by Janelle Peel
Her nose scrunched, “That’s the last thing we need.”
“What do you need from me?”
“Nothing,” she replied. “I know you’re in Epping Forest; the birds will find you. Easy peasy,” she snapped her fingers.
“Hey, Daisy? Why do you think the Council had the books to begin with?”
“I don’t know, Nat. The Council collected tons of old tomes throughout the centuries. I haven’t even explored a third of the Archives. There is one more thing. Remember my hunch? It was about those quakes and stuff that have been happening more and more along the western coastline.”
I nodded, “Yeah.”
She bit her lip, “Well, they seem to have stopped. I don’t know if it’s connected to what is happening over there.”
My brow furrowed, “I don’t know either, but I’ll keep a look out.”
With no other questions looming, we disconnected.
Rolling to my side on the bed, I tapped Bex’s nose, “Hey.”
Her pale blue eyes flickered open in annoyance.
“Sorry to wake you, but I have a question.”
Yawning, she stood and stretched on the mattress in one graceful motion.
Once she’d settled, I met her stare, “Tell me the truth. Do you have a twin soul?”
Her eyes slowly slid to the left.
“Bex, the truth, please.”
Lifting her upper lip, she jerked her head no.
I pressed, “Is that why you’re more comfortable with me?”
Woofing softly, she nodded.
It made sense, but it didn’t explain why I didn’t have a soul. I hadn’t heard the music she had…
With no other options, I decided our time would be best spent finishing Jet’s story.
Back in the kitchen once more, Kane was cooking grilled cheese on the stovetop. Glancing at me, his lips lowered into a frown, “Everything all right?”
Unsure if I should tell him, I nodded, and pulled out a chair. Snatching the typed account from the table, I held it up as a barrier against his inquiring eyes.
The battle raged on until the early morning hours. Countless bodies littered the ground; coloring the snow a strange purple with their blood and ours. As the sun lightened the sky, a massive shockwave sent us all tumbling backward.
A figure stepped forward with her hands raised high in the air. Her unbound hair was dark as night and her eyes glowed with an unholy green hue. She wore a sheer white robe that sparkled with starlight and did little to cover the perfection of her body. Opening her ruby lips, her soft voice whispered these words, “For what you have done, all of your females will become barren. You will remain here; slowly dying in the forest you have stolen from now until the Merge.” Her hands lit with a gold and blue light, it flashed so brightly, our eyes closed of their own accord.
Between one blink and the next, she and their dead were gone. The forest was whole once more, as if the battle had never happened.
Only the death of our fallen PackMates confirmed the gruesome truth of the nights’ events.
Gold and blue. The same color of magic as the barrier, I mused, lowering the paper.
Kane walked the short length of the kitchen and set a towering stack of sandwiches on the table. Grabbing a plate, he selected three and set them before Bex.
Bex licked her lips before tipping her head in thanks.
Pulling out his chair, his green-eyed gaze snagged mine, “Before you ask, no, I don’t know what the Merge, is.”
I shrugged, “Neither do I. But my contacts back in Seattle have found some books they believe might help. Four, to be exact. Each features a different Element on the cover. They should be here tomorrow or the next day.”
He nodded, “Did your contacts read them?”
Shaking my head, I grabbed my own grilled cheese from the stack, “No. My friend Daisy touched the cover of one and nearly died.”
His brow lowered in contemplation, “Then how are you going to touch them?”
Lifting my free hand, I wiggled my fingers, “Got some gloves?”
After lunch we ventured outside to a shed in the backyard.
Kane looked at the sky and sighed, “It’s not usually this cold.”
Rubbing the goosebumps from my arms, I shrugged. Having never been outside of SoCal, everything felt chilly to me. I was spoiled by the hot summers and pleasant winters. Even during the coldest months, the daytime lows rarely dipped below the mid-60s.
Bex trotted over to the edge of the yard and relieved herself on a patch of overgrown grass.
Keeping her in my periphery, I nodded toward the peeling white shed, “What else do you keep in there?”
“You know, garden tools, whips, chains, handcuffs. Everything a guy could need for some S&M.”
Lifting a brow at his horrible joke, I gave him the finger.
Cocking his head, his jade eyes glowed and slid down the exposed skin of my neck to the tops of my breasts. An appreciative rumble began at the back of his throat.
Bex trotted up and growled a warning.
Tipping his chin toward her, his rumble deepened into a threat.
Unimpressed, her ruff stood on end and she bared her teeth.
His thick chest flexed menacingly as his beast bit out, “Back down, pup.”
Oh, hell no. That shit was not going to fly. Releasing a pissed off warning of my own, I stepped between them and met his challenge head on.
The corner of one lip lifted into a smirk as his eyes dimmed. Clearing his throat, he softly said, “Apologies.”
I took in his reddened cheeks with a glare, “Challenge her again and you will regret it.”
Averting his gaze, I barely caught the words he muttered under his breath, “Then don’t joke about fucking me.”
Shock lit through my veins. He was right. I didn’t know this man, nor did I know his Wolf. Hot on the heels of that emotion came outrage and anger. Stepping closer to his massive frame, I spat, “Fuck you, Kane. You don’t decide what I can say and do. You kidnapped me, remember? So why don’t you, and your thickheaded Wolf, go fuck each other, huh?”
Gritting his teeth, he seemed to barely control his Wolf. Shaking his head, he whispered, “You’re right. I’m trying, Nat. Really, I am. I get it, but he doesn’t.”
My lip lifted in disgust, “Blaming your reaction on your Wolf? Seriously?” I was testing his limits and I knew it. But I needed to know how far he would go before he snapped. Bex’s safety depended on it.
A telltale shimmer surrounded him as his control slipped completely and he began his near instant shift.
Instinctually, my magic responded and formed a perfectly round, silver hued sphere around Bex and I.
Shaking off his clothes, he was almost the size of a full-grown horse. His bright green eyes were close to the height of my shoulder as they perused my bubble. Showcasing his teeth, he lowered his massive black belly to the ground and began tearing into the soil with his sharp claws.
Huh, pretty smart. I’d never contemplated whether someone could possibly tunnel beneath the sphere. Turning my back to the digging Wolf, I looked at Bex, “You stay inside the shield, okay?” Grinning, I added, “This should be fun.” Between one blink and the next, my paws touched down on the ground.
Kane growled as he noted the change and ceased his efforts.
Throwing Bex a cheeky wiggle of my tail to shake off my clothes, I stepped through the bubble and placed myself directly in his path.
Puffing up his chest, he hesitantly approached. When he was inches from my face, I snapped my large teeth.
His ear flicked once in annoyance as he brushed his chest down my side.
Inhaling his musky scent, I snorted. What a dumbass.
Then I heard it. Beautiful music, my heart ached with a deep sense of loss. I took one step forward as Kane approached my rear. His curious sniff didn’t even register as I lifted my paw again. Raising my face to the sky, I howled in one desolate note as a loss I couldn’t recall ripped
through my soul.
Kane
Her lonely howl shook his Wolf to the core as his human mind finally broke through, What is wrong?
His beast attempted to comfort her, gently nudging her chin with theirs.
She cried again; aching with a hollowness that set their teeth on edge. Frantically, his beast pressed himself against her side in worry.
Her anguished cry cut off and she took a few more steps forward.
Confused, they looked through their shared eyes to Bex. Her blue orbs met theirs as she stepped though the bubble, popping it with a shower of stardust. Bypassing him, she leaned against Nat and took up her call.
A chorus of howls broke out from further inside the forest. Panic lit his human half; the Pack was coming. His beast snorted at the emotion, he knew the least of their worries was his brethren. Anger flashed through his thoughts as Kane shouted a warning, She can control them!
The sound of paws pounded on the forest floor as multiple Wolves ran toward their location. His beast relinquished control of their mind in irritation, and for the first time, let his human half control their body.
Kane assumed the lead and immediately yipped a sharp warning for their Pack to stand down. The sounds of their paws slowed for a moment before Nat cried again and Bex joined in.
Faster than before, they rushed through the forest in response.
Not knowing what else to do, he slammed his thick chest into Nat and sent her sprawling on the grass.
Righting herself, she growled low in her chest. The lithe muscles of her legs flexed beneath her silver tipped fur as she slowly patrolled a circle around his massive form.
Merely a head shorter than himself, he marveled at her perfection. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen in his entire twenty-five years walking the Earth. His Wolf rumbled in agreement.
Snarls rent the air as the first members of his Pack arrived. Bracing himself for the worst, he waited to see what Nat would do. He and his Wolf would die to protect what was theirs…
Inhaling though her black nose, her green gaze touched upon the new arrivals. Snorting, she yipped sharply, Go home.
A mix of 26 varying shades of golden eyes swung toward him. Rushing to the forefront, his Wolf growled once and reinforced her command.
Without a sound, their Pack retreated back into the woods.
Warily, their gaze found Nat.
Bex licked her chin as she whined encouragingly.
Faster than he could track, she shifted. The descending sun’s rays kissed her delicate alabaster skin and shadowed the juncture of her thighs. Unable to do anything other than stare, he watched as she turned on her bare heel and went back inside the house with Bex trailing behind her perfect, heart shaped ass.
His shift back was rather uncomfortable. Who knew shifting with a hardon could be so painful?
Human once more, he snagged the leather gloves from the shed and followed her.
Pulling a pair of emergency shorts from the envelope table near entryway, he slipped them on pounded up the stairs to her room.
Knock, knock.
“Go away.”
Raising his large fist, he hammered on the door again, “Natalie, open this door right now!”
“No.”
Pausing, he softened his tone, “Please?”
“Dammit, Kane! Go the fuck away!”
Unwilling to break down the door or get the spare key and invade her space, he evaluated his options. “Fine, you have thirty minutes to get your shit together and come downstairs. We need to talk.”
With an exasperated sigh, she bit out, “Fine.”
Nodding to himself, he headed to his own room as his thoughts rolled. What, exactly, had she heard?
Nat
Patting myself on the back for having the foresight to grab my phone from the kitchen table, I thumbed the screen to life and chose a random Pandora station. Turning the volume up as far as possible, I set it near the corner of the tiled vanity.
It didn’t work. I could still hear the heartbreaking melody over Sublime’s Santeria. Snatching a pony tie from my bag, I threw my hair up and dared to look in the small mirror above the sink.
My porcelain skin glowed, further highlighting the rosy pink color of my bow shaped lips. Briefly, I skimmed over my pert nose before settling on my jade eyes and the black lashes surrounding them. Gathering my meager resolve like a cloak, I scanned my high cheekbones and dared myself to turn my face to the side.
Slowly, I tipped my head and gasped.
As if in a dream, my hand rose of its own accord and traced the elven tip of one ear. Panic crept in and I immediately ripped the tie from my ponytail. My scalp stung as a few strands of raven hair pulled out and fluttered to the floor. Shaking my head to settle the snarled tresses, they quickly slid over my ears.
Bex padded in and rubbed her cheek on my bare thigh in sympathy.
Fingering her soft fur, I squeezed my eyes closed for a moment and prayed to the All Mother for our nightmare to be over.
Nothing happened.
Yipping softly, Bex placed her white paws on the counter and nudged my phone.
“I don’t want to talk to anyone.”
She growled.
“I know, I’m being childish,” I quipped. “I just want this to go away.”
Snorting, she took the device in between her teeth and dropped it to the floor. Failing to elicit a response, she goosed me with her cold nose.
“Hey, cut it out,” I grouched.
Sinking to the bathroom rug, I picked up the phone and swiped out of the app. Who could I possibly call that would understand? Sora had her hands full, but she’d told me to call Viv. My finger hovered over her picture on the display.
Pressing her face against my hand, Bex yipped.
I gave her the stank eye, “What would I say? That I’m part Fae? We didn’t even believe they existed until three days ago! How the hell am I going to explain this?”
She chuffed.
Dropping my head back to the wall, I contemplated my options. If I called Viv, she might tell Mel. Definitely not what I wanted. He’d come barging in here and then I’d be even more screwed.
Daisy was out, she had her hands full with Cooper…
Glancing at the screen, I noted my time was up. Maybe I should enlighten Kane. He probably wouldn’t be any help, but this whole thing started with him. The least he could do was listen to me.
Decision made, I stood and grabbed a fluffy robe from the hook on the wall. I didn’t care that it wasn’t mine, I was tired of ruining my own clothes.
Kane sat at the kitchen table with his fingers drumming an agitated beat.
Pulling out a chair, I tightened the tie of my borrowed blue robe and sat.
Without meeting my gaze, he rumbled with disapproval, “What was that all about? Do you think this is a game? Taunting my Wolf? Calling the Pack after I specifically warned you not to?”
I snorted, “You challenged Bex, remember? I had to see how far you would go before you lost your shit.”
Lifting one large hand, he ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, “It was an accident. You need to understand, Nat. You don’t possess a twin soul, so you have no idea what it’s like to almost constantly be at war with yourself.”
“You’re right, I don’t. Back home, my Pack lives in harmony with their other side. Why don’t you?”
He shook his head, “I used to, before you came along.”
Lowering my brow, I snarked, “Oh, so it’s all my fault? Really?”
He nodded, rolling a shoulder in frustration, “My Wolf doesn’t see things the way we do. What’s his is most definitely his, and well, he thinks that applies to you.”
Gritting my teeth, I bit out, “I already told you, it’s not happening.”
“I heard you, but he doesn’t care. It’s all I can do to keep him at bay, even now. And it’s getting worse. Every time I inhale, I can scent you. It’s maddening holding his leash while wanting something
that we cannot have.”
I slammed my hand onto the table, “You don’t even like me! What you’re saying doesn’t make any sense.”
His emerald colored eyes met mine as he whispered, “It doesn’t have to make sense. It is what it is.”
Irritated at his gall to blame everything on me, I crossed my arms and growled, “This is all your fault! If you hadn’t brought me here, none of this shit would even be happening!”
So softly I almost missed it, he murmured, “I know.”
Damn it all! Standing, I kicked my chair aside and began to pace. Whether I liked it or not, we were in this mess together. Shoving him and his idiotic Wolf from my thoughts, I focused on the task at hand. “Well, just so you know, I’m not even what I thought I was anymore.”
He gave me a queer look at the change in topic, “What do you mean?”
Turning on my heel, I grabbed a chunk of my hair and exposed my ear, “Now I’m more of a freak than I was before thanks to you!”
His mouth opened and closed repeatedly as he struggled to understand the situation.
Pissed off at the mess my life had become, I stalked toward him. Leaning down into his face, I spat, “I hate you!”
Chapter 9
Kane
His Wolf whined once before retreating to the farthest depths of their shared mind at the extreme hatred in her tone.
Her nostrils flared at the audible sound. Turning on her heel, she methodically began opening and closing every single cupboard in the small kitchen. “Dammit! Don’t you have anything to drink in this godforsaken place?”
Without a word, he stood. Walking silently over to the fridge, he grabbed a bottle of whiskey from a high shelf and handed it to her.
Throwing him a glare, she plucked a glass from the counter, unscrewed the cap, and poured herself a generous amount. Lifting the rim to her lips, she nearly emptied its contents in one go. Refilling her cup, she tossed the open bottle to him and strode back to her chair.
Catching the bottle in midair, he took a long sip and joined her.
Rolling the glass between her palms, she whispered, “What’s happening to me?”