by Lauren Dane
Her men smiled and helped her from bed. This time the sponge bath came from Galen and she had no complaints either way.
Galen ran long and hard, working the kill from his system. Somewhere behind him lay their house, on their street, their garden and his woman. His woman watched over by his man.
The threat to her had been removed. This pleased man and cat immensely. No one would miss the piece of shit who’d erected a fucking shrine to Renee in his boarding house. Pictures of her on the walls, spells Galen had packed away and would pass on to Rosemary. This man had Galen’s wife’s name on his lips, wanted to steal her life to make himself stronger, and Galen would not allow it.
When he reached his parents’ house, he went inside and cleaned up. No one spoke of what had happened and no one ever would again. Their business with this mage was finished, any further actions by men like the one they’d just dealt with would end up exactly the same. It would now be up to them to impress the point the only way the mages would listen. By repeating it until they learned.
On his way to the front door via the kitchen, he bumped into his brother. Max nodded, satisfied with their work and now on his way to find a woman. Max would work out his energy in bed as would Galen now that he’d run off the excess, sloughed off the parts of his energy that were too dark to ever bare in Renee’s presence.
“Do you want me to drop you back home?” his father asked from his place at the breakfast nook.
“Yes, please.” Galen took the thick sandwich his mother handed his way and devoured it in four bites.
“I expect to see you three this Sunday. Your mother worries about Renee.” His father navigated the streets with the ease of a man who’d lived in Boston his entire life.
“Ah, Mami worries about Renee.” Galen didn’t bother hiding his grin.
“Your little witch has stolen my heart, what can I say? She’s small and fragile. You protect her well. My worry isn’t about that. Her father, bah!” Galen’s father went off on a string of half-English, half-Spanish insults for a full three minutes before he returned his attention to Galen. “I’m her papi now. I want her to know that.”
Poet yes, a warrior poet. Galen couldn’t imagine a finer man, a finer example than the one he had. Of everyone in his family, it had been his father who’d seen Renee truly, right from the start.
“I’ll tell her, but she knows already anyway.”
They pulled to the curb. “Can’t hear you’re loved enough. That girl deserves it. I imagine we’ll be making a trip to meet with whoever it was that sent this bastard.”
“Yes. Renee will balk. Give me some time to work with Rosemary and Jack on it.”
“She’s got a good heart. But she’s not stupid, Galen. Your little witch would kill to protect those she loves, she’ll understand.”
He looked at his father and nodded.
The wolf guard stationed at the end of the block sent a tip of his chin to Galen as he unlocked the front door and re-locked behind himself. He knew that just because the threat of this one particular mage had been erased, that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be more. There would.
He turned the security back on as he headed up the stairs.
Rosemary and Kendra sat with Renee on the couch, laughing, looking so much like one another it still caught him by surprise. They’d simply been there, every day, and Renee had come alive in a completely new way as she’d learned more about her power and how to use it.
She looked up and grinned at the sight of him. “Hi there. We’re about ten minutes from dinner. Jack is in the office.”
He bent to kiss her. Between her magic and time, she looked far better than she had just two days before. One hand was free of the splint, which made her very happy because she could manage her own baths, though he and Jack were quite content to do that work themselves.
She got up and followed him down the hall to the office he shared with Jack. He’d decided on the way over to have the unfinished bottom floor renovated. It would give them more space. Eventually there’d be babies and they’d need the room.
“It’s done. We found some evidence of who sent him and we’ll be needing to pay him a visit,” he said to Jack, who nodded gravely. He turned to Renee. “You’re safe for now. He’s no longer a threat.”
She swallowed hard and he figured she was working up an argument. Instead she simply nodded. “Thank you.”
While she was being so agreeable, he may as well get it all out on the table. “Jack and I have taken a two-year lease on the empty space in my building. It’s ready to go when you are. We had it painted two days ago and the lettering has been put on the door.”
Her eyebrows flew up and her jaw clicked as she locked it.
He did his best to harden his features. “Don’t think of arguing. You can’t have your old space, and I’m sorry for that. You couldn’t afford to do two years all at once and we could. So we did. I used the money Susan had to pay you so don’t start. It’s safe, guarded by my people. This is the best option and you know it.”
“What I know is that you two can’t just do things without consulting me! I won’t be managed, Galen.”
“I’m not managing you, dumbass, I’m making you safer. It’s your business and now you can do it in the safest place possible. And now I can invite you up to my office and fuck you on my desk. You know how much I love that.”
She threw her hands up with a snort.
“We’re your men. It’s our job to be sure you’re safe and to make you happy. We’re not forcing you to quit and stay home where you’d be way safer.” Jack probably got loads of ass with that smile, hell, it made Galen hard just looking at him. But Renee wasn’t so easy.
“You’re paying my way! This just makes what they say about me true. You know how much it means to me to make my own way.”
“I really fucking hate your sister, Galen.”
At the moment, Galen couldn’t agree with Jack more. Beth had been avoiding him, but he’d confront her eventually.
“You! Get that look off your face, Galen. I will deal with Beth.” She growled and stormed from the room, heading into her work room and coming back shortly, holding a checkbook.
“I’ll be paying you rent then. You’ll need to let me know the monthly amount. I’m sorry I can’t give it all to you at once but I just don’t have it.”
“For fuck’s sake, Renee. I make a ridiculous amount of money, why can’t I just help you? I’m not a bank. I don’t expect you to pay me back. This is our money. What’s mine is yours. By human law and the law of the jamboree.”
Jack coughed and then gave over to a full laugh. “Laugh while you can, dog boy,” he grumbled.
“He’s right.” She spun, turning her attention to Jack, and Galen sent a triumphant smile over her shoulder. “How long have you two been up to this? And don’t even think about lying to me.”
“Since the afternoon you got thrown out of your own place of business by your crazy and possibly criminal stepmother. We needed to know you’d be safe. You can’t possibly complain about having a bigger place, a safer one. You’re like magical catnip, Renee! These fucked-up asshole mages are going to keep sniffing around. You’re in the best possible place.”
“Oh you, shut up. I’m not complaining about being safe or even having a lovely space for my shop. These are good things and things I’d have loved to discuss with you, had I been consulted in something regarding my own life for a change. Are you both deliberately ignoring the real reason I’m annoyed?”
“The check from Susan covered the last five months of your lease payment and a penalty for breaking the lease. That’ll cover the first four months of the lease. Save your money right now so you can be sure you’re stocked.”
Jack rumbled his disagreement. “No. Damn it, Renee, let us do this for you. It’s nothing to us.”
Still, he took a breath, risked his life and waded in between them. “What Jack means is the money is not a problem for us. Of course we both understand this is important to you, your independence and your business. We respect that.”
“Oh, uh, yeah, that.” Jack sent a grateful look to Galen. He’d collect on that later, with Renee in between them.
“Hmpf.” She turned and began to walk from the room only to stop at the doorway and turn. “Thank you.”
As if he wouldn’t walk through the fires of hell for her.
“I love you, babe.”
Chapter Fifteen
Renee looked up in time to catch sight of Galen stalking through the lobby, toward her. Everything in her body sped at the sight, and then she had to grab the counter when Jack caught up and the two, side by side, moved to her.
They’d been gone three days while she stayed with Grace and Cade. It had been stupid, she’d have preferred to stay in her own house with her own things, but of course, no one really cared what she wanted, not when it came to her safety. Secretly, not that she’d admit it out loud, she found it achingly tender and sexy that they went out of their way to protect her.
She raised a hand, her senses caught up in them, their scents rolling through her, the sight of those eyes, the flex of masculine muscle sending her into her very happy place.
“Close to closing time?” Jack asked, his gaze on her intent. She managed to look up and down his body. It made her breathless to look at him.
“Ten minutes. I was just cleaning up.”
Galen walked around her counter and swept her into a hug. She breathed in deep, letting him slide into her system again, settling her jangled nerves.
“I missed you so much.”
“We missed you too. Clean up. Jack’s going to wait here and I’m going to run upstairs a moment. We’ll all go home and take the phone off the hook.” The smile Galen sent her promised all the best sort of sweaty, sticky loving.
“Now it’s my turn.” Jack’s hug was different than Galen’s, though no less affecting. The raw energy he gave off filled her as much as his scent. Her need for them both staggered her. “I have this need inside only you can fill up. Galen and I can touch each other, love each other, but you’re essential in a way I’d be scared of if I didn’t trust you to take care of it.”
“I’ll always take care of it.” She held his face in her hands, his heart in hers.
“I know. Soon I hope, because it’s painful to walk at this point.” His wink made her laugh.
“You’re the one who came in here all sexy and hot and stuff. Stand back and let me finish cleaning up.” She laughed, wiping down her counters, shutting things down, putting the juices away. By the time she finished, Galen had come back and the three of them nearly ran back home.
“The mage knows that if he sets foot in Cascadia or de La Vega territory he will die begging for mercy and getting none.” Galen hustled her toward their bedroom.
“I’m safe?”
“For now. They’ll find you, others will. You’re metaphysical candy to them, they will find you.” Jack pulled his shirt off one handed.
“Rosemary is helping a lot. Kendra is moving here to Boston.” This made her happy, the happiest she’d been her whole life. Her men, their life, her aunt and her sister, Jack’s pack had accepted her and things within the jamboree had eased once she simply remembered it was better to celebrate all the people who did love her instead of mourning those who didn’t.
She would be a powerful witch. She had it within her heart, within her capabilities. She trained every single day and would continue to do so. Kendra already had a job offer at a local private school. She’d set up in Jack’s old apartment and found the neighborhood suited her well. Rosemary would spend time in Boston every month as she traveled back and forth between coasts.
Four hands and two mouths roamed over her body as her clothes disappeared. Their connection glittered between them, no sharp edges, just curves and paths they all could follow. It wasn’t easy sometimes, these two overbearing men who wanted to protect her from every hurt. They struggled, tussled over things nearly every day. If she didn’t keep her guard up and not let them get away with too much, they’d steamroll her, not to harm, but to protect. It was infuriatingly comforting.
For years she’d been empty and apart from others and then Galen had landed in her life like the gift he was. He’d healed her broken parts, had brought her out of her shell and made her believe in herself. And just when she thought her life was as perfect as it could be, Jack stumbled in.
Magic was real. She felt it rushing through her veins as it was her birthright. But she felt it each time she touched Galen or kissed Jack. Experienced it when she turned the corner and watched them kiss or touch. Knew it when they flipped the stereo on and didn’t complain when KC and the Sunshine Band began to play.
There were paths yet unforged, territory she knew she had to explore and conquer. She’d find the truth of her past. She’d do it and succeed because she was blessed in matters of the heart, blessed with two warriors at her side and their extended family who’d taken her in too.
Magic worked in ways she knew she’d never understand fully. But it was made flesh and bone right here in her bed, in her heart, and that’s what meant the most.
Epilogue
As she dropped into sleep, she remembered to tell Jack and Galen that Rosemary had worked a spell on her earlier that may help with her memory. They’d tried a few others but this one had come from an old friend of her aunt’s.
If it worked while she slept, it would most likely mean the memory loss was worked through dark magicks, much like the stuff she’d dealt with during the attack. A great deal of her hoped it didn’t work.
She played out in the backyard with Peaches, their mutt of a terrier mix. The tire swing her mother had put up for her just a few weeks before was perfect. Renee loved the way her hair flew all around as she toed herself up higher and higher.
A woman came outside with her father. Immediately Renee didn’t like her. This woman looked at her dad wrong. Not like her mom did, her mom tried not to look at him very much and it made Renee sad.
Her mother had drawn little curlicues into her skin with pretty-smelling oil. She’d told Renee it would protect her, even as she’d urged her not to show her gifts in front of her father, ever.
She didn’t say anything because she shouldn’t speak unless she was told to. Her father liked children when they were seen and not heard. She was glad her mom didn’t think that.
“Just do it already. The cops will be here shortly.” Her father barked it at the other woman, who frowned.
She turned—the woman—and while speaking, she flicked a hand in Renee’s direction. She was knocked off the tire swing. Renee stood, dusting herself off and wondering what she’d done to lose her seat that way.
“What the hell?” The woman glared and looked at Renee closer before turning back to her father. “Change of plans. Your stupid witch wrote spells into her skin, into her muscle and bone. There’s years’ worth of magick here. She’s probably got more stored from that than her natural gifts. This one would taste a lot sweeter than her mother.”
“Just put a pillow over her face then, if you can’t do it with your power. Let’s be done.”
“This little rug rat will give me enough power for years and years to come. When she’s older it might be possible to unravel the protections to take all that stored magick. Like sucking marrow from bones.” The woman stood. “If you kill her in your way, the cops will find her and wonder how it is that a child dies the same day as her mother.”
Renee’s heart beat
fast. She tried not to cry but she was scared. “Mommy’s dead?”
“Yes, kid.” The woman looked back to Renee’s father. “We’ll have to adjust her head a little bit. Memories can be fixed.”
Renee sat up on a strangled gasp of emotional pain. Her father? Susan? That fucking bitch had been around that long? Why?
* * * * *
Read on for a sneak peek of the next book in the DE LA VEGA CATS series
REVELATION by Lauren Dane
Available Fall 2017
Revelation
by Lauren Dane
Chapter One
Kendra sat up in her bed on a strangled gasp, her hand outflung to ward off the danger she’d dreamed of. Before she could shake off sleep enough to call Renee to check on her sister, her phone rang.
She scrambled to grab it as the dream wore off and set her free.
“Yes? What’s happening?”
“Kendra, can you come over please?”
Kendra shoved her hair from her eyes, getting out of bed and yanking pants on. “Jack?” she asked, recognizing her brother-in-law’s voice. “What’s going on?”
“Renee’s had a dream. She’s upset and she won’t talk about it without you.”
“Give me a few minutes. I’m on my way.”
“Max is on his way to your apartment right now. I’d send one of my men, but he’s closer and obviously capable of protecting you. Don’t leave until you know it’s him.”
“I don’t need an escort,” she managed to say as she pulled on her bra and then a shirt. Max. A delicious warmth pushed away some of her panic. Still, it wasn’t time for adolescent mooning over a boy she could never have. “I’ll be there in five minutes.”
“Kendra, your sister will kill me if something happens to you because you were attacked.” Jack’s voice lost some of its bite. “She’s safe now. I know you’re worried. Just sit tight. Please?”
