by Alex Lux
"Hold on one sec, it might be about Dean." He pulled the phone from his jeans to check the text, and his face lost all of its color as he read.
I placed my hand on his arm. "Derek, what's wrong?"
When he looked up, his face had hardened into rage. "The witches kidnapped Tammy. We have to go."
TWENTY FIVE
Do Not Desire to Go
DEREK
Out of this wood do not desire to go.
—William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream
"I’M SO SORRY, Derek." Rose's sad eyes begged for forgiveness, but she needed none.
"It's not your fault. You aren't responsible for what other people do." I stuffed clothes into my bag while she ransacked the bathroom in her haste to pack.
"But it's my coven, my family, who took your sister."
"But it wasn't you. You're my family now, understand? You'll be an O'Conner soon enough, unless you want to keep your maiden name." As much as I loathed her family, and the name that went with it, it was also hers, and I couldn't force her to take my name.
Her small arms wrapped around my waist, and she pressed her breasts against my chest, bringing back memories of our lovemaking. I'd never expected her to have such a wild side, and the wolf inside of me craved the passion that she brought out.
"Of course I want your name. I wish we could marry right now and I could forget I was ever a Wintersong."
I kissed her lightly, tasting toothpaste. "Soon, love. But in my heart, you're already an O'Conner, and my wife."
Ocean knocked, then opened the door without waiting for a response. "Ready to go? Or did you two want a quickie before leaving?"
My cock hardened at the thought of being inside her again, but my sister needed us. We didn't have time for fun.
We grabbed our bags and piled them in the trunk, then went to make our goodbyes.
Drake, Sam and Father Patrick met us by our cars. Drake and Rose exchanged a few private words, and a small twinge of jealousy flared, but I stamped it down. I trusted Rose, and it was clear that Drake only had eyes for Sam.
I didn't want to be one of those jealous oafs who controlled his wife.
Father Patrick hugged Rose, and she blushed furiously. I couldn't imagine what that was about.
Sam and I shook hands. "Take care," she said. "I hope we'll see you and Rose again soon when things resolve."
"Thanks. Me too."
Drake and Sam switched places and more goodbyes were said. "Be careful, man. I'm not Seeing clearly, but something doesn't feel right about what you're about to walk into."
"I'll do my best. Call me if you get a stronger hit."
Drake nodded. "Will do."
Serena, the little girl we'd met when we got here, ran to us and hugged Rose, who teared up at the sight of the girl.
"Rose, you feel less broken. I think you'll get better soon," Serena said.
Rose kissed the top of her head, and she ran off to play with her friends.
A few of the kids I'd given some training to came by to see us off. I realized that I'd miss them when I left, and that surprised me. For a man who didn't like attachments, I was making quite a few of them lately.
I promised the kids I'd be back to teach them more, and I meant it. Rose and I both had found a place here where we belonged, and I had a feeling we'd be seeing a lot more of these kids once our business with the witches was over.
The drive home was a quiet affair, as Rose and I worried over Tammy's safety. I knew Rose had to be dealing with a lot of mixed emotions about her family doing something like this, but she wasn't ready to talk about it, and I didn't push. She'd share when she was ready.
I held her hand in a silent reminder that I was here with her no matter what.
Mom and Dad sat in the living room when we arrived. This was the first time Rose would meet my family. What a rotten way to make introductions.
Despite evident worry and sadness on my mother's face, she smiled when Rose walked in and greeted her with a hug. "Welcome to your new home, Rose. And welcome to our family. You have made Derek so happy, and that makes us happy as well. I'm sorry we couldn't meet in better circumstances, but when we get Tammy back, we'll plan an engagement party for the two of you to give you a proper welcome. There are a lot of people excited to meet you."
I loved my mother more than ever in that moment, especially when I saw the effect her speech had on Rose. I'd lost so many years with my family due to stubbornness and pride. I looked forward to making up for that lost time now that I knew what I wanted in my life.
Rose pulled Ocean into our circle. "This is my best friend, Ocean."
My mom hugged her as well. "You're family too now, my dear. Our home is your home."
Ocean smiled. "Thank you, Mrs. O'Conner. That means more to me than you might imagine."
"Oh, please, call me Lauren, both of you."
My dad walked over. "And call me David. We don't stand on formalities here."
He shook hands with Ocean and Rose, though I knew he'd be hugging them soon enough. They were big on hugging, my parents.
"I wish we could spend more time getting to know each other, but we all know there are bigger issues at play." My dad's words brought a solemnness back to the group. "A text came in telling us that Tammy has been taken. They are demanding the rose bush in exchange for her life."
My wolf raged in me, eyes turning, but I kept my calm. "Did they give a meet-up location?"
"Yes. Tonight at the abandoned hotel downtown." He showed me the text.
"Then let's give them the rose bush and get Tammy back. We can't let them hurt her." I wanted to pace the room, let out my anger, but I didn't want to let go of Rose's hand.
My dad put his hand on my arm. "Son, as much as I would give anything to protect you kids, we can't let them have that power. They wouldn't stop at kidnapping. They want to destroy us, and without the power of the roses, we're weak—vulnerable. The roses carry ancient secrets to unlock doors to other planes. One of our jobs is to make sure that doesn't happen. I fear the witches won't be as vigilant of that task."
"Can the power from the roses help us get Tammy back?" Rose asked.
"It doesn't work that way. The roses give us added strength and abilities and can infuse things like creams and salves with healing properties, but it's not a force that can be set free by itself. It has to work through something or someone," I told her. "Do you or Ocean have any magical abilities that could help?"
"I can only do the one thing, and I don't think that will help us right now," Rose said.
Ocean shrugged. "I have water magic. Is the meeting place near a body of water?"
My dad shook his head. "No, it's inland."
"Derek and I could go after her," Rose said. "They're probably keeping her in the hotel. Between the two of us, we could handle any guard. I know the coven, and no one there could go up against a Druid Shifter… or me, if I used my power. You all can stay here and protect the roses."
"Where's the rest of our pack?" I asked. I was surprised that our cousins and aunts and uncles hadn't shown up in droves when they heard about Tammy.
"We sent them to the garden to stand watch. Some are using their other gifts to track and watch the witches' property," Mom said.
I looked down at Rose, an unspoken question in my eyes. Was she really ready to use her powers if it came down to it?
She nodded, and I pulled her into a side hug. "I like Rose's plan. We can go get Tammy while you make preparations here. Once she's out of their control, they'll lose the upper hand."
We had no idea what to expect, or who to expect when we pulled up in the parking lot of the old hotel. They'd asked us to show up at night, which would have given this place a Bates Motel feel. By day, it just looked sad. The dilapidated building stunk of wine and nicotine and had clearly been used by the homeless on more than one occasion. For a moment I feared a random act of violence against my sister more than the witches' wrath.
They must
have done something to her to keep her locked up. She had Shifter power and strength and could have escaped in wolf form.
My hand tightened into a ball, and I vowed death on each of them if anything had happened to Tammy.
Using my wolf sense of smell, I tracked her scent with Rose following. Smells overwhelmed me, bodies and odors and something dead, but only one scent of a body still on the premises. I traced it to a room on the second level and kicked in the door, ready to shift into wolf form should anyone attack.
I would do anything I could to keep Rose from having to use her powers, even on someone who deserved it. I knew what it cost her, especially now that she knew the consequences.
Tammy lay on the bed, gagged, unconscious and tied up.
Rose and I freed her, and I carried her to the car as she slowly woke. Her eyes darted around in panic. "Derek. No. It's a trap. They're attacking our home."
I mentally punched myself as I broke every speed limit racing back to the house. Rose called my mom, my dad, Father Patrick and every other number in my phone, but no one answered.
Cursing, I passed a car going too slow and sped up again, burning my tires on the asphalt as I turned corners and pulled into my long driveway.
The energy of the attack slammed into me, and I shifted into wolf form and howled into the woods, tracking the scent of my family toward the rose bush.
Rose and Tammy couldn't keep up, but I knew they weren't in danger. All of our enemies were ahead of me.
There was no way they could possibly have enough power to defeat our entire pack, but the devastation I saw when I arrived nearly broke me.
Pain burned through me like acid as something forced me to shift back to my human form.
TWENTY SIX
The Jaws of Darkness
BLAKE
The jaws of darkness do devour it up:
So quick bright things come to confusion.
—William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream
CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO impossible decisions, I'd chosen the one that would give me the smallest semblance of hope. My desire to be human, to live on this plane, had always been there.
But since falling in love with Rose, that desire now depended entirely on being with her, and what I was about to do would destroy that chance, if I had any at all. But I could not revert back to demon form and live out my life on that hell plane. I had to help the witches complete their ceremony.
The decoy with the sister had worked. As we arrived on the vast O'Conner estate, Rose was missing. So was Derek.
They didn't expect us to attack by day, or maybe at all. They didn't expect us to have enough power to defeat them.
I could tell that loyalty in the coven was breaking apart. The lesbian couple had left in the middle of the night last week and hadn't been heard from since, and there were mutterings of discontent. When Rose and Ocean left, it shocked a lot of them, even without knowing the sordid details.
Jasmine had sunk deeper into her emo tortured teen routine and refused to speak to anyone unless it involved sarcasm. She also refused to participate in this attack, for which I was grateful. I'd developed a fondness for the girl and enjoyed hearing her practice her singing when she thought no one was around.
I wanted her to have a better life than this.
I wasn't sure how long Rainbow would keep her coven together after today, but it wouldn't matter. We just needed to do the transfer of power on the winter solstice, and then they could all drop dead for all I cared.
We snuck onto the property, and acres of woods spread before us, with the palatial mansion standing proudly in the center. Rainbow had likely thought this life would be hers. No wonder she was pissed.
Each witch had spent time holding the sphere under my supervision. I didn't even allow Rainbow to carry it off, much to her chagrin. It was my ass if Beleth didn't get this back.
Their power built on itself as they joined hands in a circle and chanted. The sphere pulsed with life and glowed in my hand. They'd created a spell to stop a Shifter from shifting, or to revert them back to human if they had.
Between that and their increased power, the Druids would not last long in this battle.
"Blake, hand me the sphere," Rainbow commanded from the shroud of her black cape.
I rolled my eyes at her melodrama, but handed it to her.
The witches dropped each other's hands and maintained their magical connection within the circle's power points. As Rainbow chanted, wolves in the woods began to howl in pain.
For several minutes, the howling continued, their agony a physical presence around us. My body itched with the energy of it, and I fought the urge to break the circle and end this before the evil bitch gained even more power.
Rainbow howled like an insane animal as the wolves grew silent. "Now, we take what is rightfully ours!"
With renewed enthusiasm, likely from the magic dripping from the air, the coven ran into the woods, heading straight for the rosebushes.
No wolves remained, only humans lying on the ground, moaning in pain.
The few that tried to stand were easily trampled by the magically-intoxicated witches.
Rainbow claimed a rose and sniffed it deeply. "Ah, the scent of power. Of victory. Of everything that was mine."
The Druid leader walked toward her from the main house. He must not have been in wolf form when this started, but given how he shuffled his legs, he'd likely tried to shift and failed.
Rainbow's lips curled up into a menacing smile. "David, so nice of you to join us. It's been too long."
"What are you doing, Rainbow? I gave you a home, land, money. You have no rights to more." He stood tall, proud and wise and I could see why the world adored him.
"I have every right. This was supposed to be mine, but you tossed me away for that bitch you call wife."
David smacked Rainbow, and as his palm landed on her cheek, a force of power erupted from her and threw him across the garden, where he fell into a pile like a rag doll.
A woman screamed from near the house and ran to him, crying.
Behind me, a wolf howled. Rainbow turned, directing her power at him and forcing him to shift back to human.
Derek lay on the ground naked and semi-conscious. "What have you done? You bitch! I'll tear you apart for this."
His threats fell on empty ears as Rainbow directed a few members of the coven to dig up the rose bush, roots and all, and place it in a bag to be replanted on their property.
She glared at the man who had stolen her daughter. "Kill him, and find Rose and bring her home. I don't care how. We need her."
I grabbed Derek's neck. One twist, and I'd hear a snap. One twist, and Derek would lay dead at my feet. Nothing would stop me from having Rose, then, not if she never found out. I dug my nails into the Shifter's flesh. I'd imagined this. A secret part of me had hoped for it. Derek should have been protecting Rose, not interfering here. Guess I'd have to protect her from now on.
As I began to turn my hands, a scream turned me to stone.
"Let him go!" Rose ran at us, her eyes fixed on Derek, her eyes filled with tears. "Let him go, please. We don't want to fight you."
My grip melted away, and Derek hit the ground.
Rose collapsed beside him, shielding the Shifter with her body. Why him? Why did she have to choose him?
"Rose, move away," I said.
She clutched Derek tighter.
And I threw her off of him.
She hit the ground, rolling in mud and rocks. Tears streaked down her face, and her mouth opened in a silent cry.
Perhaps she mouthed the word 'please.' Perhaps I imagined it. But her tears wiped my rage away all the same. There was something truly dark about those tears—something I had never seen before. Nowhere should such darkness be allowed to exist.
I looked into her eyes one last time, stood up, and turned to Rainbow. "You got what you wanted. Now, it's time to leave. I didn't come here for your petty revenge schemes."
; She balled her fist, ready to challenge me, but even with the sphere, I was stronger and she knew it.
"Very well. Grab my daughter so we can go."
"No."
She scowled, the sphere buzzing louder and louder in her hand. "If you want to keep your nice, new body, you will do as I say. You will—"
I lunged at her, grabbing for her throat, but the witch had her tricks. She slapped her hand across the air, and a stream of rock sprayed across my face. Fire raked my cheek, and I knew it had been shredded as I hit the ground. The witch stood over me and laughed a thousand terrors, and the wind lashed at my skin like a knife. Cuts exploded over my body, small but many, and blood began to replace my clothing. I tried to stand, but the air, as if it had all gathered above me into a giant anvil, pushed me down. Perhaps this new body would not last as long as I'd expected.
The witch turned to her daughter. "Come, Rose. Come, and I'll let your precious Shifter live."
Rose's trembling hands fell away. She stood between Derek and her mother. "I'll leave with you if you return the roses."
"I can't do that, dear. Honestly, I'd rather let all of you die." The witch raised her hand, a claw ready to tear into flesh. She was hungry for blood. And she lost focus.
I jumped up, pushing against the wind that sliced at my limbs. My stupid flesh, so human, so weak, tore apart like clothing without thread. It would soon be lost forever. But it would last long enough.
I tackled Rainbow, slamming her into the earth she'd used against me. We clung to each other, and the air that ripped away at my body began to tear into hers as well. A stripe of blood swelled on her cheek, and she stopped the wind, clawing at my face with her nails instead. I grabbed her neck. One twist, and I'd hear a snap. One twist.
And I'd never be free again.
My hands went limp, and the witch scrambled away, dropping the sphere, nightmares of death stitched on her face. She had lost, and she'd remember it.
