“Volatile?”
“Exactly. There are times I just want to see what she’s thinking, so I can understand. Am I really that much of a controlling ass?”
“Well . . .” Daniel smiled, only to let it fade away. “Sorry, force of habit. I don’t think you’re any worse than other mated wolves. I know you’re the Alpha, but I’ve watched you try and rein your overprotective streak with her. Does she get how much this drives you nuts?”
“She used to. I swear, ever since she started recovering from the conversion, things have been escalating. I honestly don’t know what to expect when . . . if she comes home.”
“Where’s Darcy now?” He glanced at the door. “I’m assuming she didn’t return with you.”
“Nope, she was adamant she’d drive Helena home so they could talk. And that was hours ago.”
“You called? Texted?”
“Both. With no response. It’s like she’s ignoring me.”
Daniel frowned even more. “She’s never done that before. Why does she need to talk with Helena?” To an outsider, I knew the conversation sounded exactly how Darcy made me feel—like we were a pair of dominating males. I was suddenly glad Daniel had come searching for me. He helped me see that this wasn’t all in my head– because he was asking the very same questions I had.
“She said she needed to talk about doing more spells.” I watched his expression tightened. “That was how I reacted.”
“So, she’s still not feeling one hundred percent? Has she shifted, yet?”
“Apparently not and no. I asked Darcy this morning and she said she was still scared.”
“Of what?” Daniel fired back. “Sorry, I just don’t get it. Her wolf is like an extension of herself. No matter what’s happened, she shouldn’t be afraid of the Change. If anything, it would help.”
“You’re preaching to the choir, bro. All Darcy could say was I needed to trust her.”
Daniel now looked how I felt. “Damn. You must be going through hell.”
“I’m watching her slip away, changing, and my hands are tied. I can force her to face whatever’s going on and risk her anger. Or, I can ignore it and hope it doesn’t keep escalating.”
“And you’re sure it’s not vampire related.”
“Positive. I grilled Devlin on the way home. This goes beyond anything he says is normal. So, I’ve been sitting here trying to figure out what I’m going to say when she decides to show up.”
“Do you need me to hang around for support?”
As much as I’d like that, something tells me it would only make matters worse. “Let me talk with her alone, first.” My phone began buzzing, interrupting the conversation. Snatching it up from the desk, my first thought was it was finally Darcy; but that hope was dashed when I saw Wade’s name on the display.
“Give me a sec.” I said to Daniel as I answered. “Hey, this is Mason.”
“Mase, I think you’re going to want to come down to the bar. I tried to get her to call you, but she cussed me out and threatened to kick my ass. I figured it was easier to have you come than argue with her.”
“Wait, who? I’m not following.” I shrugged at Daniel in response to his curious look.
“Darcy. She’s seriously messed up. She came in here and asked for a few shots. I went on break and when I came back, she was drunk.”
“I’ll be there in ten minutes, okay. Keep an eye on her and make sure she stays out of trouble.”
“Then you better make that five minutes.” There was a loud sound in the background and I heard Wade curse under his breath.
“Thanks for calling. Be there soon.” I didn’t wait to hear his response.
“What’s going on?” Daniel asked, also standing as I shoved my phone in my pocket and grabbed my keys.
“I guess I know why Darcy’s not home. She’s down at Wade’s bar, completely hammered.
Daniel muttered the exact same word Wade had. I was tempted to say it myself. “Want some help?”
“No, I got this. The few times I’ve seen her like this, she’s pretty happy; so I don’t think she’ll give me any problems.”
“Okay, holler for me if you change your mind.” Daniel met me at the office door and slapped my back, briefly squeezing my shoulder. “I’m sorry things are so rough. I was hoping things would be better, not worse.”
“Me, too.” Shaking my head, I took in a fortifying breath. “Wish me luck.”
It was merely a saying, but something told me I might just need all I could get.
****
The parking lot was filled to capacity. Because I knew a lot of the workers, I usually came in from the back, parking my car in the employees’ section. This gave me a chance to slip in and out without drawing too much attention—a benefit in this case, if my imagination was correct. My hopes were that Wade had convinced Darcy to sit with him in the office; but with how erratic it sounded like she’d been acting, the odds on that happening were slim.
Sure enough, as I walked through the rear entrance and scanned the medium sized bar, I heard her before I saw her. Darcy had a beautiful voice and loved singing. Unfortunately, with what sounded like at least a fifth of something under her belt, she was only able to hit about every other note in key.
It didn’t stop the other drunken fools from staring at her adoringly. As the main room came into full view, I saw her standing on the small stage clutching what looked like a bottle of beer between her hands, swaying back and forth, crooning into her pretend microphone.
“I’m so sorry, Mason,” Wade said, approaching from behind the counter. “If I had’ve known this was going to happen, I wouldn’t have waited to call. I asked where you were and she said you were coming. I just figured you’d been held up somewhere.”
I didn’t take my gaze from her or from the guy who dared reach up and try and drag her into his lap. He had only a few seconds to let her go before I ripped his arms from their sockets. A low growl erupted from me.
“Hey, ease up. Bill’s harmless.” Wade waved to draw my attention away from them and, with great effort, I looked at him.
“It’s been one of those days. You won’t have any trouble from me.”
“Do you need any help getting her out of here?”
Pulling out my wallet, I dropped a few twenties on the counter top. “I got this. That should take care of her tab.”
Ignoring my anger and frustration, I stepped up to the stage, pausing long enough for her to see I was here.
“Mason!” She squealed, almost dropping the bottle as she threw herself at me. “Look everyone. My sexy husband is here. He doesn’t look very happy, does he?” Her arms wrapped around my neck as her head tilted to the side so she could still talk to her circle of admirers.
“Hey, Mister. Let her finish singing!”
“Yeah!”
“We want more!”
If my hands hadn’t already been full, there was a good chance I would’ve banged both of their skulls together. Instead, I opted for civility and diplomacy. “I’m sure you do, but it’s time to go. Say goodnight to everyone, sweetheart.” Not waiting for her to walk on her own, I scooped her up and began carrying her toward the door.
“Wait,” Darcy cried out, laughing loudly. “Let’s have another drink. Do you know how much I love you? How long I’ve waited for you?” Each word came out slightly slurred. “Mason, I’d do anything for you.”
Squirming against me, I lost my grip and her feet dropped to the ground. “I know you do. How about I help you walk so we can go home?”
“Mason?” She leaned in close and my eyes watered. It was a pretty good guess that her drinks of choice had been tequila and beer.
“Yes?”
“I’ve got a secret. Wanna hear it? Her lips curled into a smile as she crooked her finger at me. “Let me whisper it in your ear.” She grabbed the shirt fabric around my neck and pulled me into her. “Listen.”
I tuned out all the surrounding noise as I waited for her to confess
whatever was on her mind. “I’m listening.”
“Shush, silly. How can you hear me if you’re talking?” She paused long enough to slap my chest. “Okay, you ready?”
Instead of speaking, I nodded.
She brought her mouth right up to my ear. “I’m not who you think I am.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Darcy
“So, who are you then, Lady of Mystery?”
I couldn’t believe I’d almost told him. Slapping my hand over my face, the sound startled me, causing me to launch into a fit of laughter. Everything seemed ten times more hilarious than it should have been and each time I attempted to tell Mason I had a secret, I giggled.
“Kidding! Fooled you. I’m just me.”
Tequila shooters followed by beer chasers were lethal when it came to keeping a clear mind. Unfortunately, my common sense had fled an hour ago; and now, I just wanted to climb on top of the car’s roof and shout to the world.
I was gloriously drunk and I didn’t have a single care that I could remember. Vague memories of something important threatened to crash into the heavy buzz I had going on, making me stumble slightly as Mason guided me from the bar toward the car.
“Do we really need to go? Maybe we should run away. Far . . . Far . . . Faaaaaaaarrrr away. Can we Mason?” I stopped dead in my tracks, almost toppling to the side as the fresh air made my head spin.
When did things get so blurry?
“Sweetheart, we can talk about this tomorrow, okay? Let’s get you home first and we can talk about a vacation or something.” There was such a tender expression around his eyes and his lips curled into a soft smile. My husband was so sexy, everything about him screaming for me to kiss him.
“Do you think I’m pretty?” I tilted my head as I began playing with the hem on my shirt. It was suddenly as vital to me as breathing that he answer me yes.
He wrapped a steadying arm around my waist. “Come on, lightweight. No more drinking for you.”
That wasn’t what I wanted to hear. “You don’t, do you? Mason . . .”
“Yes?” he answered, getting us walking, again.
“I don’t feel so good.”
“I bet. The sooner we get you home to bed, the sooner we can sober you up.”
“And the sooner we can have lots and lots of sex. I love having sex with you.”
Mason burst into laughter, the sound echoing in my head as my stomach began tossing back and forth. “Well, thank you. I love having sex with you, too.” His arm shot out, preventing me from falling forward. “Do you need me to carry you the rest of the way?”
“I’m fine,” I answered, clumsily shoving my hair away from my eyes. “That’s good then. We love having sex.” I drew the x out and wiggled my eyebrows at him. “Maybe we should have it right now.” Without waiting for his reaction, I stripped off my shirt, the cool air brushing across my bare chest. It wouldn’t take me long to get naked for him—that thought was the only thing I was now focused on.
I’d seen Mason react quickly before, but nothing like the way he managed to catch my discarded clothing and hold it back up against me. “Sweetheart, you’re killing me, here. We need to do this at home. Please. Here’s the car. Let me get you in.”
In my drunken mind, his refusal shattered my heart. “I was right. You don’t think I’m pretty. I bet you don’t even love me.” I pointed my finger at him, the tip of it momentarily distracting me.
“I do. I just don’t want anyone else watching, that’s all.”
“I like to watch. Bet you didn’t know that. I like all kinds of kinky stuff.”
He chuckled softly to himself as he helped me lean against the car door as he unlocked it. “You’re hilarious when you’re drunk, Darcy.”
“Don’t call me that.” I snapped, a fire igniting inside me.
“Why not? It’s your name.”
I wanted to scream. It didn’t matter what I said or did, it always came back to that damn name.
To him it might make sense, but that was the problem. I wasn't his Darcy. I never would be. That bitch was muzzled and in a few short days, would be gone forever. He could want her all he wanted, but it was me he truly needed.
Amber. Not some weak, pathetic excuse of a wolf and woman.
Amber O’Connor.
I loved the way that sounded.
“She never did deserve you,” I slurred, before promptly passing out.
Epilogue
Darcy
I learned quickly that screaming didn’t help. That railing against whatever magical bindings held me prisoner within my own body—my own mind—made no difference.
I screamed over and over for someone to hear me, to break free and reclaim control.
Begging.
Bargaining away my future.
Regretting every single moment I wasted, those precious seconds that all added up to the amazing life I had.
The life that now precariously hung in the balance.
It wasn’t meant to be like this. The decision to become part-vampire was meant to be the solution; but instead, it provided a way for Amber to step in and steal what wasn’t hers to take. This was my body, my mind, my future.
One moment everything blackened as my heart slowly gave out, the venom of Devlin’s bite coursing through my blood system initiating the conversion process. It happened in the blink of an eye—in the last weakened thud before I slipped quietly from my body.
I’d died.
It was all part of the plan. My spirit would temporarily leave as my limbs grew heavy before the spark of life—of magic—rushed back through me. Devlin had explained it all, answered my questions, and with all the trust I held in my uncle, I let him drain me to the very precipice of death.
That flicker would become a pulse as strength surged through me, my passing from this world to the next. It wasn’t my time; and although I briefly danced amongst the shadows, they held no power over me.
I should be cradled in the arms of Mason, rejoicing that once again we’d managed to face danger and bravely defeat it. But instead, I was trapped within my body, silently watching as Amber blundered through my world wearing my face as her own.
She’d been the presence I’d felt. She’d somehow hitchhiked her way back with me and waited.
Never in a million years would I have dreamed she would be capable of this. Yes, she’d plotted against me, worked to oust me from Mason’s life so she could have him for herself. She’d tried and failed, eventually dying by my own hand after challenging me on my wedding day.
She’d died– and her conniving ambitions with her. Or so I’d thought. There was no way I could’ve prepared for this threat—none of us could have.
With the help of someone I trusted, she’d supplanted me, her spirit now riding shotgun in my body. This left me, and my wolf, frantically watching from the sidelines as time slowly ran out.
Tick, tock.
Tick, tock.
As each second passed with brutal clarity, one thing became more and more certain. Not only was I in danger, but so was my beloved Mason. So were all those I held dear. When screaming didn’t work, when struggling to stop Amber from the inside failed, all that was left was to watch and learn—to try and uncover the truth with diminishing hope that a miracle would somehow save us all.
Amber wasn’t working alone. There was no way this insane, obsessive werewolf from Mason’s past had the power to pull off something of this magnitude.
Amber was now me. And she was keeping my body alive so that the one who truly wanted me, and the power I held, could take over.
Tick, tock.
Tick, tock.
Coming in 2014
DARKNESS UNLEASHED
Book Six in the Mystic Wolves series.
About The Author
A homesick Aussie living amongst the cactus and mountains of Arizona, Belinda Boring is a self-proclaimed addict of romance and all things swoon worthy.
With all that excitement, it wasn't long befor
e she began writing, pouring her imagination and creativity into the stories she dreams. Whether urban fantasy, paranormal romance or romance in general, Belinda strives to share great plots with heart and characters that you can't help but connect with. Of course, she wouldn't be Belinda without adding heroes she hopes will curl your toes.
Surrounded by a supportive cast of family, friends and the man she gives her heart and soul to, Belinda is living the good life. Happy reading!
You can find Belinda Boring:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Belinda-Boring-Author/200626723318915
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BelindaBoring
Official Website: http://belindaboringbooks.blogspot.com
Other books by Belinda Boring
The Mystic Wolves series
The Mystic Wolves
Forget Me Not
Testing Fate
Forever Changed
A Very Mystic Christmas
Other titles
Broken Promises
Enchanted Hearts
Loving Liberty
SNEAK PEEK
BROKEN PROMISES
Book 1 in the Brianna Lane series
Prologue
The private chambers of the Queen, Faery realm
“Enter.”
The voice calling out through the door held a musical lilt—like tinkling bells dancing in a gentle breeze—carrying it across the room within. To the unassuming listener, the sound reflected an image of innocence and childlike quality, but to those who knew better, a cold indifference echoed just as loudly.
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