Soulmated

by Diane Darcy

  William looking unfazed, quickly considered. “How could ye possibly know that?”

  “Because there was a spell used to slow his beast. And this particular spell can only be cast by a blood relative.”

  He opened his phone, quickly scanned the guest list, and extended his hand to Lena once more. “Come, lass. There is someone I want tae see.”

  She took his hand, and as he pulled her away, she glanced back over her shoulder.

  “The offer is open if you change your mind.” The witch’s smile made her beautiful beyond words, but was ominous as well.

  Lena nodded in response to the witch as she kept pace with William.

  Chapter 27

  William kept hold of Lena’s hand as he weaved through the crowds, pulling her behind him.

  He was trying to wrap his head around Scarlett’s revelation.

  So, Lena was a witch, though she seemed loathe to admit it.

  He supposed her nature made sense, since she was psychic, but still … he probably hadn’t wanted to see it.

  Werewolves and witches rarely mated. It wasn’t unheard of, of course, but his breed did not take kindly to spells and such, considering their magic tainted.

  He knew there were those who didn’t see it thus, but he’d been raised in a time where witches had often been burned at the stake, and at the time, he’d thought rightfully so.

  The newer generations didn’t seem to mind witchcraft, and so perhaps it was bigotry on his part. Whatever it was, he knew he’d have to let it go. He squeezed Lena’s hand as they walked along.

  Lena wasn’t aware of his thoughts on the subject, and he could keep them to himself for generations to come if that’s what it took to possess her.

  He was glad she’d turned down the job, as he did not want her associating with the witches here at The Hemlock. None of them held him in any esteem, and they’d had their run-ins over the years.

  He didn’t need them tainting Lena’s view of him. Not when they’d just met, certainly. Not until she’d fully formed her own opinion.

  Soon he’d let her know that he was completely open-minded about witches. Always had been. He could get his best mates to vouch for him.

  A witch.

  Mayhap he just hadn’t wanted to see it.

  After they returned to his office, he quickly found Caleb. “How many of the wolves were blood related to Creighton?”

  Caleb scanned the list. “Huh. None.”

  “None? There had to be at least one.”

  “No’ that I can see. But strangely enough, one of the guests turned out to be human.”

  “There was a human invited to the wedding?” From what he knew of Creighton Cameron, the man wasn’t one to associate with those he considered his inferiors.

  “Aye. A lady.”

  “Bring her in.”

  Chapter 28

  In some ways, this was just getting too weird for Lena.

  “The human?”

  “The groom was no’ the type to associate with those he considered lesser than himself so, tis a bit surprising.”

  “And he considered himself a werewolf, do I have that right?”

  “Aye, but dinnae fash yerself. Just because some wolves are prejudiced against others no’ their kind, I want to assure ye that I, myself, am no’.”

  “Gotcha. So you don’t mind humans?”

  “Nae, I doonae,” he confirmed, squeezing her hand. “Nor witches,” he was quick to add, looking at her pointedly, and looking adorably earnest.

  “Good to know.”

  They arrived back at William’s office, and not as many people stared this time as they walked through the common area, so she took that as a plus. She sank down onto the couch as William took a stance in front of the window, his hands in his pockets as he looked out over the city.

  She really had thought his obsession with all things paranormal was unremarkable. After all, he worked at the hotel, had been here for years, and so she was sure he associated with it strongly.

  But, one day in, and she was starting to think that him acting like paranormals were real all the time could get tiresome. Really tiresome.

  If it wasn’t for the fact that they had a new suspect coming in, and she was interested in seeing this to the end rather than being kept in the dark, she might call him on it.

  Of course, there was also the psycho with the sharp teeth to think about. William wasn’t the only one who liked to play pretend.

  “Can I get ye a drink?” William asked.

  She nodded. “A diet soda would be nice.”

  “What’s yer favorite brand?”

  “Whatever, is fine, I’m not picky.”

  “But if ye were to have a favorite brand, I’d be sure to keep it stocked here.”

  He was earnest again, caring, concerned. Once again something melted in the region of her heart. His dark, penetrating gaze ran over her, obviously wanting to please.

  He’d taken off his suit coat and his white shirt molded over a muscular chest, highlighting his strength. The color made his dark eyes pop and tailored slacks highlighted muscular thighs and lean hips.

  Her breath left her in a rush. For him, maybe she could put up with the paranormal crap.

  After all, she knew girls who had boyfriends that were into Star Trek, Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings. They often went to conferences and got into cosplay right along with them. A friend from college had recently sent her a picture where she’d been dressed like Harley Quinn from suicide squad. She’d lost twenty pounds and gotten into shape for the event, so it could be a positive thing, right?

  Anyway, who was she to judge? She dressed like a gypsy whenever the mood struck.

  She’d never condemned personal interests in the past. Maybe she shouldn’t start now. Especially with a man she was so attracted to.

  William was back shortly with a glass of ice, a straw, and a soda. She popped the top, poured herself a drink, and took a sip.

  Again, he seemed to be watching her closely, perhaps for her reaction, and so she smiled and lifted her glass. “It’s good, thanks.”

  He nodded, seeming relieved, and again, she thought about how differently he treated her compared to everybody else he met.

  He coddled her, cherished her, tried to reassure her, and kept her safe.

  He wasn’t always so polite to those he was questioning.

  The difference set her heart aflutter. Rather than break up with the guy before they’d even given this a chance, she supposed she would wait, withhold judgment, and see where this went.

  He was sort of hovering, so she held out her hand, and with a grin, he was quick to take it and settle in beside her.

  Not long after, Quinn came back with a beautiful, angry brunette trailing behind him. She didn’t have a choice as Quinn held her wrist in a firm grip.

  He looked grimmer than she’d seen him to this point. When he reached William, he pulled the lady forward and introduced them to the woman they’d already met several times before.

  “This is Fiona Smith, AKA Jasmine Russey. Apparently, the spell she’s been wearing has worn off. Blasted witches.”

  William was quick to stand. “There’s naught wrong with witches, Quinn. We like witches around here.”

  Quinn shot him an incredulous look, and when William tilted his head slightly toward Lena, his mouth dropped, and he was quick to agree. “Ah, yes. Witches can be most helpful. Tis just unfortunate, when sometimes they help the bad guys.”

  “Agreed.” William faced the woman before him. “Ye’re name, whatever it may be, just keeps coming up, Jasmine. It looks like ye’ve some explaining tae do.”

  Chapter 29

  William brought Fiona/Jasmine into the interrogation room, seated her in a chair, and then sat across the desk next to Lena.

  “What shall I call ye?”

  Her dark brown eyes narrowed. “I go by Jasmine now.”

  He lifted his head and sniffed the air. “So, Jasmine, ye’re half-human?
”

  Lena shot him a sharp look. Being half-human herself, she might take offense. “No’ that there’s anything wrong with that,” he was quick to insert.

  “Half-wolf,” Jasmine corrected.

  “How did that come about?”

  She shook her head and thick, black curls moved around her face. “The usual way, I’m sure.”

  “Who are ye’re parents?” he asked sharply.

  “My mother was human. A famous actress and singer in the fifties. My father, obviously, a wolf. Now, why am I here?”

  “Ye lied to me, lass.”

  “About being part-human? I lie to everyone. It’s better for business that I’m full-wolf. You know prejudice is alive and well in our world.”

  “Where are ye’re parents now?”

  The girl waved a hand in the air. “My mother is gone. My father off grieving.”

  “We’re going to need a death certificate.”

  “Why don’t you try the Happy Acres old folks home in Phoenix.”

  He shot her a look of sympathy. One of the reasons their kind rarely mated with humans was because they died. The relationship was doomed to end in tragedy. But, they weren’t always able to choose who they loved, were they?

  He glanced at Lena, suddenly very grateful for her witch status. He knew that even if she was completely human, he’d stay with her as long as he was able.

  Lena’s body was stiff, her face frozen, and she was obviously troubled by something.

  He hesitated to upset her, but with her own attempted murder still to solve, he couldn’t help but ask, “Lena, are ye sensing anything from this girl?”

  A rush of fear scented the air and Jasmine partially turned, her hair rising at the back of her neck, and her muscles suddenly bulging thicker. Her eyes flickered yellow, and William growled and let part of his own dominant wolf out to intimidate.

  With a whimper, the girl receded back into her seat. But her fear-filled eyes continued to track Lena, flickering up, then down, as if not sure where to look.

  Lena slowly stood. “What the heck was that?” She glanced from Jasmine to William and back to the girl again.

  “I’m sorry,” Jasmine said, addressing her remark to William. “I didn’t mean it. It’s … it’s just that she’s obviously a witch and …” again, her eyes flickered from Lena to William and back again.

  “Lena, are ye picking anything up?”

  Jasmine cringed back in her chair, away from Lena.

  “Do ye sense something?”

  Lena just stood there, looking shell-shocked.

  His gaze darted between the two of them. “What is it lass? What do ye see?”

  Lena gestured toward the girl. “What do you mean, what do I see? What was that? It was like she was starting to turn into a … into a … .”

  “Wolf?” William finished.

  She turned to stare at William, took a breath, and then walked toward the door.

  William turned to Jasmine. “Stay here,” he instructed. “There’ll be a guard outside.”

  He hurried after Lena, and she was halfway across the common area when he finally put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. “What is it? If ye’re afraid she’ll hurt ye, there is no cause to fear. I’m here, and will protect ye, always.”

  There were tears in her eyes, and she looked at William, and then around the room at the alert faces of his men, staring back at her.

  “Seriously,” she lifted both arms in the air. “What is going on here?”

  He didn’t know how to respond. She must have seen something shocking and of great importance for her to react this way. But he didn’t know how to calm her or what to say. “Lass, tis all right. Can ye tell me what ye saw?”

  “It’s so far from all right, I don’t know what to think.”

  “Tell me.”

  She took a breath, looked around at all the people staring at her, and then shook her head and made her way to the exit.

  He followed, reluctant to stop her again when she was obviously upset. As was his duty, and his pleasure, he would stay by her side and keep her safe.

  She walked out the security door, crossed her arms, and stood at the top of the stairs overlooking the casino.

  He didn’t say anything as he was leery of upsetting her further. He held out his hand, and for a moment thought she would ignore the gesture, but she finally grabbed it with both of hers, clinging, and he could feel the slight tremor of her body.

  “It looked like she was turning into a wolf. And then it looked like you were doing the same. Am I crazy?”

  His mouth parted in surprise. She’d mentioned this earlier. Her disbelief in werewolves. Had her family truly told her they didn’t exist? Why would they do such a thing? Or perhaps, as he’d suspected, the girl had been far, far more sheltered than he’d realized?

  Was it just that she’d never seen a wolf change before? Many hadn’t. Granted, it could be shocking, but he’d barely shown the briefest glimpse of his wolf, just enough to subdue Jasmine.

  “Lass,” he said gently. “I know tis upsetting if ye’ve no’ seen it before, but tis a natural act, no’ a frightening one. The moon is still days away and ye’ve naught tae fear.”

  She stared up at him for several seconds. “Right. And that’s it for me. I’m going home. Let me know if anything important comes of the case, because I’d really like to know how it all turns out.”

  His protective instincts rushed to the fore. “I’ll no’ leave ye alone.”

  She turned and started down the stairs. “You will leave me alone, or I’ll get a restraining order.”

  He followed her anyway as she made it down to the lobby, and crossed to the entrance.

  “I’ll drive ye tae yer family.”

  She stopped, turned around, and shook her head. “No, you won’t. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time. I’ll be fine.”

  “I’ll come with ye.”

  She shook her head. “Don’t even think about it.”

  Without another word, she hurried to the curb and jumped into the backseat of the first cab in the queue.

  William was close enough to hear her give her address and, with his fists clenching, he watched her drive away.

  Was she truly frightened of wolves? Or had she seen something?

  Either way, he had to know.

  Chapter 30

  Lena’s behavior had upset William, and she knew it. Right now her priority was to get away from the chaos of The Hemlock and think.

  She’d asked him if she was crazy, and he’d looked confused. She couldn’t decide if he thought she was insane, and simply didn’t know how to tell her, or if he hadn’t known what she was talking about.

  Had that girl been a werewolf? An actual werewolf?

  Was William?

  Fanciful thinking on her part, no doubt. The guy was built like a linebacker and could easily have played football at one point in his life. That didn’t mean he was a beast, for heaven’s sake!

  Lena was overtired, stressed out from her attack, the investigation, and last, but not least, meeting a witch and two werewolves.

  What if William and Jasmine were really werewolves?

  What if that THING in the caravan was an actual vampire?

  Her heart pounded in her chest, and she struggled for breath. She needed a good long nap.

  It didn’t take much time to arrive home, and when she did, she went inside to find her mother and grandmother sipping tea with one of William’s men.

  She’d never met the guy, but she knew who he was, simply because he was big, brawny, shaggy, and reminded her of William.

  Why? Because he was a werewolf, too?

  Heart in throat, she felt like she was losing it.

  “Darling!” Her mother greeted as she came in the door.

  “Hi, Mom, Grandma, random security officer.”

  The man’s brows rose.

  “Are you all right, dear?” Her mother set her tea down and headed toward her.
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br />   Lena threw herself into her mother’s arms.

  “Oh, my stars. Are you all right?”

  “I really wish people would stop asking me that.”

  “Well, are you? Did they catch the man who attacked you earlier?”

  She shook her head and continued to cling to her mother, breathing in the familiar combination of the orange citrus perfume she favored, and lavender incense. “Not yet. I’m going upstairs to take a nap.”

  “Of course, darling. Get some rest.”

  “Of course, dear,” Grandma echoed.

  She was halfway up the stairs when she turned to see the three of them still watching her. It was like she had a scarlet letter on her chest or something. Everywhere she went lately, eyes seemed to follow, and it was starting to give her a complex.

  “Grandma? Is there any chance we’re descended from witches?”

  The security officer looked startled by her question. As well he might.

  Her mother and grandmother, however, weren’t fazed in the least.

  “Of course we are, dear.” Her grandmother sipped her tea. “You remember the story I used to tell you when you were young?”

  She had to think for a minute. “You mean the four witches?” She hadn’t thought of that tale in years and had a vague memory, something about the elements.

  “Just so.”

  “What are you saying? That story is about our family?”

  Now it was her grandmother’s turn to look surprised. “Of course, what else?”

  Lena resumed her trek up the stairs. “What else, indeed.”

  She went straight to her bedroom, kicked off her shoes, and threw herself on the bed, covering herself with warm, soft blankets.

  Maybe she just needed some sleep, and then she could figure this all out later.

  Maybe when she woke up, this entire thing would be over.

  Chapter 31

  William told his men to cut Jasmine loose and put her with the rest of the wedding party in security. Hiding the fact that you were part human wasn’t a crime. Neither was fearing witches.