by M. L. Briers
“Why?” I was already dragging on my clothes.
“You might need help, you’ve never done a ghost before-”
“You wanna rephrase that statement? Done? Eww.” I turned my nose up at that and Hawk growled.
“That’s just your dirty mind,” he tossed back and I had to agree with him there.
“Which you are eternally grateful that I have.” I shot back and dared him to deny it with just a look. He could only grin back at me.
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~
“You called Scott?” I hissed at him as we rounded the corner and the vampire practically bounced out at us. Hawk growled a warning and Scott smirked.
“He’s fast,” Hawk shrugged a shoulder.
“And I have the book,” Scott announced.
“Fine,” I had little choice…
“Don’t pout, dear,” my mother’s voice made me snap my head around towards her and I groaned inwardly.
“And my mother?” I gave Hawk a death glare.
“That was my idea,” Scott lied and I know he did, because Hawk already had an apologetic look on his face.
“And me,” Sydney bounded up and I groaned outwardly.
“Please tell me nobody invited Lucifer,” I grunted in anticipation.
“God no, we thought she’d be too busy with her mate,” Sydney grinned and I thanked the Goddess for small mercies.
“Is he inside?” I looked to Doug for confirmation. He nodded.
“He went in there about ten minutes ago, right through the damn wall, and I didn’t hear any screams- so either the old man dropped dead of fright or he hasn’t met his brother yet,” Doug was eyeing the building as if it was going to jump out and bite him.
“Gee, Doug, you’re just so caring in a- I don’t give a shit- kind of a way,” I ground out as we started towards the house as one.
“I’m a bear, what do you expect- violins?” he snorted his contempt, and my mother zapped him.
“Be nice,” she warned to the sound of his muttered curses, one after the other.
“This is nice,” he growled back.
“Well, be nicer,” she berated him to another round of curses and growls. I had to chuckle. There were times when I did feel sorry for Doug, this was one of them- going up against my mother was never a good idea.
“Do we have a plan?” I whispered.
“Don’t let it touch you,” Sydney whispered back.
“Good plan, remind me not to let you plan my pup shower,” I hissed at her.
“That wasn’t a plan that was a reminder,” Sydney hissed back.
“Why would you feel the need to state the obvious?” I snapped back.
“Well, you have had baby brain lately…” she took a breath and I nudged her sideways into Doug.
“Watch it,” the bear growled.
“Do not threaten my mate,” Scott warned.
“Oh, for the love of everyone’s mythic being, can we just concentrate on getting the ghost into the book,” I growled out, and Hawk growled back. That was getting old…
“That sounds like a plan,” Sydney grinned at me and I tossed her another death glare, certain that one of these days I might just put some magic behind it.
“Just remember not to look at the pages,” Scott reminded the three of us, and I wanted to scream- I had baby brain- not dementia.
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~
I could hear voices. They were muffled, but there. Two males, and the closer that I got to the room at the end of the corridor- the clearer that they became.
One was Reginald’s and I presume that the other was Marmaduke, but it sounded as if he was down a tunnel with a little echo to his tone…
“I know, I know, but I can’t find it…” Reginald sounded flustered.
“The book- it has to stay safe,” Marmaduke warned as I pushed open the door and felt Hawk literally breathing down my neck…
Reginald must have seen the door being pushed open because his eyes were on mine the moment that I stepped inside the room. And there was Marmaduke- a ghostly white- no pun intended- and looking at me from eyes that were blacker than Hawk’s…
“Joss…” Marmaduke’s face twisted in recognition as did his head as those eyes took me in.
“Hey, Marmaduke. I can’t say that it’s good to see you,” I didn’t want to upset the apple cart, but you know- he was a ghostly apparition and all.
“It’s not good to be back,” that sounded like him- I guess ghost’s kept their personalities. “But I have to make sure the book is-”
“The book is safe, and no witches have looked at it.” I assured him and he seemed to relax a little.”
“You said you didn’t know where the book was,” Reginald sounded miffed, and I did feel kind of sorry for the old guy, but… you know.
“I lied,” I shot back.
“I noticed,” he hissed at me- lifting his arms out in front of him…
“Be careful, Joss…” Marmaduke offered the warning, but before I could do anything- Hawk had already spun me behind the protection of his body, and the wizard’s magic hit him full force in the chest…
Son of… my mother- I hadn’t seen that coming!
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
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“Hell, no!” My mother screeched out, as she tossed an orb in the old man’s direction as all hell broke loose.
Hawk collapsed down onto his knees on the floor- as my mother and Sydney decided to fight fire with fire, or magic with magic, and tossed up a protective shield between us and Reginald.
I guessed the old man wasn’t like his brother after all. I should have known from the moment that he reached out with his magic to see if I was lying and it had touched my shields that there was an element of darkness about him.
I couldn’t blame this on baby brain- maybe all the in-fighting had distracted me, but even that wasn’t an excuse.
I was down on my knees at Hawk’s side. The wound looked bad, but he tried to reassure me with his eyes…
“It’ll heal, help your mother,” he growled out.
Scott was doing what he did best- sticking his nose in where it didn’t belong and stalking out of the magic’s circle towards the wizard…
“The book!” Marmaduke spotted it in Scott’s hand, and Reginald was momentarily distracted enough by his brother’s exclaimed words not to notice when I lobbed a particularly nasty orb in his direction- it was fed by anger, hate, and a need to seek justice for Hawk’s injuries. It blasted him from his feet and backwards across the room…
“Open the book and allow me inside, Scott. I can better protect it from there…” Marmaduke words fell on deaf ears where Scott was concerned. He didn’t pause in stride as he made his way over towards Reginald and thrust the open pages of the book out towards the wizard…
I felt no guilt about what came next as the man was swept up, his body turning into a dark aura, and he was claimed to live for one thousand years inside those pages. Scott snapped the book shut…
“Joss, help me to help you,” Marmaduke turned to implore me.
“That’s not-” Scott started, but the look in the old man’s eyes held my attention.
“Go on,” I urged him.
“I’m walking free, you’ll have to banish me to another realm and not the one from which I was summoned,” Marmaduke said and he had me there. “If I go into the pages of the book I can protect it- it’s my book, allow my essence a way to keep it locked to those who would do harm.”
It made sense and yet how did I know that I could trust this Marmaduke? How did I know that his soul hadn’t been turned dark already?
“I guess we need to get rid of him somehow,” Scott offered, “makes sense- kill two birds with one book, so to speak?”
“Always the pragmatist, Scott,” Marmaduke chuckled…
“But he killed one of the pride,” I reminded Scott- how did we know the book wouldn’t make him stronger?
“That was a mistake
- Anna and Tracy brought me back, but at first I didn’t know that I was dead- I walked into that young man- I never meant to do him harm,” Marmaduke looked desolate.
I heard Hawk’s groan and needed to make a snap decision. One way or the other Marmaduke needed to go. Book or realm, it mattered little right now.
“Good-bye Marmaduke,” I nodded to Scott. I hadn’t gotten the chance to say goodbye to the old man before he’d been taken from me- now at least, I had a sense of closure.
“You’ll be happy, Joss.” Marmaduke assured me as Scott opened the book once more and right there, before my eyes, Marmaduke’s aura swirled around in the air as it drifted towards the pages of the book.
“Hawk,” I dropped down onto my knees once more but Hawk shook his head.
“It’s already healing,” he informed me.
“You could take a little of my-” Scott offered, but Hawk growled in that manly-alpha way.
“Over my dead body,” he bit out.
“Kind of defeats the purpose, don’t you think?” Scott shot back, and my mother zapped him before I could.
“Be nice to your brother,” she berated him. Hawk growled again. “And you be nice to yours.” She berated Hawk too, and I had to chuckle as neither man said another word.
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The faeries were without their magic. Marmaduke’s ghost had gone. The book was back… wherever Scott liked to hide things, and Hawk was recovered. All in all it had been an eventful visit for Lucifer- who was now mated to the alpha of the wolf pack- Cane. That still made me smile!
What didn’t make me smile and had something of a cringe worthiness about it was that my mother, the queen of bitches- I mean witches- was on a date with Syrus. It was enough to make my toes curl within my boots.
Here I was spying on her- heaven help me that I should see anything even remotely kissable or worse- if someone copped a feel I was out of the pub door faster that shite off a shovel, so to speak.
I had tried to make myself as stealthy as possible in the back booth of the pub, but mother waved her hand at me anyway when she’d walked into the damn room- I’m sure Syrus had scented me!
Then Hawk strolled in as big as a sign post that got everyone’s attention and mother lifted her hand and helpfully pointed me out. Lovely- busted by the person I was spying on and now by my mate- who strolled towards me and blocked my view by standing there like the hulk…
“Do you mind?” I shooed him aside but he didn’t move.
“I thought we agreed not to spy,” Hawk berated me, and I turned my eyes up to his.
“Noooo, you agreed not to spy, I never committed myself one way or the other.” I informed him with a look of innocence on my face that I doubted I could have pulled off even if he didn’t know me so well.
“She’s old enough to know what she’s doing,” Hawk berated me again.
“Old enough to know better and act her age,” I shot back.
“I heard that,” my mother’s voice drifted around Hawk’s body.
“With ears like a Haw…” I let that one lie when he gave me an old fashioned look.
“And a body for sin,” my mother shouted back, and I cringed so much that I’m sure my neck disappeared into my body as my shoulders came up around my ears, and I pulled a face like I’d just sucked on the bitterest lemon in the world and followed it up with a mouthful of salt to boot.
“See,” Hawk tossed a hand up in the air, “you’re only torturing yourself by being here.” He stated the obvious.
“But she’s my mother,” I hissed.
“Well, she’s not Syrus’s mate, so she’s in no danger of being tossed over his shoulder and carried off,” Hawk shrugged…
“Err, about that,” Syrus was behind Hawk in an instant and my mate spun around to come eye to eye with him.
“Which part?” Hawk asked.
“The mate part,” Syrus said and I felt as if someone had pulled the chair out from underneath me and my world suddenly spun… I yelped, and Hawk was at my side in a heartbeat.
“Joss?”
“Noooooooooooooooooooooo,” I didn’t know how much oxygen I expended saying that denial of fact, but I sucked in a breath and did it again, “nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!” My fingernails were practically embedded into the wooden table top and I clawed at it.
“Oh, honey,” mother’s voice was like a slap in the face and I snapped out of it. “Aren’t you happy for us?”
“Noooooooooooo,” I started and Hawk nudged me, I nodded emphatically, “yes.” My voice sounded so small that I could have been a mouse. I wished I was, and that someone would come along and step on me- kill me fast- make it go away…
My mother the mate! My mother living permanently in Ley Cove!
I turned to look at Hawk, my eyes imploring him to make this better. He covered my hands with his and pried my nails from the table top…
“Easy, sweetheart,” he bit out.
“Kill me,” I whispered and heard his chuckle. “It’s no laughing matter.”
“Let’s get you home,” Hawk had to drag me to my feet because I had this sudden disconnect with the rest of my body. If I’d gone into labour now I would never have known, and that poor little pup could have shot out and there’d be nobody there to catch it….
Oh, woe is me…
“Now I can stick around and be a full time grandmother to my grandbaby-pup,” mother announced- just to rub salt into the open scars of my flesh…
“Bite me,” I bit out, “Granny.” I shot over my shoulder as Hawk lifted me against his side and quickly walked us out of there before I could do something about any of this torment- like kill Syrus…
“Be nice,” Hawk grinned like an idiot.
“We- are- moving!” I snapped out.
“Hey, Joss, I wondered….?” Doug started as Hawk led me towards the car.
“Oh, go and poop in the damn woods!” I growled.
“Bloody charming,” I heard Doug growl as he stalked away.
“Moving, you hear me, Hawk?” I growled. “Moving- we’re moving- gone- no more Ley Cove- Out of here- vamoose- long gone…”
“Yes, dear.” Hawk teased me with a twinkle in her eye.
The End.
Books you might enjoy by ML Briers:
Comedy/ Romance Lycan Novella’s
The Mating Season (Book one)
The Mating Season (Book two was a Christmas Special and was written after Stealing his Mate)
The Lycan, the Witch and the wardrobe
Protecting His Mate
Chasing His Mate
Defending His Mate
Winning His Mate
Finding His Mate
Gathering Their Mates
Denying His Mate
Captivating His Mate
Guarding His Mate
Saving His Mate
Stealing His Mate
Misplacing His Mate
Wooing His Mate
Rejected By His Mate
Betting on His Mate
Not His Mate
Rescuing His Mate
His Mate- Brothers- Cody (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Dale (Book Two)
Revenge- The Alpha’s Nightmare (Book One)
Revenge- The Alpha’s Nightmare (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Zeke and Jeff (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Duncan (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Shaw and Paden (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Ramsey (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Wynn and Clancy (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Jett (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Brice and Kendric (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Donal (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Kai and Jai (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Rue (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Angus and Rafferty (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Murphy (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Bo and
Rusty (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Cosmo (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Cal and Merlin (Book one)
His Mate- Brothers- Alun (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Jamie and Rawley (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Craig (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Rogan and Karl (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Lore (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Von and Lomond (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Mix (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Layton and Corbin (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Wish (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Maxwell and Tobin (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Cole (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers -Christmas Special.
His Mate- Brothers- Samuel and Will (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Thomas (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Adrian and Leo (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Joe (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Mike and Dean (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Charlie (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Easter Special
His Mate- Brothers- Lyle and Abe (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Jon (Book Two)
His Mate- Brothers- Benjamin and Ross (Book One)
His Mate- Brothers- Colin (Book Two)
His Mates Boxsets are available
Iona- Shorts
Iona- A Very Merry Iona Christmas
Ley Cove- The Siren’s Song
Ley Cove- The Banshee’s Scream
A range of short stories:
Sexy Lycan Shorts- Sisters- Vanessa- Book One
Sexy Lycan Shorts- Sisters- Ezme- Book Two
Sexy Lycan Shorts- Sisters- Lola- Book Three
Sexy Lycan Shorts- Sisters- Amanda- Book Four
Sexy Lycan Shorts- Sisters- Abi- Book Five
Sexy Lycan Shorts- Sisters- Sadie- Book Six
Sexy Lycan Shorts- Sisters- River- Book Seven