A Wolf Steps in Blood by Tamara Jerée

Author:Tamara Jerée [Tamara Jerée]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Water Sign Books
Published: 2024-03-14T00:00:00+00:00

I stare at the front door as it shuts behind us, not quite comprehending at first glance.

“Kalta was here xoxo.” The cutesy phrase, written with a finger, drips blood.

“That’s . . . your ward?” I ask.

Kalta adjusts the bag full of underwear and T‑shirts on her shoulder. She beams proudly. “Yeah.”

“I always thought they would be more, y’know, like a circle with symbols inside it.”

She winks. “Most of blood magic is just vibes. It’s all about communing with the self as my brother’s spellbook puts it.”

The truck has received similar treatment. What appears at a distance as blood smeared over the license plate is actually a cheeky “fuck off” signed with a little heart.

I gesture. “And no one but us can see that either?”

“If it does its job, no one should remember my plates, the make or model of the truck, or its color. It’s harder to erase people from memories without direct contact, though, so we’ll need to be careful when we take rest stops and fuel up.”

She tugs the passenger door open, and its screech sets my teeth on edge. I hate all the truck’s sounds. A whine rises in my throat. I wish I could love cars like Shiara or Javier. They’re the kind of wolves who like to stick their heads out of windows on deserted back roads and pant into the wind.

I throw my duffel bag into the truck but hesitate climbing up myself. I glance around the yard one last time. Mom is nowhere to be seen, but Shiara charges out of the house as if she’s forgotten something. Upon reaching me, she slaps a fresh pack of earplugs into my palm.

“Baby’s first road trip,” she says.

“Thanks,” I grumble.

She sizes me up one last time. “You better come back in one piece.”

I want to tuck my tail and crawl back into bed and hide behind Kalta’s ward forever, but when I look to her at my side, I think of equaling her storm.

“We will,” I answer.

Shiara stands with her arms crossed as we drive away. I watch her through the back window, watch her shrink with the trailer, then think of how she’ll tease me next time we meet about being sentimental. I face the road ahead. Somehow, though, I know she will stand watch until the truck is out of earshot. For her, that’s a while.

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