“I’m going to have to buy Jolene a year’s supply of cupcakes and scones,” he said.
Kelsey quirked a brow. “What?”
“Nothing,” he said, smiling as he kissed her again.
NINETEEN
JAKE SIPPED a cup of what he really hoped was tea as he watched his mate sleeping. She was beautiful…and his forever. Never in a million years did he think he’d be blessed with a mate—a perfect match. And he planned to never let her go. While he’d always been careful to avoid thinking in terms of a family and a real future with someone he loved, visions of having all that with Kelsey filled his head.
Of course, he’d have to first explain in detail that after what had taken place in the bedroom (more than once) they were now mated and considered husband and wife in the supernatural community. He’d been too preoccupied with being with Kelsey to stop and explain all the finer points of supernatural matings beforehand.
He’d had every intention of packing her belongings and taking her to his home.
Our home, he thought.
But one thing had led to another and time had gotten away from them. It would be morning soon, and he’d get her into town then.
He leaned against the doorframe to the bedroom, wearing only his uniform bottoms. He’d already gotten his gun belt and boots from the SUV, but hadn’t bothered putting anything else on. What he wanted to do was crawl back into bed with his mate and make sure she knew how cherished she was. How much he already felt love for her despite having really only just met her.
Kelsey was in her pajama, having gotten cold. He couldn’t help but laugh when he noticed they had tiny unicorns on them. He knew he should wake her so they could get a move on, getting her somewhere safe, but he didn’t want to disturb her. He got the sense she’d not had a good night’s sleep in some time.
That would all change soon. He’d protect her and she’d want for nothing. She would be treated like the amazing woman she was. He’d see to that. She was his “people” now, and he’d never let her slip through his fingers.
The sound of a twig breaking outside caught his attention and he went still, concentrating as he tapped into his sensitive hearing. There was a distinct absence of any other sounds associated with the woods at night, notwithstanding the time of year. That in itself was alarming and peculiar. Faint notes of evil filtered over him and he knew then they were not alone.
Trouble had found them.
Artemis bolted into the room and leapt up and onto the bed. She landed on Kelsey, hissing and looking in the direction of the boarded-over window. The cat clearly sensed the evil approaching as well.
Kelsey shot awake and Jake moved with supernatural speed as he thrust the tea mug onto the table near the bed and moved onto the old mattress, putting his hand over his mate’s mouth. He brought a finger to his lips to indicate the need for silence.
She nodded, her eyes wide.
Artemis continued to hiss in the direction of the window. She was quite the guard cat. Jake had to admit the tiny thing had moxie.
Jake pulled his hand away from Kelsey’s mouth and put his lips to her ear, whispering softly, “Something is out there. I’m going out to check on it. My weapon is on the side table here. Keep it close to you, and shoot anything that comes in that isn’t me. Got it?”
She tensed and grabbed his arm, shaking her head no.
He could sense her fear and he wanted to ease it. First, he had to be sure she was safe. Something evil was close. He could feel it.
A putrid smell found him from outside, and he knew then what was out there—a Babcock.
Petey’s words rang in his head. The Babcocks smelled horrible.
Jake cupped his mate’s face gently. “If you have to, run. Get to my SUV and get as far from here as you can. Head toward town. To Wilber, Hugh, Curt, or Petey. Got it?”
“I’m not leaving you,” she said, her voice low.
“Kelsey.”
“Jake,” she shot back.
“Listen to me on this.”
She shook her head. “No. Besides, I can’t drive.”
“You can’t drive?” he asked.
“Nope,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “And I’m not leaving you.”
He sighed and realized if the shoe was on the other foot, he wouldn’t leave her either. He also knew that if he went out there, she’d more than likely follow and get herself hurt, thinking she was helping.
“Fine, but stay close and listen to what I say.” He gave her a look that said he wasn’t joking. Not about her safety.
She nodded and eased out of the bed.
He cringed when he remembered the vials Wilber had given him were in his SUV, on the passenger seat, doing no one any good out there.
Jake pulled his weapon from his gun belt and racked the slide, chambering a round. He wasn’t sure a bullet would do much against evil witches, but he imagined it would at least put a damper on their day.
He went to the bedroom door, making sure Kelsey was close behind him. She was. That was good. Jake walked with a level of stealth that only someone who had hunted others before could do. He made no sound as he moved. Kelsey, unfortunately, wasn’t quite as graceful or quiet. She walked out and into a broom propped against the wall. It fell to the floor, the sound echoing through the small cabin. If there were bad guys outside, they more than knew someone was in the cabin.
“Sorry,” she said, biting her lower lip.
Artemis bolted past them and into the kitchen.
Kelsey ran after her.
Jake in turn did the same. He rounded the corner in time to see the cat leap into a cabinet and knock over some of its contents. A huge jar of what looked like glitter crashed to the floor and spilled out.
Kelsey scrambled to get Artemis before the cat stepped in the mess but was too late. The cat was covered in glitter.
Jake caught sight of movement outside through the kitchen window. He grabbed his mate and forced her to bend so she’d be out of the line of fire should he need to take a shot.
She listened at least for a second—until the cat ran out of the kitchen in the direction of the back door.
Jake wasn’t fast enough to grab Kelsey and she darted away from him, calling the cat’s name as she followed her. Jake had seen people do foolish things in a crisis before. And chasing the cat when something bad was going on, was certainly foolish.
He cursed under his breath and was about to follow them too, when he heard movement from the living room area. He paused and glanced back, expecting to see someone there. But the room was empty.
Strange. He could have sworn he’d heard footsteps coming from the room.
Jake did a double take as Artemis floated by like a balloon caught up in a light breeze. The cat didn’t look the least bit scared. She licked her paw as if flying was an everyday thing for her.
Maybe it was.
Kelsey yelped and grabbed the cat, holding Artemis to her. “Whoa. Fairy dust is totally real. Who knew?”
When Jake turned his attention back to the living room, the door blew in with a force that sent him careering backward, into the old television set. The force of the blast knocked the wind out of him.
Kelsey screamed and ran in his direction.
A mass of magic pushed into the room, pinning Jake in place. Fear for Kelsey took root in him. “Kelsey, go! Run!”
Artemis jumped out of his mate’s arms and landed on the floor near Jake. The cat took a protective stance in front of him, as if she was really going to be able to do something to stop dark magic. The irony of a flying feline covered in glitter protecting a centaur was not lost on him.
Kelsey appeared next to the cat, holding the broom that had fallen as though it were a fighting staff. She actually looked as if she knew how to use it as such, surprising Jake.
A dark figure filled the doorway, and Jake fought against the magic holding him, to no avail. “Run!”
His mate ignored him.
So did the cat.<
br />
TWENTY
KELSEY STARED at the entrance of the cabin, using her fear of Jake being hurt to keep her focused. The burning need to keep Jake safe gave her an unexpected feeling of control. As if she were unstoppable. Like she and the broom stood a real chance.
She waited as the person stepped in. She expected the drifter—the creepy man from the shop—but he wasn’t who entered.
Ellswerth the bus driver was.
“Ellswerth?” she asked, baffled as to why he’d be at the cabin.
He entered the cabin fully, and Mr. Reyes came in behind him, carrying his ever-present brown bag.
“Mr. Reyes?” Kelsey questioned. “Why are you here?”
“Kelsey, run!” Jake yelled again.
She glanced back at him. “It’s okay. It’s just Mr. Reyes and Ellswerth. We don’t have to worry. It’s not the Babcock witches you were telling me about.”
Jake’s expression said the matter was anything but all right, and that they were anything but safe. Kelsey turned slowly to face the men, still clutching the broom, with Artemis by her foot.
It was then she noticed Mr. Reyes was wearing the ring that matched her pendant. He’d been the one to steal it? Not the creepy guy?
“You’re the bad witches they told me about?” she asked, her mind spinning. “I was going to ask you to teach me to knit!”
Mr. Reyes chuckled, still sounding incredibly sweet. “Bad witch is such an ugly way to put it. We prefer to think of ourselves as free thinkers, coming to get what is rightfully ours. We want our power back—and you’re going to be the one to give it to us.”
Ellswerth lifted a hand and Jake cried out. Whatever the supposed bus driver was doing was hurting Jake, and that wasn’t all right by Kelsey.
Apparently, it didn’t work for Artemis either. The cat lunged at Ellswerth, staying airborne far longer than should be normal, no doubt from the fairy dust.
The cat scratched Ellswerth in the face, making the man gasp and lower his hand. He turned his attention on Artemis and put his hand out in her direction. “Come here, familiar. I’ll show you what dealing with a truly powerful witch is like.”
Kelsey reacted, doing what felt natural. She went at Ellswerth and spun, swinging the broom around and clubbing him with it. He bent, and she rammed it into his side, knocking him over. “Don’t touch my cat or my man!”
She turned again, her intent to whap him a good one, like Mrs. Mays had done to Hugh with her umbrella, but an unseen force snatched hold of the broom, ripping it from her grasp.
She sucked in a big breath as Mr. Reyes moved his index finger, sending the broom slamming so hard into the cabin wall that it splintered into pieces. Mr. Reyes then set his sights on Kelsey, still looking warm and caring, when it was clear he was anything but.
“Now, Miss Kelsey, how about you hand over the pendant and a vial of your blood, given willingly? Do this, and I will let you and your man friend here live.”
“Kelsey, no,” said Jake, sounding pained. “He’s lying! He won’t let anyone live. Odds are, they’ll kill us and take our bodies to use as their own.”
She blinked, positive she heard Jake wrong. Mr. Reyes and Ellswerth could body jack someone? That information made learning centaurs were real seem downright boring.
“So wise. I think I’ll take your body. It will never age. And I have a close friend who is simply dying to inhabit Kelsey’s body.” Mr. Reyes wagged his finger in Jake’s direction, and the chair Kelsey had used to wedge the cabin door shut skidded across the floor and crashed into Jake with a force that made Kelsey gasp.
Jake winced, but narrowed his gaze on Mr. Reyes as he clearly struggled to break whatever hold had him pinned in place. “If you hurt her in any way—”
Mr. Reyes laughed. “You’ll what, centaur? You have no say in this matter. It’s between her line and ours. You’re not family to her.”
“But I am,” said a deep voice from the doorway—as the man who gave Kelsey the creeps entered the cabin. He wore the same army jacket she’d seen him in on multiple occasions. He looked at Jake. “How hurt are you?”
“I’m angry. Not hurt,” said Jake.
“Good.”
“Leopold,” said Mr. Reyes, staring at the man, a tiny flicker of fear showing in his gaze. “I thought we ended you back in Boston.”
Leopold’s icy gaze locked on Mr. Reyes. “My line is a lot harder to take down than you thought.”
“I’m sure we can solve that problem,” said Mr. Reyes, looking at Ellswerth. “Handle him.”
Ellswerth groaned and pushed to his feet. He charged Leopold with a speed a man his age simply shouldn’t have.
Leopold lifted his hands and a burst of power, that could only be described as rainbow-colored, shot from them, hitting Ellswerth and knocking him back.
The bus driver hit the floor with a loud thump. She wasn’t sure if he was knocked out cold or if he was dead and she was too stunned by everything to stop and look.
The man who had given her the creeps was able to make rainbows fly out of his fingertips? Daggers seemed more his thing. Not rainbows.
Artemis ran up to Ellswerth and scratched him again, hissing as she did. She then went for Leopold and rubbed against his leg.
He smiled down at the cat, looking a lot less menacing than he had before. Of course, it was hard to look totally threatening after having rainbows fly out of his fingertips. “Good girl, watching over her for me.”
What?
He’d sent Artemis to her?
Kelsey came to her senses and ran to Jake’s side, trying to help him up. It was as if he were stuck with glue to the spot.
He stared up at her. “Go, baby, run!”
“No!” she said sternly. “I’m not leaving you here with the crazy men and, well…the other crazy guy.”
Leopold laughed. “Nice, little sister. Real nice.”
Shocked, she fell onto Jake, making him grunt again. “Sorry. Did he just call me his sister?”
“Yes,” said Jake, sounding strained.
Mr. Reyes held his bag closer to him, his attention on Leopold. “Did you learn nothing when we dispensed of your parents nearly twenty-five years ago? Do you want to suffer their fate? You have no love for your sister. She’s almost a hundred years younger than you. If you did care for her, you would have raised her after your parents’ deaths, and you wouldn’t have given her the pendant you guarded from us for so long. You even made sure she came to Everlasting! The one place we needed her to be to perform the ritual to get our power back. Let us have the girl and the pendant. That’s all we want. We’ll go in peace then. You can live a life free of us.”
Kelsey tensed. Leopold had been the one to give her the pendant and the bus ticket? The guy claiming to be family had purposely put her in harm’s way?
“I’m going to shove those rainbows up your—“ Kelsey stopped threatening Leopold when Jake winced again. Whatever magic was over him was hurting him.
“Not gonna happen, Reyes. I’m not handing my sister over to you,” said Leopold, reaching into his army jacket pocket and pulling out a small vial of liquid. He threw it at Kelsey, and she instinctively caught it with one hand. “Give the centaur that to drink. It will help.”
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” cautioned Mr. Reyes. “He wanted you out of the picture. Stands to reason he wants your boyfriend gone too.”
She held the vial, unsure she should trust the man claiming to be her brother. After all, he’d orchestrated getting her to Everlasting, and apparently into the hands of the enemy.
“Baby,” said Jake softly. “He smells similar to you. He’s who he says he is. And I recognize that vial. It’s one of the ones Wilber gave me. It’s safe.”
Reluctantly, she opened the vial and put it to Jake’s lips. He took a sip and then bit his lower lip, hissing slightly. Suddenly, he pushed up and off the ground, pulling her with him. He thrust her behind his body and stood there, facing Mr. Reyes.
“You
’re not taking my mate,” said Jake, putting his hands out to his side as if he was ready to attack the man at any moment.
Mr. Reyes lifted a brow. “Mate?”
Leopold grinned and ran a hand through his wild hair. “Surprise, Irwin. I didn’t send my baby sister to Everlasting to help your master plan. I sent her here so she’d finally meet her mate. Getting to put an end to you lot is just the icing on the cake.”
Jake clenched his fists and Kelsey did a double take when she spotted the tiniest of rainbow sparks coming from his hands. He didn’t seem to notice them.
Ellswerth shot off the floor as if pulled by strings. He and Mr. Reyes said a chant of sorts in unison, and in a flash, Leopold and Jake were thrown into the air, across the room, and through the cabin wall, leaving a gaping hole.
Kelsey twisted and ran for her backpack. She dropped down, reached in, and grabbed the velvet pouch. She pulled out the pendant and instantly remembered Wil’s words of wisdom—letting her heart guide her actions, not her head. And to find her bravery and do what felt right.
She put the pendant on as Mr. Reyes shouted at Ellswerth.
“Stop her!”
The pendant heated against her skin, but it didn’t burn her. It gave her a jolt of energy that took her by surprise. She rolled to the side and into the kitchen, just missing getting body slammed by Ellswerth. She scrambled on her hands and knees toward the contents that were on the floor from the cabinet. She spotted the bottle of Shifter Shock and seized hold of it, opening the top and spinning. She threw the liquid into Ellswerth’s face.
He screamed and lurched back, falling to the floor.
Note to self: Shifter Shock has now been tested on witches.
Kelsey had a moment of reprieve before she heard voices coming up the back porch that didn’t belong to Jake or Leopold.
“Go first! We can grab her and be done with this!”
Total Eclipse of The Hunt: A Cozy Paranormal Mystery (The Happily Everlasting Series Book 5) Page 14