Instead of heeding her warning, he pulled another knife from behind him and threw it at her without breaking his stride. The blade sunk deep in her thigh.
“Mother fucker,” she growled at the pain.
She jerked the knife from her leg, paused for a brief moment to aim with precision and then sent the knife whooshing through the air. It hit him dead in the chest, and he dropped. Hot anger and fear propelled her forward. When she reached him, she jerked the knife free. “I warned you not to fuck with me.”
Disbelief radiated from the eyes behind the mask. With a quick tug on the knitted hat, she revealed his face. She couldn’t say she recognized him.
Blood covered his mouth and smeared across his cheek. He tried to speak but only sprayed more blood with each breath. A lung was her target, and she’d hit it.
“Your first mistake was trying to hurt my family.” She kicked at him as hot tears burned her eyes. “Your second was thinking you could use a knife against me.”
Tierra wrapped a hand around Claire’s forearm, startling her. “He’s one of the witch hunters.”
Claire swiped at her tears. “Are you sure?”
The sound of squealing tires infused Claire’s blood with more adrenaline, and she turned, ready to attack. Dru barreled from his Hummer and sprinted toward her, jumping the gate instead of slowing to open it.
“What the fuck happened here?” He took in the man lying at Claire’s feet and then stared at them, his expression demanding an answer. Before they could respond, Killian swooped in and landed next to Tierra.
“He tried to kill us, to kill the baby.” Tierra’s voice wobbled. “Claire stopped him.”
Dru pierced her with fearsome eyes, and then a smile turned his lips. “That’s my girl.”
“Fuck,” Killian cursed beneath his breath. “I knew I shouldn’t have left you.”
“I’m not finished yet.” Claire separated from the others and strode through the house. She grabbed her motorcycle key from her pocket and kept right on going until she was out the front door. Pulsing fury overrode the throbbing in her arm and leg. She had enough of those bastards and the constant threat they posed to her family. It was time someone did something about them.
She winced as she threw a leg over her motorcycle. With the key in the ignition, she started and gunned the motor. Dru sprinted toward her from the direction of the house and held up his hands as she revved her engine.
“Where do you think you’re going?” He scoured her with his gaze and didn’t seem too happy with what he saw. “You need to fix your wounds before they get infected.”
“To erase the witch hunters once and for all. If you don’t move out of my way, I’ll run you down, too.” She angled the handlebars slightly away from him and threw it into gear. The bike sprayed gravel until she reached solid asphalt. Her wild engine drowned out the sound of Dru calling after her.
Wind whipped fiercely through her hair as she sped down the road. She wasn’t sure if she was headed in the right direction, but something compelled her up the sloped streets of Port Townsend. She wound through tree-lined roads and vintage Victorian homes, the compelling feeling inside of her growing stronger. She needed to end this, but first she needed to find the witch hunters. Taking out one or two did no good.
As she reached the gated entrance to Fort Worden State Park, a massive truck veered toward her. She had a split second to decide and chose to lay down her bike in an effort to keep from being flattened.
Dirt and gravel viciously dug into her leathers, as she slid to a stop. Every bone and muscle inside of her screamed bloody hell. With her heart pounding wildly and her breath coming in deep rasps, she scooted from beneath her mangled bike.
“Son of a bitch.” She couldn’t stand yet and take in the full damage, but from where she sat, the crash had mangled her bike something fierce.
The sound of a loud engine roared, growing ever closer. Claire stuffed a hand in her jacket to ensure she still had the dagger. Dru’s signature essence reached out to her just as his menacing Hummer came into view.
His tires screeched as they skidded to a stop. Dru was out the door and by her side before she could blink.
“God dammit, woman. Are trying to get yourself killed?”
“Goddess,” she managed.
“What?” His emotions were a mixture of fury and frustration.
She tried to use her hands to sit up straight, but the fall had left her palms torn and bloody. “Goddess, not God.”
“Hell Almighty. Who gives a shit right now?” He squatted beside her, assessing her with angry eyes. “Don’t ever run out on me like that again. Especially not to do something stupid.”
Her heart still thudded like a race horse in full throttle. “Those bastards have run out of time, and I intend to stop them.”
“Fuck. You’re bleeding everywhere. If this doesn’t show you that you shouldn’t be reckless, then I’m going to.” Before she could argue her case, he scooped her up and strode toward his truck.
For just the briefest moment, she closed her eyes and leaned her head against his chest, connecting with and soaking up her fire that burned inside him.
“That’s right. Take all you need.”
She wanted to say something snarky, but she needed to gather her energy first.
Dru placed her gently inside his SUV and closed the door. She watched as he strode around the front of his Hummer. She hadn’t been inside this vehicle since the first time he had kidnapped her. She’d been so frightened of him back then, so confused by the fire that burned inside her that she didn’t understand. Things had certainly changed since then. He still scared her, but not for the same reasons.
Dru jumped into the driver seat with an easy, lithe grace and started the engine.
“I didn’t need you to come rescue me. I can take care of myself quite fine.
He slid a sarcastic look in her direction. “Looks like it.”
“What about my bike?”
“Pretty sure no one’s going to steal it in that condition, and your well-being comes first.” He steered his vehicle around a corner, and Claire found herself distracted by the lovely way his triceps flexed. “If that’s what it takes to keep you distracted, feast away.”
She whisked her gaze to his eyes where she found sexual attraction forever smoldering. “I hate you.” She focused her gaze out the front window and purposely focused on flowers growing in people’s yards. Wow, look at all that lavender. I bet it smells heavenly. Such beautiful clumps of purple. I’ve never seen anything so lovely.
He chuckled. “Hide it all you want, Claire. I know you want me.” Without missing a beat, he continued. “Is Moira still with Nick?”
“I think so. Why?” She’d fold her arms across her chest if it didn’t hurt so damn much to move.
“Good. She should be able to patch you up.”
Claire knew she’d get an earful along with Moira’s tender care.
“That moment, Claire. That instant when you must have realized you were in danger…” Dru whispered a swift, harsh curse beneath his breath and shook his head. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“You sensed it?” she asked cautiously.
“I fucking lived it, and I never want to do that again.”
His words touched her heart in a way no one ever had. “Really?” He’d been worried?
He shot a look toward her that said her question offended him. “Yes, really. I know you don’t believe it, but I care about you, Claire. I didn’t ask for this bond between us any more than you did. But there it is. Why do you think I couldn’t kill you when that’s what I’d been born to do?”
Chapter Six
“What the Sam Hill did you do? Try to eat gravel pie?” Moira shook her head in disapproval as she helped Claire peel the tattered leather jacket from her shoulders. Once Claire and Dru had reached the castle, Claire had insisted she walk inside without assistance, but she had to admit climbing the stairs to Dru’s room had been a bit
ch. He’d forced her to lay on his bed while he’d retrieved Moira.
Claire sucked in a quick breath as air hit her raw and ripped flesh. “Careful,” she hissed.
“Careful? Why should I be careful when you weren’t? More than once, you’ve tore off down the street on that two-wheeled corpse-maker of yours and didn’t give two figs about those of us worried at home.” She narrowed her gaze and leaned closer, two burgundy braids swinging forward over her shoulders as she did. “That don’t look like road rash to me.”
“It’s not.” Claire didn’t want to talk right now, didn’t want to explain. She wanted her wounds covered and a soft pillow to crash on.
Moira paused and placed her hands on her hips. “Make with the explanation, woman.”
A disturbance in the air briefly stole Moira’s and Dru’s gaze as Aerin and Julian pushed into the room. “What the fuck?” Aerin took in the scene with one quick look. “Who hurt you?”
“Witch hunters,” Dru supplied.
Moira lowered her brows in a frown. “You just said she dumped her bike.”
“Oh, my God,” Aerin said. “You’re bleeding.”
“Goddess,” Claire and Moira corrected in unison.
Aerin rolled her eyes so hard, Claire thought they’d get stuck in the back of her head. “I don’t give a flying fuck. Tell me what happened.”
Claire dropped her head backward with a sigh. “Listen closely, because I’m only going to say this once. Then I’m going to take some pain meds and escape this nightmare.”
Hang in there, baby. Dru’s words wrapped around her like a warm hug.
She inhaled a breath and let it ease out of her, reaching for the fire inside that seemed to help with the pain. “Witch hunters showed up this morning and tried to split Tierra’s gut like a ripe watermelon.”
Moira gasped as Aerin added another, “What the fuck?”
“I tried to fight with knives, but I would have been lost without Tierra tossing rocks that I turned into fireballs.”
“I thought we decided we weren’t using magic together.” Aerin gripped Julian’s hand. “That’s why I’ve been staying here and not at home with everyone.”
If it wouldn’t hurt terribly bad, Claire would have snorted and pointed out she knew exactly why Aerin hadn’t left Julian’s side.
“Our magic just happened, okay? The world didn’t fucking end, and they would have gutted our sister otherwise.” Goddess, she hurt.
Dru moved in closer and put a reassuring hand on her calf. She wished he would quit being so tender. It was harder to push him away.
A hint of a smile quirked on his lips, but he didn’t look at her.
“After that, Claire jumped on her bike like a reckless warrior and raced after them. But her tactics resulted in her eating gravel pie, as Moira said.” Dru nailed her with a pointed look.
Claire growled her frustration. “All of you, get out. I’m hurting here, and I don’t need a lecture.”
“All of you out.” Moira shooed at them.
“I’m staying.” Aerin folded her arms and moved in closer.
“Fine.” Moira directed her commands to Dru and Julian. “You boys get along. I can’t work with y’all hanging around here like a bunch of hard-up vultures on a discount meat wagon.”
Dru reluctantly followed Julian out into the hall. “I’ll be next door,” he said with a jerk of his head before he disappeared from sight.
“Help me, Moira,” Claire said with a tired sigh as she glanced down at the jagged tear in her jacket that shimmered with blood. “I know I messed up, but could you help me before I bleed out?”
“All right. But don’t think I’m goin’ to forget.” Moira glanced over her shoulder toward the dresser. “Aerin, see if there’s any scissors in that first aid kit Dru brought.”
Aerin dug through the white plastic box before she pulled out the tiniest pair of scissors Claire had ever seen. “These scissors couldn’t cut off a bandage.”
“If they can cut at all, they’ll do.” Moira scooted out of the way. “I want you to slice up the sides of her pants so they’re easier to take off.”
“No,” Claire cried instinctively. “You’ll ruin them.”
Moira scoffed. “Honey, they have more holes in them right now than a beer can on a fence post. There’s no saving them.”
Claire pouted. “They were my favorite, and I’ll never find a new pair in town.”
“Tough shit, lady.” Moira smirked.
Aerin seemed to take her own amount of perverted pleasure in sheering up the leg of her pants. Claire squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath as they stripped leather from her battered body. She probably deserved their anger.
“Well, I’ll be fucked.” Aerin spit out her words. “Those motherfuckers got you twice. I wish they were here right now. We’d slam them with enough magic to knock them on their asses for good.”
“We can’t keep using magic,” Moira reminded her.
“Then how the hell are you going to heal Claire?”
Aerin’s question seemed to stump Moira for a moment and then her aquamarine eyes brightened. “If Claire and Tierra used enough powers to send those witch hunters packin’, then a tiny bit of mine won’t hurt. But you should get gone, and Claire, you have to promise not to help none, okay?”
“Okay,” Claire whispered. As it was, she just wanted to fall into the deepest oblivion and never wake up to see the mess they’d made of the world.
Hours later, she woke to roaring flames dancing in the fireplace in her bedroom. Her first question was how long had she been out? Red shadows crept up the wall, letting her know that night and the bloody moon had risen. The second was how the hell did she get home?
She gingerly tested her body and glanced at the wounds she’d sustained earlier in the day. White bandages covered stab wounds, and she slowly peeled them away to find scars that looked weeks old instead of hours. She had succumbed to the heavenly retreat of exceptional painkillers Nick stocked in his room before Moira had finished her work. She’d have to thank them both later.
Slipping into her crimson silk wrapper, she stuffed her toes into red fuzzy slippers and made her way downstairs. Murmured voices and the scent of something warm and spicy drifted from the kitchen.
“Hey,” Claire said as she stumbled in.
“Well, if it isn’t Asphalt Annie,” Moira said.
“Hush,” Tierra said. “Don’t forget she saved me and the baby today.”
Claire eased herself into a chair. “Go ahead and take your shots. I deserve them.”
“Dru brought your bike back.” Tierra poured something that smelled heavenly into a cup and passed it across the table to her. “I’m glad I saw you before your bike, or I would have freaked out.”
“We’ve been discussing options.” Aerin passed the sugar bowl. Tierra had managed to sway all of them into drinking various teas, but Claire hadn’t found one yet that she didn’t like sweetened. “While you’ve been sleeping it off, we’ve come to several conclusions.”
“It’s like we talked about earlier,” Tierra said. “Ever since we opened the sixth Seal, powers have shifted. We seem to be stronger, but so does everything else.”
“Some of us have agreed that we might not want to continue to use our powers.” Moira shifted a sly glance toward Aerin.
“Yes, I’ll admit it. I’m the first one to say fuck that shit. We have every right to use our powers.” Aerin poured a shot of whiskey into her coffee. “First of all, you know we won’t be able to stop. It’s only a matter of time before one of us fucks up and uses a spell on accident. Magic is our power. We needed to protect ourselves. Who’s to say we should try to stop the Apocalypse? Maybe we should embrace what’s to come. Maybe we’re going to be the goddesses of the new world.”
Tierra inhaled a sharp breath and covered her mouth. “That’s blasphemous,” she whispered from behind her hand. “Don’t let Aunt Justine hear you say such things.”
Aerin rolled her ey
es. “You’re all a bunch of pansy-asses. You’d be dead in a day in the corporate world.” She rested her forearms on the table and leaned forward. “Can you imagine the massacre that would’ve happened today if Claire and Tierra hadn’t used their magic?”
“She’s right.” Tierra covered her belly as she shifted careful eyes toward Claire. “Something else I should point out. I don’t know how I could have forgotten this, but remember when I was in the Standing Stones and I spoke to our mother? She told me then we must always stick together, be as one. Dru’s idea of scattering us across the globe is out of the question.”
Moira cleared her throat. “Also, I discovered a section in Grim that tells us to use what’s rightfully ours and not be afraid of the future. If that wasn’t directed toward this moment in time, then I’ll be a frog’s plum sack.”
Their words shifted inside Claire’s mind like blowing sands in the Syrian Desert and finally settled into place. “You don’t need to convince me. I don’t like the idea of a battle because people get hurt. In fact, scares the hell out of me, but that doesn’t mean I’ll back away. I have faith that we’ll find a way to make this okay.”
Her sisters nodded in unison. “Except maybe we shouldn’t go all hog-ass wild with it,” Moira said.
“Agreed,” Tierra said quickly.
Aerin scoffed. “We can’t be afraid of this, and we can’t ignore our magic. I have a theory on how the witch hunters accessed the property today. If our magic is stronger, and the spells that are protecting our house are weak-ass shit that we conjured in the first days, it’s no wonder we’re being barraged by comets and attacked by assassins. Instead of running and hiding, we need to fix it.”
“What exactly do you propose then?” Claire asked as the hairs on her arms rose in warning. What Aerin said made sense. They needed to secure their home, or their world would end first. If they didn’t have the baby to worry about, it might have been a different story, but that innocent child needed the best from all of them.
“As it so happens, I’ve also been studying Grim.” Aerin pointed to the ancient tome resting in the center of the table. “End of Days,” she said clearly to Grim.
Which Witch is Wild? (The Witches of Port Townsend Book 3) Page 27