by Bonnie Vanak
“Why do you want Willow?”
“Clothing, please. You’re blinding me with all that white skin.”
George waved a hand and conjured lime green shorts and a yellow checked shirt. The gator had no sense of style. “Willow?”
“Sienna is gone and I need a Fae to tell me what the hell is going on with my park.” Jake gave him a level look. “Where Willow goes, you follow.”
The gator’s upper lip lifted. “So say you.”
“You and I both know you’re in love with her.”
George’s shoulders sagged. “All right. If you need her, I’ll find her. Meet me here in a few.”
He shifted back and slid into the river.
Minutes later, the gator returned, a tiny winged Fairy riding on his head. As George climbed out of the river, Willow flew over to Jake and perched on a nearby spine of a saw palmetto.
“You need my help?” she sing-sang in her wispy voice.
Jake drew in a deep breath. He didn’t fully trust the Fairy, who had poisoned the swamp and nearly killed Sienna, Gabe’s mate. But Willow had also offered to sacrifice herself to atone for the deed, and now was doomed to forever stay in her Fairy form. She could never revert to Skin as other Fae did.
And he was desperate. Jake told them both what he’d found.
George shifted to Skin, held out his finger and Willow perched on it like a parakeet. They followed him to the scorched area where he’d found Nessie. Willow flitted near the burned earth and then landed upon it. Her light glowed bright white, then flickered. Jake waited.
“Willow? Hon, did you find anything? Did a Fae do this?” George asked.
The tiny Fairy flitted over to his palm, fanning her wings. George lifted her upward so Jake didn’t have to bend over.
“It’s not Fae,” Willow said in her tinny voice. “It’s something Other. Evil, tainted, but not Fae.”
Jake growled deep. “Then what the hell is it?”
“Don’t growl at her,” George hissed and displayed pointed teeth.
“Males, hello?” Willow flew upward and tugged playfully at George’s ear. “Stop posturing.”
Jake explained about Nessie and the short-tempered Lupines. “Who the hell knows what’s next?”
“Take me to your trailer,” Willow told him “Perhaps I can help.”
When they arrived, Molly was hovering over the box holding the raccoons. Tears dampened her cheeks.
“She’s dying, Jake. I feel so helpless.”
With an angry fist, she scrubbed her wet face. “Look at me. A wolf crying over a dying raccoon. Prey.”
“Not prey. A mama with babies.” Jake sat beside her and kissed her wet cheek. “Don’t berate yourself for caring.”
He introduced George and Willow to Molly. George glanced at him as he knelt by the box and studied the dying Nessie. “Willow can help, but it might drain her too much. She’s helped other wildlife who were hurt.”
Stunned, Jake blinked. “I heard Sienna drained all her magick.”
“She did, which means Willow can never shift into Skin.” George’s face tightened. “We can never be intimate. But Willow still has magick. All Fae do. Hers is merely weaker. She uses what power she has to heal those who are injured.”
“I’m trying to atone for killing my half-sister. Big no-no, huh?”
He heard the amusement in Willow’s tinny voice. “Right.”
“I know you detest me for how I ruined the environment, Jake. I want to save this raccoon,” Willow told him.
George shook his head. “Your powers aren’t that strong. It could kill you.”
The Fae placed a gentle hand on the shifter’s arm. “I must do this, George. I can never be at peace until I atone for all the harm I caused.”
“But…”
Willow laid a finger on his mouth. “Trust me, please. You’ve done so much for me, protecting me and watching over me. I must redeem myself, make myself worthy of your love.”
“You don’t have to prove yourself,” he said hoarsely. “I love you no matter what.”
She kissed him. “Let me try.”
Willow flew into the bin and landed gently on Nessie’s fur. The tiny Fairy placed her hands on the raccoon.
A brilliant white glow encased the animal as the kits backed away, whimpering. Then as Willow hovered over Nessie, her brilliant Fairy light faded. Jake’s heart raced. If Willow died, it would crush George. Memories echoed in his mind, the shrill screams as Karlene died in the fire, calling for him.
He couldn’t save her—he couldn’t do anything as the flames destroyed the cabin. He glanced at George and saw the shifter stare into the box with the same helplessness Jake had felt upon losing Karlene.
Willow had to live. She must.
Her eyes wet, Molly looked up.
“She’s giving all her magick to heal Nessie. It’s working, but will she survive this?”
“I don’t know,” he told her.
The Fairy collapsed, her light turning dark. But Nessie opened her eyes and he saw the scorched blackness tainting her paws had vanished.
Whatever Willow had done worked.
Jake gently picked up the dying Fairy, cupping her in his hands. He brought her outside on the porch. George bounded out after him, followed by Molly.
“Give her to me,” George ordered.
The gator shifter held the Fairy with gentle care. “You silly girl. Giving up your life for a stupid raccoon.”
Willow opened her eyes. “I love you, George,” she whispered. “I want you to be proud of me.”
“I am, sweetheart.” A single tear rolled down his cheek.
A lump clogged Jake’s throat. Willow didn’t deserve to die like this. George loved her, gave up everything to be with her.
The gator shifter sank to the porch, holding Willow as her fairy light sputtered. Winking on and off like a lighthouse beacon. Jake clutched Molly’s hand, squeezing it tight. Please live, don’t go…
Wetness glistened in George’s eyes as the light faded and then winked out for good. “She’s gone. I lost my Willow, the only one I’ll ever love. My sweet girl is gone.”
Molly wept. Jake swallowed past the emotion clogging his throat. Willow had caused chaos and evil in the swamp and the land, but she healed others.
“Can you call on Gideon?” George begged. “He can save her. There may be a tiny flicker of life inside her.”
Call on the Crimson Wizard, one of the four Brehon like Tristan, the judges of Others? He remembered how Tristan, the Silver Wizard, ignored his cries to save Karlene. “I wouldn’t call on him or any of the other three for a tire change. They won’t help,” Jake grated out.
Barely had the words left his mouth when a brilliant red light flashed before them. Out of a cloud of red smoke stepped a man clad in a red tunic and red trousers. Each strand of his dark brown hair was tipped in crimson.
“The Crimson Wizard,” Molly breathed.
“Oh shit,” Jake muttered.
“Oh shit is right, wolf.” Gideon scowled at him. “Tire change?”
“Gideon. Thank you for coming. Forget the wolf. Please, can you save Willow?” George begged.
Tightness on the handsome wizard’s face eased as he studied the tiny creature cradled in the gator shifter’s hands. “That is why I came here. Give her to me.”
Gideon blew gently upon the Fairy. Jake bit back a sarcastic remark. Yeah, blow on her, that’ll do the trick. Next thing you’ll be telling George, sorry guy, your love is dead. I can’t bring her back…
A brilliant white light flickered from Gideon’s palms. He set Willow down upon the porch. The white light increased and then in an eye blink, Willow transformed into a petite blonde woman.
Naked.
George shouted with happiness and raced forward to embrace her. Molly rushed inside and returned with a blanket, hastening to cover Willow.
“I can’t believe it,” Jake said, his voice thick.
“You question my powers, wolf?
” Gideon asked.
“No questions. Only wondering why you did it. Willow nearly killed everything in this area with her dark magick.”
“She has atoned for her darkness and has strived to accomplish only good. And by sacrificing herself to save a simple woodland creature,” Gideon smiled and suddenly looked young and handsome, not cold and cynical, “she has held up the Fae code of honor. All Fae strive to protect woodland creatures, and the places they call home.”
Willow beamed at George as tears continued to roll down the gator shifter’s cheeks. “Thank you,” he said thickly. “Thank you for bringing her back to me.”
Nodding, Gideon turned to Willow. “There are consequences. You can never change into your Fairy form if you stay in Skin. Or you may choose to remain a Fairy. You must choose between the two forms.”
Looking at George with shining eyes, Willow smiled. “That’s an easy choice. I choose to remain in Skin and be with George.”
“You will be mortal, no longer with a Fairy’s longevity,” Gideon warned.
“Whatever years I have left,” She slid her small hand into George’s, “I’ll be with him.”
“Then let’s not waste time.” Hunger gleamed in George’s eyes. “Jake, can I borrow your truck?”
Jake went inside and fetched the keys to his personal vehicle. George caught the keys in one hand. Willow smiled again, her gaze never leaving the gator shifter’s. “Thank you, Jake. Thank you for giving me the chance to reform and save life, instead of taking it away.”
They watched the couple scamper down the steps, climb into the pickup and drive away.
Bewilderment filled Jake and bitter resentment. He had called out to Tristan to save Karlene, but the wizard had not answered. Karlene burned to death, screaming for help, and the wizard ignored him. Why couldn’t Tristan save her? Karlene never did anything wrong. He hissed out a deep breath, his chest tight.
“Nice work. Too bad you guys aren’t always around when needed.”
Molly plucked at his shirt sleeve. “Jake…”
“It’s okay, Molls. He can’t do anything to me.”
“Oh?” Gideon said silkily.
“You’re not my judge. Tristan is. Tristan, the wizard who failed to save my intended mate. He let her burn to death while I screamed for his help.”
Molly gasped and then her gaze grew soft. “Oh Jake, I’m so sorry.”
Jake folded his arms across his chest and leaned against his porch railing. “Fuck all of you wizard bastards.”
“Careful, Lupine. I may not judge you, but I sure as hell can exterminate you.”
The wizard flicked a finger and bright red energy shot out, hitting the porch railing and shattering it. Jake fell backward from the force of the blast. Molly cried out and ran to him, helping him up.
He shook his head. “I’m okay.”
“Stay that way, Lupine,” Gideon warned. “You are needed. But do not taunt me again.”
These wizards, so cold and calculating. Yeah, he’d healed Willow. But what about the land?
“You’re so powerful and great…”
Molly put a cautioning hand on his arm. He glanced at her. “Then you know what the hell is wrong with this park. What kind of dark magick is this? It’s killing the woodland creatures you’re supposed to protect. What is it and can’t you stop it?”
The Crimson Wizard’s expression flickered a little. Regret flashed on his face. Then he shook his head. “I know it, but it is not my realm. Not within my power to stop it. It belongs to another judge.”
“Tristan?” That uncaring bastard probably would buff his nails while the entire forest burned down.
“Cadeyrn. The Shadow Wizard.”
Oh double shit. Jake’s chest tightened. Of the four wizards who judged Others, Cadeyrn was the most formidable. And mysterious.
The guy dealt with zombies and psychic Skins, two unstable groups. Ancient Lupine myths said the Shadow Wizard held the power to strike down the darkest evil.
And that meant whatever singed the land and was hurting his park was far more dangerous than he’d thought.
“It’s not a shifter causing this?”
“No. And that is all I shall tell you. That and you must learn to use your strength as Lupines. Harness that power and you will defeat this.”
“Thanks for the cryptic advice,” Jake shot back.
“Keep your table salt handy. You will need it to help defeat evil. Salt reveals the true form of evil and helps to temporarily restrain it.” Gideon’s entire body tensed. “You must have courage, wolf. And cease running from your destiny. When you are whole, you can defeat this.”
The wizard waved a hand and vanished.
“When I’m whole?” Jake yelled at the air. “What kind of answer is that?!”
But only the wind rustling through the pine trees answered him.
Jake dragged in a deep, calming breath. The scent of fresh earth and pine filled his senses. He wanted to forget, but could not erase Karlene’s screams from his mind, her haunting calls for help he had not answered…
Molly squeezed his hand. “Are you all right?”
Her soft voice dragged him back to the present. He gave a rough nod. “Let’s get Nessie and her kits back to the wild.”
After they returned the raccoon and her kits, they walked back to the trailer. The morning had grown warmer and the sun beamed bright in the cloudless sky. It promised to be another gorgeous day in Florida. Today, several good things had happened but he couldn’t feel joy for the bitterness in his heart. It gnawed at him with tiny teeth, eating through the quiet satisfaction of rescuing Nessie.
Molly sighed. “I’m so happy for Willow and George.”
“I give them six months,” he muttered. “If he doesn’t eat her first.”
“Why are you so upset at Gideon?” she asked gently. “Is it because Tristan didn’t save your mate?”
Jake’s mouth tightened. “She wasn’t my mate. I can’t talk about it right now.”
Sympathy filled her gaze. “I understand, Jake. But can’t you at least be happy for them? They’re together now.”
He wished he could. But resentment filled him. Why had his love died and Willow lived? What was the magick dividing line? Didn’t he deserve happiness, just like George?
“Together.” He snorted. “An ornery gator shifter who cared for a Fairy, and he couldn’t make love to her.”
Molly gave a soft smile. “I daresay they’re going to make up for lost time now.”
“Right.”
“You don’t get it, Jake?” Molly’s expression softened. “That’s true love, the kind everyone searches for.”
“A Fairy and a gator shifter?”
“It doesn’t matter what they are, only that George loves her to the point where he gave up his life to follow her and be together. Even though they could never be intimate in her form, he never stopped loving her.”
She cast him a sideways glance. “He didn’t care about pack or law or her past, or his. Just that he loved her. That’s all that mattered. He loved her despite her faults.”
“Willow didn’t deserve to be loved after she nearly destroyed the swamp, George’s home.”
“Perhaps not. But he loved her just the same. That’s what true love is.” Molly touched his arm. “Loving someone even when they don’t deserve, or want it.”
Stricken, he realized the truth of her words, and how they affected him. For the past year, he’d hidden himself away, riddled with guilt over how he might have destroyed his pack. Thinking he didn’t deserve happiness after losing Karlene, and here was Molly, standing with both arms open wide.
Inviting him into her heart.
But did he have the courage to enter? He’d left Montana to keep the peace and avoid entangling his pack in a bloody war. How could he risk being with her and starting a war that could claim more lives?
Chapter 8
Molly spent the next few days with Jake patrolling the park in Skin form dur
ing the day. They had tried to call upon the Shadow Wizard, but no answer.
At night they shifted into wolf form and ran with the waxing moon, then returned to his trailer, exhausted. She slept in his guest room, tossing and turning, knowing the male she cherished was only a few feet away.
Her entire body longed to join with him. She felt her heat approaching, and it made her restless and yearning, even more so after she’d shifted back to Skin.
They’d found no other signs of the odd blackness. It was as if the dark magick had fled the park. Still, Jake didn’t trust that it was gone for good.
As they ate dinner that night, Jake told her he wanted to follow a narrow hiking path through the thick woods. The trail wended northward, away from the river. Jake had a hunch the blackness had abandoned the river region because of Gideon’s presence. He wanted to explore the area closer to the main road. There was a hiking path that led to an abandoned campground about a mile north.
“Whoever is doing this doesn’t want to be found, and they’ve gone to other areas in the park,” he told her as they ate fried chicken.
“It makes sense.” Molly pushed back her plate. “I’ll go with you.”
“No. It’s too dangerous for you.”
“Because I’m a female?” Anger pricked her spine. “It wasn’t dangerous before. Why now?”
“Because it’s an unexplored area of the park and if there is something there, you could get hurt.”
“I can take care of myself.”
She stared at the hank of dark hair hanging over his forehead, the stubborn set to his chin. And then she glanced into his eyes and saw the shadows there.
“I won’t risk anything happening to you, Molls,” he said quietly. “Sometimes at night I think about what nearly happened to you in the fire and if I wasn’t there to save you…”
Emotion tightened her throat. “But you were. And with the two of us there, if something happens, we can back each other up.”
Jake leaned back and ran a hand through his rumpled hair. “Sweet hellfire, you are a stubborn little Lupine.”
He stood and began clearing the dinner dishes. “You’re staying. I don’t know what’s out there. But I sense it’s still there, waiting.”
“Which is why you need me.” She grabbed a dishtowel from the far drawer and began to dry the dishes as he stacked them in the drainer. By now she knew every inch of this trailer, knew how he liked to keep it tidy and organized, and he was almost anal about where everything was kept, especially his tools needed for maintaining the park.
