Page 87 of Diners, Damsels & Wolves

“No witch defies the High Council if she wants to live. You peasants are another matter entirely,” Thressa said. Tom bristled; no one fucked with the High Council if they wanted to live. “As I was saying, since your bears are demon made, they will have extra abilities. Abilities that are tailored to the demon deal and thus, almost impossible to deduce. Based on what Maria told me, it sounds like you can smell them sometimes, but not enough to track them, is that correct?”

“Yes,” Tom said. “Can you track them?”

“No, I can’t,” Thressa said. “But this human, the woman they took, I could track her.”

“Then what are you waiting for!” he bellowed. Why was she wasting his time like this? Didn’t she care Clarissa’s life was at stake? No, she was a witch, she only cared about herself.

“Calm down, Casanova.” Thressa hopped off the hood of the car. “I can’t track someone I’ve never met before without a sample of them. Unless I use something else.”

The way she eyed him, like he was a snack, piqued his suspicion. “What do you need?”

“You’ve had intercourse with this woman?” she asked.

“What does that matter?” he snipped.

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’ And this intercourse, was it purely carnal, or was it … intimate?”

“Excuse you?”

“Do you love her, Tom?” Maria said.

“Yes.” He didn’t hesitate.

“Good,” Thressa said. “I need your blood.”

“What?” He blanched. Giving your blood freely to a witch was dangerous. She could use it in any number of spells or curses against you. “How much?”

“Three drops, no more, no less,” Thressa said. “Don’t worry, it’s not enough for me to keep any for my own use.”

He glared at her. “Why are you doing this? You’re a witch, you’d never do anything unless it benefits you. What do you want in return?”

“You insult me, but you’re right, I do want something in return. I want your good favor. I want you, the Alpha, to remember it was I who helped you when you were in need.”

“Explain?”

“It’s dangerous out there for a little girl to be all alone.” She fake pouted. “You have pack members in more than a dozen towns and two major cities across three states. This is the biggest pack of shifters I’ve seen in over a hundred years. I want in. I’ll do spells for you, help you when you need it, in exchange for protection. And, maybe, the occasional invite to the lunar equinox party.”

“I can’t guarantee the last part, my pack is at their most vulnerable during the lunar equinox,” Tom said.

“Also, at their most fun.” She smirked.

“If you help us tonight, you’ll have my protection. But be warned, if you do anything to compromise my pack, the deal is off.”

“Done.” She held out her hand.

He took it, something sharp stuck his fingertip. Taking the drops of blood in the palm of her hand, she sniffed them.

“Oh, very potent,” Thressa said. “She’s a lucky girl.”

Going back to her car, she pulled items from an old leather doctor’s bag: vials of various dried things, a black candle, four crystals, and a map of Fairville.

Tom leaned close to Maria’s ear. “Take her to the hospital after this.”

“What?” Maria said.

“I told her if she helped us tonight, she’d be in the pack. Well, tonight, she has more than one spell to cast.”

“You tricked her.”