by Robbie Cox
Spent, he slipped from her with his climax complete, spinning so that he sat on her couch, pulling her down and over onto his lap. She laid her head on his shoulder, her arm across his waist, as he wrapped an arm around her, holding her close. “I think you have powers no one else knows about,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “You’ve definitely put a spell on me.”
She nuzzled into his chest, squeezing him tight against her. “You’re not the only one bewitched.”
Those words made him smile. Too bad they needed to deal with a gang of coyotes. He could stay right here on the couch, naked, with her in his arms forever. “You need to be careful,” he said, pulling her tighter against him. “Bane will be more determined than ever to get at you now that you’ve stood up to him twice. He doesn’t like to be put down in front of his followers.”
“He needs to be put down, like a rabid dog.”
“Trust me, it may come to that. No one messes with my community. The residents of Bull Creek need this place, this sanctuary. I’ll not allow the likes of Bane Kastner to take it away from them. Prejudice and hatred will not win. Not now. Not ever.”
“Is that why you’re here?” she asked, shifting as she did. “Something made you become a guardian of this place.”
He ran his thumb over her bare shoulder, as his thoughts drifted back to a year ago, when he first moved to Bull Creek. “I didn’t necessarily plan it,” he said, his voice distant. “I left Blue Creek because of a family squabble. My parents wanted me to be someone I wasn’t and did their best to apply pressure, to force me into what they wanted. Lainie already disappointed them by entering law enforcement, and I watched my brother succumb to our parents’ pressures, leaving him depressed and miserable. My parents behaved a lot like Bane, believing humans and shifters should remain apart.” He took a deep breath. “My brother dated a human at the time, and my parents did everything in their power to ruin it. They succeeded, of course, but my brother was never the same. It destroyed him.”
“Was she his mate?”
“I never found out for sure, but I believe so. It’s the only reason I can think of for how devastated he became and how he just gave up on life.” He leaned over and kissed the side of her head. “Losing a mate is like death.”
She squeezed him tight. “I’m so sorry.”
He brushed the side of her head with another kiss. “It’s why I left, why Lainie left. It’s why I won’t allow Bane to win. There’s too much hatred in this world and too much of it wins already. It won’t win here. I won’t allow it.”
He felt her nod against his chest, her hair brushing his flesh, sending thrills throughout his body. His cock twitched at the sensation, and it took all his power to keep his panther in check. As much as Dimitri wanted to take her again right then, they needed to figure out how to deal with Bane. “So, how do we stop him?” she asked, finally allowing herself to shift, sitting up straight.
He moved as well, stretching his muscles as he did. “That’s the big question, isn’t it?” As much as he dreaded leaving her side, he pushed himself off the couch. “To be honest, outside of just killing him, I’m not sure what we can do. He’s going to keep coming at us, attacking humans and the shifters who befriend them.” He kissed the top of her head. “And witches who stand up to him. You’re marked now, love, in more ways than just as my mate. You’ve made yourself a target and, while I’m proud of the guts it took, I can’t say I like that you’re in Bane’s crosshairs. I need you to be more careful. I couldn’t handle it if anything happened to you.”
She pushed herself off his chest, so she could stare into his green-gold eyes. “I won’t allow a bully to cause me to cower. Bane needs to be stopped, and we’re the only ones who can do it. He’s skirted the law so far. We can’t allow him to keep up his reign of terror.”
He couldn’t feel more proud of her than he did right then. Yet, he also feared for her safety. Bane was not someone to trifle with, even if that someone was a witch. Dimitri needed to make sure she was safe, but he knew he needed to do it in a way she didn’t expect. If she realized for even an inkling that he coddled her, she’d never forgive him, of that he had no doubt. Of course, he had no idea how he would go about that little task.
An incessant pounding shook Adira’s door, as Josh screamed Dimitri’s name. One pounding wasn’t enough, apparently, as the man kept beating on the door until Dimitri opened it—after slipping his pants back on, that is. “What the hell?” Dimitri stared at the man. Josh appeared as if he just ran miles, his hair plastered to his sweaty head, his shirt soaked, and his chest heaving with his struggle to catch his breath.
Josh leaned on the doorframe, his shoulders rising and falling with his panting. “Lainie….accident….” He shook his head, still struggling with his breathing.
Dimitri felt his eyes widen. “Where is she?”
Josh waved off to the west. “Sheriff,” was all he could say.
Adira came out of the bedroom, having left the living room before Dimitri opened the door to put on some clothes. She stared at him, the pain she saw on his face reflected in her own expression. She could feel his anguish. “Go,” she said. “Make sure she’s all right. I’ll be here when you get back.”
His panther urged him not to leave, or to take her with him. But this was his sister. He needed to be with her. Adira would be fine for just a little while. Bane couldn’t retaliate that quickly. He nodded once before turning to Josh. “Get patrols started. Contain any coyotes you find in the vicinity of Bull Creek. I want answers.”
Josh nodded. “You’ll have them.”
As Josh left, Dimitri turned to Adira, walking across the floor to take her in his arms. “You need to stay inside and be safe. If Bane’s taken to attacking people now, especially my sister, a deputy, then who knows what he’ll try next. I need you safe.”
She placed a hand on his cheek and his panther struggled to pounce her right then and there. He pressed down the desire, the urgency to get to his sister a priority. He leaned in and brushed a kiss on Adira’s cheek. “Remind me to send Barbara Wolfe a thank you note.”
She smiled as she pushed him toward the door. “After this is over. Now go, and give Lainie a hug for me. I know she’s got to be all right. I’m not thinking any other way.”
He squeezed her. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, and we’ll go for round two.” His grin made her blush, which in turn made his panther purr. He needed to get back to her. And quick.
She shoved him toward the door again. He nodded once, and then turned, rushing toward his truck, and then to his sister. If Bane did something to her… If he hurt her in any way…
Thirteen
Adira watched, as Dimitri closed the door behind him. She felt terrible, blaming herself for the attack on Lainie. Dimitri’s sister must have been attacked because of the way Adira mouthed off to Augur at the bar. This was the coyotes’ way of retaliating. They couldn’t get to her, so they went after her friend. Adira came to Bull Creek to help, but so far, all she did was make things worse. Not such a big help, huh? She only hoped Lainie was all right. Adira wasn’t sure if Dimitri would forgive her if his sister was seriously hurt because of her. Hell, she wasn’t sure if she could forgive herself.
Turning to fix herself some tea, she placed her hand on Dimitri’s teeth marks, and almost yelped at the touch, the sharp, electric sensations sending tendrils of pain throughout her body. Even without looking, she could imagine the bruise that formed on her lower shoulder. With a deep breath, bracing for the tender stings of pain, she caressed the deep impressions left by Dimitri’s teeth, especially where his fangs sank into her. A smile broke across her face as she thought of what the mark meant and the bond that now connected the two of them. Mates. While she heard stories, knew the premise behind the mate mark, now she truly understood it. It was more than just the sensations of the bite. It was the feeling of unity she now felt washing through her for Dimitri, a bond that could not be broken.
As she reac
hed for a tea cup, the wards around her cabin sent a tingling through her senses, warning her of someone crossing her property line. She turned to the front of her house, but then heard glass breaking in the back. She spun, her arms flying up to shoot whatever power she could muster at the intruder. She focused so much on the back of her cabin, she didn’t hear the front door open until it was too late. The board creaked behind her; she spun, lashing out her witch’s power only to have someone hit her arm and throw her shot wide, the power shattering a shelf and everything on it. As she turned to face her attacker, she felt the hard, sudden blow to the side of her head, and then nothing, as her body slumped to the floor, darkness enveloping her.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Dimitri darted into the sheriff’s department, his pulse racing as his panther fought to get free. As protective as they were about their mates, shifters were equally protective of their family. Lainie moved here to help him keep others from being hurt, and instead, she was the one who wound up hurt. He wasn’t sure what he would do if anything happened to her because of his mission in life. Bull Creek was his idea and Lainie only followed out of a sense of loyalty to him.
“Dimitri, over here,” Sheriff Chet Einstein waved to Dimitri from his office door.
Dimitri picked up his pace, as he rushed to the sheriff’s office and his sister. When he entered, Lainie sat on a chair next to the sheriff’s desk, a cold compress pressed against the side of her head. Doc Henderson hovered over her, doing his best to clean up Lainie’s wounds. Her face was covered with bruises and small gashes, and a cut still oozed blood on her left cheek. Her clothes were ripped, the collar of her shirt dangling over her chest. Dimitri growled, his panther eager to lash out at whoever did this to her.
He knelt down beside her, his hands going to the arms of the chair. “Are you okay? When did this happen? Who did this?” He shot the questions at her rapid fire, as he stared up into her face. He craved answers. He demanded retribution.
Lainie gave him a weak smile. “Cool it, oh brother of mine,” she said. “I’m fine. They just roughed me up, and then left before I could get in my own licks. They kept hitting me, keeping me from shifting.”
“So they knew you, knew you were a shifter,” he said. He glanced up at the sheriff. “Do we know who did this to her?”
The sheriff shook his head. “They got her from behind, just kept pummeling her, keeping her off-balance.”
Dimitri turned back to his sister. “They could have killed you.”
Lainie nodded. “You’re right. They could have.” She narrowed her eyes, her mind chewing on something. “But they didn’t.” She turned to face him, her eyes still narrowed. “Why? Why didn’t they kill me?” She shoved Doc’s hand away from her, as she sat straight in her chair, glancing back and forth between Dimitri and Chet. “What better message to send you that they meant business than to kill your sister? Yet, they didn’t. So what was the purpose other than to beat the hell out of me? What did it accomplish?”
Dimitri was confused. Why did there need to be a message? Bane and his pack were vicious brutes, bent on destruction, wanting to hurt the humans of Bull Creek and any shifters who sympathized with them. Wasn’t that reason enough? Wasn’t beating up Dimitri’s sister enough of a message as to how far they would go?
Chet scratched his head, pondering her question. “The only thing it accomplished that I can see so far is that it brought your brother here.” He shook his head. “Other than that, I can’t come up with anything else.”
Dimitri’s eyes went wide as Lainie slapped his shoulder, both shouting at the same time, “Adira!”
Dimitri shoved himself away from his sister, standing as he did. “They lured me away from Adira. I have to get back out there.” He could feel his panther shoving at him, wanting to break free and run. He could feel claws punch from his fingers, as fur oozed from his skin. He gritted his teeth, clamping down on the anger his panther felt, the urgency to get to his mate.
“Go. The doc has your sister,” the sheriff urged. “I’ll send Johnson out to Adira’s cabin to check on her.”
“Thanks,” Dimitri said, gripping Lainie’s shoulder and squeezing. “Take care of you. I’ll be back.”
She nodded. “Go protect our girl.”
Our girl. Lainie accepted Adira as Dimitri’s mate. Dimitri squeezed her shoulder one more time, then turned and bolted from the office, his only focus on getting to Adira before Bane and his goons did. He shoved his way through the sheriff’s department, out the door, and to his truck. He crammed the key in the ignition and turned, shoving it into gear as soon as the engine revved. He floored it, as he gripped the steering wheel with white-knuckled fingers. How could he be so stupid? He should have brought her with him. He was foolish for leaving her behind, knowing that the coyote pack was after her. He only hoped her wards would keep her safe until he got there. Then a panic seized him as he realized they never finished setting those last few stones. Bull Creek wasn’t completely safe. Bane could still sneak into the community.
As he hit the accelerator again, turning onto the highway, he slipped his phone from his pocket and punched Josh’s name. A horn blared, as Dimitri almost ran into another vehicle. He swerved, cussing at Josh for not answering the phone. While he appreciated Chet sending his deputy out to Bull Creek, he knew he wouldn’t get there soon enough. Dimitri needed to get his own people out there, his own pack. This wasn’t something for normal law enforcement. This was beyond a normal court of law issue. This was something only shifters could handle. This demanded shifter justice.
“Dimitri?” Josh’s voice sounded in his ear. “What’s up?”
“Get everyone over to Adira’s cabin,” Dimitri snapped into the phone. “Bane’s men attacked Lainie, and we’re pretty sure they’re on their way over to Adira’s cabin now.”
“Damn. On our way, man. We’ll be there.” Then the phone went dead.
Dimitri dropped the cell phone into the passenger seat, as he took the next turn. He needed to get to the cabin. He couldn’t allow anything to hurt her, not his mate, not after he just found her.
When he pulled up to Adira’s cabin, Deputy Johnson was already there, walking up to the front porch from his squad car. Josh, Ezra, and Eve stood on the porch, hands on hips or over their chests. When Josh glanced at Dimitri, his expression held no good news. Dimitri’s panther hissed within him.
Dimitri shoved out of his truck and ran to where Josh and the others waited, almost beating the deputy there. “Adira?” he questioned, as he hit the first step.
Josh shook his head. “She’s not here, and from the looks inside, she didn’t leave willingly.” He gestured inside the cabin with a tilt of his head. “Place looks to have been ransacked just for the fun of it.”
Dimitri felt the panther pushing out of his skin, and he clamped down tighter on his control. He had to wait just a little longer.
Ezra stood off to the side on the porch. “One plus is that we didn’t find blood,” he said in his deep voice. “I don’t think they hurt her. I think they just wanted her, so there’s still time to find her and get her back.”
Dimitri nodded. “And make whoever took her pay for their insolence.”
“That goes without saying,” Josh said.
“And without hearing,” Deputy Johnson said. “What I don’t know, I can’t prevent.” He glanced at Dimitri, who nodded his understanding. Chet told the deputy to give them plenty of leeway in this. “I’m going to search around the highway and leave the inner part of Bull Creek to you folks. I’m sure you know it better than I do.”
“Thanks,” Dimitri said. “For everything.”
Deputy Johnson nodded, and then moved back toward his car. However, before he was able to get too far, a dark gray wolf darted out of the woods surrounding the cabin, tongue lolling in its haste. Dimitri recognized the shiny fur of Alanna’s wolf, as she raced toward the porch. Stopping just shy of the others, she lifted her head and howled, prancing backward a couple of steps, a
s she snarled. I have Adira’s scent, she sent to everyone with the power of the shifter mindspeech. It’s mixed with coyote, but I can follow it. She turned and made for the forest’s edge again.
“Let’s go,” Dimitri said, and everyone shifted. Animals moved a lot faster than humans. Two panthers and a bear raced after the wolf, leaving Eve and the deputy behind, watching and hoping everything turned out all right.
Fourteen
Adira’s head throbbed where Augur cracked it with…well, with whatever it was he used to hit her. Adira had no idea what that was, only that it hurt like hell. Then and now. Her eyes fluttered, as she tried to open them, the light in the room stinging. She could hear voices off to the side—Bane and Augur—discussing what to do with Dimitri when he arrived to rescue her. She struggled against her bonds, pressing against the ropes that held her in place. She couldn’t allow Bane to use her to hurt Dimitri. She wouldn’t allow it.
She tried to twist her hands, so she could use her power to get out of her bindings, but the coyote pack was smarter than she gave them credit, and bound her wrists so that she couldn’t move her fingers. She grinned, as she glanced off to the side where they stood, Bane conversing with Augur, while two others sat at a table in the corner playing cards or something. Not one of them seemed concerned with the woman bound to the chair. They were so naïve. So stupid. It would cost them in the end.
She took a deep breath as she closed her eyes. With her inner core, she reached out to her surroundings, called to the earth around the building in which they held her captive, reached for the wind as it brushed through the trees, pulled in the power of the nearby stream that weaved through Bull Creek. She called to the energy from every life source around her, filling her own reservoir of power. When she opened her eyes, she could feel the power thrumming within her, filling her, ready to explode. She bit her inner cheek, tamping down the power, holding it at bay until she needed to unleash it. With another deep breath, she opened her eyes and stared at the men who sat off to the side.
