by M. L. Briers
Plus it annoyed her, which was a bonus.
“I don’t believe you’re still staring,” she hissed.
Steph had the urge to wrap her arms around her breasts and keep his gaze away. Just that intimate look at her girls was enough to make her nipples stand to attention.
“Well, you didn’t say I couldn’t.” Kit grinned harder as he pulled his eyes slowly up to hers.
That look of amusement sat right in his eyes and was glaring back at her like it was waving a red rag to a bull. She knew that she couldn’t do anything really bad to him because they were out in the middle of the street — but with a nod of her head, she slapped her magic against his face as if it was her hand.
Kit’s top lip twitched briefly as he bit down on the sting across his left cheek. He also needed all of his self-control to bite down on the growl that threatened to escape his lips.
He thought that he would have been pretty safe out in the middle of the town surrounded by humans. He thought that the witch wouldn’t dare to use her magic and risk being caught.
He’d thought wrong.
The witch wasn’t backward in coming forwards in using her magic, and it annoyed the hell out of him that he couldn’t offer her a growl in return. That was just his pride talking.
He had to wonder if killing her wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
~
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~
Casey knew what she wanted, and it wasn’t some prepackaged greying, excuse for a piece of meat from the store. She stepped inside the butcher’s shop and felt the ping of the supernatural as it hit her shields.
She stopped dead in her tracks and eyed the behemoth in front of her. The man was just starting to turn around toward her as the alarm bells rang in her mind and the urge to flee the vicinity pinged around in her brain.
Finley looked like the cat that got the cream. He eyed the woman from head to toe, and a big old wolfish grin appeared on his face.
Casey snapped her head back at the look that he was giving her. If she didn’t know better, she’d have to say that she was on the menu.
Finley was happy because it appeared that they didn’t need to go witch hunting after all. He might miss the thrill of the chase, but the silly witch had just walked right into his path.
“Just browsing!” She snapped out, before turning on her heels and almost pitching headfirst into the nearest wall in her haste to escape before she shot out of the door on fast feet.
“I found exactly what I was looking for,” Finley chuckle. “Ding-dong the witch is dead.”
CHAPTER FIVE
~
Casey raced down the street on heels that were way too high for the average woman to run in, but she had perfected the art. It might have felt as if she was trying to run across a high wire, pitching this way and that, but she kept her feet beneath her and made a beeline for Steph.
Steph’s eyes widened at the sight of her sister coming full steam ahead the woman was on a collision course that couldn’t be avoided. She steeled herself for the moment when her sister crashed into her.
The impact wasn’t as bad as she’d anticipated. Although, she might have a bruise or two in the morning, but Casey wasn’t done just yet.
Steph found herself whirled around on her feet, facing the way that she’d just come, and the alpha that was headed their way.
“No, no, no, no, no!” Steph shrieked out as she grabbed a handful of her sister’s shirt and turned her the other way.
“Not that way — shifter alert!” Casey bit back as she whirled her sister on her heels once more and eyed the grocery store.
“Geez, what are they — everywhere?” Steph bit out as the two rushed toward the door to the store, and an unsuspecting sister that they hoped was still inside.
“Your one looked mean,” Casey hissed out as the door swished open in front of them and they powered inside.
Then they came to a dead stop inside the shop as they debated which way to go.
“My one? He’s certainly not mine — and he’s an alpha.” Steph offered a mock shiver in return.
“Let’s find Jodie and get the hell out of here,” Casey hissed again on a whisper of disbelief. “So much for not having to meet the victims of the spell that you’re about to perform!”
“Victims?” Steph eyed her for a long moment in disbelief.
“Well, I doubt they’re going willingly to the gallows,” Casey shrugged.
“It’s a love spell — drawing their mates to them – not sending them to their deaths!”
“Oh please, tell me the difference?” Casey snorted back.
She wasn’t too keen on the idea of feted mates, especially, when fate had nothing to do with it. She was sure that fate didn’t send them to perform a spell that would bring their mates to them.
“Did I ever tell you that you’re a strange – strange woman?”
“Love – pah! Mates – pah! Careful that I don’t become of vomit comet,” Casey turned her nose up at the idea.
“Then you will always be daddy’s little girl,” Steph grinned.
“I’m an independent woman, and I intend to stay that way!” Casey would have folded her arms and lifted her chin in defiance if she’d had time, but her sister grabbed her shirt again and yanked her forward.
“Good for you — just don’t start singing. We certainly don’t need to draw any more attention to ourselves than we have already, and your singing sounds like someone trying to strangle a cat.”
“Harsh,” Casey glared at her sister as she was dragged down the aisle.
“Really? Because I thought I was being nice about it.”
“You really do know how to put the B in witch,” Casey hissed back.
“Why thank you — but I can’t take all the credit. I hear it’s a family trait,” Steph grinned to herself.
Then she spotted Jodie disappearing around a display unit. “Do I need to get you a broomstick? Hurry up.”
“B-b-b-witch,” Casey bit back.
~
~
~
Turner spotted the witch from his place at the top of the aisle. His chin dropped down toward his broad, muscled chest, and he eyed her under his dark brows.
It would be a shame to have to kill her. He could think of so many more pleasurable things to do with her, and to her, but if she’d already performed the spell, then she was on borrowed time.
He’d much rather wring Zoe’s neck instead. That elder was nothing but trouble.
Turner started toward the witch. He noted the way that her eyes flicked up and locked on him, the face registered surprise, and she slowly raised her head with an air of defiance.
She was feisty. He liked that.
He noted that her top lip twitched with annoyance just before her eyes flicked around her to see if they were alone. He knew exactly what thought had gone through her mind.
“Don’t even think about it,” Turner warned her.
The witch looked as if she had a mind to use her magic, and that was unacceptable. She raised just one eyebrow and stared down her nose at him with a steely gaze.
“I think you slipped your leash,” Jodie made a point of turning her head as if she was looking around for something, but she kept her eyes locked right on him. “Let’s find your owner.”
Turner grumbled a growl within his chest and hated that he had to bite it off. If had his way then he’d be biting something in a moment, and she certainly wouldn’t like that.
“Now, let’s be civil about this — you don’t want me asking you if you checked your pointy hat and broomstick at the door, do you?”
Turner was getting closer with every step, and she was looking around for a way out of the situation that she found herself in. He wasn’t about to let that happen.
He had the witch just where he wanted her. Why would he let her get away?
“Oh, good one. I’m cracking up inside,” she offered him the stink eye and curbed the urge that bubbled within her to z
ap him. “It’s a shame you didn’t check your male ego at the door…”
“Of course, you’d have a problem with men — shocker,” Turner offered back.
“I like men. Ones that don’t shed fur all over the furniture, and aren’t capable of licking their own backsides.” She offered him a smug grin.
“That’s so wrong it’s not even funny.”
“What? No sense of humor, now there’s the shocker.” She lifted her hands in front of her and clawed the air. “Grrr.”
“Careful I don’t kick your black cat,” Turner offered back.
“Well, that’s just wrong,” Steph announced as she rounded the corner of the display and stood beside her sister in a show of solidarity and strength, dragging Casey along with her.
Turner eyed the three witches as he came to a dead stop a just few feet away. One on one, he was fine with that – but three devious, mischievous, mean witches were a little more than he wanted to take on in public.
“I mean, a poor defenseless animal like a kitty cat, being kicked by a big, muscle-bound, soulless monster, like you — heartless brute,” Jodie painted a bleak picture within his mind.
“What?” Turner gave a small shake of his head in disbelief. “You know there’s no cat, right?”
“But, if there were…” Casey offered with a big dollop of disgust for his imaginary actions.
“I wouldn’t kick a cat,” Turner scowled back at the shapely witch.
“No, you’d just eat it,” Steph tossed back at him.
“There’s no damn cat!” Turner grumbled a growl of frustration and annoyance, and then remembered where he was and bit it off.
“I say lucky cat,” Casey snorted her contempt for him.
“Geez, you witches are — weird.” Turner reached up a hand for the stubble on his chin and raked his fingernails through it as he considered what he was going to do with the trouble that had landed right in front of him.
He was outnumbered. He was out in public. Humans were everywhere, and that left him with a dilemma or two.
“Says the shapeshifter,” Jodie said as she lifted her chin in defiance once more.
She could have taken him on her own, of that she was sure. But it didn’t hurt Her sisters with her.
“Just in case you’re having problems counting — it’s three to one, so tuck your tail between your legs and skulk away.” Steph had said the words, but she knew better. There were, at least, another two shifters in town.
She didn’t know if he knew that, and even if he did — at that moment in time he was alone. She liked those odds.
“I think you’re forgetting whose territory you’re standing on,” Turner offered back.
“Hey, if you need the feminine hygiene products that badly, we’ll back off,” Steph announced.
Turner scowled as his eyes darted around the products on the shelves. He winced and then grumbled in annoyance.
He felt like a damn idiot. She’d got a good hit in there. He’d walked right into that one with his brain turned off and his mouth in gear.
“Nappies are more his thing,” Finley’s deep tones rolled out from behind them, and the three witches jumped in place as they turned to find the alpha and beta blocking their retreat.
“Let’s see how funny you think that is with my fist in your face,” Turner grumbled a growl so low that the witches didn’t pick it up.
“If you girls want to go all claws at dawn, will just get out of your way,” Casey offered, and Jodie sniggered at the thought of the three big shifters fighting like cats in a sack.
“You’re not going anywhere,” Kit said. But it was less his words and more of the enthusiasm that you put behind them that had Steph worried.
CHAPTER SIX
~
“Still not a good chat up line,” Steph made light of his words, but there was no mistaking the look in the alpha’s eyes. The man was deadly serious.
“We’ve got a bone to pick with you,” Finley offered.
“Eww, definitely not a pickup line,” Casey shook her head. “The imagery is all wrong.”
“You’re coming with us,” Kit informed them, and all three witches looked at him as if he’d just grown another head.
“You do realize you are living in this world, right?” Steph tossed back.
“You do realize you’re on pack land, right?” Kit challenged her.
“You do realize we have magic, right?” Jodie asked.
“You do realize…” Turner started, but the alpha cut him off.
“Look, I like a good realization as much as the next guy, but this isn’t up for debate.”
“In your world. We live in a democracy,” Casey said as she folded her arms across her chest and lifted her chin in defiance.
“You’re not in your world now. You’re in mine.” Finley offered her a look that said he was deadly serious.
“Hey, destroyer of democracy.” Steph skewered the alpha with a glare. “What’s this about?”
“I think you know.”
“I don’t know — do you know, Casey?” Steph nudged her sister for an answer.
“I have no idea. Do you know, Jodie?” Casey nudged Jodie in the ribs, and the witch groaned in annoyance.
“Not a clue – much like them I should imagine,” Jodie sneered at Turner.
“While I love a good comedy routine — that doesn’t mean you’re not coming with us.” Kit was adamant.
He needed the witches out of town, away from the humans, and then he needed to know just what they’d done. Once he had the answers to his questions, then he’d know what he had to do next.
“And what makes you think we’ll comply?” Steph challenged him once more as she folded her arms under her breasts and lifted her chin in defiance. She was making a habit of it, and neither he nor his wolf liked it.
“You can come with us now, or you can really miff us off by making us hunt you down…”
“And let me guess — we would like you when you’re angry,” Steph tossed back.
“Keep pushing — you’ll find that out sooner rather than later.” Kit said.
“Well girls, there’s only one thing for it…” Steph took a deep breath in and narrowed her eyes on the alpha.
“Run for it!” Casey bit out before Steph could say another word.
Jodie took off to the left as Casey took off to the right, and Steph groaned as she had no choice but to follow her sisters.
“Damn it!” Kit bit out.
“Now what?” Finley asked, taken aback by the witches decision.
“Go get those witches,” Kit growled.
~
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~
They were fast for little female humans. Turner had already lost sight of them.
He grumbled to himself as he scented the air right next to the display of air fresheners – and got a big whiff of fake perfume right up his nose.
He sneezed, grumbled a growl, and sneezed again. When he got hold of those witches, he wasn’t going to be nice about it.
He turned at the top of the aisle and almost ran into Kit. He pulled up short, just in time, and sidestepped the man, crashing into a trolley that was being pushed by old Mrs. Perkins.
“Watch where you’re going!” The old woman hissed on a scowl of annoyance. She’d never been known for her friendly disposition.
“Sorry!” Turner bit out a moment before he did a double sneeze.
“Young hooligan!” The old woman muttered as she shuffled away from Turner as he sneezed again. “Don’t give me your germs.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Kit questioned his brother’s sanity with just a look.
“I sniffed in the stinky fake perfume section,” Turner grumbled.
“Serves you right for being an idiot then,” Kit growled, but he grinned to himself as he turned away from his brother and the beta sneezed again.
The alpha set off for the entrance. There was one way in and one way out, and the witches were going to have
to use it.
The alpha intended to be waiting for them.
~
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~
The three witches headed for the glass doors of the exit.
“Make a run for the car!” Jodie bit out, but there was no time for her sisters to answer her as they came to a screeching halt in front of the doors just as they slid open for their escape.
There on the other side of the threshold stood the three brothers. Each man had his arms folded. Each man looked as if they didn’t know what a sense of humor was and wouldn’t recognize it if it sunk its fangs into their firm, muscled backsides.
“When life meets art,” Jodie bit out.
“What are you talking about now?” Casey hissed at her sister.
“It kind of feels like we’re the three little piggies, this shop is our house, and the three big, bad wolves are just waiting for us outside the door to eat us. Don’t you think?”
“I do now,” Steph scowled at her sister in annoyance.
“Why am I getting the stink eye?” Casey asked.
“Gee, I wonder. It couldn’t be…?” Steph lifted her hand and motioned between them and the brothers outside. “This, could it?”
“This…” Casey motioned in the same way that her sister had. “Is not my fault.”
“Oh no, who was the bright spark that said run?” Steph demanded as she put her hands on her hips and turned a hard, questioning look upon her sister.
“Oh right, I see your point.” Casey turned towards. Her hands went to her hips, her head tilted to the left, and her eyebrows reached for her hairline. “And who was the genius that brought us here?”
“We weren’t supposed to meet them,” Steph said as she lifted her hand and motioned towards the brothers that stood patiently and menacingly right outside.
“Well newsflash, they’re here, they’re mean, and they look kind of hungry,” Casey snapped back as she folded her arms and eyed her sister with a glare.
“I vote we throw Casey to the Wolves,” Jodie chuckled.