Free Wolfsbane: Aspect of the Wolf by Jennifer Colgan Page A

like someone poured it under the door from the outside."
    "What for?” Emilie gave an exasperated sigh as she jammed her key in the lock.
    The officer began herding people away. “Move along, everyone. Looks like it's just an accident."
    The crowd thinned, but a few onlookers kept careful watch on Emilie and Charlotte as the women climbed over the thick red puddle and through the shop's front door. Daniel and the officer followed as soon as the last of the curious residents wandered away.
    "It wasn't an accident,” Charlotte said under her breath.
    The cop pulled out his notepad. “Do you want to make a report, ma'am? Any idea who might want to cause you trouble?"
    Emilie's gaze rested on Daniel. “No, I don't."
    "I'll write it up as vandalism, then. If you have any more problems like this, be sure to call them in."
    They waited quietly until the officer finished taking notes and left.
    Charlotte gave Daniel a disparaging look. “Nice work."
    "What are you blaming me for—"
    Emilie stepped between them. “Charlotte, don't. It's not Daniel's fault. We need to get this stuff cleaned up."
    "I'll see if I can find out where it might have come from,” Daniel said, careful to step around both Charlotte and the sticky puddle.
    Emilie shrugged. “Thanks, but I don't know how much good that will do."
    "Arresting someone for vandalism will do a lot of good.” He tried to keep his voice level, but his guilt ate at him. He wanted to touch Emilie, to comfort her, but her stiff posture and Charlotte's dark glare told him to stay away. Maybe Emilie's cousin was right to blame this on him. He'd set the stage for reactions like this. “I'll call you later. If you need any help ... let me know and—"
    "We can handle this, thanks,” Charlotte said. Her disapproval seemed to follow him out of the store.
* * * *
    "So that's big brother,” Charlotte said when Daniel's car pulled into traffic.
    Emilie scowled at her cousin's back. “You didn't have to be so rude to him. He wanted to help."
    "Help get himself out of his own mess. Where's your mop?"
    "In the back.” Emilie began moving display racks to make room for their cleanup effort. Her gaze wandered out to the street, where everything had returned to normal.
    Charlotte retrieved the mop and bucket from the bathroom. “You saw the looks on their faces outside. Everyone was scared. They think it's only a matter of time before your legion of flying monkeys swoops through town to carry off their babies."
    "That's not true.” In fact, very few residents of Cypress Park actually knew the whole truth about Chester Creek's dealings in black magick. Most of them thought he'd been selling drugs, not conjuring demons.
    "It is true. And Daniel is to blame."
    "Chester Creek is to blame. And I've got to undo the damage he did here.” Emilie put her hands on her hips. “I never thought it would be easy."
    "With Daniel Garrison on your side, it'll certainly be a lot harder.” Charlotte punctuated her statement by stabbing the mop into the puddle.
    Emilie rolled her eyes. “That doesn't even make sense."
    "Em, he's part of the problem, not part of the solution. And to top it off, he's drop-dead gorgeous, making it impossible for you to be properly repulsed by him. What does his brother look like anyway?"
    "Just as hot, but with dark hair and glasses. The studious type."
    "Engaged, you said?"
    "Yeah."
    Charlotte sighed and began mopping in earnest. “Too bad."

CHAPTER 12
    Two and a half weeks later
    One night before the full moon
    "Is this really necessary?” Vance asked.
    Using iron manacles, Charlotte secured his wrists to the sides of a chair. Another chain held his ankles secure and a third circled his waist. He tugged at the bonds and gave her a skeptical look.
    "Do you want a repeat of last time?” she asked, handing Emilie the key to the manacles.
    Emilie stepped back to survey her cousin's work and bumped into Daniel. She'd won the argument with Charlotte, so they hadn't brought