Strange Brew
Page 23
But too many questions were rampantly running through her mind to let her relax, such as the uncertainty of her surroundings. The bedroom's walls were freshly painted in medium taupe with tan accents, wooden floors, and the furniture looked new. Additionally, the two windows on either side of the bed had old-fashioned mouldings, making her wonder if this was a renovated room in the manor at Braddock's Estate.
Aislinn sat up slowly, taking it all in. Despite her unfamiliarity with the room, her suitcase was settled in the corner, and she was also wearing a blue silk nightgown from her own wardrobe.
Had Troy put her in it and packed some of her things? Even if he had, it didn't explain how she was still breathing. I was hexed … so what happened?
“Aislinn?”
Troy's voice broke through her thoughts, and she looked back just as he sat up, wrapping her in his arms. The simple action caused her to shiver in excitement, especially when he nuzzled the crook of her neck, and Aislinn wondered how anything could feel so damned right.
All she wanted was to burrow into him and never leave his side.
But she forced her mind onto her concerns instead, asking, “What the hell happened, Troy?”
He groaned in response, a sound she wasn't certain she liked as he lifted his head and directed, “Tell me how you're feeling first.”
Aislinn had to think about that. “I'm confused, and … ” she trailed when, in focusing on herself, there seemed to be something raw inside of her, churning wildly like the ocean under a storm.
The notice was telling, and suddenly, she jerked away from Troy, staring at him with wide eyes. “Please tell me you didn't!”
But the remorseful look on his face didn't allow a denial. Aislinn's heart sank into the pit of her stomach as her hand flew to her neck. There, she felt raised skin that was slightly tender to the touch. Troy's mark.
As her mind reeled over the discovery, he explained, “You were dying, and Andi didn't have the time she needed to break the hex. So the only thing I could do to save you was mark you.”
Though she understood and believed what Troy was saying, which proved he hadn't simply turned her because he had the chance and she was vulnerable, the idea that she was transforming into a werewolf was too frightening to let it fully sink in. He'd actually marked her, tied her to him irrevocably, and done so because … I died.
Aislinn couldn't wrap her head around it. The news was simply too much to handle at once, overwhelming her to the point that, when Troy reached to pull her in again, she didn't let him.
“Don't touch me!” she snapped, scooting away.
But he wouldn't be denied. Grasping her wrist before she could get too far, he tugged her back until they were on their knees with their bodies pressed tightly together.
Still, she continued to struggle while Troy murmured against her ear, “Calm down, darlin'. You know I wouldn't have marked you if I'd had a choice, but it was all I could do to save you.”
Aislinn did know it, yet the wild emotion eating at her combined with her upset over learning that not only had Cindy and Lisa succeeded in killing her, but she wouldn't even be human soon, caused her to snap.
“Let go of me, damn it!” she yelled, hitting her fists into his chest, his sides, anywhere she could reach. But none of it seemed to matter. Troy continued to hold her tight, was even trying to soothe her anger by combing his fingers through her hair, and it was working like a damned charm—which pissed her off even more.
Aislinn needed some time alone to reason everything through, demanding, “Let me go home right now—and that means without you.”
“I can't leave you alone yet, Aislinn,” he replied, his voice irritatingly calm. “If we're separated before you fully turn, you'll get sick.”
“Do I sound like I remotely care? If I can't go home, then I want you out of this room!”
Again, she hit his side, and when that didn't work, when he merely nuzzled her neck and let a low shush against her ear, Aislinn was torn between clutching him tight, and resisting. Even his scent was soothing her rage—and she'd never caught it so clearly before.
But right now, she wanted her anger, wanted time to figure out how to retaliate against the bitches who'd hexed her, and if Troy wasn't going to offer it, she'd simply have to do something a little more clever than throwing a tantrum to get it.
Troy was more relieved than he could ever recall when he woke to see Aislinn sitting up in bed.
At Strange Brew, Andi had broken the hex on his mate regardless of her clinically dead state of being just to make sure she didn't return to life the same way she'd passed. Once it was taken care of, Troy called Adriana to teleport them out of Strange Brew so no one would witness Aislinn being carried from the store, while Andi stayed behind to pack some of her things and drive Troy's truck home for him.
But though everything was being taken care of, Troy wasn't able to relax until Aislinn resurrected. Adriana transported them directly to his bedroom where he sat on his mattress, anxiously waiting with his mate clutched tight in his arms—and it seemed like an eternity passed before she finally took in a breath.
The sudden, raspy sound was one of the sweetest Troy had ever heard, second only to that of her heartbeat resuming at a strong, steady rhythm, and his immense relief nearly put him to sleep sitting up. So when Andi arrived with one of Aislinn's suitcases not long later, he changed his witch into something more comfortable, then laid down with her to get a little rest and prepare for when the real struggle began.
Aislinn's reaction to the news of what had happened wasn't going to be pleasant after all, and she had every right to be infuriated. He'd simply hoped she wouldn't completely detest him in learning he'd had no choice.
But now, she was demanding he leave her alone. She really does hate me.
Shame weighed on Troy like a ton of bricks. But no matter how unworthy he felt, or how angry Aislinn became, he couldn't leave her side, not when she'd begin experiencing the first signs of her transition at any moment. Additionally, their bonding was in full swing, making it imperative for them to stay close.
So she could scream at him, beat him to a bloody pulp, and tear the room apart if it made her feel better—he wasn't going anywhere.
In the meantime, he offered as much physical contact as possible to calm her down. Newly bonding werewolves craved such things from their mates, and surely enough, Aislinn finally grew still as he nuzzled her neck and held her close—though her shoulders remained rigid.
So Troy persisted, stroking her back until Aislinn muttered, “Damn it,” and pulled away—though much more gently this time around.
Releasing her, he whispered uncertainly, “Aislinn,” wishing there were words to explain just how sorry he was for everything he'd done.
Still, she distracted him from the thoughts by turning to stand on the opposite side of the bed. Despite his desire to give her the space she wanted, he wasn't completely willing to let her roam around the room alone no matter how much she'd calmed down. As a transitioning werewolf, her shifting emotions would make her impulsive, and it was possible that she'd attempt leaving without knowing exactly what would happen if they were separated before the bonding was complete.
So he got up to follow as she was walking toward the door that led into the hallway, asking, “Where's the bathroom?”
“It's right there,” Troy answered, trying to direct her to the left instead. But by then, she'd already opened the wrong door and stepped out.
Grumbling, he caught up to her in the hall with the intention of taking her shoulders and turning her back around, but was completely unprepared for what happened next. At his touch, Aislinn's image shimmered out of sight, and simultaneously, the bedroom door slammed shut behind him.
It took a full moment for Troy to register that he'd just followed an illusion of his mate out into the hall, and as soon as he did, he spun around quickly, grabbing the knob to open the door—but the damned thing wouldn't budge. It's sealed with magic.
“No! Just leave me alone, Troy. You're not getting in unless I invite you, and I'm not coming out.”
“Goddamn it,” he growled, turning sideways to ram his shoulder into the door, which did nothing to help his cause—the wood wasn't even dented after several tries.
Getting more and more frustrated, Troy growled, “You can't lock me out!”
“Apparently, I can.”
Despite his irritation, he knew she had every right to be angry and never want to see him again. But he'd only just sired her, and with their connection forming, they could only part for so long without suffering for it.
So hate him or not, she needed him. Troy could even feel his beast prowling, urging him to return to her side and care for her, calling, “Don't do this to yourself!”
“Do what? I'm trying to cope with this mess, Troy, and I need some time to think!”
“Then let me in and you can take as much time as you need.”
“No. So stop asking!”
Growling, he took a deep breath to calm his aggravation and figure out a way to convince her just as he heard Alec asking, “Hey, why the hell are you out here?”
“Mind your own goddamned business!” Troy snapped, feeling much too vulnerable for comfort in that moment. Bonding werewolves never parted from their mates, which was exactly why his cousin seemed so surprised to see him there.
But Alec knew what had happened to Aislinn, and his expression said he'd just put two and two together. “Did you ram the door?”
“She's sealed it with magic. There's no way in unless she invites me.”
“How about asking Andi to dispell it?”
“No, that would piss Aislinn off even more.”
Alec pursed his lips. “Should I go get her mother? She lives close to here, right? Maybe she could talk to Aislinn.”
Troy stopped to consider it, thinking that was actually a damned good idea. Nodding, he directed, “Do it, but take Adriana with you and let her explain what's happened.”
Informing Miranda that her daughter had essentially died and been reborn would sound a hundred times better coming from a gentle fae instead of a crude werewolf, though he could only wonder how she might react regardless of who offered the news.
Then he remembered that Miranda wasn't even in town, but it was too late. Alec had already left.
Sighing, he put his attention back on the door, asking, “Aislinn?”
No answer. Not surprised.
With a groan, Troy turned around to sit on the floor, his back against the wall both literally and figuratively. He had a good mind to head outside and scale the manor to get in the bedroom through one of the windows, but Aislinn's spell probably had those barricaded as well.
So all he could do was wait and hope she wouldn't need much time to figure out her troubles before they both grew ill. But hell, on his part, suffering from their separation would be justified considering he'd turned her entire life upside down—not that it was entirely his fault.
Whoever had hexed Aislinn was to blame, and he wondered if any of this would've happened if he'd stayed with her the night before instead of leaving due to her vision. Troy groaned at the thought, but there was no real way to tell until he learned how she'd been hexed to begin with.
It was yet another reason to get back inside his bedroom—he needed to ask who he had to kill.
Just wait, he thought. One way or another, I'll find out.
Chapter 24
An hour passed in solitude, but Aislinn was no closer to figuring anything out—and the more she tried, the more frustrated she became.
In the very least, she'd hoped the time alone would help her come to terms with what was happening. But instead, sitting on the edge of the bed in thought, a nagging sense of emptiness assailed her, making it difficult to focus on anything else. Her mind kept running in circles from that strange sense of loneliness, to her situation, and then to Cindy and Lisa's attack.
The witches' actions just didn't add up. If they were so concerned about their reputation, why had they waited so long to confront her? Also, why cast a slow working hex of pain instead of doing something a little more direct—like a bullet to the head?
Perhaps they were trying to cover their trail, but even still, magic allotted them several methods of killing indiscreetly to avoid a murder investigation if that was a problem for them. So what gives?
It made Aislinn think that her death wasn't exactly their goal, and if so, she knew she'd be seeing them again. And I'm looking forward to it.
The vindictive thought made her blink in confusion. Revenge wasn't an effort she normally put any energy into, believing that people reaped what they sowed regardless of whether or not she witnessed it. So it had to be her transition talking, and Aislinn's head drooped forward with a low groan, wondering what other surprises this change had in store.
How was she supposed to adapt? Will I even be me once it's over?
Just as her mood started declining even further over the dismal thoughts, a knock came to the door with a voice that didn't belong to Troy directing, “Aislinn, invite me in.”
Quickly, she lifted her head, asking in disbelief, “Annika?”
“Yep, now open up, dork.”
For the first time since she'd woken, Aislinn smiled. This was the last thing she expected to happen, but her cousin's visit was enough to make everything else seem almost trivial.
“Get your ass in here!” she answered hastily.
With her invitation issued, the door opened, and Annika stepped inside, quickly shutting it behind herself. Aislinn supposed she thought Troy might try to ram his way through the barrier, though the werewolf hadn't made a sound in quite a while. She'd even begun to question whether or not he was still there.
But she forced her attention onto her cousin, who was a bit shorter in stature with red hair a few shades lighter than her own, and cut shorter so that the ends waved out in a sporty look. Her eyes were a warm brown, and she wore a conservative white button down, jeans, and an old pair of sneakers.
Aislinn quickly greeted her with a tight hug, fighting back a few tears while exclaiming, “I'm so glad to see you! But why aren't you at school?”
“I'll get to that in a minute,” Annika returned, then parted from their embrace to jerk her head at the door, mentioning, “Troy's not very happy you locked him out, you know?”
So he is still waiting. Aislinn felt the urge to let him in, but pushed it away with a shrug, explaining, “I just needed time to think about everything. I'll let him back in. Eventually.”
Her cousin smirked, following Aislinn to the bed where they sat next to each other at the edge of the mattress, and stated, “He didn't wanna let me in alone, said you'd be easy to anger and might explode at me for no reason.”
Aislinn wanted to roll her eyes if only because Troy was at least a little right in that she didn't know what to expect of herself. Still, she insisted, “I might be changing species, but I'd never hurt you.”
“That's what I said, and he told me you wouldn't know your own temper.”
“I'll show him my temper,” Aislinn grumbled, and heard Annika snickering in response. “What's so funny?”
“You don't sound any different to me,” she grinned. “Seems like you're the same old Aislinn as always.”
The comment offered a much needed sense of comfort, particularly because she still had no idea what kinds of symptoms she'd be experiencing. Troy mentioned something about growing ill if they were separated, but she'd been too upset at the time to care about asking for an explanation.
Still, Aislinn wanted to prove that she didn't need his help to get through this if only because it offered her a small amount of control over a situation that had been taken completely out of her hands. So even if she let him back in, she'd be miserable in feeling helplessly dependent.
While she thought it over, her cousin whispered conspiratorially, “By the way, he's hot.”
But this time, a surprising amount of jealousy swept over her along with the possessive thought of Troy's mine, and she promptly shook her head, changing the subject.
“Let's not talk about him. So why are you here instead of at school?”
The question changed Annika's demeanor completely, her serious expression suggesting it was important. “I had to come. The vision you asked me to look into had a peculiar outcome, and I was worried about you.”
“Is that why you told me to leave Strange Brew? Because you saw me getting hexed?”
“Uh huh,” Annika muttered, looking away as she continued with a measure of guilt in her voice, “I didn't get your message until this morning, otherwise I would've warned you sooner.”
Aislinn frowned, putting a hand on Annika's shoulder. “It's not your fault, so don't blame yourself.”
“I just wish I could've been here,” she lamented, turning her gaze back. “But I knew Troy would protect you, or save your life if you didn't get out in time. That's why I told you to go stay with him.”
Aislinn felt guilty at the mention of Troy's protection. Right now, he was sitting in the hallway alone when he'd only saved her life—not that she'd kicked him out because he'd marked her. Still, she had the uncanny urge to go to him, hug him, and never let go.
She nearly acted on it as well, but Annika's next statement grabbed her complete attention. “Aislinn, I also saw an emblem in my vision. It was a golden circle around a triangle with three stars on each side. Do you know what it is?”
“Yeah, that's the symbol of The Trine's coven, the same one my attackers belong to, Cindy and Lisa Palmer. They said they got in trouble with their priestess over how they handled my initiation trial, and wanted me to reconsider joining them. When I refused, they hexed me to keep me silent.”
“And this is because they perform ritual sacrifice on people?”