by AJ Renee
Hiding a hand behind her, she shifted her weight to one foot. She ignored a gasp from nearby as her hand warmed. “Catch!” she yelled at Volark.
His eyes narrowed with curiosity before widening. Brandy poured a river of water into his large mouth, and the power of his vortex sucked it in before he could react.
Volark attempted to cough up the clear liquid. Before he could manage it, she opened the hopper window and drew earth from outside, then compacted it into his mouth, creating a muddy plug.
Unsure if the demon needed oxygen to breathe, Brandy flicked her fingers, releasing Serena’s knife into the air, and watched it hit Volark between the eyes. The demon stilled before collapsing onto the ground, mud drizzling from his mouth and a blue liquid from his head.
The air calmed, and the only sound she could hear was the blood rushing through her ears. Weak from the excessive use of magic, her vision swam as chaos erupted around her. The blurry outline of Ryan’s face was the last thing she remembered before darkness pulled her under.
Chapter 32
Hushed voices reached Brandy’s ears, but she could not make out the words.
“Is he dead?” she asked, her voice raspy. Before anyone could answer her, she turned on her side, a coughing fit wracking her body.
“Take a drink,” Ryan said softly and offered her a glass with a straw sticking out.
Brandy was parched, and the cool liquid soothed her dry throat. After a few more sips, she pushed the glass back into his hands and sat up. She leaned against the headboard and looked around. Peter lay at the end of the bed, and Ethan stepped into the room with what looked to be one of Peter’s shakes. She chuckled as Peter accepted the drink and offered it to her.
“Really?”
“You know the drill.”
“Fine, I’ll drink, but you guys need to talk.”
“Deal.”
Ryan watched them with curious eyes.
“The protein will help her bounce back faster,” Peter said.
An awkward moment passed, Brandy drinking her shake and the men watching her. She waved her fingers in a circle, reminding them to get on with it.
Ryan crawled onto the bed next to her and pulled her close. “I knew you had it in you, but wow, it was amazing to see.”
Brandy adjusted her body so she could lean against him and drink while having sight of the others. “Thanks. Is he dead?”
“Not long after you tossed Serena’s athame, he burst into flames. Serena’s kind of pissed it got destroyed.”
“Athame?” Brandy asked around the straw.
“A ceremonial dagger. A witch’s dagger is called an athame,” Ryan clarified with a chuckle.
“Oh, well she already had a knife in hand, so I assumed I could borrow the other one.” Brandy shrugged and met Peter’s eyes. “The pack?”
“Cuts and some dislocated joints, but otherwise they’re fine. They’ll heal quickly.”
Relief swamped her. She had not realized how worried she was of being responsible for a death in his pack. “I’m really happy to hear that. Wait, is our spell done?”
Peter guffawed. “Missed having me in your head too? Is Rye not enough?”
Brandy grabbed the pillow next to Ryan and tossed it at him. “Shut up!”
“What are you two talking about?” Ryan asked, pulling her in tightly.
Ethan pointed from Brandy to Peter. “These two drank a potion, and she did a spell so she could talk to him in wolf form.”
“Really?” Ryan asked. “I didn’t think it was possible.”
“Neither did we until Ethan showed up with it. Seems Serena’s been taking him under her—”
“Ugh! Gross!” Brandy cried, and everyone in the room cocked their head and stared at her.
“Wing, babycakes. Taking him under her wing.”
Her face flushed at his words, unable to meet Ethan’s eyes. “Oh.”
Peter chuckled. “Your woman has a filthy mind.”
“What about Aja?” Brandy asked, needing to change the subject. The room silenced, and her eyes darted around among the three men. “What?”
“In the commotion of making sure you were okay and Volark was really dead, it seems she managed to slip past us,” Ethan said.
“I have wolves searching for her now.”
Brandy nodded. “Do you think she’ll come back for us?”
Ryan sighed. “Honestly? I don’t think she cares about us, any of us. I was the bait to bring you in, and she needed you there to get in favor of Volark. He’d used some sort of magic to strengthen hers. The moment he began drowning, I felt her hold over me lessen.”
“Is that why you weren’t using your own magic?”
Ryan nodded. “I couldn’t. It was like my hands were tied behind my back. The one thing she couldn’t mess with anymore was our connection.”
Brandy elbowed him in the ribs. “Why didn’t you reply back to me, you big jerk!”
He looked down sheepishly. “I wasn’t sure if Aja left an opening, and I didn’t want to risk her hearing something she shouldn’t.”
“I think it’s clear Bran is okay. We should probably let her rest or kick Ryan’s ass in private,” Ethan said and nodded toward the door.
“I’d love to see her kick his ass,” Peter said. “I mean, she probably wouldn’t have to do much. You saw how all that water gushed out of her palms? Epic!”
Ethan chuckled and clapped Peter on the shoulder, urging him out of the room. “Really sweet, I know. My favorite was the dirt she pulled from the ground, turning the water into mud. What a way to go,” he said, his voice disappearing as he shut the door behind them.
Brandy peeked at the time and realized she must have been out for hours.
“He’s not wrong. What you did was spectacular. How did you know to do all that?” Ryan asked before kissing the top of her head.
Brandy shrugged. “I knew I could do some of it after the cleanup at the cabin, so I put my all into it. Rye?”
“Yeah?”
“Why did you leave? I mean, if you hadn’t left in the first place, Aja wouldn’t have put a whammy on you and kidnapped you. Did I—”
Ryan shifted, placing one leg between hers and putting his weight on an elbow. “No, sweetheart, you didn’t do anything wrong. It was stupid of me. I guess I didn’t consider I was in any danger until it was too late.”
Looking up at him, she nodded. “Okay, so why?”
Ryan looked past her ear at the mattress. “I woke up from a dream. I can’t explain it, but the need to look at my grimoire was unbearable.” His eyes shifted to hers. “I haven’t read over the family history since I was younger… I forgot.”
“Forgot what?” she asked, her brows pinching together.
“There was a page missing. I’d asked about it, and I’d been reminded that not all witches used their magic for good. Time passed, and I never asked about it again. When the grimoire was given to me officially, I’d been much older, and to be honest, I’d gone over the book so many times, I never really opened it unless I had something to add. After the dream, I rushed to my apartment. I knew Peter would keep you safe, so I scoured the book. I’d never noticed the slit before, and inside it I found the missing page.”
Brandy cupped his cheek when he remained silent for far too long. “What did you find?”
Remorse flowed through their connection before his gaze met hers. “It seems one of my ancestors had been exiled. In a fit of jealousy, she cast a spell on a family line, preventing the mother from surviving her seventh pregnancy.”
Brandy froze, her eyes growing to the size of saucers.
Ryan exhaled a shaky breath and looked away. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I’m related to Suzanna.”
She shook her head, the words tumbling around her mind as she processed what he had revealed. “You’re telling me that generations after Suzanna cursed the Broderick women, her descendant not only fell in love with a Broderick woman—he impregnated her?”
�
�Don’t forget the part about us being soul mates,” he said, his lips quirking up.
Brandy laughed, a deep belly one, leaving her breathless. “Do you think she’s rolling over in her grave?”
He nodded, smiling brightly at her. Ryan shifted and placed his hand on her flat stomach. “There’s more.”
She raised her brows expectantly when he paused. “Well, go on! Don’t kill me with the suspense.”
Ryan pressed his lips to hers and glanced down at where their tiny baby grew. “It seems after Suzanna cursed your family, mine did all they could to break it. When nothing worked, they did their own magic.”
Brandy’s heart raced at his words. His handsome face was not giving away the information. He leaked it at a snail’s pace, but she could not find it within her to get frustrated, not when his eyes shined with so much love and hope. He stared at her belly as though he could see past all the tissue to their child.
“The family decided the best course of action was for the two families to bond. Only then would the curse be broken.”
Her brows knit with confusion. “Huh? What does that even mean?”
“When one Broderick family member, you, found their mate with a Palfrey family member, me, their love and soul mate bond would break the curse.”
Brandy’s mouth opened and closed, flapping in the wind at his words. Ryan grinned and kissed her forehead. “We broke the curse?”
“I think we did. I want to show Serena the two family lines and confirm with her our findings, but yes, sweetheart, I think it’s broken.”
She exhaled, releasing with it a trunkful of worries at his words. She did not even care they needed to chat with Serena. The witch had helped them find Ryan, and it was clear she was not as bad as Brandy had initially thought. There was no need to worry about the high priestess. It helped knowing Brandy was much stronger than the witch, but she did not envy Serena’s position. Her responsibility over the coven was one Brandy had no desire for.
With Volark gone, Brandy hoped to return to her old life with a few exceptions—the biggest two being Ryan and their baby.
Ryan squeezed her hip, pushing aside any thought of demons or babies. “I’m still mad you risked yourself and the baby, but I’m so glad to be here with you.” He lowered his face and took her mouth in a desperate kiss. It was filled with unspoken promises and so much love, her heart expanded within her chest.
She skimmed her hands over him, saying a silent thank-you that everything had worked out. She could have just as easily brought the pack, Peter, Serena, Ethan, and herself to a massacre. She caressed him, memorizing Ryan as he freed himself from his shirt. His hand flicked toward the door, and the lock clicked in place.
His deft fingers undressed her faster than she thought possible. “I don’t want any interruptions as I remind you how much you mean to me.”
Chapter 33
Ryan had made good on his promise. They made love on and off throughout the night, proclaiming their love between pants of ecstasy until neither could do more than hold the other.
Even as he woke wrapped around her soft body, he was ready for more. His hand slid down her side and to her stomach, stopping inches away from her sweetness. Their baby lay below his hand, he thought to himself. Ryan grinned when a different kind of pleasure wrapped around his heart.
Images of her round with their child flowed into one of him cradling his baby to his chest. While it was true he had never wanted a child, now it was all he could think about. A little girl with Brandy’s eyes and temperament…
She shifted, her fingers linking with his. “Morning.”
He placed a kiss below her ear, and she shuddered. “How’d you sleep, sweetheart?”
“Mmm… great actually,” she said, and he caught the edge of her smirk.
“What?” he asked a moment later when her body tensed.
She rolled to her back and met his eyes. “I believe Peter, but um…”
Ryan chuckled. “You want to take a test, don’t you?”
Brandy’s teeth scraped along her lower lip. “Maybe…”
“Go take it and then we’ll shower.”
She kissed him quickly and rolled out of bed. Leaning on an elbow, he enjoyed each sway of her hips as she disappeared into the adjoining bathroom. The woman was gorgeous and all his. At the sound of the toilet flushing, he padded to the bathroom, ignoring his own need to relieve himself. Brandy shifted from foot to foot as she stared down at the stick.
“C’mere,” he muttered.
She did not argue and wrapped her arms around his waist. Ryan held her close, laying his cheek on her head, even as his eyes focused on the small window on the stick. Neither spoke as the seconds ticked by.
Pulling back, he cradled her face. “I love you so damn much. I may not have been eager to find you, but I can’t imagine myself anywhere but at your side.”
She smiled, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I love you too.”
Ryan kissed her softly and turned her in his arms. Linking fingers, they walked the few feet and stared down at the two lines. “We’re definitely having a baby, sweetheart.”
***
“Oh no,” she said.
“What?” he asked and followed her gaze.
Five men spaced throughout the large living room stopped talking and faced Ryan. Their brows furrowed, and their sharp eyes took him in. The men, while different from each other, were similar. It was undeniable they were related. It was also clear they shared the same thought as they stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder. Ryan heard a few murmurs from the other guests, but his focus was directed at the very-pissed-off Broderick brothers.
“Why’s it so quiet?” Ethan asked a moment later, coming in from their left. “Hey, Bran, Rye,” he called when their eyes met. Ethan moved to them and hugged Brandy before shaking Ryan’s hand.
The three of them stood side by side, facing off with the other five, who still had not spoken a word.
“This was a mistake,” Brandy stated.
Ryan pulled her against him and tipped her face toward his. Tears brimmed her eyes, a more common reaction in the last few days. Anger rose within him at the men she loved so dearly. He peered over her head and glared at her brothers.
Junior’s eyes narrowed a second before softening. “Bran, don’t go, baby girl.”
“Why should I stay if you’re going to act like assholes to Ryan?”
The expression on the others’ faces became a mix of shame and what he knew was their need to protect her. His woman was loved, and there was not a man in the room who would not fight for her honor.
“They’re just being protective,” Ryan whispered. She pressed her face to his chest, and a little part of him sighed with satisfaction.
“Come on, you big babies, stop it!” a woman snapped and broke between two of the men. She was blonde with wavy hair, and she slapped one man in the gut and hurried toward Brandy. “I’ve missed you. Now introduce us,” she said, waving between Ryan and herself.
Ryan chuckled at the cute woman who was clearly a spitfire in the bunch. “Hi, I’m Ryan,” he said and offered his hand.
“Rye, this is Andrea. She’s my best friend and sister-in-law. She’s married to James, the baby holding his stomach.”
Andrea smacked down his hand and laughed. “Nope, I want a hug.”
Her warmth was welcoming, and he understood why she was Brandy’s best friend immediately. He had heard a few stories about the woman, but meeting her was another thing. She squeezed him tightly before grabbing his chin and narrowing her eyes.
“Hurt her, and the police won’t find the body.”
Ryan glanced up when he heard a chuckle and found James beaming with pride. Ignoring him, Ryan gave Andrea his most charming smile. “I see why you two are friends.” He pulled Brandy back against his side and poured all the sincerity he had into his next words. “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her and—”
“Thanks, Andrea!” Brandy said,
cutting him off.
“Don’t forget we asked Junior to keep his mouth shut about the baby. They don’t know yet!” Brandy said, reminding him.
“They’re going to learn sooner rather than later,” he said.
Andrea narrowed her eyes, and he watched them move from him to Brandy. “What’s going on?”
Junior chuckled and crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, what’s going on, you two?”
“Let’s just pull off the damn Band-Aid so they can kick my ass only one time,” he said.
“They’ll do no such thing!” she snapped.
He waved his hand in front of them. “Are you sure?” Turning to give them a once over, Ryan did not miss the mixture of frowns and confusion.
Ethan patted him on the back. “Y’all suck at this. Just saying.”
“What the hell is going on?” one brother asked.
“That’s Max. He’s a veterinarian,” Brandy said.
Ryan studied him a moment and sighed as he released Brandy.
“What are you doing?” she asked, but he only responded by kissing the top of her head.
He moved across the room toward Max.
“Rye?” she called.
“Ryan Palfrey. Nice to meet you, Max,” he said and offered his hand. Max stared at it for a moment before shaking it. Ryan felt a pulse of magic and smirked while Max’s frown deepened.
“Carter is to your right. He’s a doctor,” Brandy said.
“Nice to meet you, Carter,” Ryan told the next man after taking two steps to his side. Once again, magic vibrated between their hands, and Carter’s eyes widened briefly.
Ryan tipped his head at Junior as he passed the oldest of the Brodericks. “Good to see you again, Junior.” Chuckling at Junior’s answering grunt, he stepped up to the next brother.
This time, he did not need Brandy’s help with a name. “You’re Andrea’s husband. Nice meeting you, James.” Their hands connected in a firm handshake, and when the magic touched Ryan, he watched James’s gaze fly to an empty corner of the room.
Ryan made a mental note of the oddity and faced the last brother. “Which means you’re Edward, the owner of the café.” Once again, Ryan received a disapproving look that deepened with confusion the moment their hands shook.
