Unraveled

time said. The one from Jennifer’s memories. Marie. “We’ve merely been waiting for you to move your hostage from the cabin. There were too many wards there, preventing us from even stepping foot on the property.”

“Hello, witch. How did you find us?” he asked as calmly as he was able.

“Magic, naturally,” Marie said smugly. “Several times in the past few months, our friend acted strangely, completely unlike herself. And afterward, when I questioned her, she had no idea what I was talking about. She’d had these little blackouts, you see, and we began to fear she’d have them when we weren’t around to protect her. So we placed a tracking spell on her and disguised it as a ward.”

One of the “cosmetic” wards, he would guess. And added because he’d possessed her body. He’d done it to find the witches, so, mission accomplished. “Smart,” was all he said.

“Aren’t we, though? And now that I’ve assuaged your curiosity, answer a question for me.”

He gave a single nod. Now wasn’t the time to play hardball.

Caleb practically purred. Her voice…it’s so sweet.

“To whom were you speaking to a moment ago?”

For once, there was no reason to lie about the souls. “To the three souls in my head.”

Her brow puckered in confusion. “People live inside your head?”

Here was his opportunity. “Ask me anything and I’ll answer.” That would make this a meeting. Right? That would mean his friends—

The witch laughed. “I can guess what you’re thinking. You think this is our meeting. I’m afraid not, Summoner. A meeting must be officially called to order. And as Jennifer told you, we won’t be having our meeting. Not now. Your actions have revealed exactly whose side you’re on.”

“You will call a meeting to order!” he barked, stepping forward—until his feet glued themselves to the ground, preventing him from moving. What the—the answer slid into place. Stupid magic, he thought darkly.

Jennifer’s eyes slit as she inserted herself into the conversation. “We should have killed your friends rather than curse them, but we thought to use them to control you. Now I see the flaw in our logic. One of your people is a Drainer, and Drainers must be eliminated as quickly as possible. One of your people is a wolf, and wolves protect our greatest enemies. One of your people is a vampire, and vampires are our greatest enemies. All three deserve to die.”

“How many times do I have to say it? I don’t know any Drainer. I don’t even know what a Drainer is, unless you mean a vampire drinking until every drop is gone, but that didn’t happen, so again. No Drainer.” He wanted to kick his own ass for not asking Victoria for details. “And the wolf and the vampire mean you no harm, then or now. Tell them, Jennifer. You weren’t forced to feed anyone.”

“Enough,” Marie snapped. “So they didn’t drink from her. This time. We are still drugs to them, and addicts can never be trusted. Now. Silence, human. Sisters, let us move him to a more…private location.”

A second later, their chants filled the air. He tried to reason with them; they ignored him. And then it didn’t matter. His world began to spin, dancing to a beat he didn’t recognize. Spinning, spinning, colors whirling together, darkening, that dark consuming him, blinding him, tossing him around as if he were stuck in a washing machine. The souls were shouting, and those continued shouts were deafening.

Then, suddenly, he stilled. The souls quieted.

Pinpricks of white grew among the black, and colors soon followed. His feet were still rooted in place, but he was now in new surroundings. He was inside a…cave? The walls around him were comprised of dirt, orange-colored stones and clay. Somewhere nearby was a waterfall. He could hear the urgent rush and crash of water, the air cold and damp.

The witches, still circling him, dropped their arms to their sides and perched atop boulders. All but one, that is. Marie approached him, a perfumed cloud accompanying her. Caleb purred his approval.

Without a word, Marie claimed his hands and raised them above his head. Aden wanted to grab his daggers. He didn’t. He needed their cooperation, not their fury. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“Taking precautions.”

As she spoke, something cool and soft wrapped around his wrists. Frowning, he looked up. Ivy had sprouted from the cave’s ceiling, descended and bound him. His molars gnashed together as he tried to jerk free. The vine held steady.

“We draw our powers from Mother Earth,” she explained. “You’re lucky you’re warded, otherwise we’d do a lot worse to you.” She laughed when his expression tightened. “Oh, yes. I know without looking what you’re protected against. We all do. We can feel the power of the wards.” She backed away and sat on a boulder like the others.

“So what do you plan to do with me?”

“Your actions will determine that.”

“Come on. Help me out here. What actions? What do you want from me?” Aden’s gaze roved over them, stopping only when one of them—the only one left standing, the only one wearing a black robe—walked from a shadowed corner and pushed away her hood. Another blonde, though this one wasn’t a witch.

Her face was beauty personified. Her skin glowed as if it had been dipped in a honey pot, and her eyes gleamed like liquid ebony. With only a look, she lured, entranced, made him ache to do whatever she wanted. Not that he’d succumb.

“Hello, Aden,” Ms. Brendal said smoothly.

He hadn’t noticed her in the circle before. Which meant she had been waiting here. Waiting to pounce. “Dr. Hennessy,” he said, his jaw so clenched the words barely escaped. “I’d like to say I’m surprised, but I’d rather not lie. I know how you hate it.”

Her pupils flared briefly. “So you knew I was not who I pretended to be. How?”

“Why don’t you invade my head again and find out?”

She traced her tongue over her straight, white teeth. “I looked through your mind, yes, but all I encountered was a sea of noise. Voices and more voices, one stacked upon the other, talking about the silliest things. Things I cared nothing about. But I could find no evidence of my brother, Mr. Thomas. Where is he, Aden? I know that you know.”

Now’s your chance, Elijah said. Bargain.

Wait. What? Bargain with what? Caleb demanded.

Aden knew. “Convince the witches to call a meeting to order,” he said, “and I’ll tell you.”

Brendal eyed each of the witches. Each of them shook her head no.

“Aden,” she said, her voice no longer smooth. “You will not fare well if I’m angered.”

He shrugged as best he could with his arms in the air. “Why? You’ll morph into a giant green monster?”

Breath hissed between her lips. “I figured you would prove stubborn. However, you have underestimated me. I’m leaving, but don’t shed too many tears, for I will return. With your friends.”

A clear threat. He wanted to shout at her. He wanted to fight his bonds. He did neither. Displays of emotion in any battle meant defeat. Isn’t that what he’d taught Mary Ann? And in this battle, the most important of his life, he needed any edge he could get. If he threw a fit now, he would lose what little bargaining power he had.

“Have you anything else to say to me?” Brendal asked.

“Yeah. Good luck with your search.”

“Very well.” She stepped backward, her narrowed gaze locked on him, and disappeared from view, there one moment, gone the next.

She’d entered that other plane, he supposed. To capture—perhaps torture—his friends. They can take care of themselves, he assured himself.

Let me take over, Caleb pleaded. Let me talk to the witches for you.

Oh, no. Aden could allow the souls to assume control of his body. They couldn’t do it without his permission, and he’d once given permission to Eve. That’s how she’d spent the last day of her “life” with her daughter. But Caleb was too concerned with the witches. He might place their welfare about Victoria’s, above Mary Ann’s and Riley’s, and that Aden couldn’t allow.

“Call the meeting to order,” he said, ignoring the soul, “and I’ll answer anything you want. Don’t, and I’ll