Focus.
Amusement glittered across his features. “Do you understand the position?”
“I think so,” she muttered.
“Good. Try again.” He nodded approval. “This time use the strength behind your body. It’s your best weapon.”
Having little confidence she could succeed, she stepped back, concentrating on his advice. Fingers tight, arm up, pivot back and hit. With a grunt and firm push from within, she thrust her fist toward him. Her hand connected with his shoulder with such force, it sent him tumbling backward.
Even her eyes didn’t believe it.
She looked in awe at her fist, expecting to see sparks of power shooting out of it. Much to her disappointment, it appeared as it always did, tiny. Lifting her head to Kyden, she gasped, “How did I do that?”
“That’d be the guardian power.” He pushed off the floor and circled her slowly, as if on a hunt. “Once you know how to use the power, and center it, your strength is unparalleled.”
Whoop-de-mother-effin’-doo.
What she did care about was him looking like a lion getting ready to pounce on a big juicy steak. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Preparing to fight.” He closed in on her and her blood ran ice-cold, then he stopped mid-step, laughing. “You look absolutely terrified.”
“News flash. I am terrified.” She stepped back, having a sudden bout of a reality check. What in the hell was she thinking? “I’m half your size, for cripe’s sake, and you’re pure muscle. I can’t do this. Drake’s right—I am insane.” Her heart hammered, palms grew sweaty. “I’ve changed my mind—”
He raised his hand. “I won’t hit, only push.”
“No way,” she bit off.
He took a slow step toward her, matching her retreat. “Might I remind you that you were the one who asked for this? Your fear is what’s stopping you here, nothing else.”
She reciprocated by taking two giant steps back. “No shit. Of course, it’s my fear stopping me. You’re going to kick my ass.”
His stare held firm, and he no longer approached her. “If I thought you truly needed more time to deal with this, I wouldn’t push you. But you went to Briggs’s, which showed bravery, and you handled the assignment last night. You have more guts than you think you do.”
She glanced around the empty cathedral. If she booked it, no one would see, and she wouldn’t die from embarrassment. “Clearly I wasn’t thinking straight when I agreed to this. Isn’t there a female guardian who can train me?”
As if she had said nothing at all, he continued, “The sooner you discover your abilities, the sooner you’ll realize you have no reason to be afraid. Then you can have that revenge that’s eating at you.” He took one step forward. “I know you believe my size matters here, but it doesn’t—”
“Liar,” she snapped.
Again, he took another step forward, closing in on her. “There are many female guardians, and they can hold their own against me. I’m being nice by only pushing you.” He stared down into her face with a firm look. “Now hit me.”
As if that would warrant her agreement, the big brute. “Might I remind you that I lived a simple life in Carson City with no idea about the Otherworld only a month ago?” She backed away from him, not caring if her fear showed.
He matched her steps. “This fear is part of the human that lives in you. It’s not a natural feeling for a guardian to be afraid. You simply have to see past it. The time to discover this is now. You want to find the wolf that killed your family. This is how you gain that freedom to hunt him.”
His words struck her in the heart and she stopped in her tracks. Kyden was right—she owed this to her family. Closing her eyes, she inhaled a deep breath, then she forced herself to put on a brave face. She opened her eyes to a dead-serious Kyden. “You won’t punch me back, right?”
He nodded. “Promise.”
Exhaling to shed the lingering fear, she approached him, drawing on the rage that she wanted to unleash on that werewolf. Not giving herself the chance to back out, and with a deep hatred fueling her strength, she cocked her arm back and landed a hard blow to his jaw.
Shocked, stunned, astonished, amazed—she experienced it all as she watched Kyden soar through the air.
I’m friggin’ Wonder Woman.
The moment he hit the floor, toppling ass over teakettle, that revelation vanished. He jumped to his feet and ran straight for her. Panic made her dizzy, and instinct told her to flee, but she doubted she’d escape him. She decided to take the chicken’s way out, she closed her eyes, waiting for the hit.
Waited…waited…waited.
Cracking open an eye, she noticed Kyden was an inch from her face. He gave her a shit-eating grin. “Plan to fight with your eyes closed, do you?”
She nodded with total certainty. “I ain’t fighting. I’m surviving.”
He chuckled. “Again.” He winked. “Level me.”
Not at all happy about it, she swung her arm back, then flung her fist straight into his stomach. He grunted, bending slightly from the hit, and she smiled. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all. Bringing her arm down low, she swung it up, hitting him square in the jaw.
Watching him soaring backward, Nexi didn’t waste her advantage. She lunged, plowed into him and they both slid across the floor, a tangle of limbs. As Kyden hit the wall, she bounced off his chest and laughed, shocked by her strength. They weren’t kidding about the guardian power; she’d knocked him around like a rag doll.
Him—Mr. Muscles.
“Hells-yeah, that’s awesome.” Jumping to her feet, she headed toward the center of the room when a scuffling sound came behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to discover that Kyden had risen, and not only that, but he was also charging straight for her.
Her sense of superiority vanished.
He connected with her before she even had a chance to move. Somehow he stepped in behind her, latched onto her arm, and gave her back a steady push. She flew across the room with his hard body braced against her back.
Before she could even get up, he leapt off, then hurled himself at her again. She rolled away, only to have him grab her arm. He tossed her across the room and she landed against the wall with a loud thud.
Guardians clearly were more resilient. The pushing and shoving wasn’t comfortable, but it wasn’t painful and it definitely didn’t hurt as much as she imagined it should have. One thing, though, became increasingly obvious—her fear had taken a back seat. Apparently, she liked fighting.
Lurching to her feet, she twirled away just as he lunged forward. Not like she made it far. He grabbed her arm, stopping her spin, and pulled her tight against his hard, thick chest. She narrowed her eyes, trying to think up her next move, but the moment she caught sight of the heat in his features, her reprimand faded.
There, in his eyes, his desire was laid bare, for her to touch if she wanted, and for her to claim. Trapped in his smoldering stare, her breath hitched, and his expression became determined. But just as he leaned down to her, her damn pride held more strength than the heat flaring between them, seeing that she never did like to lose.
Using his hesitation to her benefit, she kicked out and nailed his shin, hard.
He stumbled back, then a slow grin filled his face. “There you go, Álainn. That’s exactly right. Always use any advantage you can to disable your opponent.”
Her win over Mr. Muscles might have pleased her, but this new smile from him took precedence. His grin bordered on devilish, and it warmed and liquefied her insides. Now she regretted that her pride made her kick him away instead of staying there in his arms and giving him that second to act.
With her victory, the lust had faded from his eyes, replaced by pride. He took a step toward her, not looking like he planned to toss her to the ground to do naughty things with her, and not even like he hunted her for more training, when suddenly, Haven called, “Oh, good. You’re done. We’ve got somewhere to be.”
> Jerking her head toward the doorway, she found Haven leaning against the wall, smiling at her. “Somewhere to be?”
Haven skipped through the cathedral and winked at Kyden. “The guardians can’t have all of you—you’re part witch, too.” She looked to Nexi, clearly aware of the heated exchange she and Kyden had shared moments ago. “I wanted you to come see what witches do, who we are, just more about that side of you.”
At the thought of more training, Nexi groaned. This was enough. “Which would be?”
Haven smiled. “Magic, of course.”
Chapter Seven
The castle belonged in a Gothic horror film. One square tower made up the main structure, which was the Council’s Hall and foyer where the portal was located, and four slender towers peering high above the castle were the residences for the Council’s Guard and for the supernaturals in training. The stone walls were overrun with ivy, stretching all the way to the slate roof while four large gargoyles sat at the edges guarding the grounds.
Nexi tore away from the view behind her, not convinced those gargoyles weren’t real. She matched Haven’s stride and approached the garden in the Otherworld, her focus landing on the forest off in the distance. Not as if it was a normal forest, since it was, in fact, the gateway to the supernatural realm.
Located in Scotland, at St. Andrew’s Castle on the shores of the Black Sea, was the entranceway into the Otherworld. If a supernatural who lived in the Earthworld wanted to travel into the supernatural realm, they could simply step near the ruins of the historic castle and the magic would carry them into the Otherworld. A human would simply see the ruins of a once beautiful castle.
Nexi hadn’t believed that part until she passed from the Otherworld to Scotland, more than a dozen times. It hadn’t mattered where she entered the forest either, the second she stepped into the woods, she’d teleport to St. Andrew’s Castle.
As she strode along the grounds of the Otherworld near the garden, a light breeze wrapped around her, raising goose bumps on her skin. She inhaled the rich, sweet scent emanating from the thousands of brightly colored flowers, neatly tailored bushes, and small trees that decorated the garden.
Haven nudged her arm and waggled her eyebrows. “So, what’s up with you and Kyden?” She beamed, thoroughly proud of herself. “I knew something was brewing between you two, but Finn told me to stay out of it.”
Nexi chuckled, since clearly Finn’s advice wasn’t followed. Not that she minded Haven being up in her business; she liked Haven knowing about her life. “I’m not sure what’s going on between us,” she admitted.
When they reached the cobblestone pathway, they could follow it to the garden straight ahead, or go to the right toward the town in the Otherworld. That was home for the families of the Guard who wanted a more normal life for their children than one they’d get living at the castle, as well as for the supernaturals who were raised in the Otherworld and didn’t want to live in the Earthworld, or so Haven had told her.
Nexi visited the small town once a week to gather groceries. The houses and buildings all matched the historical gothic design of the castle. The setup of the town reminded her of Incline Village, where’d she vacationed with her family a few years ago—simple and quaint, having things like a very tiny grocery store.
Heading down the pathway toward the garden, she realized now that Haven had opened the doorway, questions did swirl about Kyden. “What can you tell me about him?”
“Let’s see…” Haven tapped her lip, slowing down as they walked. “He’s Finn’s best bud—practically brothers, really. We’ve all been close now for a few years since I joined the Council’s Guard.” Her smile warmed. “I like Kyden, a lot.”
Yeah, he was growing on Nexi, too. “Is he a good guy?”
Haven nodded. “I don’t think they come any better.” She paused, then added, “Expect for Finn, of course.” She laughed before she continued. “Kyden plays tough most of the time, but he lets those closest to him see the soft side of him.”
Didn’t that sum it up?
One minute, big brute. Next minute, total softy. “I like his gentle side.” Nexi stared at a gorgeous purple orchid they passed by before she turned to Haven. “The pushy side of him I could live without.”
Haven smirked. “Better get used to that. Male supernaturals are born with the trait, I-protect you woman.” She brushed her hand over one of the bushes, then added, “Besides, it’s understandable, really. We live in a dangerous world and supernaturals are protective over their mates.” She winked. “As well as territorial.”
Nexi scrunched her nose. “Mate?”
Haven gave her a long look, then she chuckled. “Oh, right, you don’t call them that. What is it….oh yeah, wife or husband.”
“Oh, you mean a married couple?” Nexi asked.
Haven shook her head. “Nope, we call it a bound couple.”
Confused, Nexi laughed. “Okay, if you say so.” However, her biggest concern was that not only did Kyden hold a douche bag streak, but all male supernaturals did. Maybe she’d stick to dating humans.
After a minute of pondering as they continued through the gardens, Nexi realized something seemed off. If Kyden’s brutish personality didn’t keep women away, since apparently that was typical, and she couldn’t see anything else wrong with him… “Why is he single?”
“Kyden’s had a few—” Haven cleared her throat, her cheeks turning pinkish. “He’s not really the commitment type.”
“Great,” Nexi muttered.
“Oh, don’t think of it like that,” Haven said in a hurry. “Kyden’s not a jerk or anything. He just hasn’t found anyone he’s meshed with.” Her eyebrows rose. “You know, the right one, type of thing. He’s not a heartbreaker, if that’s what you’re wondering.” She smiled, nudging Nexi’s shoulder. “Besides, he seems happy when he talks about you. Whenever he mentions you his eyes light up, which of course he tries to deny.”
Sweet and all, but did that mean Nexi was going to give the go ahead for all things hot-and-heavy?
Not tonight.
Maybe tomorrow.
Ready to get off this subject and to clear her thoughts of the sudden hot-and-heavy images rushing through her mind, she asked Haven, “Have you heard anything from Finn about that vanishing vampire?”
Haven’s lips thinned. “Nah, everyone’s going with the theory that a witch is helping him, but no one knows why.”
”Is that normal?” Nexi asked, but quickly thought to herself that nothing in the Otherworld was what she’d call normal. “I mean, different species teaming up?”
Haven shook her head as she brushed her hand over the rose petals as they continued down the pathway. “Usually supernaturals don’t intermingle, except for those in the Otherworld. Most in the Earthworld stick within their race.” She leaned down to sniff a rose before she shrugged and resumed walking down the path. “But what else could it be? How could a vampire just poof from existence?”
Nexi snorted. “You’re supposed to have that answer.” She pointed at herself. “Remember, I’m new here and everything confuses me.”
Haven giggled, hooking her arm in Nexi’s and pulling her in close. “Finn told me the Council is on it now. I know some of the guardians and trackers are out hunting this vamp.” She hesitated, then she smiled. “I’m sure it’ll be solved soon.”
Nexi couldn’t help but notice that while Haven portrayed confidence, on the inside it was another story completely. Confusion and tension swirled within her soul sister, only adding to her own. If the vampire had even bubbly Haven unsettled, Nexi was sure as shit concerned.
Glancing out to the lush garden, she inhaled the calming scents. “So, where exactly are you taking me?”
“To the witches circle so you can watch Zia call on the Elements.”
Nexi skidded to a halt, sending a rock beneath her shoe skipping down the path. “Say what?”
“I keep forgetting you don’t know any of this.” She yanked Nexi forward
and added in a soft voice, “Okay, here’s a crash course in all things witchy. Our magic is gifted to us by the Elements—Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and Spirit. A witch is given one Element to use defensively, but we normally get something from at least one other, too.”
Nexi might’ve been shocked, or even skeptical, but really, the time to be surprised ended the moment she awoke to the Otherworld. Now she realized how cautious everyone had been around her, only telling her what she needed to know at that moment. She figured they didn’t want to overwhelm her. “You have the Earth Element, I already know that, but what’s your other Element?”
“Yep, Earth is my most powerful gift.” She glanced up at the sky, where stars sparkled in unfamiliar patterns. “And like you saw, I can manipulate time, because it’s attached to the Earth. If I’m mad enough, Air will show itself and I can use it, but I have to be very angry for that happen.”
Nexi tried to picture what Haven would look like pissed off, but she failed miserably. “Well, the time thingy you can do is cool.”
Haven lifted a lazy shoulder. “My magic comes in handy, especially with catching the bad guys, but trust me, it ain’t nothin’ to get revved up about. Wait ‘til you see Zia in action.”
They strode past a small, rocky pond where fluorescent fish swam beneath a flourishing field of lily pads. “What kind of witch is Zia?”
“Spirit Witch, like your mom was.” Haven’s voice rose in awe. “Which means she can manipulate all of the Elements.” Nexi’s eyes widened, and Haven added with a short nod, “Exactly. Her abilities are impressive. Plus, they’re the only ones who have the ability to heal injuries.”
Nexi looked away from Haven, realizing they reached the end of the path, which stopped at a wrought iron gate overrun by green leafy vines. Its beautiful floral accents peeked through the foliage, but the intricate design paled next to what rest beyond the gate.
Before Nexi lay a meadow filled with rolling hills, plush green grass, and a large creek bisecting the scene. Wildflowers littered the ground and trees ringed the field. Some were birches and willows, but the smaller ones she’d never seen before.
Werewolves Be Damned Page 6
