5Fucking family
Brock was in wolf form,black leather collar in place, as he sat in the passenger side of his truck. He was no longer letting me drive my Jeep, saying it was too unsafe for me and the baby. It had taken me the better part of an hour to convince Cass I didn’t need him to go with me. If Johnny or mean old Aunt Bertie saw him, they’d shoot first and ask questions later.
The Blacks cared about three things: money, magic, and power. If you were a threat in any way, they wouldn’t hesitate to incapacitate you. The Blacks’ ranch was a sprawling fifty acres with half a dozen cabins dotted on it, much like Brock’s land. There must have been a dozen of my aunts, uncles, and cousins living there by now. I just needed seven. Seven witches or warlocks to help with our ten-pointed pentacle spell in the event we had a fog demon wreaking havoc on our town.
I hated that I had to do this. Groveling to Johnny Black was up there on my list of things I never,ever, wanted to do. He’d been a mean asshole growing up, and I was so thankful Gran chose to live away from them and claim her own space. I couldn’t imagine living a cabin away from those pricks.
Before I knew it, I was driving down the dirt road that led to the Black land. My gran didn’t tell me the whole story, but there had been a big falling out when she married my grandpa and decided to move onto her own property and leave their family compound. Something about her taking her power with her when she left. It didn’t sit well with the Blacks, and they never forgave her for it. Then, when I was born without magic, it just added fuel to the fire. But I hadn’t actually been born without magic—something I needed to keep reminding myself.
We reached the end of the dirt road to discover it blocked by a huge, black, wrought-iron gate. Pulling Brock’s truck up to the speaker box, I pushed the button.
“Who’s there?” a deep male voice asked right away.Johnny?
“Evie Black.” I tried to keep my voice calm and steady, but it shook a bit.
There was silence for what seemed like a full minute before a wave of power washed over me and the gates opened.
‘What the hell was that?’Brock asked from the passenger seat.
I had no idea. A spell that revealed a person’s intentions? A spell to break all illusions in case I was someone pretending to be Evie Black? I didn’t know enough about magic yet to know what it was.
‘Something powerful,’was all I said in the end as I drove the truck right up to Aunt Bertie’s cabin and parked. I had no idea if this was where Johnny lived now, but it was the biggest and grandest home of them all, so I was hedging my bets that he’d taken it over. Most witches, like Willemena, were solitary. Dealing with a coven like the Blacks was all the more nerve-racking because their power was amplified by each of its members.
Stepping out of the truck, I opened the door so Brock could hop down. He was a huge gray wolf and there was no way in hell Johnny was going to believe he was my pet dog, but it was worth a try.
Walking to the giant double doors, I was about to knock when they opened a few inches from my raised fist. The smell of freshly burned sage spilled out and Johnny’s green-eyed gaze fell on me, and then on Brock.
He spoke in firm tones: “You are welcome, but the werewolf has to stay in the car.”
I put a hand on my hip. “This big ol' dog? He’s harmless. Oh, and it’s good to see you too. Is Aunt Bertie around?” I asked casually, eyeing the foyer behind him.
He raised one eyebrow, scanning me and stopping on my belly.
“You’re pregnant with a werewolf’s baby? Is it his?” He pointed to Brock.
Leave it to Johnny to figure shit out right away.
“Yeah, it is.” I changed the subject: “Did you know my gran died?” There was no way Brock was letting me in the house alone.
Johnny’s thick black eyebrows knotted. “Yeah, I did. Sorry to hear it.”
“Well, are you letting her in or not? These cookies won’t ice themselves!” Aunt Bertie hollered from the kitchen.
Johnny rolled his eyes. “I wish she would just die already,” he mumbled to me.
“I heard that! Remember, I know where you sleep,” Aunt Bertie called out, and my lips pulled into a grin.
Oh, the dysfunctional Black family. How I sort of missed them.
“Come on in. I guess the wolf can too, if he’s muzzled.” Johnny’s lips twitched a little at the word muzzle.
‘Motherfucker,’Brock spoke into my mind.
‘Wanna wait in the car?’I asked him.
‘Not a chance in hell.’Brock stepped slowly toward Johnny, lowering his head a little. Reaching out, Johnny placed a hand on Brock’s muzzle, and green magical bands wrapped around his snout, binding it closed.
I winced.‘Does it hurt?’
