Jake (Immortals of New Orleans #8)(25)

"She's got a death wish. Look Quintus, I know you've been out of things for a while. I heard as much from Jax. But I'm tellin' ya, Ilsbeth is not to be messed with."

Quintus pressed onto his feet and approached Jake. "She's in New Orleans. Where would Kai go first?"

"Well, considering she had nothing to wear, who the hell knows? But given this is New Orleans, depending where she is, no one may pay her any mind." Frustrated, he sighed. He'd pushed her this morning, denying her sex. He'd sensed her desire. It had taken everything for him to walk away from her. "Jesus Christ. You know she could be anywhere."

"Where's the witch?"

"Leo said something about Samantha taking care of her but there's no way Luca would have her at his place. No way. Not with the new baby. Ilsbeth used to have a mansion in the Garden District, but I heard they'd renovated it after things went to shit in New York. The place … " Jake recalled searching her home with Jax and Katrina. It had been a labyrinth of magick and secret passageways. "Let me call Sam and Luca. See if they know where she's at. I doubt Logan even knows, because none of us wanted anything to do with her."

"Jake," Quintus said, stroking his beard. His eyes went to the wolf.

"Yeah?"

"Kai's going to need you. What she did today? Materializing, it's only the beginning. Like a caterpillar, she will morph. It may be that her spell is broken. Or perhaps the energy of this city has called to her, but her abilities will grow. She will need your guidance."

"You keep talkin' like that but again, she's not a wolf." Jake reached for his cell phone and slid a finger across the glass.

"She will reveal herself to you. She's a chosen creature. Fierce yet fragile. One in need of a master."

"Did you ever hear the expression, 'less is more'? Ya see, that right there. This 'chosen creature' bullshit. That's where you lose me. Now maybe you weren't born one but even y'all vamps are made. Shifters are bred. Witches are born, with rare exceptions like Sam."

"The Goddess, she chooses. You will see, Alpha." Quint gave a knowing smile, but didn't elaborate.

Jake shook his head, frustrated with the vampire's enigmatic words. He wasn't convinced Kai would ever tell him what she was, and although he didn't necessarily trust Quintus, the vampire had proven himself to be an ally in the past. Kai would have to learn to trust him if he was going to help her. Submission was instinctive to most wolves yet she had no such heritage. His wolf growled, asserting his dominance, and Jake suspected he'd enjoy making her submit. 





Chapter Six


Kai slid behind the clothing display, and selected an off the shoulder, black maxi dress. She smiled at the quirky saleswoman, who wore an artificial flower in her hair. Giving a quick nod, the woman pointed to the dressing room, ushered her in and closed the door. Kai leaned against the wall, clutching the envelope of cash she'd received from the gold dealer down the street.

Her mind played over how she'd left Jake's house. After she'd taken a shower, she'd rummaged through his drawer, and donned a pair of his shorts as well as one of his large t-shirts. She'd cracked the bedroom door open, and had heard the vampire discussing her with the wolf. Listening, a sense of appreciation for their concern washed over her, but as soon as they'd brought up Ilsbeth, she went cold. Why the vampire wouldn't reveal her secrets to Jake, she wasn't certain. Yet they both knew that she needed protection. Kai didn't have the energy to argue with them, nor would she allow two men to determine what she did and didn't do.

She'd returned to the bedroom, frustrated and angry. Everything she'd owned was lost in San Francisco, and she needed money. But as she caught sight of her necklace curled on his dresser, she'd hoped to engineer an escape. Kai had always worn a gold chain, a reminder of her innate powers. She never took advantage of her gift, but its existence was a safety net. For as long as she could remember, the fine metal had emanated from her pores, and she controlled it like the moon did the tides. The magick came from within, and she'd let her power morph the elements, multiplying it within her hands. Within seconds she'd created enough gold to exchange for money.

Although she'd only materialized once, it had been enough to teach her the basics. Wearing only Jake's shorts and a shirt, she transported herself out of his home, settling onto the rocks on the riverfront, near Jackson Square. She'd taken several minutes to compose herself before trekking her way to Royal Street in search of a dealer who'd give her compensation for the thickened gold necklace. After making the exchange, with nearly fifteen hundred in cash, she made a beeline for an electronics store, picking up a new cell phone, then headed straight to a clothing boutique.