Dark Coven

Chapter One

SHAKY AND TREMBLING, I was only dimly aware of a sharp rock pressing painfully into my knee. I was still in shock from discovering that my mother wasn’t quite as dead as I’d always believed her to be. My arms were wrapped tightly across my chest. I was trying to hold myself together both physically and mentally.

Before I could come to terms with the bombshell that had just been dropped on me, I heard footsteps rapidly drawing closer. I looked up when Reece skidded to a stop at my side. Some of my confusion cleared away when he put his hand on my shoulder. Are you all right?

The concern in his tone almost brought tears to my eyes. My answer was a mute nod. As always, direct contact with him strengthened our bond. Armed with a handgun, he searched the area for danger. The peril was already gone, but I wouldn’t truly be safe until the sun came up. That was still hours away and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to resist the lure that had drawn me from my bed if I tried to go back to sleep.

Kala and Flynn arrived seconds later. What’s wrong? Kala asked. Both she and Flynn were also armed and were ready to kill anything that threatened us. Her short hair was a tawny gold color and stuck out in all directions. It was annoying that she could be so pretty even when she’d just woken up.

I’m not sure, Reece replied. While he couldn’t see any adversaries, he knew that something dangerous had been here mere seconds ago. I clamped down on my thoughts before he could glean the truth from my mind. I wasn’t ready to tell them that my mother was alive yet. Of course, ‘alive’ was a subjective term when it came to the undead.

Huffing and puffing from his lengthy run, Mark finally reached us. Like the rest of the squad, he was dressed in nightclothes. Thankfully, he wore a t-shirt and drawstring pants rather than just boxer shorts like Reece and Flynn. Kala wore a singlet and sleeping shorts similar to mine. I kept my gaze away from Reece. One look at his mostly naked body would drive my desire to the surface and he’d know exactly what was on my mind.

Are you all right, Lexi? Mark asked. He waited for me to nod before launching into his next question. What happened?

I wasn’t fond of lying, but I wasn’t about to admit the truth either. It was still too raw and painful to divulge to anyone. I’m not sure. I think I was sleepwalking again. That wasn’t a complete lie. While I’d been asleep, my mom had lured me outside with her evil siren song. She had a hold over my mind that was impossible to refuse.

He looked at me sharply and everyone’s head swiveled to me. What do you mean ‘again’? Kala asked. Since when do you sleepwalk?

Some of my anxiety returned when Reece broke our contact and dropped his hand to his side. I woke up in the woods in the middle of the night a couple of times after I was bitten, I explained as I stood.

As surreptitiously as possible, I tugged my singlet forward to cover the bite mark on my right shoulder. No longer old and faded, it was fresh and new again. If they saw the scar, I’d have no choice but to explain how the changes had occurred.

Mark nodded at my explanation. I’ve heard of this happening to the newly infected. Sleepwalking is a common occurrence just after they’ve been bitten. Their instincts force them to run beneath the moon even before they’ve completely turned.

Flynn looked doubtful about the theory. Why is she sleepwalking now? She’s already had two full changes. Shouldn’t it have worn off by now?

Mark sent me a troubled glance. Alexis seems to differ from most shifters. There’s no telling what differences she’ll have from the rest of you. Usually, he was a calming influence. Right now, he wasn’t helping my anxiety much.

Are you talking about how her spirit is supposedly being torn between two opposing forces? Kala asked. She unconsciously moved closer to me, offering me comfort and protection without realizing it.

A voodoo priestess had laid the knowledge that my spirit was under siege on me a few days ago. I’d had no idea what she’d been talking about. Privately, I thought she was a little crazy. I had to revise that notion now. Maybe she wasn’t as mentally unstable as I’d believed.

Our boss nodded. Whatever is happening to Lexi seems to be heightened by our close proximity to New Orleans. The team moved in to surround me as we headed back to the base. It might be too dangerous to stay here until morning, he decided, to my intense relief. Get dressed and meet me in the garage in ten minutes. We’re leaving now.

No one argued with his decision, despite it being the middle of the night. We filed back into the base through the door that led to the kitchen. It was cool inside the two story concrete building. If I’d still been human, goose bumps would’ve erupted on my arms and legs. As a werewolf, my body ran hotter than normal. The cold didn’t bother me as much as it used to.

I was conscious of Reece’s eyes on me as I climbed up the spiral staircase to the second floor. My clothes were fine for wearing to bed, but they were far too skimpy to wear in front of others. Kala showed no signs of self-consciousness at all. She was as confident as she was pretty. Apparently, I was the only one who was unhappy about wearing so little.

Safe and sound back in my bedroom, I was glad to have a few moments of privacy. Leaning against the door, my body shook in delayed reaction. Only now did I realize how close I’d come to being turned into an even worse monster than I already was.

Working for the Track and Kill Squad was as dangerous as it was unpredictable. Our latest mission had taken us to New Orleans. We’d been tasked with hunting down a bokor before he could raise an army of zombies.

I’d quickly discovered that the bokor’s minions weren’t the only things haunting the city. My mother had begun stalking me shortly after we’d arrived. She’d felt a faint link between us and curiosity had driven her to seek me out. Katrina had recognized me instantly, which came as no surprise. I was almost a carbon copy of her, if far less beautiful.

She’d watched me for a few nights before finally making her move. At least some of the lore about vampires was real. Katrina hadn’t had a reflection when she’d ambushed me in a restaurant restroom. I’d heard someone behind me, but had only seen my reflection when I’d glanced into the mirror. When I’d turned around, she’d been standing only inches away.

Feeding from me when I’d been a baby had given her the power to control me. She’d put me beneath her spell, then had bitten me directly over the scar that she’d left so long ago. It had healed and it looked much newer now, rather than faded with time.

Using her undead mojo, she’d erased the memories of our next confrontations after feeding from me again. I’d grown weak and dizzy from blood loss without realizing what was wrong with me.

When she’d tried to bite me again only a few minutes ago, Reece had sensed that I was in danger. He’d lent me the strength to resist her spell without realizing what he was doing.

I’d been able to resist my mother’s third attempt to take over my mind and had finally remembered every encounter that we’d had. I was now aware of the full truth. She hadn’t been murdered by anything as mundane as a human. She’d been turned by a vampire. One of her first acts as the undead had been to feed from her own child.

Katrina had weakened my bond with Reece each time she’d fed from me. According to the voodoo priestess, I’d come close to going over to the dark side, so to speak. Renewing the bond was the only thing that could have saved me. That meant Reece had had to sleep with me again. Physically, it wasn’t exactly a hardship for either of us. Mentally, it was torture for us both.

This time, she hadn’t been able to wipe my memories and I remembered every word that she’d uttered. She’d told me that she wanted us to be a family again. Her plan was to change me into a vampire like her. If that happened, I’d be lost to the darkness forever.

Katrina wasn’t going to give up on trying to turn me and I couldn’t guarantee I’d be able to resist her next time. Mark was right, we had to get out of here. I lurched into motion and dressed in jeans, a white t-shirt and thick soled boots. I slipped on my holster and covered it with my red leather jacket. The jacket hid the fact that I was armed and had the added bonus of being very stylish.

I’d already packed my suitcase before going to bed. I was glad I didn’t have to waste any time frantically packing now. The black backpack that held my custom made sniper rifle and spare ammo was still sitting in the closet. I slipped it over my shoulder, then carried my suitcase into the hall. Once upon a time, both bags would have been heavy for me. I could now carry them without any effort at all.

Being a shape shifter had many benefits, including increased strength, sight, smell and hearing. The downside was that I turned into a murderous beast for three nights out of every month. Strangely, Reece and I no longer turned into mindless monsters. Thanks to our link, we were able to retain some awareness while we were in our half-wolf forms. I wasn’t sure if that would still be the case if we were separated before we changed.

The others reached the garage just ahead of me. Flynn took my suitcase and crammed it into the back of the sleek black SUV along with the rest of our luggage. I slid into the middle of the seat between Flynn and Kala with my backpack on my lap. Reece took off as soon as the garage door opened.

After twenty minutes on the road, we sped past a narrow dirt track that led deeper into a marshy swamp. It also led to the body of a cop serial killer. Reece and I were the only ones who knew about Officer Mallory’s death. The cop had intended for me to be his latest victim, but he was the one who had ended up feeding the alligators. My only regret was that I hadn’t been the one to strangle him to death. Reece had beaten me to it.

Pushing thoughts of attempted rape and murder aside, I wasn’t in the mood to rehash them again. I just wanted to get away from this place and to go back home. It was still a surprise to realize that I didn’t really have a home now. My old life as a normal teenager was gone. I was now an agent of the Paranormal Investigation Agency.

Our team was officially called the TAK Squad, but we had our own private name for the team. We were the Shifter Squad and we were the only supernatural creatures who worked for the PIA.

Our job was to hunt down anything that threatened human lives and to make sure the bad guys disappeared forever. So far, the job was turning out to be far more eventful than I’d anticipated.

Chapter Two

PASSING THROUGH NEW Orleans, we drove for another half an hour before reaching a private airfield. We tended to avoid domestic airports. It was difficult to explain why we were carrying a small arsenal. The PIA had a jet on standby whenever we needed it so we could avoid any delays and awkwardness.

Mark checked his watch as the SUV coasted to a stop near the tiny runway. The jet should be here in about four hours.

Kala groaned in disappointment. There were no televisions or magazines handy to keep her occupied. We’d only just arrived and she was already bored. I was exhausted and all I wanted to do was rest. Staying in the SUV, I curled up on the seat and attempted to nap. My attempt failed miserably. I was too keyed up to be able to fall sleep.

Three hours later, my stomach was rumbling constantly. I gave up on trying to sleep and joined the others. Mine wasn’t the only stomach complaining that we should have been eating breakfast by now. A chorus of rumbles was coming from everyone but Mark.

Did anyone bring any food? Flynn asked.

Mark’s expression was regretful. Not because he felt bad about his lapse in planning, but because he’d have to listen to us complain for the next few hours. We left in too much of a hurry for me to even think of it.

Great, Kala grumbled. I hope there’s going to be food on the jet. There hadn’t been the last couple of times. I didn’t have my hopes up that this trip would be any different.

We heard the jet long before it appeared. Dawn was just breaking and the runway was still dark. We didn’t have any way to light the path for the pilot. He circled the area until it was safe to land and eventually coasted to a stop nearby.

We didn’t waste any time stuffing our luggage into the small cargo hold. The sooner we were in the air, the sooner we’d be able to eat.

Reece was the first on board. There’s no food, he said over his shoulder after a quick look around. He received three groans of disappointment at that news.

It’s going to take us three hours to reach Colorado, Flynn reminded us unnecessarily.

If we don’t make it, Kala said to Mark in a tragic tone as she climbed the stairs, make sure you bury me as far away from Reece and Lexi as possible. I don’t want to spend eternity lying in a grave next to a pair of mangy mongrels.

Our boss sent her a sardonic look as he entered the plane. I snorted out a laugh, while secretly wondering if we really would starve more quickly than humans.

Flynn was the last on board. He pulled the stairs up as the pilot emerged to assist him. They secured the door then the pilot had a quick word to Mark. Over fifty, the captain was trim and fit. He looked ex-military to me. I could spot a soldier easily just by their bearing. What is your intended destination, Agent Steel? he asked.

We’re heading back to our base in Colorado, Mark replied.

Copy that. I’ll take off as soon as you’re all buckled in. He watched to make sure we strapped ourselves in before disappearing back into the cockpit.

Kala usually sat next to me when we flew. This time, we each took a row to ourselves. As soon as we’d taken off and levelled out, we all tried to nap. My stomach rumbled almost constantly during the flight.

I managed to doze, but I couldn’t quite fall into a deep sleep. That was fine with me. Dark dreams were circling and I wasn’t looking forward to succumbing to true slumber. I sat up when the jet finally began to descend. I’d seen the countryside near Denver often enough not to bother opening the shutter on the window.

After landing, we quickly retrieved our luggage. The pilot remained on board and saluted Mark through the cockpit window when he waved to indicate that we were done. He was ready to take off again as soon as we were clear of the runway.

This airstrip was just as small as the one we’d left behind in New Orleans. A hangar was the only building on the grounds. Kala walked over to it and opened the door. Taking a look inside, she shook her head. Nothing. Not even a vending machine, she said grumpily. I’d kill for a burger.

I wouldn’t have been surprised if she meant that literally. I was so hungry that shooting a cat and roasting it over a fire was beginning to sound like a good idea. Since Kala turned into a feline when she shifted, I wisely kept that thought to myself.

We headed to the SUV parked near the runway. It didn’t look as if it had been sitting out in the weather while we’d been gone. Mark had a network of contacts that he could call on to perform various jobs whenever he needed them. Retrieving and delivering our vehicles was just one of the tasks he delegated to them.

Mark looked thoughtful as he climbed into the front passenger seat. I had a feeling he was debating about whether we should detour to Denver for a belated breakfast. My fingers were crossed that this was the case, but I was doomed to disappointment. Head straight to our base, he instructed Reece.

My empty stomach cramped in protest and I wasn’t the only one to glare at him. Even Flynn was ravenous and his appetite wasn’t as voracious as ours. Being a wereconstrictor, he didn’t need to eat quite as often as other shifters.

If I don’t get food soon, I’m going to start chewing on the seat, Kala complained.

I’ll fight you for it, I muttered.

She turned an assessing gaze on me. I could take you.

Flynn leaned forward and grinned cheekily. Not if she turns alpha again and commands you to let her eat the seat.

Red flared in her cheeks as the SUV went into motion. That only happened once and only because she caught me off guard.

Reece glanced into the rearview mirror and met my eyes. His were crinkled slightly at the corners as he suppressed a laugh. Being an alpha gave us dominance over others of our kind. While we were wolves, Kala was a cougar and Flynn was a constrictor. We weren’t even the same species. Despite our differences, I’d managed to force Kala to obey me anyway.

Maybe that had been possible because we’d formed a small, if highly unusual pack. As far as I knew, Reece hadn’t tried to bend the other two agents to his will. He didn’t really need to, since they tended to follow his commands anyway. I wasn’t sure if it was because he was an alpha, or because he was our team leader.

No one is going to eat the seats, Mark said and turned his frown on us. We’ll be home in a couple of hours. Surely you can hold on for that long.

He obviously had no idea just how ravenous we all were. I was still new to being a werewolf and I wasn’t used to feeling hungry all the time. It felt as if my stomach was trying to gnaw its way through my backbone.

Kala subsided into a sulk and the rest of us had little to say. Traffic was light and Reece zoomed past the other motorists. He drove with his usual disregard for the speed limit and we made it to the base in record time.

I was relieved when the thirty foot high fence that was topped with razor wire finally appeared. We drove through the electrified gate and for the first time in days, I felt safe again. I wished I could put the threat of my mother out of my mind and forget about her, but that wasn’t possible. Sooner or later, I’d have to confess to the squad that she was alive and that she had a dreadful plan for me.

We sped up the winding driveway that was flanked on both sides by fragrant pine trees. When the base came into view, Mark used a remote device to open the garage door. Kala barely waited for Reece to park the SUV before she was climbing out. We took turns grabbing our luggage from the back.

Flynn was the first to reach the door. He placed his palm on the scanner and green light flared as it read his prints. When the door clicked open, he stepped into the long corridor. It stretched out to the right with intermittent doorways on each side. There was only one door on the left. The base near New Orleans was identical to this one. I had a feeling that all of our compounds scattered throughout the country were exactly the same. The only thing that was different was the furniture.

Flynn opened the door that led to the main area. Dumping his bags on the floor in the living room, he headed past the dining room and entered the kitchen. Breakfast was long past and it was now lunch time. I didn’t care what sort of food would shortly be on offer, I just hoped there would be lots of it.

I carried my bags upstairs to my room, but I was too hungry to bother unpacking. A new addition to the room caught my eye. Someone had retrieved my gun safe from Texas and had delivered it to my room. It had been placed in the corner near my bed.

A quick