“Slight problem.” Marmal stroked Pearl’s white scales. “Her invisibility shield went out the second we flew into the witches’ space. It won’t work here, so you will have to go the rest of the way on foot.”
Demi nodded, and I did the same. I wasn’t going to let a little bump in the road deter me from my one shot at taking out the psycho who’d filled my chest full of lead.
Once Pearl landed in a thick apple orchard, we slipped off of her and adjusted our weapons and packs.
“You stay with Pearl,” Demi told Marmal. “I’ll keep in touch through the pack link.”
She tapped her head, stroking Pearl.
Marmal tipped her head in agreement and I looked at Liv.
“I know you’re a badass, but this could get crazy, and I feel like we should have you help protect Marmal and Pearl?” Okay, I was kind of saying she couldn’t hold her own in a vampire fight, which I knew wasn’t true, but I just loved Liv so much and Morgana was crazy. She’d taken me out so quickly, even though I was a hunter.
Liv sighed and then nodded. “Be safe.” She hugged me, and pulled out her sword, standing before Marmal and Pearl like she was their guardian.
With a grin, I followed Demi and Sage into the woods. Pearl and Liv and Marmal disappeared from view.
“You think she will still be there?” I spoke softly.
Demi nodded. “She’s laying low in a small trader village. The reason we heard about her is because Marmal recently visited some friends in Troll Village and trolls pay in gossip.”
I frowned, unsure what that meant.
Demi read my confusion. “Some traders bragged about a strong female vampire hiding out with the witches and buying all of their pelts and paying them for blood feedings.”
Ithadto be Morgana.
Demi looked down and consulted her map as we hiked through fields and orchards. We passed a homely looking witch who took one glance at us and just gave a startled wave as we popped out of her cornfield.
Demi waved back and the woman went back inside. “Sawyer has our helicopter on standby if we need an evacuation,” Demi shared.
Nice.But I hoped we didn’t.
Demi kept consulting a map and looking off, concentrating. I think she was mentally talking with her pack at the same time as navigating us. It must be a great burden to share your head with so many voices. I could barely handle Luka’s.
It was about a half an hour walk through the countryside of the Witch Lands before Demi finally raised her closed fist and we stopped. We’d reached some kind of settlement. Up ahead, there was a cobblestone road that led up a mountain, and lining the side were small brick houses. Some of them had solar panels. A mix of new and old.
This must be the trader village Morgana was laying low in.
Demi jogged behind a row of cottages while Sage started tossing off her clothes, getting naked.
Okay … shifter modesty was not a thing.
It was daylight; my limbs felt heavy with sleep, which meant Morgana would feel the same thing.
After Sage shifted into her wolf form behind a small house, Demi pointed to a map and then to the next house over.
Morgana was last seen there.
With luck, she’d be sleeping and I could just yank her head off and be done.
“Did you really think you were going to sneak up on me?” Morgana’s voice came from behind us. We all spun.
Shit.
So much for the element of surprise. She stood between two male vampires who were suited up in warrior gear, looking ready for battle. She grinned. “I could smell your little furry companions from a mile away.”
Morgana’s gaze ran over my body, her eyebrow raising.
