The Craft of the Wise 2: Divination
Demons, one. Witches, zero.
In the second book of this series, Jenna Whiteman, the coven’s strongest diviner has seen the path the witches and their werewolf protectors must follow to regain the upper hand. One thing she knows for certain – the battle to keep the demons out of their world will end badly if her predictions come true. To prevent that from happening, she must put her faith in the infuriating werewolf lieutenant, Vince Albright. Together, they’ll have to work on righting a balance gone wrong.
Only when Vince looks at her with a gleam of interest in his piercing blue eyes, her visions take her down a decidedly different path…one that involves her, him and nights filled with passion.
Note: Be sure to read book one
Buy it Now from Phaze Books |Reviews |Read Excerpt
“I love Dee Carney’s witches. She writes such richly involved stories, and I look forward to each episode in the adventure. Her stories are very real, with the doubts and feelings there for all to see. She brings you into the action, and takes you on the journey with each of her characters. Her men are beyond hot, and the relationships are allowed to build realistically. The sparks Jenna and Vince throw off at the beginning change as the relationship grows, from apprehension, to passion, to love. And the spell that has to be performed to help them locate the athame is one of the hottest things I’ve read-a three ice water scene for sure. If you want a really great short story experience, you can’t go wrong with The Craft of the Wise 2: Divination.” 5 cherries, Holly, Whipped Cream Erotic Reviews
“Dee Carney has once again given the reader a short story filled with steaming hot werewolves and smart sexy witches…This sexy little romp is a fun and erotic paranormal treat that I could find myself indulging in again and again. “Divination” is the second short in the Craft of the Wise series and this reader will definitely search out the other chapters in the series.” 4 Tombstones, Hockeyvamp, Bitten by Books
“The Craft of the Wise series gets even hotter with “Divination.” Ms. Carney raises the stakes in this exciting second installment to the Craft of the Wise series and pairs up another witch/werewolf duo that is sure to delight readers. There is just something about the way Vince adores Jenna that made me sigh. I loved them as a pair and, as such, was deeply invested in “Divination.” Ms. Carney continues to build on the tension, danger, and excitement in the demon-witch battle that began in “Book of Shadows,” but unfortunately to say anything more would provide spoilers. I can say by the time I finished “Divination,” I was on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next.” Shaya, Joyfully Reviewed
Chapter One
Jenna Whiteman threw her hands into the air as if praying for divine intervention during her conversation with the stubborn, arrogant werewolf.
She tried again. “We need to get the Book of Shadows back. It doesn’t matter how much protection we provide Ava if she doesn’t have the means with which to defend herself. And us, I might add!”
Frosty blue eyes did their level best to bore a hole into her forehead. She simply glared back. No way she’d let the lieutenant intimidate her in any shape or form. No matter how good looking he might be.
He slammed his fist against the table and then winced as the noise echoed in the large room. The growl that followed was low and contained. “My pack leader is upstairs recovering from severe injuries after trying to save the princess. From another witch, I might add. We are pledged to protect her. I will not break that pledge!”
She wanted to scream. Just to get him to stop talking, she wanted to scream her frustration at him.
If Ava Valentine’s cousin, Dina, didn’t possess the Book of Shadows, they wouldn’t be in this mess. But no, the thirteenth daughter of the coven had a relative who wanted the power the book and related tools could provide. Never mind, she joined forces with the demons to do so. If they could get the book back, Ava might be able to permanently banish the demons from their realm. Until now, the werewolves’ protection was supposed to be a boon, not a hindrance, to that mission.
Jenna had no problems standing toe to toe with the pack’s lieutenant, Vince Albright, who wanted no part in trying to retrieve the book. He wouldn’t be budged without further instruction from his pack’s leader. Unfortunately for everyone, Aaron was still recovering in bed upstairs. Ava would not allow anyone to seek his guidance for their next steps in defending the witches from demons. Not, at least, until he had regained his full strength. That could take days. The longer Dina had the book, the more Jenna feared.
Jenna’s hands formed a mock strangling position. If an it harm none, do what thy will didn’t guide her life’s principles, she could have wrapped them around his thick neck and throttled to her heart’s content. The conversation–argument–had long since taken her past the tipping point.
What made matters so much worse was simply how irritatingly good looking Vince was. Long red hair tied in a ponytail, shocking blue eyes and a firm, muscled body were only a few of the attributes that held her attention when she talked–argued–with him. An intricate tattoo flexed over a meaty bicep. He walked with a hunter’s grace and carried himself in a manner that could intimidate lesser men. All of it made her heart thump louder.
She’d drown out the thumping by yelling at him if that’s what it took.
How could she get him to understand what her dreams foretold? Each hour they delayed, Dina strengthened her position within the demon community. As the days passed, she would seek other witches to join her cause. Congregate a coven of her own. Solo practitioners, dark arts idolizers and any banned from covens would be quick to buy her twisted philosophies. The Craft would never be the same.
Jenna had already cost her coven by not interpreting the signs quickly enough. She might have been able to prevent the injuries already caused if she had done more. Guilt preyed on her mind every hour that passed. Dark circles under her eyes grew darker with each morning. Nights found her enveloped in black dreams.
She looked towards the High Priestess, who sat with a bemused expression on her face. Why didn’t she say something? “High Priestess, we need your guidance here. Please?”
Mayda Valentine waved absently and then leaned forward in her chair. “I suspect you object so vehemently because you know more than you’re telling us.” She arched her eyebrows. “Am I correct?”
Jenna stared into the soft green eyes. The older Valentine could always read her like a book. She fell back into her chair in a slump. Chewing on her bottom lip for a moment, she opened her mouth to reply but then caught a glimpse of Vince waiting expectantly for her answer. His expression made her snap her mouth shut.
Stupid, arrogant werewolf. He’d probably ridicule her or dismiss the unclear warnings if she voiced them out loud.
Closing her eyes, she shook her head. She didn’t know. Not for certain. Just fleeting images and feelings.
“See? There’s no rush. No need to move forward without a plan,” Vince sneered. He took his seat again and pointed a finger at Jenna. “Not until we hear from Aaron.”
She chanced a glance at Mayda only to feel a blush creep over her cheeks. The white-haired woman kept her gaze on Jenna. She probably knew full well there was more to the story. But she wasn’t ready to share it. Not yet, at least.
She couldn’t share with the group that she knew without a doubt waiting would be a mistake that would cost them dearly.
A huge mistake.
****
He moved with excruciating slowness. Each step seemed a conscious effort to put one foot in front of the other. Still, he had to be given credit. Aaron would not allow any of his men to help him. Ava hovered nearby, eyebrows furrowed and her mouth set into a grim line. Despite her diminutive stature, she’d be the first to his side if the six-foot-four hulk of a man faltered.
Jenna hid a smile behind a feigned cough. The relationship between the princess and alpha wolf had blossomed literally overnight. As quickly as it had taken off, it grew to soaring heights. No one who saw the two of them together doubted their devotion to each other for a moment, though.
They looked good together. Happy. She was happy for them. The future of the coven still appeared cloudy, but she harbored only good prophecies for their love in this dark time. It gave her a small measure of hope.
She glanced across the table and the smile slid from her face while her back stiffened. The redheaded lieutenant sat across from her, tracking her movements. Damned werewolf. The next time the coven and its protectors assembled in the same place, her first priority would be to sit somewhere he couldn’t see her.
Vince flashed a smile at her when she narrowed her eyes at him. His stare tracked over her as if to consume her inch by inch. A flush heated her neck but she refused to wilt under his smoldering look.
Dimwitted, arrogant werewolf.
He gave another half smirk and raised an eyebrow in salute when she did not evade his leer.
Aaron waited for Ava to be seated before he cleared his throat and sat at her side. He drew a deep breath before speaking. “Thank you everyone for coming. I wanted everyone to get a chance to see who’s here. Who the players are. Who we all depend on. The coven will handle its business as usual. Our pack will handle security. Princess?”
“Dina exploited our weakness from the very beginning. We’re not fighters. And we have to be. We can protect ourselves on a daily basis from demon attacks, but what of others? How long before she teaches them how to break through our defenses?” Ava looked towards the High Priestess. “Grand is our best fighter at this point, and I still have a lot to learn, as you know. I’m afraid the time is now for all of us to start relearning our craft. Hone it so that we aren’t trapped by our own good intentions.”
Across the table, Vince shifted in his seat to look at Aaron. “Am I to understand that we will sit here only to serve as guard while they work on their spells?”
He frowned. “I wouldn’t put it that way.”
Vince turned back to stare Jenna in the face. His eyes didn’t leave hers as he spoke. “Good. This one has another suggestion, then.”
All heads turned to face her direction. A rush of heat covered her neck. Jenna swore under her breath. She’d fought him tooth and nail on this point only to have him switch sides at the last minute.
“Jenna?” Ava prompted. “Is this true?”
Her friend would be the first to believe her. Always had. If anything, she believed a little too strongly in Jenna’s divination. How many times had she explained the unpredictability of her prophecies? Some science mixed in with innate ability. Not to be dismissed, neither to be counted on one hundred percent either.
“Ava,” Jenna replied slowly. “Part of our defense has to be offense. We can’t wait for Dina to come to us. We have to go to her. Take back what she’s stolen from us.”
“Good girl!” Vince clapped. “Go and fight them. That’s more like it!”
She almost hurled an insult at him for calling her a girl, but the previously low drum of voices rose to a roar. Jenna glanced around the room. The werewolves stood at the ready, some with curved knives in hand while wicked glints played in their eyes. The witches, as she knew they would be, were less eager. Their combined whispers to each other rose to a crescendo in the crowded room.
“Everyone!” Ava raised her hands and tried to bring the room under a semblance of control. “Everyone, please! Please sit back down. Let’s discuss this.”
Aaron’s voice cracked like a whip through the air. “Brothers!” he bellowed.
Each and every werewolf snapped to attention, their conversations halting the instant their leader spoke. Jenna chanced a peek at Vince. Like his men, he remained rigid, his blue eyed gaze fixed somewhere above her head.
She wasn’t the only one impressed with the display of discipline, she noted. The coven members stopped speaking in the same instant it had taken the pack to come to attention. Almost all of them stared slack-jawed. At the head of the table, the High Priestess looked on with a smile on her face.
“With our lives in the hands of men such as this, I would not fear for the lives of my coven members, Aaron,” she said. “I think perhaps that is the source of their reticence in Jenna’s suggestion.”
At the sound of her name, Jenna found her voice. She could feel the heat of incredulous stares, but pressed on. “High Priestess, it is not merely a suggestion. I have seen this. It is something we must do. I’m afraid we are losing precious hours as we sit here and discuss it.”
“What else have you seen?” Ava questioned. “The outcome too?”
She smiled at her friend. Ava was new with the Craft. Barely had a chance to discover which gifts came to her easily as Jenna and the others had. “Never the outcome, princess.”
“Then can you give us any insight at all, Diviner?”
Jenna turned to the werewolf next to her who’d spoken. “Three witches. Four werewolves. And we search for a particular athame.” At his frown, she hastened with an explanation. “An athame is a double-edged knife. A witch’s tool. Ava will need it in the end. But we must get it before Dina gets it first.”
“We?” Ava leaned forward. “Does this mean you will be a part of the group?”
She hadn’t known until that moment, but felt the sudden call to her mission. “Yes, princess.”
“Who else? Do you know?” Aaron kept his gaze on her, but she watched him reach for Ava’s hand, squeezing it tightly.
“It should be easy to tell.” She hesitated for a moment. How much did the pack know about how witches divine? “If I could see everyone’s palms?”
She stood and walked the circle of the table, reading outstretched hands as she moved from person to person. Jenna barely glanced at the people, only read the lines of their hands, which foretold their lives’ journeys. She called out ‘here’ when she came across a palm that told of the search ahead. Only when she came back to her empty chair, did she realize that she’d made the full circle.
“That’s settled then,” Aaron said. “Good hunting, brothers.”
Wait a minute. The pack traveled in a pecking order. They would need to know who led them, wouldn’t they? Isn’t that how they worked? She couldn’t understand how Aaron would just let them go without making that important decision first. They seemed to have understood though. Witches and werewolves alike stood from their chairs and either milled about or made for the exits.
“Whenever you’re ready, Jenna.” The words pulled her from her thoughts. Her shoulders fell forward as her back stiffened at the familiar voice.
“Ready for what?” she said between tight teeth.
“To start the hunt, Diviner.” Vince stepped in closer, his proximity removing the oxygen from the air. The suffocation of his presence must have made her lightheaded because she swore she must have heard his next words incorrectly. “You and I have an expedition of sorts to lead.”
Whoa.
“E–Excuse me?” There was no way she’d heard those words come from him. She would have noticed if she picked his hand. Might have nudged fate into picking someone else, well, not that she really could, but still! She might have given it a try.
“You seem surprised.” He brought his hand up and it grazed by her cheek. Vince pulled his fingers from her hair with a small piece of lint trapped in them.
As she watched it float to the floor, Jenna didn’t know what actually surprised her more: picking him for the mission, the intimacy of his gesture or–good Lord and Lady–that she wanted him to touch her again.
She physically reeled from her thoughts. Her voice trembled but she wouldn’t let the chill running through her veins shake her hands. She reached for his hand again. “Let me see that.”
He didn’t respond when she tugged him closer, bringing his hand closer to her face. Her finger traced the lines of his palm, following the destiny line and its branches to completion. She found the travel line and nodded. Yes, he was meant to be on the quest.
Something in one of the other lines caught her attention.
Her breath held as she skimmed the heart line. It looked eerily familiar. She’d seen this heart line before. Not in his hand, but somewhere…close.
With a cry that spoke of discovery and apprehension, she flipped her hand open next to his. And son of a gun, if it didn’t stare her dead in the face.
Their heart lines–the lines that foretold their love lives–were an identical match.