“As a cucumber,” he agreed a little too easily.
I leveled a hard stare at him, “I mean it, Mack. Do not react. And whatever you do, don’t intervene.”
“Okay.”
He wasn’t taking this situation seriously enough, making mychest tighten with dread. Poking him in the shoulder with a finger, I added, “I mean it. You’re protective, and you’re not gonna like what she does to me, but even the alpha won’t save your ass if you step in.”
His hands flew up in surrender. “I get it, Zee. Trust me, the alpha already threatened to skin me alive if I fuck up.” Looking past me at the building, he added, “But this shit is shady. Literally. There’s a full moon on the rise and the rain clouds have broken up, but I can’t even make out the doorways or windows.”
A breeze whistled through metal, making goosebumps sprout across my flesh. Unnatural shadows kept the building cloaked in darkness, but tonight, it seemed even worse than normal. Squinting, I couldn’t even make out the iconic ‘Public Market’ lettering and clock above the main entrance. The sign’s lights had burned out long ago, and the ‘M’ now hung askew, but at least I’d been able to see it last time I was here.
“Don’t get me wrong. It’s cool that I’ll finally get to see where you’ve spent so much time, but…” He eyed the ten-foot barrier encircling Sereana’s dwelling, and gold flickered in his dark eyes as his beast battled for control. “That’s just not normal.”
“Yeah.” What else could I say about it? Wolves drew on internal energy for their power, but witches siphoned vitality from external sources.
Livingsources.
I’d watched her drain the life from a rat, once. I was a child at the time and had been upset when the creature had turned to dust in her hand. She’d focused her dispassionate eyes on me and said,“Rats are pests; their only purpose is to feed predators.I transform their insignificant lives into useful potions. It’s no different from the pack hunting and butchering game to feed your people. This life is not for the weak. Only those strong enough to do what’s necessary will survive. Remember that, Ziara.”
“She’s not slowly killing you to bind your wolf, is she?” Mack asked.
“No.” At least, I didn’t think so. But would that be so bad?Could I even exist without that part of me? “Death isn’t necessary. Pain is an adequate power source. As is blood.”
He blanched.
Averting my gaze so I wouldn’t see his expression, I stepped onto the sidewalk. “Come on. She gets… annoyed when I’m late.”
His fingers feathered down my arm and slid into my hand, intertwining with mine. He gave my hand a squeeze, and his voice dropped lower. “I’ll be on my best behavior. Promise.”
“Good.” I returned the squeeze before releasing his hand. “Follow me and step only where I do.”
We slipped through the shadows to the entrance, dodging Sereana’s booby traps. As soon as we crossed the threshold, the unnatural darkness engulfed us, making it impossible to see my hand in front of my face. The building’s security lights had burned out long ago. I’d offered to replace them once, and Sereana had glared at me like I’d suggested dipping her spell book in acid. I never mentioned the darkness again.
Reaching behind me, I retook Mackiel’s hand so I wouldn’t lose him, and inhaled deeply through my nose. The familiar odors of dust, rot, damp wood, rodent droppings, and hints of my aunt’s tangy scent made my heart race and my palms sweat. Fumbling along the wall, I located the light switch and flipped it on. Sereana may enjoy the dark, but even she needed to see sometimes. Electricity hummed through the old building. Three rows of recessed lighting ran along the ceiling, but only one bulb worked every ten feet or so, barely illuminating the path.
We stuck to the center aisle and headed for the stairs, eyeing the stalls we passed. Mackiel’s head was on a swivel as he took in the sights. Faded wood and metal signs depicting images of fruit, flowers, and fish hung askew here and there, providing shop names and business hours. Broken furniture cluttered the entrance of one stall, and dust-dulled jewelry displays crowded another. Further down, cobwebs covered Seattle-themed coffee mugs and various souvenirs balanced between racks of moth-eaten T-shirts and tie-dyed dresses. The bottom floor of the market was a dingy, dank mess.
“Is it what you expected?” I asked.
“No. I mean, it’s creepy as fuck, but where are the black cats and headless chickens?” White teeth flashed at me as he grinned. “Where do you think she keeps her cauldron?”
I tensed. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
Something akin to panic flickered in his eyes as the smile slipped from his expression, transforming into shock. “Seriously?”
“’Fraid so.”
He swallowed. “Are all the floors like this one?”
I shrugged and continued on. “I’m only allowed on this level and the roof. She spends most of her time up there.” At least, that’s where I’d found her whenever I visited.
“Aren’t you itching to… explore?” he asked, lowering his voice. “You’ve gotta be curious….”
“Of course.” Who wouldn’t be? Even though she was family, my aunt was a mystery. I would love to see where she slept, ate, and read. Possibly even find photos or information about my mother, since neither Sereana nor Dad would talk about her. “But I’m not suicidal. And Sereana doesn’t have a sense of humor. She isn’t gracious or forgiving, and she barely tolerates me.”
“I have noticed the lack of holiday invitations.”
Seriously, what was the alpha thinking, sending him in here with me?
