Rosie frowned. “Don’t remember too much after that, but I do remember enough to want to stick a cattle prod up Frank Clark’s ass.”
Layla covered her mouth and tried to smother the chuckle that bubbled up at the idea of Rosie using her cattle prod on Frank, but she failed miserably. It was a matter of seconds before all four were giggling like children at the thought.
As they shared a good belly laugh, William watched Layla swipe at the tears that fell down her cheeks. Warmth washed over him. He didn’t think anything could make him happier than finally being mated with her, but he was wrong. Seeing her smile and sharing her laughter was the most exquisite bliss of all.
***
Layla dragged herself out of the Jeep with all the speed of molasses in winter and just stood in the gravel driveway. She couldn’t recall a time when she’d been this tired, and she was so exhausted, she hadn’t argued when William insisted that he drive. He’d even said it in that bossy-boots tone she’d come to know so well—the one that made her want to deck him… or kiss him.
Her lips curved with satisfaction. She closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun.
Rosie was going to be okay, Frank had been arrested, and as far as they could tell, no Purists were hunting her down. All in all, it had turned out to be a surprisingly good day, and now, all she wanted to do was sleep for about a week.
Her body wavered from exhaustion, and she thought fleetingly that she might just pass out in the driveway. William, once again sensing her needs, scooped her up in his steel embrace before she could tumble to the ground. Layla let out a girly squeal as he lifted her into the air, and she instinctively hooked her arms around his neck.
“What are you doing?” she asked with a yawn. Her head rested against his shoulder, despite her best efforts to keep it upright. “I can walk up there on my own,” she said sleepily as her eyes closed.
Verto.
A soft breeze, a momentary sense of displacement, and the oddly comforting sensation of static electricity sizzled in the air around them. Within seconds, Layla was nestled in William’s arms in the soft bed they’d shared a few nights ago.
She lifted her heavy eyelids and found him staring at her intently with those intense chocolate brown eyes. Layla stroked her fingertips along his unshaven cheek. His energy waves shifted subtly, and his strong body hardened as it lay against hers.
“Go to sleep,” he murmured tenderly and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “I promise I’ll behave myself.”
“Yeah, right,” Layla mumbled sleepily and nuzzled her check against the warmth of his muscular chest. “You can’t resist my feminine wiles.”
William chuckled. The deep sound rumbled through his chest and vibrated along her cheek as she snuggled herself deeper into his embrace. Wavering at the edges of sleep, she noted how perfectly her body fit with his and the way the curve of his arm cradled her at exactly the right angle. A smile played at her lips as she slipped into the soft, welcoming cloud of sleep. William’s silky voice wafted into her mind. Sweet dreams, Layla.
***
Layla woke up and stretched languidly as she looked around the empty room. She squinted against the waning light of the sunset as the last shreds streamed through the bedroom and wondered how long she’d been asleep. Shoving her unruly curls out of her face, Layla noted that William was nowhere in sight and that she was fully clothed. Damn. Her lips curved. He had been a gentleman.
Layla got dressed with minimal fuss, feeling awkward that she slept the day away, and her guests were left to fend for themselves. Layla knew the circumstances were extreme, but she still heard Rosie’s voice in her head, reminding her that she was the hostess. It wasn’t a telepathic voice, but it was just as profound. It was that whisper of conscience, the voice of the only mother she’d ever really known. The voice that taught her right from wrong, that sang her to sleep, and comforted her when the nightmares came.
She pulled on a black cardigan and headed downstairs to find the house empty. The entire first floor was dark, lit only by the swiftly fading light outside. The low hum of the dishwasher could be heard from the kitchen, but there was no sign of William or the others.
Had they left?
Her heart gave a funny little tug at the idea of not saying good-bye to her newfound friends, but when the soulful howl of a wolf called from the surrounding woods, she knew she wasn’t alone. A smile cracked her face. She knew that had to be Samantha.
Layla stuck her feet into the duck boots she kept by the front door and pulled her sweater tighter against the cold November wind. She stepped onto the porch but didn’t have to look far to find them, and the sight in front of her made her heart skip a beat.
It was recognition, a primal connection, and an innate sense of belonging.
Trotting out of the woods by the edge of the horse’s corral was an enormous gray wolf with glowing blue eyes of the Amoveo that reminded her of Raife and Tati’s, a sleek black panther with eyes that burned yellow, and a gigantic red fox that looked more like a wolf. Circling high above them, and screeching into the darkening sky, were two enormous birds of prey, one of whom she knew was William, and the other she could only assume was Malcolm.
Samantha, Kerry, and Dante stopped at the ridge of the hill as Samantha tossed her head back and let out a lonesome howl to the purple and indigo twilight sky. Her singsong voice touched Layla’s mind with a familial warmth. We thought you were never gonna wake up, Layla.
Kerry snarled and roared in response as her long dark tail switched behind her. Whaddya say you trade those freckles for some bigger badass spots?
Her skin tingled with the animal instinct to shift, and her eyes snapped brightly to their clan form as she gazed upon her peers, and for the first time in her life, felt the unique sensation of truly belonging. It wasn’t just to these particular individuals but to the Amoveo as a whole, and that was more unexpected than anything else.
William’s vibrant energy signature grew stronger as he soared down to meet her, shimmered, and shifted just before making a sure-footed landing at the foot of the porch steps. Layla’s heart skittered, and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him shifting from gyrfalcon to the strikingly handsome man she’d come to know.
Dear God, the man was spectacular.
He cut a hulking figure in the early evening light. His blond hair blew free in the wind, and his moon-glow eyes gleamed brightly in the darkening night. Every cell in her body lit up brilliantly as his gaze slid over her, while he stalked up the steps, until he was just inches away.
Layla didn’t move. She was locked in the limitless depths of his eyes as everyone else seemed to fade away. Her feet felt like they were glued to the wooden planks of the porch as she heard Dante chuckle at the edges of her mind. Looks like we’re running on our own tonight. Something tells me these two have other plans.
She sensed the waning energy signatures of the others as they ventured back into the woods along the edge of the farm, leaving her and William utterly alone.
“Sleep well?” His deep baritone voice wafted over her deliciously as he brushed a stray curl off her forehead.
“Yes,” she whispered as she held his gaze.
His tall male body radiated heat, and memories of his warm flesh sliding against hers came roaring back. She licked her lips and watched the muscles in his jaw clench. Layla ached to touch him, but she sensed resistance behind the pulse of desire that thrummed strong and steady in his energy signature.
“Good,” he said firmly as his eyes shifted back to their human form, “because tomorrow we’re going to meet with the Council.”
William turned on his heels and trotted back down the steps to the driveway. It was like getting doused with a bucket of cold water. He did what she wanted. William got her a meeting with Bianca and the Council, but why in the hell did he change
gears so easily?
How could he just cut it off like that? One minute he was practically giving her an eyegasm, and the next he was acting like she was some clerk in his law office. Layla stared after him, and if looks could kill, he’d be six feet under, but it was herself she was furious with.
How could she blame him? She’d been the one to withdraw from him over the past few days, but hadn’t he kept telling her he’d give her time? Apparently, time had run out, and he was tired of waiting for her to make up her mind. Layla swallowed the lump that had formed in her dry throat.
William seemed unfazed by her current annoyance and stared right back with that calculated, unaffected demeanor he’d had the day he arrived.
“You should shapeshift tonight and run with us.” His face and voice were void of emotion. “The practice will do you good, and since we’re not formally mated, you’ll need to have a solid handle on your abilities before the Council meeting. I am less than enthused about taking you before the Council without the full power of your abilities, but I know enough about you to know that trying to talk you out of going would be an exercise in futility. If there are Purists hiding on the Council, they may reveal themselves with violence, and although our friends will be there to assist us, we have to be prepared. Once you get the answers you’re looking for from Bianca, you and I can go our separate ways, and your life will be yours to do with as you please.”
Layla hugged herself against the cold—but it was more from William’s words than the wind.
“That is what you want?” His nostrils flared, and a cloud passed over his features. “Isn’t it?”
“Yes.” Layla stuck out her chin defiantly. She’d be damned if she was going to tell him how much it would hurt to lose him. “My life, my choices.”
William’s face remained stone cold. Not even a flicker of emotion rippled to disrupt his collected self. “As you wish.”
Layla watched as he whispered the ancient language, shimmered, and soared into the sky like a white and brown spotted bullet. That cold son of a bitch. She slammed her mind shut to him and instinctively reached for the energy signatures of Samantha and Kerry, which she found with surprising ease.
Blinking back tears, Layla ran down the steps and raced up the hill toward the moonlit woods. In a blinding blur of speed and with newfound expertise, Layla shifted into her cheetah form and ran like the wind through the tall grasses. As the cold air whipped over her spotted coat, and her claws tore up the tender flesh of the earth, Layla tried not to think of how much it hurt to have William pull away.
She rounded the corner by the fallen tree where they’d shared their first kiss, and the memories battered her viciously. Breathless, heart pounding against her ribs, Layla wondered when exactly had she fallen in love with William?
Damn.
Chapter 16
A flash of brilliant white light and the sizzling snap of static electricity accompanied their arrival at Richard’s ranch in Montana, but the second she felt the hard ground beneath her feet, William slipped his hand out of hers.
Layla stuffed her chilled hands into the pockets of her cargo jacket. She couldn’t help but notice with more envy than she cared to admit that Samantha and Kerry remained hand in hand with their mates.
William was scanning the property with his signature—stoic demeanor—and likely committing every speck to memory. His hair was tied back tightly at the nape of his neck, and he seemed more tense than usual, which really wasn’t surprising given what they were about to do.
They’d barely said two words to each other since last night on the porch. She couldn’t blame him. She’d been such a bitch and so cold to him. Why the hell should he bother anymore? She kept telling herself it was best.
So why did she feel so shitty?
Although their energy signatures were linked, he’d managed to buffer his somehow. It was as if a steel trap had clamped down over his emotions, and the growing void was unsettling.
The biting wind howled across the ranch, and an enormous, white clapboard colonial farmhouse with black shutters stood directly in front of them. It made Rosie’s five-bedroom home look like a tinker toy. However, as huge as the house was, it was completely dwarfed by the breathtaking mountains that loomed behind it. There were two classic red barns with white trim off to the right, with a roomy corral between them that Layla assumed was for their horses.
The place looked like it was plucked out of Better Homes and Gardens of Montana—except for the cylindrical steel structure that loomed ominously to the left. It reminded Layla of something you might see in a movie about Area 51 and looked completely out of place amid the sprawling, rustic ranch. The rest of the property, the house in particular, emanated two thick, distinct energy signatures, which she suspected were those of Richard and his wife Salinda. However, the steel building was completely void of energy, and the only word that came to mind was death.
“This place is absolutely spectacular,” Samantha breathed. “I’ve never seen anything like it in all my life.” She linked her arm around Malcolm’s waist. “Seriously, isn’t this the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen?”
Kerry pulled her knit cap over her ears and snuggled into Dante’s arms. “Yeah, yeah. It’s fantastic,” she said through chattering teeth. “I’m freezing my ass off, so can we go in the house and find out how gorgeous the inside is?”
“No,” William snapped without taking his eyes off the house. “They’re not in there.”
“But I can sense their energy signatures coming from the house.”
“Their energy is permanently imprinted on their home. Remember, Richard and Salinda are almost three hundred years old and have been mated almost as long.” That stone-cold mask faltered as he tore his eyes from hers. “Our powers increase substantially once we are mated. Everyone is in the Council building. We mustn’t keep them waiting.”
They followed him to the long silver structure, but when they got about fifty feet away, William stopped dead in his tracks. Don’t move. Layla’s gaze skimmed that imposing figure of his, and she imagined that few people would question him in any situation.
Layla stood to the right behind him, flanked on both sides by the others. Layla scanned the area but could find no evidence of anyone other than the six of them. The double doors of the building had to be ten feet tall, and it didn’t look like there were handles. How the hell were they going to get in there?
What is it? she asked hesitantly. Do they know we’re here? In spite of her best efforts to remain calm, her heart was beating a mile a minute and she’d broken out in a cold sweat. She found herself inching closer to William, hoping and praying that she could hold it together.
Where are the guardians? Malcolm’s even voice filled their collective minds. I thought the Council building was always protected by them.
They’re here, William said confidently.
What the hell is a guardian? Layla asked abruptly. She glanced at Kerry and Samantha, who both shrugged.
Don’t ask us, girl. Kerry’s typically candid tone resonated in Layla’s mind. Samantha and I haven’t been at the party that much longer than you have.
He’s right. Malcolm murmured tensely. I can feel them now too. He pulled Samantha into the crook of his arm as his eyes shifted to their clan form.
There are always two guardians who keep watch over the Council when it is in session. William’s matter-of-fact tone slid into her mind with irritating calmness. They also provide additional security for the prince and his family on the ranch. It is a position of extremely high honor among our people.
There. Dante’s sharp tone cut into the conversation as he pointed toward the building. And there.
Layla squinted and shaded her eyes from the bright afternoon sun, searching for these guardians they were talking about. Irritation crawled up her back at her inability to sense
them or see them, and just when she was ready to scream with frustration—she saw them.
On either side of the towering doorways, just above the tall brown grasses, there was a subtle ripple in the air, similar to heat waves coming off pavement in the summertime. Layla sharpened her focus, and her breath caught in her throat when she found two sets of glowing golden eyes staring back through the fluttering brown stalks.
The grasses wavered, and if Layla didn’t know better, she’d think she was hallucinating as two enormous tigers stood up from their well-camouflaged hiding spots, finally revealed. Layla’s entire body went stone-still, but her heart raced almost to the point of pain.
As the massive, striped beasts stalked toward them side by side, her gut instinct was to run the hell away, or visualize herself back to the safety of the farm. Instead, she steeled herself against the mind-numbing fear and stood her ground at William’s side. She would be damned if she was going to run away. No more running.
They won’t hurt you. His soothing baritone floated gracefully along the edges of her mind, and instantly relaxed the tense muscles in her neck. They’d have to get through me first.
Layla didn’t respond, worried that she’d sound as terrified as she felt. Gratitude flooded her as she merely nodded and bit back the bile that rose in her throat, while the exotic guardians moved toward them in unison. Their muscular, gold- and black-streaked bodies moved with unnatural grace, and those glowing eyes didn’t move from Layla’s face.
The beasts stopped about five feet away and bowed their enormous heads low.
Welcome. I am Dominic, and this is my sister Daniella. The slightly larger tiger on the left spoke first as a low growl emanated from his throat when he touched their minds with his. The prince and the rest of the Council have been expecting you.
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