Page 370 of Warlords, Witches & Wolves

Chapter 7

The Inquisitor watched the tiny house from across the street as the sun set behind the Blue Mountains. He hadn’t needed to use his curse to get to his vantage point on the roof. No, the owner had left a ladder standing conveniently close. Unfortunately, there were no signs of life, and there should have been at that time of day. The heretics, the abominations, should be home. They should have been going about their nightly routine, under his watchful eye, until he could ascertain the best way to eliminate them.

He waited. And waited. It was only when the moon rose high and he was sure they weren’t returning that he decided to investigate the den of sin.

Cautiously, he crossed the road. The border of the property loomed, but the Inquisitor was nobody’s fool. This wasn’t the first witch he’d cleansed, and it wouldn’t be the last. He stopped. Activated his curse.

Witch sight allowed him to see the threads designed to keep him out, let him cut through them with the weaver none-the-wiser, but he would have to seek penance for using it afterwards. The curse helped in seeingHiswork done, otherwise the Inquisitor would have long ago sought the clean embrace of death. No one should be cursed with seeing and manipulating the very matter of Hell.

When he’d discovered his tainted blood, he’d been horrified. But the Inquisitor General showed him how he could use his curse for the good of the Lord. As long as he sought forgiveness for each sin.

He welcomed the pain that came with his cleansing.

When the last of the threads unravelled, the Inquisitor slipped quietly into the unlocked house. Foolish witch, so arrogant she assumed her wards would keep him out.

She would learn.

Like a shadow, he ghosted from room to room, confirming what he knew to be true. Empty. He sneered at the crystals lining the mantle. The scent of herbs lingering in the air. The place was unclean, filled to the brim with sin, but their belongings were still there. He was patient. God was on his side, and the Inquisitor’s life was dedicated to the cause. He would prevail. He always did.

The Inquisitor avoided the contaminated bedrooms and furniture and settled himself on the lounge room floor to wait. They would return. And when they did, the world would be a cleaner place.

Two less abominations to polluteHiscreation.

* * *

“What’s going on, Mum?”Luna asked as they bumped along behind Jarrad’s ute on the unsealed road. Lucky Tabitha drove an SUV, otherwise the suspension would have taken a beating.

“We’re going to stay on pack lands for a while,” she answered, briefly meeting her daughter’s eyes in the mirror. “You’ll be able to play with Cole as much as you want.”

The frown lines between Luna’s eyes immediately disappeared at the mention of the wolf pup.

“That’s awesome! But why?” There was no distracting Luna. The little witch was too smart for her own good.

Tabitha sighed. “The Inquisition may have found us.” Honesty was always the best policy with Luna. She’d likely find trouble otherwise.

The girl’s face paled, and Tabitha considered pulling over, but Luna’s spine seemed to stiffen.

“They won’t get anywhere near us with Uncle Ryan and Jarrad around.”

And what am I, chopped liver?

Tabitha could never replace Ryan as the hero in her daughter’s eyes, and now it seemed Jarrad ran a close second. It didn’t matter how powerful Tabitha herself was. She suspected it wouldn’t be long until Ryan was kicked from his pedestal in favour of the Alpha.

The dense woodland ended abruptly as the road reached a wide clearing. A large community hall seemed to be the centre of the complex, with a smaller medical centre off to the side and an area with firepits and barbeques. To the left of the hall sat one of the most enormous houses she’d ever seen, enveloped by sunshine, wattle and blue gum. Jarrad bypassed the communal areas and drove straight to the home.

When they pulled up, Luna all but leaped from the car and ran straight towards Jarrad. Ryan pulled in behind them, his hire car a little worse for wear. Her mouth was moving before she even got there.

“Is this your house, Jarrad? Where am I sleeping? Do you have pets? Can I—”

“Enough!” Jarrad laughed, throwing his hands up at the bombardment. “One question at a time. Yes, this is my house. Others live on the property, but we like to have our own space. If you give me a minute, you can pick a room. And pets… do chickens count?”

Luna’s eyes went wide. “You have chickens?”

Jarrad nodded solemnly. “I do, but they’re not really pets. We keep them for the eggs and a bit of meat, occasionally.”

Luna gasped, horrified.

“You can’t eat your pets!” she cried. “Eggs yes, dinner no. Bad wolf!”

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