Chapters (58)
- About the Author
- Title Page
- Imprint Page
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Map
- Contents
- Prologue
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Acknowledgments
- Endmatter page 1
“Werewolves,” I repeated. “You physically change into a wolf?”
Domenico Senior nodded.
I took a moment to recover. I had never heard of an Ember Wolf, but there were plenty of tales about werewolves. From old stories I’d been told, the wolves stuck with their pack and were loyal only to each other. I didn’t understand how or why he’d associate with the demons.
“Why were you with Greed?”
His gaze dropped to the ground. “We made a bargain.”
A memory of seeing him with stacks of gambling chips crossed my mind. I had a sinking suspicion I knew where this was going. “Did he promise to forgive your debts if you helped him?”
He nodded. “I thought it was a fool’s bargain for him. Then I found out it wasn’t his idea to begin with. He said all he wanted was for the wolves to fight on the side of the devil when the time comes. We haven’t shifted in nearly two decades, so I didn’t think the bargain held value.”
“Why haven’t you shifted?”
He lifted a shoulder. “No one is sure. One day we could, and the next we couldn’t.”
“But that changed recently, didn’t it?” I asked. “Did someone shift forms?”
“When a boy celebrates his twentieth year, he usually changes for the first time.”
And I’d bet anything Domenico had a birthday recently, and was very surprised when he turned into a wolf. “You didn’t tell your son what you were?”
He slowly shook his head. “It had been so long . . . I didn’t think it would happen. When Dom shifted, I knew we were in trouble. I told him what I’d promised.” He swiped a tear from his cheek. “The disappointment in my son’s eyes was enough to end me. The shame I’ve brought to our legacy, our family. Wolves do not fight for anyone outside of our pack. Now Dom prays at the monastery for me and for himself, hoping everyone will forgive my sins.”
“How did my sister figure out what you are?”
He considered that a moment. “I’m not sure. But she was the one who told Greed to bargain with me. When the deal was struck, she made me promise to keep my word to him.”
“Vittoria set up the bargain between you and Greed?” I asked, heart hammering. “You’re sure that was her idea and not his?”
“Positive,” Signore Nucci said. “It was part of her bigger plan. But she never told me what that was, so I’m afraid I can’t help you there. I was only told to be ready when they called on us.”