Wayne stopped cussing when he saw Zoey’s eyes on his arm. He looked behind him and saw Missy on top of Luke, but there was no mistaking Luke’s knowing look. Wayne shot his hand out and dragged Zoey to him. His forearm slid around her neck from behind as Zoey felt the power inside her surge. If she didn’t get control of herself, she’d explode again, taking out who knew how many people and letting Slade know she was the witch he was looking for. Focus on the fear, Grand Mistress Lauren had told her. Don’t run from it.
Luke shoved a screaming Missy from him as Wayne thrust a hunting knife against Zoey’s side. Zoey gasped as the sharp tip dug into her skin.
“Nobody move,” Wayne said clearly as the shop that had been in chaos froze. Most people had run outside and were now looking in through the windows. Some of them were reaching in their trucks for their gun racks and the few left inside were frozen in disbelief in the middle of her shop.
“Put it down, Luke,” Wayne warned as Luke reached for his gun.
Luke looked back and forth between Wayne and Zoey and finally decided to set the gun down. “Why’d you do it, Wayne?” Luke asked as he motioned for Missy to stop her screeching and slowly stood up.
Zoey sucked in a breath. It wasn’t the knife slowly piercing her skin above her rib that was the problem. It was the rush of magic she felt flowing around the room. Wave after wave of it hit her even as Agnes, Vilma, and Slade showed no indication of feeling it. Instead, Agnes and Vilma looked as if they were about to jump into the fray. Luke looked as if he were going to talk Wayne down. And Slade . . . well, he just looked pissed off. Zoey shivered at the cold waves of anger washing over him. She felt them and eyed him wearily. He looked bent on murder. The question was whose? Hers? Agnes’s? Vilma’s? Had he felt their power? Or was it Wayne because he was threatening her?
“How did you know?” Wayne asked instead.
“We found your skin under Tim’s nails. We knew he had scratched his assailant. We also know that the email sent to Ronald Stone was sent from the Mountaineers’ computer in the middle of the night. We knew it was a Mountaineer. We didn’t know it was you until we saw the wounds. Why did you do it, Wayne?” Luke kept his gaze steady, but not intimidating.
“Why else? Money. Ronald is running his distillery into the ground, and I was meant for more than this dump. I was going to get that money and buy a mansion in the big city. Tim wasn’t supposed to fight back. I always thought he was a wimp. I waited for him to start walking home and I surprised him in the dark. But Tim didn’t give me the recipes when I asked. He punched me in the side of the head. He made me kill him since he didn’t give me what I wanted. First Tim and now you. I was going to be rich, and you all ruined that!”
Zoey felt the knife point dig in farther. She gasped, her hands tightening over Wayne’s forearm as she dug her nails into his skin, scraping him to release her, much like what Tim had done when Wayne stood behind him strangling the life from him. Fear shot through her. Slade swayed as if feeling it then he made a sound that wasn’t quite human. A low growl emanated from him that no one else seemed to hear.
Zoey met Slade’s piercing gaze when the tears of pain slipped from her green eyes. The bright blue had all but vanished, leaving only the coldest ice blue focused completely on her. They calmed her fear, even as she felt the magic screaming for release. Would she die or out herself as a witch? Right now Zoey didn’t know as her mind and body waged against each other in a fight or flight response.
One thing she couldn’t do was break her gaze with Slade’s. At that moment, she was bound to him. He was her anchor. Slade lowered his chin slightly, and Zoey knew without a doubt what he wanted her to do. Slade may kill her later in a battle between good and evil, but right now he seemed her best chance at survival.
As Luke continued to talk, Zoey felt Agnes and Vilma moving closer. Zoey was completely focused on Slade as Missy sat on the floor crying. She saw him inching forward as she gathered the fear into a ball, just like Grand Mistress Lauren taught her. She focused on the black ball and imagined it traveling up her stomach, down her arms, then she stopped it. She waited, feeling the energy growing, shifting, and turning restless. When Slade gave her a wink she made her move. She set the energy free as she dug her nails into Wayne’s skin. The energy shot out her fingertips and right into his arm like an electric shock.
Wayne howled, his grip loosening enough for Zoey to drop to the ground. Slade vaulted himself through the air. Zoey closed her eyes and ducked as Slade’s body flew over hers and into Wayne, knocking him to the ground where Agnes and Vilma pelted Wayne with muffins. If she thought that was bad, it was nothing compared to the haymaker Slade delivered, sending Wayne into unconsciousness.
Zoey let out an unsteady breath. Her body was beginning to shake as the increased energy and adrenaline mixed. Vilma and Agnes rushed to her as Luke grabbed up his gun and moved to kick the knife from Wayne’s hand. Slade slowly stood from where he was straddling Wayne and turned to look at her.
“Oh my Goddess. If only he wasn’t part of Tenebris. In the old days, the best way to handle the surge of energy rushing through our bodies after battle was sex,” Agnes whispered as Slade bent down and grabbed Wayne’s slack body with one hand and hauled him up.
“Here you go, Deputy. Where do you want me to put him?” Slade asked as Wayne dangled from his grip, giving the women a good view of Slade from behind.
“I’d say it’s worth the risk,” Vilma sighed.
Luke waved Denny in. “Help me take Wayne down to the jail.”
“I can’t believe it,” Denny stuttered as Luke and Denny both slid in under Wayne’s arms.
Slade released his grip, and Wayne fell forward between Denny and Luke. His head hung down and his legs dragged behind them as they angled themselves out the door. The Mountaineers stood quiet and made a path for Luke and Denny. Conversation erupted as soon as they were at the end of the block.
The group reassembled back inside. Zoey sucked in a breath and backed up. People pressed in on her and she felt panicked. Then Slade was there. He didn’t say a word. He simply narrowed his eyes and held out a hand, stopping the entire group in their tracks.
“You two up to handling this while I check out Zoey’s side to make sure she’s not hurt?”
“You bet we are, stud muffin,” Vilma said with a wink. Slade smiled and Agnes giggled. It was embarrassing, but Zoey was too out of it to care.
13
Slade escorted Zoey through the crowd and into the kitchen. Zoey let out a sigh of relief and then gave a squeak of surprise as Slade lifted her onto the prep table.
“Take off your shirt while I turn off the heat.”
Zoey felt her mouth drop open. “I will not. I’m perfectly fine.”
“You’re bleeding,” Slade stated matter-of-factly. “Besides, it’s not as if I haven’t seen it all ready. Remember, you gave me quite a show on that stage last time I saw you.”
Zoey gasped as Slade let out a frustrated breath and reached over to rip her shirt across her belly as if he were pulling off a bandage. “You’re hurt,” Slade said with an undertone that made Zoey shiver. She felt the anger he felt. She felt the way he fought to control it.
Slade turned off the heat and the shop was soon filled with blissful air conditioning as he grabbed a towel and began to wet it. Zoey scrambled backward on the prep table, nervous about the deadly fire in Slade’s eyes when he looked at her. But those eyes softened when he walked toward her. He let out an annoyed sigh as Zoey flinched at the pain in her side before snatching the towel and covering her midsection.
“Zoey, stop.” Slade ordered, but not with the malevolence she expected. It was more in the tone of kindness.
Zoey stopped trying to cover her exposed midriff as Slade slowly took the towel from her hand. Slade began to clean the wound with gentleness she didn’t know he possessed. “It needs stitches. Do you want me to summon the doctor?”
Zoey snorted. “Gosh, no. He’ll just put an ice pack on
it. I’ll go to Knoxville.”
“No need,” Slade said before striding out the backdoor and disappearing once again.
“Oh my Goddess!” Agnes said, fanning herself as she and Vilma stumbled into the kitchen. “That man is hot enough I’d give him my powers for a couple of hours alone with him.”
“Why is he here?” Vilma whispered, looking around as if he were about to pop back in.
“He’s going to kill us. But what a way to go,” Agnes said, continuing to fan herself.
“You want me to fix that, dear?” Vilma asked, rubbing her hands together. Vilma had taught Zoey the magic to heal just the other night, and if it weren’t for Slade’s presence, that’s exactly what Zoey would have had Vilma do.
“I got it,” Slade said, walking back into the kitchen holding a first aid kit. “I’ve sewn lots of people back together.”
“Oh?” Vilma asked. “Is it because you’re an overly violent person or do you have a medical degree under all that . . . leather?”
“I didn’t think I was going to be getting blood on me today so I left my pleather pants in my bag. And no, I’m not a doctor,” Slade said as he washed Zoey’s wound with iodine. “But I am a soldier of sorts, and I’ve had to sew up people plenty of times. Now, this will pinch.”
Zoey sucked in a startled breath as the needle went through her skin. She looked over Slade’s head as he bent to work and looked at Agnes and Vilma. The humor in their eyes had disappeared upon hearing Slade’s soldier announcement. Now fear filled them.
“Zoey, are you still here?” Before Zoey could answer Luke came in through the swinging doors. “You’re hurt!”
“I got it, Deputy,” Slade said coldly without taking his eyes or hands from her as he placed the last stitch.
“Are you hurt badly, Zoey?” Luke asked, ignoring Slade.
“No, I’m fine. But tell me what happened with Wayne.” Zoey watched as Agnes’s and Vilma’s heads began to look back and forth between Luke and Slade while their brows creased in thought.
“He’s been booked at the jail. The prosecutor got an emergency hearing with the judge for thirty minutes from now. I thought you would like to be there when the charges were dismissed against Maribelle and Dale.”
“Oh, yes.”
Slade bent down, his lips skimming her skin. Zoey sucked in a breath as her body flushed at the intimacy of the touch. His mouth opened, his teeth grazed her skin, and then there was a quick tug on the stitching thread.
“Ow!”
“All done,” Slade said, standing upright after biting the suture off. He reached over for a bandage, and within seconds he was packing up his bag. “I’ll see you around, sweetness. Ladies.” Slade turned to Agnes and Vilma and headed out the back door.
“Was that a promise or a threat?” Luke asked into the silence as they all stared at the now empty outline of the door.
Zoey didn’t know, but it was up to her to find out. For if tall, dark, and sexy was a threat, it was up to her to take him out. She felt it in her body—the battle for good and evil had started.
“Zoey!” Maribelle cried as she ran down the courthouse steps. Dale was steps behind her. They looked tired, but relieved. “All charges have been dropped. It was Wayne—he confessed.”
“She knows, dear. Zoey’s the one who organized the capture. We can’t thank you enough,” Dale said, sliding his arm around Maribelle’s waist as soon as Maribelle released Zoey from a tight hug.
“I’m so glad.” Zoey laughed as her best friend fairly bounced with renewed life.
“Can I tell her, please?” Maribelle begged Dale, who smiled and gave a brief nod of his head. Maribelle squealed in return. “We’re engaged! Dale asked me this morning in our cell. We’ll need a re-do so we’ll have a more appropriate story to tell our families and children someday.”
“That’s wonderful! Congratulations you two.” Zoey hugged them both then stepped back as their friends and family hurried forward to welcome them back to freedom.
Zoey watched her friends become engulfed in loving embraces before turning toward her home. She wanted to get home, take off the apron hiding her torn shirt, and snuggle Chance.
She wasn’t even past the courthouse before Agnes and Vilma flanked her on each side. A black cat with teal eyes sauntered by with a flick of her tail. An owl hooted in a nearby tree. Another cat sat cleaning herself across the street. A hawk cried as it flew by in the bright morning sky. Zoey closed her eyes for a brief second. She felt the sisterhood, the love, and the energy of the Claritase. Off in the distance, a motorcycle revved its engine. A man in black sat in the seat watching her before driving off.
“Now that Maribelle and Dale are safe, we need to increase our lessons. I fear we are running out of time,” Vilma said as Agnes nodded her agreement.
With a flick of Vilma’s hand, the hawk soared after Slade to keep an eye on the enemy from above.
“Do you think Slade is here to kill us?” Zoey asked.
“He has the mark of the Tenebris. We’d be stupid to think he’s not here to hunt us. Even if his actions today were, well, unexpected. We must keep our guard up, and we must work hard to teach you several lifetimes of information in a few weeks,” Agnes told her.
“Then we shouldn’t waste any time,” Zoey said, filled with determination.
She had always wanted to be a part of something. Zoey had wanted a family, and now she had sisters who were depending on her. Agnes and Vilma smiled as they walked side by side, flanked by Mistress Lauren and several other sisters marching alongside Zoey toward her fate. For now she felt the loving, healing energy of the sisterhood and she’d give her life to protect it.
The End
* * *
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Bluegrass Series
Bluegrass State of Mind
Risky Shot
Dead Heat
* * *
Bluegrass Brothers
Bluegrass Undercover
Rising Storm
Secret Santa: A Bluegrass Series Novella
Acquiring Trouble
Relentless Pursuit
Secrets Collide
Final Vow
* * *
Bluegrass Singles
All Hung Up
Bluegrass Dawn
The Perfect Gift
The Keeneston Roses
* * *
Forever Bluegrass Series
Forever Entangled
Forever Hidden
Forever Betrayed
Forever Driven
Forever Secret
Forever Surprised
Forever Concealed
Forever Devoted
Forever Hunted
Forever Guarded
Forever Notorious
Forever Ventured (coming later in 2019)
* * *
Shadows Landing Series
Saving Shadows
Sunken Shadows (coming May 14, 2019)
Lasting Shadows (coming later in 2019)
* * *
Women of Power Series
Chosen for Power
Built for Power
Fashioned for Power
Destined for Power
* * *
Web of Lies Series
Whispered Lies
Rogue Lies
Shattered Lies
* * *
Moonshine Hollow Series
Moonshine & Murder
Moonshine & Malice (coming March 26, 2019)
Moonshine & Mayhem (coming April 16, 2019)
About the Author
Kathl
een Brooks is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author. Kathleen’s stories are romantic suspense featuring strong female heroines, humor, and happily-ever-afters. Her Bluegrass Series and follow-up Bluegrass Brothers Series feature small town charm with quirky characters that have captured the hearts of readers around the world.
* * *
Kathleen is an animal lover who supports rescue organizations and other non-profit organizations such as Friends and Vets Helping Pets whose goals are to protect and save our four-legged family members.
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