Taking both plates, I carry them over to put on the table, then hold her chair out for her. Once she’s seated, I grab the coffee pot and bring it over to top off both of our mugs. “Need anything else, sweetheart?” I ask, taking the pot back over to the counter.
“Come sit and eat, sugar bear, before it gets cold,” she replies, smiling at me. I return to my chair then spend a few minutes doctoring my pancakes. Her soft giggle makes me grin; I’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth, so I tend to drown my pancakes. “It’s a good thing that shifters don’t really need any kind of medical care. If you were human, a dentist would have a field day with you as much sugar as you ingest.”
“Trying to live up to my nickname,” I tease, smirking at her. “You’re the one who started me down this path, after all, when you decided to call me ‘sugar bear’, my delectable enchantress.”
“Oooo, I like that one,” she teases. “In fact, I like everything you call me, Beast.”
“I like calling you mine best,” I state before digging into the food on my plate. “I have no clue how you manage to make these so damn fluffy,” I say once I’ve chewed then swallowed what I crammed into my mouth. “It’s a mystery because I’ve never been able to manage it.”
“You forgot an ingredient is all.”
I crook my brow at her. “What could I possibly forget to add?” I wonder.
“Love, Beast. Everything I make for you, for us, has that added ingredient in it.”
“I like that.”
“Me too, my handsome mate.” We finish eating then work together to clean the kitchen. Even though it’s not full, she decides to run the dishwasher while I pull the garbage then grab anything out of the fridge that could possibly spoil before we return. Our hope is that it’ll be a quick in-and-out mission, but as Mav stated during our meeting, it’s always better to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Making sure that we’ll come home to a house that isn’t reeking of spoiled food is one thing within my control. While I’m doing that, I see Esmerelda head down the hall to our room. Once I have the trash taken care of, I follow her to see what she’s up to since our bags are already at the front door only to find her remaking the bed.
“Esme, I made the bed already,” I say, walking over to my side to help pull the comforter into place.
“I know, Beast, but then I got to thinking it would be nice to come home to fresh sheets, so I figured I’d take care of it while you were handling the trash. I realize I could just wave my hands, but this is something I enjoy doing.” I don’t say anything because she reiterates that very thing every time I do, I just lend a hand to help her out. “I’ve already cleaned the bathroom, but I did use my magic for that,” she teases. “Don’t need my hands getting chapped from scrubbing.”
“No you don’t. I like those smooth hands on my body. Not sure I could handle rough, calloused fingers,” I retort, winking at her. Once we’re done straightening our room, she takes my hand and pulls me close. Leaning up, she kisses me, and I taste the minty freshness of her breath against my tongue. She always tastes good to me, though. “You ready?” I gruffly ask, my body wishing we could stay and play a bit but my mind already on the task at hand.
“As ready as I can be.”
Esmerelda
Because we’re leaving so early, not many are up and around. With six of us, we end up in two SUVs, Kash driving one and Charisma the other. Tabatha is going to meet us at the airport. I’m hoping the flight will give us sufficient time to make sure we’re a cohesive unit. Her skills are legendary, but so are mine, not to toot my own horn. I’m confident that we’ll be able to do our part to rescue my family. As the men chat, my mind drifts back to when I was a child.
“Esmerelda, child, the cards have told me you’re destined for great things,” Granny said, looking at me from across the table.
“What does that mean?” I asked.
She smiled while shaking her head. “Child, you know that’s not how it works,” she chided. “How long have I been doing your cards?”
I stopped and thought for a minute then declared, “Ever since I started talking, Granny.”
“And what did I tell you then?”
“That the cards show us our future, but not everything and depending on what we choose to do, things can sometimes change,” I recited. She had drilled that into my head from my earliest memory, so while I didn’t understand when I was very young, now I have a better grasp on what she meant.
“Yes, you’ve learned well,” she praised. Smiling, she holds out her hand. “Come, child, let’s go see if the practice you’ve been doing on your spells will yield any results.”
My smile is bittersweet as memories continue to assail me about time I spent under my grandmother’s tutelage. When witch hunters had found and killed my parents, I ended up living with her on a full-time basis. The only reason I was spared was I was with her that weekend. Once I was there daily, our lessons took on an intensity as if she knew her time in this world wouldn’t be long. Shortly after I turned thirty, she passed, leaving me on my own but with a wealth of knowledge to guide my way. The cards had been right; for many years, I watched over Landry, then when she and Paxton found each other, I stayed, adding them then the others into my circle of people I watch and care for.
“You okay, Esme?” Beast’s voice breaks into my reverie, causing me to look up and nod.
“I’m good, sugar bear,” I reply.
“You seemed lost in thought,” he remarks.
“Just remembering my granny,” I say.
“I bet she was something if you’re anything to go by.”
“She was the absolute best,” I whisper. I discreetly swipe an errant tear that tries to fall.
“You need to tell me about her, sweetheart,” he continues, ignoring the other vehicle passengers as though we’re the only two people inside. That’s another thing I love about my mate; he’s always attentive to me, uncaring whether or not we’re alone.
“I will. Let’s get Leigh and Ice home, that’s our focus right now.”
He nods but shoots me a wink letting me know that for now, he’s going to table this discussion but he’ll come back to it once the imminent danger is over.
Before I realize it, we’re pulling into the private airfield where the jet we’re using is waiting to take us into the unknown. Taking a deep breath, I undo my seatbelt once Kash has pulled into a parking spot and shut the SUV down so when Beast opens my door, I’m ready for him to pull me into his arms. He kisses me deeply then pulls back and says, “Love you, my sexy, sassy sorceress. Never forget that fact.”
“I love you too, Beast, and think I’ll remember long after I return to dust,” I murmur, leaning up and kissing his jaw. “Now, we’ve got family to save.”
“That we do, my mate. That we do.”
It takes a bit for everyone to arrive, so I sit in a comfortable, leather seat that’s more like a recliner you’d find in someone’s house than a plane and mentally go through all the spells I know, worrying that maybe I’ve forgotten something. I sense someone and look up to see a woman gliding toward me. Instinctively, I know it’s Tabatha and breathe a sigh of relief. “You must be Esmerelda,” she says, holding out her hand. I grasp it in mine and feel the power coursing between us. “Ah yes, I think we’re going to be just fine,” she murmurs. “May I sit? I figure we can spend the trip figuring things out.”
“Absolutely. I was just mentally going through spells as well as what I packed,” I admit when she sits beside me.
“Colton indicated that you expressed concern about what we may be facing,” she says once she’s comfortable.
“Have you ever done a location spell and had something attempt to come through as though it’s seeking you? That’s what happened the night I was awakened with the sense that Leigh and Ice had been captured. The pure vileness of what was trying to come through has me worried that we’re going up against extremely dark magic,” I state.
“We won’t take that out of the
equation, but I suspect between the two of us, we’re sufficiently powerful to eradicate any kind of threat,” she asserts.
“I agree, especially knowing your reputation within the Rogue Enforcers. Maybe it’s because they’re family to me?” I ponder.
“Probably so. I’ve brought things as well so I’m sure we’ll have anything we can possibly require to save your people,” she says. “I understand you’re mated to that behemoth of a man out there,” she continues, pointing to where Beast is assisting Maverick with the bags, cramming them into the overhead bins.
I giggle, a sound that was so foreign before he came barging into my life and nod. “Yes, that’s my sugar bear,” I confide, leaning in so no one overhears.
“Esme, you’re dinging my street cred again with that nickname,” he calls out, causing me to roll my eyes. I tend to forget that shifters have superior hearing, a fact that he’s so nicely called me out on. Tabatha giggles at his words and we share a ‘what can you do with them?’ look which settles deep into my soul.
We’re going to be fine.
We’ll find Leigh and Ice and bring them home.
“Yes, we are,” Tabatha states out loud. Instead of saying anything further, she pats my hand.
Once everything is finally loaded up and everyone is seated, the flight attendant comes on the intercom system and goes through the safety protocols as the plane’s engine warms beneath us. The pilot then tells us we’ll be in the air for several hours so after we reach cruising altitude, the flight attendant will come around with the beverage and snack cart. I can hear the others talking, solidifying their plans so I turn to Tabatha and say, “I think we need to have our own plan. Here’s what I was thinking.”
Beast
I’m paying attention to what Maverick’s saying, but my eyes never stray from where Esmerelda and Tabatha sit, their heads close together as they go over their own plans. Neither of them noticed, but when they first clasped hands, I saw a multi-colored aura surround them and immediately, my stress about the situation dissipated. I suspect that even though she thinks they’re not an integral part of this operation, the abilities these two yield will ensure our ultimate success.
“So the caiman pod will meet us at the airstrip, correct?” Paxton asks.
“Yeah, by then they should have the information that we need,” Mav replies. “I do know we’ll have to get on a skiff to travel to the location Esmerelda was somewhat able to pinpoint on her last attempt to find them.” I nod; my mate hasn’t stopped trying to narrow our focus so that we have the best possible scenario.
“Why a skiff? Wouldn’t a river boat be faster?” Landry asks.
“Because we’re trying to get close without detection. Beast? Esmerelda and Tabatha will need to do some kind of masking spell so that we’re not seen or heard,” Mav states.
“I’ll go let them know,” I reply, standing from the lounge area to walk up to where the two women sit, engrossed in their planning. “Esme?” I call out, not wanting to startle either of them thirty thousand feet in the air and cause them to react magically.
“What’s going on? Is something wrong?” she questions.
“No, but Mav feels you two will need to employ a masking spell so that the bad guys don’t hear or see us coming. Is that possible?” I ask.
The woman I know is Tabatha makes a raspberry sound but nods. “That’s one of the first spells I learned. What about you, Esmerelda?” she inquires, looking at my mate.
“Yes, my granny was my mentor and that was the very first spell she taught me.” I watch her start to laugh as a memory obviously hits her. “The funniest one was when I masked the local school because it had snowed but the administrator wouldn’t close it. I wanted my friends home so we could play. Imagine the principal’s surprise and shock when he pulled into the parking lot only to see no building where the Friday before, an elementary school stood!”
Peals of laughter ring out from both women, Esme as she thinks of the expression that the principal undoubtedly wore, Tabatha as she envisions the chaos that likely ensued. “So what ended up happening?” Tabatha finally asks once she’s regained control of herself.
“Well, he called the superintendent and told him what was going on, then he yelled for a bit until finally, they decided to cancel school for a few days.”
“How did you know what happened?” I question, my curiosity aroused.
“Oh, I was there but also masked. Granny wanted me to see what happened.” She shrugs. “Regardless, we had more snow fall which cancelled school for the week, so I unmasked the school two days later. So much fun.”
“Okay, since you ladies have this under control, I’m going back to the others.”
“Thank you, sugar bear.” My lip tilts upward as I nod. She continues, “You reminded me that I’ve got plenty of power, but with Tabatha beside me, we’re going to come out the victor.”
“Any time, Esme. I’ve got you,” I reply. Once I’m back with the others, I state, “They’ll take care of it when we’re on the ground.”
“What was so funny?” Connelly asks.
I relay the story Esme told which soon has the others laughing so hard, some are wiping away tears. “That is so fucking cool!” Landry states. “Can you imagine the parents who were there dropping off their kids?” That sends us all into more laughter, something I think we needed to break the tension we’re all feeling. Especially Mav as it’s his sister who is in the clutches of an apparent madman based on all we’ve uncovered about one Ennis Boatwright.
He’s a sick, twisted motherfucker, one who needs to be annihilated. Even before he got involved in this perverted scheme to harm shifters, he’s always been cruel to those around him and was banned from the streak he belonged to at an early age. Since tigers are relatively social, that drove him underground. Idly I wonder if he was responsible for the rash of hunters who destroyed several shifter encampments then decide that since they were tigers, he most likely had a hand in it which is another mark against his black soul.
“What are we doing with him if we manage to capture him?” Connelly asks.
“I’d like to skin him alive, inch by inch,” Maverick growls out. “With my claws.”
“But we won’t as much as we’d like to,” Paxton asserts. “No, we’ll turn him in to the shifter council to face their judgment. Although, I’m hoping they’ll realize that for him, there can be no rehabilitation. He’s done too much to too many, so I think he’ll have a death sentence placed on him.”
“Hopefully they carry it out quickly,” Landry replies. “Someone like him doesn’t deserve to continue breathing. We all have the right to live, and it breaks my heart that he’s been responsible for the death of so many. I may not have been a shifter my whole life, but knowing now that I’ve been protected by them, um, us? Yeah, I want him stopped.”
“Bloodthirsty little panther, aren’t you?” her mate, Paxton inquires, a grin on his face.
“Absolutely. Those he’s hurt had families too. Not only that, but do you really think humans would take it well if they found out there were those among them that could shift into an animal? I know if I were still human, it would freak me the fuck out.”
The rest of the flight goes off without a hitch. Once we land and disembark, the humidity slaps us all in the face. I see my mate stumble slightly, so I quickly spin my fingers in his direction to put a cooling spell on him. Ice is likely in the same condition, but I can’t reach him through our link. Still, I pull Tabatha aside and let her know that we have to try. While the men load our bags into two SUVs that are being driven by the people Colton said would meet us, she and I go off to the side.
“Cooling winds prevail, give Ice a gale. Let him relax and know, his family is here to save him from the foe. So mote it be,” we chant. When I sense that our spell is in place, I step toward Beast. “Sugar bear? I just put the same spell on Ice with Tabatha’s help that I used on you, but he’s in bad shape.” I could sense Leigh’s distress and tapped int
o her briefly, getting a visual of Ice, slumped over despite being chained to a wall. “He’s shackled against a wall, looks almost haggard, covered in more sweat than is healthy,” I impart, looking up at him. The fear that briefly crosses his face makes me clutch his arm. “We’ll help him once we have them both safe. I promise you this, my mate.”
“I know you will, sweetheart.” He leans in and kisses me, and I can feel my face flush. Could be the heat, could be a rise in passion but based on the seriousness of our mission, I’m leaning toward the former.
Beast
I’m grateful she placed a cooling spell on me; that first slap in the face from the heat and humidity had my bear growling and miserable. I cannot imagine how Ice has been seeing as he’s been here for days, not mere minutes.
“Alright, let’s load up,” Maverick calls out. I take Esmerelda’s hand in mine, lacing our fingers together. It finally dawned on me that we draw strength for our abilities from our mating bond, so I want her to get as much from me as possible. I know she and Tabatha will be working together apart from the rest of us; this is the best I can do to help her. We load into the two SUVs and I’m introduced to Caio, our driver.
“Beast, is it? My cousin, Rufus, is at the location where your people are being held,” he says, expertly navigating us away from the private airstrip we landed at before he maneuvers onto a state highway. “He’s communicated that in addition to them, there are a dozen others being kept in captivity. So far, it looks as though they’re all being held, nothing’s really been done to them.”
Esmerelda: A Rogue Enforcers Novel Page 6