by Kari Thomas
“I’m sure I can help you contain it, Kira,” Lena cajoled, “if you still want to do this. I think he is far enough away to be safe.”
Dare she even try? Was she strong enough to control the potent spell she would need to use?
No. She wasn’t. It had been foolish to come here tonight.
Kira needed to talk to Sonia’s spirit, force her to explain, give them more answers. It seemed that waiting was their best course of action for the time being.
At least it looked like it was the safest solution.
“If I can’t get Sonia to talk to me some other way,” Kira gritted, her mind made up, “then I’ll come back and do the spell.”
As she uttered the word ‘spell’, the cougar growled low in his throat.
She bit back a small, terrified squeak as he rose on his enormous paws and took a menacing step toward them, teeth glittering in the moonlight. She didn’t wait for him to decide his next move.
Branding herself a coward ten times over, she grabbed her cousin’s hand and fled.
A taunting snarl echoed through the trees, chasing them in the dark.
Chapter Two
Run, little witch. It won’t do you any good. Aiden listened to the sounds of their hasty retreat. Kira’s brief presence in the clearing left behind an essence that made the fur on his nape stand up on end.
Damn her. Hadn’t her sister caused enough damage for one lifetime? He wondered what the two witches had been planning as they walked the perimeter of the clearing. He’d recognized Kira immediately from the few pictures Sonia had kept of her family. He could see that they were as different as day is from night. Kira’s golden hair had glowed in the dark like a fiery beacon while Sonia’s had been a darker red, dull in comparison.
Why had it taken her so long to finally show up? He knew that Lena had told her of her sister’s death but she hadn’t even bothered to make an appearance at the funeral.
He restlessly paced around the perimeter of the circle, his thoughts muddled as wafts of Kira’s scent filled his nose.
Gardenias. Woman.
An intoxicating combination.
He snorted then growled low in his throat, reminding himself she was not of his kind.
She was a witch, a human.
None of which explained why his body was reacting so aggressively to her scent. He snarled again in disgust. Irritated at himself, he pictured her as she’d stood facing him, foolishly brave to the last. Her incredible beauty had been the first thing that caught his eyes.
His reaction to her small, sexy body was the next, catching him completely off guard. His breath had staggered when his aroused senses had been struck by a sudden stark, sensual awareness. Slender but curvy, she had looked tiny, alluringly delicate. Her head would probably only reach his shoulders when he was in human form. His gaze had roamed over her pure peaches-and-cream complexion and rosy pink lips. Those unusually sky-blue eyes had the longest lashes he had ever seen, and had sparkled with an inner fire – at least until she’d seen him come out from behind the trees. Long sun-blonde hair, tumbling over slim shoulders in a tempting disarray of thick, silky curls, had framed a face that was beguilingly innocent.
Innocent.
That thought surprised him and he frowned at the disturbing connotation.
He bit back a primal growl as his muscles bunched, tightening painfully, as he remembered her velvety voice…and her mesmerizing scent. Damn it, why am I reacting this way to this human woman?
He wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer.
She was human. And a witch. His sister-in-law, aunt to his precious niece.
She was a potential threat to everything, and everyone, he vowed to protect with his last breath.
In other words…she was trouble with a capital ‘T’.
*****
“Lena told Riana that Kira is here,” Gavin Calhoun commented, dropping his six-foot frame into an easy chair near the French doors. He watched his older brother’s wide shoulders tense, his countenance darkening with the not-so-new news. “It took her long enough.”
“She was at the clearing last night,” Aiden shared, his tone hard. “I was hunting and came across her…and Lena. I shouldn’t have been surprised to find her poking around. We knew it was only a matter of time before she showed up there.”
“Damn. What were they doing?” Gavin’s whiskey-brown eyes darkened. “I warned, no…threatened, Lena about going back there. That meddling witch has no business being there, and neither does Kira. They have no right.” He shook his head at Lena’s stubborn persistence, his broad fingers thrusting through the long locks of his chocolate-brown hair in frustration.
“Kira mentioned something about trying a spell.” Aiden clenched his hands into fists, anger simmering at her impudence. Hadn’t there been enough magic done in that unholy place already? “I felt her power and it seemed stronger than Sonia’s. I was ready to do some damage, ask questions later, but I restrained myself.”
“What stopped you? It’s about time that family learned a little fear, learned that they can’t do what they want when they want.” Aiden turned away from the glass doors and shrugged, unable to offer a satisfying explanation to either himself, or his brother. It was a question he’d asked himself countless times since that midnight encounter. What had stopped him?
Decency? Curiosity?
No. It had been her look of stark terror when she had seen him walk into the clearing. He had smelled the fear roiling off her skin and the realization that he had frightened her didn’t sit well. He mentally sneered. Why should I care that she was frightened? After all, she had been up to no good …casting spells…
“What happens next?” Gavin asked.
“We’ll wait for her to make the next move.” A move he already knew would bring her right into their lives, whether they wanted it or not. “But it won’t matter. I have a feeling she is going to try a custody battle and it won’t work. Marissa stays here. She belongs with us.”
“I agree.” Gavin smiled grimly. “I don’t have any doubts that the judge will see our side of things. Plus, I know you can handle her without any problems. She might be a witch but she’s also female. Keep it short, sweet, and to the point. Meet with her. Inform her Marissa stays with us. Then dismiss her. She will go running home with her tail between her legs.”
“Arrogant and callous,” Aiden murmured. Taking that attitude with the little witch might just work. After all, she didn’t show much backbone in the woods, did she?
Gavin smiled again. “Yeah. You are.” The two males smiled in unspoken agreement only to lose their grins when a ferocious roar of frustration and pain broke through the peaceful quiet of the big house.
It was followed quickly by a scream of desperation. “Aiden! Gavin!”
“Riana!”
With their preternatural speed it took the two men mere seconds to race up the grand staircase and down the hall toward their sister’s room. Aiden skidded to a halt as he barged through the door. His gaze took in the wrecked room but that wasn’t what stopped him. When Gavin bumped into his back Aiden moved to one side, offering an unobstructed view to the trashed room.
Riana Calhoun stood in the middle of the room, brown fur bristling, bellows of agony filling the air as painful spasms lanced her morphing muscles. The men could see her muscles pulling, reforming under the thick fur. Her back paws braced her compact body on shaky limbs and her arms waved them away in warning. With a flash of eerie-red her dark brown eyes changed to black. A low growl rumbled warningly as she dropped to the floor, her strong bear form taking a militant stance.
Glaring at the two men, she bared her teeth in a ferocious grimace. Those deadly eyes retained the sharpness of their human counterparts, narrowing to warning slits as she glared in silent challenge. In the short time it had taken to reach the room, Riana had totally succumbed to her bear nature.
It happened too quickly this time. Pushing that frightening thought aside, Aidan shot Gavin a gla
nce and signaled for him to maneuver around her. With an understanding nod, Gavin glided across the floor, whispering soothing words to the enraged animal while Aiden pushed the bedroom door closed and stood with feet braced, arms hanging loosely at his sides.
She recognized this defensive stance and knew a fight was coming. She spared a wary glance as Gavin moved around behind her and hissed a growl of warning to Aiden. Grouchy, scared, and altogether fed up, she surprised them when she swung around and charged straight toward Gavin.
He stiffened his body to brace for the attack.
At the same time she plowed into Gavin, Aiden made a running tackle and took them down in a pile. Arms and legs flailing, both men rolled across the floor, holding on despite the painful bites and scratches as she fought their grasps. Roars and growls, painful grunts and stark expletives, colored the air as the trio tumbled from one side of the room to the other. They came to a bumping halt against the door and, as the exhausted bear reluctantly grunted defeat, the males slowly released her. The men were breathing heavily from their exertions, watching her closely.
She was passive, realizing the skirmish would always end in her subjugation. Her very human sigh of disgust was echoed by the two men. This was a situation she was finding herself in more and more lately. Her eyes glazed over, gradually returning to their warm-cinnamon brown hue, tears of fear and frustration forming rivulets in the sweaty fur.
Aiden drew in a deep breath and gently patted her furry head. He made his voice soothing as he cajoled, “Easy, Riana. Take deep breaths. Concentrate.” He watched her closely, the shivers of receding pain washing over her breaking his heart. He clenched his jaw to stop crude words, frustrated by his feelings of helplessness. “You can do this, Riana,” he coaxed softly. “Think of your favorite things. Your favorite painting. Silks and lace. Taste your favorite mocha coffee on your tongue.” The bear grumbled low in her throat as his words slowly penetrated her human consciousness.
Gavin ran his hand up and down her broad furry back, whispering words that had no meaning, cooing soothing sounds. “That’s it, honey. Concentrate.” She shook in a final grip of pain and leaned into his hand, rubbing her head against him, seeking comfort.
“Feel Marissa’s soft baby skin under your fingertips,” Aiden murmured, his voice never breaking its gentle timbre. “Taste her baby tears on your lips.” Long minutes passed, and the brothers exchanged worried glances.
It’s taking longer this time. Aiden didn’t want to dwell too long on the fear that she was getting worse, that time was running out, that they wouldn’t be able to find a solution to this puzzling curse. He tried not to think of there being a time when Riana wouldn’t be able to change back to her human form. If that ever happened it would surely kill her.
Damn Sonia!
Whatever the irrational reasons that caused her to do this to their sister were undeserved. Riana had been nothing but kind to Sonia. He hoped the witch was suffering in the hottest level of hell.
Riana squinted her eyes tight, a grimace of remarkably ‘human’ determination appearing on her bear features. Her brothers moved away to give her space. Grumbling and hissing in frustration, teeth gnashing, she flopped over onto her rounded belly as her transformation started. As her organs reshaped she bit back moans of excruciating pain. When her furry form shimmered before becoming almost transparent, they held their breaths. Snout, fur, and claws slowly disappeared, to be replaced with their human counterparts.
Aiden hissed through clenched teeth, watching Gavin clench his fists in frustrated rage, feeling the same overwhelming anger. They had to find a way to reverse what had been done.
Even her transparency phase lasted longer this time. She can’t go through this too many more times…and survive. His black thoughts threatened to overwhelm him.
Barely able to think clearly, Riana Calhoun automatically willed clothes to cover her nakedness. She slumped into Aiden’s waiting arms, a long sigh escaping from between her trembling pale lips.
Gavin ran his hand through her thick, shoulder length brown hair and murmured, “It’s over, sweet sister. You’re safe now.”
Riana lifted her drooping head and looked at her brothers. Resignation shadowed her eyes. “It lasted longer this time, didn’t it?”
Aiden grinned teasingly, hiding his vicious thoughts. “Not really. You were just a bit grumpier this time around. Still mad about that bowl of strawberries I took away from you this morning?”
“Either that,” Gavin forced a chuckle of his own, joining in the playful teasing, “or maybe it was because I stole her bowl of whipped cream while she was busy fighting with you. I thought she was going to take my head off.”
Aiden studied Riana’s pale face. He could almost feel her exhaustion. Though she smiled at them lovingly, her smile didn’t reach her eyes. As she looked around the wrecked room, he braced himself. He could handle anything but her tears.
“I can feel the winter air on the horizon,” she whispered, her voice filled with despair. “I was thinking about hibernation. Yearning for a long sleep.” She looked at them, fear glistening in her eyes. “What’s going to happen if I’m in bear form on the eve of the Winter Solstice, Aiden? What will I do?”
He could still hear Sonia’s taunting threat, her wicked gleeful, insane laughter as she cursed the one person who had accepted her, witch and all. Her damning words would ring his ears until the end of time:
Winter Solstice, winter breeze
Forever furred, never free
Your sister’s soul, loss of humanity
Thrice this I say, So mote it be.
He would not let Riana suffer with this fear. He couldn’t. She was an innocent pawn in Sonia’s morbid game. There was still time to find a cure before winter crept in. There had to be. He was not going to give up. Not now.
No matter what it took, he’d find the cure.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. There’s plenty of time. It will be ok. I promise.” Kira. Her name flitted through his mind.
Witchcraft had been the cause of this problem. It would be used to fix it. Kira would atone for what her sister had done. His jaw clenched.
He wouldn’t give her a choice. She’d help or else.
And, if she fought him on this, he’d show her that she had no chance of coming out ahead in any battle against him and the family.
It didn’t matter what she might think now, or in the future. She would always lose. She might think she was going to win her fight for Marissa, but she would lose there as well.
Marissa would stay where she belonged…with them.
*****
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Lena’s dark blue eyes shimmered with concern as she glanced at a too-quiet Kira. “I heard you. You were up and down all night.” Kira nodded. She’d been afraid to sleep. If she had her nightmare would have returned.
Again.
“I’m fine. And I need to do this as soon as possible.” She waited patiently for Lena’s comments, having heard them several times already. But Lena remained obstinately silent as she carefully maneuvered the cherry-red Mustang around the sharp curves leading to the Calhoun compound.
“I’m right in wanting to do this, Lena.” She watched as Lena shook her head in disgust, the wind catching her strawberry blonde strands and swirling them around her heart-shaped face. Knowing Lena thought she was insane to go up against the Calhouns, Kira tried to tease her into a smile. “Stop frowning like that. Twenty-eight years old is far too young to be getting haggish wrinkles. And stop glaring at me. I am just going to go see what is what… talk to them. I promise…that’s all.”
Lena frowned harder. “That nonchalant tone doesn’t fool me, Kira. And things are going to get complicated. I know them…maybe not as well as some, but well enough. Plus, how can you be so sure this is the right way to handle the situation? They are still pretty mad. I told you they blame Sonia for everything that happened. And Marissa doesn’t even know you. She’s lived her entire life
with her aunt and uncles. Taking her away…”
Kira sighed, her heart heavy. Knowing that Lena was right only made the whole mess more difficult. She and Marissa were strangers, but that would change. She knew this was the best thing for the little girl. She had to believe that. There was too much at stake.
“I only know that Sonia’s spirit is frantic about wanting Marissa out of that house.” Why Sonia ever remained there as long as she had was still a mystery to Kira. It couldn’t be safe. It didn’t make sense.
After what had happened with their parents, and younger sister, Shey, Kira had been surprised Sonia could stand being anywhere near wild animals, much less living with them. It had never been something she would have thought either of them would have ever done…at least not willingly. She had been honestly shocked when she had heard Sonia had actually married a wildlife veterinarian.
The thought of that defenseless baby being raised in a household where all the careers centered in one field of wildlife conservation, or another, made her skin crawl. Poor thing was in constant danger from wild animals, living “in the middle of a wildlife sanctuary, no less!” She hadn’t realized she’d said the words aloud until Lena answered.
“It’s safe, Kira. Honest. The house has a state of the art security system, there is always staff around, and you never see any of the wild animals that live there.”
“But they roam free all over the estate. You said so yourself.” Kira clenched her right hand into a fist, trying hard not to scream aloud at the thought of what those animals could do to a poor unprotected baby. “Marissa is exposed to the possibilities of danger any time she’s outside. I can’t bear the thought, Lena, of something happening. Even by accident. You know why…how I feel...”