Blake crossed his arms. "You're crazy, you know that? Do you know what would happen if the Headmaster found you now?"
I glared at him. "Well then what are you doing here?"
Blake looked back at his friends. "We came to find you."
"Find me?" I scrambled backwards and struggled to my feet. "I'm not going back there. No way!" I winced and my ankle caved in.
"You're hurt!" Knox exclaimed.
"I'm fine," I said. "And I'm not going back with you."
Blake chuckled and shook his head. "I knew you would say that." He picked up the torch and stood straight. "That's why we're coming with you."
My mouth fell open. "What?" My eyes went round with disbelief. "What did you say?"
"We're coming with you," Zane said.
Knox smiled. "You're a pretty inspiring witch, Evie."
Blake took a step towards me. "Listen, I know we've been total dicks to you since the day we met."
"You can say that again." I muttered.
"But," Blake gave me a hard look. "We've realized that maybe you're right."
"Right? Right about what?" I asked,
"About Hemingway. About whatever the mages are up to. It just doesn't seem right." Blake continued. "I've been involved in the Sons of Hell since I was a kid and there was a certain level of darkness that I never agreed with."
"We're all criminals, here, Evie." Knox piped up. "But even criminals have a code."
Zane nodded. "If something sketchy is going on, we're going to find out what it is."
"Well, alright, I guess I'll let you tag along," I said with false confidence. "If any of you know a way out, that would be helpful."
Zane closed his eyes. "I'll ask the wind."
I would have laughed if he didn't seem so certain. Elemental magic was akin to nature-based witchcraft, neither of which I had any control over. The forest went still and quiet, as if Mother Nature herself was holding her breath. Then, as if a switch flipped, the sound came rushing back. The wind blew through the trees, ruffling our hair and snaking off into the distance.
"North east from here we'll find a hunting cabin. We can rest there." Zane said.
"Wow," I said in awe. "That's really cool."
Zane shrugged it off. "You should see what my little cousin can do with water," He said.
"Come on, let's get a move on before those wolves come back." Blake said, leading us in the direction that Zane pointed.
I winced as I walked, unable to hide the pain shooting up my leg.
Knox turned around. "Are you ok?"
I shook my head. "No. I twisted my ankle in gym class and obviously I've been walking all night so, it's fucking killing me."
Blake frowned and pulled my bag off before I could protest and tossed it to Knox. "Zane, you leave the way. I'll take care of our little witch."
"Hey, wait!" I argued.
Blake ignored me, picked me up and threw me over his shoulder cave-man style. "Give it a rest, blue," He said. "I don't want to have to deal with any more wild animals tonight. Just enjoy the ride. We'll be at the cabin soon."
I sighed and went limp over his shoulder. "I appreciate the help but this is just degrading." I mumbled. He ignored me and kept walking.
Just as the sky was brightening with the promise of dawn, we came across a clearing with a small hunting cabin, just as Zane promised.
"At last!" Knox cheered.
The wooden cabin and surrounding grass was covered in frost. A path led northward from the cabin, large enough for a truck to pass through. If there were roads, we must be getting closer to finding a town. But for now, we all just needed rest.
Blake set me down, tossed his torch into the snow, and peeked in a dirty window. "It's empty."
"That's odd, I'm pretty sure deer season is still open," Zane said. The three of us looked at him and he shrugged. "My uncle is a hunter, ok? I know these things."
"Ok, calm down nature boy," Blake shoved him gently. "It's better for us this way." He jiggled the door handle and it was locked, as expected. He braced himself and then kicked the door. The lock busted and the door swung open.
"Nice," Knox said with a grin.
The inside of the one-room cabin looked like it had been used recently. There was no dust on the tables, the wood burning stove was clean, but had a stack of wood beside it, and the cupboards were stocked with non-perishable food. It was small, but anything was better than sleeping under a tree.
Blake carried me to a chair and sat me down next to the wood stove. "Don't move." He ordered. Then he piled the cast-iron firebox with wood and snapped his fingers to light the flame. It only took a few minutes for the small cabin to warm up.
I blew on my hands and pulled them into my sleeves.
The boys went about finding some food and pots to cook in. Zane made tea for us and warmed a pot of chili on the stove. Knox tended to my ankle, which had swollen so much it took five minutes just for us to get my boot off. He cast a cooling spell on it for relief and propped it up on another chair.
Zane handed me a cup of tea. "When Blake said we were going to help you, I don't think I signed up for this." He laughed.
The cup warmed my hands. I looked down at the black tea, wishing there was milk but also just happy to be safe and warm. I took a sip and sighed.
Blake glanced out the window as he paced around. He was the only one who wasn't relaxing.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
The mage looked over at us. "Nothing. Just hoping whoever owns this cabin doesn't come back any time soon."
"We'll leave tonight," Knox said. "It'll be fine. If someone does show up, we can just tell them we were hiking and got lost. I'm sure it'll be fine."
Blake didn't look reassured but he nodded.
We sat huddled around the fire and ate. No one spoke much; the clatter of spoons filled the silence.
After dinner, Knox wrapped my ankle with a tension bandage that Zane found in the first-aid kit. Knox touched my ankle and sent another cooling spell into the swollen area. "How does it feel?"
"A bit better," I said.
"Rest is going to be best treatment for it," Knox said. He nodded towards the bed in the corner of the cabin. "You should sleep."
Before I could protest, Blake picked me up and carried me to the bed. He carried me gently this time. It was almost romantic.
I looked at him and my cheeks went red, remembering our night in the library.
The way he looked back told me he was remembering the same thing. He cleared his throat and adjusted the pile of old quilts. "Here," He said. "Get some sleep."
"What about you guys?" I asked. I hadn't intended for it to sound like an invitation, but it definitely did. I blushed even deeper.
Zane grinned. "I wouldn't mind a quick nap."
I expected Blake to go all territorial-beast-mode, but he didn't. In fact, he nodded. "We should all get some rest. I'll take first watch. You guys get some shut eye. We'll need to move before it gets dark."
"Uh," I stuttered as Zane kicked off his shoes and took the side of the bed against the wall. "Wait," I said. "Is this ok?"
Knox tipped his head at my question. "No offense, Evie, but we're not about to sleep on the cold dirty floor just because you're a girl." He winked. "Get over yourself."
I laid between Zane and Knox. I had never slept in a bed with a man in a platonic way before. The sexual undertones were almost too much to bear. Thankfully, my exhaustion was more powerful than my nervousness. The warmth of the quilts, and the sound of Zane's gentle breathing lulled me into a state of perfect relaxation. Knox turned to me, rested his chin on the top of my head, and linked our fingers together. That was the last thing I remembered before falling asleep.
~
When I woke, someone had pulled the curtains tight over the dirty windows to block out the sun. I was cuddled between Zane and Knox, our arms and legs tangled with each other and the quilt pulled up to my chin. Zane moaned something in his sleep and tightened his gri
p around my waist. Something hard was pressed against my thigh and I didn't need to guess to know what it was.
Zane leaned in closer and kissed my earlobe. "Good morning, little blue." His voice was husky and filled with need.
I shivered, feeling his hands move up to cup my breasts. I didn't stop him.
Zane seemed surprised. "Do you want to have some fun? We don't have to." He added.
"It feels good." I whispered.
Zane chuckled and reached down the front of my panties and flicked his fingers against my sensitive nub. "Oh, I bet it does."
I moaned and Knox stirred. He opened his light blue eyes. "Good morning." He cupped my cheek in his cold hand and I blushed deeper. He kissed me and Zane didn't stop touching me.
I moaned against Knox's lips.
"Is he touching you, darling?" Knox asked gently. His hardness was pressed against my belly.
I nodded and bit down on my lip to stifle the sound.
"Why don't you let him fuck you like I did?" Knox purred against my neck. "We mages are very good at sharing, after all."
Zane pulled my panties aside and pressed himself against my wet opening. "You're so wet, little blue," He said and gently pushed his cock inside of me.
I groaned and Knox kissed my hair and held me while Zane thrust in and out. "I know he's big, but you can take it." He said softly. His reassuring words were oddly erotic. "Zane is the last to have you, we don't want him feeling left out, do we?"
I moaned against Knox's chest.
He kissed my forehead. "Good girl, take it for him."
Zane grunted and threw the quilt off of us. He raised my leg and pushed in deeper.
I squealed, my gaze flicking to Knox who was staring at us while his friend made love to me. I could see myself reflected in his eyes.
"What is going on? ...Oh." Blake's voice went low.
I closed my eyes so I didn't have to see them watching me get fucked. "Please, this is so embarrassing."
"Don't be embarrassed, Evie. It's beautiful." Knox said gently.
Blake grinned and unbuttoned his jeans. "Beautiful and making me want a bit of you too, little witch." He knelt over the bed and pressed the head of his cock against my lips.
I moaned and opened my mouth for him, taking as much of his length as I could.
"Ah, fuck," Blake groaned.
Beside me, Knox was trembling and touching himself. "Don't forget about me, Evie." He whispered.
Zane thrust in and groaned. "Ah, shit, I'm cuming." He pulled out and shot his warm load against my leg. He kissed my neck. "Ok, who's next?" He grinned and chuckled.
Knox grabbed me and hauled me up onto his lap so I could ride him while kissing Blake.
I pushed my hips against his and bounced in rhythm with him. I pulled away and moaned.
Blake pushed me down and sandwiched me between both of them.
"Ah, Blake, what are you doing?" I gasped.
Blake said nothing, rubbing his length between my ass cheeks and then pushed into my tight hole.
I gasp as my wetness was filled with two men at the same time. An animal-like moan escaped my body, my eyes rolled back and I was fixed on my hands and knees as both of them used me and worked themselves into a frenzy.
Zane watched, gently touching my cheek and running his finger across my lips. "You're so beautiful, little blue. And you take cock so good," He said.
I looked over at him. Any words would ruin the mood now. The feeling overtook me. Sweat from Blake's body streaked against my back. Their strokes were coming hard and fast now.
"Oh fuck," Blake grunted.
"Me too!" Knox gasped.
They came inside of me at the same time, filling me completely. I nearly fainted because of the pleasure. My eyes rolled back and I collapsed against Knox's lean body. His skin was cool against mine. The tiny cabin was filled with sounds of panting.
The feeling of pure bliss was cut off when an explosion rattled the windows.
TWENTY FOUR
------------------------
EVIE
"What the hell was that?" Blake shouted. He ripped himself away from me and pulled on his jeans.
"Trouble," Zane replied. He tossed me my gym sweater.
In an instant the boys went from hot and heavy to alert and ready for a fight. Knox peeked under one of the curtains. "There's people outside."
"The hunter?" Zane asked.
Knox shook his head. "No. Magical people. Hemingway is with them."
I gasped.
Blake sighed and furrowed his brow. "Let me take care of this." He started walking towards the door.
"No, you can't! He's psycho!" I gasped, still half dressed.
Blake looked me up and down slowly and smirked. "I'll be fine."
Zane threw me some leggings. "Just stay down," He said. "You won't be able to help without magic."
My heart twinged. Somehow the hurt of losing my magic hadn't faded since the first day. "Fine," I said. "But if things go bad, I'm going in."
Blake opened the door and left us in silence.
Knox reported from his hiding place near the window. "They're just talking," He said. "Looks like Hemingway with a couple of shifters."
"Which ones?" I asked.
Knox shrugged. "No idea. Big ugly fucks that I haven't seen before. Wolf shifters for sure."
Zane jumped from one foot to another. "I can't stand this." He summoned a stream of wind that arched out under the door and came back in, bringing the conversation back in with it.
"What are you doing here?" Blake asked.
"We had a deal, boy," Mr. Hemingway said.
"What makes you think I wasn't going to deliver?"
Mr. Hemingway chuckled. "I knew you were going to run off with her."
"I haven't run anywhere," Blake said.
"Then you would have returned last night."
"Why bother with me at all then, you snake!" Blake shouted. "Why string us all along like this?"
"If I really wanted someone to track her down and bring her back, I would have asked a shifter. No, boy, I was testing your loyalty." Mr. Hemingway explained. "And sadly, it seems you have failed. Now you will all pay for your actions!"
"That's it." Zane hissed. He burst out the door, his magic wind whipping around him. "We're not going anywhere!"
Knox glanced at me before following Zane, leaving icy footprints in the grass.
"Well, well, boys. It looks like Blake got you in way deeper than you wanted," Mr. Hemingway said. "I thought you would act alone."
"Sons of Hell are never alone." Blake spat.
"You dare call yourselves Sons of Hell after this?" Mr. Hemingway laughed. "You'll be lucky to be alive when we're done with you."
I watched from inside the cabin, tapping my fingers on the windowsill. What was Hemingway talking about? Betrayal? I knew I shouldn't have accepted their help. Now we were all doomed.
Blake balled his fists and flames shot up his forearms. "You think you can take all three of us?"
"Easily," The Headmaster said with a grin. He gestured behind him and more shifters appeared, all in wolf form. "The mages have an agreement with the wolves of this forest. No one leaves alive."
I gasped. The wolves from last night were shifters after all. I had been tracked!
"Now, I will give you one last chance to redeem yourself, Mr. Hood. Give me the girl and we will put this whole matter behind us."
Blake didn't move. "No. You can't have her."
The Headmaster sighed and shook his head. "Fine, let's do this the hard way." He snapped his fingers and the burly men behind him began to shift into terrifying black wolves.
Blake, Zane, and Knox readied themselves for the fight. A swirl of fire, wind, and ice rose up around the clearing.
"You won't take her from us." Blake shouted.
The Headmaster laughed as more wolves appeared, we were out numbered three to one. He stepped back, his eyes glowing and fingers switching with magical energy. He wa
s powerful, but the wolves were here to do the dirty work.
One black wolf lunged at Blake. Blake threw his hands up and created a shield of fire. The wolf yelped and jumped back.
"Get them you cowards!" Hemingway shouted.
The wolves circled the boys, snapping and growling. They were massive, much bigger than a wild wolf, if I had to guess.
I looked around the cabin. I had to do something. I couldn't stand by and let them fight without me. But what could I do without my magic? I pulled my boots on and grabbed the first thing I saw: an axe standing near the pile of firewood. It was heavier than it looked and I needed both hands to wield it. This would have to do.
Knox sent a volley of ice shards into the faces of the wolves. They yelped and shook it off.
"Get lost, shifters! This isn't your fight. We don't want to hurt you," Zane said. He conjured up a shield of wind.
I used that as my invitation, jumping into the fray and helping form a perfect circle with the mages, our backs together.
"Evie!" Blake hissed. "Get out of here."
"No way. I'm not leaving you to get eaten alive," I said.
"That's not what I was worried about," Blake shot back, holding his hand steady and sending the wolves back with a blast of red flames.
"There you are, little Evelyn Knight." Hemingway cackled. He vanished and reappeared in front of me.
"Fuck off!" I swung the axe, but he easily sidestepped my clumsy swipe.
"Just come with me and I will call off the wolves." The Headmaster continued.
"I'm never going back there," I said.
"Yes, you are. It's just a matter if you want to go in one piece or not." Mr. Hemingway growled. "Don't toy with me girl, I have sworn to find your traitorous parents and I will not be made a liar!"
Knox shouted a hex and ice came crashing down on the wolves. One was crushed under the weight of the ice and the others edged away, growling and barking. "Go or I'll send more ice for the rest of you!" He shouted. "Please, I don't want to do this."
Blake put his hand on Knox's shoulder and gave him a reassuring nod. He summoned up a wall of flame and it surged forward through the clearing, sending the wolves back.
Wayward Witch Page 15
