by P. Jameson
Good mate.
He shifted, letting his body return to a man’s, and reached out his hand for her. Bailey’s body changed, and carefully she stood to her feet, letting him pull her close against his chest. The remnants of battle stained her skin. Raw, recently healed flesh discolored her face and neck, but it would heal with time.
Gash pressed her body against his, shielding the vital area where a tiny life grew inside her. As he brought his hands around her back and let one move up to cradle her head, relief replaced the adrenaline coursing through his veins. The witches’ curse had come through. No one was ever taking his Bailey or his young from him. No one ever.
Ever.
He’d make the Ouachitas safe for them always. If he had to promise the witches a fucking kidney in exchange for staying, he would. And the bears… Thames’s chapel was getting moved to the top of the list. And if Theron wanted anymore music shit, he could have it.
Gash turned his head to see Felix stumbling to his feet, wounds gaping and refusing to heal. Eyes wide, he stared down at his own body like it was a foreign object.
He should kill him. It was the smart thing to do. He should break his neck so he could never threaten Bailey again.
A snarl rumbled Gash’s chest, impossible to contain.
But the witches’ fate was worse than any death. Felix and the other Alley Cats were permanently disabled. Shifters trapped in very human bodies. Animals unable to ever run free again. Unable to use their power to hurt others anymore.
“May I have your attention?” Adira’s voice rang through the silence that had fallen over the clearing. The cloaking spell was gone and all three witches were clearly visible, their long dresses flapping in the wind as they stood beneath the fading funnel that dipped from the sky.
“What have you done to us?” Felix hissed, his voice shaking from the absence of his animal’s usual snarl.
“It’s a #binding curse. Your animals are not gone, however, they are trapped within, never to be released again. You have abused your power for too long and now it has been taken from you. You shall live…” Her eyes fell to the dead panther who had attacked Thames. “Except for this one. You shall live, but it will be as a human. With the weaknesses of a human, and...” She tilted her head. “And with the strengths of a human.”
“Are you insane, woman?” One of the Alley Cats spoke up. He held his hand to his stomach, and Gash could see him trembling from feet away. “What strengths does a human have? Without our animals, we’re nothing.”
“There are many,” Adira answered simply. “You only have to seek them out and accept them. This is your way now. Let this be a lesson learned, that you may never again abuse the power you possess. Let it be a lesson to us all,” she said more quietly.
Felix straightened his shoulders, his voice going deadly. “Whatever you’ve done, undo it.”
Adira clasped her hands together at her waist looking like someone straight from the prairie. “I cannot.”
“Do it,” Felix insisted. “Do it, and we will leave and never come back here again.” He glanced at Gash. “We’ll go our separate ways and call it done. A truce.”
“Even if I believed you, I cannot undo the curse. It’s impossible. As I said, you must accept your new circumstances and make the best of them. And perhaps… perhaps someday you can be happy like your brother is.”
Felix frowned hard, his eyes darting to find leverage. But he had none. As Adira said, he was completely powerless against Ouachita and the Sorcera.
He turned on Gash, stumbling to keep himself upright. “I won’t let this go, brother. I won’t let you go. You’re a shadow. You can’t escape it. But pops was wrong about you. You don’t need as much training as he thought. If you can do this to your blood, to the clan you swore allegiance to… you’re more heartless than I thought.”
Gash clenched his jaw so tight he heard it crack. “I could have killed you. I could have been free of you for good, but I let you live. I should kill you now…”
Felix turned when he noticed his cats melting back into the darkness. Leaving with their tails tucked as any bully does when their power is challenged. To Gash’s horror, Felix gave him his back, and what he saw there twisted his stomach into a million knots. Thick ribbons of scar tissue stretched from his shoulders to his waist to form an S.
Felix had never been so careless with his back. Not with any of the cats, but especially not with Gash. And now, he knew exactly why. It explained why Felix never shifted human before the clan. Neither had pops. Said it was lowly for a shadow leader to show his back.
But that was bullshit wasn’t it.
“Who took your skin?” Gash managed, but he already knew.
The Alley Cats were backing away, scowling at Felix like he was the traitor instead of Gash. And for all intents and purposes, he was. He’d led them into a battle they couldn’t win, and now they would suffer without their animals.
Felix twisted around, his face a mask of frustration and fury Gash couldn’t hope to interpret. “Who do you think? Pops. He made me, I made you. And this isn’t over,” he hissed, backing away.
“It’s over,” Nastia boomed. Gash snapped his gaze to the Sorcera, shocked to see her eyes almost glowing with her anger. “It’s well and done. You will do no more damage to these people. And if you ever wish to be redeemed, you’ll accept it now, and be on your way.”
As if her words were a catalyst, rain dumped from the sky in sheets, drenching the clearing and everyone in it.
“Go,” Magic yelled across to Felix. “And don’t ever come back, ya asshole.”
Gash watched his brother duck back against the blackness of the forest, his eyes haunted and promising revenge.
Should have killed him.
“We’re safe,” Bailey whispered, clinging to him. She kissed his chest, trembling with leftover adrenaline.
Gash nodded, calling over to Adira, “Can he find a way to break the curse?”
She cocked her head. “He can. But it has a built in safety mechanism. The curse will only be broken if his heart finds light.”
“What does that mean?”
“If he turns good,” Mirena clarified. “A changed heart is the only cure for this curse. And if that happens, he would no longer be a threat to you.”
“If,” Gash murmured.
Mirena nodded. “If.”
He sighed, his shoulders bowing in relief. The threat to his family was really over. Felix didn’t have it in him to break the curse, and with it, he was weak.
The clan gathered around the Sorcera, their relief palpable in the air.
“Had me worried there for a minute, Sunshine,” Mason grumbled, smirking at Adira. “But you did good. Real good. Even with all the manhood hanging out.”
She pursed her lips in response, and he let out a chuckle.
“We nearly failed,” Mirena muttered. “It was only because of Nastia that the curse worked.”
Gash looked around, taking in the wounds his clanmates wore. They were all beat up a bit, but nothing life threatening. Thames looked like he’d taken the worst of it when three cats had come at him at once. Streaks of red ran down his back, but he seemed more angry than hurt, his face screwed up in a snarl.
“Five hundred and eight,” Nastia slurred, and then collapsed, only missing the ground because Theron was nearby and lunged to catch her.
“Shit,” he murmured.
“What’s wrong with her?” Doc asked, rushing forward.
Adira shook her head. “Nothing you can fix, Doc. She’s battling the darkness. Inside, where her soul is. When she’s fought it as long as she can stand, she’ll sleep. And when she wakes again, she’ll fight.”
“But I thought she had until the September equinox,” Layna said.
Mirena glanced to the sky before answering. “She invited it in.”
“Why?” Thames snapped. “Why would she do that?”
The two Sorcera shared a look.
“She killed the
were-panther on your back to save you and draw the darkness to her so we could harness its power for the spell.”
Thames’s jaw went tight and silence fell over the group.
Gash knew the weight of taking a life. None of the ones that bloodied his hands had been innocent—and neither was the one Nastia had taken—but the worth or lack thereof didn’t lesson the guilt.
“She killed to save the clan,” Thames shot out.
“Yes. To save us all… while bringing danger to herself.”
“But…” Eagan reasoned. “If she hadn’t, we wouldn’t have gotten Bailey out of Felix’s sights. And the rest of the clan for that matter. She helped us eliminate a danger. Helped us secure our family. No foul in that. Nothing dark in that.”
Gash agreed, and so did the others if their nodding was any indication.
Adira cocked her head. “There was another way. She gave in before I could tell her. But it matters not. She channeled dark magic to cast a spell, and took a life to do it.” Her lip trembled when she spoke the next words. “She will go dark before the equinox.”
Tears streaked Mirena’s cheeks. “We must lock her away or she will endanger us all. She won’t be herself. She won’t realize what she’s doing.”
“Lock her away?” Bailey said, aghast. “Surely that isn’t necessary. We can talk to her. It will be all right.”
“You don’t understand,” Adira pleaded. “She made us promise we’d keep her from hurting anyone else. She would be distraught if she caused any of you harm after she defended you so fiercely. She would never come back from it.”
Bailey snapped her mouth shut on whatever argument she’d been preparing.
“Come back from it,” Thames murmured, his expression thunderous. “So this isn’t all. This isn’t the end. She can still fight it. And if she can still fight it, she can still win.”
Mirena dashed her tears away. “There might be a chance. If we can find her anchor.”
“I’ll find it,” he said, no hesitation.
“It’s not so easy,” Adira cautioned.
“I’ll find it. I won’t stop until I do.”
Mirena eyed him. “You mean it.”
Thames nodded.
“We’ll all help,” Magic pledged.
Gash agreed, “We owe her a life.”
The rest of the clan nodded their promise.
Mirena’s gaze went around the circle, touching on each person. “I dare you.”
Adira stared sadly at Nastia where she lay in Theron’s arms. “We need a place to keep her. Somewhere safe where we can spell her to remain inside.”
Thames stepped toward his brother, arms outstretched. “Give her to me. I’ll take care of her. I’ll keep her in my cave. She’ll be safe.”
Theron frowned. “Thames, no. I don’t think that’s—”
“I said, give her to me. She saved me, so she’s mine. That’s how it works.”
Theron stared at Thames, his jaw ticking wildly.
“Brother, I will bleed you if I have to, but that female is mine.”
“Goddamn it, Thames. I know. I know. I just don’t want you fucking this up.”
Adira’s wide-eyed gaze followed the two men.
“I won’t,” Thames spoke quietly.
Whatever was happening between the two brothers was over Gash’s head. Some bear thing. But he knew what it meant when a man called a woman mine.
Reluctantly, Theron passed Nastia to his brother. Thames turned to stalk into the forest, but Adira stopped him.
“Wait. Where are you taking her?”
“My cave. It’s safe. I secured it when I took possession.”
Gash caught Theron rolling his eyes. Apparently they weren’t sharing the cave after all.
“At least let me come with you so I can spell it.”
Thames eyed her and then bent his head to stare at Nastia before answering. “Yeah, okay. Let’s go.”
Mirena gasped, staring up at the sky where it was clearing to reveal the almost-full moon. The rain had stopped. The wind had stalled. And arching over the sky in the opposite direction of the moon, was a pale multi-colored rainbow. So faint Gash could barely see it.
“What is it?” Layna asked, pulling the t-shirt Ryan had shucked over her head.
“A night rainbow. A moonbow. Adira, do you see it?”
Gash watched the Sorcera as she squinted upward. “I see it, sister. I see it.”
But somehow, he had the feeling she wasn’t telling the truth.
Adira and Thames disappeared into the forest with Nastia. Renner and Owyn gathered the fallen panther. Doc examined wounds, ordering people to go directly to her office or home, depending on the severity. Theron and Mason ran the property to ensure all the human cats were gone, while Layna and Ryan went to relieve Clara from her desk duty at the lodge. Boy were they going to get an earful too. The tiny human hadn’t been happy about her role in this showdown. She was feisty and she wanted to be in the fray.
Magic strolled over, careful not to get too close to Bailey. Confucius say: smart man stay far away from pregnant mate, lest ye lose hand, eye, tongue, and any other appendage available.
“It’s over,” he said, relief written in the way his shoulders sagged. “You’re free.”
Gash nodded, swallowing hard. He needed to say the words clogging his throat but it was damn tough. “Thank you. For fighting for me. And Bailey. And...” The young. He couldn’t say it. Not without tears choking his voice. So he let it fade.
A lazy smile quirked Magic’s mouth. “It ain’t no thing. We defend our own.”
“I owe you a life.”
“You don’t owe me shit. And… congratulations, man. You’re going to be a daddy.”
Gash breathed deep, still not able to scent the young. But soon. He’d pick it up soon. Maybe when he got his mate home and in bed.
“Congrats, Bai,” Magic added.
She murmured a thank-you and he jogged off toward the lodge.
Silently, Gash and Bailey walked back to their cabin. A huge weight had been lifted. And even though Ouachita would no doubt face more obstacles while helping the witches, tonight they had come together in the most miraculous way. This was what family was all about. Fighting alongside each other even if their demons weren’t yours.
Gash would never forget what Ouachita had done for him, and he’d be first in line to help any one of them, no questions asked.
They were his.
Chapter Thirteen
Weeks later, Bailey huddled in the kitchen over her cell phone, staring at the screen as it flashed an alert. 1 New Message. A happy smile curved her lips and she slid her thumb around the screen to open it up.
Since the battle with the Alley Cats, things had settled around the Ouachitas. The bears and Gash shared security duties, and they were making a home with the cats. Thames’s chapel had been erected, and not surprisingly, the guests liked to visit it as much as he did. Theron’s piano was moved into the lobby, and he played it sometimes when he thought no one was around. He wasn’t very good, but Bailey still liked to hear it. To her, it seemed like a symbol of survival and growth. Listening to him hit wrong notes always made a smile appear on her face.
Adira and Mirena stayed in the lodge, learning the ways of the shifters and helping wherever they could. Magic hadn’t given them jobs yet, but Bailey figured that was coming soon. Maybe after they survived the autumnal equinox. Then they’d officially belong to the Ouachita clan. If they wanted to, that is.
The one dark spot on the horizon was Nastia. Her condition hadn’t worsened as Adira had suggested. Which actually left everyone more on edge. It was like waiting for a dreaded blade to fall. Even Nastia had been sure the darkness would take her by now. So she sat, locked in Thames’s cave, waiting for it while the sisters and Mason researched ways to find her anchor.
But Bailey knew the clan would find a way to free her. Together, they could conquer any foe. Even dark magic. Somehow, she knew it deep in her heart
.
Peering at her screen, she read the message.
I love you. Are u tired of it yet? Be honest.
Gash had kept his promise to tell her whenever he wanted to. Which was often. And every single time it gave her flutters in her chest that she knew wouldn’t fade with the passing of years.
I love you back. Not even close to tired of it.
I know bc I’m watching u smile.
She grinned up at the security camera and blew it a kiss.
There, she typed. A kiss for my mate.
“Bai,” Eagan called from the front station. “You get the dessert in the ovens yet?”
“Working on it,” she hollered back.
“Sometime today would be nice,” he grumbled.
“Heard that.”
“Meant for you to.”
She checked her phone again, but still no reply from Gash.
Just as she was tucking it back into her pocket, he pushed through the kitchen door, leaving it swinging on its hinges. He stalked to her, ignoring Eagan’s protests.
“Aw, come on. Give me a break, will you two? I need the damn desserts going, or our guests will be eating leftover cheesecake, and there goes my reputation right out the window like a fluttering fucking slip of paper.”
“Suck it, E,” Gash shot back. “I know how you and Clara have misused the kitchen.”
Eagan’s gaze narrowed. “You know nothing. I’m smart enough to cover the cameras.”
Gash gave him a blank stare. “Exactly. So I’m aware of just how many times you’ve misused it.”
Eagan crossed his arms, staring Gash down while Bailey strangled back a giggle.
“Fine, damn it. Fine,” Eagan said, walking away. “Five minutes, Bai. If those cakes aren’t in the oven in five minutes…”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” Gash warned, but she could see the playful gleam in his eye. Her tough man liked having brothers to play with. Ones he trusted and could be at ease with.
Bailey let her happiness out in a bubbling laugh, and Gash swept her into his big arms, pushing his face against her neck and inhaling deep before meeting her gaze again.
