by Elle Thorne
“She did.”
He was glad. He didn’t want to see his old friend Griz go through heartache once more in his life. “So, how did you ask Salvatore?”
“His cell. He left his number with me.”
That boded well for Salvatore’s return, Krisztián hoped. Not to mention, he’d also hope Salvatore would not abandon Allegra. Not now that she’d found her father, after all she’d been through. No, Krisztián decided. He didn’t want to wait to see if Salvatore planned to return to fulfill his commitment to the Bear Canyon Valley group. He would call and ask him.
As soon as Ciara’s ordeal had been fixed. Yes, then he’d call Salvatore. If Salvatore hadn’t already returned of his own accord.
Stirring next to him in the vehicle made him turn her way.
Ciara was stretching, her eyes opening slowly as she yawned. “Whe—wha—” She looked at Krisztián then past him at Mae. “We’re here.”
Her voice was low and sleep-sultry, making parts of him stir that hadn’t seemed to have done so in a hell of a long time. He breathed in deeply, his bear taking in the scent of her, centering all of his focus on this one woman. A woman who’d become the center of his universe.
A woman he didn’t want to be without.
He tore his gaze from her and stared out of the windshield. He looked anywhere but at her or Mae. He didn’t want anyone to read the emotions he feared would be obvious in his eyes.
“Ciara.” Mae stepped closer to the vehicle. “Let’s get you some breakfast before we begin the process.”
“You have witches?” Ciara asked.
Krisztián looked at Mae, and wondered if that expression in her eyes said she read his emotions, no matter how much he’d tried to hide them.
“We do.” Mae walked to the other side of the vehicle and opened the door for her.
He exhaled. Would Ciara be gone once her problem was solved? Would that be the end of his acquaintance with her?
She’d no longer need him. Probably go back to whatever she did in that remote cottage of hers, far removed from the world he inhabited.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ciara couldn’t have said what was different. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something was going on. She’d awakened to find Mae and Krisztián talking and then he’d looked off and avoided her gaze. Something was definitely up.
Mae opened the car door and hugged her. “Are you ready for some relief?”
“Ever so ready.” With a last glance at Krisztián, who seemed to be doing his damnedest to avoid her gaze, she took a look toward Mairi and Declan, who were still in their vehicle, seemingly involved in a serious talk. She was pretty sure that talk involved Declan complaining about their being dragged into this matter. “Did Leandra know anyone else?”
Mae nodded. “She’s got a cousin who’s flying in this morning. Plus, Krisztián’s idea.”
“Oh? What idea is that?” She avoided looking toward Krisztián.
“Several of Salvatore’s entourage consists of sorceresses. Though some have gone out of town on business, four are still here.” Mae ticked them off on her fingers. “So between Leandra, her cousin Sidonie, the two right here,” Mae flicked her thumb toward the Pathfinder. “And those who came with Salvatore, Ilona, Bella, Alzbeta, and Honorine.” Mae shrugged. “That is eight witches, by my count. I think that’s a good number. I know at least four were needed. One for air, earth, wind, and for fire. Maybe having twice that could… I don’t know.” Another shrug.
It appeared Declan and Mairi’s discussion came to an end as they opened the doors to their vehicle and stepped out.
Declan stood by the door while Mairi came around and greeted Mae. “Pleased to meet ye.” She held out a hand. “Mairi Ó Ruairc. The sullen, hulking one is me brother, Declan.
“Welcome to Bear Canyon Valley.” Mae graced them with what Ciara knew was her most hospitable smile. “And thank you for agreeing to help Ciara. She’s very dear to many of us here.”
Declan stepped forward and shook Mae’s hand. “What does many of us here mean?”
At that moment, Svetlana exited the screen side door of the B&B. The door closest to where they were parked at the time. “Mairi? Is that you?”
Mairi’s head snapped to the side. “Lana?” A wide grin spread to her face. “They didna say ye were here.”
“They did not tell me it was you who would be coming.” Svetlana flew into her arms, hugging her. “When did you come to America?”
“When did you?”
“Not long ago,” Svetlana answered. “Your turn.”
“Five years ago. We—”
Declan cleared his throat.
Mairi’s lips clamped shut. Her face turned red. “Sorry,” she told her brother. “Yes, anyway, we came here five years ago.”
Ciara frowned, considering Mairi’s answer. What was she going to say? What happened five years ago that made them move to America? Was that what she was going to say? She wasn’t likely to find out since she didn’t exactly have much of a relationship with either Mairi or her brother.
Not to mention, Ciara didn’t think she’d be sticking around much after they fixed her problem. Her intent was to get back to her cabin and clean it up after the fiasco of having Youngblood there and scuffling with Krisztián when she was in a partial shift.
Then Ciara wanted down time. Away-from-the-world time. Time to herself. So, why had she looked at Krisztián when she thought that? Because it would mean not seeing him. And she wasn’t ready for that. She wouldn’t have a built-in excuse or a dilemma to keep her with him.
“Other witches…” Mairi was talking.
Ciara had tuned her out completely. She’d tuned everyone and everything out while she was thinking about Krisztián.
“Yes. Eight, total,” Mae affirmed. “They’re ready to start when you are. I’m not sure how much it matters if they practice the same kind of magic or know how to do what you are doing.”
“It’s their energy that matters. We will be drawing on their mana, not their specific skills for this. So, having eight will be even better.”
Declan nodded, though he was still silent, which was not surprising to Ciara, though she still couldn’t help but wonder what secret he was keeping.
“Let’s go inside,” Mae suggested. “Restroom breaks and maybe a bit of breakfast, a rasher of bacon, some scrambled eggs. I think someone might have brought a pot of grits.”
Ciara wrinkled her nose. Grits? Probably not her thing.
“Grits?” Krisztián finally spoke. “I have never had grits.”
“One of the girls brought them. And it’s not just any ol’ grits. It’s shrimp ‘n grits.”
Ciara’s interest was piqued. That was something she might not mind trying. She noticed then that in her mind, her bear’s roar had lessened when Krisztián had spoken.
Seriously, I can’t believe you are letting yourself be calmed by some stranger just because he’s a bear shifter.
Did she just talk to her bear? Really? By damn, she had.
To her surprise, her bear’s roaring quit. It completely subsided.
Did you stop on purpose?
There she went, talking to her bear again. Asking it questions, like it could respond. Wait. Maybe it did. Maybe the bear just did respond.
The bear growled softly, the sound gentle and soothing.
Ciara followed Mae and the others toward the B&B’s front door. She was not going to address her bear’s behavior. What the heck was going on with that bear? Why did it find such solace with Krisztián? She studied the bear shifter. Sure, he was good-looking. Okay, he was hot as hell. And he was powerful. But she didn’t do shifters. They weren’t her thing. She’d never been attracted to a shifter—before. Seemed like he was the exception to her rule.
She internally shook her head at her bear. No way, no how. I don’t do shifters. And by default, neither do you.
She studied the back of Mae’s head, wondering if she should ask her for so
me advice. Mae was with a shifter and she wasn’t one. She was an elemental. A totally different breed. What was it like for her and Doc?
As though Mae could read her mind, she turned and gave Ciara a glance, then she paused, letting her catch up and put her arm around her waist.
Mairi and Declan brought up the rear.
“How are you, really?” Mae asked.
Ciara shrugged. “I’ve been better.”
“I sense confusion. Is there anything you’d like to talk about?”
“You read minds, too?”
Mae’s lips turned up in a cryptic smile. “Hardly. But once you couple-bond with a shifter, you pick up some of their senses. So, basically, my hearing, vision, smell, all of those are more perceptive than they were when I was not with a shifter.”
“So you what, smelled my confusion?”
“Basically. It would seem you would have shifter skills, since you…” Mae appraised her. “You know.”
“Yeah, I know. But no, I don’t.”
Krisztián stepped closer. “I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but of course, I couldn’t help but overhear. Shifter hearing and all that.”
Ciara glanced at him, admiring his profile as he looked straight ahead. A strong jaw, cheekbones sculpted of stone, and eyes the color of warm chocolate.
He asked Ciara, “Do you not have any of the shifter senses?”
She frowned. “I think I’d know, right?”
He nodded. “You would.”
“Then, no. My hearing, smell, vision, they are all the same as they were before all of this happened.” Which left her wondering why she didn’t have access to the same perks he did. Was her bear holding out on her?
Mae patted her shoulder. “This can be figured out later. First, breakfast. Then the witch circle.” She turned to Mairi and Declan. “So happy to get to know you better. And thrilled you can help Griz’s cousin out.”
Mairi gave her a smile in return, but Ciara was pretty sure Declan growled.
And he wasn’t a shifter. Was he?
Chapter Twenty-Four
Krisztián wasn’t very knowledgeable when it came to witch circles. Not in the least. Yet, here he was, with a cadre of witchy-types, plus Declan, who it seemed was also a witchy type, as druids could also cast spells.
All of them were in the woods behind Mae Forester’s Bed & Breakfast. Mairi and Declan had directed Honorine, Alzbeta, Bella, Ilona, Leandra, and her cousin Sidonie to assist them with creating a circle of stones and salt. The circle was in the middle of a large clearing. They’d placed candles in spots that marked the four cardinal directions. And also between the cardinal directions. Eight candles in all. Eight witches in all.
While the witches were working on the circle—they’d placed Ciara in the middle and asked Krisztián and Mae to stay clear of the sacred spot.
So, Krisztián and Mae were standing aside, near a large oak tree stump, both of them sitting, both watching silently. Well, mostly silently. Every so often, Mae would murmur low. He didn’t ask her to repeat herself. He was pretty sure whatever she was saying wasn’t meant for him. Then she went quiet again.
Finally, he broke the silence and uttered, “What’s the word on Griz and Youngblood?”
Mae turned his way. Her dark-brown eyes flashed the blue of her elemental. Ice elemental, he was pretty sure he remembered correctly. “Griz and the rest of our gang are heading back. Slate Youngblood hasn’t been found, and Victor Saizon split off and said he had to check in.” She shrugged. “I guess he means check in with his bosses.”
“I suppose. So that’s it? They aren’t going to search for Youngblood?”
She raised a brow. “If the man doesn’t want to be found, I don’t think they have a right to hunt him down. If he really and truly wants Griz’s help, he’ll come back. Unless he thinks Victor Saizon is here. It seems he’s interested in avoiding him.”
“All that for nothing. Everything he put Ciara through was for naught.”
Mae tipped her head to the side, studying him. “You’ve got feelings for her.”
“No. Why do you say that?”
She tapped her nose, then her ear, then her heart. “I can smell the way you care for her. I can hear the way your heart races when you look at her, and I can feel it deep within.”
Krisztián averted his eyes. Damn the luck. He should have guarded himself better. Which reminded him—guarding—why hadn’t he been able to sense Declan when he was in the cabin? Why hadn’t he smelled him or heard his heartbeat? It was not like he’d been far. He was simply in the other room. “What do you know about druid skills?” he asked Mae, while he watched the witches. They placed a blue bead next to one candle. A red button by another candle, a yellow button beside a third, and a green by the last one.
“What exactly do you mean? Like specifically what can they do in terms of skills?”
He rubbed a hand over stubble that he’d been too busy to take care of. Too busy chasing solutions for Ciara’s problem. “Yes. Here’s why. When we went to Mairi’s cabin, Declan was hiding in a back room. My shifter senses didn’t pick him up. Nothing. No scent. No heartbeat sounds. No nothing.”
“Hmm.” Mae scratched at the pattern in the tree’s smooth trunk. “Maybe they have some sort of masking skills. Or obfuscating powers. I’m not very familiar with witchery.” She paused, then started again. “Though I’d swear I thought I heard him growl earlier. Made me wonder if he’s a shifter of some kind. Though I don’t pick up a shifter aura from him.”
“I don’t either. Could he be something else?”
Mae frowned. “Not sure what that would be.”
He shrugged. “Maybe he’s just a plain ol’ druid.” He nudged Mae. “They’re doing something. Starting, I suppose?”
“Looks like it.”
Ciara waited in the middle of the circle. Mairi was sprinkling her with salt. Declan’s eyes were closed, hands held out as he chanted.
One by one, all of the witches—Honorine, Alzbeta, Bella, Ilona. Leandra, and Sidonie—all stretched their arms out, palms up—just like Declan—and started chanting the same words he was.
“Close your eyes,” Mairi told the witches, her voice low and ethereal. She walked toward a spot across from Declan, then glanced toward Krisztián and Mae and indicated they should close their eyes as well.
Krisztián frowned. What the hell? What did it matter if his eyes were open or not? He glanced at Ciara. She knelt in the middle of the circle, her face a study of stoicism while she waited patiently.
Please, let her be triumphant, he prayed to whatever gods would listen, and closed his eyes.
Mae took his hand and squeezed. “Have faith.” Her voice was so low only a shifter next to her would have heard it.
Faith. Yes, he’d have faith Ciara would be delivered from the torment.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ciara felt like she was underwater. She fought the urge to open her eyes.
Mairi had said to keep them closed, and she wasn’t about to do anything that might jeopardize the process. She heard chanting but it sounded so far off, on the other side of the water. No, not water, but there wasn’t another way to describe it.
Abruptly, the chanting faded, replaced by the sound of a roar. Not an animal’s roar, but more the roar of a tornado. Oh, she’d had the misfortune of being too close to a tornado once, not too long ago. This roaring was too much like that sound. It filled her mind and her ears, drowning everything out. She wanted to open her eyes. God, how she wanted to. But fear paralyzed her. The fear she’d nullify Mairi’s efforts to free her from the agony that had taken over her mind of late.
She squeezed her eyes tighter to push away the temptation to open them and disrupt Mairi’s process. Lord knew, it was tough. She wasn’t one to give control over to someone else so easily. She desperately wanted to put her hands over her ears to lessen the tornadic sounds but worried that doing so might also affect Mairi’s spell.
Suddenly, she was gripped in th
e throes of an unmeasurable pain. Like she was being torn about, piece by piece, muscle by muscle. The roaring cyclone in her mind merged with the sounds of screeching and popping.
Her hands flew up, gripping her head, only they weren’t quite—
No. They weren’t gripping her head, they were digging into her scalp. Into her very skull.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Krisztián couldn’t help himself. When he heard the piercing screaming sounds that drowned out the chanting witches, his eyes opened.
The sight stunned him.
For all of his years as a shifter, he had never witnessed another shift into a bear—or any other animal for that matter. Watching Ciara do so, and knowing how terrifying and confusing it must be for her, made him flinch.
Her face twisted in agony, her body stretched. The sound of popping bones and stretching sinews—very familiar sounds to him from his own shifting—reached his supernatural hearing. Her eyes were tightly shut. Fur sprouted on the exposed parts of her limbs. Her face elongated, a powerful muzzle appearing, her eyes darkened to nearly black. She rose onto two legs, a beautiful dark-brown bear, then slammed her paws into the ground, landing on all fours. Her head reared back, and she emitted a roar that seemed to shake the forest.
Then she took off into the woods, running at a breakneck speed, her movements graceful, though she was a bear.
Suddenly, there was chaos.
The witches stopped their chanting.
Mae was looking at Krisztián, her mouth open in a large O, her eyes wide. She clamped her lips shut. “What the hell?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I have no clue how these things work.”
The witches had formed a loose assembly in the spot Ciara—or rather, her bear—had just vacated. They were all talking at once, panicked expressions on their faces. Except for Declan. His countenance was calm, assured, almost knowing.
This piqued Krisztián’s interest. Why did Mairi seem so surprised and panicked and Declan didn’t?