Katie patted my arm and smiled before she walked away and rejoined Clint. I was glad I hadn’t given up on the pack, it seemed that I was right about Sierra’s angry tirade being personal, and not about me sparing those two wolves at all. I was still confused though, why hadn’t she talked to me instead of closing off and running away?
On the good side, I knew exactly what I’d done wrong last night. We hadn’t discussed anything, we’d simply let our passion and love making do all the talking. Apparently she didn’t know where we stood, and I should have told her exactly how I felt about her, and where I was hoping we were going. Well I did think having a werewolf as a girlfriend would be exciting, turned out I was more right than I knew.
I walked over to the group, and let Sierra keep her distance, now wasn’t the time, but I wouldn’t let her get away without a nice long talk later. Right now though, we still had four more wolves out there to hunt down. Carrie and Todd started to stir and got up. Todd looked shaken, Carrie was a complete mess and broke down in tears. Selene led Carrie over to a chair and took a seat next to her. Clint was talking to Todd and made sure he wasn’t going anywhere yet.
I was patient, it took a while before Carrie could really speak coherently. I wasn’t going to be the one to rush her, I knew exactly what she’d been going through and it would take the woman a long time to get passed it. Once the tears stopped however Selene spoke.
“We need your help. The spells you have on them that keeps them hidden. I believe I can break them using you as the link, will you allow it?”
Carrie nodded, “He’s evil, I didn’t want to do any of it.”
Selene shushed her and pulled the much younger woman into a hug. I could feel Sierra looking at me from slightly behind and to the right, and with my connection to the air I could tell her expression was conflicted, and confused. I’d thought the hateful angry look she’d given me in the field had broken whatever was between us, but between that look I now felt, and Katie’s advice, I felt a little hope in my heart. I had to remind myself now wasn’t the time.
Carrie pulled back, “Let’s get that done, but they’re probably back at the house we’ve been staying in. It’s actually one that you own over in the new development a few miles south of here,” she told us all the address.
Clint cursed under his breath at that information, apparently it hadn’t occurred to them. I knew they’d been checking hotels and rental houses in the area for them, but apparently they hadn’t considered their own properties.
Selene pulled out the package with the bone and explained what she was doing.
“This was made by a witch, it will use you as a bridge to find your spells, and for my magic to cancel them out,” she looked around, “Is everyone set to go once we have a location?”
I nodded along with everyone else in Derik’s pack. I felt calm and centered.
Todd spoke, “What about me, and Carrie, what will happen to us?”
Derik said, “Well, I broke your pack bond, and your hearts while not untouched are still good. I would suggest you stick around for a while, get to know us. You’ll both need some downtime, and maybe you’ll decide to join our pack. Whatever happens, you’ll be free to choose.”
Carrie looked at him in disbelief, “You would want me in your pack… after what I did?”
Derik looked back at her calmly, “An omega wolf should be treasured, and a mystic doubly so. Woman have a place of equality and importance in this pack, as it should be. There are others like Karl out there who twist and misuse the pack bond, but not as many as you would think. Let you? Young lady, I’d be honored if you chose our pack.”
Carrie blushed, shook off her stunned look, and told Selene she was ready. I wondered what she would do with the oil, because the spell was far away, but understood immediately when she drizzled the bone with it. Then she started to chant the same spell she’d used on Debbie’s remains. Carrie had her eyes closed and a look of concentration on her face, the danger in doing it this way, was Carrie could if she wanted to, choke off the spell as it passed through her. None of us were worried she’d actually do that however.
A few minutes later Selene’s voice fell silent, and knowledge rushed into me about their location, and what they’d been up to the last few weeks before the spells were set. The pack all stared at me intently.
“They are back at the house Carrie mentioned. They aren’t ready for us either. Karl is ranting like a psycho, and the other three are in wolf form in very submissive postures. We should…” I cut off what I was saying and dropped the mother of all curse words out from between my lips.
They all looked at me curiously, except Sierra who looked shocked.
I sighed, “Agent Kilmer is here, he just got out of his car and is about to knock on the front door. I’d give it twenty seconds before he circles around to the backyard. No doubt he wants to question you about your daughter, and quite possibly about me as well. The man hates me.”
Derik frowned, “Take Sierra, Clint, Gerald, and Katie, the rest of us will deal with the agent. I don’t want to chance them getting away.”
I nodded and pulled in my magic, and remote viewed the back yard for the house where Karl and the rest of his pack were. I could feel Kilmer moving around the house, and took a moment to regret that I wasn’t holding Sierra this time around, as I used my magic to move us to our new location before Kilmer could get around the corner.
We gave Katie and Clint a few moments to run around to the front door, so our quarry couldn’t escape that way, and I used my magic to increase my speed again. Just fast enough to give me an edge, but not risk exhaustion. I also covered myself in a shield of air. Sierra and Gerald were in wolf form, so I blew in the door with a strong air compression wave that turned it into so many toothpicks, and followed Sierra and Gerald into the house.
I felt myself slow down, and my air shield thinned. I tried to pull more power, but I was cut off from the air outside, and the air inside seemed reluctant and low on magic. I cursed in my mind, maybe I should have asked Carrie some questions, apparently the house was heavily warded with earth magic.
Fire seemed sluggish too, but not as affected by the earth wards as air was. It was almost like the spell ward was the same as being below earth. Almost, not quite though. I added fire to my thinned shield and followed the growls. I wasn’t sure what to do, the wolves were moving so quickly to my perception I couldn’t safely do anything with air or fire, I might hit an ally on accident.
Crap.
This is what I got for being overconfident in my ability. But Sierra and the others must have been winning, because one of the wolves broke and ran, right in my direction. Reflex saved me and I held nothing back, both fire and air mixed and powerful blue flames shot from my fingertips as Billy, Karl’s second, leapt for my throat. I couldn’t move fast enough to dodge, but his body was blackened and silent as it hit me in the chest and knocked me right on my butt and continued past me to land on the floor with a disgusting splat sound.
Because of my shields, and the fact he’d been dead and not biting my neck, the fall merely jarred me without causing any damage. When I got back up I sighed in relief, it was over. Clint and Katie were standing over Karl, who’s throat and a good piece of his flank was torn out. Gerald was above another wolf who he’d just killed, Sal. But it was Sierra who surprised me the most, she had the other wolf by the throat, her teeth were barely sunk into Darren’s throat, and she had him whining in submission while she looked up at me with soft liquid brown eyes.
I got the point immediately, she’d spared this wolf’s life as an apology to her harsh words and actions this morning. I walked closer and knocked out the wolf with a shot of air, I was strong enough to do that, and it helped that he was a stationary target. The four of them changed and went to gather their clothes. I could hardly believe it was over.
I’d also learned a lesson, check for wards before walking into a place. I should have felt the difference in the air before I walked in
after all, I was too focused on getting the wolves. We dragged the three dead ones outside, and I used air magic to clean up the evidence in the house, and fire magic to turn the three dead bodies to ash.
I could hardly believe it was over. That also meant that Sierra had no more reason to stay with me, and the fact that I thought of that first showed my priorities pretty clearly. We had some time to kill, I’d know when it was safe to go back, no doubt Agent Kilmer was being very thorough in his questioning. I wondered how long the task force would run in circles before they broke it up. This was a crime spree they’d never solve.
That reminded me, I pulled out my phone and sent Aiya a text, put the folder to bed, and stuck my phone back in my pocket. It was a little cryptic, but it was safer that way and she’d figure it out. I doubted her phone activity was private, and I was almost sure mine wasn’t either right now with Kilmer around, although I didn’t bother to check on that with power. So much had changed in the three days since Aiya had cooked me breakfast and showed me that folder.
I stood up and walked over to Sierra and took her hand, it was more than time for us to talk this out.
“We have about a half hour wait, and we’ll be back to take the rest of you when Kilmer is gone.”
I pulled in my magic, and took us to my apartment. I wanted privacy for this, and even if we’d gone into the house back there it wouldn’t have been private, werewolf hearing was very good…
Chapter 19
Saturday, May 21st, 2016, 10:44 AM
I pulled Sierra over to the couch, sat down, and pulled her into my lap. She was a bit stiff in my arms, and her face was unreadable, but she didn’t try to pull away. For a human woman doing that would have probably gotten me slapped, but for a werewolf it was a different story, I knew how important touching was, it was the one thing I was really sure of right now.
“Humans don’t really define their relationships in the beginning. It’s more of a go with the flow kind of thing until it develops into more, or dies on the vine. I didn’t realize until Katie clued me in earlier, that for you it would be much more important. I should have told you last night how I felt, before I showed you. You on the other hand, could have clued me in sooner, I may be a sorcerer, but I’m still a guy that’s going to get it wrong on occasion.”
She asked in a shaky voice, “How do you feel, because I need to know.”
I kissed her hand and said, “That goes both ways, but I suppose I could go first.”
“I’m falling for you, and I’m not sure where it will end up, but I know that I crave your presence. I want you to be happy. Your touch and your smile make me feel alive, and I love the sound of your voice, and the way you look at me. I’ve never taken anyone to Mike and Jenna’s before, and I loved that you two seemed to hit it off. Last night was one of the best in my life. I’ve never felt so connected to someone before while being intimate, and I also know I absolutely hated today. The way you looked at me and spoke to me crushed my heart.
“All I know is I want you in my life, I want you to spend the night here again tonight after I become an ally to your pack, and I want to wake up tomorrow morning with you in my arms, instead of finding an empty outline in the sheets. I want you to meet the rest of my family, and,” she interrupted me with a deep passionate kiss as she moved and straddled my body.
When she broke the kiss she smiled down at me, “I’m sorry, I was confused. I was worried you didn’t want me, that this was just… about sex and having a good time for you. I couldn’t imagine why a sorcerer would want a werewolf like me. What made it worse was not only do I already care deeply for you, my inner wolf wants you and is only happy when your near and we’re touching. I was afraid to let us grow any closer without knowing the truth…”
I looked up confused, “Why didn’t you just ask.”
She smiled ruefully, “Misunderstanding, any male wolf that was attached to a female wouldn’t have put up with the distance I put between us this morning, they would have cut right through it. I realize now you were just giving me space, but at the time it felt like you were agreeing I wasn’t that important to you, so I got angrier about it as the day went on…”
This time I shut her up by pulling her down into a kiss. She moaned into my mouth when she felt my reaction to her kiss and touch push up against her, and broke the kiss, “How long do we have?”
I grinned, “Twenty minutes…”
She said in a soft breathless voice, “Not nearly long enough, but it will have to do,” and she pulled her dress off and went for my pants…
Apparently makeup sex was even more wild than the human version. We wound up being about twenty minutes late before picking up Katie, Gerald, Clint, and a very subdued Darren. The four of them were all giving us amused looks. I looked at Sierra and tapped my nose, she giggled in answer, so I knew they could all smell what we’d been doing. Sierra didn’t look bothered at all, and I suppose that made sense, when someone grew up with the inability to hide things like that, it just became normal.
I’d transported enough with magic now to get an idea of the power needed, so I pulled in enough magic to move the six of us with a little to spare just in case, and moved us to Derik’s backyard, this time with Sierra’s body tightly held against mine with her arms wrapped around my neck.
She winked and teased me about using it as an excuse to hold her close that first time, “I figured we’d taken enough chances today, might as well be safe.”
I nodded and said in a faux wise voice, “It’s the safest way, you’ll have to do that every time from now on.”
Darren’s connection was already broken with Karl’s death, but he was brought in front of Derik anyway, and that same stare down was done that he’d done earlier with Carrie and Todd. I realized he’d done more than break the connections last time, he was somehow also judging the kind of man and wolf that Darren was at the same time. Darren didn’t pass out, apparently that was only for a broken pack bond, but he did lower his eyes after thirty seconds or so.
Derik said kindly, “You may join your former pack mates, feel free to stay or go, get to know my pack.”
Darren nodded soberly and headed that way. He looked a little shell shocked.
Derik turned to the five of us, “That FBI agent really does hate you Ben. He questioned us pretty hard about you, and barely even touched on our daughter. Selene finally chased him off by threatening to report his behavior. The guy thinks you’re a part of this, and he’s determined not a good part. But don’t worry, we didn’t tell him anything except we’d hired you to look into the death of our daughter. That really cheesed him off too.”
I laughed, “Yeah, and now he’s stuck with this dead weight of a case, I almost feel sorry for him. He’ll probably never get that promotion he wants so badly.”
Derik shrugged, he didn’t care at all, “Feel free to stay the day if you don’t need to go. We’re starting the barbeque in a few minutes for lunch, and of course tonight is the full moon ritual to make you an official pack ally.”
I nodded in thanks, “I think my day is pretty open, I’d love to stay. What’s the ritual entail anyway?”
Selene looked over from across the yard and shook her head, she said loud enough for me to hear, “You’ll find out tonight.”
I nodded, I supposed I could wait. Sierra and I walked over to the table and took a couple of chairs, she never let go of my hand, and I was determined not to let her do so in anger ever again. Though I was sure we had more bumps ahead, it would certainly make life interesting. The sun was out, only a few white fluffy clouds in the sky.
I pulled out my phone and typed out an e-mail to Sally while we waited for lunch.
Sally,
Your biological father’s name is Bob Smith, yes I know that sounds made up, but you’ll have to trust me. His wife’s name is Karen, and they have a ten-year-old daughter named Lynn.
He actually has no idea he has another daughter, as he broke up with your mother before she knew she w
as pregnant, and she never told him and then gave you up for adoption.
So when you contact him, keep that in mind okay?
Your mother’s name is Tanya Ellwood, she was just sixteen when she had you and was pressured to give you up. Currently she’s divorced and a single mother of two children. Sam is nine, and Ella is six.
I wish you all the luck when you contact them Sally, you’ll also get a younger brother and two younger sisters out of the deal.
I added both Bob and Tanya’s addresses to the bottom of the email, and sent it off.
That was it for work for the day, I didn’t have any open cases from the human or supernatural side, and Derik brought out a number of lawn games and I just hung around with the pack, and quite honestly basked in Sierra’s presence, I felt even closer to her now and couldn’t wait to see where it led us.
I did have one other thing to take care of though, I’d put it off long enough. I pulled out my phone, pulled up the address book, and called my aunt.
“It’s about time you called back, can you come for dinner tonight, we need to catch up.”
I felt a little guilty at that. My aunt was the best, so was Amy even if she was a snotty teenager right now, “I can’t tonight, how about tomorrow?”
She made a considering noise, “That should work, so what’s this I hear about a woman in your life, from Amy no less.”
The implication being I should have told her… Aunt or not, she had the mom guilt going on.
We spent another ten minutes on the phone, and I promised her I’d take Sierra with me to meet her. I was looking forward to it actually, and hoped they got along.
A short time later the pack took a break for an afternoon run, Carrie, Todd, and Darren were surprised to be invited along. Derik was a good alpha, and I could already feel that those three would eventually become part of the pack, making it twelve strong. While they were gone I was on barbeque duty watching the burgers, hot dogs, chicken, and steaks. Werewolves eat a lot…
Sorcerer: Trouble with Werewolves: Power of Air Book 2 Page 11