The Wanted

by Rory Miles

  “Oh gross.” Erik laughed.

  Noah glared at him, then me.

  I shrugged. “Oops?”

  Chapter Seven

  Raven, or Bron, eventually stopped throwing up. Corban and Kace surprised me by cleaning up the mess, not that I was about to complain about that. Puke duty was not a good look for me. Raven had to be put to bed and everyone but Noah followed. Whatever they’d come back from had worn on them; it showed in the way their shoulders slouched with exhaustion. Feeling sorry for the lot, I didn’t argue when they opened the door to the bedroom. I’d sleep on the couch tonight. Tomorrow I’d fight for the mattress. I peeked down the hall when they went inside the room, watching as Bron was lain on one of the cots. Kace settled onto the other. Before Corban could close the door to the room, I saw Erik and Shawn climbing onto the big bed. Well, at least now I knew who slept on the cots.

  Noah stared at me from the brown couch, not saying a word. His silence burrowed deep inside me, making me want to confess all of my secrets. He’d get nothing from me, though; I’d just started over, I wasn’t ready to do it again. Not to mention I really liked this cottage. The ceiling above me had a few cracks I hadn’t noticed during my initial cleaning but they would be easy enough to fix, especially with seven tall men to help. Too bad it wasn’t my home to fix.

  The couch wasn’t comfortable to sleep on. My back ached where the cushions separated, the little dip just big enough to cause pain. I groaned, turning over to find a better position to sleep in. Noah leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. Everything but the whites of his eyes blended in with the darkened room. Clouds covered the moon, and the occasional flash of lightning illuminated his face.

  “You sure know how to set the mood,” I said, covering a yawn with the back of my hand. “How am I supposed to sleep with you sitting there like you’re thinking about murdering me?”

  “You think I’m the dangerous one?” he asked. I imagined his eyebrows raising and fading into his hairline.

  “Are you scared?” I asked, taunting him because sleep was far off.

  “Cautious,” he corrected.

  “That’s just another word for scared.”

  “You’re hurt.”

  “Are you always this astute?” I let my annoyance bleed into the question.

  The couch groaned in protest when he leaned back. A flash of light displayed the deep lines creasing his forehead. He gazed out the window, watching the storm. I sighed, irritated with myself for making him revert back to his silent ways. Rain battered the windows, causing me to start. The thrumming of the downpour brought back memories I had worked so hard to bury.

  Flashes of purple magic, the whip biting into my back. Artificial rain pouring from fabricated clouds, the water streaking my skin purple. The manufactured lightning, pulsing violet, striking me.

  “Scared?” Noah’s voice broke through the memory.

  I scowled. “I like it better when you’re quiet.”

  “Most people are afraid of the thunder.”

  “What?”

  “You react before thunder sounds,” he said.

  Oh, I needed to work on that. Rule number three: Never reveal your weakness. A bright flash struck right outside the window and I pushed myself further into the couch before I realized what I’d done. Thunder boomed. My eyes flitted to Noah; another flash showed me the confusion etched on his face.

  Seconds later, all sounds besides my breathing ceased. I eyed the faint red dome encasing us, glowering at it as Noah finished working the privacy spell.

  “Thank you,” I said, voice rough and unsettled.

  Noah dipped his head in response.

  I knew better than to let my guard down, but sleep, the seductive mistress, convinced me closing my eyes was more important than my life. Though I couldn’t disagree with her, I hoped I wouldn’t regret it.

  Warm tingling spread through my body. Nirvana flooded my veins. Weightless and free, I couldn’t remember when I last felt so content.

  Something’s wrong.

  My eyes flew open, warnings raging through my mind. I glared at Raven, memorizing my surroundings while studiously ignoring how feeling at peace caused such a violent reaction within me. Raven’s hands were on my side, Noah held my ankles down with a firm grip. I wrenched my arms; Erik grunted in surprise but held me steady.

  Turbulent gray and fierce irises bore into my skull, as though he could read my thoughts. Something brushed against my mind. Not something, someone. I bucked in place, screaming at them through gritted teeth.

  “Stop fighting it, he’s healing you,” Corban said. He stood next to Noah, lips twitching as though he enjoyed watching me resist.

  Raven did more than heal me, he was searching my mind. Lumi’s familiar weight was gone. Someone had removed the stone and without her, I didn’t have the magic necessary to fight back with. The mental image of a brick wall slammed into place, blocking him from further exploration.

  Bron made a frustrated noise.

  “You didn’t ask.” I wrenched my arms from Erik’s grip. His fingers slipped from my wrists and I sat up, coming nose to nose with Bron. His warm breath teased across my mouth, gaze searching. My mouth drew into a tight line. Light gray flecks lightened the darker shades in his eyes, giving them turbulent depths like the seas.

  My chest heaved, brushing his with every angry breath I took.

  “You had no right.” My hands balled into fists.

  “What are you hiding?”

  “I’m not hiding anything. I just don’t appreciate people reaching into my mind without my permission.”

  Noah dropped his head on my ankles, sighing heavily. “You said you were just going to heal her.”

  Bron turned to him. “I did.”

  I studied his profile, pretending not to notice how handsome he was. The goddess couldn’t have created a more perfect being. A strong jaw, perfectly arched eyebrows, and eyes meant for devouring souls. Lips as soft as pillows, neither too big nor too small. His skin bronzed, like he’d spent a summer on the beach.

  “You weren’t supposed to search her mind,” Noah said, lifting his head and frowning at his friend.

  “I had an opportunity and I took it. I won’t apologize.” He turned back to me and tilted his head, giving me a coy smile. “Besides, now we know she’s latent.” His words whispered across my pursed lips.

  “Latent?” Corban asked.

  Bron’s mouth lifted into a devious smile. He tweaked my nose, thoroughly pissing me off. When I shoved him, he fell off the couch and onto the floor. He burst out laughing.

  “Come on, Ivory. Don’t be like that.”

  I stiffened, shooting him a serious look. How much had he seen? Did he see my brother had stripped me of my magic by accident? Did he know about the DMC? If so, why was he being such an asshole?

  “My name is Winter.”

  He lifted a shoulder. “Whatever floats your boat, Ivory.”

  I lunged at him, knocking him back onto the floor and pressing my knees into his arms. Lowering my face toward his, I grabbed my knife from underneath the cushion and pressed it into his side. He could have disarmed me with his magic but he didn’t, which only served to further piss me off.

  “Why does he get to have all the fun?” Erik whined, failing to notice the dagger I pressed against his friend’s side.

  “What’s my name?”

  His gaze roamed over my face, dropping to my lips which were just mere inches from his. Within seconds he flipped me and pressed his hips into mine, holding my hands above my head, rendering myself and the dagger useless.

  “Winter,” he whispered into my ear, nose brushing against my cheek as he pulled back enough to look at me.

  “Get off me.” I wriggled my hips to try and flip him but he didn’t budge. All my struggling resulted in me humping him from underneath and probably looking desperate. A maddening flush crept over my face when my lady bits pulsed with desire. Goddess, I was screwy. Here I was pinned to th
e floor by some crazed, albeit gorgeous man built from stone, and I liked it. More than that, I almost craved his touch.

  His eyes darted to my cheeks, mirth dancing in them. Moving his hips slightly, he pushed his core against mine. I gasped, feeling the full force of his erection pressed against me. The pressure startled me and I stopped struggling, refusing to humiliate myself further by arching up into him like I wanted to.

  “Let her go,” Noah said, voice hard.

  I closed my eyes, cursing myself for forgetting we had an audience. Bron rolled his hips against me one last time before pulling away, leaving me aching for more. Sitting back on his heels, he gave me a smug look and held out his hand. Slapping my palm against his, I allowed him to help me sit before pushing him away.

  “Might I suggest having a conversation before you pull another weapon on us?” Noah asked dryly.

  I worried my lip, wondering if it was safe to tell them the truth. Erik smiled like we were old friends, pushing me toward a decision I hoped I wouldn’t regret.

  Chapter Eight

  Seven pairs of eyes gazed at me. My arms were crossed, fingers drumming on my biceps with impatience. Lumi pressed painfully into my chest but I took comfort in the pain. At least they’d given her back. Erik had handed her to me after Bron stepped away, a hint of contrition on his face. Bron had clearly not told them what he intended to do after he healed me. No one spoke. A resigned sigh escaped my lips and I dropped my arms to my sides.

  “If I tell you, you have to promise to let me stay.”

  Bron quirked a brow.

  “How bad can it be?” Erik asked.

  They had no idea. I looked at Noah.

  He smiled. “I’m not going to kick you out.”

  “Get on with it,” Sloan and Shawn said at the same time.

  Corban and Kace covered their laughter behind their hands. My eyes fluttered closed and I begged the goddess for patience. I’d happily break both of their noses, though I feared Kace’s wouldn’t be able to handle another fracture.

  “My name is Winter.” I gave Bron a scathing look when he cleared his throat. “But my birth name is Ivory. I’ve been a bounty hunter in Desert City for the last four years. Due to . . . unfortunate circumstances, I had to leave. I came to Forest City to start over and found this cottage. I think you all know the rest.”

  Bron cut his gaze to me, the confusion on his face making it obvious he knew there was a lot more to the story.

  “I appreciate the vague explanation.” Erik slapped Corban’s arm and made a can you believe this chick face. Corban gave him a bored look.

  Noah leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “Why did you change your name?”

  I crossed my arms. “None of your business.”

  “Oh, touchy,” Erik said.

  “Shut up, Erik.” Shawn rolled his eyes at me in apology. Erik scoffed.

  Bron stood, coming to stand next to me. “She can stay until she finds a job and a place to stay.”

  “Seriously? One vague explanation and you’re ready to let her play house with us?” Sloan shook his head in disbelief.

  I braced myself for the battle of male egos, but Bron gave him a stern look. Sloan reared back, eyes flitting from me to Bron before he sighed in defeat.

  “Fine, but she has to cook,” Sloan said.

  “Wow, that’s really progressive of you,” I volleyed.

  “You’re lucky you even get to stay! The least you could do is help around the house while we all work.”

  I gestured around the clean, nay, immaculate, living room.

  “What the hell do you think I’ve been doing since I found this dump? I’ve done my fair share of playing house while you guys were out doing whatever the fuck you were doing.”

  “To be fair, there was only a little bit of fucking.”

  “Goddess, Erik, shut up,” Bron growled.

  Erik crossed his arms and sat back, lip jutting out into a pout.

  I tried not to laugh. Intentional or not, he had lightened the mood. Corban winked at me, noticing my struggle.

  Why did they all have to be so attractive? I tried picturing them as seven ugly dwarfs instead of seven strong, confident, and goddess above, hot men. My mind conjured a make-believe stick shoved up Bron’s dwarf ass, explaining his near-permanent scowl. I snorted, letting out an unladylike laugh at the mental image.

  Erik bit his lip, trying not to laugh even though he had no idea what I found so funny. I imagined the man found humor in the majority of situations. Noah quirked a brow at me, shaking his head in confusion.

  A faint brush against my mind provided the only warning. I gasped, slamming my mental wall up, hoping Bron hadn’t seen anything. He grabbed my arm, pulling me close to his side.

  “That wasn’t very nice,” he whispered into my ear before nipping it. I yelped, shoving away from him.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

  He laughed.

  The man clearly had a death wish. Grabbing my braided leather whip from the holster and lashing out at him before I could fully process what I was doing, I gasped in surprise when the rope pulled taut, the end of it coiling around his fist. He sneered at me before letting it go.

  “Perhaps you’ll let me show you how to use your little toy.”

  “In your dreams, asshole.”

  “Don’t tempt me.” He sauntered out of the house, his laughter trailing behind him. The rest of the men exchanged cryptic looks. I shook my head at the ceiling. Life had gotten unconventionally complicated in a matter of hours.

  Find Flynn.

  Get a job.

  Find a place to stay.

  If only it was that easy.

  The next morning, I set out on a mission to find Flynn. My back ached from sleeping on the couch but I didn’t have it in me to complain after Sloan had been so opposed to my staying. The walk toward Forest City was peaceful. Birds soared through the trees, tweeting pretty songs as they went. The city lay just ahead when a prickling sense of unease worked its way up my spine.

  A glance over my shoulder revealed an empty forest. I quickened my pace, trusting my instincts. The trees provided so much cover, it’d be easy for someone to hide. When I reached the edges of the bustling market, I looked behind me. People pushed past, only glancing at me long enough to scowl with displeasure when I stood in their way.

  Convinced no one followed me, I headed toward the little bakery I’d found on my first day. The owner, Sammie, beamed at me when it was my turn to order.

  “Hello again, another Berry Berry Muffin?”

  I tilted my head, mulling over the decision. “Actually, no. I think I’ll try the banana nut.”

  Sammie’s smile fell, lips pressing together in irritation. “It’s Nuts for Nanas.”

  “Oh, is there a difference?” I asked, confused by her sudden annoyance.

  She nodded. “Nuts for Nanas has a banana base with chopped nuts sprinkled on top.”

  I wrinkled my nose, still not understanding the difference.

  “Banana nut muffins have the nuts mixed in. They are totally different.” She scoffed, shaking her head.

  “Oh,” I said, grimacing. “Sorry.”

  She sighed, chuckling to herself. “Don’t be. My husband warned me about this when I named it.”

  “Well, one Nuts for Nanas muffin please.” I waggled my eyebrows at her.

  She laughed. “I like you,” she said before going to grab my muffin.

  Using some of the money I’d brought with me, I paid her for the Nuts for Nanas muffin, cringing when I subtracted the amount from my stash. I needed to find the bounty hunters soon, otherwise I’d run out of money. Taking a seat at one of the tables, I watched the people milling around. The bridge overhead swayed slightly under the weight of those walking on it.

  I pulled a piece of muffin off, little nuts falling to the ground, and popped it into my mouth. The muffin tasted wonderful, not too dry, and the nuts sprinkled on top rather than throughout really
did change the experience. Though not enough to warrant Sammie’s adamant defense of the difference.

  We all have our quirks.

  The upper level of Forest City proved just as busy as the lower. The trees surrounding the heart of the town were giant. Big enough for shops to be built into or around the trunks. The second level consisted mainly of smaller living quarters but a few businesses were up there as well. I admired how sparingly wood was used. Most of the dwellings were built into the trees, though not enough to kill them. A few freestanding buildings were scattered about.

  The hairs on the back of my neck stood to attention. Not missing a beat, I placed another piece of muffin in my mouth, casually looking around for the threat. A pair of ice-blue eyes across the path caught my attention. Corban. I sighed, flipping him off.

  His mouth opened, letting out a laugh I couldn’t hear. He strode over to the table, pulling out a chair and plopping down.

  “Why are you following me?”

  He leaned back in the chair, crossing his ankles and nonchalantly placing his hands behind his head. His biceps flexed, drawing my attention.

  “Who says I am?” he asked.

  “How long?”

  “Since you left the house.”

  “Well, you’re here now, you may as well make yourself useful. Do you know Flynn? Word on the street is he is the best bounty hunter in Forest City.”

  Corban rubbed his jaw, contemplating my question.

  “I’m not supposed to help you.”

  I let out a bitter laugh, all the while figuring out how to give him the slip. Now that I knew he was following me, he’d have a hell of a time finding me once I lost him.

  Rule number six in the unwritten rules of bounty hunters: Always work alone.

  Okay. That one had more to do with money than it did anything else. Though it still applied to most situations. Like this one. Shifting slightly, I prepared to make my escape. He reached out, gripping my hand. I narrowed my eyes at the contact, slowly raising them to meet his. He quickly let go, leaning back.