by Eliza Gayle
“Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?” She took a step back trying to put a little distance between herself and Lawrence’s gun.
“Don’t be a stupid little bitch. You know exactly what this is about.” He raised the gun a little higher. “Power. You have more than you deserve and I want it.”
“What the hell are you talking about? How can you take my powers from me? I’m mated now. Killing me only takes them away from me.”
“Come on, girlie, I thought you were brighter than that. Don’t be so narrow minded.” When Kira failed to respond he continued. “The black witch you already mentioned. She's my ace in the hole. Why else would I need someone else to help get rid of you?” he replied.
At the mention of her, Lara burst through the trees, stopping just shy of plowing over Lawrence. With her eyes blazing red and hair standing on end, she looked more like a woman gone way over the edge than a criminal partner.
“’Bout time you showed up. I guess you still can’t even handle one little girl,” he sneered at Lara.
He might be using Lara to take care of his dirty work, but he clearly thought her less than dirt.
“Can you put a spell on her to prevent her from using her psi powers? I can feel her connection with that cat and if we don’t break that fast we're going to have a nasty little party here before we’re ready.”
Lara’s expression was thunderous towards Lawrence and Kira held her breath, waiting to see what she would do. She prayed for a break.
To her surprise, Lara didn’t move like she’d hoped. Instead, she did a quick chant and with a simply wave of her hand Lucas disappeared. Blocked from Kira’s mind. She was on her own.
Panic like she’d never known welled up in her throat, threatening to choke her. Remember your training. Remember your training. Stay calm.
“It’s done. I’ve temporarily bound her powers. It’s now or never because that spell won’t hold her long. You do know what will happen when you kill her, right? With their powers now bound together, if one dies they both die. It’s what will make them so powerful together. And I can't guarantee I can harvest any of it.”
Kira gasped. That couldn’t be right. She refused to believe such nonsense. Probably just the ramblings of a crazed witch hell bent on killing her.
“I could care less about her shifter. If he had followed the rules set up by the councils ages ago, he wouldn’t be in this mess. As for my pain in the ass stepdaughter, for you sake you better hope you can get what I need. I saved your life, now I want my payment.”
Lara said nothing, but Kira got the impression that this partnership stood on shaky ground, possibly giving her something she could work with.
Lawrence turned his gaze solely to Kira and he tightened the grip on his gun. “You’re coming with us right now. I need to take care of this without any more interruptions.”
Kira thought desperately for another solution. If they got her away from here, it would be all over for her.
“This isn’t going to work,” she said, hoping against hope to buy herself some time.
Where the hell was Lucas?
“Why wouldn’t it? It’s not the first time I’ve done it.”
Kira gasped at the darkness those words implied. She’d always known that somehow some way he’d changed her mother, but she had no idea it went this deep.
“You did this to my mother? But she’s so strong.”
He grinned. “That’s what everyone was supposed to think. Mind control is a tricky thing wouldn’t you say?” He shrugged. “At least I left her alive. You, I’m afraid, will not be so lucky.”
Jesus. His insanity went beyond evil and straight into crazy. Panic threatened to choke Kira as she reached frantically for her mate all while trying to find an alternate solution to this mess.
Well, if she couldn’t reach him mentally why not take the good old-fashioned way? Kira opened her mouth and released a bloodcurdling scream.
By the look on Lawrence’s face, she half expected him to shoot her in the face just to shut her up. Instead he raised his arm and cold cocked her with the butt of the gun. As she crumpled to the ground in agony, everything around her faded away in slow motion.
She’d failed.
37
Kira’s screams reverberated through Lucas’ head. He heard them mentally as well as physically. The pain of her fear ripped through his body as skin gave way to fur. His shift was instantaneous as well as uncontrolled.
He and Malcolm had been searching the area near the river for her when she screamed. With barely a glance to Malcolm, he sprinted after her. Blood thundered through his body as he raced to find her in time.
If even a hair on her head was hurt someone would die, slow and painful.
Lucas burst through the trees to find Lawrence dragging his unconscious mate by the hair. With nothing but blind fury in his mind, he leapt across the clearing to get to her before her stepfather had a chance to react. In one vicious move, Lucas sank his razor sharp teeth into Lawrence’s arm and, with the sickening sounds of bones and cartilage popping, he crushed the man’s arm, leaving it useless and unable to maintain a hold on Kira.
His bloodlust far from sated, he turned his attentions to the witch. She lifted her chin, meeting his angry gaze straight on as he stalked towards her. Electricity sparked from her fingertips as she prepared to strike at him.
She chuckled. “Fine by me you sick son of a bitch. You can be the first to pay. You Guardians judge innocents without a care to the consequences. Without a shred of proof. Now the not so innocent judges you.” Her eyes glowed red as she prepared for battle. “Today is the day you die for your crimes as a Guardian.”
Flinging her right arm at him, an energy ball came straight at his head. But he had the reflexes of the cat and easily avoided it by jumping out of its path. Too late, he realized his move left Kira exposed. Lara threw another ball at Kira, aiming for her heart. Lucas lunged across Kira to protect her just as the damaging energy hit his hind leg. He crumpled to the ground in front of Kira’s body, still trying to cover her.
He wasn’t dead but the damage was done. He couldn’t move. His flesh and fur burned in white hot agony as his body shifted back to human form. A raw and primitive grief for Kira consumed him as he watched helplessly as Lara prepared her final blow.
Wake up, Kira! You've got to move.
Lara rubbed her hands together, creating a blast the size of a bowling ball. This one was strong enough to go through both of them at the same time if he wasn’t mistaken.
When her arm cocked to deliver the final blow, she crumpled to the ground. Malcolm was left standing behind her holding a large tree branch he’d used to strike her down.
“About damn time you showed up.” Lucas’ tongue was heavy with sarcasm he didn’t really feel. In reality he was grateful to once again have his brother’s help.
Malcolm strode over to Lucas and surveyed the damage. After a few painful pokes and prods that must have satisfied him, he turned back to check on the others.
“What the hell? Where did she go?” Malcolm snarled.
They both searched the area. “She’s worse than a cat with nine lives. Looks like she’s disappeared on us again. Again.” Lucas groaned. He hated loose ends.
“She’ll be back. It sounds like she has a plan for us. Whatever the hell she thinks we’ve done, she’s pissed.”
"You're right about that, but she's not the only one." They jerked at the sound of Lawrence's voice and when Lucas turned he found the idiot had recovered the gun with his remaining good hand.
"You have got to be kidding.” Lucas growled.
"Shut up or I'll put a bullet in each and every one of you." He turned and pointed the muzzle at Kira's head. "Starting with her."
That uncontrollable rage rushed through Lucas' veins once again. Bloodlust ate at his mind. Any threat to his mate had to be eliminated. His growls turned to fierce cries that echoed through the forest as he tried to crawl and cover his ma
te's still form.
"What the—" Lawrence took a few steps back looking frightened while still holding the gun on Kira. "Stop whatever you're doing or I'll kill her." His hand trembled and Lucas feared the gun would go off anyway.
Their screeching yowls continued. For he and his brother there was nothing left but animal instinct.
"God. Every disgusting rumor about you filthy creatures was true all along. I can't believe we have to share anything with—
Lawrence's tirade stopped when Malcolm pounced, gripping him with his claws and tossing him to the ground like a rag doll. No more words were uttered as his brother bit into the throat of the man who no longer deserved to breathe the air on this earth.
38
Lucas felt Kira watch him pace. The thought of nearly losing her in the woods while he was out goofing off still tormented him. His brothers had recently finished with their questioning in the council chambers and now they all waited to hear their fate. To say every minute was nerve-wracking was a massive understatement.
“Lucas, you’re making me nervous.” Her voice held a slight tremor when she spoke.
“I’m tired of waiting. It’s taking them entirely too long to come to a decision. What more do they need? We answered every ridiculous question and then some. This is not a hard decision.” He stared at the chamber door, willing someone to walk through it.
“You would never last five minutes in the military with your attitude.” She laughed and the soft lilt of that sweet sound relaxed him a fraction. “Seriously, sometimes I think the entire military philosophy is built around hurry up and wait.”
“That’s not very logical.”
“You have no idea.” Again she spoke with a high voltage smile that lit up her face, transforming what could very well be a very bad day into a beautiful one. He was a damned lucky bastard to have her.
Desire arced between them as he stared down at her. They should be off alone somewhere doing what newly mated shifters do instead of wasting their time here on a group of grumpy old men steeped in traditions that no longer applied.
Their angry words and deep hatred still buzzed through his veins. Their fear of cross breeding remained intact as always and it seemed no exceptions would be made in his case. His status as Clan Guardian forced them to listen to what he said, but not all heard his words. Or cared.
Instead of thinking about the problem of their shrinking numbers and how to fix it, they were solely stuck in the past. Their system needed changes and it would either come from within or eventually the clans would fracture and a war would break out. Either way that wasn't happening today.
Which meant his priorities were changing as they stood here. No longer would Clan come first. His focus would be family and that would start with his beautiful mate. He didn’t fully comprehend what the future looked like, but his instincts told him they’d be better off together.
He started toward her.
The door to the council chambers opened with a loud creak and Nick, Kane’s childhood friend and Council mouthpiece, came sauntering out to them in the hall. “They will see you now.”
Lucas looked down to his brothers, who both nodded at him. For the first time in a long time they would stand together despite some of the residual animosity between them. Facing Malcolm’s role in the events that transpired would be difficult at best, but if they were all separated again now the rift would only grow, dividing them even further.
Malcolm and Kane filed into the room and Lucas turned to his mate. She looked at him with soft eyes filled with as much love as he felt. He had no choice but to tip his head down and press his lips gently to hers. A familiar spark fired as his tongue slid over her lips and her mouth opened on a small sigh. His senses filled with everything about her—her scent, her taste and her love. It was enough to bring a man to his knees.
“Come on, you two, you can get a room later,” Nick interrupted.
Lucas reluctantly released Kira’s mouth only to rest his forehead against hers.
“Whatever happens, we’ll be okay,” she reassured him despite the unease he sensed in her.
He nodded, grabbing her hand to follow Nick into the chamber. “We definitely will,” he reassured her.
When he stepped inside, the whole room reeked with old world tradition. The walls were lined with tomes filled with centuries of Scottish history as well as their newer American history from the last century or so.
He’d never felt a draw to visit the homeland of his ancestry, but every time he’d entered this chamber in the past he’d experienced a surge of pride in all those pieces of history that had shaped them into what they were today.
Now he had doubt. Fate had delivered Kira as his mate and these nine men giving him cold, hard looks saw that as a bad thing. He would never agree with that. No one liked change no matter how it shaped history and he suspected this was only the beginning. There would be more change to come whether they liked it or not.
“We have come to a decision.” Their leader delivered the simple statement in a cold, clipped tone. “In the case of Malcolm Gunn’s role in recent events including the unauthorized death of Lawrence Reid: we find his actions in general revolting but his motivations somewhat understandable. We also took his ultimate involvement in the protection of our Guardian against Mr. Reid and others under advisement and have decided to wave the expected death sentence.
Relief swept through Lucas. Maybe there was hope.
“Instead he will continue his banishment as originally sentenced until this council decides otherwise.”
Lucas started to protest. What the hell? Did they want a repeat of recent events? Kira squeezed his hand and a soft “don’t” filtered through his mind. He didn’t want to stand down, but he trusted his mate. He straightened his spine and resumed his blank and stoic appearance to the men in front of him.
“Secondly, in regards to the unfortunate and irrevocable mating between Lucas Gunn of Clan Gunn and Kira MacDonald of Clan MacDonald. We find you both have broken the covenant between clans and you both are ordered to banishment from the clan for a period of no less than one year. At which time the council will review the periodic medical tests you will be required to undergo to study the effects of combining your psychic powers. You will then reappear here for a secondary ruling at which time lifetime banning is still an option.”
Lucas stood there stunned. One year and then another hearing? He had expected far worse, but still the immediate loss of guardianship stung.
“Furthermore, with the clan loss of its guardian, Kane Gunn will be appointed to take over the role from his brother.”
The deafening silence in the room after the verdict made him twitchy, although he would never show it.
After a few more long tense minutes the leader stood. “Gentlemen, I suggest you all get your acts together and consider the clan repercussions of your actions from here on out. You won’t like the outcome if we have to do this again.”
One by one the Council filed out, leaving them to stand alone—but together.
After the council meeting, they’d gone in separate directions each needing time to deal with their fate. Lucas was grateful to be back home with Kira in the peace and quiet they needed as he struggled with his emotions.
Not only had mating caused their life forces to be linked, but their combined psychic powers were stronger than any documented. It was a little intimidating. He’d been further informed they would have to be extremely cautious until they learned how to develop and use their additional powers together. No wonder the Councils had always been so adamant about the races not mixing. These powers in the hands of a morally weak couple could wreak havoc on the clans as well as humans.
Under normal circumstances and with anyone else, their actions would have resulted in immediate and final banishment if not death by his hand. However, these weren’t exactly normal times. He was still surprised the ruling elders would allow the two of them with their enhanced powers to leave. It downright baff
led him.
Lucas stopped in his tracks at the far side of the cabin from Kira and turned back to face her.
God, he loved her. He needed to claim her. Again. Despite the fact they’d already been through the mating ritual, he still regretted it had been under duress. He wanted her to come willingly to him. His need built so strong until he thought his dick would rip through his jeans at any second. He throbbed with want to the point of pain. He needed her now.
So he stalked her. Slowly moving toward where she relaxed on his recliner. She looked so calm and serene while he was fighting to keep the animal on a leash. Except…
His nose caught the scent of his mate’s heat. She was faking that calm exterior. He growled with pleasure, knowing he wasn’t the only one who suffered. Without a word he scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom.
39
Lucas wasted no time or words on getting them to the bed. He spread her legs as he came down on top of her, positioning for maximum pressure against her hard little clit.
“Lucas,” she gasped. “We should talk. We have some serious logistics issues to figure out.”
“No, baby. Right now I’m going to fuck you. You are mine and I am yours, but if I don’t get inside you soon, I’m going to explode.” With those words whispered in her ear, she writhed out of control trying to find some much needed friction between her legs. Her core clenched at the thought of him driving inside her, taking what he needed, when he needed it.
God, she loved him.
Leaving no more time for thought, he covered her lips with his and drove his tongue deep into her mouth to tangle with hers. He tasted of outdoors, musk and man. It drove her wild. She flexed her hips up, causing added pressure from his cock against her aching need.
“More. I want more,” she begged. He grinned against her lips.
“I thought you wanted to talk.”
“Shut up, Lucas.”