Page 34

34

How to Ruin a Ball in Three Easy Steps

The doors flew open.

My heart slammed against my ribs as I stared at the scene before me.

Things had just gone way south.

Two vampire mercenaries had Marcus pinned against a wall inside a library. A third vampire held a silver knife to the terrified Holt heir’s throat.

A woman in a purple dress stood beside them, her hands glowing with a sickening light. From the way she was glaring at me, I guessed it was her magic that had caused the doors to open.

My gaze found Camilla.

She watched Bo and me with an amused expression from her perch on the edge of an antique table, the crystal skull resting on a velvet cloth beside her. She looked nothing like the mousy, nervous secretary I’d met at the Council meeting. Her hair was styled in an elegant chignon, her makeup was flawless, and her black dress was cut to kill.

“I was wondering when you’d figure it out.” Her smile was cold. “Though I must admit, you’re much sharper than I gave you credit for. It must be because you’re a white wolf.”

I cursed myself for overlooking what had been staring at me in the face all along.

“It was you I saw at Chateau Montmartre, wasn’t it?” I said accusingly. “You were also wearing a dark dress.”

“Yes.” Camilla’s eyes glittered dangerously. “I was there to collect the skull from Wheeler, but things didn’t go as planned.” She glanced at Marcus. “This moron interfered.”

My hands curled into fists. The sinister magic radiating from the skull was making my nails lengthen and my jaw ache. My wolf slipped under my skin when she sensed the danger I was in.

“That day at the Crossroads. You deliberately bumped into me to help Wheeler escape.” I could hear Nigel calling the cops in my earpiece.

“Guilty as charged.” Camilla’s expression turned mocking. “I must say, having you and your crew chase Wheeler around town has been most entertaining.”

Bo stamped his paws. “You’re not very nice, lady!”

Camilla’s eyes shrank to slits. “Nice doesn’t always pay in this world, mutt. I played nice for years and look where that got me.”

The moonlight washing through the corridor behind me made my body itch and my bones tremble as my wolf clawed to get out. I kept her at bay by a sheer act of will and glanced at Marcus.

“Let him go. You don’t have any further use for him.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.” Camilla picked up the skull and cradled it lovingly in her hands. “You see, I still need him.” Her smile widened. “Just like I need everyone downstairs to be good and stay put.”

The pieces of the puzzle clicked into place like death knolls inside my head. Dread churned my stomach.

“You’re going to use the skull to control the supernatural creatures at tonight’s ball, aren’t you?”

Didi and Gavin gasped in my ear.

“Finally caught up, have you?” Camilla’s voice dripped with contempt. “I am done pandering to stuck-up werewolves and their antiquated Council. Done bowing and scraping to vampire aristocrats who think they’re better than everyone else.” Her eyes blazed. “It’s time Amberford had a new leadership.”

“You’re—you’re insane!” Marcus choked out. He was glaring at Camilla with glowing amber eyes, his wolf on show.

“Shut up.” Camilla glowered at him. “You’re just as weak as your damn father. He would still be alive if only he’d listened to me!”

I froze, my eyes rounding. Bo whined.

Marcus paled. “What—what are you talking about?”

“Arthur discovered what I was planning to do with the skull. He stole it and left it at that witch’s shop.” Camilla’s face twisted. “It took me ten years to find the damn thing. Unfortunately, Arthur had to die for his mistake.”

Horror dawned on Marcus’s face. “You—you killed my father?!”

“Someone had to.” Camilla shrugged. “He was going to expose my plans to the Council.”

Yup, Camilla was batshit crazy.

“You’re a monster,” I growled.

Camilla gave me a callous look. “Aren’t we all?” She signaled silently to her henchmen.

The witch raised her hands. Magic crackled between her fingers. It grew into a dazzling ball of light that made the hairs rise on the back of my neck.

“Don’t let that hit you!” Didi yelled in my ear.

The third vampire launched himself at me, silver knife glinting.

I ducked under his swing, grabbed his arm, and used his momentum to throw him into a wall. He hit it with a satisfying crunch that dented the plaster.

Bo snarled and went for the witch’s ankles just as she cast her magic at me. She shrieked and stumbled, her attack ruffling my hair as it whizzed past my head before obliterating the door behind me.

The vampires holding Marcus threw him aside and advanced on me, fangs gleaming.

My wolf bared her teeth back as she pressed against my skin.

The vampires hesitated.

A yelp had my head snapping to the left. The witch had kicked Bo and sent him flying into the antique desk. Marcus grabbed her around the waist as she attempted to stamp on Bo’s head.

Rage burned through my veins.

Camilla was skirting the room toward the exit, the crystal skull in hand.

The vampires attacked.

I stopped a punch to my head with my fist, crushed the first vampire’s hand, and narrowly missed a magic blast as I elbowed the second vampire lunging for my throat viciously in the face.

The first vampire kicked me in my flank and sent me staggering sideways.

It was enough for the witch to fire off another energy blast while she struggled against Marcus. I gasped as it slammed into my left shoulder and sent me flying into a bookcase. I landed on the floor with a thud, Didi’s shout echoing in my ear.

That did not go as planned.

Bo rose shakily and limped toward me, anxious whimpers working up his throat.

I groaned and rolled to my feet. “I’m okay.”

Though the magic stung something fierce, it hadn’t broken through skin or bone.

I lifted my head and glared at the witch and the vampires blocking my path while Camilla made her escape. Marcus was on the floor, all but knocked out.

“Didi, we’re moving to Plan B!” I snapped. “Let Samuel know what’s happening!”

Camilla laughed from the doorway. “Your precious alpha and his friends downstairs won’t be able to hear you. Not with the magic my witch cast. And they’re about to get very busy.”

A loud rumble shook the mansion. Distant screams erupted from the direction of the ballroom. Fear squeezed my heart.

“What did you do?!” I snarled.

“Let’s just say the party just got interesting.” Camilla’s eyes glowed with malevolent glee. “Get rid of her and bring Marcus to the ballroom. I want to see Priscilla’s face when I kill her precious son in front of her.” She vanished into the corridor.

The vampires and witch advanced on me, their expressions murderous.

“Any last words?” the witch sneered.

“Yeah.” I gave them a dark smile as I finally let the beast inside me loose. “You should have brought more backup.”

My wolf surged forward, the dress Claudette had chosen for tonight shimmering and changing with me as I transformed.

Like the Hawthornes had promised, this time shifting was as easy as breathing.

The vampires and witch froze, their faces turning ashen at the sight of my white wolf.

“Holy shit,” one of them breathed.

Bo’s hackles rose.

I launched myself at the nearest vampire, my jaws snapping. He screamed when my teeth sank into his shoulder. I used my momentum to throw him into his companion. The witch cast another energy blast. I dodged it and pounced, my claws raking her arms as she tried to shield herself.

The third vampire came at me with his silver knife. I twisted away from his swing and clamped my jaws around his wrist while Bo bit his calf. He howled as bones crunched and flesh gave way.

The knife clattered to the floor.

Footsteps thundered in the corridor. A pair of figures skidded into view in the library doorway.

“Duck!” Didi yelled.

I dropped as a fireball whooshed over my head and struck the witch square in the belly right as she’d been preparing to launch another attack. She flew backward and hit the wall with a sickening sound.

Gavin’s horns and nostrils smoked as he and Didi rushed in.

The vampires lunged at them.

Didi blasted one away with magic and cast her broomstick straight into the jaw of a second vampire, knocking him out. Gavin sent the third vampire flying into the fireplace with a powerful strike from his tail.

I transformed back into my human form, my dress rippling with the change.

“Are you guys okay?” Didi asked anxiously as she helped a groaning Marcus to his feet.

“We’re fine.” I grimaced at Bo’s limp. “Though Bo might need to see a vet.”

“I do not!” my dog protested. “It’s just a scratch.”

“You’re bleeding.”

“We’ve got bigger problems,” Gavin said grimly. “We can’t get into the ballroom. There’s some kind of magical barrier stopping anyone from going in or out.”

Like things couldn’t get any worse.

I scowled. “What about Samuel and the others?”

“We lost contact with them a few minutes ago,” Didi said darkly. “Nigel’s coordinating with the supernatural task force, but it will take a while before help gets here. From what we could see through the windows of the ballroom before the barrier went up, it’s chaos in there. Those vampire mercenaries are using silver-tipped and wolfsbane-coated weapons to fight the werewolves. The witch in the red dress is overpowering the other guests with magic.”

Another tremor shook the mansion. The sounds of fighting echoed from below.

“Let’s go.” I headed for the door, my wolf prowling restlessly under my skin. “And someone grab that knife. We might need it.”

Didi scooped up the silver weapon. “What about him?” She jerked her head at Marcus.

The Holt heir’s face had hardened. “I’m coming with you. Camilla killed my father.” His stutter was gone, fury making his eyes burn amber.

“Fine.” I gave him a stern look. “But you do exactly what we say.”

Marcus nodded.

We ran for the stairs and followed the sounds of supernatural warfare to the ballroom.