I wasn’t sure what to do, which was frustrating. Well, I knew we needed to talk, but that was easier said than done. Pick up a woman in a bar, easy, talk to my mate about my feelings and hers? I didn’t even know where to start. I heard a low growl, and it cut off as soon as I realized it was me. Kimberly wasn’t the only one frustrated.
I was usually more confident, but I was scared anything I did would be wrong and make it worse.
It also didn’t help that all I wanted to do was throw her over my shoulder, take her to my room, and take her as mine. Her face, her tight little body, and even her sweet voice seemed directly plugged into my libido. I’d never wanted a woman physically as much as I wanted her. I wanted more than that too of course, but it was hard to resist and think through the lust that stirred within me each time my eyes fell on her. The only positive thing I could see, was she pretty much felt the same way. I knew she wanted me as well.
Still, even I knew that fucking like rabbits wouldn’t lead to understanding, we needed to talk first. If only she’d stop ignoring my presence. I needed a moment to clear my head, but first opportunity I was going to pin her down and talk. Figuratively.
“I’m going to run upstairs and change. If we run into anything, taking off this monkey suit is a pain. You need anything?”
I considered offering them clothes, but I didn’t think my sister’s clothes would fit any of them. Kimberly would swim in them, and the other two while tall enough wouldn’t fit right either. Diana was too voluptuous, and while Danielle’s body was mostly athletic like my sister’s, my sister’s shirts would be way too tight across her chest. I only thought of it at all, because they looked uncomfortable in the black dress clothes, and had no access to their own.
Danielle said, “We got it.”
I went up the stairs, and before I got out of earshot, which was very far for a shifter, I heard Danielle whisper, “I know the whole mate rule, but you need to talk to him, he’s a wreck.”
I blushed, and made it up to the second floor and into my room. I stripped off the suit and hung it up, felt a million times better as I pulled on a pair of black jeans, and pull-over shirt. I took a moment to splash water on my face and calm down. It helped not being near her scents, but at the same time my wolf was pissed off we couldn’t scent her anymore.
I rolled my eyes, I was damned either way, and headed back downstairs to the kitchen.
“Any progress?”
Amber frowned, “We’re a little stuck. We can’t get into the house right now, so we can’t scry for demons. We could do it here, if I’d thought about bringing a crystal with us to the funeral, but I didn’t.”
“Could that be what it’s about?”
Amber asked, “What do you mean?”
“Well, the demons were all behind wards yesterday, stuck in one spot, so they could expose one demon on purpose, and lure and lead you by the nose yesterday into traps. What if today is about giving them a free hand to move freely. All of them I mean. Right now, they don’t have to be behind wards to hide. Although I wouldn’t rule out the idea they’re after the house in some way either.”
Grace grunted, “Maybe. That would be a hell of a gamble for them though, they have no way of knowing what they did separated us from needed materials.”
Kimberly came up the stairs, “We’re ready for the spell to charge the wards.”
Sherry said, “That was fast.”
Diana’s voice rose from the basement, “Because I’m awesome.”
Amber laughed, “Let’s go button up, then we can decide what to do next while we eat lunch.”
There was a spread of cold cuts on the table, with all the fixings for sandwiches. My stomach grumbled, but I ignored it and went back down to the basement with everyone else. We’d never had a ward around the pack house before that I knew about, and I wondered why. It was obvious enough that with all the mate bonds between the pack and coven, we were becoming closer than we ever had been in the past.
My eyes instinctively moved to Kimberly when we made it to the basement, and I caught her eye fucking me. She blushed, and turned away to look at her sister. Maybe this wouldn’t be so hard, I just needed to talk to her, and straighten out whatever they hell she was thinking. I also needed to apologize for being an ass after the fight at the cemetery.
The trick was finding time to do that, we were in the middle of a battle with the demons right now, and we weren’t even sure what the rules were, or what the demons wanted to accomplish by it. That was a very dangerous place to be, ignorance in war was deadly. Regardless, the last thing I wanted to do was push her to talk while we had an audience.
I don’t know what I expected, but the coven held hands and the chant was similar to, if not exactly the same as the one they used on the circles in the basement. I couldn’t even imagine the skill required for what they were doing. Diana seemed and acted like a flake, but in truth she had to be a genius and a hell of a witch. Those runes weren’t simple designs, and she’d not only remembered all the ones needed, and what order, but had scribed them all in perfectly. All without a book to refer to.
That kind of competence and excellence didn’t come from the lazy playful aura she put off.
My future mate, if I didn’t screw it up, was incredible as well. Just watching them for a short time this morning had shown me that. No doubt she’d been checking on every rune as they empowered them. I didn’t doubt it would all work. She was obviously the heart of the coven as well. They all looked to Amber for leadership, but they also all looked to Kimberly for advice of a more personal nature.
The scents, and the way they stood made that clear. In a way, my mate seemed to be the Jennifer of the coven, although from what I could tell she was far less of a meddler. Then again, they were seven women, so of course the dynamic would be different. Poor Jennifer had to deal with four men who’d rather brawl than share their feelings. Meddling really was her only choice.
I smirked at her and she raised an eyebrow, which made me shrug. I really didn’t know how she put up with us. Maybe with all the sisters-in-law she was getting and could now talk to, she’d be able to mellow a bit. I almost wanted to talk to her and ask her for advice, but I was pretty sure I could bull my way through it, Kimberly was my mate after all.
I wasn’t usually so big with the insights, but an unhappy mate focuses the mind.
Whatever blessings the goddess gave us as a guardian pack, I could feel the witches power as they imbued and charged the circle with their magic. It was almost intimidating the power they so effortlessly wielded, and I couldn’t imagine anyone could breach it. I had the feeling Kimberly underestimated just how lasting it would be, since in the case of their circles in the basement, the ward had to hold back both demons and the surge of wild magic. This ward would only have to face demons. There was also the matter of their strengthened magic, I don’t think they were used to it yet.
Amber said, “That should do it. We’ll be safe here, and the demons won’t be able to see us either.”
Sherry asked, “You think they can scry?”
Amber shrugged, “Don’t know, but if they can it won’t work anymore if we’re here or at home.”
Kevin said, “Let’s discuss that upstairs, over food.”
Amber smirked, and rubbed his belly. I turned and headed up the stairs, it was all I could do to not to laugh at my alpha. I was also a little jealous truth be told, I wished Kimberly would touch me with simple affection like that.
I sat next to Kimberly at the table, and ignored the scent of her frustration. If I thought I could get away with it, I’d have dragged her off then for a private conversation…
~ Chapter Five – Kimberly ~
I’d thought eating would have made me feel better.
The turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich I made was sitting like a rock in my stomach. We were sitting around the table and discussing our next move.
Grace said, “You know, we could just go home and get a crystal and the map. I k
now we don’t want to stop the detective cold until we know more, but Monica can make him forget we were even in the house. Plus, we could change clothes.”
I replied, “Maybe, but I don’t think we have to scry to deal with this. We could just go to the police station, and talk to the detective’s boss. Or Monica can more specifically. She should be able to get who and where the orders originated from at the very least, and who else knows about it, along with what’s been put in the computer system. Once we know everyone involved, we can cover it up again, and banish any demons we find on the way.”
I’m not the one that usually made the plans. Amber and Sherry have always been better at it than I was. I usually just took care of the coven, healer and nurturer, but Derek had me all off balance, and I hated the way I felt. I wanted to talk to him and work it out, but I was also terrified our talk would just verify what I already believed. He was my mate, but he was more attracted to my sisters, just like every other shallow man that entered our lives.
In the past it hadn’t bothered me, I’d almost been grateful for it, since it meant I wouldn’t waste my time on someone so shallow. But… my destined mate was another thing altogether.
I wasn’t jealous of their curvier bodies, I was happy with who I was and how I looked. The jealousy was all about Derek’s wandering eyes.
Amber nodded, “That’s a good plan.”
Tom said, “We shouldn’t assume either. It’s entirely possible that IA caught this cover up all on their own, without demon assistance. Not likely, but not impossible. For all we know, this has nothing to do with the demons. I’d suggest a two-prong approach. Send a team to the station to investigate that part, and the rest of us will scry.”
Monica said, “I’m talented, but I still can’t go two places at once.”
Tony laughed, “We might not need you for the house. Monica already ordered him to stay out of the library, basement, and the little conference room with all your witch stuff. Can’t Sherry just teleport straight to that room, grab the map, candles, and crystal, and then teleport back?”
Sherry frowned, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
Danielle said teasingly, “Mate distraction, obviously.”
Amber snorted, “Alright. Sherry will get the stuff from the house, and be in charge of scrying the next demons with everyone else left behind. Kevin, myself, Monica, Kim, and Jennifer will go to the police station and shakedown the Sherriff. Any questions?”
I said, “That’s a good idea, we can’t afford to get caught up in the house thing if the demons are up to something else.”
I knew we couldn’t save them all, but if humans were hurt or harmed that we could save, because we were dealing with a human bureaucratic distraction, it would be our fault. Splitting up made the most sense.
Derek cleared his throat, “I’m going, why not let Jen stay home with Tom, she hadn’t seen her mate in days, and now that I don’t have to guard him anymore I don’t want to be away from Kim.”
A warmth spread from my center at his firm tone, just his voice had me a quivering mess of need and want, but at the same time I was confused by his declaration. If he really wanted to be by me so badly, why had he run for the hills that first night? Why did he want me at all? Was it his wolf, or something else pushing him my way, or was it just about me being his? What was it he wanted, and desired?
I really needed to talk to him soon. It was better to know for sure, even if the truth destroyed me, wasn’t it? The fact he wanted to be near me was comforting, it was the rest of it that had my head all awhirl.
Amber said carefully, “Of course, I didn’t mean to separate mates like that, or even give orders to the pack. I just made assumptions based on how things worked before.”
I blushed.
Amber went on and spoke directly to Derek, “I need Monica for compulsion, and I need Kim for healing in case one of them is possessed. Monica’s air affinity and two shifters will also take care of any physical threats. What shifters come along is between you and your alpha.”
Kevin turned Amber’s head with a fingertip, and kissed her softly. I pushed down the jealousy that stirred. There was a good chance I’d have that soon, maybe.
“I appreciate that, but you don’t have to step that softly Am. Derek and I will go along. Jen, you’re in charge here.”
That was sweet, and a reminder that Amber and Kevin, as well as Sherry and Tony hadn’t been together very long, mates or not. They were obviously trying hard not to cause misunderstandings, or step on toes. I wondered if it was me jumping to conclusions based on the past, I really needed to talk to him. I held my hands in my lap, and refused to look his way. I wanted to touch him so badly it hurt, so much that it terrified me. Destined mates, and the way the goddess showed us who they were, was anything but subtle. The lust and attraction was overwhelming, more so being so close to him where I could take in his manly scent. I blushed, as it occurred to me there was no way Derek or any the rest of the pack weren’t picking up on my arousal.
There was also him calling her Am, I knew for a fact she hated that, except right now she was looking rather gooey.
Amber nodded, and tore her gaze away from her mate.
“Looks like we have a plan.”
I stiffened as I felt the wards, and all my sisters and I groaned in unison.
Our two plans would have to wait, there’d been another gateway surge. I supposed I shouldn’t have been surprised, that seemed to be slowly going back to normal, and there weren’t any surges yesterday. We should’ve been expecting it. The escaped demons were important, but we couldn’t let more escape. The gateway had to be our primary focus, always.
Amber sighed, “New plan. Put the detective to sleep, change our clothes because this black skirt and blazer is really uncomfortable. Then we’ll kick demon ass. Afterwards we can wake him, and Monica can order him to forget he fell asleep or we were there. Then Sherry and the rest of you can scry from here, while the team we put together hits the police station.”
Sherry said, “We’ll have to put the detective near the outside wall and ward, or the wild magic will strip the sleep spell when we take down the wards.”
Amber nodded, “Good point.”
Understatement, the last thing we needed was a detective hearing us fight demons in the basement. Worse, his natural inclination will be to investigate, which will conflict with his compulsion. It will still work to keep him away, but it would make him more suspicious as well.
Tony said, “I’ll take care of that before I shift and go to the basement.”
Amber said, “Let’s take the cars, so we don’t tire out Sherry.”
Sherry said, “Yeah, I could probably teleport twelve of us, but I’d be useless for the fight.”
We got up and got moving.
The clothes I’d worn to the funeral really had been hot and uncomfortable. I felt much better, as I pulled on a pair of jean shorts, a white sports bra, and a casual light red blouse that was thin and breathed well. I pulled on a pair of sandals, and walked out of my room, and almost right into Derek. I lifted my hands reflexively and caught myself on his chest. His hard, muscled, and warm chest that my hands itched to explore. I blushed, and took a deliberate step back and dropped my arms. Maybe I should talk to my sisters, it was no wonder they’d jumped into bed with their destined mates so quickly, if they felt even a tenth of what I did in that moment.
I raised an eyebrow, as equal measures of desire and annoyance rose within me.
He said, “I’m sorry about this morning, it was out of line. We need to talk. I’m not good at any of this, but I need to try and explain, and you need to tell me what you’re thinking, because whatever it is, it’s wrong.”
“Wrong?” I asked dangerously. Damn, he really brought out a side of me I didn’t know I had. Bitchy much Kim?
He nodded, obviously clueless to my dangerous tone.
“I get your anger, I was out of line. But… your insecurities are baseless.”
&nb
sp; “Baseless?” I asked incredulously, how could he think that? Even if he hadn’t been staring at Sherry’s ass before he ran out the door three or four days ago, his record with women wasn’t very reassuring. I shook my head in disbelief and pushed down my feelings.
He looked offended by my disbelief, and I backpedaled a little bit. I didn’t want to say something I couldn’t take back, and I knew I didn’t have all the facts yet. I didn’t really see a way to make what I believed any better, what could he possibly say about any of it to make it alright, but I still wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. There were two sides to every story.
“Right. We’ll talk Derek, I promise. But right now, we have way too much to deal with. The investigation, a wave of demons, and who knows what the escaped demons out there in the world are up to today. I have a bad feeling. We need to figure out what that head demon is up to this time before it’s too late. Soon, or we’ll all regret it.”
If the demons truly weren’t behind the investigation as Tom intimated was possible, then we were even more clueless about their intentions than we thought we were. Every time they adjusted and came at us a different way, who knew what it would be this time?
Of course, it wasn’t all bad, we’d already taken out over fifty of the escaped demons in the last two days, and twenty-eight of those was just a couple of hours ago. I had hope we’d be ending this soon, hopefully before they had a chance to do damage on a large scale.
Derek nodded, “I know all of that’s important, but so are we.”
I sighed and squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, he wasn’t wrong. Our oaths and duty to the goddess took precedence, but there would be plenty of time for us later when things slowed down again. Destined mates or not, it would still take work. I just wished it wouldn’t be so hard from the start, but I hoped to work it out. The idea of losing my destined mate was just too painful to contemplate.
Guardian Healer Page 3
