by Lauren Dane
They seemed to be well matched, though she worried for Mary and everyone else. Things happened so fast all around her, shouts, lights, the stench of burning flesh and blood. Her cat pushed forward, relishing the sights and sounds of battle.
And then something hard and heavy struck the back of her head, the world exploding in vibrant color for moments until things faded, and she hit the cold, wet ground.
Chapter Sixteen
She knew she was alive because she hurt too much to be otherwise. She got to her knees in time to see Max running toward her at full speed. He blurred a moment and caught her up into his arms as he shifted back to his human form.
“Are you all right?” One handed, he felt around and she found enough energy to be amused. Just a tiny bit.
“Put me down. This isn’t over.”
Mary came over. “It is for now, sweetheart. Susan got away, I’m sorry to say. She’s the one who hit you. But we still have your father and the clan witches just arrived.”
Max set her gently back on her feet as two very businesslike witches approached. Mary indicated the newcomers. “Kendra and Max, these are the hunters I spoke of, from the Rodas Clan down in Providence.”
She reeled at the news of her stepmother escaping, but had to keep her shit together yet one more time. Max squeezed an arm around her.
A tall, broad witch with pale blond hair blowing around his face stood forward. “I’m Callahan Peters. You can call me Cal. And this is Miles Dolan.” He pointed to the man next to him, this one with close-shaven dark hair and wary brown eyes.
“I’m Kendra de La Vega and this is my husband Max. Thank you for coming to help.”
“I’m sorry Susan Tolliver got away. We’ve been looking for her for years, and I can’t believe she was here in Boston all this time. But we have her accomplice. Your father, I hear?”
Another man approached. This one hummed with power and Kendra knew he was far more powerful than the other two.
“I am Arel Haas, the Hunter of the Rodas Clan.” He shook Max’s hand first, the two men never taking their eyes from the other. Some sort of dominance crap, she assumed, waiting not so patiently for it to be over. Finally he turned to Kendra and shook her hand, speaking to both of them. “Please accept our apologies for not arriving sooner. With your permission, we’ll take your father and the two remaining mages to see what we can find out.”
“Take them where?” Her voice sounded rusty, but she was regaining feeling in her fingers and the cuts all began to heal. They were magical wounds and would take longer to heal, even with her shifter boost, than a normal injury would.
Max held her closer. “My wife is bleeding. Her aunt has an arm that may be broken and my people have been injured. We’re standing in the middle of a public park out in the open, so perhaps now might be a time for you to tell us where you’re taking this trash and why we should let you.”
Arel raised an eyebrow but nodded before he spoke again. “We have facilities where we can hold them without a chance of escape. And if they won’t cooperate, we have…techniques to extract information if they fail to be forthcoming. You’re not equipped to handle this here. You must know that. But we do and we’re happy to share what we find. I know these people murdered your mother, and we’ve been told they attempted to drain one of you and have been attacking other witches in the area. This makes them an enemy to all witchkind and my job to deal with.”
Mary had joined them and spoke up. “He’s telling the truth. I’ve spoken with Sadira Rodas and I’ve followed her career over the years. She runs a tight ship in Providence and I believe they are far better able to handle this than we are. We can’t hold them, Kendra. Not without keeping them so drugged we’d be unable to get any information from them.”
“Sadira would like me to let you know how much she’d enjoy meeting you and working with you in the future. I give you our word to share everything we gain from these people. You are free to come down now if you’d like to watch us work. Or come tomorrow. Whichever you prefer.” With a flourish, Arel handed business cards to them.
Kendra nodded. “All right then. Yes.”
Arel motioned to Cal and Miles, and the remaining mages, including her unconscious father, were whisked away and into a van parked just outside the park entrance.
“She’s not coming tonight. She needs rest.” Mary looked her over and shook her head.
Max hummed his agreement. Jack and Galen were busy fussing over Renee, who allowed it. Kendra didn’t blame her sister, heaven knew how much she wanted to simply let Max drive her home so she could throw up a few times and pass out.
Cal returned to them. “You’ll feel ill for some time from drawing the magic into yourself. But your body knows what to do and you’ll expel it within a few hours.”
“That sounds pleasant.”
Cal laughed. “Well, I’ve done it a few hundred times by this point. It’s not what I’d call fun, but I’m not a shifter either. Your ability to heal yourself should be greater because of that.”
“I will be in contact with you first thing.” Arel bowed slightly toward them. “Sadira would very much like to meet you and speak about this mess. The situation is fluid, changing very quickly and not always for the best.”
“All right. We’ll speak to you then. I’m getting Kendra home. I’d take her to the hospital but she’d refuse to get out of the car. But I know for damned sure I don’t want her standing out here another moment. If you’re lying, I’ll find you. You have my word on that, witch.” Max narrowed his eyes at Arel.
A glimmer of a smile caught Arel’s lips for a moment and skirted away. “I’d expect nothing less.”
And with that he was gone.
Max picked her up and she didn’t complain as he marched to his car. His car that had appeared at the park, already running, her seat heater was even on. Galen assisted Mary while Gibson helped Rosemary load into their car. Renee would see to it that their aunt was taken care of, so Kendra let go of that particular worry.
“Have someone drive their aunt and Mary home, Gibson. Make sure they have what they need. And I want a guard on each of them.”
Gibson rubbed his face along her jaw and the scent of her cats soothed her belly. “You did great out here tonight. I’ll get guards on them right away. Akio has assigned some of Jack’s wolves too. Don’t worry about them, they’ll be safe. Now you go home and get yourself better. I’m going to check on you first thing.”
Max hugged his brother briefly before relaying more instructions. Finally he slid into the seat beside her and without another word, shot off toward home.
Max winced as the sounds of his wife throwing up, yet again, reached him. He paced, forcing himself to not go to her. She’d warned him the last time that she’d kill him if he didn’t leave her the hell alone while she vomited. From the look in her eyes, he believed that threat.
His cat was agitated. The scent of the wrong magic she’d drawn into herself hung in the air, acrid and stale.
She stumbled from the bathroom and back into bed where he’d tucked her after a hot shower.
“I think I’m done.” She burrowed down beneath her blankets and he settled in behind her, his arms around her body, giving her warmth and, he hoped, comfort. God knew he needed some of his own after the day they’d had.
His brother was a traitor and a group of witches had tried to kill his wife. He’d been there when bloody strips were torn into her skin. Had been there when magic had sent her to her knees.
He’d killed that night. It wasn’t the first time, but it was close. Killing was rare for their people. He didn’t feel guilty. In fact, he wished he’d killed them all for daring to harm Kendra.
Yes, tooth and claw had worked just fine, though he did concede Kendra’s point about it really being a magickal war. This was not a good sign, and he didn’t think they’d seen the last of this mage situation. He’d just have to be ready when they came back at his family.
He wished her father had
at least faked being sorry. If for no other reason than to spare Kendra and Renee any more pain. Barring that, he was very sorry he hadn’t killed Andrew and his bitch of a wife. He hated that she had gotten away. Felt as if he’d failed his woman on that.
“You should have taken more energy from me tonight.” He kissed her shoulder and she snuggled back into him. “I hate that you’re so sick. And I’m sorry Susan got away. I’m sorry your father is what he is.”
“Max, I love you so much.” Her words were drowsy, but the love pouring through their bond was clear and let him know she was on the mend. Earlier, the sickness she’d had to rid herself of had done something to their bond, had narrowed the stream of information and emotion back and forth. That had alarmed him nearly as much as the bloody welts.
“I needed to do it my way. I know how hard it was for you to allow that and I thank you for it. She got away because her people came to her rescue. He’s not important and so they abandoned him. She hit me in the back of my head, and before this is over, I’m going to get some of my own back for that and what she did to my sister and my mother. Using the jamboree and you to get energy to kill without it having been self-defense would have tainted my magick. I did draw from you, from the cats, from the air, the grass, the water, all the people around. But it was me siphoning off their magic that weakened them the most. I need to talk with Mary about it, about how easily their magic came to me. I think it’s because it wasn’t theirs to start with. It made me hella sick, but it weakened them and made me stronger. This is good to know for next time.”
“Next time? Oh, hell no. Kendra.” He broke off into a streak of curse-laced Spanish at how dangerous his wife’s life might be if she hared off on some freaking warpath with these mages. “No next time. You’re mine and I do not give you permission to throw your pretty ass in harm’s way again.”
He caught sight of her quick grin. Her eyes were closed and she lay totally relaxed against him. “God you undo me. You know that? Here I am with a bunch of shape shifters, some witches and my asshole father and two bad-guy witches are in some clan high-security prison of some sort, probably being interrogated at this very moment. It reads like a play, doesn’t it? Or maybe a Tim Burton movie. I won’t do anything that would endanger my cats. And they’re my cats, Max. On top of that scene in the park, we took on your jamboree. It’s my responsibility to protect them. My duty. And I will. I’d never forgive myself if I did something to purposely harm the cats. Even Beth is mine to protect.”
He smiled against her hair. “And you’re mine to protect too.”
“I know. Thank you for that. I’m sorry you had to kill. I’d never want that for you.”
“Don’t be sorry. It’s one less threat to you and he deserved it. It was self-defense and I’d do it again.”
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that my ex-in-laws called my uncle looking for me on the same night that we find my father.”
Max’s stomach churned. “I spoke briefly with Gibson about this while you were in the shower and refusing to let me help.” He paused.
“Carlos?”
“Gibson has had Carlos’s call log from his phone forwarded to his own. There were three quick calls to cell phones. One with an 857 area code, one with 617 and a last with 408.”
“Are you kidding me? What is he doing calling Gilroy?”
“Gibson is on it.” He sighed heavily. If his brother was involved in this, it would be considered treason, and there was only one sentence for treason in jamboree law.
“Gibson is paying Carlos a visit tonight to see what we can find out. Gibson has been in contact with the Hunter and his people from the clan too. They’re getting answers already. Those hunters are hardcore. I like that.”
“Better than putting our heads in the sand and pretending everything is just fine. They’re organized, or they seem so. Powerful without a doubt, which is comforting. I didn’t sense any lies from them. But my senses were messed up from the magic I’d taken in.”
“Arel was telling the truth. Cleanly. I didn’t sense even the tiniest bit of evasion from him at all. He’s strong. My cat was impressed. I don’t like that you might get dragged into something because of them though.”
She turned to face him. “I’m sorry.” She kissed his chest over his heart. “I’m sorry about Carlos. But you know I can’t ignore this. And you don’t want me to. Not really. I promise to leave the expert stuff to the experts, but this is about the survival of my people. Both of them now. I expect my fears about the mages knowing the power of the shifters is moot because of the involvement of your brother. If he’s involved, I should say.”
He sighed. “Carlos is involved. I can feel it to my bones.”
“He has exposed us all. Not just witches, but damn it, if these mages truly understand shifter magicks, they will want to steal it.”
He groaned. “I knew you’d been trying to protect me without me knowing it. Damn it, Kendra. You can’t do this.”
She made that little pffft sound at him, and he found himself caught between annoyance and amusement. He loved that she wanted to protect him. Loved that she’d thought of their cats earlier, had protected them and understood her duty so well. But he didn’t love how fragile she was and how easily harmed.
“I can so.”
“Go to sleep. We have a big day tomorrow and we’re both going to need rest. Gibson will call if there’s an emergency. He wanted me to repeat that to you so you’d rest knowing he’d let us know if anything big developed.”
He didn’t say, but Carlos was with Gibson now. Their father had gone to supervise, urging Max to stay with Kendra. The distance between Max and whatever was going on between his father and brothers would most likely help Max in the future. Father to son, Cesar had asked to be the one to mete out any punishment, should it come to that.
So he let himself go, once her breathing had changed, let himself sleep with her at his side. Safe and his.
Chapter Seventeen
Kendra woke up, sore and feeling a little hungover. Must have been that huge infusion of outside magickal energy and the stuff she’d pulled from the mage. But the cuts in her arms had faded to red lines and her power was back, humming in the pit of her stomach, stoked like a fire, warming her and keeping her focused.
“Why are you getting out of bed?” Max spoke sleepily and she didn’t resist the urge to turn back and take a look at him. Naked, warm and staring at her like he was going to eat her up.
The good way.
“Well, aren’t you delicious?”
“Come over here and taste, just to see.” He slid the sheet back and she saw how ready he was for that.
“Why, hello there, sailor.” She moved back to him, unbuttoning and sliding out of the oversize shirt he’d helped her into the night before.
Touching him brought her back to herself in ways she’d probably never be able to adequately describe. His skin against her lips, against her cheek, the warm, solid muscle against her bare skin, it brought her home every single time.
I didn’t matter that they’d most likely hear terribly sad details about his brother, about her father and that mess, what mattered right then was that he was everything to her.
His taste brought a soft moan from her lips, her hips jutted forward, seeking more contact.
Usually in charge, he let her take over, looking up at her as she rolled on top of him and kissed her way across scratchy cheeks, over jawbone, down his neck, pausing to breathe him in. Her cat stilled, curling up within, even as the woman felt the stir of his cat in response.
“I love to look at you.” She kissed the hollow of his throat, arching back as he slid his palms up her thighs, the tips of his fingers brushed, quite deliberately, against her labia when he cupped her ass.
“Look your fill. I’m all yours.”
She smiled, sitting up. “Forever.”
“And then some, yes.”
A breath and he was inside her, where he belonged.
&nb
sp; The scent of her magick and his built between them as she rose and fell over him, as she took him into her body over and over, building the heat between them until, with his hands all over her, playing the ring and her clit, tugging, squeezing ever so gently, she came.
Moments later, he pressed up, holding her down on him as he followed.
Trying to catch her breath, she used him as her pillow, his cock still inside her while she rested.
“I could have lost you last night,” he said very quietly. “When you were hit, when the mage slammed that bolt into you, my cat took over. Logically I agree with your statement about magick being the best defense against magic. But logic was nowhere near my heart when you stumbled, when the scent of your blood filled the air, and I felt, damn it, I felt you weaken. I would die to save you, you know that. But I’d kill to achieve that too.”
His voice rumbled through his chest, where she rested her head. The beat of his heart was steady and strong.
“I know.” She did. She hadn’t been insulted or angry the night before, she’d understood why he’d done it. “I love you and I love that you’d do anything to protect me. I just wish I hadn’t come into your life when all this drama did. I hate that I’m part of this mess.”
He sat up and she let him move her body however he wanted to. He carried her into the bathroom and began to run the shower.
“Get your ass in there.” He wore his grumpy face, which for some unknown, inexplicable reason delighted her.
“Only if yours is right after mine or I’m going to think you’re mad at me.”
He got in, his body taking up nearly as much space in the stall as his presence did inside her.
“I am mad. Mad that you’d blame yourself for this fuckery. You know it’s not about you at all.”
“Bullshit.” He snorted and she ducked under the spray. “It’s totally about me. My ex and his family, this whole thing with the mages, Carlos. It’s all about me.”
He sighed and soaped her hair, kneading her scalp with strong, talented fingers. “Not so. It’s connected to you, but that doesn’t make it your fault, or even about you in the sense you think it is. Carlos…”
