by M. L. Briers
“Lucy?” Cane’s eyes flicked towards her.
“Hey, eyes on the road,” I hissed and he growled in annoyance.
“It’s just my sister being a bitch, as per usual,” Lucy shot back.
“Which one?” Cane asked.
“Good point,” Lucifer purred, and I shot her a death glare, she shot me a smirk. So… I zapped her and she yelped again.
“Hey, don’t accuse me of a crime if you can’t do the punishment,” I had a smirk of my very own for her.
“When you spit out that pup-” she started, but my mother groaned.
“If only it was that easy,” I shot her a look, “hours and hours of flesh ripping pain…” she groaned…
“Gee, thanks for the pep talk, mum,” I hissed back.
“Well, if the truth hurts dear, wait until you experience labour-then you’ll know what real agony is.”
I’m sure my jaw was hanging low and almost to my chest. What a family I had… Sydney sniggered on one side and Lucifer on the other.
This journey couldn’t end fast enough. Not only for Hawk and Scott’s sake, but for my own peace of mind. Right now, I wanted to kill all of them-well, anyone with a womb at least.
Right up until she’d said that I couldn’t wait to give birth-pop the little kickboxer out-now I wasn’t so damn sure, but it wasn’t as though I could change my mind at this point in time-junior was already brewing…
“Can we just to get where we’re going?” I hissed. “I have a need to kill someone and I’m not sure who I want to kill more at this point.”
It was true. I loved my family because I had too. I would defend my mother and sisters with my life, because it was ingrained within me-but right now I could quite easily have drowned the whole lot of them-like kittens in a sack… eww, that thought made me sad-even if killing my siblings didn’t have quite the same effect.
“Cane,” Lucifer piped up, and then said no more. Cane made a noise like Scooby Doo questioning Shaggy and I wanted to chuckle.
“Are you offering him as a sacrifice?” I shot her a look and she grinned back at me, right up until he turned to scowl at her-then she shook her head and swallowed.
“Of course not, I was going to ask how much longer til we get to the faeries house,” she lied. I know she lied, Cane knew that she’d lied, and everyone else in the damn car knew it too…
“Oh, deny it all you want,” I hissed out with an accusing tone and she couldn’t help but giggle-that laughter died on my lips the moment that I caught sight of Hawk and Scott littering the Faeries front lawn, both men were lying there motionless…
“Step on it, Cane!” I growled out, and he did just that.
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~
I couldn’t believe it when Doug’s van pulled up alongside us on the road to the Faerie house. I eyed him through the double layer of glass between our two vehicles; torn between staring at Hawk and willing him to get up, and wondering what the hell Doug was doing.
Doug turned his head and the look on his face was pure excitement and glee… was he really racing Cane at this exact moment in time? Was he stupid? Ok, so it was Doug… but surely he had eyes to see the two men lying on the lawn…?
Then he saw them… I know he did because his head snapped forward on his neck and his eyes bugged out of his head as his eyebrows reached up to his hairline, and finally-his jaw slacked open… Yep, that was our friendly neighbourhood bear shifter in all of his stupid glory… Geez!
I couldn’t hear the words that came from his lips, but I’m sure every other one was a swear word as he snapped his head back on his neck and pulled his truck back behind us. I was surprised he didn’t just do a handbrake spin and head in the other direction, considering it was Doug.
When we finally ground to a halt; I practically launched Sydney out of the back door so that I could scramble out too. It wasn’t very ladylike, but who gives a damn about that when your mate is flat on his face on the ground?
Of course the shifters got there first, and I heard Hawk groan and then jump to life with a warning growl as he tried to shake off whatever had knocked him out cold. I was just grateful that he wasn’t dead…
“Bloody Faeries,” Doug started cursing on a growl from somewhere behind me and I seconded that emotion.
“Where’d they go?” Hawk was back on his feet, if not looking a little wobbly, and Scott rolled over onto his back with a deep groan of annoyance.
“When I get a hold of Anna-she’s gonna be lunch-” Scott sat bolt upright and took my attention away from Hawk for one second-when he wrapped an arm around me and yanked me against his hard body.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he growled, all macho and alpha like.
“We came to warn you,” I tried to push back away from him, but he had me in one of those death grips that didn’t hurt, but I couldn’t break free from either without a little magic, and he looked like he’d had enough magic for one day.
“Is the ghost here?” Doug was eyeing the area like the plants were laced with explosives.
“Haven’t seen him,” Scott admitted as he pushed up to his feet.
“Maybe we should do a binding spell on the Faerie magic, girls,” mother announced. It was probably the first sensible thing that she’d said since waking up this morning. I tried to detach myself from Hawk again, but he wouldn’t let go.
“A little less-me Tarzan and you Jane-if you please,” Hawk scowled at me. He was like a dog with a ball-he kind of wanted you to throw it for him, but he kind of didn’t want to let it go… “Hawk!” I give him a nudge with my elbow and he sighed.
“Fine!” He growled out as he released me.
The moment that all four of us joined our magic together in the binding spell-so Anna’s head popped up from the bushes.
“Don’t do that!” It was half plea and half hiss of annoyance.
“Where’s your sister,” Hawk growled out-starting towards her across the grass…
“Right here,” Tracy called out from the side of the shed on the other side of the house. “Leave her alone.”
“You are in no position to make demands,” Scott bit out.
“We didn’t mean too,” Anna protested.
“He kind of got away from us when we found out that we could,” Tracy said, and I for one felt like I was at a tennis match-I liked it better when they played Siamese twins and stood together…
“Why would you?” Scott demanded, turning his nose up at the thought.
“You’re not best place to talk about raising people from the dead,” Doug bit out, and Scott twisted his head on his neck and shot him a death glare.
“We came across the spell and wanted to see if we could-” Anna explained.
“And we could,” Tracy announced like it was something to be proud of.
“But he didn’t stay put-he went wandering and…” Anna let her words die off, at least she looked guilty, unlike her sister.
“Someone died,” Syrus growled.
“We didn’t mean for that to happen,” Anna admitted.
“So why didn’t you ask Joss for help?” Hawk growled out.
“We thought we could get the Genie back in the bottle, so to speak,” Anna looked downcast. “We couldn’t.”
“Geez, Faeries,” Doug growled out, and I seconded that emotion too. There must have been something wrong with me-that was the second time I’d agreed with Doug today.
“So where is it?” Scott asked and both women shrugged their shoulders.
“Wonderful,” Scott tossed up his hands, “so we’re no better off.”
“You know you’ll have to pay for what you did,” Syrus growled, taking one long step towards Anna.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
~
Anna’s eyes went wide and she swallowed hard as she stumbled backwards. Syrus looked fit to kill, and that was never a good sign.
“We didn’t mean too,” she pleaded.
“Hold up there, Mustafa,” Sydney broke a
way from the binding ring and I felt the loss of her magic. “Spells go wrong.”
“Oh, now its spells go wrong?” Lucy pulled away too and that left me and mother to keep the Faeries from using their magic.
“Zombie hamsters come under an entirely different category of wrong,” Sydney shot back, and I had to chuckle. This whole thing was distracting to say the least.
“So you’re on their side?” Syrus growled out, lifting an arm and pointing to Anna who coward a little more behind the bush.
“I don’t do sides, I’m just saying.” Sydney shrugged.
“And the death of one of my pride is…?” Syrus demanded.
“Unfortunate,” Sydney shot back.
“Unintentional,” I broke away from mother to do what I did best-try to keep the peace. I could see that Syrus was miffed, and who could blame him, but these things did happen in a town where most of the inhabitants were supernatural by nature and ability.
“That’s ok then,” Syrus bit out with a sneer.
“Really?” Anna gushed.
“No!” Syrus growled back and she coward again.
“Stop picking on the faerie,” Hawk growled out.
“The faerie killed one of my pride,” Syrus growled back, and I could see this going from bad to worse in a heartbeat as tempers-mainly Syrus’s flared.
“Technically, Marmaduke did that,” I put in and brought Syrus’s eyes towards me.
“But they called him from the grave,” he pointed an accusing finger right at Anna.
“Stupid, yes,” I agreed, “but murder?”
“Yes,” Syrus snapped.
“No,” mother added. Syrus turned his attention towards her with a hard scowl. “Otherwise any parent can become responsible for a child’s actions during their lifetime, and let’s face it, Syrus, our children aren’t exactly reliable.”
“That’s different,” Syrus growled in annoyance.
“Not really, a spell is like a child. You create it, you nurture it, and you release it-what happens after that is out of your control,” she informed him.
“But they deliberately brought a dead guy back,” Syrus couldn’t see it.
“Which was thoughtless and stupid, but not murder, Syrus,” mother’s calming tone seemed to be working on the alpha, not enough for him to back down completely, but he didn’t look as if he was about to unsheathe his claws and kill a faerie or two.
“So they get away with it?” Syrus didn’t like that idea one little bit.
“Don’t be silly, dear,” mother said the words as if she’d known him forever, and Syrus huffed, “we can strip them of their magic-”
“Now hold on there-” Tracy piped up and my mother’s head snapped around like a bird of prey spotting movement.
“Or you could go with the Pride’s idea of punishment,” she hissed back and I watched that faerie back down like she’d just met Syrus in battle. “That’s that then.” Mother announced.
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~
One spell and a containing jar later and we were leaving the sister’s behind us-magic-less faeries-serves them right. Releasing the spirit from the grave was never going to end well for anyone-what had they been thinking?
I sat beside Sydney in the back of Scott’s car as Hawk did the manly thing and rode shotgun. Lucifer had tried to climb in with us, but her mate had put paid to that idea and hauled her off-literally- back to ride with him, mother, and Syrus. That served her right too.
Sydney held the bell jar with the faeries magic inside in her lap, and I eyed it. To the untrained eye it was an empty jar, but if you looked closely enough, you were able to see the two little sparks of life inside-like magical fireflies-which is why a witch never opened a discarded jar for fear of what she might unleash.
“I’ll put it with the book,” Scott announced and snatched my attention towards his eyes reflected in the rear view mirror.
“Which is…?” I asked-just out of idle curiosity-not.
“Nice try,” Scott bit back.
“But say you die-?”
“Again,” Hawk chuckled.
“Oh look, the shifter made a funny,” Scott shot back and caused Hawk to growl in annoyance. He had a way of pushing Hawk’s buttons that was quite amazing and unequalled, and I’m sure it all stemmed from that little misunderstanding when Hawk thought I’d slept with Scott…
“And this time you stay dead,” I offered.
“Then I guess the book does too,” Scott gave me a knowing smile.
“That’s not very helpful,” I shot back.
“I’m sorry my death would inconvenience you,” Scott gave me a wink and Hawk caught it, growling some more.
“Well, you should be,” I shrugged, “so, give-where’s the book?”
“Safe,” Scott shot back.
“In the safe?” I asked and Scott rolled his eyes.
“There’s a safe?” Sydney perked up and I had to roll my eyes. How like my sister to be so mercenary.
“There are several,” Scott teased her, but knowing the vampire, he probably wasn’t joking.
“I should have blueprints to our house, or at least a detailed map in case the worst happens,” Sydney offered back and Hawk snorted a chuckle.
“Women,” Scott offered towards him and I would have zapped him had he not been driving. “Don’t worry, love, if the worst happens I’m sure you’ll be too busy mourning me to go on a spending spree.”
That did make me snort a chuckle of my own. Sydney with money was like Winnie the Pooh with honey-there was never enough. She nudged me, gently, but still, a nudge was a nudge, so I zapped her.
“Shopping is a coping mechanism,” Sydney announced loftily. “You’d want me to cope, right?”
“Talk about your leading question,” I muttered to another chuckle from Hawk.
“Butt out.” She hissed at me.
“I said nothing,” I tossed back.
“Just a well-timed snigger,” she hissed again.
“What are you the laughter police?” I shot back.
“Now, now, ladies-I know my death would be a loss to you both,” he waited for what he knew was to come-Hawk’s growl-and it did. “But please, enjoy me while I’m still here.” Hawk groaned at the same time that I did.
“You’re still showing me those damn safes,” Sydney bit out.
“Make me,” Scott wiggled his eyebrows and Sydney practically purred. I groaned again.
“Done.” She offered with glee and he would be-in more ways than one, knowing my sister.
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“Am I losing my touch?” I asked Hawk as I brushed out my hair and started to get ready for bed.
“I have no problem at all with your touch,” Hawk was behind me in an instant-those big, safe arms of his were wrapped around me, and he pressed the point home with his hard length against my backside…
“Since I met you,” no, that wasn’t right, “since I got pregnant, I seem to have lost my edge,” that was better.
“How so?” Hawk dipped his head and nuzzled between my neck and my shoulder, and boy did I lose the plot.
“Mother,” I announced with a little squeal when his blunt teeth nipped.
“Well, that’s a dampener on proceedings,” Hawk sighed.
“She took charge today, calming the situation, and dealing with-”
“Everything that you used to?” Hawk knew me well. I sighed.
“Exactly,” I pouted. It was unbecoming, but what the hey, I was feeling…
“Making you feel a little redundant?” Hawk asked. He knew me too well.
“Spot on,” I sighed again. Hawk turned me in his arms and lifted my chin up with his crocked finger. Those dark eyes said I hadn’t put a dampener on the moment at all…
“Your mother was probably the only one that could have talked Syrus down, and you were a part of the spell that took the faeries magic. That’s not redundant-it’s delegating, and you’re my mate and t
he mother of my pup-redundant isn’t a word I’d use.”
I loved Hawk. Not just in the luv kind of way, but in the way that he always knew what to say to make me feel better. He got me-even my own family were clueless when it came to me, but Hawk… yeah, he knew me so damn well that he probably knew what I was going to wear tomorrow.
I reached up on tip toes and kissed him-rewarded for my efforts with a hungry growl… he’d probably even knew that I was going to do that-bless his little cotton socks.
“Bed,” he growled down at me-those dark eyes flashed with hunger for me.
“Really? Cos that wall looks interesting…” I gave him my best wicked grin and he returned it.
“You want to inspect it up close and personal?” he turned me in his arms and I felt that rush of excitement that I knew so well.
“Real up close and personal, like with my nose pressed right up against…” yeah, I didn’t get any further than that in words, but I did find myself right up close and personal to the wall… for quite a while.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
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LUCY
I’d been squished in the back of Syrus’s truck with Cane all the way back to Scott’s house. I had more damn room when there were four of us in the back on the way up to the faerie house, and I was sure that Cane had done it on purpose so that the mating pull took more of a toll on my senses.
I had kind of wished that he’d done the male thing and had called shotgun, but he had a plan and he was sticking too it…
Now, I was fidgety. There was something brewing inside of me like a spell that had taken hold and wouldn’t let go until it either drove me insane or had its way-and that was his fault too. Him and damn fate, oh, how I hated them both right now.
Scott-the traitor-had invited Cane right into the damn house. The smirk that the vampire gave me was proof enough that he enjoyed my plight, and was firmly on the side of my mate. Muppet.
My sister wasn’t much better, with her knowing looks, girlie giggles, and stupid innuendo-until I’d taken refuge in my room. Now, I was pacing like a caged beast ready to claw its way out to freedom-only freedom from what ailed me was to mate with Cane.