by M. L. Briers
Porter’s hands gripped the bark of the tree as his eyes glared at the sight before him. His life’s work, his power, and his magic were being consumed by an unnatural fire that burned to fiercely to ever be controlled or stopped even if he had his full magical abilities.
He tore his eyes from the furnace in front of him and searched for the one… the one who would do this… the one who had committed this atrocity against him… the one who would pay…
Porter sucked in a harsh breath as he saw the witch standing on the other side of the woods. The Alpha’s mate.
“Powerful little Witch…”He ground out in disgust at the sight of her standing there within her circle, her eyes feasting on his loss. The smile on her lips as she tasted her victory.
“Your power would taste so sweet…”He ground out. The sadness of his loss hitting him hard as he knew his possessions still lay within the inferno below. He might not be able to taste her powers, but he could take her life and claim the last victory here tonight.
He moved backwards into the darkness of the woods, moving quickly and quietly within the shadows of the night.
Summer had paid homage to her sister for their help. Had thanked the triple goddess for granting her spell, closed the circle and removed all signs of her ever being there. Scattering the salt circle to the wind and once the candles had burnt down she buried the wax that was left and covered her tracks.
Now she was circling around her path that led her to the spot in the woods where she had cast the spell, careful not to cross her previous route. Some believed in the power of the intersection between a person’s journey towards their spell and a person returning as being bad luck, she didn’t, not for a spell such as this, but just for tonight she wasn’t about to take that chance. A different route back wouldn’t hurt.
She liked to recite the Wiccan Rede after a big spell. It felt like a good way to pay homage to her Fae nature, to remember that spells were never taken lightly, and to remind herself that she was still only human. Fallible. Easily swayed by the darkness that existed within the realm of magic. Dark and light, so easy to blur the lines. When she was content within herself that she had acted within the realm of light, protecting others tonight, she felt easier within herself.
Her attention was caught by a sound to the left of her. Turning too late to stop the blow that took her off her feet and sent her backwards into the hard earth, she dragged in a breath and spun towards her attacker.
Thrusting her hand out in front of her to centre her magic, she found only empty space. The darkness of the woods seemed to taunt her as she quickly scanned the space around her. Again she was too late. A hand fisted in her hair and she felt the pain shoot through her head as the grip twisted and dragged her onto her knees. The cold blade at her throat stilled her movements.
“I win.”He hissed out against her ear.
Flynn scented the remains of the candles that had burned in the spot where she had stood to perform her spell. He wasn’t entirely shocked to see Porter’s house ravaged by flames, the stench in the air being taken downwind, as fear slammed into his mind, but it wasn’t his, and it was hers.
‘Summer…’ He growled out into his link with her. Digging his claws into the hard earth, he followed her scent as he tore through the woods.
‘I’m sorry, Flynn…’
Her words stoked even more fear within his heart. If she was apologising to him she was in real danger. She was giving up the hope that she was going to see him again, using the opportunity to say goodbye.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
‘Call me to you- I’m close- don’t give up hope-I’m coming-‘ He didn’t stop assuring her, over and over as he followed her scent through the trees, until fear mixed within her scent and he knew he had found her.
Flynn took it all in. His mate kneeling. The knife at her throat. The blood that ran from the two small cuts on her neck and she fought against his hold. Her eyes caught with Flynn’s just as she drew the Athame from her sleeve and buried it into Porter’s foot, as Flynn launched himself through the air.
He kept his claws sheathed as he flew over her falling body. He couldn’t be certain if Porter had just let her go or if he had slashed her throat with the knife before he pulled back away from her.
Flynn used his weight to take the man down. His powerful jaws locked around Porters wrist and he clamped down through the nerves, muscles and bone, until the appendage lay of the floor beside his body. The knife still clutched in his fist even though his hand had been severed.
Flynn flicked out his claws and buried them deep inside Porters flesh. The sound of the screams that came from the man did nothing to dampen the blood lust inside him as he ripped through his flesh, and tore with his powerful jaws until the screams died beneath him.
“Flynn…”His mates call cut through the bloodlust within his mind, but still he ravaged the body of his enemy. The man who had dared to touch his mate, harmed a member of his pack.
“Flynn!” Summer called again, sorely tempted to give him a good kick in the backside.
“Flynn!!!” She screamed at him as he whirled towards her, mindful now that she could still be in danger. He breathed heavy as he took in the sight of her. She was whole, he hadn’t taken her throat with his knife. His eyes quickly scanned the woods around them and he growled out his need to kill anyone that dared to approach his mate.
“Hello!!!”Summer waved her hands and drew his attention towards her, questioning what the hell he was doing. The fact that he had just been tearing apart a human on the ground didn’t seem to faze her. The fact that his bloodlust had gotten the better of him didn’t seem to be the problem…
‘Summer?’ He growled through their link.
She lifted her hands and motioned towards the body on the floor. “Make a damn meal of it why don’t you…”She spat out and he twisted his head and stared up at her in disbelief, a small questioning whimper left his chest.
“Now you just sound like Scooby Doo- don’t do that.”She informed him as she dropped her hands and started walking away from him.
‘What the hell…?’ He started after her. Shifting into human form as he caught up with her. He wrapped a hand around her wrist and yanked her back towards him, and she screwed up her face and motioned to his face.
“Yuck, wipe your mouth and chin, you’ve got a little brains of something, gross…”Summer turned her eyes away and Flynn obliged. It was just blood.
“Now you object to the blood?”He growled out.
“Well you were a damn wolf before, it’s natural, but you’re a Lycan not a damn vampire…”He could tell she wasn’t quite right. He thought her reaction was probably due to shock, and her natural unhinged personality, but which was which he couldn’t be sure.
“Let me see your neck…”He hooked her chin and tipped her head, but she pulled away.
“Ok firstly that tongue is not getting anywhere near me until you’ve brushed and used that mouthwash we spoke about…”He tipped his head and growled at her again. “Yeah, you keep that up and you’re sleeping on the floor like a wolf tonight. “And secondly…”She motioned to his nakedness. “Either shift back to wolf or cover your damn self up.”
“I don’t have any clothes.”He growled at her and she shrugged.
“Then wolf it is.”She informed him and watched him frown. “Wolf, now.”She insisted and he growled as he let go of her hand and shifted back into his beast.
“Making a mess all over the damn woods…”She muttered as she strolled off into the trees and he shook his head in disbelief.
“She didn’t object to me ripping him apart, she just objected to me making a meal of it as she put it.”Flynn watched Abe’s grin spread from ear to ear as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other and stared across the way at their mates in the other room.
“She has a point, you’re a sloppy eater.”Abe chuckled and heard his brother’s low growl.
“She then objected to me being naked.”Flynn ground
out and Abe twitched with the need to rub his brother’s nose in it.
“Really? because she didn’t bat an eyelid when I was naked in the kitchen earlier…”Flynn’s head snapped around and he stared at his brother long and hard. “I told her that ogling was fine as long as…”
That was as far as Abe got. Flynn’s fist caught him square in the jaw and sent him backwards over the sofa and onto the floor. The sound of their mate’s feet rushing into the room caught Abe’s attention for only a split second as his brother launched himself at him, fists flying.
“Not in the damn house!” Summer shouted, but neither brother was listening as fists flew, and they knocked over furniture as they tussled with each other.
The front door was pushed open and Corrine walked in just as Summer came back into the room from the kitchen. Their mother’s eyes went wide when she saw Summer run at the brawling pair, bucket in hand as she launched the cold contents over the pair of them.
Flynn and Abe both gasped in a breath, splitting apart in wide eyed surprise at what had happened. They looked at each other, down at themselves, and then both brothers turned to glare at Summer who stood there, bucket in one hand, her other hand on her hip, and a look of annoyance on her face.
“Fighting is fine. You’re Lycan, I get the temper tantrums…”She assured them as sarcastically as she could. “But, you will take it outside the damn house from now on.”Both brothers glared under deep frowns as they looked at each other. Neither knew exactly what to do.
Abe lifted his hand and pointed his index finger at her accusingly and Flynn growled low and hard at him, and he clamped his lips together and dropped his hand to his side on a huff.
“Do we have an understanding?”Summer pushed the point and Flynn growled again, this time at Summer. “Floors are for wolves, beds are for men…”She reminded him, and Abe sniggered. Flynn redistributed his weight and folded his arms over his chest. Still dripping on the floor, but trying damn hard to ignore it.
“I think you’ve forgotten who is Alpha here, little Witch…”He growled, and Summer’s back snapped rigid she eyed him back.
“And I think you’ve forgotten who the mother of your future pups is going to be, my Alpha.”She gave him his title to show her respect, but she wasn’t about to back down.
Flynn chewed his jaw and considered her words as he stood there, desperately ignoring the fact he was still dripping water all over the floor. Abe was still sniggering beside him. He was enjoying himself too much to give a damn if he was dripping wet.
“Just one thing…”Flynn unfolded his arms and held his right index finger up too his mate. His left fist shot out fast and took Abe off his feet. Flynn didn’t even look down at him as he started towards his mate. He reached for the bucket and took it out of her, handing it to a stunned Tina. Before he reached his hand around her back and yanked her against his hard body.
“Now there is a new rule of no fighting inside the house.”He growled down at her and she grinned up at him.
“And the growling can continue.”She offered by way of compromise. Flynn bent down and tossed her over his shoulder and she squeaked out her shock as he started for the stairs.
“Hi mum. We’re just going to go practice making pups, anything you need?”He growled and heard his mate giggle down his back.
“Not a damn thing that can’t wait for you to get on with giving me a grandchild…”She tossed out and watched him grin before he turned on his heels and disappeared up the stairs.
Corrine looked at Abe who was dragging himself to his feet. “You could do with taking a leaf out of your brother’s book.”Corrine informed Abe as he frowned with his lack of understanding. “Grandchildren, grandchildren. Stop slacking and get to work.”Corrine spun on her heels and walked back out of the door.
Abe shook his head as he watched his mother leave. “She’s a little…”He started and Tina put the bucket down on the floor.
“Well I could grab the mop and clean that up, or you could take a leaf out of your brother’s book and…”He was in front of her in an instant.
“We still haven’t bonded, sweetheart.”He reminded her and she gave him a devilishly sexy grin.
“Can’t we do that and make babies…?”She didn’t get to finish. Abe had already slung her over his shoulder and was heading for the stairs.
The End.