Burned: Wild Magic Book 2

by Danielle Grenier

  Caleb grinned widely, took a step forward, and wrapped his arms around her. Angel returned the hug, enjoying the closeness.

  “Of course I care,” he said. He held her for a moment longer before stepping back and taking her hands in his. “I owe you an apology for last night,” he said. “I stepped in when I shouldn't have; you were handling things perfectly fine on your own.”

  “Apology accepted,” Angel told him. “And I apologize for overreacting. I know you were just doing what Alphas do, and as much as it bugs me to be protected sometimes, if I want to be with you, I'm going to have to learn to deal with it.”

  “And I'll have to learn to ease up on the protectiveness sometimes,” Caleb admitted.

  “So, we're good?” Angel asked.

  “Not quite,” Caleb said, holding up a hand.

  “Oh?” Angel replied, getting worried.

  “I got you something,” Caleb told her, pulling open one of the dresser drawers and taking out a box. “I figured you weren't really a flowers kind of person, so I tried for something more your style.” He held the box out to her and smiled.

  “You didn't have to get me anything,” Angel protested, but Caleb shook his head.

  “I wanted to,” he said, pushing the box towards her again, “take a look.”

  “Okay, okay,” Angel said, taking the box. It was made of wood and had a decent weight to it. She placed it on the bed, undid the latch, and flipped open the lid.

  Caleb was on pins and needles, waiting to see how Angel would like her gift. He’d spent nearly an hour with Carl, learning more about weapons than he’d ever thought he would, but if she liked her present, it would be completely worth it. This wasn’t just an apology gift; it was a way for him to show he cared about her, and he knew her well enough to get it right. He watched anxiously as Angel opened the box.

  “Oh my God,” she said quietly, and Caleb had a moment of panic that he’d chosen wrong. But then she let out a very uncharacteristic squeal and launched herself at him. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

  “I take it you like them?” Caleb asked.

  “I love them,” Angel replied, pulling back and planting a kiss on his lips. “You’re amazing, did you know that?”

  “You’re pretty impressive yourself,” he told her. “Why don’t you take a closer look?”

  Angel gave him another kiss before letting him go and returning her attention to her gift. Reaching down, she gently lifted one of the throwing knives from the box. They were black - some sort of carbon fiber material that was super light and wouldn’t rust - with a triangular blade, and a flat, rounded handle. Carl had assured him they were perfectly balanced, which apparently was a good thing for throwing knives. Angel was examining the blade, weighing it in her hand and checking out the leather sheaths that came with the set.

  “These are incredible,” she told him, replacing everything in the box. “How did you ever find such a great present?”

  “Well, I figured there couldn’t be too many weapons shops in town,” he explained, “so I checked the phone book, found Carl’s place, and asked him if there was anything you’d looked at when you were there the other day but didn’t buy. He mentioned you’d checked out some of his throwing knives but hadn’t bought any because you were already buying your swords.”

  “Thank you,” Angel said, stepping forward and taking his hands in hers, “this is a wonderful surprise.”

  “You’re welcome,” Caleb told her.

  She smiled at him, then gave him a mischievous look.

  “How much time do you have for lunch?”

  He grinned back at her.

  “Long enough.”

  Angel stretched out across the bed, relaxed, and immensely satisfied. Caleb trailed his fingers along her side, and she turned, cuddling up to him.

  “There’s probably going to be no food left by the time we get downstairs, but that was totally worth it.”

  “Agreed.” Caleb glanced at the clock and frowned.

  “Come on,” she said, climbing off the bed and gathering up their clothes. “We’ve both got work to do.”

  They dressed quickly, but Angel took a couple more minutes strapping on her new knives. Caleb was ready before her, and waited patiently for her by the door.

  “Ready,” she called out, pulling on her jacket, “let’s go.”

  “Hold on,” Caleb said, grabbing her before she reached the door and pulling her close.

  “We really don’t have time, Caleb,” she said, but he put a finger to her lips to silence her.

  “I’m not trying to get you in bed again,” he said.

  “Then what is it?”

  “I love you.”

  “You–”

  “I love you, Angel.”

  “Oh,” she replied lamely.

  “I know this - us - isn’t going to be the easiest thing,” he said, “and I don’t know if it’s going to be forever, but right here, right now, I love you. And I wanted you to know.”

  “I love you, too, Caleb,” Angel said, grinning broadly.

  Caleb returned her smile, then leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. It warmed her from head to toe and made her wolf giddy.

  “Come on,” Caleb said, taking her hand, “let’s try and find some lunch.”

  Chapter 35

  The afternoon seemed to pass in a blur. Angel was paired with Jesse, and they dutifully followed Jonathan from room to room. Around 5pm, they headed to the ballroom where Matt was waiting to go over the security details for the night. Jonathan was hosting a dinner party, one of the few events of the week where every Alpha and their entourage would be in attendance. This fact was apparently causing the grumpy wolf to stress out.

  “You’re late,” he grumbled as they arrived.

  Jesse checked his watch, which read 5:15pm.

  “You said five-fifteen. It’s five-fifteen.”

  “Not according to my watch.”

  Angel just shrugged, then grinned when she saw Caleb across the room. He waved, and she returned the gesture.

  “Right,” Matt said, pulling her attention back to him. “You and Jesse are covering the back door tonight. We’ve also got an entrance on the right side of the room that leads into the kitchens. I’ll be rotating around the room every fifteen minutes. If you see anything out of place, text me. Got it?”

  Angel nodded. “Got it.”

  “Pretty straightforward,” Jesse added.

  “Good.” He pointed to a table nearby that had a big tray of sandwiches on it. “I suggest you eat something now. People should start showing up in about twenty minutes.”

  They headed for the sandwiches, grabbing a few and sitting to eat. Angel was getting started on her second one when Jesse spoke up.

  “Looks like you and Caleb made up.”

  “Mmmhmm.”

  “Good. You two are a good match.”

  Angel chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed. “You really think so?”

  He nodded. “Definitely.”

  Caleb watched Angel with Jesse, only a little jealous he wouldn’t be able to work with her tonight. But considering how easily distracted he was when she just walked into the room, it was probably for the best. He glanced down at the documents he was supposed to be reviewing for the night but kept finding his attention back on Angel. He found himself thinking back on the past week, and the changes in their relationship. She loved him - a revelation she’d freely provided - and the knowledge warmed him immensely. They’d had their first fight and recovered from it well, which he’d heard was a good sign. For now, things were going well, and Caleb was hopeful they’d continue that way.

  Being an Alpha, he was the kind of person to evaluate and analyze situations, relationships included. As far as he and Angel were concerned, he saw two potentially major hurdles ahead of them. Firstly, he was worried when they got back to Waterloo, she might go back to trying to deny her feelings for him. Unfortunately for her, now that he knew the truth, he was u
nlikely to be as passive with his advances. If he needed to throw her over his shoulder and drag her off to his bedroom, then that’s exactly what he’d do. And he was quite certain they’d both enjoy every minute of it.

  The second hurdle he saw was the secrets Angel had mentioned earlier in the week. Obviously, it was something significant, given how much she’d resisted getting close to him. In truth, he was less concerned about what the secrets were, and how he’d be able to convince her she could trust him with them. Unfortunately, he was drawing a blank on ideas. His wolf wasn’t super helpful either; wolves tended to rely on the basics when it came to wooing females. Kill something big and bad, like a buck or a bear, and prove you’re strong enough to protect a female, and provide for her and her pups. Caleb didn’t think Angel would be too impressed with a dead animal, no matter how big it was.

  Speaking of his wolf, the beast was still being less than clear when it came to knowing whether or not Angel was their Mate. At this point, Caleb was just assuming this was another one of the challenges that went with being an Alpha. Sometimes, you had to make big decisions without all the necessary information, and good leaders had to figure out how. Fortunately, it wasn’t like he had to make the decision today. He knew Angel was nowhere near ready to make that kind of commitment, and he breathed a little easier knowing he still had time to sort things out with his other half. He tore his attention away from the incredible female who’d stolen his heart and tried his best to focus on the words in front of him.

  Chapter 36

  Hunger and rage drove Alice forward, the scent of blood and fear so close, she could practically taste it. A small portion of her mind told her it was people she was smelling - living humans - but the monster she’d become only saw food. She jostled against the others surrounding her, not even caring when she found herself next to a Quiet One. The creature moved quickly but still awkwardly, its face stuck in the same blank expression as all the others. She heard screams, growls, and a blaring alarm, but nothing slowed her down. They poured into the building, the artificial lighting temporarily blinding her, but she used her other senses to find her prey. Heartbeats and footsteps ahead. The smell of perfume and sweat. She reached out, grabbing at flailing limbs, and managed to get hold of an arm. Quick as lightning, she sank her fangs into the tender flesh and drank deeply. Her prey fought back briefly, pushing at her head and desperately trying to free themselves, but it was no use. Alice drank until they stopped moving. And then she went looking for more.

  Chapter 37

  “This is intense,” Angel said to Jesse shortly after the last Alpha arrived at the ballroom. She didn’t bother trying to whisper; everyone still would have heard her anyway.

  “What do you mean?”

  “The energy in the room, with so many Alphas. It’s almost like the air is thicker.”

  Jesse eyed her curiously. “You can feel that?”

  Angel shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant, but worried she’d somehow given herself away.

  “It’s magic, right? I know it’s not usually something that really comes up, but it’s magic that makes werewolves able to change. It’s magic that makes an Alpha. Why wouldn’t I be able to feel it?”

  “I suppose you’re right,” Jesse said. “I guess I never thought of it that way. And I suppose most witches never get this close to so many Alphas in once place.”

  “That’s probably a good thing,” Angel pointed out.

  “How come you get along so well with wolves?”

  “Well, as an agent, I figured there was a possibility I might need to interact with wolves as part of my job, so I learned what I could about them, and how to best interact with packs. But I’m guessing you’re more interested in why I don’t have the same prejudices most witches seem to have about wolves?”

  “You are definitely in the minority when it comes to witches who treat us like actual people.”

  “My mother hates werewolves.” Jesse gave her a stunned look, and she couldn’t help laughing a little. “I know, it doesn’t seem all that intuitive, but let me explain. My mom hates werewolves, and it’s always something she’s been pretty vocal about. When I was younger, I just went along with it, but as I got older, I noticed her hatred really only hurt her. She let it consume such a large part of her life, and it just made her angry whenever the topic came up. I decided I didn’t want to be like that.”

  “That actually makes a lot of sense,” Jesse said. “I’m glad you made that decision.”

  Angel couldn’t help grinning, her eyes finding Caleb despite the full room.

  “Me, too.”

  Dinner was served - all eight courses - and the hotel staff were getting things prepped for dessert and coffee when Jonathan stood, his mere presence demanding attention. Angel was once again impressed at how easily he could manipulate his Alpha power when and how he wanted. In under a minute, the room was silent, and all eyes faced forward.

  “I want to thank you all for making the time to be here this week,” Jonathan began, but after the first few words, Angel tuned him out. Something at the periphery of her senses told her something was wrong. Then the first jolt of magic hit her. And then another. And another. And another, until she couldn’t tell the individual jolts apart. She turned down her connection to the ward, took a deep breath, and shouted as loud as she could.

  “Breach!”

  Everyone jumped into motion. Jesse charged forward, forcing his way through the crowd to Jonathan. Caleb joined them, coming up behind her. Matt was already at his Alpha’s side.

  “North of the hotel,” she said before anyone could speak. “I don’t know if it’s vampires or zombies, but there’s a lot of them. The south still seems pretty safe, but we need to get everyone out of here now.”

  Matt nodded, barked a few orders to some wolves nearby, and a moment later someone pulled the fire alarm. People started to file out of the ballroom, and Angel moved to help.

  “No,” Matt said, touching her shoulder briefly, “you go with Jonathan. I’ll make sure everyone clears out.”

  “Alright,” Angel said, moving to join Jonathan, Jesse, and Caleb as they exited the room.

  They made it down the hallway and into the lobby before the screaming started. Hotel staff ran past them, some bleeding from bite wounds, trying to escape, but the front doors were clogged with people. Angel yanked off her jacket and pulled one of her swords free from its holster.

  “Side exit,” Jesse shouted, leading them away from the main lobby and towards the restaurant.

  They moved through the dining room and into the kitchens. No one was around; Angel assumed they’d left when they heard the fire alarm. At least until the smell of blood and death and rot hit her nose. Jesse pulled them to a stop about ten feet from the exit, taking a few tentative steps towards the door.

  “You smell that?” Jesse asked.

  Caleb and Jonathan nodded.

  “You’re sure they’re coming from the north, Angel?” Caleb asked.

  “Yep,” Angel replied. “But there’s enough of them that they could have made their way around to this door by now.”

  “Could be the wind is carrying their scent,” Jonathan noted.

  Jesse took a few more steps forward and pressed his ear against the door. Giving them a here goes nothing look, he pushed the door open a crack.

  “Fuck!” he shouted, leaping back as a couple zombies pushed through the doorway.

  One of them reached for Jesse, and Angel pulled a knife, flinging it across the room. It hit the zombie between the eyes, and he dropped instantly. Caleb jumped forward, grabbed one of the still standing monsters, and snapped his neck in one swift motion. Jesse went after another one, but they were still coming in through the open door. Reaching out with her magic, Angel pulled the door shut. The others managed to dispatch the remaining zombies quickly, she retrieved her knife, and then they were on the move again.

  “Now what?” Angel asked.

  “We go through the restaurant,” Jess
e said. “There’s an exit that bypasses the lobby and lets out into the parking lot. Hopefully, they haven’t made it that far yet.”

  They made it through the restaurant, running into Matt, Serguei, and Martin.

  “The front door is crazy,” Matt told them, “everyone is trying to get out that way.

  “We’ve got another way,” Jonathan said, “come on.”

  They ran past the elevator bank and the entrance to the stairwell, down a hallway marked “Staff Only.” From the smell of detergent, bleach, and fabric softener, Angel guessed the hotel laundry was nearby. They rounded a corner, Jesse in the lead, and nearly ran right into a group of zombies. The ugly creatures lurched towards them, reaching out with rotting hands.

  “Ah, hell,” Jesse cursed.

  “Move back,” Angel shouted, and Jesse and the other wolves listened. Weaving her magic quickly, she created a barrier in the hallway, stopping the zombies from moving any further.

  “Nice one,” Caleb told her.

  “Yeah,” Angel replied, “but it won’t hold for long. We have to get out of here.”

  They made it back to the elevators, intending to try to the front doors again, but ran into more zombies. They moved quickly, taking out the ones that got close to them, trying to find a way out of the hotel. Unfortunately, another hallway revealed even more zombies, and they were forced to backtrack once again.

  “Now what?” Caleb asked.

  “They’re blocking all the exits,” Jesse said, “we can’t get out. We need to find a more defensible position.”

  “The restaurant,” Angel suggested, “there are only two ways in, and there’s lots of furniture we can use to barricade the doors.”

  “The restaurant it is,” Jonathan said, and they moved quickly back to the restaurant.

  Once they made sure it was zombie-free, they worked quickly, grabbing chairs and tables and stacking them in front of the doors. Angel erected magical barriers at each entrance, for all the good they would do against so many zombies. They’d just finished piling the last of the chairs against the front entrance when the zombies started pushing against the doors. They gathered in the center of the room, back-to-back.