by Robbie Cox
“Or someone the woman wants the new girl mated to,” Josh said with a laugh. “You know how Barbara Wolfe loves matchmaking.”
That was an understatement. Still, if Barbara sent the woman here to mate with someone, Dimitri would be curious as to who Barbara had in mind. “This woman’s not a shifter. I didn’t smell it on her. Not a vampire, either.”
“Witch? Elf? Retired school teacher?”
Dimitri laughed, reaching for another log. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough. I told her I’d pick her up and escort her to the bonfire.”
“Such a noble beast, you are,” Josh chuckled. After throwing one more log on the pile, he turned and grabbed a towel to wipe his sweaty brow. Florida heat was horrendous. “Remind me why we’re having a bonfire again? I mean, it’s ninety-eight frickin’ degrees out here.”
Dimitri shrugged. “Brings the community together. We need to keep close until Bane and his coyotes are dealt with.”
“And a party in an air conditioned house wouldn’t have done the same thing?”
“Nah. Bonfires have a certain feel to them. I want that.”
“Just make sure you have the beer and smores. Otherwise, I’m going back to my place where it’s cool. And I have cable.”
Dimitri shot his friend a grin. “But all the available women will be here.”
Josh made a dramatic sigh. “Damn it. You can be so cruel at times, you know that?”
“Just didn’t want you making a poor decision, that’s all. You know, looking out for you. Besides, Alanna will be here, and I know you wouldn’t want to miss her.”
“What would I do without you?”
Dimitri shrugged. “Stay home with a beer in one hand and your cock in the other, more than likely.”
“My savior,” Josh said with a laugh.
“Just be here on time.”
They finished piling the wood in a giant tee-pee shape before calling it an afternoon and returning to their homes to get ready for the evening. Dimitri walked the dusty road, taking in the homes and cabins he passed along the way, each filled with a hurting soul, a drifter looking for an escape from the outside world. Each person had their reasons, some they shared, some they kept to themselves, tucked down into the hidden recesses of their minds. Dimitri never pushed for reasons as to why people arrived in Bull Creek; he just offered them a place to stay and helped them integrate into the community. Everyone belonged who wanted a place, a home, as long as they abide by the rules, his rules. There weren’t many and they only existed to protect the community, his community.
His thoughts shifted from all the residents to just one in particular, the new resident of Bull Creek. A fact Dimitri kept from Josh was that Dimitri also scented magic when he was near the new arrival. A witch. Perhaps that was the real reason Barbara Wolfe sent her, knowing what Dimitri was up against. He welcomed any help that ran Bane off.
However, that wasn’t the only thing Dimitri didn’t share with Josh. He also kept quiet about the fact that his panther went crazy at the sight of the witch, making it hard for Dimitri to keep his cock hidden as he interrogated her. Some interrogation it turned out to be, too. Whoever she was, she was spunky, and he liked spunky. She would be fun getting to know, if he could calm his panther down enough to wait. His animal wanted to take her right then, bend her over the hood of her car, and plow his cock into her. Now, he wondered if he should have offered that to her as a welcome basket.
“Dimitri!” Turning, he saw Sheriff Einstein driving toward him, his arm outside his window, waving Dimitri down.
Dimitri stopped walking, glancing around to see if anyone was near. Sheriff Einstein eased his car up next to him until they were side by side. “Chet, what’s up? My sister driving you crazy, yet?” As soon as Dimitri set up shop in Bull Creek, his younger sister, Lainie, followed, taking a job with the sheriff department, giving Chet Einstein a shifter perspective on crime.
“Nah, she’s pretty good at keeping me on my toes,” the sheriff chuckled. “I just thought you should know, Bane’s over at Everglades in Holopaw, and he’s gathering more of his coyotes around him. Of course, they’re all drinking and shooting off their mouths about their plans for Bull Creek and the kitty cats they plan on skinning. Their words, not mine.”
Dimitri glanced up into the sky, as he took a deep breath. Great. He glanced back at the sheriff. “Thanks for telling me, sheriff. I appreciate it.” He’d have some of the other shifters patrol the area, keeping their noses to the ground for coyotes.
“No worries. I hate people like Bane.” Chet shook his head. “I know you have that bonfire tonight, and I thought you might need to be on your toes. A pack of drunken coyotes could very well lead to trouble. I’ll make a few passes, try and keep an eye on things. I’ll even have my deputies do some extra sweeps.”
Dimitri nodded. “Thanks. Hopefully, Bane and his thugs will stay in Holopaw.”
“Hopefully.” The sheriff said his goodbyes and drove off.
Dimitri watched as the sheriff disappeared, his tires kicking up more road dust as he drove away. Dimitri doubted Bane and his pack would stay in Holopaw and leave Bull Creek alone. The man was itching to take over the small community, driving the humans out, but surely, he wouldn’t do it the old fashioned way, with brute force. Would he? Dimitri’s hope when he came to Bull Creek was that it would get him away from racial prejudice. That wasn’t the case, however. He took a deep breath. Hatred existed everywhere. There was plenty of land in Florida, so why was Bane trying to move his pack into Bull Creek? What was here that he wanted, besides his disgust of humans? Dimitri wished he knew.
Three
She knew he was outside long before she heard the knock on her door. Right after Mr. Welcome Party left, Adira decided against using magic to clean the small cabin, choosing rather to do it the normal, mundane way. She needed the monotony to keep her mind off Jensen and Blue Creek. The first thing she did, however, was place wards all around her property, protection spells, which would warn her the moment someone stepped onto her property. The man who greeted her earlier on her porch seemed to be expecting trouble, and she didn’t want to get caught up in whatever drama went on in Bull Creek. Of course, Barbara Wolfe sent her here—okay, suggested she come here—so that she would get involved in the drama of the small community and out of the drama that would happen in Blue Creek if she stayed. Barbara expected Adira to assist this Dimitri guy in his quest to protect humans from shifters. Adira only agreed to do it because Barbara threw in the cabin, and Adira needed to escape Blue Creek. She didn’t really want to fight coyotes, but it was a better option than fighting Jensen’s Cynthia.
Adira took a deep breath, as her senses felt the man in front of her cabin moving closer. She worried that her power would fail her. Again. She hadn’t exactly been at full strength since the sting of being rejected by the wolf who toyed with her heart for the past few months. The crushing blow of his rejection broke more than just her heart. She understood the mating rituals of the wolf packs, but thought, as long as Jensen kept her around, she was his and he was hers. When it all ended, when she was told she wasn’t his mate and then was introduced to the female wolf who was, Adira felt her power shatter into shards of magic with no cohesiveness. Barbara Wolfe suggested getting away to regain her strength, and what a coincidence that she even had a place in mind that needed a witch’s skills. Adira shook her head as she sighed. Nothing with Barbara Wolfe was ever a coincidence.
It didn’t really matter, Adira knew. She needed to escape if she was to regain any semblance of her magic back. She needed to heal. As it turned out, the further away she drove from Blue Creek, the more she felt her power returning, as if putting the past behind her was forging her a new future. She felt the man step onto the first porch step. Not that I’m ready for that future to contain a man yet. Barbara’s matchmaking plans are wasted.
“One, two, three…” She pointed to the front door of her cabin just as he knocked. She smiled. Yes, she was definitely
getting stronger. “Come in.”
He opened the door, his brows furrowed over the bridge of his nose. “You know, it’s not safe to tell someone to enter if you don’t know who it is.”
She arched an eyebrow at him. “Who says I didn’t know it was you?”
He turned, scanning the area around the door, stepping back outside, looking for cameras, more than likely. She just stood there, arms across her chest, as she watched him investigate the front of her cabin. He wouldn’t find anything, of course, but it was fun watching him search, especially when he turned around and bent over, his jeans pulling taut over his ass. It was definitely a sight that made her smile, even though she needed to strengthen her resolve about no men in her future.
“Are you looking for something?” she asked, a smirk in her tone.
He shook his head, turning back around to face her. “You’re a witch?”
She felt her right eyebrow pop up. “How did you know I’m a witch?” There was more to this guy than a firm ass, it seemed. All right, so maybe a romp in the tall grass would be worth changing her mind. After all, sex wasn’t mating.
He shrugged, slipping his hands into his back pockets, which, to her delight, made the fabric tighter over his cock. Even flaccid, it left an impression. “Magic around the perimeter,” he said. “I could smell it. Faint traces, but it’s there.” He gestured around the door. “With no cameras or peephole in the door, I decided to take a sniff.”
Damn shifters and their noses. “I guess you know then, that I don’t really need a baseball bat.”
He laughed, as he nodded. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense.” He took a couple of steps toward her. “Still, it’s my job to protect the residents of Bull Creek, so you might as well get used to me being around.”
She smiled, not saying anything. However, in her mind, she thought, I can definitely get used to that. “You’re more than welcome to stay around all you want, but just remember, I can take care of myself. Always have, always will.”
He just grinned. “Of that, I have no doubt.” He leaned back on the doorframe. “Ready to go to the bonfire?”
She glanced around the cabin. While she still had unpacking to do, she could use a break. She turned back to the man at her door. “And would the protector of Bull Creek have a name? Or is this one of those secret identity things? Like a superhero or something?” She kept her smile on her face as she spoke, making sure he knew she teased him. “I mean, you wouldn’t want me wandering off with a stranger, right?”
He nodded, that sparkling grin spreading across his face. “No, definitely not. You must be protected by someone you know well.” He pushed himself off the doorframe, taking a couple of steps toward her, as he held out his hand. “Dimitri Everest. Pleased to make your acquaintance. Welcome to Bull Creek.”
So this is the man Barbara Wolfe sent me to help. Yet, it didn’t seem as if Barbara told Dimitri that a witch was coming.
Taking his hand, she gave it a shake, sending a shard of power into the grip, assuring him that she meant what she said about being able to protect herself. She returned his smile. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Adira Brennan. Now that the introductions are over, I think that bonfire sounds great.” She waited for him to open the door.
Without reacting to her little power display, he smiled, dipping his head, as he opened the door. “After you,” he said, his cocky grin back on his face. Okay, this could definitely be a fun distraction. I’m going to have to rethink my anti-male stance.
She stepped past him and out into the sweltering Florida humidity. “And just what made you decide a bonfire was the best way to celebrate in this heat?” she asked. “I mean, in the mountains, or even during winter, I can see it, but what is it outside? In the high nineties? How many people will actually show up in order to just melt?”
He grinned, as he followed her off the porch, and then joined her, as they walked down her dirt drive. “Oh, I’m sure there will be a few. It’s a Bull Creek tradition.”
Few was an understatement. It surprised Adira at how many people gathered around a giant bonfire in the middle of an open field, the night air, warm and sticky. Men and women stood around, talking and drinking while small children ran around playing tag, chasing each other without a care in the world. The bonfire’s flames licked up into the darkening sky, the crackling of the fire, as it ate the thick logs, snapping in the background. Tables were set up around the fire, loaded down with finger foods and other snacks, while coolers full of sodas and beer set on the ground. The gray of dusk left enough light for Adira to get a glimpse of the surrounding area. Giant trees—pine, oaks, and fir—surrounded them with palm frond bushes and shrubs overrunning the underdeveloped area. The field where they held the bonfire had been mowed, but that was about it. Everywhere else, the grass grew wild and free. Off in the distance, she could hear the mooing of cattle, realizing a dairy farm or something like it resided nearby.
Dimitri introduced her to people as they passed, like Eve Hartlow, who had a knife sheathed at her waist, and Doc Henderson, who specialized in shifter medicine. Each one welcomed her as the newest member of their small community. Dimitri then led her over to a man with light brown hair and the brightest yellow eyes she ever saw, who was talking to a tall, robust woman with light red hair and full lips curved up into a smile. “Adira, this scoundrel is my longtime friend and partner in this little venture, Josh Rayburn. The lovely lady next to him is Alanna Bradbury, a wolf without a pack.”
Now, that’s unusual. Most female wolves stayed close to their pack, never venturing away too far or for too long. Barbara said Bull Creek was a safe haven of sorts, a sanctuary for those who were tired of dealing with things beyond their control. Perhaps Alanna was one of those escapees, but if so, why was she running and from what? While Adira was curious about the other woman’s story, she thought it should be a conversation for another time. “Pleased to meet you both,” Adira said, shaking each one’s hand. She glanced up at the dusky sky. “Great night for a fire, although I wouldn’t have believed it.”
Josh chuckled. “I tried to tell Dimitri it was too damn hot, but he never listens to me. Of course, that just means we’ll have to consume a lot of beer to stay cool.”
Alanna shook her head. “Like you ever need an excuse to drink.”
Josh shrugged. “Well, no, but it helps make it sound better.” He gave Adira a wink, which brightened his smile.
She felt the blush heat her cheeks, as she turned to Dimitri, who gave Josh a dirty look. She hid the grin that wanted to crease her cheeks. Well, he became possessive pretty quick. That thought made her honey drip, causing her sex to quiver. She couldn’t deny that she enjoyed this side of him. She smiled at him, about to say something sassy, when suddenly the air filled with the baying of coyotes. She jerked her head to the perimeter of the clearing, trying to fixate on where the cry originated, when another howl filled the air on the opposite side of them. She turned her gaze in that direction, taking a cautious step toward it, when in even another area, a coyote called out. Surrounded, but why?
Then she felt Dimitri’s hand on her arm, holding her in place, keeping her close to him. His gaze, however, was not on her, but searching the darkness around the fire, his eyes narrow slits.
Josh stood next to Alanna, both looking in different directions. Parents called their children to them, their arms surrounding them protectively, as they hid their children behind them. Eve Hartlow, the small blonde Dimitri introduced Adira to when they first arrived, stood straight, one hand on her knife hilt, causing Adira to arch an eyebrow. Seems there’s a story there as well. Adira turned back to the darkness, waiting to see what the coyotes were planning. “I take it they weren’t invited to the party?”
“They’re not even welcome in the area,” Dimitri said.
Four
The howling continued, as bushes rustled at the edge of the clearing. Dimitri knew the coyotes were prowling, searching for a weak spot, an opportune moment to strike and attack.
He grinned, hoping they would do just that. He knew something like this might happen, knew Bane would be foolish, refusing to wait too long to press his advantage in an attempt to take over Bull Creek and drive the humans and their sympathizers out. The woods were filled with panthers, cougars, and bears, patrolling the area for just such an attack. They waited, watching for Dimitri’s signal.
He glanced over at Adira. If he expected her to be scared, he was gladly disappointed. She stood beside him, her back straight, and he could sense the power at her fingertips, ready to be unleashed. She wasn’t afraid; she was ready. He even moved to step in front of her, a shield against whatever might happen next, but she moved to stand beside him instead. She wouldn’t hide. There was too much fight in her.
He felt his animal growl, approval, protection, and hunger for the witch filling him. Down boy, now’s not the time.
Turning back to the perimeter, he waited to see what Bane had planned. He didn’t have to wait long.
Several coyotes, their silver-gray fur glistening in the moonlight, saliva dripping from their growling jaws, as they snapped their threats at the residents of Bull Creek, entered the clearing, circling those within. They didn’t attack, but Dimitri knew it wouldn’t take much to provoke them. Everyone stood, braced for whatever was about to happen. Several men reached under the tables loaded down with food, pulling out shotguns, pumping them into readiness, as they held the weapons in front of them, the barrels aimed at the coyotes, as if daring them to charge. The residents of Bull Creek wouldn’t permit themselves to be provoked into making the first attack, but they were more than ready to defend themselves.
Bane Kastner stepped out of the woods and into the clearing, two mangy looking men a step behind him, their backs straight, arms barely moving as they walked. Dimitri could smell the stink of the coyotes the closer they came, the night wind ruffling their gray hair, their dark eyes staring right at him. The men walked with purpose, determination. Whatever their reason for being here, they seemed unconcerned about anyone stopping them or barring their way, not even those with shot guns. Dimitri’s panther fought to get out, to shift and attack, and it took all Dimitri’s strength to keep his animal at bay. Might as well see how this plays out first before he unleashed his panther. Human cunning was more important, right then, than animal instinct.