The Blood Witch

14

Memories of the panther from her time spent in the ether. Her spirit guide was a panther. This mystic was a panther. That had to mean something. There was also something so familiar about this little gypsy woman. Scarlet wanted to trust her, and that was not normal.

"Do I feel familiar to you?"Scarlet asked. 

"Not me," Orso grumbled, "But my panthers another story. She knows you and it's baffling me how." Her eyes flashed green and back to normal in a heartbeat. 

Scarlet leaned away from her as she saw the face of her animal. Scarlet had never thought a panther's face could be distinct, but this one was the one from her ether walk. 

"This is gonna sound strange but I think I met her in the ether." 

Orso threw her head back and laughed. "You are not in Kansas anymore Scarlet. This is the Hall of the Crows. Nothing is strange here and everything is possible. Steno, my cat is a dream walker. She's weird that way. Some would call her a spirit guide. Unfortunately, this usually happens when I sleep and I rarely remember what she sees. She doesn't tell me either, the bitch. She feels like her dream walks are private."

Scarlet laughed and pondered, "I thought shifter animals were like an extension of each other. Like you all share everything,"

"That is true for shifters," Orso said leaning onto the table as if she were about to lie down, "but I'm no shifter. Your new shadow is though." 

Scarlet watched as Orso stretched across the table without a care. At that moment she looked a lot like a panther. "I don't even know him."

"Not yet you don't."

"Who is he?" She asked because she wanted to know him. The reaction his entrance had on her body was not normal. Scarlet liked sex and could appreciate a handsome man just like any other warm-blooded woman, but he had been different. The whole encounter had damned near fried her brain.

Orso smiled and had no problem introducing Scarlet to the stranger. "Nolan Jacory. In case you didn't get the vibe, he's a motherfucker. Big bad Alpha of the Jacory pack. He is the king of New York. Only one of four packs with over three hundred members. Some argue that his is the largest. Either way, they are known for being absolutely brutal. They take no prisoners and do not sit waiting for the enemy. He's kind of a big deal and young at that. he became Alpha at thirteen, but even then he was unbeatable."

Scarlet would bet he was big even then. He was Gigantic with a capital G. He was well over six feet tall and wide with a broad chest and muscles on top of muscles. He was as solid as a rock, she could tell. Heat washed over Scarlet and she looked up to clash with those honey-colored eyes. They hid nothing and asked for everything. The intensity in them stole her breath and made her heart race. 

He sat two rows over exactly across from her. That table that had been full of others a moment ago now heald him and his gaggle of merry men. It was as if he made them leave so he would have a clear view of her. There was nothing between them but space and opportunity. He sat leaning towards her and erect as if he was halfway between jumping over the table that separated them and staying where he was. 

Yeah, he was knocking on all her doors and making her feel a lot. The emotion trumping everything was arousal though. It sank into her belly and blossomed like a flower. His honey eyes lit up and his chest expanded as he took a deep breath. He flashed her a grin and visibly relaxed. 

Holy shit. Scarlet's face heated as she remembered that wolves had an abnormal sense of smell and could even smell emotions. Could he tell she was horn-dogging him? Is that what the panty-melting grin was about and if he could..how embarrassing. If he could smell it, could others as well. 

"Scarlet?"

Scarlet blinked and broke the trance tying her to Nolan. She looked up surprised to see Carl there. He looked concerned and she thought nothing of it when he laid a hand on her shoulder and asked if she was okay. He had barely touched her when a deep vicious growl echoed across the hall. It wasn't even loud and yet Carl and Scarlet both recognized it for what it was. It was a warning to back off. 

Carl started and angrily looked in the direction of the sound. His defensive stare melted under the weight of Nolan's glare. Carl instinctively stepped back, which did nothing to set Scarlet's nerves at ease, because the guy... Nolan, she reminded herself. He looked pissed. Scratch that he looked deadly. People began to clear the hall. He appeared to have grown in the five seconds that had passed since she last looked at him. If he huffed and puffed any loader he was gonna blow something down. 

Scarlet gulped as his claws slowly extended and stuffs of thick reddish brown fur began to sprout across his skin in waves. His eyes became larger and his fangs extended. Scarlet gasped and the large golden eyes turned to her. She could have been mistaken but she could have sworn he wimpered, and his face softened for just a moment. That was until Carl stupidly attempted to talk to her again. 

"Maybe we shou-" Golden eyes froze his tongue as he took another step away. 

"Leave!" Nolan growled so loudly the chandeliers shook. In the next instant people were flying, crawling and some were running from the room. Scarlet had no problem following suit. She grabbed her bag and was scooting her chair back when she heard, "Not you."

Her head whipped around to the large man who seemed more in control now. She watched sadly as Orso slunk from the room. Awkwardly she flinched and pointed a finger at herself.  To which he nodded slowly and well that didn't sit right with Scarlet. First who the hell did he think he was and second there was no way she was hanging out with an angry werewolf. No fucking way she thought as her eyes shot to the door. She caught Carl's regretful look as he left the room last. Just like that, they were alone.

Scarlet stood and made to follow but stopped when he grumbled, "Don't"

"Dont what?" She asked hesitantly.

"Don't run, little witch. If you do I will chase you and I will enjoy it far too much, you might not like what happens when I catch you though."

What in the wicked werewolf was he talking about and why the hell did his words turn her on? She should be scared shitless, but maybe her confidence had everything to do with the fact that a table still stood between them. Or maybe it was because deep down she knew he wouldn't hurt her. Fuck her senseless maybe, if the heat in his eyes was anything to go by. He wanted her, badly. 

But she knew he wouldn't stop at fucking. This man wanted to dominate all of her senses and leave her begging for more. Scarlet swallowed as her body began to heat and her heart began to thump against her chest. He studied her as if she were a rare jewel and then he began to stalk her. His steps were slow but he covered the distance between them too fast for her reeling brain to keep up. 

Then he was all in her personal space. She exhaled and breathed him in. He smelled like the woods and freshly baked donuts. It was heavy in him and seemed to lore her in. Her stomach clenched and fluttered as his one claw-tipped finger lifted her chin and made her look into his eyes. She saw herself in them. How she must look with her own eyes casting an orange glow over his face. 

Her witch was awake and watching. He didn't look scared at all, he looked impressed. Heat flared in his gaze and her belly fluttered. "Hello mate," he muttered and his head started to decent. 

In hindsight, it was foolish what she did next, but with him so close and her hormones running wild flight kicked in big time. Before he could make contact with her lips Scarlet turned tail and ran. She tried to outrun a werewolf, who had already warned against it. When she remembered his warning it was too late, her feet were on the move and she could not stop, not even when he called out to her. 

"I told you not to run."