“I’m fine,” Hanna said. “I told you. There’s nothing to worry about.” Hanna tried to sound as neutral as possible, but Derek and Kyro immediately filled her thoughts. They were two distractions she didn’t expect. Two hot distractions that heated up her insides.
“Did you do the spell?” Riana asked.
“Not exactly.”
“Why not?”
“Minor complications.”
“What kind of complications?”
Of the double, tall, and growly variety, she thought. “Nothing I couldn’t handle. I’ll try it again after I fix you.”
“Can’t they, you know, find you?”
“I’m a hard witch to catch, sis. Trust me.”
“I don’t doubt that one bit,” Riana said. “You sure you’re okay, though? You look a little flushed.”
Hanna brought her fingers to her cheeks. “Am I? Must be all the salt water from the ocean or something.”
Riana grinned. “Huh. If you say so.”
There was no way Riana could know what happened to Hanna in that cave, but the way her sister smiled with some kind of wisdom said otherwise. She was about to ask when someone else spoke up behind her.
“Is this the powerful sister you told me about?” a man asked.
Hanna turned to the doorway and saw a doctor who wore a white lab coat and a bright red stethoscope around his neck. He had blond hair that was styled back cleanly, but some stray strands fell on his face. His smile was charming and reminded her of the hot doctors you only saw on soap operas or evening medical dramas. She didn’t think any of those really existed. Until now.
“Powerful sister, huh?” Hanna eyed Riana closely.
“I may have told him we’re descendants of witches,” Riana said. “You just got the magic part.”
“You told him what?” Hanna knew her mouth was wide from the shock she was in, but that was beside the point. They couldn’t just go around revealing their ancestry to strangers. Not with the way some people treated witches. Whether it was out of hatred or to use them for their own nefarious purposes, no good ever came out of telling people you were a witch willingly. Even in a town that was mostly accepting of supernatural beings.
“It’s fine,” the doctor said. “I have my own unique genes, too. You have nothing to worry about.”
“He can go all furry,” Riana said, “like many Vella Cove residents.”
“You’re a shifter and my sister’s doctor?” Hanna asked. If this was what doctors looked like, she understood why her sister insisted she stayed there while she went out to do her protection spell. She had Dr. McYummy at her beck and call.
“I’m her attending physician, yes,” he said. “I prefer just plain doctor rather than shifter doctor.” He grinned and held his hand out. “Dr. Lincoln Keller.”
Hanna shook his hand then froze. “Keller?” she asked. “As in related to Derek and Kyro Keller?”
He laughed. “They’re my cousins,” he said. “Don’t tell me they’re out there stirring up trouble again.”
Trouble? she thought. That’s one way of putting it. The brothers had the ability to stir up more than that.
“Just got back in town, so I wouldn’t know,” Hanna said. Oh, don’t I know it, she thought. They should have been called the Trouble Duo instead.
He stared at her as if he saw right through her lie, but he didn’t say anything. “Good,” Dr. Keller said. “Tonight is the time craziness follows those two.” His nostrils flared and nose crinkled a little before he let go.
If she didn’t know better, she’d think he smelled her. Did she stink? Oh, shit. He was a shifter. What if he could smell Kyro and Derek on her? He’d know she was lying.
Hanna remembered the Scenting Ceremony then and wondered if the doctor meant that was the source of craziness. If so, it was crazy and then some.
“Hanna had a crush on them in high school,” Riana said. “Some of college, too.”
“Mariana!” Hanna tried to remember she couldn’t shove a sick sibling off her bed, especially one who was already in the hospital. Probably wasn’t a good idea. Sometimes her baby sis was a little too forthcoming with information.
“What?” Riana shrugged. “It’s the truth.”
“To be fair, I think they had a lot of women crush on them in high school and college,” Dr. Keller said.
“Thank you,” Hanna said. She liked this doctor more each minute.
“It didn’t stop with a crush,” Riana said. “She even dragged me to a college football game they played once. I never understood the fascination with men who pummel each other over a ball made from pig bladders.”
Why couldn’t her sister shut up? She’d have to reconsider healing her if she kept this nonsense going.
Dr. Keller laughed. “Not a big football fan myself, but I’m pretty sure they don’t use real pig skins or bladders anymore.”
“Oh,” Riana said, shifting under the covers. “That’s good, I guess.”
Hanna was certain her sister was blushing. Now who was flushed? She stole another look at the doctor and his eyes were trained on her sister as if she were the most interesting thing he’d ever seen.
It looked like Hanna wasn’t the only one who caught the interest of a Keller. No wonder her sister was spilling information. Riana had a crush, too. Hanna would have to remember that one for teasing later.
“Not to interrupt or anything, but I’d like heal my sister so we can get out of here tonight,” Hanna said.
“Oh, right,” Dr. Keller shook his head as if he were coming out of a trance. “Your sister said you helped her heal some before you left.”
Hanna nodded. “I’m not used to healing magic, so I needed to recharge before I could actually do something more for her.” He didn’t need to know about her cloaking spell plans, unless her sister blabbed about that, too.
“Whatever you did seems to be helping already,” he said. “Her vitals seem to be close to normal. I’ll know more after I run some more blood tests when you’re done.”
“Then I guess Riana and I should get to it then,” she said, hoping the doc would get the hint and leave.
“I’d like to stay and watch,” he said. Hanna’s not-a-chance-in-seven-hells look must have made him think otherwise, because he added, “If that’s all right with both of you.”
No. It wasn’t all right. She’d spent the last few years being the center of attention in Miami. Her time with the Coven down there had been a bad experience she’d never forget. She wasn’t doing anything with an audience voluntarily and was about to tell him that.
“I don’t mind,” Riana said.
She wished for telepathy, so her sister could hear the stream of curses going through her head.
“He might as well stay, Hanna,” Riana said. “He does have to check on me after to make sure it worked, right?”
Hanna was too exhausted to argue, so she let out a breath. “Fine. Just stay back. I don’t want to risk you disrupting the energy flow.”
“It won’t hurt her, will it?” he asked, worry showing up in the crinkles in the corners of his eyes.
“Do I look like a person who would willingly hurt my sister?” She didn’t care if he was a doctor or that he had an obvious thing for Riana. The man was seriously close to getting a magical ass-kicking with all his curiosity. Her sister had waited long enough, no thanks to her, and he was delaying everything more with his questions.
“No,” he said. “Of course not.”
“Good,” Hanna said. “Anything else? Have you got some science versus magic questions you’d like me to run through with you first? Check their research validity?” She ignored Riana’s annoyed look. Hanna couldn’t help the sarcasm. It got worse her tiredness, and she was barely holding it together with the events of the night compounded with her own worry for Riana.
He smiled. “Not at all. Proceed.”
“Thank you,” she muttered under her breath before closing the door. One of the last things she neede
d was another distraction. “You ready, Riana?” Hanna asked. She helped her sit up a little, making sure her sister was comfortable first.
The doctor was on the other side of Riana in an instant to help.
When Riana was settled, she nodded to the doctor. “Back over there, buddy.”
“Right,” he said, moving back.
Hanna took Riana’s hand and inhaled deeply, focusing on her center, the source of her magic. The key was directing it outward so she connected it with the magic that existed outside of her, a magic that was all around them but only few could see and feel. When she found her link to the source of her magic, she spoke the words:
Goddess of everything that is pure, sacred, and utmost divine,
I pray for healing that transcends boundaries of time.
From the top of her head to the soles of her feet,
Let clean blood flow from where all life meets.
Use your essence from where all magic flows
To where the body, mind, and spirit grows.
Hanna sensed the magic transferring from her and into Riana. It created a link between them. Even more than that, she could see her sister’s body heal from behind her eyes. Hanna saw each weakened cell grow until it became a complete part of Riana. Her skin brightened and exhaustion disappeared from the outside.
“How do you feel?” Hanna asked.
Riana gave herself a look over. “I feel like I could run a marathon. Hanna, you’re amazing.”
Hanna blew out a breath. “Good,” she said. Then the room spun around her, and her feet left the floor.
“Hanna!” Riana’s voice surrounded her. Hands grabbed her before she could hit the ground.
“Are you okay?” Dr. Keller asked, leading her to a seat nearby.
Sitting felt good. She could fall asleep in that chair if given the chance.
“I’m fine. Guess my body is not used to that much magic.” Curling up in the chair sounded like the best idea she had all day.
“I’ve never seen anything like what you just did for Mariana. Just promise me you won’t overdo it,” Dr. Keller said. “We don’t need both of you in here.”
“I’ll be careful,” Hanna said, snuggling into the chair.
“Both of you should rest. I’ll have a nurse come in for blood samples, and I’ll check to see if there are any changes.”
“Thank you for everything, Dr. Keller,” Riana said.
“I guess I’m not your doctor anymore if this worked out right. Might as well call me Lincoln or Linc for short.”
“Thanks, Linc.” Riana smiled.
“If everything checks out, we’ll get your release papers for you to go home.” He started to say something else but stopped and left the room.
When he was gone, Hanna stared at Riana. “You sure you feel better? Maybe it won’t hurt to stay one more night for them to be safe.”
Riana stared at the door as if she was expecting Linc to come right back. “I want to be in my own bed, Hanna.”
Hanna smirked. “From the looks of it, a certain doctor wants to get in with you.”
“Stop it,” Riana said, grinning.
“Nope,” Hanna said. “Embarrassment redemption is headed your way.”
“He’s just nice. That’s all.”
“I’ve seen nice. That’s not it. He’s like a dog with a tasty bone. Literally.”
“You’re awful,” Riana said, shaking her head.
“At least you look healthier.” Hanna pressed her head against the back of the chair. “Maybe it is working.”
“Of course it’s working. I believe in your abilities, Hanna. Even if you don’t.”
“Your confidence in me is baffling. At least this day can’t get any longer. That’s for sure.” Hanna closed her eyes, feeling sleep beckoning her.
“What the hell are you doing here?” a woman asked.
The familiar voice grated Hanna’s insides, and she didn’t want to look. She spoke too damn soon.
Hanna knew this confrontation was coming. She’d just hope to deal with it later. Like when she was out-of-town later.
She opened her eyes and finally faced the woman who had been the reason for her flight six years before. “Hi, mom.”
Chapter 4
Derek was seconds away from shifting and tearing a bite out of Rodrigo Rodero’s hide. It didn’t matter that the man was pack. He was increasingly becoming a nuisance for the Keller Claw Pack and his father. Those two reasons alone had him asking for a severe clawing.
“Wasn’t the purpose of last night’s Scenting Ceremony to find our future Alphas mates?” Rodrigo asked.
Derek’s father sat straighter, no doubt sensing the boiling anger rolling off Rodrigo like Derek did.
“Our ceremony wasn’t for my sons alone,” Braylon said. “That would be selfish and unlike your Alpha. Unless you’re saying you object to my decisions, Rodrigo.”
Derek smirked at that. His father was a wise Alpha all right. If Rodrigo objected, he’d be betraying Braylon and his entire pack.
“Never, Braylon,” Rodrigo said. He tilted his neck in submission, but Derek felt a strain in the man’s actions. He may not have been outright lying, but he wasn’t telling the truth either.
Braylon leaned forward in the chair he sat in. The wooden seat was regal in size and intricacy. Carvings of wolf heads sat at each back corner as well in each edged armrest. Although regal, he didn’t sit in an elevated seat like a throne as if he were above them. He may have been Alpha, but Braylon preferred meeting the leaders of his pack eye-to-eye around the large, oval oak table.
“You dare lie to me, to us all, knowing we can smell it on you?” Braylon asked.
“Not a lie. Simply some doubt. Why do your sons, both future Alphas and your legacy, stand before us without their mates?” Rodrigo asked.
Derek and Kyro found their mate, but it wasn’t any business of Rodrigo.
We just have to give her time, Derek thought. Thanks to them marking her, they’d always be able to sense her. They hadn’t completed the mating mark, but that was just logistics to Derek. Hanna McCoy was theirs. He knew Kyro felt the same. No woman had ever stayed in their system like she had. Their wolves knew her, and a wolf knew when he or she found their mate. It was pure instinct.
Even all those years ago, he knew she was theirs. He and Kyro were called to her scent, but as much as they wanted her then, Derek knew they had to wait. He could smell the fear and hesitation on her. The last thing he wanted was to frighten her.
Derek heard his brother’s intake a breath, which brought him back to the annoyance at hand. Apparently, they both wanted a piece of Rodrigo.
The man had been trying to force his two daughters on them since they were teenagers. It was absolutely pathetic. How the hell did he think mates were chosen? It wasn’t up to them. If it were, the last women they’d want as mates would be Constance and Abigail Rodero.
The girls tried too hard to get their attention. It even got so bad that they were at the nightclub the brothers owned almost every night. Clawed Obsessions had been a passion project for Derek and Kyro after they graduated college, but it was one that actually turned lucrative. It was where all shifters could go for a good time without having to worry about what they were. It was one of the liveliest places in Vella Cove.
Constance and Abigail weren’t in this gathering of pack leaders, but Derek was certain they lurked outside the meeting room, ready to pounce on them. He felt bad for their brother, Jaston. Out of all the Roderos, he was the sanest. He worked as a bartender at Clawed Obsessions and stayed as far away shifter politics as possible, unlike his father.
“My sons will find their mates when they’re ready and not a moment sooner,” Braylon said. “If you have problems with that, Rodrigo, then may I suggest you focus on the more recent problems we’re here to address.”
“As you wish, Braylon.” Rodrigo sat back in his chair and crossed his fingers on the table.
“Some of our people have des
erted the pack,” Braylon said. “We need to find out where they’re going and if they plan on attacking.”
“Kyro and I have our best patrolling in and outside of town,” Derek said. “We’ll be ready if anyone tries to come at us.”
“We also talked with the Alphas in the closest cities and towns,” Kyro said. “They’ll alert us of any suspicious activity.”
Braylon nodded. “Good. We’ll be ahead of anything before it escalates. Keep me posted of any changes.”
“Is there anything I can do to be of assistance?” Rodrigo asked.
“I think you’ve done more than enough.” Braylon watched Rodrigo carefully. “If we need your assistance, we’ll let you know. That’ll be all.”
All of them stood to leave.
“Derek, Kyro, stay seated.” He waited until everyone else left and closed the door behind them.
“What’s wrong, Dad?” Kyro asked, echoing Derek’s silent question.
“We’re getting visitors soon, and I want you two to see to their arrival since I trust you above everyone else.”
“Who are you expecting?” Derek didn’t know who would be coming at such a heightened time in their pack.
“Tristan and Barbara Wolfe. I need their advice regarding pack matters, so they’re making a trip out here. Tristan’s wanted to take his wife on vacation, so two birds and all.”
“You don’t think anyone here would be foolish enough to go after them, do you?” Kyro asked. “Attacking them would be pure stupidity. The Wolfes are one of the most powerful families out there.”
“I don’t think anyone would risk their wrath, but I want you both to be close to them at all times when they’re not in my presence or have the men you trust to oversee their stay, especially Barbara. I know Tristan would be furious if anything happened to his mate.”
“We won’t let you down,” Derek said. “Linc and Jaston along with a few others are dependable.”
Sassy Ever After: Magical Sass for Three (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Vella Cove Shifters Book 1) Page 3
