Wolf Marked (Magic Side: Wolf Bound Book 1)

by Veronica Douglas

  God, how could a man like that stomach being seen in public with a bedraggled girl like me? Embarrassment bored through my remaining confidence like a swarm of termites.

  Why, for heaven’s sake, had the cop recommended this place? There was something almost magical about the atmosphere. It had to be insanely exclusive, and I couldn’t be more out of my element.

  I made a couple of stealthy adjustments to my dress and looked up. Half a dozen women were shooting daggers at me with their eyes, probably wondering how I had the gall to be with him—the man the whole place seemed to revolve around.

  Like a slap in the face, that hardened my resolve real fast.

  Screw them.

  I’d been attacked by some kind psycho super-soldiers the night before, and I’d killed one of them. I could handle a couple of bar bitches. I tossed my hair to let them know that I’d killed better folk and that I could wear whatever I damn well pleased.

  Then I gave the one on my left the look.

  To my surprise, she backed off with a shocked expression, then quickly averted her eyes.

  Chicago was so weird.

  I looked up at Jaxson and froze. He was studying me. Intensely. Heat warmed my cheeks, and I lowered my eyes, just like the woman had.

  The bartender slid a couple Manhattans in front of us, and I welcomed the interruption. I took a sip and savored the sweet and smoky flavors, delighting in the way the whiskey warmed my stomach, then followed Jaxson to a table. Several women shot inviting glances at him, but he didn’t seem to notice.

  He wouldn’t notice you, either, if you weren’t a witness.

  I adjusted my hair—my best characteristic—as I sat. For a second, Jaxson’s full lips twitched downward, as if somehow, my hair was an insult.

  I buried my face in the menu to hide my shame. Whatever moment of confidence I’d experienced at the bar was over—clearly, the only reason he’d brought me here was to buy my cooperation.

  Well, he’d soon learn that my cooperation had a steep price.

  The menu was all small plates, so I didn’t feel overly embarrassed when we wound up practically ordering one of everything, along with another round of drinks.

  Soon enough, a waitress swept over with plates of bacon-topped figs, charred brussel sprouts, and endive cups filled with some kind of cheese and herbs. By the time I was halfway through, I was thankful I was wearing something flowy and comfortable.

  I kept trying to get tidbits of information out of Jaxson, but he delayed or deflected, instead responding with prying questions I didn’t want to answer. Stymied, I mostly kept my head down and focused on the food.

  Just sitting across from Jaxson was intimidating. I could feel everyone’s eyes on us. He drew attention to himself like a black hole, all the light and color of the room swirling around him, slowly being pulled in.

  So was I.

  He was beyond eye candy with his sleeves rolled up, lightly circling the rim of his glass with his thumb and index finger. I’d never seen a man built like him before. So much strength, tightly bound. His jaw set as if he were holding back a great force in his chest.

  “Who are you?” I finally asked as I watched the room study him.

  “I’m the man who’s hunting your attackers.”

  “That’s not an answer. Who are you? Who do you work for?”

  He set his glass down as if dropping a heavy burden. “I run Dockside, this section of the city.”

  That explained a lot—he was a king in his petty kingdom. Probably a powerful politician. No wonder everyone seemed to bend before him.

  I opened my mouth to press him, but Jaxson leaned back and traced me head to toe with his eyes. They flashed gold for a second, and heat rushed through me.

  “Why don’t you tell me who you are?” he asked.

  “You know who I am.” I prickled. He seemed to know a lot about too many things.

  “Who were your parents?”

  That killed whatever heat had built up in me. “Nobodies. They’re dead,” I snapped. “It’s time to stop delaying and tell me what’s going on.”

  I shoved the last bacon-topped fig in my mouth to make a point.

  Jaxson inclined his head with a look of amusement in his eyes. “You have a healthy appetite.”

  Was he judging me? I wiped my sticky fingers on my napkin. “My only appetite is for information. Dish.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Who attacked me? You said you believed my story—that I was attacked by people with claws for hands. That they’d chased me down on the road. What the hell were they?”

  Jaxson looked around the room, then rose. “We should discuss these things discreetly. Why don’t you join me on the terrace?”

  I nodded. At last, I was going to get some real answers—and they were going to be good ones, because Jaxson didn’t want people eavesdropping.

  We took our drinks, left the table, and headed to the rooftop terrace. It was packed with revelers when we arrived, but Jaxson gave the waitstaff a look, and the place emptied in a few minutes.

  Holy smokes, he’d just kicked everyone out like it was nothing.

  The terrace offered a view of the entire island. The skyscrapers of downtown sparkled to the northwest, and the whole city was a sea of light, with the nearly full moon floating high overhead. A light breeze stirred the leaves of potted plants, and I sighed, for some strange reason feeling at home here overlooking the city below.

  I joined Jaxson at a small table positioned next to the railing. “Okay, you’ve used your mojo to clear the deck somehow,” I said. “You need to start giving me some straight answers. Who attacked me? None of it makes sense.”

  He leaned casually against the railing, disarmingly handsome and dangerous. “Ms. Caine, when you set foot in Magic Side, you entered a world very different from the one that you thought you knew. You’re going to need to open your mind to possibilities you’ve never imagined.”

  “Fine. I’m used to batshit-crazy discussions with my aunt. Who attacked me?”

  Jaxson fixed me with a long, serious gaze.

  “Werewolves.”

  10

  Jaxson

  Savannah shot whiskey out of her nose and snorted with laughter. After a minute, she paused, took one look at my growing grimace, and started cackling again.

  Frustration wormed its way beneath my skin.

  Finally, she wiped her eyes with the back of her wrist. “Sorry about that.” She sighed. “That was way funnier than it should have been. It’s just been a long twenty-four hours. I’ve been so scared. I needed that.”

  This was going to be an uphill battle. I rubbed my temples and muttered, “I’m being serious.”

  “Yeah. And I’m Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

  “Not likely. A vampire would kill you in an instant. You’re weak and slow. But most vampires, like werewolves, wouldn’t attack you unless provoked.”

  She started chuckling again, and I sat my drink on the table and glared. What was it about her that got under my skin? Had she been anyone else, I would have let her family explain all of this. But not the LaSalles. I needed to control the messaging about werewolves.

  Finally, Savannah settled down, and her expression of mirth turned into bewilderment as she studied my face. She slowly pushed her drink aside and whispered, “Oh, my God. You actually believe what you’re saying.”

  At least we were getting somewhere. “Because it’s true. You’re being hunted by werewolves.”

  She placed her hands over her face. “Oh, no, you’re not from some government agency. You’re a lunatic who thinks he’s David Duchovny in The X-Files.”

  Irritation rippled through me. This was going nowhere. “Savannah, look at me,” I commanded.

  She put her hands down, and I let my presence wash over her. “You are going to listen. You are going to have an open mind. You need to forget everything you thought you knew about the world. All your preconceptions.”

  She nodded
meekly.

  “I want you to describe your assailants. What stood out as strange about them?”

  Savannah swallowed, looked down at the table, and mumbled, “They had claws for hands and glowing eyes. They could run faster than a car. I ran one over and killed him, but there was just a wolf left on the road.”

  She was exaggerating. Wolves couldn’t run faster than cars.

  “Tell me, what were they? What makes sense? What fits the things you saw with your own eyes? Speak the truth, not just the truth you want to believe,” I commanded.

  She started shaking her head. “This is crazy. You’re telling me that I was attacked by people who transform into wolves? That werewolves are real and they’re hunting me?”

  When she staggered back from the table, I caught her hand and felt the electricity in her body. It was magnetic, and I didn’t want to let go. “Yes. But you don’t need to be afraid.”

  “I don’t need to be afraid? How is that a reasonable statement? Either A, werewolves are real and they’re trying to kill me, or B, I’m having casual cocktails with a madman!”

  “Everything is going to be fine. Calm down.” I unleashed my full presence and pressed her into submission with my magic, pushing the terror from her mind. She needed to think clearly and not panic.

  At least it was easier to control her with my presence after she’d had a few drinks.

  She pulled away and wrapped her arms around her chest, looking over the city. “I can’t believe any of this.”

  Even forlorn, she was beautiful, and for some reason, her pain made my heart clench. Guilt, probably. She shouldn’t have to hear this from me…but then again, she shouldn’t hear it from her family.

  Finally, she stopped shaking. “I think I need another cocktail.”

  I motioned to the waiter, who was standing far off to the side.

  Savannah started pacing back and forth on the empty terrace and put her hands to her forehead. “Okay, nutcase. For argument’s sake, let’s assume you’re telling the truth and aren’t a deranged lunatic. What are werewolves? Monsters?”

  My jaw ticked at her impudence. No one spoke to me like that. “Not everything you don’t understand is a monster. Werewolves are people who can turn into wolves, and vice versa. They are quite common.”

  “They’re common?” she squeaked, looking around in wide-eyed panic.

  “There are thousands in this city, living normal lives, like you or me.”

  Savannah gripped the railing, struggling not to hyperventilate. I touched her back and pushed a little of my power into her, calming her with my presence. She shivered beneath my touch, which sent a current through my fingers and…well, somewhere else.

  Her breathing calmed. “I’m not sure that I understand. There are thousands of these monsters just roaming free in the city?”

  “Not monsters. Businesswomen, doctors—quite a lot of firemen, if that’s your cup of tea.” I tried a smile, but the joke fell flat.

  She spun toward the terrace doors. “You mean there could be werewolves here? Lurking and watching me?”

  I turned her chin to me and let my eyes glow. There was something about her that was mesmerizing. Intoxicating. Maybe it was the innocence and naïveté underneath that hard exterior. Or maybe my wolf just liked a challenge. “You don’t have to worry. There are, but it’s safe. You’re safe, and they’re not going to hurt you.”

  She pulled away. “But I was attacked.”

  “You were assaulted by two very bad people who just happened to be werewolves. Most werewolves are kind, helpful, upstanding citizens, just as most humans are good. In either case, a few are bad.”

  I surrounded her with my presence, calming, protecting. If she were going to stay in Magic Side, the most important thing I could do was convince her that she didn’t have to be afraid of us.

  “This is a lot,” she mumbled.

  “I know. But you’re now part of something very special.” I turned and looked out over the sparkling lights of the city. “This is Magic Side. It’s one of the largest supernatural cities in the world. Werewolves, vampires, witches—you name it, they all live here in the thousands.”

  “A supernatural city? Full of witches and vamp…” She petered out.

  I was finally beginning to break through her denial. “Yes. All those things and more. We’re known as Magica—it means people with magic in their veins. You can’t actually see the city unless you’re Magica.”

  “But I could.”

  “Exactly. You’re like us, and you belong here.” I studied her closely, unable to take my eyes off her damned red hair.

  Why had the fates brought this woman into my life?

  To torment me, no doubt.

  Savannah

  It was all too much.

  I pressed my hand to my pounding chest, willing it to slow down. Wooziness settled over me, and I bent over with my head between my legs.

  I didn’t care that Jaxson Laurent was looking. I could barely stand, and it had nothing to do with the drinks I’d just downed.

  “What do you mean, I’m like you, like everyone here? Magic?”

  He sighed with a hint of exasperation. “Yes.”

  What did he expect? That I would accept his words without question?

  Probably. Jaxson was an arrogant bastard who seemed to get his way.

  I took a breath and straightened my spine. “Like, I have powers?”

  “Yes, but I don’t know what kind.”

  I shook my head. It was impossible to believe, but there wasn’t a hint of deceit in his eyes.

  “And my family here, the LaSalles. Are they magic, too? You talk about them like they’re monsters. What, are they werewolves? Or something worse?”

  Jaxson’s eyes blazed with fury, and I had the sudden urge to flee.

  “They’re practitioners of the dark arts. Black magic.”

  His words were laced with venom, and I froze as information poured into my mind. My family was magical, and they practiced the dark arts—whatever the hell that was. What had they done to deserve this man’s ire?

  I regarded him carefully as he moved close, his posture commanding. “Stay away from them. And don’t mention your relation to the LaSalles to anyone in this city. They may be the reason you were targeted.”

  “So where am I supposed to go?” I asked, nearly in tears.

  He laid a hand on my shoulder, and as a soft current of electricity flowed between us, I shivered. Was that part of his magic? I sucked in a breath and met his honey-gold eyes—eyes that penetrated straight through me, leaving my soul naked before him.

  “It will all be fine as long as you stay away from your family. I’ll arrange a motel here for you. You have nothing to worry about. You’re in a new world. Magic is real, and your potential here is limitless.”

  Jaxson’s gaze drew me in like a black hole, and his voice soothed me. The anxiety in my chest evaporated, replaced by a cool, flowing undercurrent of calm.

  Just like that, my worries vanished like smoke rising from a candle. Some part of me—maybe a magical part of me—knew that I didn’t have to worry because finally, I was where I belonged.

  When Jaxson escorted me downstairs, everything I saw, I saw anew.

  The bartender wasn’t just flaring cocktails and flipping bottles. He floated them in midair, grabbing the ones he wanted and spinning the others like pinwheels. He sent drinks sliding down the bar, hovering an inch above the marble surface.

  In the back, another band was playing—but it wasn’t a band, just one girl singing along to five instruments suspended around her.

  “I think I’ve had a lot to drink,” I muttered.

  Jaxson pressed his palm to my lower back. “You have a lot to take in.”

  I nodded, too exhausted, confused, and inebriated to register the goosebumps that his touch elicited.

  His eyes had lost their honey tone, and they bored into me. “Will you meet with the sketch artist tomorrow?”

  I gulp
ed and nodded. “I want to help.”

  I’d expected my aunt to help me figure out why I was being targeted, but if Jaxson could do it, so much the better. I’d come to Magic Side for answers, after all. I’d take what I could get.

  His gaze landed behind me, and his jaw tensed before his eyes returned to mine. I was no idiot—I could read the distaste written all over his face. My family revolted him, and by association, so did I.

  “It’s late, and I have a prior engagement.” Jaxson’s voice was as cold as his sudden demeanor. Or maybe it had always been that way, and I’d just been too foolish to notice. “Samantha will get you set up with a place tonight. I’ll send a car to collect you from your motel at noon tomorrow.”

  He was ditching me?

  “Fine.” I was too overwhelmed and affronted to think. What had I expected? It wasn’t like we’d been on a date, but still, after bombarding me with all of that information, I never expected him to just leave me here. My cheeks burned from my foolishness.

  Without another word, Jaxson turned and strode out, leaving me high and dry. Bastard.

  Suddenly, I heard a woman’s voice behind me. “I’m Samantha. You’re Savannah, right?”

  Turning, I recognized the female bartender I’d seen earlier. I nodded again, because I was pretty sure that if I tried to speak, the floodgates would open.

  She raised her brow. “You okay?”

  I’m alone in a magical city, and my car is broken. My only family here apparently dabbles with the dark arts and gun running, and werewolves are hunting me down.

  I shrugged.

  “Don’t worry, Jaxson’s made arrangements. I’m taking you over to the Magic Moon Motel. It’s not the Four Seasons, but it’s clean and safe and cheap. The valets will grab your bags.”

  Suspicion and curiosity crept under my skin. “Is Jaxson your friend?”

  The bartender smirked. “You could say that.”

  I felt like a complete idiot. She was probably his girlfriend, or at least his ex, because attractive people like them couldn’t just be friends. I rubbed my throbbing temples, and whatever willpower I had was gone. I was like water, going with the flow.