Chapter 13
Mum cooked a big roast with all the trimmings and made a birthday cake. Kass had wanted to go out and even said he’d pay, but she’d insisted.
For the most part, it was like any other family dinner. There was the usual chatter about work and school and what he was up to, but there was something else too. They handed over presents—a gift voucher to his favorite clothing store—as though nothing was wrong. It was only as he was enjoying the cake and coffee that he realized no one, not even Meaghan, had asked about his love life. There was usually some teasing if he was bemoaning being single, or questions about the current boyfriend if he was dating.
A look passed between his parents. Kass glanced at his mother, but it was his father who spoke. “We’ve been looking into the snow leopards.”
Kass put down his coffee. Now he understood why they’d wanted to have his birthday dinner at home. “Oh? And what have you discovered?”
Like he hadn’t done his own research. He doubted they’d uncovered anything more than him. But even they’d only found a fraction; none of it was good.
“They are from Russia and mixed up in a lot of crime. They brought it with them.”
Kass nodded. “I know. Bailey’s trying to get out.”
“He stole your wallet,” Meaghan added unhelpfully.
Kass cut her a glare. The wallet was ancient history, but would he have been so quick to forgive if there was no magic between them? He couldn’t answer that. Nor could he answer if the attraction would burn so bright. Bailey wasn’t anything like the guys he normally dated.
“It’s organized crime, Kassidy. You don’t want to become mixed up in that,” his father said.
“What are you trying to tell me? What do you want me to do?” But he already knew what they’d ask.
His father stared at him. “It might be best for you to sever the bond.”
“Before he drags you down, or gets you killed. That’s what they do. They kill witches and take their power,” Mum said.
“There’s nothing wrong with having no magic. Meaghan and I manage.” Dad smiled, but it was strained at the edges.
“He might have been trying to trap you, the bond nothing but an accident that messed up his plans.” Mum had the decency to look genuinely concerned.
Kass clamped his teeth together, but the anger simmered beneath his skin. Did they think he hadn’t considered all of this? Deliberated on the implication of keeping the bond and breaking it? “What about the bad luck from going against the Fates’ wishes?”
What if he never found anyone because he’d tossed away the one? Not that they’d agreed to be anything more than witch and familiar. That was a whole other conversation that couldn’t happen until Bailey got out. It was a good thing they didn’t know Bailey had been stabbed. They’d only be more insistent.
“That’s just fairy tales.”
“So am I to most people.” He stabbed at his cake, but no longer had the stomach for it. “I went for a shoot yesterday. I didn’t use any magic. Do you know how well I can do my job without it? I can’t.” He shoved his chair back. “You talk of living without magic as if it’s nothing. And maybe if you haven’t tasted it, it doesn’t matter, but would you give up an eye? A hand? How about your hearing?”
“Kass…” His mother reached for him and he jerked away.
“I know about the crime. But I also know him. We’ve had this bond for close to a year. A year of feeling his hopes and fears, of sharing the magic between us. I trust him.”
“His family—”
“He only has a grandmother; the rest are humans who’ve learned enough about shifters and witches to be dangerous.” He’d killed two in car accidents. The lack of guilt concerned him, but what were two more dead on his tally board? He took out criminals and warlords, soldiers and men who’d kill him without a second thought. The men in the cars were no different. “They aren’t going to come after me.”
“What did you do?”
“Gave them a warning.” Is that why Bailey had been stabbed? No…the timeline was wrong. He’d been stabbed soon after his sentence reduction. His family had wanted him to rot, no doubt hoping he’d return with his tail between his legs.
“Oh God.” His father leaned back and stared at the ceiling. “You can’t mess with people like that.”
“They didn’t leave me any choice.” And neither did his family. “You didn’t ask if I want to keep the bond. If I want to be more than being only witch and familiar.”
“You can’t possibly…” His mother put her hand over her heart. “Think about who you’d be tying yourself to. You have a career in the army—”
“Which you didn’t want me to have in the first place. And which I won’t have without magic. I know what’s at stake. I get it. I do. But it’s his life too.”
“He’ll use you. In three years’ time you’ll be fighting to hang on to your car when he leaves. Or worse, surrenders you to his family.”
“I’ll take your warning under consideration. Thanks for dinner.” He stalked out, biting back his anger, knowing Bailey would never be invited. If he brought him uninvited, his parents would seethe. The cold night air made his arms pop up in gooseflesh.
“Kass, wait.” Meaghan ran out the front door.
“What?” He didn’t need dating advice from his younger sister.
“They’re worried.”
“Yeah, I got that.”
“I’ve never seen you so wound up about a guy.”
“Maybe it’s the bond.”
“Can you really sense him?”
He nodded. “Bits of thoughts, emotions, sometimes snippets of scenery.” If they practiced, they’d improve and be able to do more. He wanted to go for another run because that had been amazing.
“Do you love him?”
“I don’t know.” He wasn’t sure what was between him and what was Bailey, but the gap left when Bailey was in surgery had been terrifying and painful. But was that love? He wasn’t sure. He was only twenty-four.
She studied him; her face masked by shadows. “You want the chance to find out.”
“I think so. It happened for a reason. Our magics must mesh or something. I don’t want to break it and regret it. I don’t want to give up my job either.”
“I used to want magic so bad. But I’m kind of glad I don’t have any, as it seems like a pain in the ass.”
He smiled. “Pretty much, though it has uses.”
“Remember when Mum found out you’d won the interschool tennis.”
“I thought she’d ban me from using magic forever.” Witches never became professional sports people, as there were too many cameras that caught every action; one wrong move and they’d be exposed.
“She didn’t stay mad forever.” She leaned in and gave him a hug. “And she won’t this time either.”
Bailey sat opposite Kass. As much as he hoped that Kass would come and see him again, he hated that they were surrounded and unable to touch. Yeah, he was there for a reason and unlike many, he didn’t make excuses or claim to be innocent. But the need to touch his witch burned. His fingers curled, remembering the way Kass had held his hand for those few minutes in hospital.
“How are you?” Kass smiled. “You look better this time.”
“That’s not hard. I was half dead.”
“Did they catch the guy who did it?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I think he was getting assessed because he kept ranting about covens.” He tried to make light of it, but his family had gotten to him in prison, and were pissy because his sentence had been shortened. “Happy Birthday for last week.”
“You remembered?”
“I would’ve got you something, but the shops are terrible in this place, and I don’t recommend the restaurants either.”
Kass gave a low laugh. “Not long to go now. Then we can go out for dinner.”
Bailey stilled and Kass watched him with wide eyes like he’d suddenly realized what he’d said. W
ould he try to take it back? Did he let it slide or pounce? He resisted for a few more seconds, then made sure his voice was low. “Like a date?”
Kass nodded.
“I’d like that.” He studied Kass, looking for the twitch or the tell that would reveal that wasn’t quite what he meant.
The smile returned. “Good.”
“But?” Bailey could taste it between them.
“My parents are giving me a hard time. They want me to give it all up.” He held Bailey’s gaze.
“Everything? Why would they want that?”
“Because of your family. They think it’s too dangerous for me—and they don’t know you got stabbed.”
Bailey studied the table. “They might be right. I don’t know what they’ll do when I get out. I can’t imagine they’ll let me walk away.”
“So what are you going to do?”
He looked up. “I have no idea.” He understood why Kass’s parents didn’t want them dating, and he agreed with them even though he never wanted to let Kass go. “I may not able to find work because of this, and I don’t want to stay in the state. But you live here.”
“We’ll figure it out.”
Would they, when the world seemed to be against them? Maybe the Fates had made a mistake.
Kass leaned closer. “Did you want to make plans for Friday? Are you up for a run?”
He wished he was, because running with Kass was amazing. “No, I’m full of stitches and I’ve been told not to do anything strenuous because tearing them will lead to internal bleeding. Who knew pens could do so much damage?”
“Anything pointy can do damage.”
“Do you want to do something else?” He lifted an eyebrow. Hoping that Kass wanted to get magically naked with him. When he got out, he wanted to be skin to skin, because he was so done with waiting.
Kass grinned. “I don’t want you to rip a stitch.”
If it meant getting laid—in person—he’d unpick them himself. “I might rip a stitch in frustration.”
“Ten okay, or do you need it to be later?”
Bailey nodded. “Ten is fine. Is it weird to be setting up these times?”
“Better than being caught unaware.”
“Right back at you.” There’d been a few times he’d been aware that Kass was getting off, and he’d tried not to think about who it was with. They weren’t really dating, so he didn’t have the right to ask, but he wanted to. It burned within him.
“Awkward side effects no one ever discusses.” Kass glanced at his watch. They were running out of time.
“If you’d known, would you have still kissed me?”
“I don’t know, would you?”
Bailey shook his head. “But I’m glad I did. I needed to learn the truth, not just my family’s fears.” He didn’t regret anything that had happened over the last year. He’d woken up, and he was ready to live.
Chapter 14
When release day finally arrived, Bailey didn’t trust he’d actually be let out. He wouldn’t believe it until he was standing on the other side of the fence. All of his things were handed back to him, including Kass’s wallet, and marked off the list. He was able to put on his clothes but found that his jeans and shirt were too tight. He’d spent too much time at the gym.
Then he signed some papers, and he was done. Free…
Except for having to meet with his parole officer next week, but he was never going back inside.
The first thing he saw was his grandmother standing near the gate, waiting. She didn’t drive, which meant she had one of the men with her. He cast his gaze about the carpark until he saw Gold Watch in the car. She had some nerve. She hadn’t visited, not once. No phone call, no letter, and now she expected him to go with her and fall into line?
Anger bubbled beneath his skin and his arms broke out in blotches. He wanted to be able to turn away like she was dead to him, but couldn’t. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, but he didn’t know where to start.
And every word would be a waste of his breath, anyway. She wouldn’t listen.
Gran smiled like she was happy to see him and took a step toward him.
Bailey drew in a breath and turned away. She had abandoned him; he should feel no guilt in doing the same.
He felt Kass nearby and hoped it wasn’t his imagination.
Kass got out of a nice SUV and they met in the middle of the carpark, one meter between them. Could he fling himself into Kass’s arms—he’d imagined doing that so many times, but now the moment was here he wasn’t sure of the ground he was standing on.
Bailey scuffed his worn-out runner on the asphalt. “I wasn’t sure you’d be here.”
“Where else would I be?” Kass closed the distance and pulled Bailey close. His delight rippled through Bailey, and he wanted to purr.
Bailey leaned into him and inhaled Kass’s scent, listened to his heartbeat and didn’t want to move. They’d never had the chance to be together. But he was real and here, and not a figment of magic and desire. He tilted his head and claimed Kass’s lips. There was no world jolting spark this time. There didn’t need to be. Kass kissed him like they didn’t need to ever breathe again.
“What are you doing?”
Bailey drew back and turned at the sound of Gran’s voice. “Leaving.”
“You don’t need him. He’s bad for you. Come home before you get in more trouble.”
“Is that another threat?” Kass’s hand slid around his, their fingers lacing together like they’d done it a thousand times before. “Tell your friends that if they set me up again, I will tell the cops everything. The only reason I didn’t this time is because they threatened to kill you. I saved you, but you didn’t do the same for me. You were quite happy to damn me for life.” He nodded toward the waiting car. “I’m done.”
“But we’re family.” Her face crumpled.
“So why didn’t you act like it?”
“I was protecting you from people like him.” She jerked her chin at Kass. “People who will use you.”
“We have company. We need to go.” Kass tugged on his hand.
Bailey noticed four other people now in the carpark. Two of them were shifters. And Gold Watch was leaning on his car. “There're cameras everywhere, you don’t want to make a scene.”
“Cameras are good for evidence, not a good deterrent.” Kass took a few steps toward his car, and Bailey followed.
The others had moved closer, knives glinted in their hands.
Gold Watch put his hand on the back of Gran’s neck and a blade at her side. “Bailey, Kassidy, get in my car and no one gets hurt.”
Bailey’s heart lurched. But if he saved her, he was damning himself and Kass. “They want your magic.”
“Yeah, and they aren’t getting it.” Kass released his hand.
“Got a plan?”
“Beyond getting in the car and running, no. You?”
The people with knives were moving closer. He couldn’t watch them all.
“Sounds like a good plan. Now?”
“Yeah, now.”
They broke into a run to cover the ten meters to Kass’s SUV. A knife flew through the air but clattered to the ground in front of them. A leopard cut them off. He grinned; knife held ready for slashing. Bailey turned, so they were back to back, fists clenched.
The three others approached, and one retrieved his knife from the ground.
“You can’t win this Bailey. Her blood will be on your hands,” Gold Watch said.
“Don’t listen. You aren’t the one holding the knife,” Kass said.
“I know…” but it wasn’t easy. She’d been the only family he’d known. He hadn’t realized how fucked up that was until he’d been about ten. Soon after he’d realized he wasn’t human, and neither was she, and for a few years he needed her. Now all she had to offer was fear. A cage without bars.
Kass passed him the car key. “I’ll deal with this; you get in the car.”
“How w
ill you—”
The leopard shifter blocking the way charged, slashing the air. Then he seemed to trip past them and into one of his friends. The scent of blood filled the air. Then the others attacked.
Bailey hesitated.
“Go, I’ll be right behind you,” Kass urged.
He ran the last couple of meters to the car and turned. The other attackers tripped into each other, like they were skidding on ice. Kass walked backward. Watching them, but otherwise not moving.
What the fuck?
Knowing Kass was a telekinetic witch was one thing, but seeing it was another. Bailey closed his eyes; he knew how the pen he’d been stabbed with had ended up lodged in the tree. He’d done it. He’d used Kass’s magic the day of the attack without realizing.
“Stop moving.” Gold Watch yelled. “He can only control you when you move.”
It took a few seconds for the words to sink in. All of them were bleeding from various cuts, and all of them had murder in their eyes. But they froze.
Gold Watch dug the knife into Gran’s side and blood bloomed. She whimpered.
“Is this how it’s going to be?” Gold Watch asked.
Bailey glanced at Gold Watch, then Gran. They were still playing their games and making their threats. He shrugged. “I guess so.”
Then he turned and opened the car door.
Kass got in on the other side.
“You’re an abomination,” Gran yelled. “Even your mother didn’t want you.”
Bailey froze and then glanced back. “What?”
“She left you behind when she ran.”
He smiled. “I’m glad she left. Now I am. If you come after me, or Kass, or his family, or anyone I know, I will bring the Coven to your door. If my whiskers twitch, or I smell you, I will tell them. You might have a dirty cop or two, but they have people everywhere. You are human playing with magic that isn’t yours.”
Gold Watch snarled and flung the knife at Bailey.
He lifted his hand and felt the forces at play, the gravity and speed of the knife, but it was Kass that sent it spinning away.
He gave Gran one final glare, then got into the SUV and shut and locked the door. He took a breath and let the adrenaline settle as Kass started the car. His jeans were cutting him in half. He undid the top button of his jeans, before buckling in.
Warlords, Witches and Wolves: A Fantasy Realms Anthology Page 77