She gave my clothes a suspicious look that shifted to my damp hair.
“I used Steven’s shower,” I explained.
“Steven doesn’t have a shower, that’s the guest bathroom.”
“Of course,” I said with a wry smile.
“And the clothes?”
“I always keep some in my car. Don’t you?” Looking her over, I noticed she’d changed into a gray tank top and matching pants.
“What?” she asked, following my gaze.
“Cute outfit.” I shrugged. “Maybe for your birthday you can get some grown-up pajamas.”
Giving me a playful scowl, she snatched some bacon from the plate and slid onto a barstool at the counter.
After we ate, she asked, “What happens next?”
“We find someone to remove the curse. But it will not be anyone here. Marcia commands too much loyalty around here.”
“Then what?”
“I don’t know. Right now there aren’t many options. We have friends in the east that may be able to help, but honestly, finding someone to remove a curse is going to be a task. It’s such an archaic practice, the younger ones only know how to do it in theory.”
“Your friends in the east, are they experienced witches that can do it?”
“They aren’t witches at all. They’re fae.”
She frowned, skeptical. “How are they going to be able to help?”
“Most fae can do spells. Like witches, there needs to be a certain skill level. I’ve never needed them for anything of this nature,” I admitted.
I watched as she fought a yawn, then lost.
“You need to sleep,” I said. “You’re running on fumes.”
“I’m fine.”
I edged closer to her, noting the lines of exhaustion in her face, the way her shoulders drooped and she seemed to have to fight to keep her eyes open. “What?” I grinned. “You think you are going to turn into a troll or fall into a deep sleep that can only be broken by a prince’s kiss if you go to sleep?”
A sideways look accompanied her half-smile. “Yep, and where the heck are we going to find a prince this time of night?”
“Go to sleep, Sky, you’ve had a long day. Things will look a lot better tomorrow after you’ve rested.”
She nodded, but still insisted on helping me clean up from our meal. By the time we finished, her eyes were only half open. Smiling, I bent down and kissed her lightly on the cheek. I felt the warm softness of her skin press into my lips as she turned toward me. Her lips gently brushed mine before she kissed me. Her fingers reached into my hair and pulled me toward her as she pressed her body into mine.
The warmth of her need was intoxicating.
My own kisses growing in urgency, I pressed her back into the counter. Our passion quickly ignited into a mutual, feral need as we pressed against each other as if we could merge into one. Our lips desperately roved over each other in a blind, primal passion. She pushed my hand just under her shirt and my fingers slid up along her skin, roaming and kneading.
Unable to contain my desire further, I bent and lifted her legs around my waist. Her heels dug into my back as I carried her to her room and fell to the bed with her in my arms, our lips pressed together. Reluctantly, I broke our embrace just long enough to pull off my shirt, then my pants. My lips roamed as I undressed her, leaving just her underwear.
Taking a moment to cool my desire, I sat back and took in the beauty of her curves before I lay my body against her and kissed her once more. Her arms embraced me, her fingers drawing electricity up the back of my neck, over my scalp. She clutched my hair and pulled me close as we tried to consume each other.
Our passions laid bare, I knew that I’d wanted her from the beginning.
Reluctantly, she released her grip as my lips slid down her neck, over her breasts, and down to her stomach. My fingers caressed and kneaded her as I slid lower, brushing my lips against her underwear, moving to her inner thighs. Her body squirmed and undulated beneath my lips until I rose once more to kiss her mouth.
Trembling with excitement, I slipped off her panties and eased myself between her thighs. My fingers stretched over her smooth, hot skin. My lips followed. Her legs opened and I accepted the invitation, pressing gently into her. She gasped, clutching at the sheets as I gently rocked into her.
Realization dawned that I was her first.
I paused in surprise, suddenly confronted with the jealousy of my prior accusations. I’d been wrong about her relationship with Steven. Guilt settled in, but not enough to replace my desire. I wondered why she’d waited. Why now? There was a time I’d have ignored such questions and given in to lust, but I couldn’t ignore my unusual concern for what would follow. She was vulnerable.
I’m not the one, I realized. Not now. Not just as a means of distraction.
Realizing I’d stopped, she opened her eyes, turning to me with a searching look. Somewhere in that urgency was a command, and a permission. Nothing else matters right now, her eyes said, but that was just an illusion. For the moment, she wanted comfort. She wanted to lose herself in passion, but she needed more.
I’d only just earned her trust, yet the morning would see new barriers between us. She’d regret her decision because it had been made for the wrong reasons. Would we recover from such awkwardness?
Slowly, I bent toward her and kissed her one final time. My lips lingered over the curve of her neck as I gathered my will before I gently pulled away. Ignoring her bewildered, angry expression, I slid next to her and cradled her against me.
“You should get some sleep,” I said.
I could feel the questions in her body, could hear the accusations of her thoughts. As anger took over, she tried to push away, but I held her close until the anger finally burnt itself out and she relaxed against me. I swallowed, concentrating to resist the desire that still coursed through my body. I longed to slide my hands over her breasts, to once more explore every inch of her body.
Feeling me against her, her head turned slightly toward me—a question.
“I will wake you in an hour,” I whispered. “If you don’t wake up, I’ll go look for that prince for you.” I chuckled to lighten the mood, but it didn’t help.
Eventually she drifted off to a peaceful slumber. An hour later, I slipped out of bed and went home to take another shower. Once I’d finally calmed myself, I called Joan, the Alpha of the Southern Pack.
“What can I do for you?” she asked.
“Steven’s been there for a few weeks. Do you still need him?”
“He’s been helpful, but no. Do you want me to send him back to the Midwest Pack?”
“Yes.”
She hesitated for a moment. “Is this for the pack, or for Sky?”
“Both,” I admitted.
CHAPTER 17
A few hours later, I walked into my brother’s house without knocking, coffee in hand. From his leopard-patterned chair, he gave me a mildly rebuking scowl. He appeared haggard, a bandage wrapped around his arm where he’d injured himself attempting to remove the iridium band.
Seeing the bandage triggered a rise of anger, reminding me of a debt still to be paid. For the moment, I’d allow Samuel to look over his shoulder. Eventually he’d let down his guard. At a time of my choosing, I’d let him know exactly what I felt about him taking my brother hostage.
I handed Josh his coffee and sat across from him on the couch. “Can you break Marcia’s curse?” I asked. His expression remained blank as he sipped at the coffee, his eyes glazed and distant as if he were reliving his captivity, or his defeat. “Josh.”
“What?” He jerked, forced back into the present. “Ethan, I think I need some time alone.”
“No.”
Irritation flashed in his eyes. His nose crinkled, but then he snorted in exasperated amusement. “You know, you can be a real pain in the butt sometimes.”
I leaned toward him, holding his gaze for a moment. If I could take back what he’d experienced at Samuel�
��s hands, I would, but there was still a lesson there for both of us.
Josh frowned at his coffee. “I knew Sky’s family was working with a witch. I’d no idea it was Samuel.”
“I didn’t know either. We got beat. Better not to dwell on it.”
“Well,” he sighed, “give me a few minutes to wake up and I’ll see about finding him.”
“Forget about Samuel for now.”
“He still wants the rest of the Clostra,” Josh insisted. “He’s not through with us. I’m not going to sit back and wait for him to break down my door again.”
“He knows you don’t have it. Now that he’s shown his hand, he’ll assume we’re protecting the books at the retreat. Even if he could break your protective field there, he won’t attack a house full of were-animals.”
“He’s desperate,” Josh cautioned.
“What does he want with the Clostra?”
Josh shook his head. “Whatever it is, his fervor borders on the fanatical. The spells in those books are too powerful to let fall into his hands.”
“He’ll never have them,” I swore.
Josh relaxed into his chair.
“Back to my original question,” I said. “Can you remove the curse?”
“Describe the spell. Don’t leave out any of the details.”
While I did, he brought a foot up to the edge of the chair, drawing his knee close to his chest, and chewed his nails. I finished by describing my plan to enlist the aid of Austin and Orchid.
“Have you called them yet?”
“I wanted to check with you first.”
Josh nodded. “I don’t know if I can do it myself, but I have some ideas to try before we take a trip to New York. I won’t need the pack’s library,” he explained, answering my unspoken question. “I have what I need here.”
“Good.” I smiled, noting a number of the pack’s oldest books on his shelf. “Let’s get started.”
He shook his head. “First I’m going to cast a terrorem on you.”
I scowled, deeply offended. Alarm spells allowed the target to call for help by speaking a key word or phrase; they were for the weak and helpless, for victims. “I don’t need a terrorem,” I growled. “Just keep your phone handy.”
He folded his arms over his chest, staring at me as if chastising a willful child. “If you insist on going through with this reckless plan of yours, you’re going to have a fail-safe. I’m not taking no for an answer.”
Reading his resolve, I begrudgingly agreed.
After the spell was cast, we spent the rest of the morning poring through books and making notes. I made a trip to our favorite sandwich shop, and we continued through the afternoon and into the evening. By the time Josh began putting our notes to practical use, we’d both accumulated a sense of hope that slowly disintegrated as one idea failed after another. After our fourth failure, we took a break to clear our heads.
“Another set of eyes would be useful,” Josh suggested. “Sky could help.”
I scowled. “I forbid it.”
He shook his head at me but kept his rebuke to himself.
“She’s not in a good place,” I explained. “Until we’re out of ideas, let’s leave her out of this.”
“Fine,” he sighed.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. Drawing it out, I saw Caroline’s number and declined the call. Not now. I growled, drawing a questioning look from Josh.
“It’s nothing,” I snapped.
“Right. I’m only your brother.” He gestured for emphasis. “Why tell me anything?”
I found myself staring down at my shoes, my expression a tight grimace. I could put Caroline off for a little while, until she got impatient and forced the issue. When the time came, I had a plan, but there were risks. If her passions got the better of her nature, or if I misjudged her, I likely wasn’t going to walk away from her scheme. Josh’s help would improve my odds considerably, but I’d be putting him at risk as well.
I need him.
Did he have the restraint my plan required? Once he knew what I intended, he was going to be furious. Better to let him vent that anger now, I decided. Once he’d vented and calmed, he might listen to reason. My decision made, I leaned back into the couch with a sigh, draped an arm over the back, and described Caroline’s mind magic attacks. By the time I finished, his cheeks were bright red. As predicted, he didn’t lose his temper completely until I gave him the details of my plan.
“That’s absurd!” he shouted, jumping to his feet and pacing angrily in front of me. “You can’t do it! I won’t let you!”
“There’s no other way.”
He jabbed a finger at me. “You don’t get to put yourself in that kind of danger and then ask me to just sit back and watch.”
“What’s the alternative?” I demanded.
He swallowed, glaring harder. “I generally don’t like your plans,” he confessed, “but you’ve always been practical—annoyingly so. But this plan of yours … you’re putting yourself at tremendous risk, Ethan. For what?” He stopped pacing to face me squarely. “You’ve never hesitated to eliminate a threat. Why is this threat any different?”
“If it wasn’t for me, she wouldn’t be a threat.”
He swept a hand between us. “You do moral ambiguity better than anyone. Don’t stop now. Deal with her, and bury that guilt in the same place you always do.”
It was an unfair accusation from someone who’d never had to make the kind of choices that kept him awake at night. I rose to tower over him, glowering down.
Josh continued, undeterred. “Eliminate. The threat. Save the moral redemption for next time. If you’re wrong, you’ll be helpless. She could kill you and there’s nothing I’ll be able to do to stop her. Are you really going to ask me to just let that happen?”
“This is the way it has to be.”
Still staring up into my eyes, he slowly shook his head. “You picked a hell of a time to grow a conscience.” He turned and snatched his wallet from the kitchen counter.
“Where are you going?” I demanded.
“More coffee. It’s going to be a late night.”
“I’ll go with …” I started, but then he disappeared.
An hour later I was hunched over a book at Josh’s dining table when he reappeared with coffee and bagels.
“That took a while,” I grumbled.
“Traffic,” he said as he pulled out a chair and sat. “Let’s get back to work. I’ve got a couple more ideas to try, but we need to do a little research first.”
The next morning, we were still at work when I received a text message from Sky.
“Are you making progress?”
“Yes,” I lied.
“Like?”
“I will let you know later.” I tried to set down my phone, but her reply was nearly immediate.
“Do you think Logan can help?”
“Don’t go to Logan!” I shouted at my phone, then texted the same.
Josh scowled. “The Tre’ase?” He shook his head. “She doesn’t do idle well.”
“I’m going to make the reservations for New York,” I announced. “If we can’t come up with a solution today, we’re putting her on a plane tomorrow, before she does something rash.”
A short time later, I called her with the information about our flight, but she didn’t answer.
“You try,” I told Josh. Sky had a habit of ignoring me when she was irritated.
She didn’t answer for him, either. I tried once more. When she didn’t pick up, I began to panic. Fearing she was at Logan’s, I opened the tracking application on my phone, counting the seconds until the map rendered and a small blinking blue dot showed me her phone’s location. I blinked, zoomed in on the address to be certain.
“She’s at Quell’s,” I growled, then slammed my fist on the table, hard enough for Josh’s empty cup to teeter and fall over.
“How do you know?” he demanded, skeptical.
I took a moment to inhale and release
a sharp breath. Realizing we were on the other side of town from the vampire’s home, I called Steven. He picked up immediately.
“Get Sky and tell her she has a flight to New York tomorrow afternoon.”
“I’m almost to her house now.”
“She’s not there. She’s with Quell,” I added, making my disgust plain. There was an audible gasp on the other end of the call. “If he’s harmed her,” I added, “kill him.” I hung up and tossed my phone onto the wooden table.
Josh shook his head at Sky, sharing my disappointment.
“She’s the only were-animal with a pet vampire,” I exclaimed.
He sighed as he sat back in his chair. “I don’t agree with her, but she’s doing what she thinks is right.” He ignored my scoff, continuing, “She’s putting herself in danger to help someone whom she thinks deserves it.” He blinked at my darkening face as my anger boiled. “Please, don’t punch a hole in my wall.”
He turned an open book toward me, tapped a page, and pushed the book in my direction.
Grumbling, I pulled it close enough to read and got back to work.
We spent the next hour checking our phones while we continued our research. When Steven finally called, I snatched the phone from the table.
“She’s home safe,” he said immediately, but there was an edge to his voice, a hardness he rarely associated with Sky. “I’ll stay with her until the flight tomorrow.”
“Quell?” I asked.
“I made the pack’s position clear,” he said, his voice devoid of emotion. “If you want, I can kill him while she’s away. No problem.”
“I’ll get back to you.”
On our way to the airport the next day, Sky seemed withdrawn, angry. Even Josh’s usual jovial nature failed to illicit a smile. I knew that she suffered from the residual effects of the curse, and that Steven’s warning to Quell had irritated her. There was also a good chance my leaving her in the middle of the night played some part in her smoldering silence.
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