Page 81 of Bewitching the Wolf

I glide toward the desk. Take out the first tiny bug from my pocket and quickly fix it under the desk. If there are cameras in here, they will detect no movement. Nothing. Even when my arm reaches outside the cape, nothing will show. Now that the cape has an aura, I know I have a few feet of invisibility outside of its parameters.

I focus. Move from room to room. The majestic dining rooms and boudoirs. The drawing rooms and ballrooms. Everywhere I go, I place those little bugs.

And then I stand still and press the direction rune in the lining.

Whoosh!

A second later I find myself in DeVines department store. The cape has landed me in the cosmetic department, but that’s good enough. It will be a quick ride to the top floor, where Marsha has her plush offices.

It’s just before opening, so there are only shop assistants milling around, chatting and drinking their early morning cinnamon and hazelnut lattes from SparkleBucks before the doors open and the customers stream in.

One of them looks in my direction with a little frown, and I freeze.

“Did you feel that gust of air?”

The other girl shrugs. “They probably just turned on the air-conditioning.” She picks something off the counter. “Have you seen this new shade of black lipstick? Kinda funky, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, you could wear it to that new club that’s opening.”

“Oh, you mean Black Magic?”

“Yeah. I’m liking this new dark edgy theme that’s happening around Sparkle.”

“Wouldn’t mind picking up a dark edgy guy instead of all those preppie boys.” The other girl giggles.

I don’t have time to hang around and listen to their gossip. Already the cape is re-orienting itself.

And suddenly… POW!

I find myself on the top floor in Marsha Winters’ office with its sweeping views over Sparkle, the towers and spires lit up by the fake morning sunshine.

She’s not here yet. Our research tells us she never arrives before 9 am. I take a moment to get my bearings. It’s a huge space with dark wood and plush carpets. There are photos of Marsha all over the walls, dressed in smart suits and kickass heels at awards nights. Standing next to Mayor DeVine on Sparkle Day. At the opening of the new menswear department. At the cosmetics counter, holding up that new brand of black lipstick the assistants were just talking about.

She’s a good-looking woman, there’s no denying it, but when you look behind the smile, her eyes are piercing cold slits of grey ice. Her bright red smile holds no warmth. The glamor she wears is obvious, once you know what to look for.

The memory of staring into those eyes before she programmed me makes me shudder.

Her words…

You’re bad…through and through Jax Summers… Just like your mother.

I startle. I don’t recall that last sentence from my session with Traggar. Is that a false memory, or is it a detail I couldn’t access in hypnosis?

Just—like—your—mother.

Did Marsha know Mom?

Did I come out of hypnosis because my subconscious couldn’t deal with those words?

But if so, why the fuck am I remembering them now?

I start to tremble, my resolve weakening

Suddenly, my wolf takes charge. Pull yourself together and get on with the fucking job.

I snap to. My wolf has been quiet of late. But now it’s back with a vengeance, kicking my ass.

Yeah, you’re right, I telepath.