by India Kells
Asher’s body tensed. “And how can we bridge the two parts again for good?”
“That’s the thing wolf, I don’t know. Until we find what makes the bridge stabilize her magical abilities, there is nothing to be done. Apart from being extra careful. The blast that nearly killed your mother and possibly killed the wolf’s sister may happen again. There is a real risk.”
On the witch-cat words, Asher felt Valeria slowly inch away from him. Just before she could move out of reach, he circled her wrist. “Don’t even think about it.”
“Asher, if there’s still a risk that I may injure you, or anybody here for that matter, I prefer to go away, far away.”
Layla jumped on Sera’s shoulder. “I understand your fear, child. Uncontrolled magic may be destructive and lethal, but returning to the street won’t do you any good. And while it may be safe, let me remind you that your father is still under investigation, and from what I know of Lionel Lancaster and what you told me about the rogue Enforcers, something is brewing, and not in the best way. Then there’s your mother, still in a deep sleep and your fiancé who faked his death to lead you astray. Questions are piling up.”
Valeria pushed a brown lock of hair from her face. “Why would my mother tell me James was dead if he wasn’t? And why would my own father ask me to run if my mother was still alive?”
Sera took her friend’s other hand, sorrow on her face. “You didn’t see all those details before. You were shaken by your powers getting out of hand, by believing you had killed your mother. Of course, you would have listened to Lionel. He’s your father, after all. Using your powers or not, we must find out what actually happened, Valeria, especially who’s on your side and who’s threatening your life. And we don’t know if your father knew you were mixed blood, and who your real father may be. They’re questions to ask your mother when she wakes up.”
Asher nodded. “They’re right. And if your magic had been damaged, there is a probability that your parents might have the answer.”
“Maybe, but getting to Lancaster Estates may prove harder than not. First, because he’s held prisoner there by the High Council, personal guards of the members are patrolling the sector, and nobody can go in out.”
“And the Enforcers?”
Layla swished her tail. “Disbanded. Some of them were captured for interrogation, the others are under surveillance. As you were gone for two years, you’re probably safe from them… those not working for Lancaster, I mean.”
“Probably?”
Layla sighed. “You’re still under the radar for most, so it’s up to you. You go to the High Council and surrender yourself, praying that they don’t suspect you of anything, or you wait and see what happens to your father.”
Valeria shook her head. “Or we try to find James. From what we heard at Sanctuary, he may have played dead, but someone at Sanctuary accused him of murder. And as you said, Sera, he stayed close to my father.”
Asher turned to her, not liking what he heard. “And you don’t believe what Ian said is true?”
“I don’t know!” Throwing her arms in the air, Valeria started pacing the study. Asher wondered what the witch was thinking about the sudden reappearance of her fiancé. And the fact that he was a murderer. Personally, he didn’t have any doubt about him being guilty. Shifters don’t lie. If Ian’s mate said she had seen him, it was true. His first instinct was to convince Valeria of the fact, but she wasn’t shifter. Not entirely, and he suspected that she would need concrete proof. And probably a confrontation with the man, which didn’t sit well with him, nor his wolf.
His eyes not leaving the pacing witch, Asher felt Sera move closer, speaking so softly that if he hadn’t been a wolf, he wouldn’t have heard her. “I’ll do some more research about her condition. But I have my suspicions. In the meantime, stay with her. Times have changed since she came out of hiding. Accusations are flying, and we’re in the middle of another witch hunt, pardon the pun. Because of her bloodline, she may very well be a suspect. And between you and me, I wouldn’t let her too close to Lionel Lancaster or James Cooper. Not until you have solid proof that they’re innocent or won’t make any attempt on her life. Her father forced her to lead a very sheltered life, for reasons of his own, making her an incredibly powerful witch. That alone would make her a target for retaliation.”
Asher remembered how the refugees reacted to her. “Why?”
“Imagine the reaction of our community if she sided with her father. with her talents and her mixed blood. Contrary to what Val thinks, I believe Lionel knew what she is, and only hid it, for a mysterious purpose of his own. And if her mixed blood enhances her capabilities?”
Was she that good? For what he had seen earlier, during the attack at Sanctuary, she deployed impressive talents, perhaps even more than she had shown him. Asher had his doubts, but he hadn’t spent much time around witches. To be totally honest, she had taken down several Enforcers all by herself, which was an amazing feat in itself. His eyes followed her restless form as she walked, rubbing her face. Valeria was way past tired, and it would be impossible for her to think clearly at this stage.
“Can her condition deteriorate?”
“What do you mean?”
“Can magic pour out of her without her consent, or is it only when she summons her powers that a possible blowout can happen?”
Sera hesitated before answering. “I may have more answers later. But my advice remains, stay close to her. I think you may be linked to her sudden magical stability somehow.”
Cryptic answer indeed, and only served to remind him why he steered clear of politics for so long. However, it appeared to be no longer a possibility.
Layla approached as Valeria finally calmed down. “Whatever you do next, be careful until you know where the threat is coming from. I’ll reach out to my contacts in the Territorial Council. It may give me an idea where the wind blows for you, Valeria. Until then, try not to reach them. Apart from a few shifters, rogue Enforcers and your father, nobody knows that you’re back. And I doubt any of them will start blabbing. Just for leaving so suddenly, the Elders may wish to have a word with you, and that too, I wouldn’t recommend. At least, not until you have solid answers. And it may be too risky considering the problems with your magic. You may unwillingly reveal who you truly are, and that will inevitably lead to consequences.”
“What kind of consequences?” Valeria swallowed reflexively.
Layla shook her head. “Let’s not focus on that just yet. My suggestion would be to find James, Valeria. Your fiancé may have possible answers for you. I doubt he will be easy to find, but it may be worth the risk.” Then the witch-cat turned to Asher. “As for you, wolf, keep the Sanctuary as secure as possible. You’re stirring a nasty cauldron, and you must be prepared for some splashes your way.”
Asher nodded, but was already planning in his head. He had to return to Sanctuary to have a talk with Ian, Patricia and the other sentinels. And he was bringing his witch with him to prepare for war.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Fighting with Asher Stonelake was like banging your head against a damn brick wall. As soon as Layla had dismissed them and Sera had promised to update Violet on her situation, and call her if she had any news about her research, the werewolf had turned caveman on her, half-carrying her toward his truck. When she tried to stop him, Valeria realized that he was much too strong for her physically, and he promised to talk after they were both safe inside the truck and on their way back to Sanctuary.
Unfortunately, Asher didn’t speak much, if at all. Either she would have to learn some serious telepathic skills or start to understand the very slight clues his body gave off. And it wouldn’t be a hardship ogling him. From the first moment she had met him in the forest, there was something between them. A connection. And one that occurred again two years later. Valeria didn’t believe in coincidences. People came into her path for a reason, for a purpose.
And as she thought of Asher, the James’ fa
ce came to mind. The one man she thought truly understood her, loved her. What happened? If he had been alive all that time, why didn’t he try to find her? She knew for a fact that if James had vanished, she would have searched the whole world to find him. A dark cloud hovered over the very thought of James Cooper now, and she was smart enough to sense that her former fiancé had taken a side, and it wasn’t hers. Contrary to Asher who, despite his hesitation at first, had chosen to stay with her, to side with her. From that moment on, he had supported her, lent her his strength and help. Was she making their connection much more than what it really was? Were her emotions for the wolf wishful thinking? The more time she spent with Asher, the less she could see her life without him. It was pure madness, she knew. Especially since so many questions and uncertainties circled around them like vultures. First, Valeria would need to put questions and doubts to rest, and only then would she have the luxury of analyzing her blossoming feelings for the werewolf.
As civilization slowly faded into farms and ultimately forests, her course of action became clear. If she couldn’t confront her father yet, and asking an audience to the Territorial Council was out of the question for now, the only thread she could pull on was finding James.
Something was touching her shoulder, and Valeria jumped, bracing for an attacker when she realized that she was still in the truck and Asher was gently shaking her awake. Still dazed from sleep, she blinked, realizing that they had arrived at Sanctuary.
“Sorry for zoning out on you. I must have been more tired than I thought.”
A smile tugged at his gorgeous mouth. In the late afternoon light, he was like a sun god, his blonde locks tousled and shining, his trimmed beard an enticement to touch. It took everything in her not to remember how it felt under her fingers. And that simple thought led to other sensual memories she had shared with him, and much more she would have liked to explore. But it would have to wait.
Ignoring the building tension, she opened the door and stepped out, inhaling a deep, cleansing breath of fresh air, hoping to dilute the familiar smell of the werewolf.
Valeria looked around, discreetly scanning the area for any magical imprint. She wasn’t actually using her magic, so she felt safe to do so. It was like a sixth sense, always there inside her, a constant awareness of her particular world.
“Everything seems in order. No sign of rogue Enforcers.”
Asher came beside her, close enough to touch. “Ian would have called me if anything of that sort had happened again. And honestly, after your intervention during the attack, I believe the survivors would have spread the word about steering clear from my Sanctuary. Thank you for that.”
“I’m glad that it worked the way it was intended to. We may not be that lucky next time.”
At the thought that a rescue mission could go haywire, her hands began sweating. Valeria could be both a saving grace and a dire threat. Looking around the Sanctuary, and understanding in her bones what it meant for so many people, and especially Asher, she couldn’t continue to be a risk. She had to find answers. Maybe one of them would heal what was broken inside her.
“So far, nothing bad has happened. But I’m still dangerous.”
Asher didn’t seem to be listening as he nodded distractedly, putting a hand on the small of her back to steer her toward the main building.
“Did you listen to anything I said? That it would be preferable for me not to stay at Sanctuary.”
Asher again nodded. “I listened to every word you said. You have a beautiful voice, so there’s no reason why I wouldn’t want to hear it.”
Valeria wanted to stop walking and turn to him, but his arm snaked around her hips, pulling her to his side and making it impossible to do anything but follow him.
“Asher…”
“Valeria. Right now, all there is to do is think about the next step, but to do it, you need fuel and rest. I can sense you battling against fatigue.”
“I can work with fatigue, but if you need to rest…”
“I’m a werewolf, you forget. We have more stamina than most people, and that includes witches. You said it yourself, you’re closer to a human than us, energetically speaking. And you being off your game distracts me.”
Valeria blinked, and was about to answer back when the side door leading to the kitchen opened. Ian was smiling, an apron stained with so much red, he looked like a serial killer.
“Hey! The sentinels phoned me when you turned into the main entrance. I’m about to put the final touch to my spaghetti sauce. Pasta’s next. You have perfect timing, you’ll be able to eat before the crowd comes in and devours everything that can be chewed.”
Asher put a hand on his beta’s shoulder. “Any news about Robert and Ellen?”
Ian’s face fell a little. “They’re not on Sanctuary ground. The sentinels have checked everywhere, and there’s no fresh scent of them. We’re still searching.”
Valeria saw that their disappearance ate at him, but didn’t dare to ask more questions.
Following Asher’s unbreakable lead, she entered the kitchen and her mouth watered instantly at the scent. She hadn’t had a decent meal for a while, and a home-cooked meal was a treat. Her parents never cooked, but she had eaten with Sera and Violet who cooked like goddesses. A real talent she wished she had.
Helping her into a chair at the end of the table, Asher clapped Ian’s back and pulled two plates from the cupboard, filling them with indecent piles of food. Valeria shook her head, knowing very well that her stomach wouldn’t be able to deal with that quantity.
Ian removed his apron and wiped his hands before excusing himself. Asher sat close to her, bringing the food, utensils, and bread with him.
The simple meal smelled great, but it took her a couple of seconds to get her instincts under control. Part of her wanted to eat everything like there was no tomorrow, and the second part wanted to eat one of two bites and be done with it. It took her a minute to realize that Asher wasn’t eating either. His blue eyes bored into her, waiting.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“You’re not eating.”
“You’re a genius, you know that, right?” Asher growled, but it didn’t phase her. “Just eat, Asher, don’t wait for me.”
“I’ll dig in as soon as you do, witch.”
Valeria almost rolled her eyes at him, until she detected that it wasn’t so much frustration in his voice, as much as a tinge of worry.
Her simmering temper cooled down a bit, and she sighed.
“Be patient, okay. My stomach hasn’t worked normally for two years. If I push it, I’ll be sick.”
For a long moment, he didn’t say a thing until he nodded. “But you will eat?”
Valeria forced herself to smile. “Yeah. I will eat. And seeing you do it will help.”
And now, as if convinced, he dug in. It was fascinating to see him eat as if he was focused solely on that task.
Not wanting him to feel uncomfortable, she twirled pasta on her fork and put it in her mouth, flavor exploding on her tongue. She had survived on stale food, mostly cold, for so long, that spicy and warm was almost too much to bear. Almost. She chewed carefully, enjoying it before swallowing and carefully twirling another forkful.
Two more bites and she decided to wait for a moment. At the same time, Asher finished his plate and went for seconds.
“Can I ask you a question?”
Asher filled his plate and came back to the table, grabbing a piece of bread on the way.
“Sure.”
How he could be such an open book amazed her. So different to the many secrets of her world.
“I’m surprised how you switched gear with Ian. He defied your authority, twice, and yet, you didn’t retaliate. I would’ve thought as the Alpha, he would have walked away limping and bleeding.”
Asher took a huge forkful of spaghetti, apparently contemplating his answer.
“He’s not off the hook, and he knows it. But he’s the most powerful male af
ter me, and I need him in better shape than limping, as you say. My Alpha wolf ain’t happy with it, but sometimes it pays to wait for the right moment. I’ve never been a hot head, and even less after my family was almost decimated.”
“Patricia seems capable enough, couldn’t she be your right arm?”
“She’s an alpha female alright, but she can’t compete with an alpha male. I don’t deny her capacities or intelligence, I’d rather have her on my side. But physically and magically, she’ll always be a bit weaker. I can’t afford to have a male test her and take over while I’m busy elsewhere.”
“I see. And I know how much responsibility you have with the Sanctuary. Also, I’m grateful you didn’t let me drown in the river.”
Asher straightened and finished his bite. “I follow my instinct. And even though I would have liked to see you sink to the bottom of the river at some point, I suspected I would need you more alive than dead. I was right.”
“You don’t have to leave Sanctuary unattended anymore. I’ll solve that mystery. I’ll bring to the High Council anybody guilty of murdering your family. Even if the murderer is me.”
In a measured gesture, Asher pushed aside his empty dish and eyed her almost one full minute before letting it go.
“I’m not leaving you alone.”
“It’s witch business.”
“My family was decimated by a witch or wizard, so the range is much wider than that. And let me remind you we’ve been attacked by rogue witch Enforcers, and that Ellen and Robert have disappeared. Wanting it or not, I’m glued to your side until we see the end of it.”
Valeria frowned, leaning back in the chair, her arms crossed. “You sound bossy, you know that? From the moment you brought me here, you’ve never stopped. It’s really annoying.”
Innocently, the blonde man shrugged. “It’s the wolf in me. And worse because I’m an Alpha. Taking care of my pack is imprinted in me.”
“I’m not pack, I’m only part shifter. Anonymous shifter to boot.”
Now his expression changed slightly. He pulsed some anger and power in her direction, probably unbeknownst to him.
