Cruel Magic

By Val St. Crowe

Plans to rise up against the cruel regime of the witches are well underway. Bree West works to convince her herd of unicorns to join the fight, while Jack Bastian reaches out to other werewolves. All the while, Jack keeps up the pretense of working with the witches against the unicorns.

The biggest challenge the pair face is their overwhelming attraction for each other, even though they know they must not allow themselves to succumb to it. Bree must remain a virgin to be tied to the unicorns, and the unicorns are necessary for the rebellion. But whenever they are close to each other, the temptation to touch is an alluring siren’s song.

Then the high witch discovers Jack’s treachery.

Her anger is boundless.

• Language: English
• Publisher: V. J. Chambers
• Release date: Nov 16, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370357109

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Jack Bastian, also known as Jack of the Lantern, Jack the Tempter, and Jack the Seducer, was in the bedchamber of Zhanna Seale, High Mistress of the Way of the Broom, and he wished he was anywhere but there.

It took me a long time to find her, High Mistress, he said blandly. He was doing everything in his power to appear casual and aloof, but in reality, he was nervous and worried. If Zhanna realized that he was lying to her, then she might retaliate, and she was ruthless and cruel.

The bedchamber was part of a two-story penthouse suite in a skyscraper in the city of New Ansel. The cities were now all controlled by witches, and Zhanna was the leader of the witches here. The city itself sprawled out, gleaming metal rectangles against the wilderness that surrounded it.

Zhanna didn’t look impressed. She was lounging on her bed, propped up against pillows. She wore a black silk nightgown, not the full witch regalia that she usually wore. An extremely long time, she agreed, pursing her lips.

Well, you do realize that unicorns are migratory? said Jack. Perhaps in the old world, they stayed in one place for longer, but now, with the rarity of purple grass, they’re always on the move. Seventeen years ago, the world that Jack and Zhanna had come from, a magical world of witches, werewolves, and unicorns, had collided with the world of the humans. The worlds had been forced together, with pieces of each world destroying pieces of the other.

I realize this. Zhanna inspected her fingernails. What I don’t understand, however, is why you’re telling me about it.

I’m only trying to point out that the herd of unicorns that the girl travels with is always moving, so there is no telling where they’re going to be. Why, by the time I get back after giving you this update, they may very well be gone again, and I’ll have to go and find them again.

You’re a wolf, said Zhanna. Can’t you shift into your furry form and smell them out or something?

Now I can, said Jack, because now I have the scent. But before, I didn’t. So, it took me a long time to find her. This, of course, was the first of his lies. He’d found Bree right away. Bree was a human girl who’d become very special to a group of unicorns. Zhanna was convinced that the girl was leading the unicorns to rise up against the witches, and unicorns were a formidable opponent. It hadn’t necessarily been true before, but it was now, and Jack was involved in the rebellion. He had been terrorized by Zhanna for most of his life, and he wanted free of her.

All right, said Zhanna. I suppose that explains why I haven’t seen you for so long. But why couldn’t you respond to my texts?

There’s no cell service out there, said Jack. Many of the cell towers from before the Collision had either been destroyed or had fallen into disrepair. The witches kept humans to work on the technology they liked in order to remain comfortable, but they didn’t bother to make sure that things still worked in the wild country, where the unicorns roamed.

Zhanna scoffed. None at all?

None, said Jack. So, I didn’t get your texts until I decided that I should come back to check in, since I’d been gone so long.

Zhanna sighed. Oh, fine, then. But you’re not telling me that the deed is done, so I assume you haven’t seduced the girl yet?

No, said Jack.

She stuck out her lower lip. Why not?

It’s not as easy as you might think.

Zhanna rolled her eyes. Jack, all you have to do with the witches I send you to is to offer them a drink, and they all take you to their bedchambers.

Well, here I have a reputation, said Jack. Also, witches are more amendable to taking a man to bed, considering they need sex to power up their magic. This girl knows that if she surrenders her virginity, she’ll lose her ties with the unicorns, and they seem to be a surrogate family for her. So, she’s a bit harder to convince. Witches got their magic from having sex, but unicorns got their magic from sexual potential. A virgin was able to keep them strong and powerful, and that was what Bree did for the herd she lived with. And all that would be true if I could even get near her, which I mostly can’t.

Why not?

Well, the unicorns are fairly protective of her.

Zhanna’s nostrils flared. So, you’re telling me you failed.

I’m not saying that, said Jack. I’m telling you it’s going to take some time.

She sneered. You’re making this up. You’ve always hated it here, and you’re using this job to stretch out your time away from court.

I do hate it here, said Jack. But I wouldn’t want to be gone for too long, because I worry about my mother.

Zhanna smiled. Oh, yes, that’s true. I do have Siena in the dungeon, and I can do whatever I like to her, can’t I?

He let out a breath and studied the floor. You have all the power, Zhanna.

I do, said Zhanna, settling into her pillows. Well, then, Jack, I think you’d better get back out there and work on seducing that virgin. You never know when I’ll lose patience with you and decide to take it out on poor Siena. If I were you, I’d try to get this done as soon as possible.

CHAPTER TWO

Why is it that we trust that wolf now? said Jonquil the unicorn.

Bree considered. She was sitting on her bedroll, a large piece of rollable foam, even though it was mid-afternoon. She’d been working on gathering wood for a fire later, and she was relaxing.

She, Jonquil, and Dinah, another virgin that was traveling with the unicorns, were sitting next to the woods in a clearing. All around them were patches of tall purple grass that waved in the breeze. The purple grass was the unicorns’ natural food. It kept them sustained and gave them magic. In their world, they’d had enough grass that they didn’t need virgins, but now it was harder for the unicorns to find food.

Dinah spoke up. It’s because deep down he’s good. It’s like I’ve been saying all along.

Jonquil snorted. He’s not good. He’s a werewolf, and he was hunting Bree for sport. You said he as much as admitted it.

Yes, said Bree, but that was only because he was being forced to do it. It was an attack. The witches sent him to try to get me away from you by seducing me.

I don’t see why this is supposed to convince me to trust him, said Jonquil.

Because he didn’t do it, said Bree. He stopped, because he hates the witches and he wants free of them. And he wants us to all work together to fight them. He says he knows things about the inner workings of the witches. Together, we can stop them once and for all.

Jonquil shook his head. You’re forgetting that the unicorns don’t want anything to do with fighting the witches. We want peace.

Bree started to arrange the wood she’d gathered for the fire. No, you’re right. I know that I have some convincing to do. That’s why I’m talking to you. Of all the unicorns, I feel the closest to you, Jonquil.

Jonquil looked quite pleased for a moment, but then his expression turned sour. That’s only because I can talk.

No, it’s not. Half the herd talks now, said Bree. Dinah and I have been teaching them, and they’re all doing very well.

But I’m the only one who could talk when you were first brought here, said Jonquil.

Does it matter why? said Bree. I feel as though you’re my friend. Are you my friend?

Jonquil sighed. Of course I’m your friend, Virgin Bree. But if you’re going to ask my help in dealing with this wolf who wants to take your virginity and take you from us, then I simply can’t be part of that. I don’t want to lose you.

That’s not what he’s going to do, said Bree. Even though Bree wasn’t entirely sure she was pleased about that. She knew that she didn’t want to leave the unicorns, but Jack Bastian stirred powerful things inside her, and she wanted him, even against any reason or sense. He knows it’s important for me to remain with you.

Does he, said Jonquil, but it didn’t sound like a question. The unicorn peeled his lips back from his teeth in a grimace.

He does, Bree assured him. She reached over to stroke his neck and mane. I’m not going anywhere.

What is it you want, Virgin Bree? You are obviously trying to get something from me.

I want your help to convince the other unicorns that we should move against the witches.

My help? Jonquil was stunned. But I don’t even think that we should.

Bree bit down on her lip. She had thought it might be possible that he’d say something like that, but she hadn’t been sure. Why not?

Well, because Haven doesn’t think we should, said Jonquil. Haven was the leader of the unicorn herd.

That’s Haven’s opinion, said Bree. What I want is yours.

There’s no point in having an opinion different than Haven’s, said Jonquil. She’s the one who makes the rules.

But what if all of the unicorns in the herd thought differently than her, said Bree. "Or maybe not all, but a good number of them, anyway. Wouldn’t that sway her opinion, maybe make her change her mind?"

It’s possible, Jonquil admitted. He looked out over the clearing thoughtfully, where the other unicorns were grazing. You want me to ask the other unicorns in the herd what they think, don’t you?

I want you to convince them to take our side, said Bree.

Jonquil hung his head, horn pointing directly at the ground. "Our side?"

Dinah spoke up. How could you be on a different side, Jonquil? The witches are horrible. They need to be stopped.

And the unicorns are the only species powerful enough to stand against them, said Bree. Please.

Jonquil scuffed his hoof against the ground. Unicorns could get hurt. They could even get killed.

No one’s been hurt thus far, said Bree. At least not hurt so badly they couldn’t heal. And she didn’t even want to point out the time that she’d climbed on Jonquil’s back and he’d suddenly been impervious to bullets for no reason she could think of. You unicorns are very resilient.

And powerful, said Dinah.

Jonquil sank to the ground, tucking his hooves under his body. His voice was grudging. And we’re doing all of this at the behest of that wolf.

No, said Bree. It’s not because of him. It’s because it’s the right thing to do. Listen, it’s obvious the witches aren’t going to stop anyway. They attacked you twice, and then they sent Jack against me. The witches are declaring war, and the unicorns can’t ignore that. Walking away isn’t going to stop it, not this time.

Jonquil considered this. I fear you are right, Virgin Bree. The witches have long thumbed their nose at the truce between us, and the unicorns have borne it, only doing what we could to protect our territories in a dispute with the witches. But they have gotten more and more brazen as time has gone on, and they will likely continue to get worse. Perhaps it is time to make a stand.

Bree smiled. She threw her arms around Jonquil’s neck. I knew you’d come around to it.

Yes, yes, sighed the unicorn, nuzzling her shoulder.

She pulled back. So, you’ll help?

Yes, said Jonquil, I will. He looked around. Where is that wolf, anyway? Has he been hiding and listening to all that we say?

No, said Bree. He’s gone back to the High Mistress in New Ansel. He’s going to tell her that he’s still trying to seduce me and that he needs more time. We’ll use that time to organize, so that we can strike at the witches before they know what hit them. She looked off wistfully. I wish he were out in the woods, somewhere close.

Jonquil snorted. That kind of talk I don’t like. We can work with this wolf, but you had better not fall for him, Virgin Bree.

Bree looked back at Jonquil. No. No, I guess that would make everything more difficult, wouldn’t it?

* * *

That night, though, Bree felt she couldn’t stand it anymore. She needed to see Jack. It had been too long, and she was worried.

Jack had told her that the High Mistress kept his mother prisoner in a dungeon at court. Jack’s mother had been savagely beaten the last time that Jack had gone against the High Mistress’s wishes, and he was worried for his mother’s safety.

Jack had also told her of the kinds of things that the High Mistress had done to him. Beating him with clubs. Keeping him on a leash in her room. Even putting a muzzle on him when he was in wolf form. The High Mistress was sadistic, and she hated Jack because she hated Jack’s mother. She enjoyed inflicting pain. She wasn’t going to stop. If the High Mistress had somehow discovered that Jack was lying to her, then Jack might be in trouble.

Bree needed to know for sure. So, that night, she decided that she’d go to the city on her own. It wouldn’t be the first time that she’d sneaked in, although she’d never done it alone. Before, she’d always done it with her sister Violet. Together she and Violet had been scavengers. They found or stole things that people in settlements wanted, and then traded or sold the things to keep themselves alive.

It was dangerous to sneak into the cities to scavenge, because if they were caught by the witches, they could be imprisoned and punished—even killed. The witches weren’t much for showing mercy.

But she and Violet had done it several times, because the kinds of supplies one could find in the city were of a higher quality than anything else they could find. The Collision was fading into the past, and materials left over from the civilization that had gone before were mostly used up or gone bad. There wasn’t much to find these days. Scavenging in cities, then, was sometimes necessary.

Anyway, Bree was fairly certain that she could get into the city undetected, but if Jack were imprisoned in a dungeon, she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to get him out. She was used to stealing food and blankets, not people. Still, she had to know. Maybe if Jack were in trouble, she could rally the unicorns to help. It wasn’t the way that they were planning to move against the witches, but she couldn’t bear the thought of Jack being locked up.

It was strange in some ways, she had to admit. She didn’t know Jack well. They’d spoken on only a handful of occasions before kissing, and she’d even seen him without his shirt. Touched his bare chest. That was all too fast, and she knew it.

But knowing it didn’t turn off her feelings. She wanted Jack. She thought longingly of his lips on hers. And she cared about him too. She worried about his well-being. She was falling for him.

Bree knew it was crazy to think that she could form a lasting relationship with Jack on the basis of their interactions thus far. After all, he’d lied to her for most of it. Maybe she was a fool.

But… well, near as Bree could tell, attraction made a fool of people. When a woman wanted a man, she didn’t behave rationally. She threw caution to the wind and leaped. And maybe that wasn’t smart. But the greater something was worth, the greater the risk, at least in Bree’s opinion.

Like scavenging in the city. Sure, it was dangerous, and sure, every time she and Violet did it, they took their lives in their hands. But the possibility of getting the goods from the cities was worth the risk.

And Jack? Maybe she was being foolish with him. But something about him told her that he was worth the risk.

Possibly it was the dream she’d had. A strange dream about a black unicorn and Jack and the two of them entwined, and it had all ended in a shower of the most intense sensations she’d ever known, her body racked with a wild, deep pleasure that she craved now and had yet to experience again.

Possibly it was because Jack had been dreaming about her too, and also about black unicorns. He said he’d been dreaming of her before he met her, for a hundred years before he met her.

Werewolves lived a long time. Unicorns and witches did too.

Possibly it was just insanity, something in the way the man looked that had gripped onto some animalistic drive within her, and now she was caught up it and couldn’t stop.

She didn’t know. But she did know that the thought of him made her pulse pick up speed and her chest feel tight. And she did know that she thought about him more often than she thought of anything else. And she did know that there was something between them, something inexplicable, and that he felt right to her in a way that nothing else ever had.

So, Bree packed up her bedroll as quietly as she could, and she strapped it to her back. She only had a few extra sets of clothes, ones that she’d scavenged for herself, but she brought them too. She also brought her soap and toothbrush and towel, so that when she saw Jack, she would be clean and enticing.

She didn’t tell any of the unicorns she was going, because she knew that they wouldn’t like it, and that they would try to stop her. But she knew that when they woke and found her gone, they would be upset. They might feel betrayed, and they might be hurt. She couldn’t help that. She’d make it up to all of them when she got back, after she was sure that Jack was safe and sound.

But her journey didn’t last longer than twenty minutes, because she was tackled by a large, white wolf, who knocked her bedroll off her back, sent her sprawling, and began licking her face.

She giggled, trying to push the wolf off. Jack, you scared me. She tried to sound as if she were scolding him, but it didn’t come out properly.

The wolf settled back on his haunches and shook off a harness he wore over his back. Then, suddenly, his fur and claws peeled back and disappeared inside the shell of a human man.

A naked human man, crouching next to her. He had dark hair and dark eyes with lashes so full and long, Bree was jealous of them. There was dark stubble at his chin, and dark hair on his chest. He had powerful shoulders and thick, rippling arms. He was strong and beautiful, and the sight of him took her breath away.

He rummaged in his harness and shook out a rolled-up pair of leather trousers, which he pulled on.

Bree wanted to look between his legs, which wasn’t covered, wanted to watch him dress, because she was curious. She’d never seen a naked man, except in her dream