Austin nodded reluctantly before turning away.
“We need to go,” I whispered as rustling danced from tree-to-tree beyond the light of the fire. I held out a trembling hand to Adam. “Please.”
“It’s so peaceful out here.” His voice was no longer his own, rather the multitude of crone-like chanting I’d heard earlier. “Do you not feel at peace?”
I took a step back, but the werewolf took two steps forward until I felt the heat from his body.
“They want this,” the voices said. “One wants power and the other wants to be free from the prison of his past. We’re not evil, Cody. We only want to give those gifted with our master’s essence a life of bliss.”
“That’s not how this works, and I’m not stupid enough to believe in a life of bliss. It always comes at a price.” I clutched the stone I’d taken from Roscoe earlier and cautiously stepped toward the cross, hoping whatever this was could protect me.
“Don’t touch him,” Adam shouted in his own voice as he lunged forward, pinning me to the ground. “They want to help us.”
“No, they don’t. They don’t care about us. They just want to use us.”
He traced his hand down my arm until sharp claws scraped against my numb fingers. “They can’t welcome us when you’re holding that.”
So that’s why they hadn’t come out of the shadows. It seemed as though Adam’s body acted as a barrier protecting them from whatever magic was in this stone.
“Get off me,” I shouted, struggling, but werewolf Adam was a lot stronger.
“Come on,” he whispered in my ear, his tongue sliding along my neck as he tried to pry my fingers open. He was no longer gentle, claws stabbing into the flesh of my hand. I cried out, but that didn’t faze him. He seemed almost hollow—like a doll. “They just want to meet you.”
It didn’t matter how much this hurt—I couldn’t let go. Even though he spoke in his own voice, he was obviously under their control. I struggled to calm my thoughts, but the vironoct was harder to use under pain and distress. No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t clear my mind.
“I could rip your hand off, Cody,” Adam said with a sickening smile. “I could do it easily now.”
“Then don’t,” I pleaded, still struggling for control. “Do you really hate me that much?”
There was a momentary flash of amber in his eyes, and his ears flattened against his head. It didn’t last; his eyes regained their bloody appearance.
“I despise you,” he snapped, removing his hand from mine before raking his claws across my face, slicing into my left cheek. “Everyone loves Cody, and everyone treats me like the kid who’s in the way.”
“I’ve tried to be your friend, but you’re the one that always fucks it up!”
“You didn’t even want me to live with you. I’m just a pest, aren’t I?” He leaned in until his snout touched my nose, his sharper teeth grazing my skin. “I’m not pesky little Adam anymore. I bet I could make you my pet, too.”
Adam jerked as the witches tried to wrest control.
“Stop telling me what to do,” he shouted at nothing, his eyes turning pure white like they did earlier. “Be my pet, Cody.”
An obvious weakness opened up, and I was finally angry enough to exploit it. Whatever magic he gave off did the opposite of what he expected. It only heightened my senses and resolve. The world around me turned silver as the vironoct finally surfaced. Adam was a werewolf now, and even with whatever power they’d given him, he had no defense against it.
A death-like chill rushed in from the wind around me, and screams echoed through the trees, as Adam’s eyes faded to an empty blue.
“Ingratus! Wretched!”
“Untie Austin,” I said calmly, pushing Adam away.
“We won’t let you leave.”
The crow-like voices screamed louder in my head and all around.
“You’ll never find your way without us. These woods are ours.”
“Shut up!” I screamed, grabbing handfuls of hair as Adam freed each of Austin’s limbs.
“Let us help. Let us please you. Any wish we will grant.”
