by M. L. Briers
Gideon held out his hand and waited patiently for her to deliver the ring right into his palm. The moment that the warm gold touched his skin he closed it inside of his fist.
“That’s all I wanted.” Gideon went to turn away.
“In the interest of the health of whatever witch it is that you had in mind to draw on the power of that ring…” Kathy watched him slowly turn back towards her. His eyes narrowed. “I’ve spelled it. If a witch tries to pull on the magic within- she’ll die.”
“So, to protect a witch you’re willing to kill a witch?” Gideon tried to follow her logic.
“A witch that would deliberately try to steal another witch’s power, deserves what she gets.” Kathy knew that she didn’t have to tell him what they’d done, and maybe it wouldn’t be a disincentive for him to try to use the artefact, but there it was.
“Agreed.” Gideon nodded.
“What?” Kathy frowned.
“Little witch. You did all of this for nothing, or maybe it was just fate that led you on this fine dance to your mate’s door. Because I had no intention of ever letting this ring be used.”
“Say again?” Kathy’s tone turned sour.
“I collect artefacts such as this, not to be used, but so they can’t be used. But thank you for doing my work for me.” Gideon grinned as her eyes widened in disbelief. “Isn’t fate a funny old thing?” He teased her and her lower jaw dropped open slightly.
“You couldn’t have told me that…” Kathy ground out in annoyance.
“Now where’s the fun in that?” Gideon chuckled a moment before he was gone. That was one vampire that she would like to have zapped repeatedly. She heard the low rumble of her mate’s laughter and her head snapped around towards him as her eyes glared.
“That’s not funny.” She hissed at him.
“Kind of funny.” Joe offered on a shrug.
“Not even damn close.” She bit out.
She’d been had- by the vampire- by fate, and how she wished that she could go back and have a do-over. But what good would it do her? Fate would just find some other damn way to lead her right to this place, to this mate, and to the life that she was supposed to live.
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“You should have seen her face.” Joe chuckled as he recounted what had happened for the other Fae sitting around the kitchen table. His eyes flicked to Kathy the moment that she sighed and slumped back against her chair.
“So we went through all of that for nothing.” Kathy bit out.
“Not nothing.” Eleanor assured her. “We made sure that the ring couldn’t be used in the future.”
“Just in case the vampire- loses it again.” Selena grinned.
“Sticky fingers.” Joe coughed into his hand.
“Am not.” Kathy scowled at him.
“Go on, girl. Hit him again. He deserves it.” Leo teased. Joe growled.
“So very, very tempting.” Kathy gave Joe the stink eye.
“We’ve got a barn, and I’m sure there’s a pitchfork in there somewhere. Maybe you should take a leaf out of Selena’s book?” Leo chuckled. Now he had both men growling at him in annoyance.
“Hey, I was just defending myself…” Selena held up her hands and shook her head in denial.
“You should have seen Adrian swinging about on the top of that ladder. It was classic.” Eleanor giggled at the memory.
“He looked like one of those Koala Bears wrapped around a branch.” Selena added, much to her mate’s disdain.
“Selena…” He warned.
“Well, you did.” She shot back with a wicked little grin that made him horny. He grunted.
“Speaking of bears…” Eleanor pushed up to her feet and Leo shot up beside her.
“You’re not going anywhere near that man without me being there to protect you.” He growled. He’d rather keep the two apart, but this stalking thing had to stop before someone ripped someone else’s head off.
“You think you’re the best person to be there, considering your attitude towards him?” Eleanor questioned him with just a look.
“I promise I will try not to kill him.” Leo offered and she tossed up her hands.
“My point exactly.”
“Take Joe.” Kathy offered and her mate scowled.
“I had plans…” Joe said quickly.
“Not with me, you don’t.” She shot back, pulling her head back on her neck and raising her eyebrows. He went to open his mouth, but decided against it.
“I’ll go.” Adrian pushed upwards. “I don’t trust either of my brothers to keep a level head.”
“That’s…” Leo started, but Adrian cut him off.
“You can sit in the damn truck.” Adrian growled and Leo bit down on his annoyance.
“I’m happy with that.” Eleanor brightened and Leo rolled his head on his shoulders.
“Fine.” He growled out.
“Really?” She asked.
“No.” He grunted. “But I have little choice.” He added begrudgingly.
“Now you’re getting the idea.” Eleanor gave him a teasing smile; it caused him to huff like a stroppy pup.
“Great, well I’ll stay here and woo my mate.” Joe flashed her a smile as she turned her eyes on him.
“Dream on, wolf boy.” Kathy turned her nose up at the idea. The man was sex on a stick and her body was all too aware of what he could do to her. The best idea was to stay out of his way. “Where’s that pitchfork, exactly?” She shot a look at Selena and the woman chuckled.
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The moment that Greg laid his eyes on Eleanor his mood darkened. He’d been hoping to see her alone, but the two Lycans that flanked her was testament to the fact that those hopes were tossed out of the window. She showed no sign of worries or fears as she made her way towards him.
“Hey, Greg.” Eleanor went to step away from Leo but his arm came around her waist and he yanked her against his hip. She looked down to where they were joined and then slowly back up at his dark eyes. “Seriously, do you want to go sit in the car?”
Leo growled at the question. It wasn’t going to be an option that he could live with. He didn’t trust the bear shifter as far as he could throw him, and that was one damn big bear.
“Eleanor…” He warned.
“Eleanor, its fine.” Greg said. “I get that your mate would be cautious.”
“You got that right.” Leo growled and caught her elbow in his ribs for his trouble.
“He’s protective.” Greg had been discussing it with his alpha, and he got that his relationship with Eleanor was different now, but she grounded him, and he didn’t want to lose their friendship. “I’m being selfish, I get that…”
“No you’re not.” Eleanor went to take a step but Leo wouldn’t release her.
“He kind of is…” Leo muttered and she hissed up at him with another jab to the ribs, a more gentle one this time.
“We’re friends…” She offered.
“You’ve forgotten that your friend nearly…” Leo snapped off his words the moment that her head snapped back on her neck and she scowled up at him.
“I haven’t forgotten anything.” She hissed.
“I wanted to apologise for almost losing control of my bear…” Greg’s deep scowl matched his mood. He’d come to say goodbye to her for the last time. It was better that way.
“That’s…” Leo heard his mate’s attempt at a growl and stopped himself.
“It happens…” Eleanor said.
“To bears…” Leo muttered.
“Leo!” Eleanor twisted and turned against his hold until he let her go. Then she turned towards him and placed her hands on her hips as she berated him with a look of steely determination. “Greg’s my friend, and he’s always going to be my friend…”
“Eleanor…” Greg didn’t want to get between the mates.
“No, Greg. Leo has to understand that I don’t turn my back on the people I care about.”
She didn’t even look at him, she was more concerned with trying to get it through to her mate.
“I came to say goodbye.” Greg offered and Leo’s eyes snapped towards the man.
“What?” Eleanor’s voice softened.
“You have a mate now and I need to…”
“Butt out.” Leo grunted.
“Exactly.” Greg assured him.
“I’m not the kind of girl who drops her friends when she finds a man, Greg.” Eleanor started towards him and Leo went to reach for her, but she snapped her head around towards him and slapped his hand down.
“That’s not what this is.” Greg understood.
“Sure it is. You’re being the bigger man…” She turned her head back over her shoulder with an accusing look at her mate. “But I’m not going to stay away from you, so there’s nothing you can do about it.” Eleanor turned back to look at Greg. The man shifted uneasily on his feet. “How’s your bear doing?”
“Not- wonderful.” Greg admitted.
“You haven’t shifted since, have you?” Eleanor asked and Adrian cleared his throat as Leo shot a look at him.
“Not… no.” Greg admitted on a scowl that took his dark eyebrows down over his black eyes. Eleanor reached out and touched his hand and Leo growled in annoyance.
“It was an accident. You were trying to protect me from him.” She tossed a smile over her shoulder at her mate, Leo calmed a little. The woman had the kind of presence that could naturally do that to him, it was little wonder that Greg felt the same, even if he did begrudge it in the bear.
“I thought you wanted to leave, you said as much…” Greg muttered. Leo growled again.
“I did and I didn’t. I would never really have left my mate.” She gave a small shrug off her shoulders. Leo settled a little more.
“Yeah. I should have known that about you.” Greg dropped his eyes to the ground between them. He was more than ashamed of the way that he’d acted.
‘Geez, I might have to wipe away a damn tear.’ Leo growled through the link to his brother and Adrian groaned inwardly.
“We all need to put the past behind us and get over ourselves.” She turned her attention back towards Leo. Her eyes accused and he felt a rush of guilt for what he’d said a moment earlier. He was glad that she didn’t hear him. “All of us.” She aimed that firmly at her mate. Leo groaned inwardly.
“I don’t think your mate can do that, and I don’t blame him.” Greg shrugged those large shoulders. “I don’t know if I could.”
“Damn right.” Leo muttered and Eleanor rolled her eyes.
“For the love of… will you two just kiss and make up?” Eleanor hissed. Leo growled again.
“He’s not my type.” Greg grunted out each word.
“I got a mate, thanks.” Leo growled back. Adrian chuckled.
“See. You both have something in common, you’re both knuckleheads.” Eleanor smiled.
“They’re both shifters.” Adrian added.
“They’re both growly, moody, pups when the mood takes them.” Eleanor teased. Leo shuffled on his feet.
“Character assassination, thanks.” Her mate shot her a scowl.
“And they both want you in their lives, in their own ways.” Adrian offered that one to his brother. Leo bit down on his annoyance.
“Fine.” He growled out. “But if he so much as flicks out a claw when you’re around…” Leo growled on a shake of his head.
“Yea!” Eleanor bounced happily on the spot. She rushed over to Leo and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, going up on tip toes to be able to plant a quick kiss on his lips.
“You’re going to allow me…?” Greg looked shocked.
“Allow?” Eleanor turned and scowled at him. “He doesn’t own me, Greg. He’s my mate.” She raised her index finger and waggled it at the big man. “You’d better remember that when you meet your mate.” She warned him.
“That’s never…” He shook his head on his neck.
“Sure it is. And we need to keep working on your self-control with your bear in the meantime.” Eleanor chastised him and he dropped his head on his neck again and groaned.
“Do we have too?” He looked at her from under his eyebrows.
“Is that a good idea?” Leo half whispered.
“You haven’t shifted since I fell. I think it’s a must.” Eleanor gave a small shrug off her shoulders.
“She’ll bring a ladder and sit in a damn tree.” Leo growled and Eleanor chuckled.
“I don’t think that’s…” She started but Leo growled.
“Then I’ll be right there beside you…” Leo started and Greg groaned.
“Tree sounds good.” He offered and Eleanor let Leo win that one.
“Fine. Tree it is.” She grinned at her mate.
“Are you hungry, Greg?” Adrian offered. If Eleanor was going to be spending time with the man then they should all get to know him a little better.
“I’m a bear shifter.” Greg shrugged his broad shoulders and Adrian chuckled.
“Point made. Let’s go eat.” Adrian offered and everyone looked at Leo. The man shuffled on his feet some more.
“I could always get Selena to do that food smell spell- again…” She offered and Leo groaned.
“I could eat.” He offered somewhat reluctantly and his mate bounced up and down again. She was happy, and what made her happy made him happy. He was sure he could put up with a damn bear for a while, even if it did irk him.
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Kathy was curled up against the back cushions of the comfortable sofa in the living room. She was tired, but the thought of dragging her backside off to bed didn’t feel like a wonderful option to her. She just needed to rest her head for a while and let her body relax before each and every muscle decided to snap under the tension of the last few days.
She was in that glorious place where true sleep was but a heartbeat away and yet she was still able to drift in and out of the moment. It felt good, and she liked to hold onto that as long as possible before letting sleep claim her completely. She felt as light as air, as if she was drifting on a cloud… and then she felt her whole world shift about her as if she was falling off the edge of a cliff.
Her eyes snapped open. Her muscles clenched hard and she threw her arms out to try to stop herself from falling to her imaginary death. It took her brain a moment to register the pain in her hand to the deep grunt that came from close by her ear, but the rush of awareness of her body against his sent the bells ringing inside of her mind.
“What the…?” She snapped.
“Can you envision a time when you’re not going to want to slug me?” Joe’s deep growl rumbled beneath his words and through her body.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
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“No.” Kathy bit down on the wish that she’d been fully awake and able to witness hitting him a moment ago. The man was annoying her in ways he could never image.
She’d snapped back to the reality that she was hovering over the sofa; half in and half out of his arms, but instead of placing her back down against the cushions he’d carried on lifting her upwards. Now she was against the solid wall of muscles in his chest and she didn’t want to like the feeling, and yet couldn’t help it.
There was a rush of excitement within her. A jolt of electric that gave her womb a wakeup call, and that damn tingle over every inch of her skin that told her that he was her mate… because she really needed to be reminded.
“Can you try to limit the damage to me and not you? I don’t want to feel guilty because you gave me a couple of black eyes and broke your hand in the process.” Joe teased her with a winning smile and she felt that warm glow right down to the tips of her toes.
“You can put me down now.” Kathy didn’t like the fact that she was at a disadvantage.
“I can?” He teased. “Gee, thanks. You were getting a little heavy.” He saw the frown snap onto her forehead as she stared at him with disbelief.
“Excuse me?” She swallowed hard. She knew she was a little curvy for her height, and sure, if she was another half a foot taller then she’d be in proportion, but he didn’t need to point out her lack of stature that way.
“Oh, don’t get me wrong, sweetheart, I love a curvy woman…”
“Oh my God, you didn’t just…?” She practically growled at him.
“And I can’t wait to navigate all of those curves and…”
“Navigate?” She squeaked.
“Like a ship on the ocean, there’s a lot to explore…” He grinned and his eyes sparkled with amusement, but she wasn’t laughing.
“Y-o-u, put me down!” She hissed. He dismissed that demand and started for the door.
“Well now, I could, but I figure if I do that I’m more than likely to get my backside zapped…”
“Ya think?” She narrowed her eyes on him.
“From the acid tone of your voice and the stink eye that I’m getting, I’d say it’s a good bet.” He kept going. Out into the corridor and towards the back of the house.
“I wouldn’t bet against it.” She muttered.
“There you go then. But, while I have you in my arms, and I’m carrying you, I’m less likely to feel the whip of pain from your magic…” He grinned harder.
“You gotta put me down sometime, genius.” She would have folded her arms across her chest if she could, but that solid chest of his left no room for that.
“And here’s the plan…” Joe rounded the corridor and made his way towards the bedroom.
“Oh, there’s a plan?” She shot him another glare.
“There is now.” He grinned harder. “Seeing as I was being a gentleman and carrying you to bed- so you didn’t get a crick in your neck from sleeping on the couch- I thought I’d continue to do that…” He rounded the bedroom door and noted the way her eyes darted about the familiar room.
She’d been there before, but with him on the outside of the glass. Now he was inside there was a rush of excitement within her body that filled her with a heat that made her want to fan herself from head to toe. She wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of knowing that.