Shadowshifter Read online

  Shadowshifter

  Witchlock Book 2

  By

  Cyrese Covelli

  ISBN: 0-7443-1480-1

  Copyright 2008 by Cyrese Covelli

  All Rights Reserved

  Published by SynergEbooks

  http://www.synergebooks.com

  PART ONE

  WITCH WAY

  Chapter One

  ASCHER

  I've got to be the only girl whose first date ends up being a vampire.

  Petrel, vampire and all-around creep, greeted me with a pointy smile.

  "Ascher, so nice to see you again," he was referring to the fact that we'd met last month when my sister Gemma and I were attacked by him and his suck-head friends. Wanting to tell him that he could go ahead and bite me, but not being able to do so safely, I did the next best thing. I kicked him.

  "What's going on?" My best friend, Denise, wanted to know.

  She had no idea that vampires were real or that my sister and I were both half-witch, half-warlock. I'd been calling us witch-locks because war-itch sounds like a fungal infection. My sister, Gemma could shape-shift into a panther and I could conjure and control fire with my hands. Ishy to say the least.

  Finding out about our powers was really the only good thing that came out of the ordeal with Petrel. Well, that and meeting Elliot Ambrose, a time-shifting hottie and accidental vampire servant. He is also my pseudo-boyfriend of two weeks. I say pseudo because we hadn't been on an official date yet. As it happens, tonight was my first date- ever.

  Grabbing Denise away from her boyfriend, Dax, I herded her to the sofas and gave the boys my best scary look. It was Dax’s fault that Gemma and I were attacked in the first place. I mean, he didn’t, like, sick the vamps on us or anything, but he did tell us to check out The Crimson, a.k.a. hangout for Chicago vampires. He’d kept bragging about how cool it was and when Denise had canceled our plans to go, my sister stepped in to make me feel better. I intended to question Dax about what he knew of all things fanged just as soon as we got some time alone.

  "What was that all about?" Denise asked.

  "That boy you set me up with, he's a jerk," I said. "I met him once and he was just…he was just way over-aggressive and there's no way I'm double-dating with you guys." Denise looked at me sadly and nodded.

  "If you don't like him, you don't like him. That's fine, but you know my mom thinks this is a double-date and that's the only reason she's letting me stay out past curfew. You said you'd do this for me, Asch. Is this really about Petrel?" Denise regarded me with inquisitive puppy-dog eyes.

  "I was up for the double-date thing, but not with a guy like Petrel. I'm sorry. I just…I can't. It's a long story," I said. Her expression turned into that of a pit-bull.

  "God! When isn't it a long story, Ascher. You're always making excuses for why you can't do one thing or the other. I mean, you really need to get over this whole shy wallflower thing. It's getting old." I blinked at the face of my best friend, contorted in a look of disgust and mulled over the fact that she'd just summed up my most embarrassing attribute in such a bitchy way.

  "Is everything all right, ladies?" Petrel's voice made my heart seize. I'd let him get close to me without even realizing what I'd done and the surprise made my fire-magic surge to the surface. Squeezing my palm tight to keep the fire from pouring out, I ran towards the bathroom. If any one had the nerve to ask where the fire was, I was going to show them. There was a massive line, but I cut past the enraged cries of other girls, all but diving into the next open stall.

  "Sorry. Gotta go," I said, ignoring the epithets hurled back at me. Then, I did the grossest, but most necessary thing I'd ever done. I stuck my hand in the toilet. Steam rose and I just managed to conceal the sizzling with a courtesy flush. When I was extinguished, I grabbed at the toilet paper roll, but it was out. Not willing to wipe the icky water on my jeans, I exited the stall and dripped my way past the glaring line of girls.

  Hurrying to get back to Denise, I washed my hands with half the soap dispenser before making my way out of the bathroom.

  When I found Denise, she was sitting on Dax's lap and he was grinning like some twisted Santa. Petrel was nowhere in sight.

  "He's getting something to drink," Dax explained. I wondered if his response was a coincidence or if he had the power to read thoughts like the old witch, Rose Bruer who'd healed me after the vampire attack. "Petrel says he really likes you."

  "I'm sure."

  "If you're gonna be so snotty, why don't you just call your sister to come get you?" Denise said. And leave you alone with Bitey McFang?

  "I don't think so," I said.

  "Got the drinks," Petrel said. "Alright, Sprite for Denise and water for my man, Dax. That leaves cherry cola with extra red syrup for me. I'm sorry, Ascher- is it? You ran off in such a hurry, I didn't have a chance to ask you what you wanted to drink. You want something?"

  "I'm fine," I bit the words through my clenched jaw. The bass of a new drumbeat echoed through the club and I smiled, forgetting myself. It was Rob Zombie's ‘Living Dead Girl.’

  "I love this song!" I said.

  "This is a great…" Petrel's words were cut off by the look I gave him. We stared at each other, my face hard and his brimming with happiness.

  "Why don't you dance?" Denise asked.

  "Why don't you?" In answer, Denise climbed out of Dax's lap and led him onto the dance floor. Petrel extended his hand to me and I reached forward, calling my fire and grabbing his hand. He snatched it back, dunking it in his drink.

  "I didn't come here to fight with you. I just needed to see you," Petrel said.

  "Are you crazy? What makes you think I'd want to see you?"

  "I have a message from the Master." I rolled my eyes. Savian Radbourne was the Head Vampire of Chicago. He'd kidnapped and bitten my sister. Suffice it to say, we didn't send Christmas cards to each other.

  "Savian's your master, not mine."

  "He summons you."

  "Oh, he does, does he? Well, you tell him I have an agreement with Daray Valerian that the warlocks and vampires stay away from me and my sister." I was referring to the fact that I'd forced the Prince of Warlocks to make a pact that neither he nor the vampires could harm me or Gemma. It's amazing what a guy will agree to when your feline-shifting sister has her panther-size jaws on his neck.

  "This is why he sent me, to offer an olive branch."

  "He offers the freak who bit me as a symbol of peace? Right."

  "It is very important that you meet with us. We have…"

  "I'm all out of favors for the fanged, I'm afraid," I said, flipping open my cell and punching in Gemma's number.

  "If I were you, I would come as the Master has asked," Petrel said.

  "Yeah, well. If I were you, I'd be on a liquid diet and addicted to sunscreen."

  "You might not be that far off." Before I could respond, Petrel had disappeared. Quick exits, yet another annoying thing about vampires.

  Chapter Two

  GEMMA

  "I had a really great time tonight, Matt." Now kiss me! I'd been out with Matt four times and he hadn't even tried to hold my hand. It was making me crazy.

  "Yeah, me too," Matt said. A man of few words. I sighed as I reached for the door handle. Maybe I had kitten breath? Grabbing my backpack from the backseat, I popped the door and waved goodbye to Matt. I walked up the path leading to the front door of my family's townhouse, taking my time to wiggle enough to get back at Matt. He was the kind of sucker that waits until you're inside to drive away. Glancing up at the moon, I felt very much like howling at it, or at least meowing. It was such a beautiful night. A beautiful night for a first kiss. If Matt wanted to play Mr. Nice Guy, let him.

  "It's not like I don't h
ave fifty other guys who would kill to be out with me," I muttered.

  Caw. Caw.

  I looked down and saw a large crow hopping towards me. My stomach growled and I felt the muscles in my back pull, a sign I was about to shift. Oh, shift! Disgusted at myself for not being able to control the beast enough to not gorge on the filthy bird, I unlocked my door and hurried inside.

  When I slipped off my clothes, I was careful to stash them in my bedroom so Ascher wouldn't come home early and think I'd done some striptease or something. Climbing under my covers, I prepared for the change, bracing myself for the pain. My thoughts returned to Ascher.

  The fact is, I love her, but my baby sister is a bit of a prude. She is gorgeous, funny and smart as hell and tonight she was going out on her first date. I mean, she's fifteen and she'd never been out with a boy before. That's just, like, sad or something.

  Pain tore through my body as my muscles began to pull away from the tendons, causing them to snap back to my bones like pulled rubber-bands. I let the pain take me- it hurt worse if I fought it, and proceeded to swear and say every awful word I've ever heard. I don't know why, but it just made me feel better.

  Ding Dong

  Someone was at the front door. Did I leave something in Matt's car?

  "Just go away, annoying person," I tried to say, but it came out sounding more like a growl. Yanking the blankets over my head, I attempted to ignore the sound of the doorbell ringing again.

  Ding Dong.

  Angrily shoving my down pillow away from my half-transformed body, I crawled towards the bathroom window to see just who it was whose butt I needed to kick. All I could see was the empty courtyard dividing our townhouse from our neighbor’s. A little disappointed that it wasn't a solicitor or a girl scout that I could scare the hell out of, I growled. I would have loved to see the look on the little kid's face. That'd teach her to forget my thin mints.

  Pawing my way back to my bedroom, I saw Angel rubbing herself against the railing of the staircase and reached out to touch her. As usual, the cat I'd raised since she was eight weeks old hissed, sending kitty spit flying into my face and fur into the air as she hauled her kitty butt away from me. I rubbed my jaw over the place where she'd just marked her territory, covering it with my own scent. Give me a break- my feelings were hurt. I head-butted my door open wide and trotted to my bed, tensing my back legs to spring.

  It would take longer to complete the shift, now. Whenever I put it off, it always took twice as long, like my panther-self was pissed with me or something. Yawning, I yanked one of my down pillows towards me, sending white feathers flying through the air. I had the thought that my claws looked silly with the remnants of my red nail polish on them and then the pain kicked in again and I was down for the count.

  Chapter Three

  ASCHER

  Gemma and I were half-way through a pint of Ben and Jerry's and an American re-make of a Japanese horror flick when the doorbell rang. My fire came so suddenly, I had to press my hand into the remainder of the ice cream tub. I looked a question at Gemma who shrugged and pulled a red afghan around her shoulders, its color a sharp contrast against her pale skin and the dark brown waves of her hair.

  Pausing the DVD, I made my way to the door and past the fleeing furry body of my cat Nicky. I moved the small white curtain over and peered outside at two faces I recognized, one of which belonged to Anise Curry.

  Anise Curry was the maiden of the Bruer Coven of witches. That made her Queen Witch, and we all know what that rhymes with witch. She'd thrown me out of the safety of her Grandmother Rose Bruer's house after she found out I was part warlock. Her prejudice had left me in the hands of warlock, Rigel Whimbrel and Fawne, a teenage werewolf with a stake to grind.

  "I don't believe it," I said.

  "You don't believe what? Who is it?

  "Remember that witch-girl Anise who turned me over to Daray?" Gemma nodded.

  "She's here with her cousin Cyd."

  "You're joking."

  "I wish."

  "Well, see what they want. Mommy's getting home in a half an hour and I don't want to have to explain them," Gemma said.

  "We wouldn't have to explain anything if you'd just let me tell her about our powers."

  “How will that help when she doesn't even remember having powers of her own. You said that Rigel guy told you Grandma Thyra cast a mind-erase spell on the family. I don't think it's a good idea to say anything until we find out why Grandma did it," Gemma said.

  "Whatever.” I opened the door and made a sweeping gesture with my hand, indicating they should step over the threshold. Cyd bounded through the door, looking like an over-excited kindergartner on field-trip. Gemma got up to greet Cyd, and I turned back to Anise who was still standing in the doorway. Squelching my urge to shut the door on her, I reminded myself that she had contacted Elliot to help me after having booted me out of her house. Leaving her to pout at the door, I stomped into the living room where Cyd was making herself comfortable with our gray tabby, Angel.

  "She must smell the catnip from the garden. We were harvesting herbs all afternoon," Cyd said. Unable to say something equally witchy, I just nodded.

  "You look all Seventeen Prom Edition."

  "Ascher just got back from a date," Gemma said.

  "Oh, how cool," Cyd gushed.

  "Not particularly. It was a blind date, and the guy ended up being a vampire."

  Anise stalked past the doorway and grabbed Cyd by the collar of her corduroy jacket.

  "You see? I told you all warlocks are bad. Nana Bruer was wrong. I don't know what she was thinking. These girls go on dates with the undead!" Anise cried.

  "Hey! I didn't know he was going to be a vampire, and it wasn't even a real date—it was a favor for a friend of mine. I'm already seeing someone.

  "Oh and what is he?" Anise asked.

  "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," I said. Anise and I stared at each other, both of us standing with our hands at our hips. Her purplish-blue eyes were narrowed and the overhead lights made the dark red highlights in her hair flash like rubies. I cast a glance over my shoulder at Gemma who looked confused and a little bit scared in her plush bunny slippers.

  "Nana said if you were going to cause trouble I could bind you right out the door, Neese. Tell them why we've come." Anise rolled her eyes and if looks could hex, I'd be in deep trouble.

  "Fine, cousin," Anise regarded me with a look of disgust. "Prince Daray Valerian had been shifting away the powers of both witches and warlocks and we have no idea why." I felt bile at the back of my throat. I'd seen Daray steal or "shift" the powers of his cousin, P.J. to Savian Radbourne. It had looked like sheer torture.

  "What are you going to do?" I asked, not sure why they were telling me any of this.

  "That's what we need to discuss," Cyd said.

  ***

  The Bruer cousins left just minutes before mom came home. It was well past midnight by the time I headed upstairs for bed. After changing into my sky blue pajamas- the ones with sheep all over them, I padded barefoot into the bathroom to wash my make-up off and brush my teeth. When I was done, I patted my face dry with a towel smelling faintly of fabric softener and uncapped my tinted zit gel to help pulverize the little red dots that never bothered to visit my big sister. It was when I was busy dabbing zit gel on my face that my boyfriendish guy decided to visit.

  "Good evening, Ascher," Elliot's crisp British accent startled me and he was suddenly in the mirror smiling wryly at me like he thought it was funny to catch me all de-void of decoration. I squealed, more in annoyance than fright. I had to break him of this mirror-traveling habit of his. "How was your date?" He asked, the low timber of jealousy coating his voice.

  "Bad, it was with Petrel," I said, deciding it might be a little fun to bait him. Elliot's green-gold eyes lit with anger.

  "Please tell me you’re jesting," he said. Elliot was over two hundred years old and talked funny like and an old English dude whenever he was upset. Point fo
r me.

  "Unfortunately, no. Denise's creepy boyfriend Dax is more filled with secrets than we knew." Elliot already knew that Dax was the person who’d led Gemma and I to the vampire club.

  "Did he…he didn't hurt you did he?" Elliot's words were so filled with worry that I felt like a brat for baiting him.

  "No, he just said Savian wanted to talk to me."

  "Hmm…" Elliot hmmed.

  "What does that mean?"

  "Dionysia is preparing to visit soon." I frowned. Dionysia was like the boogey monster of the vampire community.

  "What does that have to do with..?" Someone knocked on the bathroom door.

  "Ascher, baby. It's really too late for you to be on the phone even if it is free nights and weekends," Mom said. I looked at Elliot.

  "Sorry, Mommy. I'm hanging up."

  "Good girl, 'night." When mom's footsteps faded, I turned back to Elliot who reached a hand to me, making the mirror surface ripple like water in a pond. I made sure the door was locked and took his hand, steadying myself as I climbed onto the sink. Elliot reached down and lifted me under the arms and through the mirror, my feet slipping through with an audible pop.

  I stood in the darkness of Elliot's territory. It was a sort of time-tunnel that only he, and now I, had access to. He came here when he wanted to be away from his servitude with the vampires, which was often. I looked around and felt sad for him being all alone. There was just emptiness, a nothingness that filled my bones and made my heart ache.

  "This is better than the cell phone," I said. I moved towards Elliot who cupped his hands around my face and kissed me lightly on the lips. When I stepped closer to him, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a tight embrace. He moved away first, a look of worry creasing his features. I smoothed his dark brown hair away from his face.