Read Online A Witch's Path by N. E. Conneely - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: N. E. Conneely
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crazy best friend.
"We have to get her back."
"Who? Tiffany, who was taken? Who did the taking?" I resisted the urge to shake her. She was one of my best friends, but I couldn't say she was at her best in an emergency.
Tiffany turned towards me, but her eyes were unfocused. "He could hurt her. Why won't you listen?"
"I am listening," I yelled. "You won't tell me the problem. Who needs help?"
"I didn't say?" For the first time her eyes were focused on me.
"No, you didn't. I want to help, but if you don't tell me what's wrong, I can't help you." If someone was in trouble they were going to be dead before I knew the problem. "Let me get you something to drink."
I got her to sit at the table, and watched her sip the water I'd given her. After the first sip she paused to catch her breath. Half a glass later she looked calm, but I could still see the pulse in her neck jumping. I sent the lions back to their post by the door, where they returned to looking like stone figurines.
"What did I tell you?" Tiffany asked.
I slowly counted to ten before answering, "Nothing helpful, so start at the beginning."
"Amber's been kidnapped. That's not the beginning, but you need to know. See, Amber asked me to tag along when she went to a meeting with the bird shifters. I don't know why, but she was edgy. Amber kept saying something might go wrong. I asked her what could go wrong, and she didn't answer. Everything seemed fine. The meeting lasted about an hour. I sat in the car reading a book. Anyway, she came out and was running for the car when a guy jumped her. She tried to fight back, but couldn't get away. I rushed over to help her, but he shoved me down and I hit my head on the road. By the time I stopped seeing stars she was gone."
"Who took her?" I growled. As a werepeahen, Amber was considered a prey animal by most of the shifter community. As a person, Amber was sweet, and much more suited to her office job than facing down an abductor.
"Let me finish the story." Tiffany took a sip of water. "I went back in the house, hoping one of the shifters could tell me who he was, but they were all passed out. Some of them came around on their own, and I roused the rest of them. They said someone had come in after the meeting ended and jumped them. The bruises proved their story. They wouldn't call the police. They said it was shifter business and I shouldn't be involved.
"I called the police, but no one wanted to believe me. They wanted me to give a statement in the morning, and said they would send a car around. The person on the other end of the phone had the gall to suggest it was a game. I know Mark, and that wasn't him."
I was a second from killing Tiffany out of frustration. "That's great. Now, who took Amber?" My money was on her stalker.
Tears resumed dripping down her face. "One of the birds said it sounded like Adder, the rest would only say it smelled like werewolves. I don't know why Adder would take Amber. His father is still the alpha and would kill him for this."
"The crazy werewolf everyone is afraid of has Amber?" I started rubbing my temples.
"I think so." She buried her head in her hands and resumed crying.
"Tiffany, focus on me for a second." She looked at me, chest heaving, tears running down her face. "Did she mention anything about a man or a specific car?" Tiffany shook her head. "What kind of car did her abductors' use?"
"A dark van."
"What kind of van? Was it a cargo van or a minivan? Did you get the plate?" I held my breath. Please, let her have a solid lead.
"I didn't get the plate." Tiffany chewed on her lip. "I think it was a minivan. There were a lot of cars parked on the street when we arrived so I ended up parking down the street. One of the spaces close to the house was empty when I went in to check on the shifters."
I took her by the shoulders, and turned her so she was looking at me. "That was good, Tiffany. You need to remember every detail when we talk to the
"We have to get her back."
"Who? Tiffany, who was taken? Who did the taking?" I resisted the urge to shake her. She was one of my best friends, but I couldn't say she was at her best in an emergency.
Tiffany turned towards me, but her eyes were unfocused. "He could hurt her. Why won't you listen?"
"I am listening," I yelled. "You won't tell me the problem. Who needs help?"
"I didn't say?" For the first time her eyes were focused on me.
"No, you didn't. I want to help, but if you don't tell me what's wrong, I can't help you." If someone was in trouble they were going to be dead before I knew the problem. "Let me get you something to drink."
I got her to sit at the table, and watched her sip the water I'd given her. After the first sip she paused to catch her breath. Half a glass later she looked calm, but I could still see the pulse in her neck jumping. I sent the lions back to their post by the door, where they returned to looking like stone figurines.
"What did I tell you?" Tiffany asked.
I slowly counted to ten before answering, "Nothing helpful, so start at the beginning."
"Amber's been kidnapped. That's not the beginning, but you need to know. See, Amber asked me to tag along when she went to a meeting with the bird shifters. I don't know why, but she was edgy. Amber kept saying something might go wrong. I asked her what could go wrong, and she didn't answer. Everything seemed fine. The meeting lasted about an hour. I sat in the car reading a book. Anyway, she came out and was running for the car when a guy jumped her. She tried to fight back, but couldn't get away. I rushed over to help her, but he shoved me down and I hit my head on the road. By the time I stopped seeing stars she was gone."
"Who took her?" I growled. As a werepeahen, Amber was considered a prey animal by most of the shifter community. As a person, Amber was sweet, and much more suited to her office job than facing down an abductor.
"Let me finish the story." Tiffany took a sip of water. "I went back in the house, hoping one of the shifters could tell me who he was, but they were all passed out. Some of them came around on their own, and I roused the rest of them. They said someone had come in after the meeting ended and jumped them. The bruises proved their story. They wouldn't call the police. They said it was shifter business and I shouldn't be involved.
"I called the police, but no one wanted to believe me. They wanted me to give a statement in the morning, and said they would send a car around. The person on the other end of the phone had the gall to suggest it was a game. I know Mark, and that wasn't him."
I was a second from killing Tiffany out of frustration. "That's great. Now, who took Amber?" My money was on her stalker.
Tears resumed dripping down her face. "One of the birds said it sounded like Adder, the rest would only say it smelled like werewolves. I don't know why Adder would take Amber. His father is still the alpha and would kill him for this."
"The crazy werewolf everyone is afraid of has Amber?" I started rubbing my temples.
"I think so." She buried her head in her hands and resumed crying.
"Tiffany, focus on me for a second." She looked at me, chest heaving, tears running down her face. "Did she mention anything about a man or a specific car?" Tiffany shook her head. "What kind of car did her abductors' use?"
"A dark van."
"What kind of van? Was it a cargo van or a minivan? Did you get the plate?" I held my breath. Please, let her have a solid lead.
"I didn't get the plate." Tiffany chewed on her lip. "I think it was a minivan. There were a lot of cars parked on the street when we arrived so I ended up parking down the street. One of the spaces close to the house was empty when I went in to check on the shifters."
I took her by the shoulders, and turned her so she was looking at me. "That was good, Tiffany. You need to remember every detail when we talk to the
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