by T. A. Foster
“If the council has something to say they know where to find me.”
I waited on the edge of the clearing for the rest of my she-panthers to gather. We wouldn’t asses our wounds until we were safe in the lair, but it looked like everyone was fine. I had a strong band of fighters.
The Nox followed me back to the lair. Even though we had won, we all felt defeat sinking in. Each step felt heavy. We wanted to return home with the others. Until we had them, we would never truly be whole.
I didn’t know which way was out. Was there an out from this hell? I grabbed my neck as I ran through the woods, past trees, over fallen trunks, under low branches. It didn’t matter which direction; I had to keep running. The blood on my palm was sticky. I didn’t know how much I had lost.
There were women there. Girls that looked as if they went to The Grove. In the middle of all of it, they were the ones holding the knife to my throat. Their eyes were vacant. Almost hollow. If they heard me talking to them, they didn’t acknowledge it. Their motions were slow and seamless as if they were running through a program. When I saw them shift I told myself I was hallucinating, but the pain was real. The blood was real. All of it had been real.
For a slight second, I let myself rest against a tree, one of the tallest ones in the forest. I thought about how Silver had scaled a similar one. I almost vomited. I would never be able to unsee what I had found.
He had been right. There was a girl who could transform into a panther, only he had no idea how many there were like her. Once the fighting began I lost count of how many large cats were there.
I forced myself to keep running. There was light ahead. It was a streetlamp from the park.
A man was dead. My hands shook. I had witnessed a territorial shifter fight. I almost died. My collar was soaked with blood.
I started the ignition in my car, but I just stared at the beams the headlights made. Through the trees, blood was being shed. There was magic in this town deeper and darker than the stupid storytellers had ever imagined. Somehow, tonight I had turned from hunter to the hunted. I was in the middle of it, but on the outside.
I drove, turning too fast around the corners. Running red lights.
I slammed the front door behind me and latched the deadbolt.
My suitcase was under the bed. I pulled it out and started throwing clothes inside. It didn’t matter how many T-shirts or pairs of shorts.
I grabbed my phone and dialed Dare.
“Zac?”
It was hard to hear her.
“Hey, where are you?” I couldn’t talk fast enough. “Are you ok?”
“I’m fine. I’m with some friends. Are you ok?”
“No. I’m not. Tell me where you are. I’ll pick you up.” I threw my shaving kit on top and zipped up the sides.
“I’ll come to you. Just slow down.”
“I don’t know if I can wait that long.”
“Calm down. Just talk to me.” I heard parts of her words. The connection was garbled.
“That trip we talked about taking. You know the one I said I’d take you anywhere in the world? We’re leaving tonight.”
“Tonight?”
“Pack something. Nothing. I’ll buy you clothes. I don’t care. Can you be here in fifteen minutes?”
“Wait. Slow down. Graduation is tomorrow. I can’t just leave.”
“Dare, I’m leaving town. I don’t want to leave you here. I can’t leave you here. I’ll make it up to you. We can have a pretend graduation. You can wear your cap and gown for me. Shit, I’ll hand you a diploma. Just get over here. I’m not leaving without you.”
“This is happening tonight?” she asked. “You want me to leave with you?”
I couldn’t tell her I had found a man mauled and ripped apart, that my neck was still bleeding from knife and jaguar cuts. I couldn’t tell her on the phone that I almost died. It wasn’t that kind of call.
I wanted to reach through the phone and pull her to me. I wanted to run to my car, throw our bags in the back, and watch Sullen’s Grove fade in my rearview mirror.
“Fifteen minutes. I’ll wait that long.”
I shoved my phone in my back pocket. She had to come. She would be here.
I reached on the top shelf of my closet and pulled down a shoebox. I had a wad of cash rolled up under a stack of baseball cards. I tossed it in my messenger bag. I coiled the cords to my laptop and tucked all my chargers in the front pouch.
I looked around the house. I didn’t know when I’d be back, or if I’d come back at all. Tonight, I was taking the woman I loved and getting the hell out of this place.
Love. I hadn’t even told her yet. I was in love with her. Every part of me, loving every part of her. I didn’t need to almost die to realize that.
We could start over somewhere else. Maybe in a hut in Fiji. Or a little place on the beach in Mexico. As long as she was next to me, I didn’t care if we lived in a tent. But we had to get out of here. Away from the magic, away from the death, away from what was in the woods.
I was used to running. I needed to escape every time Blake’s memories invaded my new refuge. I’d let them pile up like dirty dishes then take off when there wasn’t room for one more plate. This was different.
I liked Sullen’s Grove. I liked the museum. I had started to put down roots, but none of that mattered if I ended up dead. Dare told me she hadn’t traveled. This was going to be an adjustment, but I would be there with her. We’d find the places that would give us both light. We’d keep searching until we were somewhere safe.
I couldn’t tell her on the phone we were never coming back to Sullen’s Grove.
I checked my watch. There were five minutes left on my deadline. I knew I would extend it. I wouldn’t leave her in this town.
The doorbell rang. I wondered if she couldn’t find the key under the mat.
“You didn’t have to—” I pulled open the door.
“Expecting someone else?”
“Who are you?” I sized him up. He had green eyes, dark hair. He was slightly shorter than me, but I could tell he was fit.
“Case Maddox. Mind if I come in for a minute? Wondered if we could talk about Dare.” He held the side of his arm as if he was hurt.
I opened the door.
I was a queen. I wasn’t supposed to leave. I was supposed to stay and protect. Guide the others. Help them. Teach them. But I was exhausted. I had done nothing but fight. I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My neck was scratched. I was lucky. It was barely a flesh wound.
But this was what the fight was about. I wanted control of my destiny, and without seeking it, destiny had fallen in my lap in the form of a tall, hot, blue-eyed vision. A vision I didn’t think I was ever allowed to have.
But there it was. Asking me to choose him. Telling me I was the one he wanted to run away with, the one he wanted to start a life with.
Could I do this? Could I be the girl who ran away and left everything behind? Could I actually tell the Nox I was running away? Queens weren’t supposed to fall in love. They weren’t going to believe this.
Vix stood in the doorway. She held another lamp. “We’re running low on oil down here.”
“I think we can go back to the house, don’t you? Back into the light.”
“You think that’s it? Case is going to give up?” She sat on my bed.
“They lost, Vix. They are in pieces. Tomorrow is graduation. He’s at home licking his wounds. He’ll move out of town and be on to wife number two in the morning. The Tribe will follow him.” I tied my hair up with a ribbon. The redness had faded around the stars.
They looked strong and defined. Like us.
“You look happy.”
I smiled. “I am. I have a secret.”
“Really? Spill it.” She stretched out on her stomach.
I might as well put it out there. This was actually happening. “Zac asked me to go away with him.”
“As in leave Sullen’s Grove?” She sat forward.
/>
“Exactly that. And I’m going to go.”
“Wow. That’s huge. Huger than huge.”
“I know he’s probably all freaked out after what happened tonight, and the most important thing is that he’s ok. He’s alive. Case didn’t kill him. But he called and he wants to leave town tonight. I can help him through the next few days. You know, get over the shock of what he saw. And then, we can…”
“What? What are you going to do?”
I sat next to her on the bed. “I can’t describe what it felt like when I saw Tegan hold that knife to his throat and then Case…” I trailed off, pushing tears back. “If he had…if they had hurt him. Vix, I’m completely in love with him.” The tears rushed in anyway.
“Hey, that’s a good thing.”
I sniffed. “It is. And that’s why when he called, I knew what I had to say. Somehow in the middle of this madness I fell in love with him.” I paused. “Don’t hate me for leaving.”
“I could never hate you. You’ve done so much for us.”
“But, there’s still the Sloan, Tegan, and Eva issue. It’s not like I’m leaving and everything’s all tidied up. It’s a mess. And then there are the new Nox who might want to stay for a while. And I’ve been thinking we could recruit more. Not to help us against the Tribe, but to get the word out that we defeated them. There’s so much good we can do.”
“Stop just stop.” She shook her head. “You deserve this, Dare. You deserve to be happy. Stop worrying about the Nox for five minutes and focus on yourself. Go. Go get the guy. Ride off with him.” She laughed. “I’ll take over for a while.”
I pulled her into a hug. “You’re the best friend. Seriously. The best.”
“I know. Just don’t be gone too long. I might snag your tiara.”
I wiped my eyes. “You can have it while I’m gone. They’ll listen to you. They respect you.”
I saw how the others responded to Vix. She should have been royalty. She made a good leader.
“We promise to take care of Sullen’s Grove while you are away, and I’ll personally make sure the newbies get all the training they want. Hey, I bet we could use Zac’s garage while you two are shacked up on the beach somewhere.”
I smiled. “He keeps the key under the front mat. But don’t break anything.”
“We will be as stealthy as panthers.” She winked.
I sighed. “I’m going to miss graduation.”
“No big deal. I’ll send you pictures. It’s not like we’ll remember who the speaker was ten years from now. You already have your diploma. You survived econ. Just go. Be happy. Be selfish for once.”
Selfish. I had beaten myself up for those small slivers I had taken. I felt guilty when I was happy with Zac. This was going to feel so much better.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“Call me when you get to whatever romantic destination he takes you?”
“Maybe in the morning.” I giggled. I wasn’t a giggling girl, but my heart was light. My body felt light. Tonight we would be together.
“You have it so bad.” She purred.
“I do. And it’s amazing.” I turned in the doorway. “Will you tell the others for me? I don’t think I can go through a long goodbye ceremony tonight. I’ll be back. Just tell them that. After the summer, I think.”
That sounded good. A summer away with Zac. One summer off from being a queen. We could discover new places; maybe go to some of his favorite spots. Drink margaritas and have amazing, consuming, firework sex. Yes, an entire summer of that.
“Whatever you need, your majesty.” She bowed formally in front of me. It made me cry harder than all the tears of joy spilling over my lashes.
If I stayed any longer, I’d end up here the rest of the night. I had to go. He needed me now and nothing else mattered.
This was the time of night when Sullen’s Grove slept peacefully. I passed a few houses with a light or two on, but I knew from living here people mostly left a lamp on as a security measure.
The families I watched were tucked in bed, unaware that they came close to losing their protector tonight. Sure, I was going on vacation, but I was certain heroines were allowed a break once every few years.
I clutched at the steering wheel. I had almost said the words. Almost agreed to marry Case. My teeth gritted together. It would have been years before there would have been another Ghost. I would have had to raise and train a daughter to take my place. Case’s daughter. My stomach knotted until I took enough slow breaths to calm down.
There wasn’t going to be a wedding. I was leaving with Zac. We were going to be together this summer. I would come back to watch over Sullen’s Grove.
I pulled in the driveway and cut the ignition. This was it. My future with Zac started tonight.
I climbed the steps to the porch and bent to pick up the key when I saw the door.
“Zac?” The front door was cracked. I tapped on it and it swung open. All the lights were on.
“Zac? I didn’t have time to swing by my place to pack.” I walked down the hall toward his bedroom. “Can we stop by on our way out? I just want to get a few things. I really need my hairdryer.”
“Zac?”
His suitcase was on the bed. My stomach flipped. “Zac?”
I ran to the garage. Please, God, please let him be in here. The AC hummed, filling the silence of the empty room.
He was gone.
T.A. Foster is a Southern girl whose heart and spirit are connected to the beach. She grew up catching rays and chasing waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks and now resides in the state with her adventurous pilot husband, three children, and canine kiddo.
T.A. has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When she’s not chasing her two-legged and four-legged children or trying to escape for date night, you can find her reading, writing, or planning her next beach trip.
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Thank you to my husband Shane, who when I first had the idea to write about a band of she-panthers, thought it was an amazing idea. You supported me through all the craziness that was writing this book.
To my own Nox, and there are many of you out there, Jennifer and Mary-Kathryn thank you for all the feedback and panther love.
Alyssa, you really cheered me through writing this book. Thanks for all the positive energy.
A special thank you to my beta readers, Ethan and Amanda. You all helped make this book better and stronger than it was when it first landed in your hands. Thank you!
To the team who helps me put all of this together: H. Danielle Crabtree for your tenacious editing; Sommer for your gorgeous covers; and Emily for such beautiful formatting, thank you!
Want to know more about Sullen’s Grove magical residents? Continue reading for a sneak peek at Time Spell, the first book in the Ivy Grace Spell Series.
Finn propped his shoulder on the hardy oak. Half his body was cloaked by the shadows. He shoved his hands in his jeans pockets. It only took me a second to find him. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t ignore the magnetic pull he had over me. I reminded myself to stay strong and to stay focused.
“Emergency, huh? What’s going on, Ivy?” he teased.
Clearly, he didn’t remember that I never threw around the word “emergency.” I wasn’t here to play games or get wrapped up in him again.
I chewed on my bottom lip, sorting through how I should approach my request. Before the words were passed my lips, he shifted from the tree and snaked his arms around my waist. All I could hear was my heart beating. I tried to steady the beats so Finn wouldn’t hear it too.
“Finn—” I pushed against his chest, trying to create some distance. He was too close, and in the space that affected my inner good girl.
“Aw,
babe.” He brushed the side of my cheek.
I shook my head and took another step back. It was better if there was more air between us.
“Thanks for meeting me so fast. I know you might have plans that don’t involve helping me in the middle of the night.” I paused.
His lack of response suggested maybe I had interrupted his plans, but I rambled on and tried to ignore the jealous surges worming their way into my imagination.
“I do really need your help. I need a Guardian Spell.” My voice was strong and urgent. He needed to understand how critical the request was. I didn’t want Finn to start charming me with his charismatic smile, crystal eyes, and fiery hands. This was serious.
“Hmmm… Who needs protecting? I need a little something to go on.” His hands were back in his pockets, and he leaned into the sturdy trunk.
I didn’t have the kind of time Finn was going to soak up. “It’s a ridiculously long story, but can you just fly to Atlanta tonight and take care of this girl for me?” I shoved the crumpled piece of paper with Emily’s address on it into his palm. “It would really mean a lot to me. Can you help her?”
He opened the note and his eyes shot to mine. “Sure. Of course, babe, but first I want to know what it’s about.” He folded the paper in half and shoved it in his pocket. “I haven’t heard from you in months. I saw you were in New York. Ian’s keeping his distance from me at work, and now, in the middle of the night, you need my help. And I’m supposed to start doling out spells? You realize it’s a spell that happens to be my gift.” He was irritated, but it felt more like he was trying to see how far he could push me and if I’d push back to get the protection spell.
Maybe this was too much. It was unfair to ask him to do it, considering everything he said was true. The only reason I texted was because my magical life was unraveling in front of me, and he was the one person who might be able to weave it back together. I reread the awful letter in my mind, recounting each scratchy, evil word before responding. The letter dissuaded us from involving the authorities, but didn’t say anything about adding allies. If I ever needed an ally, it was now. Like it or not, Finn was the only Guardian I knew.