by Erin West
“Maybe so,” he growls, “but we now have people searching for you. I don’t know why, but the black wizard now wants you.”
Oren takes in a sharp breath. “Are you saying Rump…”
“Shut up!” Eli’s tone is loud and rings in my ears. “Don’t say his name or he can appear.”
Loud laughter courses through the trees, making me fall on my knees. It’s dark, cynical, and the creepiest noise I’ve ever heard. It keeps ringing in my ears. “I’ll have you yet.” As soon as those words are spoken, it vanishes, leaving only the eerie silence.
Without a word, Eli scoops me up and takes off back to the house.
The trees fly by and the wind howls against my ears. I sure as hell hope he can see where he is going; otherwise, we might die by running into a tree. After just a few seconds, I can make out branches and leaves coming to a stop. “What the hell was that?”
Eli plops me down and walks to the house, banging on the door. “Invite me in, damn it.”
Rushing to the door, Drake takes in my tattered appearance. “What the hell?” He runs to me, pulling me into his arms. “What is wrong with you, Eli?”
“I’m so tired of everyone accusing me of stuff I haven’t even done.” His tone is one of contempt. “The Dark Wizard is after her, and his minions are on their way.”
Coming through the trees, Oren’s face is one of pure panic. He rushes to me. “Are you okay?”
I nod. I’m here and alive, so that’s a positive.
Taking in my appearance, Drake puts his hand on my lower back, leading me to the door. “Why don’t you go change? And then, we will head down to the pack house and invite the bloodsucker in.”
That is some good advice. I would like to change into something that, if I turn just the right way, my girls are on all kinds of display. “Okay, will you wait for me?” I have no clue where the pack house is.
Drake smiles. “Always. Just hurry back.”
As I walk out of the kitchen, Drake’s voice stops me in my tracks. “Why the hell is she wearing only your shirt, Oren?”
I pause outside the door to eavesdrop.
Oren groans. “It’s not what it looks like, so don’t go crazy. She tapped into her power. and it just exploded out of her. Her own fire burned her clothes.” He chuckles. “I’m not going to lie, it was a fantastic view. It hurt my soul when I asked her to put on my shirt, but the bloodsucker showed up.”
“Will you morons focus on what’s important?” Eli’s tone is serious. “His minions are coming for her. We have to be prepared.”
Wait… does he actually care about my well-being?
There is some rustling and then a cabinet door opens. “I thought you didn’t care about her.” Oren’s voice is close, and then I hear the water dispensing from the refrigerator.
Eli’s disgusted gasp is clear. “No, I’m worried about my food source. That is all.”
My heart hurts from those words. Of course, that’s all he’s worried about. Not wanting to hear more, I head to my room and change into a t-shirt and jeans.
When I walk back into the kitchen, they are all standing stiff and by the door.
Drake smiles and takes my hand, leading us outside, and we all head down to a building about the size of the main house.
We walk through the door, but Eli stays outside. Clearing his throat, Eli crosses his arms.
Stopping, Drake turns toward him. “If you are messing with us, and Rose isn’t in danger, there will be hell to pay. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” Eli nods. “I understand.”
Scratching his head, Oren glances at Drake. “I would normally tell you not to do it, but I heard his laugh.”
Wincing, Drake takes a deep breath. “Eli, you are invited in.”
Walking past the threshold, Eli glares. “About damn time.”
Yeah, still an ass. “You know, sometimes saying ‘you’re welcome’ would get you a lot farther.”
He scowls at me. “If I ever want your opinion, I’ll ask.”
I put my hands on my hips. “Don’t worry. I don’t charge for the good ideas. You can keep your asshole comments to yourself.”
Oren laughs. “This just confirmed that you really are made for me in every way.”
Growling, Drake stands between us.
Oh, my God. Will they please just calm down? “Can we just focus, please?”
Walking over to the small bar area built into the corner of the room, Eli pulls out a glass and pours himself a shot of whiskey.
That’s a good idea. “Will you pour me one, too?”
He lifts an eyebrow at me but grabs another glass and pours one for me, as well. He holds it out to me.
I walk over and take it.
Oren shakes his head. “You know, that stuff won’t help much. You need the stuff I gave you that night at the club.”
What the fuck? “What the hell are you talking about?”
Tensing at my words, Drake glances at Oren. “Yeah, what the fuck are you talking about?”
Lifting his hands, Oren looks at me. “In my defense, I thought you knew. It was before I realized you’re new to all this. But the night we met, I poured some Fae elixir in your drink.”
Drake’s growls fill the room. “You did what?”
I don’t understand. “What does it do?”
Tilting his head back and taking the shot, Eli sets the glass down. “It gets you drunk. It’s the only way a fae can get drunk.”
Fuck. So, between that and our connection, I was a goner. “Are you serious?”
Oren looks down at the ground. “Yeah, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had no clue.”
And why would he? He can tell I’m a fae. I don’t blame him, but at least that night makes a little more sense to me.
I raise my hands up. “Okay, we can focus on this more later. Let’s talk about the Dark Wizard.”
Three pairs of eyes lock onto me, ranging from serious, to determined, to aloof. This can’t be good.
Inhaling a deep breath. “What? Just tell me. I need to know what I’m up against.”
Drake grabs my hand. “What we’re up against. Because whether I like it or not, we’re all going to have to work together to keep you safe from him.”
Those words send relief through my body. No, I shouldn’t be relying on them, even if my heart and soul are saying I should. I can take care of myself.
Meeting each of their eyes, I shake my head. “No, just tell me what I’m up against and I can take care of it. I don’t expect any of you to always be around.”
Growling, Drake’s hand tightens a bit. “Of course, I will be. I told you, this is forever. Don’t you remember?”
Oren touches my other hand. “Our bonds are forever. Don’t you feel it? We’ll get this all figured out. But, for now, we have a bigger problem to deal with.”
Eli runs his hands through his hair and huffs. “Quit coddling her. This shit is getting old, and if I didn’t need her to feed, my ass would be gone.” Then, he mutters under his breath, “What have I gotten myself into?”
I pull my hands away from them and place them on my hips. “What have you gotten yourself into? If you hadn’t kidnapped me from the club that first night, or drank from me at my apartment, none of us would be here. If you want to blame this shit on anyone, look in the mirror. You can look in the mirror, right?”
He scowls. “Yes, I can use a fucking mirror. Do you really believe all those stupid myths about vampires? Next, you’ll be checking to see if my skin sparkles in the sunlight.” He paces away from our group and back.
Laughter threatens to bubble out, and I place my hand over my mouth.
Oren laughs. “I have to say, I never expected you, an original, to watch something like Twilight. So, who’s your favorite character?”
Drake belly-laughs. “Are you team Edward or Jacob?”
Eli snarls. “Shut the fuck up. She makes stupid observations, and I wanted to clear the air about the incorrectness of that ridic
ulous movie.”
My cheeks hurt from all the smiling. “I’m curious. Did you watch the entire saga?”
Eli stalks off, muttering under his breath.
Tears are streaming down my face from laughing so much. There are a couple of stools around the bar area, so I walk over and sit. “All right, what’s so bad about this Dark Wizard?”
Oren sobers and crosses his arms over his chest. “He’s known as the bargainer and the Dark Wizard. He can grant any wish you have, but it comes with a hefty price tag. If you can’t pay it, then you suffer. There’s a story about a king and queen in Kheelan who sought him out about a prestigious match for their child that would strengthen their court, but they could not deliver what he wanted.”
Our eyes meet. “What happened to them?”
He breaks eye contact, looking down. “He took their only child from them. They still aren’t sure what happened to her but haven’t been able to find her, even after all this time. They’ve never been the same. The story has been told so much over the years that most of the details have been lost or changed from mouth to mouth.”
For some reason, this story resonates with me. Their pain is my pain, and I feel for this king and queen I know nothing about. “That’s terrible. Are they still alive?”
He nods. “Yes. They still search, hoping to one day find her. I came to Earth to locate a dagger that means a great deal to them and our realm. It’s very powerful.” His eyes narrow on mine.
I don’t look away, because that would make me appear guilty. The little bit of guilt I feel is from not telling him I took the dagger, but it’s mine and I’m not apologizing for taking back what belongs to me. “What’s Kheelan?”
Eli has rejoined us from wherever he went. “It’s the fae realm.” His condescending tone grates on my nerves.
My teeth grind together, and I look to Oren for confirmation.
One of his shoulders lifts. “He’s right.”
Eli smirks. “Of course, I am.”
My eyes roll of their own accord. “You don’t have to act like a know-it-all asshole.”
His upper lip lifts on one side. “Of course, I do. I know all.”
Leaning against the bar top, Drake and Oren cross their arms over their chests and remain silent.
I guess we will test that statement. “What does he look like? Why can you not say his name?”
“No one knows his true appearance. It’s said that he can take on any appearance he wishes, which makes him that much more dangerous. He will appear wherever his name is spoken, hence why no one is going to say his name.”
Oh, shit.
A smile forms on my lips. “I guess it’s a good thing that I don’t know his name then. So, you don’t know everything. Otherwise, you’d know what he looks like.”
Eli tosses his hands up in the air. “I’m done. Trying to talk to her is the most frustrating thing I’ve ever endured. One of you answer her questions now.”
“Wait a minute. Why would I want them to tell me things when you know it all?” I hold my hands out in front of me with my palms facing upward.
“One of you better deal with her before I do,” he snarls out with disdain.
Why can I not help myself from baiting him when he’s around? He aggravates the shit out of me. It’s like we bring out the worst in each other. How are we supposed to be mates?
Drake’s voice grabs my attention. “What he’s said so far is true. Damn, that left a bitter taste in my mouth.”
“You don’t usually complain.” Eli’s deep laugh rumbles through my body, causing shooting sensations that I wish it didn’t.
Hot damn. Did he just make a joke? Is my mouth hanging open?
Ignoring him, Drake looks back at me with wide eyes. Looks like I’m not the only one shocked. “One thing, though. No one knows what he is truly capable of.”
That doesn’t sound like a good thing. “Okay, so how do we prepare to fight off someone if we don’t know their capabilities?”
Oren interjects, “We prepare for any outcome.”
“If his minions are already coming, do we have time to train? Why does he want me?” I’m nothing special. I’m just a girl. Granted, I have three men that I want, regardless of what society dictates. Other than that, I’m not even sure who I am.
Oren stands. “Probably not, so we better get started.”
Eli stiffens, straightening his spine. “It’s a little late for that. Protect her.” In the next blink of an eye, he’s gone.
Should have known better than to think he would stick around when the battle started knocking on the door. Who is he to dictate for anyone to “protect me”? He doesn’t care, so why would he start acting like it now?
“Shit.” Drake faces one of his pack members when they walk into the room. “Gather the pack. We have unwelcome company.”
My heart rate increases and eyes widen. “No. Don’t bring your pack into this. I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me.”
He takes a few steps closer and places his hand on my cheek, buzzing courses from his touch. “This is our home. Nothing and no one threatens one of us without dealing with all of us. Stop.” His voice is firm as he stops me before I say a word. “You’re my mate and, therefore, one of us. We protect our own.” He leans down and places a kiss on my lips.
I melt into him. It feels like forever since one of them has touched me this way.
“That’s enough. Time is running out. Eli is holding them off for now, but he won’t be able to for long.” Oren’s voice sends guilt through my system.
Here, I was thinking Eli ran off to save his own skin. Damn. Does that mean I’ll have to apologize after this is over?
Oren looks over at Drake, his eyes glowing, and nods before heading over to the door to look through the glass.
The glass shatters from every door and window at once. The back doors burst open, wood splintering in all directions, and Oren flies backwards into the wall with a thud.
His body slides down the wall, and he lands on his feet. He runs toward the door before anyone is able to make it inside.
Drake growls and his fists clench, facing me. “Stay in here until one of us comes to get you. If they make it past us, go downstairs to the basement. In the wine cellar behind the fourth shelf is an escape hatch that will take you a safe distance away from here.”
My body bristles with anger. “Hell no. I’m not leaving you to fight without me. This is my battle. I’m not a wallflower, and I refuse to stand back and watch you guys fight my battles for me. You know I can fight.”
With glowing eyes, his hand touches my cheek. “I know you can, but this is different than hitting a punching bag.” Arms band around me in a tight hug. “Please. I can’t lose you. Not now. Be safe. I’ll find you when it’s over.” He places a quick kiss on my lips and then he’s gone.
What the hell? I thought they knew me better than this.
Inhaling a deep breath, I run through the splintered door and come to an abrupt stop.
Around twenty men in head-to-toe black clothing fight against an array of gray, black, and brown wolves. Bare-chested men in jeans fight amongst the men in black fatigues.
My eyes search for my three men in battle, noting that they’re all okay. They’re a magnificent sight. Oren uses the earth as an extension of himself, burying a path of them with only a thought. Drake’s strength and battle prowess never slows as he deals with one opponent after another. Eli is flashing in and out of sight, ripping heads off in the blink of an eye. They’re relentless.
Admiration and respect blooms in my chest.
Bodies already cover the ground. How many fucking minions did this guy think it would take?
Get your head on, Rose. Distraction is not the best in this situation.
A sword appears in Oren’s hand before he runs a man through the chest and the guy disintegrates. My mouth drops open. That’s not something you see every day.
Eli appears in front of me, jaw clenched and fists
balled at his side. He’s much cleaner than I thought he would be. “What the fuck are you doing out here? You’re not ready to fight.”
My shoulders square. “I’m not running and hiding. Not when this is about me.”
His hands grip my arms, electricity sparking from the contact, and he shakes me. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”
“I’d think you’d be happy about that. Then, you wouldn’t have to rely on me, since that’s such a burden for you.” Movement over his shoulder draws my attention. “Watch out.”
Spinning around, he punches his hand into the deranged-looking man’s chest and rips his heart out. He falls to the ground, eyes open and staring at me.
A shiver courses through me.
Eli curses.
I growl. “I’m fine. I can take care of myself.”
As I run into the thick of things, a man throws a ball of fire at me. I jump to the side to avoid it, but I’m not fast enough. Burning erupts on my side, and when I look down, I see a half-circle burn that streaks along my side, leaving my shirt torn and bloody.
The breath is knocked out of me, and I hunch over, trying to absorb the pain. I can’t think about anything other than the searing in my side. The men will not be happy.
“Oomph.”
A body barrels into me, and I fall to the ground, writhing in more pain from the impact. The man sits on my abdomen, legs on either side of me with one hand circling my neck. His knee digs into the wound.
My breathing speeds up as I resist the urge to scream out and vomit. My eyes lock onto his crazy brown eyes.
“The Dark Wizard will be pleased.” His cackling voice is painful to my ears. It sounds like he gargled with glass.
The man’s hand raises up beside his head, a fireball beginning to form in his palm.
I stoke the embers within me to bring my fire to life, but it is too unpredictable right now. Where’s my dagger when I need it?
Energy surges through me as his hand starts to descend toward my face. My life flashes before my eyes, and I squeeze them shut.
The power of the dagger floods my body as its weight fills my hand. Instinct has my hand thrusting upward before I realize what I’m doing. The blade sinks into his body with little resistance.
