A Shifter's Curse, Raven Steele [the top 100 crime novels of all time .TXT] 📗

she a nosey little vamp? "Every time is ass-kicking time." I kept my gaze on Dominic, watching his every move. If he left, I needed to know.

She grabbed my arm in a vice-like grip. "There's a better way. You don't know what you're getting into."

This got my attention, and I pulled my gaze away from Dominic for a brief second. "What do you know?"

She let go of my arm. "This is the second time you've attempted to approach the leaders of the Silver Claws since coming to town. You're new here and don't understand the rules. People don't just talk to them. It has to be arranged."

"Leave me the fuck alone." My wolf followed the words up with an angry growl. Spouting off rules to me, as if they matter? I was not part of their pack. I pushed at her, trying to get her out of the way, but she didn't budge. Stupid, strong vamps. "This is none of your business."

"I don't know you well, but you don't seem suicidal."

Giving up, mostly because I looked like an idiot, I stared into her eyes. "You have no idea what I am."

"If you approach them now, certain death will follow."

"That's my plan. Killing them. Now for the last time, move."

Instead of moving out of my way, she grabbed my arm and pulled me around to face the main part of the bar. "Look around, you fool! Do you think they aren't protected?"

As if on command, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and I instantly knew there was power here I hadn't noticed before. I looked around, eyeing the dancing shifters and humans. Everything looked the same as it was an hour ago. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't be weak. There is great strength in you. I sensed it the moment I saw you. Use your strengths to make you powerful. Look again, but with your wolf eyes."

I raised my eyebrow, and my wolf instincts hackled. Who the hell was she? A vampire Jedi?

She stared me down with a deadly look. Emphasis on the deadly part.

I sighed. "Fine."

After making sure Dominic hadn't moved, I inhaled a breath and called upon my wolf. Her strength surged inside me, and a chill broke across my flesh. Had someone looked at me, they probably would've seen my eyes flash a brilliant yellow.

I scanned the crowd again, this time looking with my supernatural eyes. They were drawn to those with power. I recognized them immediately. Witches. Three of them to be exact. One on the balcony and two down below on opposite ends of the club. They looked eerily similar, with long blond hair and vibrant blue eyes. If I had to guess, I'd say they were related. All three were focused on Silas and Dominic.

Their power weaved through the room and now that I felt it, I was surprised I hadn't noticed it before. I was always good at spotting magical creatures; it was a gift of mine. And yet, their power was so strong it pulsed and flowed through my whole body to the beat of my heart. It made my face flush with its intensity. They must have cloaking powers, and that made me very afraid. Not of their power necessarily, but that it had worked so well on me.

I gulped in a breath as fear turned my blood cold.

A very powerful Alpha with three kick-ass witches.

Samira stepped closer to me and whispered a dark warning in my ear. "You see them now? They protect Dominic and anyone close to him. At least one of them will always be with Dominic. If you were to approach them without an invite, you would instantly become paralyzed. Then they would take you in for questioning, a most unpleasant experience."

"What makes Dominic so special that he needs such strong witches to watch over him?"

Her eyes bored into mine, forcing me to pay attention to her words. "Dominic is part of the Ministry. He's one of the nine leaders, which grants him certain protections."

My eyes widened, surprised. I'd never met anyone on the Ministry, the governing force over the Principes Noctis. The Principes Noctis was a growing group of supernaturals who held the belief that we should rule over humans. It worried me to know they held a presence in Rouen. I thought they were mostly up north. "And the witches?"

"They're the Morgans. Sisters. And extremely powerful."

"More powerful than you? And me?" I quickly added.

She averted her gaze. "Possibly."

I shivered.

"You should be afraid," she said. "They strike first and ask questions later."

"Why are you telling me this? I don't think it's out of the goodness of your dead heart."

Samira stared at me deadpan, her usual expression. "Because one of them has taken an interest in you."

This got my attention. Luke had said almost the exact same thing. "Come again? I've only been in town for eight days."

I hadn't been worried about anyone recognizing me because I went by a different name now. Her comment made me rethink that position. I needed to be more careful.

I glanced again at Dominic; Eddie had joined him and Silas. Whatever they were talking about, Eddie didn't look happy.

"You don't know?" Samira asked.

"Know what?"

"Did you not investigate your new roommates before choosing to cohabitate with us? That is terribly lazy." She tsked me like she would a small child.

Anger rolled into my stomach. "I wasn't expecting a nosy, bitchy dead girl to worm her way into my new place. As for Lynx, she's your typical college frat girl obsessed with brand names and—" I clammed up. And magic. "Lynx is a Morgan?"

She nodded curtly. "You coming probably wasn't an accident. If I were you, I'd leave town immediately. You shouldn't become any more involved than you already are."

"What about you? Why are you here?"

She stared off into the distance. "I've been involved for decades."

I wrinkled my nose. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She leaned toward me. "Just leave town. This isn't your fight."

"That's where you're wrong." Dominic and Silas were moving again, heading toward the rear of the club. There must be a back door. Eddie walked the other direction. "Look, I have to go. Thanks for the warning, but it's that time again. Ass-kicking time."

This time, when I stepped past her, she didn't stop me.

Careful not to let the witches know where I was headed, I threaded through the crowd, stopping to mingle to disguise my movements. From the corner of my eye, I spotted the witch who was on the balcony walking down the stairs. Another one had followed Dominic into the back.

Damnit. I wouldn't be able to go after them without being spotted.

Circling back to the front door, I ducked outside and sniffed the air. The sidewalks were filled with dancing people holding plastic cups filled with beer high in the air. Someone else handed out purple and green beads, along with flyers for the more 'adult' bars. Another woman moved about drunkenly screaming, “Laissez les bon temps rouler!” at anyone who came near her. I had only taken a few years of French in high school. She was either saying, ‘Let the good times roll’ or ‘Let me take you for a roll’.

I tread through the group quickly, searching for Dominic. I spotted him just as he turned the corner, heading toward the alley behind the bar. His dark hair and tan skin blended into the night. I dove into the crowd, using my wolfie powers to walk quietly and lithely among them. I stopped at the corner and leaned against the wall, casually glancing around. No one was paying any attention to me.

Risking a glance around the building, I spotted Dominic just as he was getting into the backseat of a stretch limo. Silas was already in the car. I could see the back of his head leaning against the rear of the seat. Only one of the witches joined them.

I needed a car.

I yanked out my phone, pulling out my Uber app. A car was in my vicinity, and I tapped to order it. Less than a minute later, a black Audi stopped in the middle of the street.

I jogged toward it. "You the Uber?"

"Yup. Get in."

The inside of the car was of a soft black leather and had that new car smell. The Uber driver, a woman with dark red, wavy hair and a matching set of hazel eyes turned toward me. "Where to?"

I pointed at the limo, which had just pulled out of the alley. "Not to sound all cliché, but could you follow that car?"

She chuckled, a surprisingly pleasant sound. "No problem. You'd be surprised how often I'm asked that." She waited a moment before pulling behind it, driving slow enough to keep a safe distance away. She glanced at me in the rearview mirror. "Are we following your boyfriend?"

"Sure. I think he's cheating on me. How'd you know?" I leaned forward on the seat, not letting the vehicle out of my sight. Already two cars had come between us, and the fact that her eyes were on me, instead of the limo, had me nervous.

"That's usually the reason. Either that, or someone wanting to follow the most powerful shifter in the city."

Startled, I met her gaze in the mirror, now realizing how piercing her eyes were. "How'd you know?"

"There aren't too many limos driving around in this part of the city, and Dominic's is quite noticeable. Plus, it helps to have a little bit of magical blood running