by R. E. Butler
She still wore his ring, which through the Wiccan magic gave her access to his and his sister’s memories. Atlas was a savage fighter and Jovina had been as well, thanks to her beloved’s memories. It was through Jovina’s memories, that Kelly learned how to tap into Bell’s. He was two hundred years old and had been raised in a time when learning how to use a sword was mandatory to protect the family. Then he’d become a vampire, and that meant fighting people who could be stronger and faster. He’d dedicated much of his youth to honing his skills, and while she was impressed with his prowess, she was mostly thankful that his memories felt like they were her own.
She swung the sword a few times, feeling the weight in her hand. She focused on Bell’s memories, drawing them into herself like air she could breathe.
Then she climbed on Atlas’s back, patted his neck, and grabbed hold of a hunk of his silky white mane. “Let’s go save the day.”
Atlas charged up the wooden stairs into the barn. The doors were closed, so he kicked out his legs and shattered them like they were made of kindling. As he took to the sky, Kelly was aware of exactly where Bell fought in the fighting field. He was with a bear and Rysk, the trio working together to make their way toward a man with gray hair and sparks shooting from his fingers. It was Atlas’s memories that told her the man was a wizard and the dark aura around him was evil. Something shimmered beyond the wizard, and she sucked in a breath, knowing in her heart it was Danlier concealed behind him.
And so was her book.
“Head for the wizard,” she shouted to Atlas.
He nodded and whinnied, tucking his wings and diving straight for the wizard. She hugged her knees tight to his sides and gripped his mane, lifting the sword aloft and aiming for the wizard. Atlas rolled, his wings knocking the vampires protecting the wizard away. Kelly swung the sword in an arc, the wizard’s hands falling to the ground, blood spurting from the wounds.
Behind him, the shimmering air disappeared in a blinding flash and a male stood with a book clutched to his chest. Atlas landed on the wizard, stomping his body into the ground under his heavy weight. Kelly pointed the sword at the male she knew was Danlier.
“Give me my book or die.”
* * *
Bell had never felt prouder in his life than when he saw Kelly fighting like she’d been training her whole life. When the wizard was dead, the attacking vampires realized they were doomed and fled. The bears and vampires gave chase, save for Brone and Traz, Adriel and his sons, and the three Wiccans.
Danlier cowered in front of Kelly and Atlas, her sword pointing at his neck and her eyes blazing with fury.
Bell and the group moved to them, the bears surrounding Danlier and the Wiccans taking up on the other side of the Pegasus. Kelly slid from Atlas’s back, landing gracefully next to Bell. She winked at him, and he was shamelessly, entirely turned on by his beloved. Was there a male in the universe as lucky as he?
Danlier licked his lips, his eyes darting wildly. “We can work together. I’ll share whatever treasure we find.”
“It’s not yours to share,” Kelly said. “I’m the rightful owner of the book, a descendant of a member of the coven. Hand it over. Now.”
Later, Bell would ask where she learned how to fight. Right now, he pointed the sharp, blood-covered ax at Danlier and echoed her threat.
Margot stepped forward. “The book rightfully belongs to Kelly. You’re outnumbered, defeated, your coven running like cowards.”
Danlier snarled, clutching the book tighter. “No. It’s mine. I’ll die first.”
A sword appeared through his neck and he gurgled, his body spasming as his hold on the book loosened. Bell grabbed the book before it hit the ground and took a protective step in front of Kelly.
Behind Danlier, a female appeared, withdrawing the sword from his neck and shoving him to the ground. A male stood by her side, sword in hand and eyes flashing with fury. She said, “I have permission from the Council to kill him. Unless you need information from him?”
“Who are you?” Kelly asked.
“Sorry,” the female said with a smile. “I’m Sabrina and this is my mate Griegs. I’m a Hunter. Dad called after Margot showed up and I put word out to the Council about Danlier. Turns out he’s a really bad boy and there is no love lost for him.”
Kelly looked at Margot. “What do you think?”
“You have the book. The coven is all but destroyed. I don’t think you need any further information from Danlier, and I wouldn’t trust anything he said anyway.”
“Then do what you need to do,” Kelly said as she took the book from Bell and dropped the sword. She blinked suddenly luminous eyes at him. “I... I want to go back into the barn.”
He could feel her emotions and knew that the adrenaline rush from the battle had dissipated, and she was feeling overwhelmed by what she’d seen and done. “Of course.”
“This way,” Adriel said. “Sabrina, Griegs, come join us when you’ve finished with this male.”
Bell put his arm around Kelly, and she leaned into him as they walked through the destruction to the barn. Atlas trotted next to them, his wings tucked close to his body as they made their way beyond the ruined barn doors and headed down the stairs.
Adriel barked orders at his people to clean up the field. Filene met him in a tight embrace. “I’m so thankful you’re safe. Are they all dead?”
“Those who fled will be dead soon enough,” he said. “Sabrina and Griegs are handling the coven master.”
“Come into our tent,” Elizabeth said. “It’s more comfortable, and my sister can help with healing your wounds.”
Bell glanced down at his shoulder, which hadn’t ached until that moment. “Your sister?”
“Shaylee’s my sister-in-law, and she’s a healing nymph. And not for nothing, but Arissa, Margot, and I could also heal you, but Shaylee’s faster. Dad?”
“I’ll have the wounded go to the medical tent for treatment. Meet us there when you’re finished.”
She nodded and they split off from the group, she and her twin mates leading the way to a large tent. “Our children are visiting my grandma Lorene, except for our oldest two—Teck and Shy. They were in their shifts, and I saw them heading after two of the vampires who ran away.”
Bell helped Kelly to sit down on one of the couches. Her whole body was limp, her breathing too fast and her eyes wide and glossy. “Beloved?” he asked, setting their weapons on the floor and taking her ice-cold hand in his. She was clutching the book to her chest, her knuckles white. “You’re safe now. You kicked ass, and I’m the luckiest male on the planet. I don’t know how you fought so well, but I’m thankful you did.”
The tent flap opened, and Atlas walked in, back to human form and wearing trousers and a tunic. “I think she’s having a panic attack. I gave her my sister’s memories and mine through the bespelled ring on her finger, which helped her tap into your memories, specifically the ones where you learned to fight. She was able to draw on those memories as if they were her own, turning her into a fighting machine. Now that the battle is over, she’s freaking out.”
“Fully understandable,” a female said as she ducked inside the tent. She had dark hair and was wearing a long dress, carrying a leather satchel. A male was with her, and just outside the tent Bell could see a bear.
“This is my sister, Shaylee,” Elizabeth said. “And one of her husbands, Tavian. The other one—Lynk—is pacing outside of the tent. I don’t let shifted bears inside. When my boys were teens, they were roughhousing in their shift and cracked the center pole, bringing the whole damn thing down.”
“Nice to meet you,” Bell said.
Shaylee knelt in front of Kelly and pulled a paper envelope from the bag. “Steep two spoons of this for two minutes in boiling cider, please,” she said, handing the bag to Tavian.
“You got it, love,” the male said, rising to his feet and heading to a small kitchen area. He returned a few minutes later with a mug of amber liquid that sme
lled like herbs and something sweet.
“This will help calm her nerves,” Shaylee said.
Bell lifted the cup to Kelly’s lips because her hand was trembling too much to hold it.
Arissa and Margot joined them in the tent, and Margot sat next to Kelly, giving her a hug. “My dear, you were amazing. You looked like a warrior on Atlas’s back.”
Kelly took a few sips and then sighed deeply, the color returning to her cheeks. “Thank you. I was running on instinct—to protect Bell and to get the book.” She blinked a few times, and tears slipped over her cheeks. “I helped kill that wizard.”
“He was evil,” Elizabeth said, her lip curling in disgust. “You did the world a favor, trust me.”
Bell understood Kelly’s feelings, though. He brushed the tears from her cheeks. “It’s still difficult to take a life. War or not. You saved yourself and everyone on our side by taking out the wizard, and the book is back in your rightful hands.”
“Speaking of the book,” Margot said. “Where’s the Key?”
“I’ve got it,” a young male said through the open tent flap. “Atlas said I had to guard it with my life.” He handed the book to Elizabeth and then said, “Kelly used my sword. Do you know where it is?”
“Out on the field,” Bell said. “She dropped it when her adrenaline crashed.”
“You can go get it,” Tavian said. “Just be sure to clean it thoroughly before you put it back in the sheath.”
“Yes, sir,” he said, darting away.
Elizabeth held out the Key book to Kelly, but she didn’t make a move to take it.
“What’s wrong?” Bell asked.
“What happens when I hold both books?” Kelly asked. “Will I be compelled to unlock the secrets right away?”
“I don’t think so,” Atlas said.
Kelly rubbed her thumb on the chunky ring on her index finger and closed her eyes. She hummed a little, and then she smiled. Opening her eyes, she said, “I can take the book, it’ll be okay. I can translate it whenever I want, no compulsion.”
She took the book from Elizabeth and set it on top of the Key book. Her hands were no longer trembling when she finished the last of the spiced cider and handed the mug to Shaylee.
“That’s great stuff,” Kelly said. “I feel really relaxed.”
“I’m fortunate to have a powerful Wiccan in the family who can bespell herbs with special properties to aid healing. Now, are you injured?” Shaylee asked.
“I’m not,” Kelly said, “but Bell is.”
“A scratch,” he said.
“A huge one with a hole in it,” she countered.
“Let me help. I can speed up your natural healing ability.” Shaylee mixed something in a stone bowl and made a poultice while Bell pulled off his torn shirt.
He looked at his shoulder when Kelly made a worried sound in her throat. “That’s not a scratch.”
“Sorry, sweetness. But I killed the guy who did it.”
She snorted, humor dancing in her eyes. “Good.”
When his shoulder was bandaged with the poultice, he felt it begin to work immediately. He knew he needed to feed, and just as his thoughts turned to the hope they’d be able to return to his apartment soon to do so, Brone ducked into the tent holding a bottle of SyBl.
“What are you, psychic?” Bell asked, accepting the bottle with thanks.
“Sabrina offered them to us. Battle always saps our strength.”
Bell cracked the lid and drank down the room temperature synthetic blood. Exhaling, he felt his body rejuvenating as the blood infused his cells.
“Feel better?” Kelly asked with an amused smile.
“Yeah. You?”
She inhaled and let it out with a sigh. “I do, actually. Not so crazed.”
“Adrenaline.”
She nodded. “I’d like to stay and talk to Atlas a little longer.”
“Whatever you want, sweetness.”
Chapter Eighteen
By the time the shifters all returned to their human selves, Kelly was feeling right at home with the bears. The underground den wasn’t like anything she’d ever experienced in her life. It was a whole city underground, living and working together. Everyone shared, no one went without. The two homes on the topside belonged to Elizabeth and her mates, and Sabrina and Griegs; neither group had wanted to live with the rest of the den.
“You’re looking pretty thoughtful,” Bell said, hugging her a little closer.
“I was just thinking it’s really neat that everyone lives underground.”
“Mishka’s family lives under the club.”
“Oh, right.” She turned on the couch to face him and rested her head on his outstretched arm. She thought over Bell’s memories, and the vampires who lived within the club but not underneath, and those that lived in the apartment complex. “Does he eventually let people live under the club who aren’t part of his family?”
“Nope. Vampires new to the coven generally live in the common sleeping area within the club. They can apply for an apartment, but because we’re immortal there aren’t a whole heck of a lot of vacancies.”
“Why would someone leave the apartment?”
He shrugged. “Sometimes vampires will decide to leave a coven for another, like a human might quit one job to take a different one. Or they find a mate and want to start over somewhere closer to family. Sometimes, but rarely, Mishka will kick a vampire out of the coven, but they have to really piss him off for that to happen.”
She chuckled and then leaned in to kiss him. The kiss slipped from sweet to sexy in a heartbeat and he chuckled against her lips and pulled away, cupping her face. “I want to get you home like right now.”
“I’d like to be home with you right now too.”
He stared at her, his eyes darkening slightly. “I love you, Kelly.”
They’d only technically known each other for a few days. But thanks to their beloved bond, she felt like she’d known him forever. The feelings that stirred within her were strong and sure. “I love you too.”
He brushed his lips against hers once more. “Let’s see if everyone’s ready to go.” He stood and pulled her to her feet, and they left the tent, finding Brone and the vampires talking by the stairs with Atlas, Adriel, his sons, and several of the warriors. Arissa, Margot, and Elizabeth were near them talking quietly. Kelly and Bell parted – he went to speak to the males and she went to the females, hugging the three of them.
“I wanted to say thank you for standing by us and fighting,” Kelly said.
“It was our honor and duty,” Elizabeth said. “When Margot came here to ask Rysk and Tyrant to get Atlas and explained the danger coming for both of you, there was no way we were going to let you fight alone.”
Arissa nodded. “I’m just thankful that we were able to stop the threat against you.”
“Your sister-in-law, Sabrina? She said she was a Hunter and talked about the Council. I don’t know what that means, and Bell doesn’t have much in his memories about either thing.”
“Sabrina is a Hunter, which is a job title. She works for the North American Vampire Council, which governs all the covens in the US, Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, Bermuda, and Greenland. Each continent has their own council, and they create laws for vampires to abide by—such as a vampire has to be part of a coven, and newly turned vampires can’t be left alone and must be mentored by their maker or the master of the coven for a set amount of time.”
“Right,” Margot said. “And the Hunters are the law enforcement for the Council. Sabrina and Griegs work together to keep vampires in line.”
“Like the police,” Kelly said, reaching into Bell’s memories and finding a few tidbits.
“Yep,” Elizabeth said. “I remember when Griegs first joined the Hunters, he and Sabrina had to chase down a group of rogue vampires who were killing humans by the waterfront downtown. They made the news and everything.”
Rogue vampires were ones who broke ties
with their coven and went off on their own. It seemed to Kelly that the coven kept vampires sane.
Bell called for Kelly. “Ready, sweetness?”
“Just a sec.” She turned to the women again. “I hope that we can get together sometime.”
“I’d love that,” Elizabeth said, giving her a hug goodbye. “You’ve got my information, so let me know when we can all get together. I could use a girls’ night.”
“Definitely,” Arissa said.
Margot and Arissa said goodbye to Elizabeth and then they all walked to the stairs, where Kelly thanked Rysk, Tyrant, Adriel, and the warriors. Then she turned to Atlas and started to pull off the ring.
“You can keep it,” he said.
“But it connects you to Jovina.”
“Yes, but you need it more than I do right now. When you translate the book, her memories will be of great help to you.”
“When are you going to do that?” Rysk asked. “Tyrant and I would like to offer our help.”
She looked at Bell and he shrugged. “Tonight after sunset?”
“Sure, sweetness,” Bell said. “I don’t think we should do it at the club, but Mishka will definitely ask to be there.”
“Oh, what about the storage facility?” Arissa said.
“What storage facility?” Bell asked.
Brone cleared his throat. “Mishka has a guarded facility where he keeps his collections. It’s a secret.”
“Oops,” Arissa said, her cheeks pinking. “Sorry.”
“It’s all right, beloved,” Brone said, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head. “The bears can be trusted to keep confidences.”
“Absolutely,” Adriel said. “Send me the address and I’ll make sure Rysk and Tyrant are there tonight.”
“Where are you staying?’ she asked Atlas.
“Here in the den,” he said.
She stared at him and her eyes got misty. “Thank you for helping me fight.”