by Lauren Dane
That wasn’t going to happen because strength didn’t necessarily have to come from size.
That’s what pushed past the fear. No one was going to treat her that way, least of all him.
“Get off! I’m warning you, Darrell Pembry, back your dumb ass right on up. Now!” Katie Faith kept her tone sharp, not letting any of her fear show through.
“Or what?” He sneered, his face just inches from hers. Aimee was now pulling on his belt loop to get him away from Katie Faith but he was six and a half feet of solid muscle, he wasn’t moving anywhere. Not like that.
He knew it.
Before she could think about it, Katie Faith pulled her power up through the soil at her feet. Soil her people had nurtured and fed for generations now. Magic unraveled within her with sweet and seductive strength. It welcomed her back and offered itself up to her.
She hadn’t even taken a breath after her last warning to get off her. Time snapped back into place as Katie Faith grabbed all that power with sure hands. With a whip of intention, she knocked him back and off the curb, stumbling a few feet and onto his ass.
The noise from the sidewalk and from inside the café all died away as people gaped at Darrell Pembry picking his sorry butt up off the pavement.
Wow, well wasn’t that a surprise? Where had that come from?
Darrell’s face darkened as he stalked back toward her. Fear filtered past her amusement and wonder at her burst of power.
“You bitch,” he snarled, his wolf leaking through the words. His eyes were not human.
“I don’t believe you were raised to speak to a woman that way.” John Joseph Dooley strolled out of Salt and Pepper and right between Darrell and Katie Faith. JJ may have been in his eighties, but no one in their right mind would tangle with him and though Darrell was a fool, he wasn’t that big a fool. He broke eye contact and took a step back.
Briefly.
“She used her magic on me,” Darrell said.
“Self defense,” Aimee said. “I called the cops.”
Which was evident as Katie Faith watched Jace unfold himself from the front seat of his truck and stalk over.
He was so angry it flowed from him like a furnace blast of heat.
“What happened?” he asked not JJ, but Katie Faith.
“She used her magic to assault me,” Darrell called out.
“You shut the hell up, Pembry. I didn’t ask you,” Jace snarled.
“Way I saw it, you deserved all that and more,” JJ said. “I’m sure most of the folks out here right now will tell you the same thing. You went too far, boy. Don’t make it worse by lying now.”
“Like I care what a Dooley has to say.” Darrell sneered at the men and then looked around them toward Katie Faith. “This isn’t over. You broke the law.”
“I did not! You shoved me against a wall. I defended myself.” Katie Faith shook herself free and moved around Jace. Not surprisingly, he reached out and touched her arm, looking toward her briefly with concern.
“We’ll see what the mayor’s office has to say about this.” Darrell shrugged.
JJ shook his head, chuckling, but there wasn’t a lot of humor there. “Are you stupid as well as foolish, Darrell? Get on out of here. Next time you try to scare a woman with your size, you best pick one that’s not got enough magic to knock your butt out into the street.”
“No. He doesn’t leave yet.” Jace turned slightly, never taking his attention from Darrell even as he spoke to Katie Faith. “Do you want to press charges? He threatened you? Did he hurt you?”
“I made my point,” Katie Faith told him loud enough for Darrell to hear. “He doesn’t mean anything to me now. I just want to be left alone.”
“All right. If you’re sure.” Jace nearly growled it and that’s when Aimee’s father showed up.
Thank goodness because Katie Faith figured they were just a skosh away from a full on street brawl.
* * *
“We saw the whole thing, Carl.” JJ spoke calmly, firmly taking over. They’d been at the police station for less than an hour but Jace wanted them all to finish up so he could get Katie Faith home.
Jace hoped some of his anger would wear off by the time they were ready to leave the police station.
“Darrell Pembry blocked the way. He started talking to Katie Faith and Aimee. They tried to walk around him and he pushed her against that wall just next to the front door. I’d called Jace by that point because I had a feeling it was only going to get worse. But when he shoved Katie Faith, me and half the restaurant got up to rush outside to stop it. Can’t abide a man using his hands on a woman. Turns out, that little lady’s got a kick bigger’n most full grown wolves.” His cackle made Jace smile even though he hadn’t planned to. “Knocked his ass right out into the street.”
Katie Faith had been magnificent. Strong. Full of fury and power. However, she was also his. Agitation rushed through him again, filling him with rage anew at the thought of Darrell Pembry attempting to harm her.
JJ continued, “She used her magic, Carl. And yes, she knocked him back. Been a long time since I’ve seen that much raw power in a woman her age. But he was askin’ for it and it was self-defense. You know as well as I do that you’ll have twenty people all telling you the same thing. It ain’t right to have her in a cell.” JJ frowned.
Katie Faith and Aimee were currently hanging out in Carl’s office, as far from a cell as could be. Hell, they’d probably ordered takeout while they waited.
Carl groaned, waving a hand at JJ’s theatrics. “She’s not in a cell. What do you take me for, JJ? I’m not charging her. I wanted to take statements and go from there. This is complicated business, as you well know. So I want to handle it right. By the book. I was convinced it was self-defense before I started talking to everyone and hearing pretty much the exact same story from a passel of people only underlines that.”
In other words, the mayor was going to try to get his son out of the fire by tossing Katie Faith in his stead. Carl was going to protect her, which allowed Jace to relax just a smidge.
The cop part anyway. The wolf part would handle this business in his own way. And it would be handled.
One of Carl’s deputies poked a head into the interview room. “Mayor’s here.”
Jace snorted and his grandfather squeezed his arm, hard.
“‘’Course he is. ’Cause this day ain’t been bad enough.” Carl shoved a hand through his hair but before he could leave the room, Dwayne barged in.
“Mind telling me what the Sam hell is going on? I hear tell a witch used her power to harm my son,” Dwayne yelled.
Carl didn’t rise to the bait. Guardian witches had dealt with off-the-handle werewolves enough over the generations to know not to engage in this hysteria. “Sit down, Dwayne.” He indicated a chair. “You really think little old wisp of a girl, Katie Faith Grady just happened to up and juice your son for no reason? You think all nearly seven feet of him didn’t deserve it?”
Dwayne’s jaw locked a moment but his spine soon lost tension. “Tell me.”
Carl nodded, satisfied. “Boy shoved her against a wall. Wouldn’t let her go. She knocked him on his behind. There were plenty of witnesses of all persuasions who back up her story. Even Darrell himself admits he was intimidating her. ’’Course, he’s saying he was merely walking by and she unloaded on him because she wants him back or somesuch. But we both know that’s not true.”
Dwayne sighed. “She got that much power in her?”
“Girl didn’t even touch him with her hands, Dwayne. I felt the rush of electricity from inside Salt and Pepper.” JJ looked smug and Jace, though proud of Katie Faith, worried at the expression.
“Damn.”
JJ chuckled. “All that power coulda been yours. But it isn’t because your boy couldn’t keep
his peter in his pants.”
Politics. Jace groaned inwardly.
“You think, ’cause she’s back in town, that she’s gonna hitch her wagon to a Dooley? Darrell isn’t the only Pembry male in town,” Dwayne said. “Girl might be flighty, but she’s got some taste.”
Jace interrupted with a growl. “You’d best keep your tone respectful, mayor. Katie Faith Grady isn’t some whore for your wolves to rut on.” And if he couldn’t, he’d find a fist in his face.
JJ eyed his grandson but Jace ignored it.
“She’s in our territory. Ours to protect. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can just waltz in and grab her up to strengthen your house.” JJ stood and Jace followed. “If we’re done here, Carl, we’re going to leave.”
“Go on then.” Carl shooed them out with a motion of his hand. Jace saw the twinkle in his grandpa’s eyes and the answering set of the jaw on Dwayne’s face.
This was not good.
And neither was the commotion out at the main desk.
“Is my daughter in there? You’d best get her on out here right this minute, Connie.” Nadine Grady stood at the front window of the police station, arms crossed over her chest, looking every inch the guardian she was.
“Miz Grady, she’s not being arrested. They just wanted to hold her until they questioned people. Let me call back and see what’s going on.” Connie smiled and grabbed the phone, all the while not taking her eye off Katie Faith’s enraged momma.
Her momma who then said, “I’m gonna knock the pee-whining shit outta someone if they don’t get my girl out here right now.”
“Well howdy-do, Nadine.” JJ approached Nadine with his arms open and there was nothing she could do but give him a hug.
Jace always did admire his grandfather’s balls.
“Do you know what happened? TeeFay called me to say Darrell and Katie Faith got into it outside Salt and Pepper and she used her magic on him. She’s on her way over, too, Connie. I don’t think you want me and TeeFay out here on your behind,” she called out around JJ’s body.
Connie snickered. “She’s on her way out, Miz Grady. Sheriff says to be nice and that he’ll tell your daddy if you don’t behave. Personally? I think Katie Faith shoulda fried his hair off too. Darrell Pembry thinks the sun rises just to hear him crow. Needs to be set back a few notches.”
Nadine smiled all pretty-like at Connie and Jace knew where Katie Faith got her mettle. Nadine had been through a lot over the past weeks and Jace sure as heck knew he wasn’t gonna let the Pembrys hurt Katie Faith and her family. She was his and that meant her people were his too. That’s who wolves were. Poor Katie Faith was never gonna see what hit her, but a Dooley man set his sights on her and there was no way she had a chance in the face of just how much Jace wanted her.
He smiled, both at the thought and the sight of Katie Faith and Aimee coming out front. It took everything he had not to step in and hug her. But he knew she needed to go to her momma first. It was enough when her eyes sought him out immediately.
They murmured back and forth as Jace and JJ both moved close. TeeFay came through the doors at full speed, her purse swinging as she stalked toward them. Lesser men would have run. TeeFay was a guardian through and through, much like Aimee, he supposed. But where Aimee’s protective tendencies ran toward social work, TeeFay had been a cop in Diablo Lake for ten years before she had kids and now taught self-defense courses at rural schools.
TeeFay looked her daughter up and down and once she was satisfied Aimee was in one piece she looked over at Connie once more. “Where’s Carl? I got something to say to him.”
“He had to do his job, Momma,” Aimee said. “It’s fine. He had them bring in donut holes and decaf for goodness sake,” she added in an undertone.
Just then Carl came out with Dwayne and when he saw his wife he groaned. “Trula Faye, I was just doing my job.”
“You put our daughter and our goddaughter in jail, Carl! You know as well as Mayor Hot Air there that Darrell deserved whatever he got.”
Dwayne opened and closed his mouth a few times but in the end, he gave up and shook his head.
“Way I hear it, Carl, it’s Darrell who needs to be in a cell. Or don’t you get in trouble for assault if you’re the mayor’s son?” Nadine glared toward Dwayne for a moment and Jace almost felt sorry for the guy. “Why isn’t he?”
“He’s back there being questioned right now. Katie Faith says she doesn’t want to press charges.” Carl told his wife this, Jace was certain, to underline the politics of the situation and also to calm her down.
“Why would you do that, Katie Faith?” Nadine demanded of her daughter. “He hurt you. He should be in jail for that. Or at the very least, how about I get to hurt him right back? I know I’d feel better.”
Katie Faith exhaled sharply. “It’s dealt with. I’m sure he got the message and he’ll leave me alone. If this goes any further I’ll have to deal with him even more. Daddy is still recovering. I don’t want this to stress him out any more than it probably has already.” She looked miserable and worried and Jace didn’t even think, he just put an arm around her and she leaned into him.
Carl’s eyes went to them and one brow rose. “You sure about that, Katie Faith?”
She looked up to Jace’s face and he smiled at her, torn between his need to comfort and protect her. He highly doubted Darrell would take what happened that night lightly, but she was right that Avery had had enough.
“Yes. I’m sure,” Katie Faith told Carl.
“I want it on record, Carl Benton, that Darrell has threatened my daughter. Next time...” Nadine glared at Dwayne, “...next time he won’t be so lucky. Rose Collins will be working with Katie Faith to hone her skill and manage her power better. You best tell the boy to keep away from her or he’ll not only have Katie Faith to deal with, but every other witch in this town.” She bristled and the metallic energy he always picked up from guardians pulsated from her.
“Now, Nadine, my boy messed up but you have no call to be threatening him.” Dwayne put his hands up to try and calm her down.
The head whip Nadine gave Dwayne had Jace taking an involuntary step back. Dang that woman was terrifying.
Nadine’s gaze narrowed as she curled her hip. “No call?” There was magic in the words. Power. Enough to make clear to the Patron of the Pembry wolves she was not to be trifled with and neither was her child.
Katie Faith made no move to stop her mother, which is what kept Jace at her side. As much as he hated the politics of it, Jace understood certain lessons had to be underlined. It was witches that kept the wild magic shifters used anchored and stable. Wolves and cats had teeth and claw, but witches had the kind of control to harness their magic no others did.
Darrell and Dwayne forgot that, Jace knew because he did sometimes as well.
Nadine meant to remind them.
Dwayne made to respond but Nadine held a hand up to stay his words. “That was a rhetorical question meant to convey to you how ridiculous your statement was.” Her tone was so patronizing and sharp it had Dwayne ducking his head slightly. “I’m not one of your wolves, so you be quiet because I’m still talking. No call, my fanny. The boy shamed her, cheated on her, dumped her at the altar and then three years later he threatened her on a public sidewalk. Assaulted her. Is that how you’re raising Pembrys these days? Excellent job if you’re working on raising up sacks of poop. As for my statement? I said it and I mean it. You cross my daughter again and you’ll find out just what there’s a call for.” Nadine glared at the mayor.
“Not only the witches, but the Dooleys too. Girl lives on my land, surrounded by our wolves. She’s ours.” JJ’s energy rose and filled the room, Dwayne’s rose to match.
Jace looked to Carl, who rolled his eyes.
“Y’all need to quit it right now.” Katie Fai
th stood tall. “I said my piece and made it clear. I don’t live in anyone’s territory.” She looked at JJ, who didn’t appear worried. “Nor do I need to be defended. It was a stupid thing brought on by a big giant ego. It’s over and I’m leavin’.” With that, she turned and stalked out and Jace strolled out after her. What a witchy badass she was.
“Need a ride somewhere?” he called out. She jiggled so nicely when she was moving fast and worked up.
“I need a ride anywhere but here. You going there?” she said over her shoulder as she kept walking.
He knew he could grin as long as her back was turned. “If you’re there too, you bet I am.” He held his hand out and she took it.
Chapter Eight
He led her to his truck, opening up and helping her in, though she didn’t need the help. She took it anyway, liking the way he touched her. Moments later he got in on the other side and there she was, in a very small space with a man she’d been sort of crazy over for a long time. They’d been doing this hot for you dance for the last month and though the situation was serious, she let herself savor that bit of magic between them.
“I should go see my dad. Let him know I’m all right,” she mumbled. “He’s going to be all agitated by this mess.”
He took her hand after he’d pulled away from the curb. “I can take you there right now, if you like.”
She paused, looking at him. “You’re being very nice to me, Jace. Thank you.” She knew his impulse would be to defend and protect her. Knew, too, that he reined it in for her because that’s what she’d needed at the time. It had been a big deal that he hadn’t punched Darrell’s lights out. She knew how much it must have taken to let her handle things instead of taking over.
“Are you all right?” he asked quietly.
“Yes. No. I don’t know. Part of me likes that I sent Darrell’s ass flying a few feet. I made my point. Another part of me feels like a jerk for making my daddy upset. My momma was taking names and kicking ass in there.” She chuckled.
