t use our conjoined magic now, he took it after the fall I think by accident. In invisible waves of red and black, I watch its aura trail settle over the werewolves holding me.

Will barrels into Nick catching him off guard. The two resort to wrestling on the ground instead of using their magic. A crowbar lays near the fence post in which the brawl. Nick grabs it, but Will steals it out of his hand. He clocks him on the head with it.

I watch in horror as he shifts into his snake form where he remains unmoving. Will stands up with a bloody chin and bruised right eye.

His hands shake, just like his voice. “Get up,” he tells me while waving the shiny metal device in my direction. “You’re coming with me,” he finishes bitterly.

I tremble, scurrying away from him on the ground. I try to use my magic, but nothing comes. Most of the wolves now have flocked to their alpha and aren’t paying attention to us.

Will grabs the collar of my shirt, hauling me to my feet. “I said get up!”

I glance where Nick laid coiled on the ground moments ago. He’s not there anymore. Will pulls my face forcibly closer to his own.

“Let go of me,” I snap while kicking him where the sun doesn’t shine.

He releases me with a pained groan, but one of the pack members grabs my arms from behind. Will backs away seeing another werewolf saunter over to him with a deep growl. I’m hauled away from Will, kicking and screaming.

Jackson’s ahead of me, carried by his betas. He moans dully in pain while I drag my feet refusing to be taken away with them. I’m not going to let these supernaturals, who I never even wronged, treat me like this.