Mistress of Blood and Fur

Chapter 14 - Prophecy

Onyx

The spice shop turns out to be a more interesting place than Fox is able to describe it. Yes, he gets all his best ingredients here as I suspect he would but there’s more to it than that. It’s an undercover occult shop.

As soon as we enter the place, the smell of various herbs and spices overpower us. My nose flares, as does Fox’s. The place can be overwhelming to humans. So, it’s even more potent to us, wolves. The place also slowly transforms into something else. I bet Dennington will see this place as an ordinary white-walled shop selling cinnamon, dried fruit, and other ingredients because it was our first impression of it. After a minute, though, Fox and I see a dimly-lit place packed with these spices and more – candles, skulls, mysterious tomes, and plastic bags enclosing strange items. It’s not a typical housewife’s haunt. Why have I never been here? Right. I’ve always tried to escape anything supernatural, burying it underneath unless I’m hunting deer and enjoying feasting on its carcass.

“May I help you?” a woman in her late forties to early fifties calls out from behind several piles of books and rows of jars on an old mahogany table. She has white-blond hair and piercing blue eyes. They are so light, you may think she’s blind but the way she gazes at us suggests otherwise. I’m willing to bet she can see even beyond.

“Here’s my list,” Fox says, placing a crumpled sheet of paper in front of the woman. Aha. That looks long. He really made a list. He’s been here before. That much is obvious because the shopkeeper gives him a small smile even though I wondered if she would ever. She looks like she belongs to another world, but I mean, so do we. Just ask Dennington.

“Mr. Lander,” she says. “It’s been a long time. Have you used up your supplies?”

His supplies? There’s something more to him than meets the eye, for sure. For a moment there, his face transforms. It looks like he’s glowing.

“Yes, Raska.”

“You know that it’s dangerous for you here,” she says. Then, her eyes flick to my face and her face seems to shift to something else. My heart pounds. Is a shapeshifter like Rosamund Ewing?

“It is for you, too, Raska,” Fox reminds her.

“But I have my ways and you are yet to perfect your craft.”

Is Fox a witch as well as a wolf? There are fewer of them these days, and that makes him one skill higher than I am for the running to become the future chief of Opium Hills. I know only one other who can give him some competition – Grace. The other wolves would have already announced it if there were another skill. Many of them would want to be the new chief. I know Dash would. The others are too far removed from the main bloodline that some are simply wolves whose parents are loyal to Opium Hills.

After he’s done collecting and paying for his haul, we say goodbye to Raska. She seems like a nice lady, but I can tell that the Spice Shop isn’t a place Dennington would approve of, either. It seems so much different from the other places in this “perfect” little town.

“There’s something about Grace,” Fox says when we are on our way back.

“Of course, there is. She’s talented and gorgeous.”

“You know what I mean, Onyx, and you’re afraid.”

“Are you a practicing witch, Fox? Because if you are, you should tell my dad. I’m still the same good ‘ol scent wolf you know and nothing else.”

Silence hangs in the air for a few minutes. He knows what I’m getting at. As kids, we had no problems sharing our toys and getting into each other’s territory. We are both considered the leaders of our generation, but becoming chief of Opium Hills is a big deal. It means that you have been chosen by the wolf gods. You have been molded into their image: fast, fierce, and powerful.

“I am. But I’m not going to run for chief anytime soon, Onyx. I have other plans. You’re just too focused on your human side that you -.”

“Hey, hey. I thought you were the same, Fox, with your love for the city where you can blend in with the humans. All these years I knew you, you are quieter than most wolves. You keep to your self. You seem excited to go back to the city after every time you come to visit Opium Hills.”

“You know why? Because it’s hard to explain that I’m practicing as a witch and not interested in becoming a chief. I’m not the wolf in the prophecy, and you know it. It’s someone closer to your bloodline.”

“That translation is s**t. The future chief can be anyone by the way the books are vague. Prophecies are often so generalized that you can interpret it the way you want to – or need to.”

“You’re afraid it’s going to be Grace. Aren’t you?”

Shit. s**t. s**t.

“Yes.”

“I bought some books from the Spice Shop. We have copies of the old rules and prophecies but we need to explain to your dad why we’re borrowing them in the first place.”

I nod vigorously as my eyes focused on the road ahead. We’re about to climb up the hills. I don’t give a f**k about the prophecy. I’m willing to bow down before her, with all my heart, mind, and soul. I’m more worried about how the future chief should claim their role. From what I know, it hasn’t changed.

“s*x magick. How bad can it be, Onyx? I have always hoped it would be you. You can handle three or more she-wolves.”

**

The prophecy and the ritual have always bothered me. My mother hated it. My father may be a good man, but he had to claim two other mates for the ritual to be concluded. She was okay with it until she realized that the two other women were not going to leave. She wasn’t a happy woman until the day she died.

Now, back in Opium Hills and seeing Dash with Grace, I wonder what it would be like to share this woman. How will she like it? There’s something about the way she’s looking at Dash right now, as if she’s seeing something she likes and I can’t even blame her. Many humans and she-wolves like what they see. Tall, blond and self-assured, with just enough self-control to pretend to be a gentleman, Dash is a wolf with Prince Charming’s face.

When I think about Grace being mine, her eyes flash as if she heard me and I know I’m f****d because she just may be the wolf in the prophecy.

**

“Was he bothering you?” I ask Grace, as Fox and I place the stuff we got from the Spice Shop on the table. We are in the greenhouse at the back of the mansion. Only Fox and Martin frequent this place. Martin’s its caretaker. He’s mated with the woman he loves and they have three children. He’s lucky to have chosen someone during simpler days.

“No. I was wondering where you all went the whole morning. He just arrived at the training room when you went in there. What were you doing there, anyway? You didn’t look like you were ready to train.”

Fox and I are still wearing jeans and jackets over flannel shirts. Of course, we weren’t ready to train when we passed by. I was just looking for her. Who knew I could miss someone after not seeing them for less than 24 hours?

“I’m sorry about that. I have no right -.”

“To ask him to get off me? I guess you don’t,” she says, smirking at me. She’s now finally realizing her power over all of us. “He didn’t do anything wrong. So what are all these? I’m guessing these are Fox’s?”

“Yes. I’ve always dabbled with witchcraft. What I’ve been experiencing may be a product of practice and not a real manifestation,” he says, looking at me meaningfully. Trust him to make me feel better. He’s not what is making me anxious. I’m almost rooting for him to become the chief. I can’t imagine Fox with several women at one time, but I know he’ll always do his duty.

“Mm. So why did you two boys call me to check them out? Why didn’t you ask Dash to see them?”

I grumble a little. I’m still pissed, but I have to learn to make nice.

“You’re starting to feel more powers rising from within you. Are you not?” Fox asks. The way he asks it sounds so formal, reminding me that he teaches for a living.

“Well…” She looks at me, almost as if wondering if I know something she doesn’t.

“It’s okay. We’re just trying to figure a few things out, Grace. The three of us and Dash are close to the main bloodline with wolf and witch. It’s easy to mistake the powers of a witch for another sense to the wolf.”

“Why is so important to know which is which?” she asks, truly bewildered.

“Because if your powers are fully wolf’s then you may be a contender for the position of chief of Opium Hills.”

“No!”

She laughs at the idea. Then, she sees that both Fox and I are still looking at her intently and realizes that we are serious.

“No.”