by E A Price
Kurt was probably just sleeping said her rational side. Probably lying in bed, the covers pooled around his waist, his ripped chest heaving up and down… darn it!
Perhaps Kalinda’s Magical Emporium had something for an overactive libido.
*
Kurt said goodbye to Chad and jogged the couple of blocks home. Nice guy, but not Sydney’s type he decided. No, there was only one type for Sydney – and he was it.
Chad wasn’t a real obstacle. He didn’t love Sydney – not that Kurt would blame him if he did – he just thought she’d make a good mate. But Chad was the kind of guy who wanted a stay at home wife and a bunch of kids. Kurt couldn’t imagine inquisitive little Sydney at home, cooking, cleaning and nursing half a dozen rhino shifter babies. It wasn’t her. She belonged in a lab, tinkering and inventing and probably blowing shit up. Kurt wouldn’t stand in her way. Hell, he’d learn how to cook if need be so he could take care of her.
The real obstacle was Sydney’s father. He’d already scared away all the males at the SEA, and was now trying to push an arranged mating on her. He didn’t seem like the kind who would easily be told to butt out of his only daughter’s love life. Kurt would have to think about how to handle him.
He pulled out his phone, checking to see if his mom had called again. He'd put it on silent because she was starting to bother him. However, instead of an insanely large amount of texts and missed calls from his mom, he found a few from Sydney, and on listening to the voicemail, he got a very ominous feeling.
*
The woman behind the counter didn’t even look up as Sydney entered. The shop was claustrophobic, hot and heavy with scent, making Sydney feel woozy and view the freaky things in jars with a little more apprehension than normal.
Sydney cleared her throat. The woman looked up and rolled her eyes. She had pale, pasty skin, a small mouth turned down in sour disapproval, and long, greasy hair falling in hanks around her face.
“What?”
“I ah… I was wondering if you could help me.”
The woman returned her attention to her magazine, idly flipping through the pages.
“I’m from the SEA.”
The page stopped mid-flip and the woman stilled. Feeling emboldened, Sydney launched into her explanation of why she was there.
“What does that have to do with me?” the woman asked belligerently.
“Well, given that the stuff at the club and the stuff on my victims are similar, I wondered if you’d sold anything like that to anyone.”
“Nope.”
She started flipping through the pages with much more ferocity.
“Are you sure? Could you check?”
The woman tapped her fingers on the counter. “Substances that cause negative emotions are illegal. My boss, Kalinda would have a fit if any were sold from her store. Now, beat it. I’ve got real customers to worry about.”
Sydney looked around the empty store. Not unless they were invisible.
“Look, this might be a long shot but do you have any idea as to who might be able to create a substance that would cause fear and…”
“I told you, I can’t help,” she hissed, her cheeks turning red in anger. “I can’t help it if some idiot frat brothers died.”
Sydney frowned. “How did you know they were frat brothers?”
The woman hesitated just a smidge too long. “It was on the news.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
Sydney rocked on her heels for a moment before pelting towards the door. Sadly, she wasn’t quite quick enough.
*
Kurt sauntered through the door to Kalinda’s Magical Emporium. It wasn’t a shop he frequented, and his mother wouldn’t be caught dead in there. Magic shops varied, but this one was shady and regularly enjoyed raids from the SEA. He certainly wouldn’t have allowed his little mate to come here with armed back up – never mind alone!
There were lingering wisps of aura – not something he could usually see. Normally, people always took their auras with them – like their heads, they were just connected to their bodies. But there was one person whose aura he could see traces of – Sydney’s. She had to be there still.
A moment later, a flushed young woman with a pinched face came out the back room. She pulled the curtain tightly closed behind her. She was clearly a witch – her sallow face and expression reeked of the Wicked Witch of the West.
Her mean appearance softened somewhat on seeing him, and her posture relaxed. But she couldn’t hide her aura. It was a stark mixture of green and blue – coldness, fear and guilt were broadcasting at him in Technicolor.
“I'm Carat,” she said almost coquettishly. “Can I help you with something?”
“Carrot?” he repeated in disbelief.
“Carat,” she hissed. “Like a diamond carat.”
“Yeah, there’s a huge distinction,” he murmured, perusing the volumes of magical books behind the counter. They were books that weren’t technically illegal, but casting some of the spells within would be.
“Have you had any visitors tonight?”
Carat clasped her hands and smiled, although her eyes seemed to take on a harder glint. “We have lots of customers every night. We’re very busy.”
Kurt looked around the empty store. “Yeah, okay, but I’m looking for one in particular.” One who wasn’t answering her phone and wasn’t at her apartment. “She’s about so high,” he held up his hand to just below his shoulder – she was so tiny. “Petite, big glasses, large brown eyes, wild black hair, mocha skin, a smile that could light up the Eifel Tower – real cute looking.”
Carat shrugged her bony shoulders. “Doesn’t ring any bells. Can I help you with a purchase?” Black sparks crackled in her aura.
Kurt felt his own magic stir as his worry grew. Black could mean evil or even death.
“Her name’s Sydney,” he said lowly. “What have you done to her?” He balled up his fist and a glass jar behind her head exploded.
Carat yelped, but it only increased the look of belligerence on her face. “You can’t do that; I’ll call the SEA!”
He doubted that. Magical shops with questionable merchandise definitely didn’t want SEA agents sniffing around. Besides, “I am SEA,” he growled.
Another jar exploded, and Carat’s eyes widened. “Stop it!” she screeched.
But Kurt wouldn’t stop. Not until he had Sydney. Not until he had his mate. His magic wouldn’t work until she was his, and if he had to break every damn thing in the shop to get her - including the arrogant witch in front of him - he would!
“Where is she?” he yelled.
Carat opened her mouth to scream at him, but her face froze in a horrified expression. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she slumped to the ground. Behind her stood a slightly disheveled, but very much alive Sydney brandishing a wooden statue.
“Sydney,” he breathed, caught between wanting to fall to his knees in relief and sweep her into his arms. He opted for the latter and Sydney squeaked as he tried his best to both crush and smother her with kisses.
“What the hell happened?” he demanded.
“This total cow bag knocked me out and the next thing I knew I was all tied up, next to a huge oven.” Sydney’s brows knitted together. “I think she was going to cook me.”
“How did you get free?”
“I guess she didn’t have time to magically bind me because I used the blow torch on my Swiss Army Knife to get free.”
“Do they have blow torches?”
Sydney looked both bashful and prideful. “Mine does, I may have tinkered with it a little. It also has a tape measure and an eyeglass repair kit.”
“You’re safe, and you’re amazing,” he murmured, pressing kisses to her wild hair.
Sydney looked down at Carat’s sprawled form. “I’ve never hit anyone before.”
“You did a good job on your first try,” he said approvingly.
“I can’t help but feel she deserved it, and not
just because of me. I’m fairly certain she’s the one who killed our two victims or is at least involved.”
“And you tried to confront her on your own?” he exploded. “How could you be so reckless?”
Sydney actually took a moment to ponder the question. “It wasn’t on purpose,” she said slowly. “I just came here to get more information about that substance I found. I didn’t realize I was walking into the rhino’s den.”
“Rhino’s den?”
“We don’t say lion’s den in the crash – it seems disloyal.”
“Ah.” Kurt stroked her cheek, and the passionate red of her aura blazed bright, eclipsing the other colors. “You really had me worried for a second there.”
“Did I?” she asked in genuine bewilderment.
“I can’t stand the thought of anything happening to you, or losing you.”
“Oh.” Sydney looked down for a second before she whispered. “I feel the same about you.”
Elation coursed through Kurt, and he held her even tighter. She couldn't fail to notice his arousal.
Sydney cleared her throat. “We should really call Gunner or Isis and tell them what happened. Perhaps we should sort out this mess and then worry about… ah…” she struggled for the word.
“Us?” he supplied smugly. “Our relationship?”
“Yes, that,” she agreed shyly. “Let’s worry about that later.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” he said seriously.
Sydney giggled and held up the wooden statue. “What the heck is this? I found it on a shelf in the back. It’s really misshapen, what’s this big thing I’m holding it by?”
Kurt pressed his lips together to stop the laughter. “It’s a fertility god statue. That’s the dick – you’re holding the dick.”
“Oh… euw!” Sydney dropped the offending item. It landed on Carat who was just stirring and promptly knocked her out again.
*
“You sure you’re okay,” asked Gunner, giving Sydney a worried glance.
“I’m fine,” she murmured, snuggling deeper into Kurt’s arm. He hadn’t let go of her since they left the magic shop – it made for a very awkward examination by the paramedics.
After making sure she was okay, she made Kurt – against his loudly voiced objections – bring her to the SEA to give her statement. Through a lot of shouting – which Sydney heard because they were in the next room – Isis managed to extract the information from Carat about what kind of potion she used. Which was weird because the rooms were supposed to be soundproof.
Isis had met the hosts of the ill-fated party - Wade and Susie – at the hospital. Susie was suffering from the same reaction as their other victims; she was falling prey to her biggest fear – wolfsbane poisoning. The doctors couldn’t find a trace of it, but she displayed all the symptoms. A distraught Wade confirmed he wanted his Halloween party to blow up – in a good way – and called on a friend from college and someone he knew to be a witch – Carat. At the time, he had no idea she had dated Hank, or that she was still carrying a grudge the size of Brazil for him dumping her, and for his friend Derek being the one to dump her on Hank’s behalf. On hearing his request, Carat provided some powder to be sprinkled over the guests, that turned out to incite massive amounts of fear, and preyed on its victims’ biggest fears. Carat said she had no idea he was going to use it on Susie and was sorry that the she-wolf was affected. Carat thought it was only for Hank and Derek who she described as ‘major dicks’. It was highly likely Carat would spend a large proportion of her life in magic jail – like regular jail only not as lighthearted and fun.
Bettina, with the help of Kalinda, the owner of the magic shop who swore she had no idea what Carat was up to, cooked up an antidote. It was given to Cutter, Avery, and Susie as a priority, and then to the other partygoers as a precaution. They were recovering, and a distraught Wade was currently making promises to move to Florida with his mate and never to celebrate Halloween again.
Sydney signed her statement, and Gunner pursed his lips. “You shouldn’t have gone there alone,” he grumbled.
Kurt’s arm tightened around her, and she was grateful for his support. The polar bear shifter wasn’t the kind of guy you’d want to run into in a dark alley, or even a bright one. There would be no good time to run into him.
“If anyone asks, I reamed you out for what you did, okay?”
Sydney nodded, and Gunner beamed. “Good work on the case, though. We’d have got to Carat eventually, but that was smart work.”
“Thank you,” she squeaked.
“Did I show you the latest pictures of my cubs?” Gunner pulled out his phone, and Kurt and Sydney were subjected to over a hundred pictures of the triplets sleeping – each one virtually identical to the last.
*
Sydney tried to steady her nerves as she led Kurt into her apartment.
“Looks even better on the inside,” he teased, and Sydney snickered apprehensively. She’d been less worried when she woke up next to a huge oven a few hours ago. No, at that point she had a strange sense of what Hansel and Gretel must have felt.
“Can I get you a soda?” she asked walking to the fridge. “I have raspberry, pineapple, cream…”
Kurt stopped her, pinned her against the fridge and kissed her. Her mouth opened in surprise, and his tongue delved inside. Her body went as soft as cotton and she melted against him. Her arms snaked around his shoulders, and he cupped her butt in his hands, making her giggle against him.
“You really had me worried tonight,” he breathed, pulling slightly away from her. “You’re not allowed to do anything dangerous like that again.”
“Not allowed?” she whispered.
“No.”
“You sound like you have some say in the matter,” she said wondrously.
He grinned, raising his hand and tangling his fingers in her hair. “I think I do.”
“Your magic seems to be much better. Nothing’s exploded yet.”
“Yes, it is. You know why, though, right?”
Sydney blushed and lowered her eyes. “Are you saying it’s because of me?”
Kurt pressed a kiss to her earlobe before whispering, “It’s definitely because of you. My magic went crazy for you, but now that I have you, it’s settled again.”
Her heartbeat fluttered. “You think you have me?”
“I think you’re mine.”
“You think?”
“I know. I can tell by your aura.”
Sydney frowned. “My aura?”
“Yeah, I read auras.” Kurt pulled away and touched the air around her. “Yours is spectacular,” he said in admiration. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” His eyes caught her gaze. “You’re spectacular.”
“Aura reading is a really fascinating area of magic; I’d love to pick your brain on it.” Her mind whirled at the questions she wanted to ask him, only to slow down and notice that he was giving her a crooked smile. “Sorry,” she mumbled, “first and foremost, I’m a geek.”
“I think you’re adorable.”
“You’re adorable,” she babbled as he swooped in for another kiss. Reluctantly, she pushed his shoulders back, and his brow creased slightly. But there was something she needed confirming. “Just to be clear, you’re not really dating Trina, are you?”
“Of course not,” he huffed. “Trina didn’t say something, did she?”
Her eyes slid away from his, and he once again cupped her butt, squeezing her cheeks. “Sydney?”
“Okay, she might have broken into my apartment and warned me to stay away from you.”
Kurt let out a long breath, but rather than being angry, he laughed - uproariously.
“It’s not that funny,” she complained, wriggling in his arms.
He didn’t budge or let her go. “It’s tame compared to some of the things she’s done to me – which I will tell you about at a later date. But I was laughing because I met your fiancé when he tried to strangle me.”
�
��I don’t have a… ugh. Chad!” She felt like steam was going to come out of her ears. When was he going to get the message?
“Yep, seemed like a nice guy – I explained to him that you were mine, but I’m not sure he got it.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be; you’re worth fighting for.”
Sydney looked into his bright blue eyes, and she believed he would fight for her. Heck, he already had. How many men would stand being attacked by Chad and still want to see her? None that she could think of – they’d happily run a mile and send her and Chad a ‘congratulations on your engagement’ card. Kurt was different. She knew it the moment she met him; she didn’t know the reason why straight away, but now she felt it. He was hers. Her mom had always waxed lyrical about how she knew Sydney’s dad was her mate the moment they met, but Sydney couldn’t imagine what that kind of pull could be like. Now she did, and it was a fascinating topic of study… one she would dwell on later.
She leaned up and kissed Kurt on the chin. Maybe it was still too early for love, but she was certainly getting there. For now, there was something else she wanted - but she had a couple of misgivings.
“I’m not very experienced,” she said quietly.
“Experienced? You mean with relationships?”
“That, too. I’ve never really had a boyfriend, and I’ve only been with one guy for, you know…” She mouthed the next word, “Sex.”
He raised an eyebrow, an amused look on his face as she blundered on with her confession. “And that one time was…” She searched for the right word. Fast? Fumbling? Terrible? She settled on, “Not good.”
Kurt kissed her eyebrow. “Sweetheart, one time, no times, one hundred times,” he kissed her cheek, “it doesn’t matter.” Then, he kissed her ear. “You’re mine, and I’m yours. Together, we’ll be perfect.”
“No pressure for the almost virgin then,” she muttered.
He chuckled, his chest vibrating against hers. “No, absolutely no pressure. When it happens, you will be great, and we will both be satisfied. If anything, I’d be more worried about me coming in less than a minute because you turn me on like crazy.”
Yes, she could attest to that given the hard pressure against her belly. It was a wonder his jeans could contain him.