“He was perfect,” I murmured, meeting Dylan’s gaze.
His hand reached out and his fingers traced over a tender spot on my shoulder. Then I remembered him biting me and my eyes widened. It was what sent us both into climax, so I wouldn’t complain, but I had questions, for Dylan, not Sean.
Sean sighed. “Okay. Mate or not, I’ll still kick his ass if he fucks up.”
“Really think he will?”
“No, but you’re still my sister.”
“We’ll be heading back in like twenty minutes. I need to deal with a gift from our grandmother. I saw something in one of the books that might make it safe.”
“Make it safe?”
I smoothed my hair and sighed. “I’ll explain when I get there. I have a theory, and it’s the only thing that makes sense. But we can discuss that later.”
“All right. Just don’t be gone too long. I should have taken you back to your place.”
“No. You needed to stay. I needed to do what I did. We both know it would have been awkward if you tagged along. See you soon.”
“Bye, Sis.” The call ended and I handed the phone back.
“So, the bite—” I started.
Dylan interrupted, “Was unintentional, but happens with our mates sometimes. I should have warned you. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Oh, that didn’t hurt. Pretty sure my screaming orgasm was proof enough. I just wasn’t expecting it.”
He grinned. “Never had a woman come so hard in my life. Either time.”
I frowned, knowing he wasn’t a virgin—neither was I—but I wasn’t sure how much I needed to know about his past. “So the bite is normal.”
He nodded. “They say it strengthens the bond. You’ll likely feel like biting too. If you do, I’m sure I’ll love it.”
I couldn’t help taking in his body. It was tempting to forget about the curse and go another round, but I heard the fear in Sean’s voice. Leaving him alone wasn’t an option.
“There’s a lot to do. We should head back before he blows a gasket.” I climbed off the bed and nodded to the bathroom. “Come shower with me. Then we can gather up the books and go.”
He shook his head, standing up to step in front of me. He took my shoulders in his hands. “If I go in there, I’m not keeping my hands to myself. You shower, I’ll take one after. Otherwise we’ll be here all night.”
I didn’t bother to argue. I was sort of hoping to have him again, but we were running out of time. “There’s a shower at the end of the hall. The water heater is top of the line. You can take one in there and we’ll both be ready faster.”
He pressed a kiss to my forehead before leaving me there. Shaking my head, I hurried through a shower and getting dressed. Then I packed a bag for the rest of the week.
Beyond that, I wasn’t sure what I was doing. Was Dylan a part of my life? Absolutely, but I wasn’t ready to define what that meant. I still had to save their lives.
I had several boxes filled by the time Dylan wrapped his hands around my waist and leaned down to murmur against my ear. “Tell me you’re okay with this decision.”
I leaned into him. “Very. Not a single regret.”
“Wanted to make sure,” he whispered.
I turned, meeting his gaze. “Do you regret it?”
He shook his head. “No. You’re worried, though. I can feel it.”
Snorting, I turned around and put the last book on top of the box. “My brother is going to die if I don’t find an answer in three days. Your birthday is shortly after. Plus, there’s still the creepy gift out there.” I reached into the box and pulled out a black satin bag with drawstrings. “I need to bring it, but I don’t want to touch it. I can feel the magic and it’s toxic. Not like poison, but not right. I have a feeling it holds a clue. But I’m not ready to open it.”
“And the bag?”
“Will lock the magic inside. Later, somewhere safe, I can find out what’s inside, but right now, I’m not ready. There’s other pieces of the puzzle to explore.”
“I’ll load the truck. You do your witchy thing with the box.” He winked, picking up the first box.
I slung the duffle bag over my shoulder. Staring at the package, I opened the bag and dropped it over the brightly wrapped box, then tied it shut.
Dylan was already heading inside when I followed to grab the last box, but he stacked them and took them, sticking his tongue out. “Strong back, remember?”
I couldn’t help laughing as I locked up.
The trip back was quiet. I was on my phone, looking up anything I could that had anything to do with Solstice Blessings and Anabeth Rowan. Even her name sent a chill down my spine.
I looked up as Dylan shut down his truck. He shook his head with a raised brow.
“Come on. I’ll explain when we get inside.”
He nodded, but didn’t say a word as I hopped out and grabbed a box.
Sean opened the door as I came up the steps. “I know that look. Why do I feel like this is going to get a whole lot more interesting?”
“Something like that.” I put the box down in the corner and pulled out my laptop I packed with the books. Taking it to the table, I opened it up, typing one handed to bring up the website. Being a semi-frequent visitor, I had the wireless info loaded already.
Dylan came up behind me, his hands going to my shoulders, massaging gently. I took a deep breath and pointed at the woman in the picture. She looked to be in her early thirties, younger than the woman on my porch, but their eyes were the same, so was their gaudy jewelry.
“That’s Anabeth Rowan, our grandmother. The picture was taken a year ago. She looked like she was in her fifties on my porch, but I think that was magic.”
Sean rubbed his Jaw. “An illusion. Yeah, she’d be capable of that if the stories I heard are true. What about it?”
“Why did she want to look older for me?”
“Maybe she didn’t want to shock you in case you didn’t know about our world. I’m not sure what she knew about you.”
“You know David Brighton?”
He rolled his eyes. “Yes, I know your father.”
“Slimeball works for Anabeth.” Sierra shuddered. “I think Tom Payne works for her too.”
“The douchebag you were with in college?”
Dylan’s grip tightened on my shoulders. “What did douchebag do?”
Huffing, I patted Dylan’s hands. “Not important. I dumped him after a few months. That was forever ago. Still, he’s listed on the website. Part of her outreach program for sensitives. What the hell does that mean?”
Sean nodded slowly. “Looking for untrained witches most likely. Recruiting.”
“And what’s with the name? Solstice Blessing?”
He shrugged. “A lot of witches worship the sun.”
I nodded, thinking it was obvious. “And werewolves are ruled by the moon, right?”
He frowned. “It’s a coincidence.”
“Is it, though? Think about it. Grandmother hated werewolves. Told Mom as much. She wouldn’t help her daughter’s husband. Pretty much called you a sack of fleas and wanted nothing to do with you. Then she sends her flunkies after me and Mom to spy on us.”
Sean laughed nervously. “That’s a lot of conspiracy theory, Sierra.”
“Maybe, but tell me those don’t add up to a creepy pile of shit.”
“She’s got a point,” Dylan added. “I felt something wrong from the box Anabeth left. Didn’t your mom use to talk about scrying crystals? New age shops have that shit all the time.”
“You mean like listening in?” I asked, turning toward him.
“You said the bag would nullify the magic, right?”
“Supposed to.” I frowned, looking at the box covered in it. “I don’t feel anything from it now.”
“Well, we can put it on the back porch for now.” Sean grabbed the bag by the corner and took it outside. He came back and took my hands. “So, you’re okay after Christian passed?”<
br />
“Yeah. I had to try, but really, I didn’t have much chance. I was flying blind and grasping at straws. I have some ideas. When I was going through your books, I kept thinking back to all these books and different things I saw. Now that I have the magic back, I think I know what I was looking at.”
He took a look at the boxes. “Where were these?”
“The attic.”
“Why didn’t I know there was so much up there?”
“Look, I don’t know, but I’m hoping some answers are in these books. I have to try.”
Sean looked over at Dylan and back to me. “Give us a minute.” My brother pulled me outside and walked down the driveway. He looked miffed. One brow arched and a slight scowl on his face. “You really stopped to seal a bond?”
I groaned. “You said he’s the best guy you know.”
He laughed softly. “He is. And you two together makes more sense than I want to admit. And I get it. I know what it feels like to avoid a bond. It’s hell, but sometimes that’s the best choice.”
“Too late now. And honestly, I didn’t have any hope of fighting it. I was feeling it the night I hit him with my car. And then, after the spell unlocked my magic, I barely stopped myself from fucking him on the floor. I wanted to deny this world a little longer, but then you took me to Christian’s and expected me to fix shit I didn’t understand with no way to know what to do, and the only thing that kept me from running was Dylan’s comforting presence. I realized then I couldn’t run, I couldn’t give up. I needed to see this through.”
He nodded. “As long as you understand the bond doesn’t go away.”
I lifted my shoulders in a shrug. “I read Mom’s story. I know she felt the same for Seamus. Difference is, I was trying to compare it to the human world, but it doesn’t fit there. I may not fit there anymore. Later, after I figure out this curse, I can sort out what that means. Right now, I have to save my big brother.”
Sean pulled me into a hug. “And your mate.”
Blinking back tears, I nodded.
Chapter 12
Dylan
When Sean called to find out what was taking so long, I didn’t know how to answer. I could have lied and simply said Sierra needed sleep. He would have seen through that the minute we saw him and he sensed the bond between us. The reality she’d chosen me hadn’t quite sunk in yet. My greatest fear had become my greatest joy.
Sean’s reaction was another story. I couldn’t tell if he was incredibly pissed off or happy for us. He seemed to be bouncing back and forth. At one point I thought he wanted to jump through the phone and strangle me. Then we got there and he was hot one minute and cold the next. Something was bothering Sean besides the curse.
The sound of the front door opening made me look up. In walked an angel. Man, she was absolutely gorgeous and she was all mine. A look of determination on her face as she walked toward the couch. I didn’t miss the bags under her eyes either. The hour of sleep at her place wouldn’t keep her going for long.
Sierra clapped her hands together, a false bravado written clear across her face. I could feel her trepidation as well as her determination. “Let’s get to work, boys.”
She dropped down on the couch next to me and pulled one of the books into her lap. “If Grandmother dearest has anything to with this, I think the answer lies in Mom’s books.”
“Why would you think that?” Sean asked.
“Because I think Mom had the same idea I do and I don’t think she stopped looking for a way to end it.”
“This is all based on your theories about Solstice Blessing? And I know Mom kept looking, who do you think taught me all of this?” Sean said and gestured around the room. “What I don’t understand is why she didn’t give me everything she had.”
Sierra shook her head. “I wish I knew, but dwelling on that isn’t going to help us find the answer.”
“Maybe it will,” I spoke up. “What if your mom knew Sean’s power wouldn’t be enough, that it would take your strength to overcome it?”
Her eyes moved to connect with mine. “Makes sense, except why would she block my powers if she intended me to solve the curse all along? Wouldn’t I have a better chance of figuring this out if I knew how to use my powers my whole life?”
Reaching up, I caressed her cheek. “I don’t have the answer. We need to work with what we have right now.”
“You’re right, let’s start looking.” Sierra opened the book in her lap and began reading.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Sean nod toward the kitchen. Looked like it was my turn for the tête-à-tête. I placed a quick kiss on her temple. “I’m going to grab us a drink and something to snack on. You’ve barely eaten all day.”
She gave me a quick “Mmm Hmm,” without ever pulling her attention from the book.
Satisfied Sierra was preoccupied, I followed Sean into the kitchen, curious to see what he had to say. Walking to the fridge, he grabbed a beer, handing me one at the same time. We stood there drinking in silence. Finally, Sean spoke up.
“Do you think you made the right decision binding her to you with all of this going on?”
“I tried to explain over the phone, she pushed the issue. Every reason I gave her to not go through with it she had an answer for. What did you want me to do? My body was screaming for hers. I could only ignore it so long, especially when she’s coming onto me.”
“Dude, that’s my fucking sister. But I know what you mean about your body screaming at you.”
My head snapped in his direction. “Are you saying you found your mate?” I couldn’t believe he wouldn’t tell me if he had.
He quickly looked away. “I didn’t say that. Just promise you’ll treat my sister right for as long as you can.”
“You’ve known me practically your whole life. I’ll give her anything in my power. I love her.”
He sighed. “I know you do. I only hope she can survive what’s coming.” With that, he left the room.
No explanation, no nothing. Something told me Sean had indeed found his mate, but with a stubborn streak a mile wide I wasn’t getting any more out of him tonight. In my heart, I believed what I did was for the best. In all likelihood, my death would be as devastating even if we hadn’t bonded. Now she wouldn’t have the regret of not sealing the mate bond before my death. A death I could help avoid, if I got off my ass and went back into the living room.
Rooting through Sean’s cabinets, I found a jar of peanut butter and bread. Sierra needed to eat something if she planned to work until she passed out. From the fridge I grabbed a bottle of water and carried it all out to her on a plate.
“Sierra?” She ignored me at first, putting a finger up asking me to wait. “Sierra, you need to eat something.”
She looked up from the book and smiled at me. “Thank you.”
The part of me that was restless with Sierra pushing past her limits, settled in, watching her eat the sandwich. I knew the energy wouldn’t last her long, but it would give her a boost until she eventually needed a break to sleep.
Determined best described Sierra over the next few hours as she sat meticulously taking notes, flipping through books, and asking Sean about different theories. At one point Sean and I went back to get my truck. I knew she wouldn’t be able to go all night. She had some interesting ideas on the curse, but all the while I felt her exhaustion slowly creeping in. No matter how hard she tried, she wouldn’t be able to keep up at that rate.
After about the eleventh yawn in a row, I laid my hand over hers. “Sierra, you’re exhausted.”
Bloodshot eyes lifted from the book on the table. “But I don’t have much time.”
Raising my hand, I cupped her face and stroked her cheek with my thumb. “I know, sweetheart, but you’ll be able to do so much more with some sleep.”
“Dylan’s right,” Sean spoke up.
Sierra sighed. “I know. But I feel bad walking away from all of this.”
“You’re not walking away. Let
me take you home. You can get some sleep and start with fresh eyes tomorrow.”
“I don’t want to go all the way home. That’s two hours of drive time.”
“I don’t mean your place in Philly, I mean my place. It’s as much yours as it is mine now.”
Her cheeks pinkened. “Oh,” she said sheepishly. “I can do that.”
Sean looked like he wanted to argue, but bit his tongue.
Standing, I held my hand out to her. “Come on, let me take you home.”
She placed her small hand in mine and let me help her to her feet. I wanted to carry her to the car, but I wasn’t sure how she would take that. Her shoulders slumped and the black circles under her eyes had grown darker.
As I led her to the door, she turned back to Sean. “I’m not giving up. I promise I’ll be back tomorrow.”
Sean walked over and wrapped her in an embrace. “I know. You’ll be able to focus better once you’ve slept. Now, go before Dylan starts to twitch.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Starts to twitch?”
Sean laughed. “Yeah. Remember, he can feel everything you feel now. So go get some sleep.” He kissed her on the top of the head and gave her a little push toward the door.
Looking over my shoulder, I mouthed ‘thank you.’ He hit the nail on the head. The more tired she got, the more restless I became trying to find a way to ease it. He nodded and I led Sierra out to my truck and helped her into the passenger seat. Climbing in the driver’s side, I noticed her head leaning against the seat, her eyes closed. I thought she might have been asleep, until she spoke.
“You can feel what I feel?”
Starting the car, I pulled down the drive and out onto the road. “I can. If you focus, you can feel me too. It’ll become easier as time goes on.”
“Time,” she whispered.
I placed my hand on her thigh. “We’re not out of time yet. Close your eyes, we’ll be home soon.”
During the drive, Sierra’s breathing evened out. She didn’t even make the drive home before she was fast asleep. Pulling into my driveway, I parked and moved around the front of the car to lift her out of it. The way she curled toward me sent a wave of peace through my body. Even after we sealed the bond, I hadn’t felt so relaxed. Something about having her in my home made me calmer than I had been in a long time.
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