“Fog demon?” he finally asked, not bothering to hide his incredulity.
“Yeah, so … it looks like fog but it’s really … bad. It influences people. Just let me know if you get a bunch of calls tonight. Like way more than normal.”
He sighed. “And then you can come take care of it?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “It’s a bit complicated.”
“Well, work on it! We need a plan in place if this fog is what you say it is.”
He was right, absolutely right, and I knew what I needed to do to have a contingency in place if a fog demon decided to ravage the town. The very thought of the destruction it might cause made me sick with nervousness.
“You’re right,” I said. “I’m on it. I’ve got a plan. Call me if things get crazy tonight.”
“Okay. Thanks for giving me a heads-up, Black.” And he hung up.
When I looked up, Brock was in the doorway. “How’d it go? Why do you look terrified?”
Shaking my head, I rose from the very soft, very tempting bed. “It went fine, but I need to contact the Black family witches.” I sighed heavily in resignation.
Brock’s eyebrows hit his hairline. “The ones who made fun of you for not having magic and had issues with your grandma?”
“The very ones.” Those motherfuckers were the only witches in a one-hundred mile radius that could help us. The Black witch clan was a powerful bunch, and I wouldn’t trust anyone else to help with such a dire situation as a fog demon, if that’s what we were dealing with. I might not like them, but I wouldn’t deny the Blacks knew what they were doing.
“Where do they live?” Brock asked.
I sighed as the reality of having to call on them sank in. “Cottage Grove. Just outside town.”
Brock crossed the room quickly and pulled me into his arms. “Want me to go with Tianna and Cass? You don’t even need to be involved.”
I barked out in laughter. “An alpha werewolf, a demon imp, and a fae-witch hybrid? Johnny Black will shoot you on sight. No, it has to be me.”
A frown pulled at his lips. His chest puffed out as he went further into protective alpha mode. “So they’re dangerous? I’ll bring the pack.”
I waved him off. “Not to me. Last time I saw Johnny he was trying to give me a wedgie while repeatedly calling me a dud.”
Brock held me tighter. “I should kick his ass.”
Laughter peeled out of me. “Johnny Black is one of the most powerful warlocks in America. Gran told me to steer clear of him in a phone conversation right before she died. Said she suspected he was doing dark magic for money. Revenge spells, that sort of thing.”
Brock whistled through his teeth. “And you want to ask for their help?”
I shrugged. “If the town goes to shit overnight, we’ll have no choice.”
“I’ve got an idea.” Letting me go, he went into the closet and started to rummage around in a box. Finally he came out with a big, black, studded … dog collar?
Brock chuckled. “It’s a hazing thing we do to new wolves, but it might also let me go in as your pet.”
I actually choked on my spit a little as I snort-gasped. “You think Johnny Black won’t know you’re a werewolf?”
He waved me away. “Of course he will, but I’m not letting you go see them alone, and if you say I’m your pet dog, then he won’t have to puff his chest out and go all alpha.”
I grinned. Brock would wear a dog collar just to protect me? “Alright. Worth a shot.”
I mostly just wanted to see this.
Brock nodded. “Let’s do this. I have a feeling that wasn’t any normal fog.”
I had the same feeling. I also felt I wasn’t going to get a nap in today, and that pissed me right off.
