Palm Haven Shifters: Complete Five-Part Series Page 37

  Shit.

  As she waded through it all, Monica’s stomach only fell further. An emergency meeting at sundown.

  There were far too many Coven “emergencies” lately. If this was another contrived test for the Guardian or some stupid warning about shifters she didn’t need, she would be pissed.

  It was probably something pointless like that. Maybe she could skip the thing all-together.

  Her heels clicked against the pavement as she walked to her car, the bareness between her legs a reminder of the fun she could be having with Reed, instead of going to the meeting.

  Half of the calls were from her best friend, Ashley, so Monica decided to call her back.

  “There you are! We’ve been trying to get ahold of you all day,” Ashley gushed, sounding hectic and relieved, like she’d been waiting by the phone all afternoon on the edge of her seat.

  Monica frowned. “You know I don’t get any service at work. What’s up?”

  “Right! Right. I forgot. I was just… worried.”

  “Ash, slow down. You’re not making any sense, honey.”

  “They’re… I mean… Well. You’ll hear about it at the meeting.”

  Monica’s frown deepened. Not helping your case, Ash.

  “I might not make it… I have… plans,” she said, trying to keep the specifics out of the conversation.

  “You have to come!” Ashley practically shrieked and Monica winced, holding the phone at arm’s length. “I don’t know what all I’m supposed to say over the phone.”

  Monica felt a frustrated grunt rip from her throat. “Just tell me, Ashley. For goodness sake.” If she was going to give up what promised to be a spectacular time with Reed, she at least deserved an explanation.

  “It’s Esther… She’s on a warpath. When we hadn’t heard from you… Well, Sage wants everyone to gather together to discuss our plan of action.”

  Plan of action? For what exactly? Monica didn’t really know the Coven for doing much of anything other than sitting around being judgmental.

  And Esther? She was a cranky old bitch, but a warpath? What did that even mean?

  She sighed. It sounded like the meeting was unavoidable.

  “Right, okay. I’ll be there at sundown, I guess.”

  “Perfect. I’m glad you’re okay. Stay safe, Mon. It’s crazy out there.”

  Monica felt an uneasy sense of dread settle over her. It was easy at the day job, surrounded by normal people, to forget the world she really lived in. The world full of magic and wars between monstrous creatures that shouldn’t even exist.

  Sometimes she wished she didn’t know about all of those things. But then she’d remember how wonderful having magic could be — and how amazing it made sex — and she considered it a fair trade.

  Before she got into her car, Monica looked around the parking lot, hoping to spot Reed. She didn’t have his number — that little bit of information was forgotten amidst their playful teasing — and she wanted to let him know that she couldn’t make it.

  The cars cleared out of the parking lot and Monica sighed, accepting defeat. Maybe she could just show up to his house after the meeting. They didn’t specify a time, right?

  Maybe it wouldn’t all be a complete loss. Maybe she could still salvage the night.

  At the meeting, Monica heard from her sisters — and a few other witches — who all corroborated the same story: Esther was working for a demon.

  A demon. Of all the insane dangerous, ridiculously idiotic things to do as a witch, letting a demon control your magic seemed like the worst.

  “How are we going to combat this?” One witch asked.

  “Should we combat it? What can we even do?” Another chimed in.

  Monica sat in her usual seat, mute for once in her life. She didn’t know what to do about a demon. Or a witch gone bad. Her magic was all about having fun and sleeping with a different guy every night. This serious business… this danger and uncertainty… that wasn’t her forte.

  Sage raised a hand to silence the tizzy of worried whispers floating through the solarium.

  “The Guardian is conducting research currently and until such time as she has an answer for us, I urge all of you to proceed with extreme caution and keep your magic hidden from those that may try to use it for their own purposes.” Her eyes weren’t always visible under the bulky hood she wore, but Monica got the feeling that Sage leveled a look at each of the witches who’d recently mated with shifters.

  Her best friend Ashley being one of them.

  To Monica’s surprise, Ashley didn’t shrink back from Sage’s disparaging looks. Instead, she kept her confident posture and canted her head in Monica’s direction, “I need to talk to you after this… In private.”

  Monica’s skin prickled at her friend’s tone, but she nodded anyway.

  “Esther can easily identify all of us and no one is safe until we find a way to vanquish the demon possessing her,” Sage said in a solemn tone.

  Sage and Esther were the two eldest members of the Coven and Monica couldn’t help but wonder how Sage had missed all the signs. Maybe it was the demon’s influence that had made Esther so good at concealing the darkness inside. Or maybe Sage didn’t want to see the truth. Sometimes, it was easier to believe a lie.

  Monica shuddered, remembering all too well how many times she and Esther had gotten into heated ‘discussions’. No wonder Ashley was worried when she didn’t answer the phone.

  “Stick together, sisters, and trust no one outside of this circle,” Sage finished.

  Monica’s skin prickled again and she was sure Sage directed that statement at a few witches in particular.

  But how could they even trust those in this circle? Esther had been in this circle only days earlier. How could they trust anybody?

  The meeting was adjourned, but Monica didn’t realize it until Ashley’s hand closed around her forearm.

  “Come on, I want to talk to you about something.”

  Ashley led her through the plantation-style home, dodging her questions, and pulled her into one of the rooms on the first floor that served as a study and meditation room. She locked the door behind them.

  “What’s this about, Ash?” Monica asked, arms folded in front of her chest.

  “I want you to come with me.”

  Monica’s heart stuttered — she was normally the first to jump at a chance to go anywhere, but Ashley’s stoic expression made her worried.

  “Where?”

  Ashley wouldn’t meet her gaze and she fiddled with the hand-carved wooden pendant hanging around her neck — a bear, crafted by her ‘mate’. Monica’s teeth clamped together at the thought. That was exactly what Sage was warning them against. Fraternizing with shifters was only encouraging this stupid war.

  “Where?”

  “Callan is trying to enlist the help of one of his friends to talk to their clan leadership. The bears don’t know about Esther or the danger she presents.”

  “Why is that our problem?”

  Ashley’s nervousness was replaced with fierce determination, she leveled Monica with a hard look, her lips pursed together. “They’re people. Callan’s people. That makes them my people.”

  “You’re insane. They’re not our people. They’re bears.”

  Ashley’s hands flew to her hips. “Are you going to come with me or not? I’m going with or without you, but I’d rather another witch there.”

  Monica laughed, a high derisive sound without any humor. “You are out of your ever-loving mind if you think bears can be reasoned with.”

  Out of all the crazy things Ashley had done through the years, this certainly took the cake. Playing peace-maker between the Coven and clans could only lead to disaster. They were better off hiding out until it was safe again. Until Esther was put down and the shifters went back to… whatever it was shifters did. Pissing contests in the woods, maybe.

  “Will you just hear me out?”

  “Absolutely not. Can you imagine what
would happen if anyone found out? If the Coven found out? You’re going to get us both excommunicated. You heard what Sage said in there: trust no one.”

  “You’re so dramatic,” Ashley said with a roll of her eyes.

  “No, for once, I’m not being dramatic at all.”

  Ashley heaved a sigh and sank into a nearby chair, “You don’t understand, Mon, they’re not like we’ve been led to believe. He’s sweet, charming and— ”

  “And a bear. You shouldn’t be seeing him and we’re definitely not going to try to ally with them. This is ridiculous.” Monica had no patience left for this argument. They’d been having it over and over every time another witch found herself paired with a shifter and Monica’s stance never changed.

  There was a time when they’d been on the same side of this. Before Ashley met Callan.

  “You can’t stop me from seeing him,” Ashley challenged.

  “Wanna bet?” Monica said with a flick of her wrist. Invisible chains wrapped around Ashley’s wrists and strapped her in place. That would serve her right.

  “You just stay there and think about all the crazy you’re talking. When you’ve come to your senses I’ll let you go.”

  Ash rolled her eyes and twitched her fingers. The chains groaned, vibrating and humming with energy until they shattered with enough force to send Monica reeling across the room. She threw up an arm to shield her face from flying shrapnel and with her other arm and caught herself on the wall. She turned back to Ashley with wide-eyed surprise. Monica had always been the stronger of them. That was in part due to her promiscuous nature and always having plenty of magic to go around. And partly due to how in touch she was with her sexuality — something closely tied to her magic. But Ashley broke through those chains without batting an eye.

  “He makes me stronger Mon. Can’t you see? This is exactly what the Coven needs to fight Esther!”

  Monica shook her head. Ashley had finally lost her mind. They’d all been on a razor-thin edge since this damned battle for control took over their little town. The three shifter clans in Palm Haven seemed hell-bent on destroying the town, but the witches weren’t going down without a fight. Ashley, more than anyone else, always believed in their cause and that was what made her change of heart so startling. Monica’s throat constricted with the betrayal.

  “And how is your cuddly little teddy bear going to feel when he finds out you’re using him to destroy his clan?” Monica asked, hands on her hips.

  “I’m not using him,” Ash protested again. “But if we can find a way to make each other stronger without fighting, doesn’t everyone deserve to know about it? If we can ally with the clans and all come together to fight Esther, wouldn’t we stand a better chance?”

  “No.”

  “What do you mean, no? You would rather have the city under siege, our friends dying and homes destroyed than actually think that a shifter can be trustworthy?”

  Monica sighed, pushing a lock of ginger hair behind her ear before levelling her gaze at her friend.

  “Did you ever think that he’s using you to get to the Coven?”

  “I… well…” Ashley’s mouth opened and shut as she stammered over her words. “Callan’s not like that. Trust me. He doesn’t care about all that stuff,” she said finally.

  “He’s not? How can you be so sure? Because he fucked your brains out?”

  A flush of heat colored Ashley’s cheeks and Monica knew that she’d struck a nerve.

  “Look, if you want to go off gallivanting with dangerous shifters, fine. But don’t drag me or the Coven into it. It’s your own funeral.”

  Ashley’s fingers sparked with untapped energy and Monica mused that Callan must have really fucked her good to give her that much magic back.

  “Maybe if you meet him… you would understand. It’s not just some random fling,” Ashley said, still desperately trying to convince Monica.

  “Maybe not to you, but you know that shifters have no loyalty other than to their own kind…” Monica said with a hint of sadness.

  “This isn’t about that guy again, is it?”

  Monica frowned — she’d hooked up with a shifter before any of this had happened. Before she’d gotten serious about the Coven. Back before they’d all organized into glorified gangs fighting for control. And of course, he chose his own kind over her, disappearing into the night to do — who knows what. Howling at the moon? Sniffing each other’s butts? If Monica wasn’t busy talking her best friend down from the insanity ledge, she might have laughed at that last one.

  “No, this isn’t about him. This is about you. You and your crazy ass ideas.”

  Ashley took Monica’s hands in her own and squeezed them for reassurance.

  “Just come with me. Meet Callan and his friends. Please, you’ll understand.”

  Monica clenched her teeth, looking for an escape route. She didn’t trust shifters and she knew Ashley shouldn’t either. But her friend was stupid and foolhardy enough to try to meet with them anyway. It was her responsibility to make sure she didn’t get hurt. They were supposed to stick together after all.

  “Fine,” she ground out, already regretting the concession, “but if you get us mauled, I’m blaming you forever.”

  Ashley beamed. “Deal!”

  In the blink of an eye, Ashley dragged Monica out of the Coven house, to her car and had them hurtling down the road at unnecessary speeds.

  “Where are you dragging me?” Monica asked, nervousness bubbling in her gut. She never liked this side of Ashley: the mischievous, reckless, enthusiasm so often made her friend forget about the very real dangers that faced them.

  Ashley had insisted that Monica come along on this “meeting” and now Monica wondered just what kind of meeting took place in an area like this.

  “Stop worrying! It’s just a little bar on the other side of town,” Ashley said, unable to wipe the grin from her face.

  “You mean the bear side of town?” Monica hissed through clenched teeth.

  “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this. How is a clan of bears going to react to a couple of witches strolling into their bar?” Monica asked, her palms growing damp in her lap.

  Ashley turned to her friend with a cheeky grin and put the car in park.

  “Let’s find out, shall we?”

  It was too late, Monica realized. There were already there. The bears would be able to smell their magic. Her magic was already awake and restless, looking for something to channel it.

  Though she would never admit it, Monica almost envied Ashley. To have a mate that helped channel her powers and helped to make her stronger… that was what every witch dreamt of. The wild unpredictable nature of an unmated witch’s powers led to a lot of mishaps. Monica had a pretty good handle on hers, but there were still times when she made doors fly open on their hinges or lights flicker without meaning to.

  She never tried to keep her powers a secret. She had the backing of the Coven, but that didn’t mean that she could go around flaunting them. Especially since the Shifter Wars started. It was all too dangerous.

  “Why do I have to be here? Why couldn’t you bring one of your other shifter-loving friends?”

  Ashley sighed, looking like she was having to explain the same thing over and over to an idiot. Monica wasn’t the idiot here. She wasn’t the one walking into the belly of the beast with a smile on her face and a big sign that screamed ‘Eat me, I’m delicious’.

  “Sarah and Emily are with tigers and Sonya is with the Alpha of the wolves. They’re not exactly welcome in bear territory, you know.”

  Monica groaned. “Right. Because we’re so welcome here. You realize you’re not making your case any better, right?”

  Ashley climbed out of the car, her keys jingling in her hand as she shrugged. How could she be so carefree?

  Monica followed and eyed the dive bar warily.

  “So, there’s no chance I can talk you out of this?”

  The corner of Ashley’s mouth tw
itched upwards in a sly smirk.

  “Come on, give it a go. For me?”

  With her heart hammering in her chest, Monica nodded and followed her friend into Buster’s Billiards and Brew.

  Chapter 4

  REED

  Music blasted through Bluetooth speakers and Reed leaned into the mirror, carefully shaving his face. He thought of burying his face between Monica’s plump thighs — he didn’t want his cheeks to be scratchy against her sensitive flesh.

  When he’d first gotten home, he ran around like a madman, picking up trash and old issues of Playboy he had laying around. His house was undoubtedly a bachelor pad, but he wasn’t going to apologize for that. If he made it any homier, girls might want to stick around for longer than a night.

  And that wouldn’t do.

  He finished shaving without nicking himself, thankfully, and started the shower. He didn’t know why he was putting in all this effort. He didn’t normally clean when girls came over. He didn’t normally shave or lay out his one nice button-down, either — the one normally reserved for job interviews, weddings, and funerals.

  The prospect of Monica coming over had him nervous and a little giddy. Like he was punch drunk. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt like this. Probably when he got to take the head cheerleader to Prom and convinced himself there was going to be some Carrie-esque prank played on him.

  But that night had gone off without a hitch and so would this one.

  And maybe instead of a sloppy hand job under the bleachers, he’d get to fuck his date until she couldn’t walk straight.

  He’d no sooner stepped into the steamy stream of water than his phone rang through the speakers, cutting Reed’s singing off mid-verse.

  Wait, he was singing in the shower?

  That didn’t seem right.

  He frowned at the thought and stepped out of the shower, toweling off enough to answer the call from Callan. “Yo, what’s up?”

  “What are you doing right now?”

  “Getting out of the shower. I’ve got plans.” He frowned, Callan’s no-nonsense tone usually spelled trouble. Like another wolf attack.