Unbound

by Emily Dawn

  “I literally can’t leave any of you alone with her for five minutes,” Hayes says with a smirk. I don’t know where this guy came from but its weirding me out. Normally he’d be scowling and pissy walking in on that. Now he seems amused? He holds his hand out for me, and I stare for a second before looking at 208

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  him in confusion. “Come on,” he gestures for me to take his hand.

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  Hayes

  The look Lenna is giving me right now, her stormy eyes suspicious as she slips her hand into mine. I’m going to have some work to do to make her think me as any way aside from a cranky asshole. Without a doubt, cranky asshole is an excellent descriptor for me. I’ve always had trouble opening up to people.

  Ross was so young when we found him that he just seamlessly fit into our group, and his little brother status was quickly cemented. Aleksandr and I both have similar personalities, intense and introspective so that friendship developed easily and quickly. Vance is another story altogether. Over the years, we’ve developed a deep bond, but he still irritates me regularly with his over the top antics and jokes. I’ve decided that incubi only come in two types. They’re either deep, dark, and seductive or they’re friendly, warm, and flirty. Vance is the latter. I suppose he balances us all out with his high energy, which has been even higher since Lenna walked into our lives.

  Emily Dawn

  I sneak a peek over at her when I link our fingers together instead of releasing her hand. She looks up at my face with a bewildered look on her face. It’s almost comical except it shows just how big of a dick I’ve been to her. She doesn’t know that I unleashed absolute destruction on the demons that were attacking us as soon as I saw her go down. She didn’t hear the guttural howl I let out when she lost consciousness or that I wouldn’t let Vance hold her to jump after Alek gave her his blood. She doesn’t know I sat beside her bed the entire time she was unconscious and only left when she kicked me out. Instead, she knows I’m the asshole who picked a fucking fight with her when she woke up after taking a knife for me — such an idiot.

  At least she let me help her in the bath last night. That in and of itself was the worst torture I’ve ever endured. Trying to ignore her full breasts as they skimmed the surface of the water every so often. Washing all that beautiful silky hair and trying not to think about how much I want to fist my hand in that mane while I make her scream my name. I need to change this train of thought.

  “Over here,” I gently tug her toward my Wrangler, “the top is still off. Is that okay?”

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  “Hell yeah!” She’s already throwing her hair on her head and sliding on ridiculously large sunglasses that cover too much of her beautiful face, “I love Jeeps!” She climbs in with a big smile on her face.

  The weather is beautiful even though it’s a typical summer day in the Midwest, warm and muggy. A bright blue sky with occasional bright white clouds floating above us stretches across the horizon. The heat of the sun beating down on us is nice after spending a couple of days in the Shadow Realm. We spent a lot of time there after the war, and while Alek modernized it, it still isn’t the same as the human realm. I miss the sun and the seasons. I miss technology and electricity.

  Driving through the city is a study in the senselessness of war. What was once a world-renowned performing arts center, is now a pile of twisted metal and shattered glass. Burned out cathedrals line the road we’re driving on. Former office and apartment buildings are missing walls or blown out completely.

  A ribbon of the city from the river south to the Liberty Memorial remains relatively unscathed. What was once a busy municipal airport on the north side of the river, is now just a marred scar upon the land. This city escaped along with some other cities in the center of the country but not by much.

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  Lenna’s aunts live about a half-hour north of the city. Part of me wishes she would have requested the top on the jeep, and then we’d be able to talk. Hopefully, she would see that I’m not just a raging dick all the time. She’s got her head tilted up to the sky and her eyes closed. I can’t tell if she’s dozing or just relaxing in the sun's heat. A few tendrils of hair have escaped and are dancing around her face. I’m glad she’s resting. She says she’s fine now, but I’m worried about how long it took her to wake up, especially after receiving Alek’s blood.

  When I pull off the highway, and she doesn’t stir, I hop out the jeep and over to a patch of wildflowers. I pull a few and use a piece of prairie grass to tie them together. I hold my hands over the patch and fill it in with new growth, can’t take from the earth without giving back. Then I set the small bouquet on Lenna’s lap for when she wakes up and reach over to put one of those gorgeously unruly tendrils of escaped hair behind her ear.

  She sighs and leans into my touch. If that’s all I can have, for now, I’ll take it.

  When we pull into the driveway, I can sense the ward is entirely down, so I don’t stop until I pull up to the house. I reach over to nudge Lenna, “wake up, Lambchop, you’re at home.”

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  “Hmm,” she mumbles sleepily, “oh. I dozed off. What’s this?” She holds up the bouquet and looks at me.

  “Peace offering? Thank you,” I smile at her, “just because.

  Does the reason matter?”

  She leans down to smell them, “I guess not. Thank you, they’re delightful. I’ll have to keep them away from Zora. She’ll probably try to use for some potion or tea or something.”

  “Leave them in the jeep; I’ll bring them back if they whither.”

  “Oh,” she gets a mischievous smile, “so if we decide that maybe the whole fated mate prophecy isn’t total horseshit I can count on fresh flowers all the time?”

  “Whatever our mate wants, our mate gets,” I say. I’m completely serious, but she laughs it off; like I’m joking. “Let’s go figure out what’s happening with your aunts’ ward.”

  Lenna heads off around to the back of the house, yelling for her aunts. It doesn’t take long for Gloria to come bounding out of the woods near one of their sheds in her wolf form. Lenna kneels, and they do the forehead touch, a spiritual kiss that seems to be a familial greeting for these three. Gloria runs back 214

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  behind the shed and is back within a minute, fully clothed in her human form. Zora steps to the edge of the woods and hollers for us to follow her.

  She leads us about fifty feet back into the woods and stops.

  “This is where I feel the disturbance. I’ll put the ward back up, and you can have a feel.” She says to me before holding her hands up and whispering an incantation in creole.

  That’s interesting. “Was this a blood ward?” I reach out and feel for weaknesses. “It feels loose here, like an open flap on a tent.” I motion to a five-foot area. “Is that how it feels to you?”

  “Yeah, that is what it feels like,” she nods in agreement. “It wasn’t a blood ward I just twined our magical essences together for it so we could always cross with no issues, but we’d be alerted to anyone else. Humans would feel uncomfortable and turn around.”

  “It feels like the bones of the ward are all still intact. Do you want me to lend some of my power to repair this,” I gesture in front of me, “and fortify what remains untouched? If the four of us use a bit of blood, it’ll be even more secure.”

  “Glo? Lamb?” She looks at each to get a nod of assent.

  “Okay, who’s got a knife?”

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  I pull one out of my boot. “Here. I don’t speak creole so we’ll have to do Latin if that works?”

  “I’m impressed you knew it was creole,” she tilts her head to the side. “Where are you from?”

  “Baton Rouge, Louisiana,” I say, letting my natural southern drawl free.

  “You’ll love what I’m fixing up for dinner
then,” she winks.

  Then she’s all business again handing the knife to Lenna who slices her palm then hands off to Gloria who does the same. The knife makes its way to me last, and as soon as we have cuts, we hold our palms to the ward. Zora and I say an incantation in Latin together and repeat it twice. “All right, that feels great.

  Let’s get you two fed.”

  I hang back when Lenna grabs my forearm and lets her fingertips gently glide down the inside. My arm tingles in the wake of her touch. “Thank you,” she has to tilt her head all the way back to look in my eyes, “for coming with me and helping with the ward. It was kind of you to offer to do a blood ward, knowing if anything ever happens, you’ll feel it. I appreciate it.”

  She squeezes my hand and tries to let go, but I link my fingers with hers and bring her hand up to my mouth to kiss her 216

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  knuckles. “You’re welcome. This okay?” I give our hands a shake.

  “Uh, yeah,” she says. “I can’t believe you were holding out on me with that southern accent.”

  “I haven’t lived down there in so long that it’s kind of gone away unless I’m tired. Since I can draw energy from the elements that don’t happen often, so it only slips out occasionally.” I’m enjoying this entirely too much to let this topic progress further to questions about my family that I’m not prepared to talk about. “What do you think Zora is making for dinner?”

  “If I had to guess,” she looks up, “I’d say gumbo. If so, you are in for a treat. It’s her best meal. It was her great-great-grandmother’s recipe, and its been passed down.”

  “Were they all hearth witches?” I lean down, conspiratorially, “and do you think I could swindle it out of her?”

  “Not a chance,” she laughs, “but I have it and could make it for you if you like. Also, yes, she comes from a long line of powerful hearth witches. She probably would still be down there with her coven if she hadn’t met Glo, who was down in New 217

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  Orleans for pack business. I loved going down there when I was younger, all the food was delicious, and her family is amazing.

  The beignets, oh Gods, so fucking good.”

  Lenna’s zest for delicious food might be one of the most attractive things about her. It helps that dangerously curvy figure fill out those conservative librarian clothes she wears. As soon as we walk up on the back porch, I’m hit with the scent of gumbo. She wasn’t lying. It smells amazing. I’m going to find a way to get this recipe.

  Lenna lets go of my hand and says loud enough to be heard in the kitchen, “I’m going to go grab a quick shower before dinner. Be nice to Hayes, Glo!” Then she’s taking the stairs two at a time and disappearing.

  I head into the kitchen. It’s decorated in earth tones that call to me. Dark cabinets, slate backsplash, and floors set off by light cream, and gold-flecked granite countertops with the walls painted deep forest green.

  Zora gestures to the eat-in kitchen table along the windows.

  “Have a seat. Can I get you anything to drink?”

  “Just water would be great,” I say. “Is there anything I can help you with? I’m good in the kitchen.”

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  “No,” she says with her back to me while she stirs something on the stove, “I’m good. Thank you for offering though.” She smiles over her shoulder, “Lenna has mentioned your affinity for baking delicious things. That girl has a serious sweet tooth, so if you ever want to score points, I suggest cinnamon rolls, brownies, or peach pie.”

  “Noted. Thank you.” I turn when Gloria walks through the door.

  She nods a greeting at me. “That smells amazing,” she leans over to give Zora a brief kiss. “I ran a few laps around the perimeter and didn’t smell anyone familiar. I really can’t figure who could have been messing with our ward or why.” She looks to me again, “any theories?”

  “No,” I answer, “unless maybe you keep documents about the pack here? I doubt that, though?”

  “All pack related documents stay locked at HQ in the alpha’s office.” She comes and sits beside me. “We don’t even really have anything of value here. Maybe just her,” she points at Zora, “grimoire. It was her mother’s and has all the spells developed by the family since they were brought over. Powerful magic in that book.”

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  Zora sits down with us while we wait for Lenna. We talk about the pack, my time growing up in Louisiana, cooking, and I get a few funny stories about what a fierce child Lenna was. The latter topic of conversation doesn’t surprise me one bit. She sounds as precocious, courageous, and loyal then as she’s shown herself to be now. It’s clear as day how much her aunts love her and how tight their family unit is. Equally clear, is where Lenna gets her strong principles and morality. I feel the familiar ache for my own mother and sisters, who were ripped away from me way too soon.

  My melancholy thoughts are halted when Lenna walks into the room. She’s got her damp hair braided, wearing a tight gray tank top, and black skinny jeans with the knees ripped. She is literal perfection, and I can’t take my eyes off of her. I don’t want to take my eyes off her. She, on the other hand, completely misses my desire and heads straight for the gumbo. The noises she makes as she sneaks a taste send all the blood straight to my dick. She gives her hips a little shake while she finishes and turns to Zora, “soooooo good, Zo. Can I move back in?”

  As Lenna turns, Gloria lets out a low growl, “what the fuck happened to your shoulder?” Before I even register the 220

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  movement, Gloria and Zora are up and pulling her tank top strap the to side inspecting the wound.

  I clear my throat. “It’s my fault.” Three heads whip in my direction. “We ran into some demons looking for the amulet. She saw one throw a dagger at my back and jumped in front of me.”

  “It wasn’t your fault if she jumped in front of it. The women in this family make our own decisions, and we’re responsible for them,” Zora looks closer at the wound. “Why hasn’t it healed yet?”

  Lenna and I exchange a glance, and she speaks first, “we’re not sure. It should have healed entirely by now, between my accelerated healing and Aleksandr’s blood. It wasn’t an iridium blade.”

  “Aleksandr’s blood,” Gloria growls, “you took his blood?

  He was there?” Her attention snaps back to me, “did you see any bloodlust in his face when he smelled her?”

  “No, I didn’t notice any bloodlust from him. Honestly, we were all so scared when she fell and passed out that none of us could think about anything other than getting her out of there. I lit all the remaining demons on fire and Aleksandr beheaded them, then Vance shadow jumped us back to the castle.” I run 221

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  my hand over my face; it’s hard to think about even now.

  “Aleksandr gave her some of his blood to help increase her rate of healing.”

  “Half an inch lower and that knife would have stopped your heart, Lenna.” Gloria shakes her head and then pulls Lenna in for a tight hug. Zora joins and the next thing I know the wolf is dragging me into the group hug, “you better be careful, too.”

  Warmth spreads through me, and I know then, at that moment, that these women are something special. Gods, I’m in trouble.

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  Lenna

  After dinner, I lean back in my chair and rub my stomach,

  “Zo, you gave me a food baby.” I point to my rounded belly and groan. “So worth it, though. I’ll clean up.”

  “I help you,” Hayes stands and starts grabbing dishes.

  “So,” I nudge him with my elbow, “what’d you guys talk about while I was cleaning up?”

  “How you used to crawl around on all fours wearing your favorite fuzzy blanket barking and growling instead of talking.”

  His lips are tipped up at the corners like he’s fighting a smile.

&nbs
p; I whip a towel at him, “I’m a shifter who can’t shift. I was trying to get in touch with my wolf.” We work in companionable silence until the dishes are cleared up and loaded into the dishwasher. “I guess while I’m here I should have them answer some of the questions I have from the other night,” I rub my temples and lean against the counter. I’m torn between wanting

  Unbound

  to know everything and wanting to know nothing. I want to understand why they kept this from me for so long.

  We walk back into the dining room and sit down. Hayes gives my shoulder a squeeze before sitting beside me. Gloria and Zora are a united front across the table from us. They look just as tense about this as I feel. I decide to break the ice first. “Tell me everything you know about me and my powers. Hold nothing back. I can’t handle more secrets from you guys.”

  They share a glance, and Gloria starts, “we don’t know that much. Your parents had your powers bound when you were a baby, not even a month old. They took you to a mage gifted with fae magic.”

  “We’ve recently started to look for him, but he seems to have slipped into a different realm,” Zora gestures back and forth between them. “Neither the pack nor my coven’s contacts have any information on his whereabouts. If we were to unbind your magic, he would be the person to find, the person best suited to do it.”

  “The thing is,” Gloria leans forward, her elbows resting on the table, “that unbinding your magic will be felt by the fae in the Obsidian Court. They will send someone for you 224

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  immediately, likely the guardian bonded to you at birth.” She runs a hand through her hair, “he’ll use the bond to find you, and you won’t be able to hide from him.”

  “What in the actual fuck!” I roar in frustration. “I was JUST

  getting used to the idea that I have four fated mates and am involved in some crazy prophecy, which the details are a little fuzzy on still.” I shoot an accusing look at Hayes because I know he knows more than I do. “What kind of bond is this? Who is this person? Why am I special enough to need one?”