by Lola Taylor
“Obviously, someone knew you were coming. Those wraiths must have been summoned when you arrived. It takes a while for a summoning charm that powerful to kick in,” Penelope said with a frown. “Who did you say lived out here?”
“A generalist witch named Violet, I think. Well, at least, I thought she was a generalist. Apparently, she’s taken to dabbling in Black Magic.”
Penelope’s face scrunched up in thought, then she whistled. “I remember her. She’s a bit of a quack in the witching community. Keeps to herself a lot.”
Danica looked around at the woods. “You don’t say,” she mumbled.
Penelope grinned. “I had no idea she was this powerful. Guess appearances can be deceiving.”
“No kidding,” Gage murmured. He hugged Danica to him. She was chilled. He needed to get her warm before she caught a cold. Humans and weres had that in common - they could still get sick. “When we were snooping, we came across a name several times. Ever heard of a Mistress Black?”
Penelope pursed her lips together, thinking. “Nope. Doesn’t ring any bells. Sorry.”
Gage’s brows stooped. He’d really hoped Penelope would have a lead on who had hired the construction of the cloaking charm for Onyx.
Gage smiled at Penelope. “Thank you for coming to help us. I’d better get her home.”
“Anytime. You know where to find me.” With a snap of her fingers, she disappeared in a poof of pink smoke.
“Wow,” Danica said, blinking. “I need to learn how to do that. I’d never be late for anything again.”
“Sorry, love. That’s a witch trick, I’m afraid. Come. Let’s join the others and get the hell out of these woods.”
Chapter 11
They couldn’t walk fast enough back to the car. Most of the wolves had changed back into men. It felt a little weird being surrounded by so many naked men, but that was the least of her concerns. Despite Gage’s reassurances the wraiths would not return, Danica kept glancing over her shoulder, yelping every time a leaf brushed her arm or she tripped over a rock. Eventually, Gage picked her up and carried her.
“This is completely unnecessary, you know,” she huffed, wrapping her arms around his neck a bit tighter. Truthfully, the feel of his enormous muscles beneath her calves and back was comforting - and enticing. He had taken his shirt off, saying he was hot.
She was inclined to agree. Sweat suited him, glistening along his exquisite body.
Yum.
“It’ll make you feel safer, and I won’t be so on edge with you shrieking at every little shadow,” he said dryly.
She punched him playfully in the arm. It was like hitting a rock. “Very funny, Mr. ‘I’m a badass werewolf Alpha, hear me roar!’”
He chuckled, the deep sound vibrating against her chest. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against his shoulder, and his grip around her tightened. “Are weres always this warm?”
“Yes. That’s why we rarely go to human doctors. They always think we have a fever. Our temperatures run a bit hotter during mating season.”
She felt her cheeks heat. Technically, humans mated all the time, but she wasn’t used to calling it something so… carnal. It made her feel like an animal.
Might as well get used to it.
Nik and the others were waiting for them back at the cottage. “About time,” Nik said, grinning and clapping a hand on Gage’s shoulder as he set Danica down. “We thought maybe a bear had gotten you.”
“A bear’s no threat to me,” Gage said with a wicked glint to his eyes that bordered on arrogance. It didn’t make Danica think any less of him, though. If anything, it made her pant for him a little more.
Gage sniffed and looked at her, a slow smile lighting up his handsome face.
She shifted her weight and looked away, humiliated. He could smell her. Of course he could - he was a freaking werewolf!
Soon, my queen, he murmured in her head.
She blinked, startled. It was going to take some time to get used to someone invading her thoughts.
“What are our losses?” Gage asked gravely. He looked afraid to ask, like he was steeling himself for the answer.
Nik’s expression was equally grave. “Erik, you already know about.”
Danica subconsciously glanced at the car and wished she hadn’t. Nothing remained of Erik but a dark stain on the ground. A tremble worked its way through her body, and Gage pulled her to him, keeping her face away from the gore.
“Tony, and that kid from Kansas, Alec, I think his name was didn’t make it,” Nik said. “They couldn’t outrun the wraiths when they started swarming in the woods. Apparently, that’s where the trap was set.”
Gage swore.
“Only a handful were injured. They’re back at the mansion recovering.” Nik gave Gage a hard look, and Danica had a feeling he was intentionally not telling Gage something.
Gage nodded once, curtly. “We’ll have funerals arranged for them when we get back.” He swallowed. “Then we’ll notify their families, and contact the Prima if Penelope hasn’t already.”
“Prima?” I asked.
“Witches and warlocks are big on the whole north, south, east, and west thing. There’s a head witch or warlock of every corner of the United States. They have laws, same as we do. Some things, all of the Underworld has to obey, including reporting when a witch is illegally practicing Black Magic, especially when there are deaths involved.”
Heavy silence settled over the group.
The other weres had watched the exchange but now came over and acknowledged their leader. Gage looked happier to see them than the other way around.
Something felt off to Danica. There wasn’t so much warmth in their eyes as accusation.
They blame him, she realized.
Fisting her hands, she started forward, mouth open to defend Gage, when Nik shoved an arm out. “Not now, little queen,” he said quietly.
Danica looked from Gage’s brother to her mate, and pressed her lips together. Feeling restless and alert, she crossed her arms, warily watching the wolves that she would soon rule.
She blinked. Since when did she start to think of them as her subjects?
Since you decided to give Gage a chance.
She shivered. Taking chances on people in the past had cost her dearly. She had thought people had loved her enough to stick around, but they hadn’t. She hadn’t been enough.
Would she be for Gage? What was to stop him from leaving her someday?
She rubbed her arms, trying to think about anything but her upset stomach.
Gage spoke in low tones to the others for a moment before declaring they head out. “There is much to be done,” he said, heading for the trunk and pulling out a change of clothes. “Gather the remains and meet back at the base.”
The wolves put their right fists over their hearts, some giving lingering glares to Gage before heading back in the opposite direction, to the cars waiting down the road.
Danica watched them leave, frowning, then eyed Gage as he changed out of his wet clothes into some dry ones. “You keep clothes in the trunk?”
“We’re always prepared,” Gage said, “since you don’t know when you might need to Change.”
Not much was said after that. The ride back was tense. Gage sat in the back beside Danica, though he and Nik went over details of what had happened. “Damn things trailed me for clear eight miles,” Nik said. “I didn’t think I was going to lose ‘em, but I did.”
That troubled look left Gage’s face for the briefest of moments. “Nik’s the fastest wolf in our pack,” he explained with a look of pride.
“Ah, stop, precious,” Nik said gruffly. “You’re making me blush.” His eyes glinted gold. “Onyx was there, all right. I could smell him all over the woods and in that cottage.”
“So could I,” Gage said. “If we can’t find anymore leads, we should find him.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
The two men made arrangements while Danica listened s
ilently in the back. Yesterday, her life was boring. Today, she didn’t recognize who she’d become. Who was this girl who made out with a stranger, who got involved in life-threatening situations? She’d never strayed too far from the safe zone. Maybe that was why this freedom - the permission Gage gave her to enjoy being a carnal creature - felt so good to her. It felt right. Until she’d lived on the edge, she realized she hadn’t fully been living. She’d grown numb to life. It was easier to deal with that way, deal with her friends moving on and creating the perfect life she couldn’t seem to reach, of her boyfriend dumping her for someone more “suitable” to his lifestyle, of the aunt who chose her boyfriend over her niece, a house that would probably fall apart within the next ten years, and a job she loathed.
Yes, she hadn’t just wanted this - she had prayed for it, had been begging for a change. And it had come in the form of a hunky werewolf named Gage Johnson. With him, there was no pretending, no hiding the fact she was a bit of a dork and had a big imagination. He didn’t judge her like her friends had, didn’t chastise her like her aunt did, saying she’d, “Better stop daydreaming and get her head back in the real world.”
Being with Gage felt right, like she could be herself and be accepted for who she really was.
When they arrived at the mansion, Nik went to get preparations for the funerals underway while Gage led Danica up to their room. She watched him as they walked, worrying about the heaviness on his face and miserable she couldn’t do anything about it.
When they were inside his chambers and the door was closed, she nearly ran into him when he stopped suddenly, staring at the floor. Without warning, he picked up a vase and threw it across the room, where it shattered.
Danica jumped. It hadn’t entirely been unexpected, but she didn’t have much of a taste for violence. Her childhood had given plenty of that.
Gage punched the wall, driving his fist through it. “DAMMIT!”
Danica stood frozen, unsure what to do.
Gage’s shoulders heaved as he took in deep breaths, closing his eyes as his composure broke, and all the anger leaked out of him. With a sob, he collapsed to the floor, shaking as tears ran down his face.
Danica immediately went to him, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. When he leaned into her, putting his head against her chest, she cradled him and rocked him. She didn’t say anything - she didn’t have to. For some things, just being held, being close to someone, was enough.
She let him grieve, holding him until he decided to sit up. “I’m sorry,” he said raggedly, wiping a hand over his face.
“For what?” she asked softly.
“For putting you through that. I never meant for you to be dragged into this world of backstabbing violence.”
“Sssh,” she said, putting a finger to his lips. “I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else except right here, with you.”
He looked at her, a small smile appearing. “You say that now just because you haven’t experienced Thanksgiving with us.”
She snorted and sat down beside him, their backs to the footboard. “At least you have a family to share it with, no matter how dysfunctional.”
He studied her. “You spent the holidays alone?”
She looked at the floor and shrugged.
Gage grabbed hold of her and hugged her to him. “I swear, you’ll never feel alone again.”
It sounded so wonderful. She didn’t realize how much it meant to hear that until tears pricked her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and pushed the emotions back. She needed to stay strong for him. Losing his packmates had broken a piece of him, and he needed her strength.
“So do you really think a witch mafia is behind this?” she asked, sitting up and pushing a strand of unkempt hair from her face. “Who are they, anyway?”
He sighed hard. “The Underworld’s races have houses of power, much like human’s. Some bloodlines are ancient, going back into the dark ages. There’s been a lot of bloodshed, and witches aren’t known for being modest when it comes to conquests of power. It’s said there are two main mafias, the Blackwater Brethren and the Order of the Sun. The two most powerful houses are light and dark, or it used to be that way. Black Witches are all but extinct, which is probably why the Blackwater Brethren are the most desperate for more power. As for whether or not they’re behind this, I don’t know. I wish I did. Some clarity of motive is much needed about now.”
“Can’t you hire a psychic to spy on them or figure out what’s going on?”
“That’s the thing. True psychics are rare, even rarer than a trueborn Black Witch.”
“Trueborn?”
“Born with the innate disposition for a certain craft, whether it be black, white, red, blue, green, or gray magic. Clairvoyance falls in the area of white, though few White Witches or Warlocks are gifted with it. If they all came psychic, we would have asked Penelope.”
Danica chewed on her tongue. This world was turning out to be more and more complex by the minute. She wondered if they had some sort of “supernatural Bible” she could learn from.
“Why do you think they want to kill me?” she asked.
Gage’s gaze turned deadly. “More than likely to unseat me. Could be for revenge, one of the contenders I beat.”
Danica grasped his forearm and squeezed.
He squeezed her hand back. “It’ll be all right. I’ll keep you safe.” He pressed a kiss to her head.
Danica smiled. She could look out for herself - had been for a while now - but it was nice to know someone cared.
They sat like that for a while before Gage murmured, “I need to check on Nik, see how things are going with the arrangements.”
She nodded. “Of course. Whatever you need.”
He stroked her cheek, staring into her eyes. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”
Her cheeks grew warmer. “Well, I consider myself pretty lucky to have met you.” She pecked a kiss to his lips. “And I want you to know I’m here for you, no matter what.”
His shoulders visibly slacked as he rested his forehead against hers. They both closed their eyes, enjoying a moment’s peace.
Sort of.
It began with a kiss, a slight tug of the bottom lip, which quickly turned into something much hotter as hands began to roam over naked flesh. Breaking away when she reached for his hardening erection, Gage said, “Soon. I promise.”
Kissing her hard, he started toward the door. “I’ll post guards outside. Yell if you need anything, or just think my name. I’ll hear you. I’ll be back soon.” With one last lingering look, he strode out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Danica stood there for a moment, debating what to do. Next to hot sex with Gage, one thing in particular sounded wonderful.
Heading to the massive bathroom connected to the bedroom, the first thing she did was take a nice long bath. After filling the tub with sweet-smelling bubble bath she’d found amongst some more feminine products she assumed Gage had set aside for her use, she lounged in the steamy water.
It was a pity her intended couldn’t join her. She saw the fear reflected in his eyes as he spoke of the attempt on her life, and she wanted to do something to make it go away. The fact he worried so much over her safety was endearing. No one had ever shown that much concern over her before.
The dread he would someday run away returned, making the air seem chilly despite the steam. Bitter reality sank in as her common sense gave her a talking to. Popping floating bubbles idly, she considered what the hell she was doing here. Did she really want to stay? Gage had said mating was forever, and forever was a long time to spend with someone you barely knew. She couldn’t be stupid about this.
She sank deeper into the tub, reclining her head back on the porcelain rim. She closed her eyes and smiled. Seth had never looked at her the way Gage had in the cave, like he couldn’t take in enough of her. For the first time in a while, she hadn’t felt conscientious about the extra curves on her body. She had felt d
esired, and it had been amazing. It also made her wonder what was the catch?
Sighing, she began washing her hair. Honestly, she could think of worst fates than being cosmically linked to a hot werewolf forever. It wasn’t like she had much to go back to - as in, no one. Even her cat had run off. She knew what awaited her back home - an empty house, a job she could care less about, and an empty life.
“How depressing,” she muttered, rinsing her hair out. She wasn’t afraid to be alone because she’d been alone for most of her life. But was she just staying with Gage because she didn’t want to be alone anymore? Sure, there was a spark between them, and more than enough lust to fill a room, but she knew she didn’t love him.
Yet.
Could she grow to love him? Could he grow to love her?
She didn’t know what scared her most: the fact he could someday leave her, or what would her life be like if she decided to walk away from him. Would she regret it?
More anxious than she was when she got in the tub, Danica got out and dried off after pulling the plug. She dressed in another pretty white silk bathrobe and was drying her hair while mulling things over when the door creaked open.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she said, walking into the bedroom. “I need to talk to you.”
That’s when she looked around and realized it hadn’t been the door that had opened. It had been the window.
Inhaling a breath, she started to scream when a gloved hand clamped down on her mouth.
“Good. You’re here,” Onyx said. “We needed to finish our conversation.”
Chapter 12
“Gage, are you listening?”
“What?” Gage blinked, snapping back to reality as Nik’s concerned face came into view once more. They were seated in the conference room, the same room Gage had first gotten a glimpse of his lovely Danica half naked.
Nik looked over his shoulder, at the place on the wall where Gage had been staring. A knowing smile spread across his lips. “Ah, the girl. You were thinking about her.”
“Maybe,” Gage said gruffly, crossing his arms.
Nik leaned back and stretched his arms above his head. “It’s all right. You don’t have to hide your emotions around me. I won’t make fun of you for being a lovesick pup.”