"Why all this?" She gestured to the dress he'd provided.
"You look lovely. The Alpha won't be able to resist you."
"What the hell am I? Bait? No, you listen to me vampire, I want out of this house." Her eyes flashed to the locked windows.
"You want to meet him in a safe place? The charity ball is the perfect event to do so. I've already cleared it with Jax." Quintus held the bronze end of the walking stick up in the air, fingering a metal raven.
"Jax?"
"Yes. The New York Alpha."
"What the hell does he have to do with this? We're in New Orleans."
"That we are. Are you ready? Nose powdered?" He gave a condescending smile.
Nose powdered? Kai grimaced as her entire body went tense. "Logan is the Alpha of Acadian Wolves."
"True, but Jax? Ah well, it's a long story. One that we don't have time for right now, but we are acquaintances, shall we say. His mate, she was close to the one we seek."
"Jake?" Kai's stomach tightened at the mention of another woman, and she wondered exactly how close he'd been with Jax's mate. It shouldn't matter, given that she barely knew him; still the nagging question lingered.
"Yes, they're friends. Quite close. Jax holds influence here."
"So what are you saying? They won't attack you?"
"Precisely. You on the other hand," Quintus sniffed into the air. "Ah, despite your clean scent, you smell distinctly of magick. Ilsbeth's."
"What?" Kai's heart caught at the mention of the witch. No one knew of the spell besides her sister.
"Your secret is safe with me." Quintus shook his head and approached her. "You may not remember but you told Jake you were looking for her. This did not sit well with him."
"How do you know these things? How do you know what I smell like? Why are you doing this to me?"
"I have my reasons." He paused, his expression thoughtful but distant. "I'm not here to hurt you, Kai. I've already said that. I'm powerful, no doubt, but I cannot do what needs to be done alone. You must engage the wolf. The California pack needs stability if we are to find your sister. And what happens between you and the wolf remains to be seen."
"The wolf saw me in the bayou. He knows I have magick in my blood," Kai whispered under her breath, glancing back into the mirror and then catching the vampire's gaze. She'd never admit what she was, but the confession of how she'd transported to New Orleans slipped from her lips. "I materialized. It was my first time."
"I suspected as much. Nearly got you killed."
"What if he attacks me tonight? What if he told others?"
"I doubt he will. You are special. As is he. You must trust in fate. Now come." He turned to the door and gestured, not offering his hand.
"Fate stole my sister."
"All happens for a reason. We do not always have the answers. We only can seek them and learn."
Kai took a deep breath and sighed. As she quietly exited the room, she mulled over his enigmatic words. She hated having to rely on the vampire, but given no choice, she'd acquiesce. As he ushered her into the limo and sat across from her, Kai's eyes locked on his. His power pushed through her and she took a deep cleansing breath, accepting the calm waves tingling over her skin. Although tempted to tell him to stop, instinct told her to conserve her energy. The night was just beginning, and remaining hidden among supernaturals was paramount to her survival and finding her sister.
Chapter Three
Jake stretched his neck and glanced at Logan, who rattled off the final instructions to the security guards manning the mansion's entrance. His thoughts drifted to events the night before at his cabin. What a fucking mess. After the run-in with the creature, Logan and Dimitri had cursed him out for running off from the pack. They all knew the situation was much more serious than him wandering off on his own, but no one dared to broach the subject of him challenging his friend or permanently leaving.
Jake had deliberately chosen to keep quiet about the naked woman he'd seen at his cabin. He'd made no mention of the vampire either. It went against everything he'd ever known not to disclose the situation to Logan but he'd already met Quintus once, and while the vampire was lethal, Jake hadn't sensed danger to the pack. On the contrary, the vampire had only been interested in the female.
The woman had not been wolf, yet she'd possessed powers he'd never experienced. Frozen within his own skin, Jake had been impressed with her abilities. Witch? The word rolled through his mind conjuring thoughts of Ilsbeth. But Jake had never seen a witch glow the way she had and he couldn't account for how she'd appeared at his cabin. It was as if she'd materialized out of thin air, and the only creatures he'd known to do that were vampires. Her nudity further puzzled him. Although sometimes witches practiced their craft au natural, it was done within the sanctuary of their covens.