Wicked Soul (Ancient Blood #1)(93)

“You never did answer me about the friction thing,” Raven joined in with a teasing smirk.

“Really, you too? I thought there mere thought of a nightwalker had your skin crawling,” I huffed.

“It’s just for science, of course,” Raven said as she pulled out her phone. Her smirk became a frown. “I don’t understand why Joana hasn’t texted back—it’s not like her.”

“You think something’s wrong?” I asked.

“Nah, probably not,” she said, but the frown didn’t leave her face. “But I think I’ll head over to her house once we’ve closed up. Do you still have your old phone number? I’ll text you once I’ve got a hold of her.”

“Yeah, I do. Thanks, Raven.” I turned to my blonde friend. “And thank you, Skye. I’ve really missed you both. It was great catching up.”

“Will you be looking for a job? Dennis would probably hire you back,” Skye said.

I grimaced. “Maybe. I, uh… need to work some things out with Warin, first. But I’ll definitely stay in touch. I promise.”

I left Dark Dreams out the back entrance this time, thinking to cut across the alleyway and run-down staff parking to hail a taxi off the large road a few blocks away from the shop. It’d be much quicker than calling for a cab and having to wait for it to arrive, and the sky was darkening swiftly now.

A flutter of heavy wings made me look up just as the backdoor to Dark Dreams clicked shut. A large raven landed on one of the trash containers on the other side of the alley, its dark eyes gleaming as it cawed at me.

There were probably a bazillion ravens in the Chicago area, but there was just something… oddly familiar about this one. “Hello, you. Have we met before?”

The raven cawed again and flew to the floor, landing right in front of my feet.

“Oh, wow, you’re a friendly fell—oh my goddess!” My cheerful greeting died on a shriek when the bird’s wings cracked, fanning out in an unnatural angle. I quickly dropped to my knees, wanting to see if I could somehow help the poor creature even if I didn’t know the first thing about bird anatomy. The raven fluttered awkwardly a few times, and then its chest bulged outward, fragile bones breaking with loud snaps in a flurry of feathers. Raw flesh expanded rapidly up and out, and I fell back on my ass with a squeak from the burst of energy. When I looked up again, mouth open in shock, Dennis stood in front of me. Stark naked.

“Oh, what the fuck?!” I gasped as my former boss worked his shoulders with a grimace. “What the actual fuck?!”

“You shouldn’t have come back, Liv,” he said, voice grim. “It’s not safe.”

“I don’t… what?” I struggled to get a hold of my scattered mental capabilities, because what I was seeing just couldn’t be true. It couldn’t be. “You do not get to explode out of a fucking raven right in front of me, and then that not be the first topic at hand! Tell me I’m fucking hallucinating—tell me you’re not a goddamn skinwalker!”

“Of course I am,” he growled. “Why do you think you weren’t killed the second you stepped foot in the slaughterhouse? I kept you safe. I told them you weren’t her. And now here you are, back in Chicago. Do you want to die, Liv? Do you want to sacrifice yourself for that… thing?”

“I’m not who?” As much as I tried to keep my eyes on his face, it was impossible not to notice that he’d changed while I’d been gone. He seemed thinner, and there were dark hollows under his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

Dennis drew in a deep breath, trying to fight back his apparent anger at my presence. “Eight hundred years ago, my coven was tasked with watching over the vampire Lord you have spent so many nights with. Through generations, through countless rebirths, we have fulfilled our duty. I was beginning to think it was just another stupid legend. I thought him harmless. And yet…” His gaze swept over me, odd possessiveness flaming in its depths. “And yet there was you. Do you know who my coven thinks you are? Do you know what your little infatuation with the undead Ancient has caused?”

“Dennis, you’re not making any sense,” I told him. I wanted to get to my feet, so I wasn’t in such a vulnerable position in front of him, but he seemed so unhinged, I didn’t dare to make any sudden movements.

“They think you’re her, Liv! His soulmate, reincarnated to finally heal his black soul! When he claimed you for everyone to see, as his little blood whore, they were so sure. But I proved them wrong… I got you to leave. You were safe—so why the fuck are you back?”

Eight hundred years ago. His soulmate. My mind fogged, and something… something clawed at my mind, as if there was something I was supposed to remember.

“Thea?” I whispered. “Thea was his… his soulmate?”

Dennis’ eyes widened. “How do you know that name?”

I shook my head, trying to clear it. There were other, more pressing matters to focus on. “You sent me away? You sent me that letter? But… but why? And how did you know I… that I’m… a witch?”

“To protect you!” he snarled. “To prove that you are no threat! And then I get a fucking text from Kevin, saying you’re back. Don’t you get it, Liv? He knows you’re back now! He knows you came back for your precious vamper!”