Page 5 of Wicked Witch of the Wolf

“Ready for what?” The grotesque face drew into a vicious frown, giving her projection its first truly frightening characteristic. “I asked you a question, you dumb witch bit?—”

“Tráela aquí,” I said, then repeated it in English for good measure. “Bring her here.”

Fennel screeched and jumped, claws extended. The collar around his neck glimmered with magic as he flew at the ex-mayor. His claws locked onto something solid in the projection, and he gripped it like a lifeline.

“What are you—ahhhhhhhh,” Felicia screamed.

The misty body she’d projected into the kitchen solidified limb by limb, section by section, starting at her feet and working up to her head.

“Back up,” I said, and motioned to Ida and Carmen.

While Fennel dragged the ex-mayor’s corporeal form into the room, I withdrew a bag of soil from my pocket and dribbled it on the tile, forming a hasty containment circle. They weren’t just for demons. Even a shifter could be trapped in a containment circle if you chanted the right spell. Felicia Juarez was beyond pissed, and if she shifted, we would all be in danger.

“Maybe we should’ve called your boyfriend before we took on another shifter,” Ida said from the other side of the room.

“One, Ronan’s not my boyfriend, two, he’s perpetually unavailablethese days, and three, I don’t need shifter backup. I am an elemental witch, Fennel has more magic in his tail than most mages have in their whole body, and Cecil crafted the collar.”

“That’s her garden gnome,” Ida explained to Carmen. “He’s a master gardener and also possesses fae magic. Mean as they come but smart.”

“This is all a bit overwhelming,” Carmen said. “I knew about magicals and shapeshifters, but I had no idea there were fae creatures in town—or anywhere. I didn’t know they existed. Are there other fae around here? Have I met them?”

“Depends,” Ida replied. “Where do you buy your coffee?”

“What have you done?” Felicia shrieked. “How did you—? What the hell is going on?”

“What’s going on is you’re in violation of the shifter treaty. You attacked the mayor—a human. If I report you to your alpha, she’ll be forced to take action against you.”

“She’s a shapeshifter?” The mayor regarded her predecessor. “I never knew that.”

“You’ve seen me in animal form more than once, Carmen.” Felicia rolled her eyes. “My son and I visited your office two weeks ago to pick up the last of my things. He told you I was his pet.”

The ex-mayor tossed the evil queen mask and robe off and crouched. Soft fur bristled from her flesh, and her ears moved up and changed shape. Her face elongated and a long, thick tail sprouted from her back end. She stopped when she was fully hybrid—a halfway form equidistant from human and animal.

“You’re a rat?” Carmen moved to approach the ex-mayor but stopped when I shook my head. I wasn’t risking my favorite mayor.

“A rat politician,” Ida muttered. “At this point, the jokes are writing themselves.”

“Got to admit, you hid your animal well. Honestly, I thought you were some sort of feline,” I said.

“Don’t insult me any more than you already have.” Feliciahaughtily angled her chin. However, since she was still crouched on the floor the look didn’t have much power. There wasn’t anyone for her to look down on.

My partner sat outside the containment circle cleaning his paws, appearing unfazed by her disdain for his kind. Fennel knew his worth.

“You’re part of the La Paloma rat pack?” I asked.

Ida opened her mouth.

“No Frank Sinatra jokes,” I said.

She kept it open, so I added, “No Molly Ringwald jokes, either.”

Finally, she clamped it shut. “No rat pack, no brat pack—you’re no fun.”

“Take that back, Ida May Summer,” I said without taking my gaze off Felicia. “I am too fun. Who else is going to break into the municipal pool at midnight to skinny dip and drink magic wine?”

“Fine,” she grumbled. “You are. Just not this morning.”

“That reminds me. You two need to stop doing that,” the mayor said. “There are cameras. You’re going to end up arrested for trespassing.”

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