by Gwen Rivers
I blew sweat soaked hair out of my eyes and pushed up off the ground. Training was not going well. The entire morning had been like a supernatural game of dodgeball and I had the welts to prove it. I could feel the skin on my nose swelling. I was probably going to be redder than that little red dress if I didn’t get out of the sun soon. “We’ve been at this for hours. I need a break.”
“Do you think the Dark Fae will let you rest?” Magda’s spidery blue gray eyebrow went up in a mocking jeer. “Do you think you’ll all have a nice intermission in the shade with mint juleps?”
“Who the hell drinks mint juleps anymore?” I wondered.
Magda swung and I rolled back before her talisman left yet another bruise on my already battered body.
“The twisted ones want to kill you. They want to kill all of us. They did kill your family. Drained them dry like siphoning gas out of a car. All because they were too lazy to learn. Are you going to let them get away with that?”
“No,” I picked up my talisman and turned to face her.
Magda nodded once then beckoned Kiesha forward. “Yours is the harder task. You are one where they are many. You are trying to protect and save what they will not hesitate to destroy. But you have an advantage too.”
“The werewolves?” I asked.
“You were born here. And you are learning the true depths of power that exist on this side of the Veil. You take too much, it’s your human nature. The fae like cutting corners. Shortcuts are easier, faster. But they create imbalances of power.”
She raised her hand and a giant boulder lifted off the ground.
“Balance is achieved when you take what the world tree gives and give of yourself back to it.”
She sounded like a fortune cookie written by Yoda. I held out the sword, making sure to keep Kiesha behind me in case I missed.
But Magda didn’t throw the boulder. Instead she lifted her palm as though she were bouncing something in it. The boulder also drifted up and down as if it were made of paper mâché and bobbed on a string.
“What do you mean, give of myself? I don’t understand.” I kept my gaze on the rock, hoping I had enough juice left to throw a wind shield around the two of us before we were squished into supe jelly.
With a careless wave Magda tossed the boulder, not at me but at Mystic. Kiesha let out an involuntary cry and I lunged, trying desperately to throw a shield around the unicorn.
The boulder stopped a foot above the horn, where it spun idly.
Mystic’s ears twitched and the boulder settled harmlessly into place beside him.
“You’ve taken too much for yourself and too much upon yourself.” Magda moved to stand beside me. “And given nothing back. It’s why your reserves are dry, why you can not create the shield. Your body can only hold so much.”
“So how do I give back?”
Magda shrugged. “Simple. Listen. Look. Pay attention.”
The stick swung out again and this time I lept over it.
Blue lips twitched. “You’re learning, girl.”
I listened, I looked. I felt something.
“Do you hear that?” I asked Kiesha. “It’s like a low-level hum.”
She scowled and shook her head. “I don’t hear anything.”
“That,” Magda said triumphantly, “is the magical resonance of the PR. What you’re hearing is a combination of the giant’s signature blended with Skathi’s wards.”
I blinked at her. “You mean I can feel other creature’s magic?”
Magda nodded. “Yes. And they’ll be able to feel yours. Every magic user leaves a fingerprint. The stronger the magic, the more vivid the signature and the longer it will last. A PR takes an enormous amount of power to create. And wards set by a goddess, they won’t be fading anytime soon.
“Now when a twisted one siphons the magical life force from the fae, they are essentially borrowing the fae’s fingerprint for a short while. But eventually, the well will run dry because the fae will die and its magic will fade.”
“Which is why they keep hunting. Keep killing.” A thought occurred but I didn’t want to ask it in front of Kiesha. “Why don’t you go hang with Mystic for a bit?”
She trotted off and I pulled Magda farther away to account for werewolf hearing. “Do the dark fae know about this magical signature thing?”
Magda eyed me shrewdly. “Why?”
I licked my lips. “Because, I think that’s how they are tracking the fae. You said each signature is unique and most of the fae who leave the PR are wearing glamour. Every time a fae outside of the PR uses magic, they are leaving a trail.”
“And how do you know this?” She asked.
I shrugged. “It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
And it also explained how they found my family. Malcolm’s magic.
Magda studied me a moment. “Are you ready to go again?”
I held her gaze. “The dark fae aren’t going to wait until I am ready.”
Magda cackled. “There’s hope for you yet, girl.”
11
Liam watched the training from a nearby rooftop. Even with the sun about to set, it was easy enough to see, even with human eyes instead of a wolf. Emma would reach out as though pulling something out of the air and a moment later a ball of fire would appear in her hand.
Then Magda would whack at her with her stick. “No no no. Fool. You’re thinking about it. Don’t think, feel.”
“I’m trying,” Emma huffed.
“Trying, my big blue ass. Just do it!”
Emma would glower and her lips would part as though she wanted to say something nasty, but she never spoke.
Kiesha was the one to spot him. She waved and then pulled on the hem of Emma’s tank top. “It’s Liam.”
His mate raised her hand in a casual wave. Even that small acknowledgment warmed his heart.
“I was wondering where you disappeared to,” Autumn came up to stand by his side.
“Can I trust you with something?” Liam asked.
Autumn hesitated. He appreciated her candor. Her honesty appealed to him.
“As long as it doesn’t harm the pack or the fae? Then yes.”
Liam rubbed at his jaw. Would his admission hurt the pack? The fae? He shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe?”
“Is it about her?” Autumn nodded to where Emma once again was dodging the old woman’s cane. “I scent your preoccupation. At first, I thought it was the girl, but you seem easy enough with Rage, especially after last night.”
“Emma is my mate,” Liam admitted.
Autumn’s eyes rounded. “Are you hers?”
“I don’t know. I get the feeling that she’s been hurt in the past. I won’t force this on her.”
For once, Autumn appeared thunderstruck. “Liam, you need to tell her.”
“I don’t. You know how it works. Total acceptance of yourself and the one who holds that shared sliver of spirit. Emma’s working on accepting herself. Her role as a spellcaster, as a savior. I will not add another burden to her back.”
Autumn’s smile was soft. “You’re a good male, Liam. But is it fair to you or your wolf to suffer in order to protect her?”
“Fair or not, it’s the way it must be.” He lifted his chin and changed the subject. “Did the blood tests come back on Kiesha yet?”
“Yes and they are a bit…unusual.”
“How so?”
Autumn made a face. “You might want to talk to Gray about the details. But it seems that Kiesha hasn’t exactly…died.”
Liam froze. “How is that possible?”
“I don’t know. Gray is consulting with a few of his microbiologist friends. But from what he said, the most likely cause for a living werewolf is that Kiesha’s mother was pregnant with her when she transitioned.”
“Kiesha told Emma that her father was a werewolf.” Which meant that her parents had been related.
“Do you realize what that could mean?” Autumn asked. “A living, growing w
erewolf.”
“Send me everything. I’ll read it myself.”
Autumn didn’t touch him, though she moved close enough that he could feel her reassuring presence. “You don’t need to micromanage us, Liam.”
“I’m not….” He trailed off when Emma fell to her stomach to dodge a fireball Magda had winged at her head with surprising speed.
“Maybe, maybe not. But you have a werewolf child ward and a skittish fae spellcaster who also happens to be your mate. Delegate a little bit. Gray and I will be happy to take more on.”
“And the rest?” Liam knew his pack, knew that some of the more dominant males would give his female dominant third and bi-second nothing but a rash of shit if he put them front and center.
Autumn bristled. “You don’t need to protect me from assholes, Liam. You taught me how to do that myself. And I’m certain Gray feels the same way.”
“I’m Alpha. Protecting my pack comes with the territory.”
“Maybe from outsiders. Not from a bullheaded wolf who don’t know his ass from a hole in the ground.”
He snorted. Autumn had a way with words. Her offer tempted him. He’d gotten very little sleep the night before. Between his trip into downtown Manhattan, the meeting and the mountain of official PR paperwork, there was always another task for him to handle.
“Spend time with her. Protecting the spellcaster ought to be your number one priority. The rest of us can cobble ourselves together.”
He watched Emma dust off the thighs of her workout clothes and turn to face Kiesha. Though his ears were better than a human’s by about ten times, he couldn’t hear what she said. The girl nodded in response and then handed Emma the sword.
Hadn’t she had enough for one day? The sun kissed the western horizon. Liam decided it was time to interrupt.
Autumn cursed when he leaped from the rooftop to a lower one, twenty feet below. He landed in a crouch and then surged up and sprinted for the far side, to dive to the next building down.
Her scent infected his brain like the sweetest intoxication. Emma was his. His. And he needed to do more than watch her from a distance. Every instinct he’d honed since the night he’d died and been reborn as a werewolf screamed that he needed to stay close to her.
He scented her surprise as he did a summersault in midair and landed by her side. To her credit, she didn’t take her eyes from Magda, the threat. She had good instincts for self-preservation. He knew that.
When Magda launched her magical assault, this time a surge of rocks flying at them, he stepped in front of his mate and shielded her body with his.
Their eyes met. Her lush lips parted. He grunted at the first impact of rock against his back. Emma threw up a shield of solid wind. Small pinging sounds emerged as the rocks struck the shield and then fell harmlessly to the ground.
“Thanks.” He reached out to wipe away the smudge of dirt on her cheek.
“Anytime.” Though her response sounded casual, Emma’s scent changed from determination to something.
Not desire. Not yet. But she didn’t pull away from his touch.
Magda came towards them. “You’re better at defending another than you are at defending yourself. Perhaps next we ought to put the child—”
“No,” Liam and Emma barked at the same time.
Magda snorted. “I wouldn’t hurt her. Just use her as a distraction and added motivation.”
“That’s enough for today,” Liam said. It was easier to redirect Magda than it was to try and convince her she was wrong. “I need Emma’s assistance.”
“Did you bring anything to eat?” Kiesha asked hopefully.
“North is cooking.”
“Good, I could eat a horse.” Kiesha said and then jolted as though remembering something. “Liam, did you know there are unicorns here?”
“I did.” His gaze slid back to Emma. “I take it you enjoyed your ride.”
Her smile was genuine. “It was amazing.”
“Maybe tomorrow we can all go and see some more of them up close.”
Kiesha’s eyes lit up. “Oh, please Emma.”
Emma looked startled. “Uh, sure. If that’s what you want.”
“Kiesha. Why don’t you ride ahead with Autumn?” Liam beckoned to his third who’d made her way down from the rooftop and was walking alongside the unicorn pulling the carriage. “Emma needs to give her muscles a chance to cool down so they don’t freeze up.”
The girl scrambled into the carriage and after a moment, Autumn nodded.
“Emma, have you met Autumn?” he asked.
“Yesterday,” His mate nodded.
“I approve,” the she-wolf said and then turned her back to help Magda into the carriage.
“Don’t dilly dally.” The spellcaster gave him a squinty-eyed glare. “She needs good food and some rest. None of your wolven shenanigans.”
“I’ll see to it.” He gave her a salute.
“Wolven shenanigans?” Emma asked as she watched the carriage pull away. “And here I thought Magda didn’t like you.”
“She doesn’t.”
“And what exactly does Autumn approve of?” Emma asked.
“You. The spellcaster.” And his mate.
He didn’t say the last part out loud. No matter what Autumn believed or North for that matter, Emma wasn’t ready to hear the truth. He was still getting his head around it.
“You mean the sacrificial goat.” Her tone was light.
“We’re going to find a way out of the prophecy.”
“I’m pretty sure prophecy doesn’t work that way. Thank you for the clothes by the way.” Emma changed the subject.
He nodded, pleased she allowed him to provide for her, even on such a small level.
They fell into an easy walk. The conversation was less easy.
“So, you left the pocket realm for the clothes?”
He shrugged. “Kinda had to. All the magic is concentrated on holding up the wards and providing food for the fae. Anything else would put too much of a strain on the system.”
“I’ll pay you back.”
A growl came from his throat before he could tamp it down. “Can’t you just accept a gift with a thank you?”
She stopped. “I can’t.”
He hadn’t been intending to make a big deal about it, but her stance told him that it was. “Emma.”
“I promised him I wouldn’t lean on the fae.”
Jealousy flashed through the wolf an instant before his human brain kicked in. “Him? You mean your brother.”
At her nod he forced his fists to unclench. “Okay, but I’m not fae.”
She frowned. “I know. But I don’t want you to look at me like I’m some sort of charity case either. I’m not a sponge. I can work to earn my place.”
“Is that what this is about? Emma, you don’t need to earn anything.”
She folded her arms over her chest. “I don’t want to fight with you, Liam.”
He wished she would. He wished she would take off her damn blinders long enough to really see him. He needed time to get through to her. Time to convince her that he wanted her, not because she was the savior but because she was Emma.
Time was the one thing they should have. But it was running out.
“Why are you looking at me that way?” she asked.
“Damn it, Emma.” His molars ground down. Stubborn female. How was he going to get through to her?
I ground my teeth together. How was I ever going to get through to Liam? Make him understand…?
“If you have a problem with me gifting you with things, fine. Should I not provide for Kiesha?”
“That’s different. She’s a child and a werewolf. That makes her one of yours, right?” I was starting to learn the lines the werewolves had in their heads. Not that I was okay with the circle he seemed to want to pee around me, but I understood it.
He looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end didn’t. Instead he kept walking.
“Why ar
e you so kind to me?” I asked, when I saw that yet again, I’d made a muscle jump in his jaw. “Clearly I frustrate the hell out of you.”
He didn’t deny it. “Because you deserve kindness. “
My lips parted.
“I don’t know if I should kiss you or throttle you,” he said.
The words slipped out before I could yank them back. “I know which I’m in favor of.”
Our gazes locked. He moved closer and cupped the back of my neck, pulling me into his heat. My eyes slid shut and a shiver of anticipation rushed up my spine.
Then the werewolf killed it.
“I can’t.” He stepped away.
My heels clunked against the ground and it was only then I realized I’d been standing on my toes, waiting for the kiss to end all kisses. And he’d denied me. Again. “Can’t? Why not?”
Liam just shook his head.
I would never figure this werewolf out. He seemed to want me and yet I was giving out all the signs, all come and get me big guy. Still nothing. What was up with him?
I was the savior, destined to sacrifice myself in order to save the fae. It’s not like I had a lot of time to screw around.
Literally.
“I’m going to head back to my place. Have a shower.” The sweat was starting to cool against my skin and I felt grubby. Unclean.
“I’ll accompany you.”
My lips parted to tell him not to bother but the sharp look in his eye warned me that it wasn’t a battle worth fighting. If Liam wanted to pace the confines of my dinky living room instead of joining me in the shower, that was on him. I wasn’t about to collect the matching set of werewolf rejection trading cards.
I jogged up the steps and then waved a hand to unleash the magical lock on the door. Liam followed me in and surprised me when he insisted that I lock the door behind us.
“The fae aren’t as helpless as they pretend. If one of them really decides to come after you, I want you safe.”
Great, and these were the beings I was supposed to save? “I’ll just be a minute.”
After turning on the shower, I unsheathed my sword and placed it back under my bed before stripping off my workout gear. I cleaned myself as efficiently as possible and then hopped out, hunting for a towel.