No. He’d deal, as he always had, on his own. “It’s nothing. Let’s just get his over with.”
Gareth snarled, but backed off when Zach held up his hand.
“Be careful.” Zach, usually so happy-go-lucky, was dead serious. “Just remember, if you cast this spell with a specific person in mind, you’re in danger of turning it into a love spell.”
It was the same warning Zach had given Gareth, and no doubt Chris had given Zach before he cast it. Casting a love spell on a specific person was just inviting the karma police to come and make sure your life was a living hell. One simple mistake and the resulting spell could drive the lover into an insane stalker, turn the wizard into someone unable to love at all, or cause the would-be lover to both love and hate the wizard until one of them wound up dead.
But that wasn’t what Daniel was worried about. None of them understood what he was going through. They all thought they got it. Got him.
They didn’t have a fucking clue why he’d denied the Beckett mate spell for so long, but the truth was going to come out sooner rather than later, and when it did, he had no idea how they’d look at him. The secret he’d been hiding for so many years would collapse in on itself, and he’d be exposed not only to Kerry, but to his brothers as well.
Would they feel the same way, knowing Daniel’s wolf had always been this close to the surface? He’d always been more easily annoyed than the others, more wolf-like in his appetites, but they’d never seen the worst of it. Only Daniel’s father knew the full truth, and only his word kept Daniel’s brothers in the dark.
Daniel already knew Kerry was his mate. He didn’t need a spell to tell him, or to want to draw her closer. Nothing he did or said could change that fact. Daniel wouldn’t go feral because he didn’t cast the spell. Daniel might go feral if he did. Deliberately putting Kerry in danger, pulling her closer to him, would make a demand of him he wasn’t sure he could handle. His wolf was in complete agreement with him, demanding they keep her away, safe until the threat was eliminated.
The fact that his brothers were pushing the ritual onto him for his own good? Priceless.
“Want to tell me what’s really got you going, or should I order you for the third time to do the damn spell?” Gareth, never one to let something go, was giving him the big-brother, get-your-ass-in-gear glare that Daniel hated.
He took a deep breath, calming himself and his wolf. It was inevitable. There was no use fighting anymore. As much as he wanted to keep her in Philadelphia, safe and secure, it wasn’t going to happen. He might as well cast the damn spell and get it over with. “Fuckhead.”
“That’s King Fuckhead.” Gareth pointed to the table. “Do it.”
Daniel snatched the pad and pen from Chris, scribbled two words on it, and folded it up. “On your heads be it.”
Before they could respond, he tossed the paper into the fire and began the chant that would either begin his life or end it.
“I call on forces higher than I,
To awaken the dreams that I hold inside.
Venus, grant me the love I lack;
With this spell my mate attract.
This candle for her,
This candle for me.
When they touch,
United we’ll be.
Kindle the love,
Kindle the flame,
When we meet, she’ll know my name.
By the power of earth and fire,
Bring unto me my heart’s desire.
By the power of air and sea,
As I will so mote it be.”
As he chanted, two candles, both red, one carved with the symbol for female, the other marked with the symbol for male and bearing a lock of his hair, shifted slightly toward one another.
“Happy now?”
His brothers stared at him, probably noting how unhappy Daniel was.
“Daniel?” Zach’s gaze was no longer filled with amusement. Instead the eyes of one of Hecate’s Own stared at him, seemingly seeing everything Daniel wanted to hide the most.
“It’s fine, Zach.” Daniel stared at the candles, ignoring his brothers and their building concern. “For now, anyway.”
But when the candles touched, Kerry would be here. Then furry hell would be sure to break loose on all of them. May the Goddess help them all.
Chapter Two
“Uh-oh.” The pendant around Kerry Andrews neck began to give off a soft, warm glow. “Bad timing, Daniel.” She’d just returned to work, light desk duty without much else, while she continued to heal from her latest abduction.
“Hmm? Did you say something?” One of the nurses Kerry worked with glanced over at her, her brows furrowed in confusion. They weren’t that close. In fact, Kerry only knew her by her last name, Burrows. Nurse Burrows was a terrible gossip and tended to make up what she didn’t know and embellish what she did. Kerry tried to avoid her like the plague, but today they’d gotten the same floor rotation. There was no avoiding her, so Kerry would have to do her best to give the other nurse nothing to use against her.
“Nothing. Just a minor cramp left over from when I was attacked.” The very human Kerry had gotten a serious education on the magical world when she’d been kidnapped and nearly killed by members of Genevieve Godwin’s family, not once, but twice. The first time all they’d managed to do was rough her up and piss her off.
The second time, they’d fractured and dislocated both her hips, broken one of her legs and beaten her to a pulp. Oh, and Hugh Godwin had given her a parting gift as well. He’d inserted a tiny part of a demon inside her. Hugh Godwin had used her as the vessel necessary to break the protections that surrounded Gareth’s home. He would have had full access to Gareth at any time if they hadn’t figured it out and removed it just in time.
She was still pissed about that. The Becketts had been good to Lana and had saved Kerry’s ass twice. They’d taken in Gen, a warlock, when they had every reason to fear and loathe warlocks. Hell, Gareth had fallen in love with Gen, claiming her as his mate the moment she went back to him.
Kerry didn’t blame Gen for any of the stuff that had happened to Kerry. Gen was one of the sweetest people Kerry had ever met, and one of the coolest. It was one of the reasons she’d agreed to help Gen, to give her a safe place to rest when she wasn’t hunting down her brothers. It had worked too, right up until Gen had been forced to return to Gareth by her own family and the Beckett mate spell. Gareth had whisked her away to New York, claimed her, made her his consort and to hell with what anyone else in his court thought. He’d never backed down, never flinched from the inevitable backlash that had occurred, and when Kerry was hurt he’d pulled out all the stops to find her. Kerry owed all the Becketts more than they knew.
How fucked up was it that Gen’s own family was responsible for much of the misery the Becketts had gone through? And now Gen was the wizard queen, mated to Gareth, the love of her life. And yet, as one of the rare Hecate’s Own, Gen was still sworn to hunt down rogue magics that used their power to hurt others, starting with her own family. It was a cocktail of power that was bound to drive Gareth insane, but maybe it had been worth it after all. Maybe fate had given Gareth to Gen, to give her the family she’d never had. One that had her back at all costs, even going so far as to hunt with her, protecting her as one of their own.
Kerry envied that. Her twin, Kelly, had married not long ago, and now Kerry found herself alone more often than not. Her parents were busy with their own lives, getting together with their girls maybe once every few months. Kelly was already talking about starting a family with Dennis the Menace. The thought of her sweet twin breeding with the straight-edge, narrow-minded Mr. Littleton made Kerry want to gag. She’d love the little spawn because he or she was part Kelly, but she just hoped she managed to infuse some fun into their lives because Dennis sure as shit wouldn’t.
For Kerry, the wors
t part of her ordeal was Kelly. Her twin was so caught up in her baby-making plans she hadn’t been there when Kerry needed her most. They’d always been there for each other, but once Kelly married all of that seemed to be at an end. Kelly put her husband above her twin, even when Kerry was in the hospital after her first abduction.
Kerry had gotten the message loud and clear. Dennis was now the most important person in Kelly’s life, and Kerry would just have to learn to deal with it. It wasn’t something she was used to. It had been especially hard while she’d been healing, left alone in the hospital with only her parents visiting once every day. Kelly’s quick, in-and-out visit had left her feeling alone in the world in a way only a twin could truly understand. It was as if half of her had disappeared, leaving the rest of her wondering what she’d done to drive Kelly away.
Worst of all, she couldn’t exactly tell Kelly that she’d been mauled by a warlock intent on world domination, now could she? She’d lied to everyone, from the cops to her family, about what had happened to her, refusing to incriminate the Becketts in any way, shape or form. Perhaps Kelly had sensed the lie and decided to leave her be until Kerry told the truth? Or was she so wrapped up in her husband that Kerry had become an afterthought?
Man, wouldn’t it be great if Dennis turned out to be a warlock and had inflicted himself on Kelly?
Kerry shook her head. Nah. Even she could tell Dennis truly loved Kelly, and vice versa, no matter how much it made Kerry gag. She’d have to make sure she checked in with Kelly if she got the chance.
“Kerry?” False concern filled Nurse Burrows’s foxlike face. “Are you all right? You blanked out there for a minute.”
Kerry smiled. “I’m fine, thanks. Just a headache. Maybe I’ll take some ibuprofen, but I think it can wait.” Kerry smiled, hoping the nurse would drop it.
“No problem, hon.” Nurse Burrows winked. “Just let me know if you need to take a break and get those pain meds.”
And have you report it to the administration? No thanks, I’ll pass. “Thanks for the thought, but I’ve got this.”
“If you say so.” And off Nurse Burrows went, probably to tell someone else that Kerry had internal bleeding and a drug addiction.
Blech. Sometimes she wished she’d chosen a less cutthroat profession, like kickboxer or politician, but Kerry loved working with her patients. She helped people get better, and helped those who wouldn’t come to terms with what was happening to them. It was a thankless, dirty task, one she wouldn’t trade for the world.
Although, if the pendant around her neck was any indication, she might not have a choice in the matter. If it was beginning to glow it could only mean one thing. Daniel had cast the mate spell, and Kerry’s life was about to change forever.
She needed to get a hold of Annabelle Evans, the grandmother of her best friend, Lana and one of the strongest witches in Philadelphia. It was Annabelle who’d given her the charm necklace Kerry now wore. On it dangled multiple protections, from charms against the evil eye to something that would alert her the moment Daniel cast the Beckett mate spell. If even a hint of a smidgen of a spell came within two miles of her, one of the amulets would light up like a fireworks display, warning Kerry of impending danger…or one determined werewolf casting a spell to summon her ass to New York.
Oh, she knew she was Daniel’s mate. She’d known since Lana hooked up with Chris and Kerry had butted heads with Daniel. He was the most annoying, intriguing, attractive man she’d ever met, and he gave as good as he got. He didn’t treat her with kid gloves. He assumed she knew how to defend herself and let her have it with both barrels, whether they were fighting over her safety or whether or not she would remain in New York, by his side. Those amber eyes of his would turn to pure gold when his wolf surfaced, the low growls he would emit making him even more dangerously attractive.
Add in lean muscles from running in wolf form, an ass you could bounce a quarter off of and a dark bit of stubble on his chin that never seemed to get shaved off, and you had one hell of a package. Kerry was dying to unwrap him and find out what made him tick, and it looked like she was about to get her chance.
She’d thought he would cast the mate spell when Chris was done with the Beckett emerald ring, but he hadn’t. Zach had, calling Johra Yashodar to his side. While Jo was a great person and the perfect match for Zach, Kerry had been disappointed to find Daniel hadn’t been the one to cast the spell.
She’d then hoped that he’d take his turn and cast the spell. Daniel chose to let Gareth go next, giving Gareth the time he needed to find Gen before he was crowned king. Kerry had been thrilled at their binding. She’d become good friends with Genevieve, inviting the warlock into her home when Gen had nowhere else to go. She’d wanted Gareth for Gen, hoping when he cast the spell it would call to her, but a selfish part of her had wanted Daniel to go before Gareth.
It wasn’t to be, and she’d almost given up hope that Daniel wanted her the way she wanted him. Instead of getting a mate, Kerry was kidnapped and nearly killed by Hugh Godwin, resulting in her current, still-healing injuries. A wizard healer had been called for her, taking care of her most grievous injuries and allowing Kerry to walk again with only the slightest hint of pain. Another thing she owed the Becketts for, and a debt she planned to repay.
Apparently Daniel had run out of people to pass the ring to or Gareth had sat on him and forced him to perform the spell. Either way, Kerry now had a decision to make, one that might have been denied her if not for Annabelle’s little present. Should she obey the summons and head to New York where Daniel, and the wizard court, were? Or should she ignore it and let him stew for a while before she left?
She might want him to wait the way he’d made her wait, but one way or another she’d wind up going to him. It was just a matter of when.
“Ms. Andrews?” The director of nursing was coming down the hall, a slight frown on her face. “Can I see you for a moment?”
What the hell? Kerry glanced around, but nothing seemed out of place. Her chat with Nurse Burrows had been brief, forgettable. Nothing she’d said to Burrows would have resulted in the nursing director coming for Kerry personally. Could Nurse Burrows have told the director that Kerry was having issues? If so, she’d do her best to reassure the director that there was nothing serious going on. A headache was something a nurse learned to work through.
She followed the director into her office and sat down, her hands curled in her lap nervously. The scars on the back of them reminded her of when she’d been in the hands of the Godwin men, her life on the line as they planned on sacrificing her to their demonic overlord. She doubted she’d ever be able to look at them as anything other than battle scars, a battle she’d ultimately won. The Godwins wouldn’t get her again, not if she had anything to say about it. “Yes?”
“I understand you’ve been experiencing some difficulties with regards to your work since your abduction.” The director pushed her glasses up her nose and read from a piece of paper in front of her. “We’ve had some patient complaints, as well as a few from the nursing staff who have had to go in behind you and redo some of your work.”
Kerry blinked, barely able to contain her anger. “Excuse me? Who was going behind me to redo my work?”
“That hardly matters, Ms. Andrews. The nature of the complaints is such that I feel we need to investigate immediately.” The director’s cool tone sent a shiver down Kerry’s spine. This was not looking good, but she had no idea what the director was talking about.
“What specifically is going on?” Kerry had a very good idea who was behind all of this, but the timing was incredibly suspicious. She would have said it was a spell nudging Nurse Burrows into being a bitch, but the report had to have been filed before Daniel cast the mate spell, so that couldn’t be it.
The director glanced up at her with some sympathy. “I want to get to the bottom of this. I believe that someone is hoping to use
the allegations to move up the food chain rather than do the work required to get there on her own.” The director gave her a weak half-smile. “But it’s not entirely my call. The file was CC’d to the hospital administrator, and he’s the one pushing for this to be fully investigated. He thinks…”
“He thinks what? That I’m abusing patients?”
The director nodded slightly. “That’s exactly what he’s telling me. I’ve argued until I’m blue in the face, but there’s nothing I can do. Until your innocence is proven, I’ve been forced to put you on paid leave.” She shrugged as Kerry gasped. “It was the best I could get for you. The hospital administrator wanted you fired.”
“Why?” Kerry couldn’t believe this. She would never harm a patient. “What proof does he have?” The man was older, more set in his ways than the nursing director, but he’d never struck Kerry as unfair before.
Something more, deeper, was going on here, and it had nothing to do with the Beckett mate spell taking an opportunity to push Kerry Daniel’s way. From what she could tell, the spell wouldn’t do something like this. The worst it had done was cause Lana’s ancient car to die on the side of the road, something it had already done more than once. None of the other charms were lighting up. Could a spell have been aimed not at Kerry, but at the administrator, influencing him against her? Would that cause the charms to light up? Ugh. It sucked not knowing. The urge to get to Annabelle was getting stronger by the minute. She’d know what to do.
“He’s got written complaints from some of our patients. With that, he has cause to fire you, but I urged that an investigation be launched.” The nursing director sat forward. “I’m aware there are some nurses here who feel you’ve been given better treatment because of your kidnapping, but I didn’t imagine one of them would do this.”
“Neither did I.”
“I know, Ms. Andrews, which is why I want the investigation.” The director sat back. “I’m sorry, but at least you have a chance at getting your job back.”
Warlock Unbound: Heart's Desire, Book 4 Page 2