Read Online Witches Be Burned: A Magic & Mayhem Novel by Stacey Kennedy - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Stacey Kennedy
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revenge.”
Zade bared his fangs. “Revenge for what?”
“That’s a very good question.” Zia turned to pace in the other direction, her shoes scuffing the concrete floor and stirring up dust. “I’ve tried to find a connection here, but I’m at a loss.” Her fierce glare landed on Talon. “Astoria has been in hiding for over a century or more. I don’t understand why she has returned now, and furthermore, Kyden said she was at the scene with the newly made vampire in Salt Lake City.”
His father looked to him, so Kyden said, “Alazar couldn’t track her.”
“Bloody smart witch knows how to hide her scent.” Talon rubbed his chin. “So she’s been at the scene in Salt Lake City and now at the one in North Dakota?”
The location of Trefan’s murder hadn’t been made known to Kyden, but that information hadn’t been essential. Though now that he knew where the murder had taken place, it did seem strange that Astoria had been in two different states. It also confirmed to him that Astoria was of dark magic, since she’d have access to her own portal.
In white-magic terms, there were three portals—one in the Otherworld, one at the gateway in Scotland, and one in Earthworld given centuries ago as a gift of peace to the leader of the werewolves, Patriarch of Wolves, Valor—and no dark witch could access any of them.
Zia said in a clipped voice, “Yes, and why she’s been at both murders is beyond me.”
Talon returned to his seat, stretching out his legs and patting the seat next to him. Once Zia joined him, he continued. “We sent the trackers on the scents in North Dakota as soon as Trefan was discovered.”
Kyden thought over the murder, remembering only a few of the vampire’s features. “Any leads from the trackers?”
Holten leaned his huge frame forward in his chair, his long dark hair spilling over his shoulders. “We’ve gotten word that they’ve captured many scents, but once they follow them, they end up losing the trace.”
Nexi released Kyden’s hand and folded her arms. “Vanished, you mean?” At Holten’s nod, she added to Kyden, “Well, now, doesn’t that sound familiar?”
Kyden nodded in agreement, pressing his hand against her lower back, always needing her close. He considered all he’d heard, and before he could come up with next steps, Holten said, “Clearly Astoria is helping them for some reason.”
Zade added, “Even so, that doesn’t mean we’ll stop searching.”
Kyden figured that was for Finn’s benefit, since the guardian next to Kyden had waves of anger rolling off him. But Finn would know, just as Kyden did, that without a scent to track the killers they would be difficult to find. That typical manner of hunting killers wouldn’t work, and they needed to find an alternate solution. Determined to do so, Kyden said to his father, “The vampires tonight were powerful.” Older vampires, like Zade, had a palpable energy emanating from them. “They knew exactly what they were doing.”
Nexi added, “And, to me, it seemed like they were making a point, a point that I wonder if they knew we’d see—because why else would they be talking to Trefan?”
Kyden agreed wholeheartedly. He had a bad feeling that Astoria knew of Haven’s talents. “It was odd—they spoke almost as if they were talking directly to the Council itself.”
Talon slid a concerned glance to Haven before returning his attention to Kyden. “Let’s stay focused on what we know for sure at the moment. The rest we’ll deal with as it comes along.”
Kyden assumed his father didn’t want to add fear to Haven’s already weakened state. He obliged and said, “The vamps tonight weren’t acting reckless and wild. They were definitely determined to kill.” He pondered Trefan’s death and searched for anything that made sense. Coming up short, he added, “What was the assignment leading Trefan to the forest?”
Talon scraped a hand across his eyes—a move Kyden had
Zade bared his fangs. “Revenge for what?”
“That’s a very good question.” Zia turned to pace in the other direction, her shoes scuffing the concrete floor and stirring up dust. “I’ve tried to find a connection here, but I’m at a loss.” Her fierce glare landed on Talon. “Astoria has been in hiding for over a century or more. I don’t understand why she has returned now, and furthermore, Kyden said she was at the scene with the newly made vampire in Salt Lake City.”
His father looked to him, so Kyden said, “Alazar couldn’t track her.”
“Bloody smart witch knows how to hide her scent.” Talon rubbed his chin. “So she’s been at the scene in Salt Lake City and now at the one in North Dakota?”
The location of Trefan’s murder hadn’t been made known to Kyden, but that information hadn’t been essential. Though now that he knew where the murder had taken place, it did seem strange that Astoria had been in two different states. It also confirmed to him that Astoria was of dark magic, since she’d have access to her own portal.
In white-magic terms, there were three portals—one in the Otherworld, one at the gateway in Scotland, and one in Earthworld given centuries ago as a gift of peace to the leader of the werewolves, Patriarch of Wolves, Valor—and no dark witch could access any of them.
Zia said in a clipped voice, “Yes, and why she’s been at both murders is beyond me.”
Talon returned to his seat, stretching out his legs and patting the seat next to him. Once Zia joined him, he continued. “We sent the trackers on the scents in North Dakota as soon as Trefan was discovered.”
Kyden thought over the murder, remembering only a few of the vampire’s features. “Any leads from the trackers?”
Holten leaned his huge frame forward in his chair, his long dark hair spilling over his shoulders. “We’ve gotten word that they’ve captured many scents, but once they follow them, they end up losing the trace.”
Nexi released Kyden’s hand and folded her arms. “Vanished, you mean?” At Holten’s nod, she added to Kyden, “Well, now, doesn’t that sound familiar?”
Kyden nodded in agreement, pressing his hand against her lower back, always needing her close. He considered all he’d heard, and before he could come up with next steps, Holten said, “Clearly Astoria is helping them for some reason.”
Zade added, “Even so, that doesn’t mean we’ll stop searching.”
Kyden figured that was for Finn’s benefit, since the guardian next to Kyden had waves of anger rolling off him. But Finn would know, just as Kyden did, that without a scent to track the killers they would be difficult to find. That typical manner of hunting killers wouldn’t work, and they needed to find an alternate solution. Determined to do so, Kyden said to his father, “The vampires tonight were powerful.” Older vampires, like Zade, had a palpable energy emanating from them. “They knew exactly what they were doing.”
Nexi added, “And, to me, it seemed like they were making a point, a point that I wonder if they knew we’d see—because why else would they be talking to Trefan?”
Kyden agreed wholeheartedly. He had a bad feeling that Astoria knew of Haven’s talents. “It was odd—they spoke almost as if they were talking directly to the Council itself.”
Talon slid a concerned glance to Haven before returning his attention to Kyden. “Let’s stay focused on what we know for sure at the moment. The rest we’ll deal with as it comes along.”
Kyden assumed his father didn’t want to add fear to Haven’s already weakened state. He obliged and said, “The vamps tonight weren’t acting reckless and wild. They were definitely determined to kill.” He pondered Trefan’s death and searched for anything that made sense. Coming up short, he added, “What was the assignment leading Trefan to the forest?”
Talon scraped a hand across his eyes—a move Kyden had
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