That’s how every spell worked. It was like a string, of sorts. It wrapped and twisted around someone or something and the only way to break it was to find the beginning and tug at it.
So, the two women searched.
Back and forth they worked hard to cover every inch of Brailynn’s body and mind. Using so much energy was tiresome. She could feel Tabatha begin to sway.
“Take a break,” Brailynn told her. “I will search for a while. You rest.”
“I will not,” Tabatha replied. “I need you. I can’t fight him without you.”
At least she wasn’t the only one who knew how much was at stake here. It was an unreal burden to literally carry the world on one's shoulders. Literally and figuratively. Brailynn had no idea what the job even entailed, but she was forced to do it. There would be no classes for her to learn her duties. No training. No nothing. It was dumped on her and she had no idea what she was supposed to do with it.
“I’m not finding anything,” Tabatha sighed, frustratedly.
“I’m not either,” Brailynn hated to admit defeat.
Mentally, she pictured them falling to the ground in lumps. They were both quiet for some time until Tabatha finally broke the silence.
“Are we sure this was Gaia's work?”
“If not her, then who?” Brailynn asked.
“You?”
“Me? What?”
“What if subconsciously you’re keeping yourself buried out of fear?” Tabatha asked.
“What? No way.”
“I mean, I would get it if you were,” Tabatha continued. “Heck, if I had the responsibly of the entire world on my shoulders, I would probably bury myself, too.”
“But I’m not…” Or was she, she wondered. Could she be doing it to herself?
“How do you feel about everything that’s happened to you?” Tabatha asked.
But Brailynn didn’t immediately respond because she didn’t know the answer. Or maybe she did.
Brailynn sighed. “Mixed.”
“Okay,” Tabatha said. “Understandable.”
“I mean, Gaia lived and breathed for the earth. Her soul was mixed in every living thing.”
“And now yours is,” Tabatha interjected.
“What if I fail?” Brailynn blurted. “What if I can’t do the job? Then the entire planet will die off. Every living, breathing thing.”
“That’s a lot of pressure.”
“Hell yes, it is!” Mentally, Brailynn pictured herself pacing the room. “Why wasn’t I consulted about this? Why didn’t she ask me if I even wanted the job? Hell, I had a houseplant, a cactus, and I killed it! Now, I’m expected to keep an entire planet from decaying to dust?”
“Are you too weak for it?” Tabatha asked.
“What?” Just the idea of anyone thinking of her in that manner pissed her off. “I am not weak!”
“Okay.” Tabatha nodded. “Then what’s the problem? If you're strong enough to handle the load, stop complaining, and do the job.”
“Fine! I will.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Brailynn’s eye flew open and she sat up in the bed. Her eyes widened, and her heart pounded. She sucked in an unnecessary breath. “Holy shit.”
“Right!” Tabatha started to giggle. “I didn’t think that would really work.”
“What?”
“I don’t know who put that sleeping spell on you,” Tabatha confessed. “Maybe it was Gaia. Maybe it was one of the other Goddesses. Heck, maybe it was you; maybe it wasn’t. I seriously, have no clue.”
Brailynn stretched her neck from side to side. Her body was stiff, and it felt like she’d been lying there for days.
“What makes you think it wasn’t one of them?” Brailynn asked, still not so sure.
“If it were one of them, you wouldn’t have been able to communicate,” Tabatha replied. “Think about it. That spell put your body to sleep, but not your mind. Do you really think they would do something that amateurish?”
No, she thought to herself. But if it wasn’t them, then – who?
“Just seems a bit fishy to me.” Tabatha shrugged and stood. “Let’s get you cleaned up.” She reached her hand out and Brailynn took it. “I hear a congrats is in store, too.”
Brailynn felt heat bloom in her cheeks.
“Girl, I don’t know if your vampire is anything like my lion, but…” Tabatha fanned her face.
Brailynn couldn’t help it. She started giggling, which quickly turned into a full-on belly laugh as Tabatha proceeded to thrust her hips like she was humping the air.
“Stop it!” Brailynn laughed.
Tabatha smiled. “Sooo, He is like my loin.” Then she winked.
Brailynn rolled her eyes as she got herself under control. “I need a hot shower.”
“Mhm. I bet that’s not all you need.”
“Shut up!” Brailynn laughed again.
Stiffly, she stood. “Ugh!” she groaned. “My entire body hurts.”
“I’m sure it does,” Tabatha offered.
Brailynn shuffled her feet into the bathroom and turned on the shower. She could still feel Andrej’s anxiety and fear, so she quickly sent him vibes of reassurance and love.
She froze.
Love? Did she love him? Was that even possible after only knowing him for a day? Was it love at first sight? Was that even real?
“You okay?”
“I think I love him.” The words fell out of her mouth and landed between them like a boulder. “How is that possible? I don’t even know him.”
“He’s your mate,” Tabatha said as if that was answer enough.
“But I don’t even know him,” Brailynn repeated. “How can you love someone who you don’t even know?”
“Your heart and soul know him,” she answered. “The shell might be different, but the heart and soul remain the same.”
“What?”
Tabatha shrugged. “I’m a firm believer in reincarnation. So, for Malcom and me, I think we have always been together. In our past lives. No matter what, past or future, we always find each other, and our love will always be instantaneous. It’s because our hearts and souls recognize one another. Therefore, the shell or body might change, but that’s it. All the rest is the same.”
“You really believe that?” Brailynn questioned.
Tabatha nodded. “How else would you explain love at first sight?”
“I guess,” she sighed.
“Get in the shower,” Tabatha told her. “Let the hot water wash away the grime and everything else. Let’s focus on one thing at a time. Something we can do something about – Derrick and the Hunters. Everything else…” She shrugged. “Everything else doesn’t even matter. Because if we can’t stop them, we won’t live long enough to figure out life’s mysteries.”
“Truer words have never been spoken,” Brailynn muttered and she stripped out of her clothes and stepped under the spray.
Brailynn could only hope that this wasn’t it for them. Please, Gaia, don’t let me fail them…
Chapter Sixteen
Andrej
He felt the moment she woke up. Their link flared to life and with it came a burst of warmth that seemed to heat his soul. He could feel her relief and somewhere mixed in, he even felt a bit of fear.
Mate. Ours.
He thought about going to her, his blood lust nearly demanding it. But he couldn’t. His own shame had his feet planted firmly in place.
If he hadn’t claimed her, marked her, none of this would have happened. She wouldn’t have missed two weeks of her life.
Mate. fine.
His blood lust tried to convince him.
Mate. Ours.
But none of that would matter once she found out that her coma like state was his fault. Once she knew the truth, she wouldn’t want him. She would leave. Run. And Andrej wouldn’t blame her a bit.
Lie. Mate.
What? No. I will not lie to her.
Yes. Mate. Ours. Forever.
He didn’t agree with the beasts inside. He wasn’t going to start his relationship with Brailynn with lies. That wouldn’t go well for either of them.
A knock at the door pulled him from his inner turmoil. Andrej and several of the others turned and watched as Oscar answered it. “May I help you?” Oscar asked.
“Yes,” said a male’s voice. “I am here to speak with Brailynn. I was told I could find her here.”
“And whom may I ask is calling for her?” Oscar questioned.
“My name is Colton,” the man offered. “And please tell her Gaia sent me.”
Gaia?
“Colton?” Andrej watched as a curious Malcom stepped toward the door. “Man, what the hell are you doing here?”
“Hey!” Colton chuckled. “Brother, I have no idea.”
Chapter Seventeen
Brailynn
“Come on in,” Malcom said. “He’s one of the good guys,” Malcom said to Oscar. Then he turned back to his friend, “Did Brailynn call you?”
“No.” Colton shook his head. “I received a call about a week ago. I was given information about the whereabouts of Derrick Petrova and a group of Hunters. So, myself and a few of the Rogue’s followed it. And then, the weirdest shit happened.”
“Yeah?”
“Some ghostly figure came out of nowhere,” Colton recalled. “And said to come here. That people I cared about are in danger and my friends would need me.” He shrugged. “So, here I am.”
Malcom started laughing.
“What?” Colton asked.
“So, a ghostly chick pops out of the woods and you just follow it?” Malcom chuckled. “Man, you need your head examined.”
“Why?” Colton shot back. “I’m a damn dragon. Who in the hell is gonna get the drop on me?”
“You’re not the baddest…” Malcom started to speak.
“Colton!”
The entire room turned at the sound of Tabatha’s voice. But that wasn’t what drew Andrej. His eyes didn’t even register the other woman. His entire focus centered on one person – his mate.
She looked beautiful.
Mate. Ours.
Her dark brown hair was loose and flowing down her back. She wore a white shirt that crisscross over her breasts and left her stomach bare, along with a black jumper that managed to hug her every curve. Andrej had never been jealous of a piece of fabric, but that jumper was quickly changing that fact. She finished off her look with a pair of combat boots and he couldn’t stop the groan of appreciation that slipped past his lips.
Her eyes found him and when she smiled at him, all of Andrej’s fears and anxiety vanished. He still needed to tell her the truth, but first, he just wanted to touch her and make sure she was really there.
Brailynn walked past all the others and straight into his arms. Nothing made him prouder. Nothing settled the beast inside of him as she did.
Mate. Our. The demon nearly purred at her touch.
“Thank goodness,” he whispered into her hair.
She wrapped her arms around him and held on a bit tighter. “That was horrible,” she whispered.
And the guilt sliced right through him, shredding his heart.
“I am so sorry.”
“For what,” he asked, confused. She had nothing to be sorry for.
“For scaring you,” she answered. “For refusing to come to.”
“What? It’s not your fault.” He pulled back, just enough to look into her eyes. “It was mine.”
“No, it was mine,” she told him.
“What are you talking about?”
“Tabatha thinks I may have put myself in that coma, or whatever it was.”
“Why?”
Brailynn shrugged. “I don’t know. Fear maybe?”
“That would be understandable,” Andrej replied. His response surprising her. “Your life just took a dramatic turn. But I don’t think it was your fault,” he told her. “I really do think it was mine.”
“Why would it be yours?” Brailynn wondered.
“By transferring blood,” Andrej began. “I started the transition.”
“I know.”
“Maybe I took too much blood.” Andrej shrugged.
Brailynn could see the torment in his eyes and it hurt her heart. She hated that he felt responsible. So, wrapping her arms around his middle, she laid her head on his chest and pulled him close.
“It’s not your fault,” she told him. “What happened between us was beautiful and wonderful. It was amazing.” She looked up into his eyes. “And I hope that very soon we can do it again.” She smiled devilishly. “And again.”
Andrej chuckled and shook his head as she winked at him. “You are ridiculous.”
“Listen,” she said, suddenly serious. “When I started on this journey, I only had one thing on my mind and that was to hunt down Derrick Petrova and kill him. But now, finding you…” She lifted one shoulder slightly. “It seems like life has handed me a gift and the Fates have shown me that there is so much more out there, aside from hate and revenge. You came into my life at just the right time.”
“So, you don’t want to go after Derrick anymore?” Andrej inquired.
“Oh, no.” She shook her head. “I’m still going after him. But now, I just have more to fight for.”
“What’s that?”
“Us.”
She looked into his eyes as her words sunk in. The heat that flared in them had her ready to strip herself bare. When his mouth descended upon her and his lips finally pressed against hers, Brailynn moaned into his mouth as she mentally cursed the Fates because nearly everyone in the complex was currently standing in the living room of Andrej’s home.
Their tongues quarreled with one another. Andrej's hands cupped her backside and pulled her closer to his erection.
Brailynn moaned.
Then, somewhere in her lust-filled brain, she heard someone cough and giggles from several directions.
Slowly, they ended their kiss and turned to face the group. Every eye was on them. “Pervs,” Andrej muttered.
“Whatever, man.” DeMarcus shrugged. “Y’all are the weirdos that are making out in a room full of people.”
Brailynn’s face heated. What could she say to the burly bear shifter? It wasn’t as if he were lying. She and Andrej hadn’t given a single thought to the others in the room. All they could think about was each other.
“Well, I hate to interrupt, but we have an issue that we were just discussing...”
Brailynn glanced toward the sound of the voice and was surprised to see Malcom standing there. “Hi, Malcom,” she said. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Same.” He smiled at her, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
She felt Andrej’s arm tighten protectively at her waist but ignored it. She could feel his emotions and knew he was battling with jealousy. It was a new feeling for him, and he wasn’t handling it well. Instead of calling him out on it in front of everyone, Brailynn snuggled into his side a bit more and placed her hand protectively over his heart.
“We have company,” Malcom went on to say.
Brailynn’s brows dropped. She looked to Tabatha who was not carrying a worried expression inside of the smile she had moments ago.
“And who exactly is this company?” Evan asked.
“This is Colton,” Malcom introduced. Looking at Brailynn, he asked, “Remember the name and number I gave you when you left home?”
She nodded.
“It was his.”
“Oh.” But she never called him, she thought to herself, eyeing the newcomer.
“A certain ghostly spirit named Gaia came to him about a week ago and told him to come here.” Malcom smiled.
“Looks like the Earth Mother was looking after you after all,” Tabatha interjected.
“Why would she send you here?” Evan, the grizzly shifter asked.
“Originally,” Malcom began to explain the events that led him there. “I received a phone called. The ca
ller gave me an address and told me that Derrick Petrova and a large group of Hunters were there and planning to ambush a stronghold in the mountains.”
Brailynn wasn’t understanding.
“The address she gave, wasn’t a real address, but it led me to an old, abandoned sawmill,” Colton continued.
“Belton’s Mill,” Andrej said as a statement, not a question.
“Yeah.” Colton dropped his chin once. “After a few days of looking around, I’ve concluded that the stronghold they are after is –”
“Here.” Andrej finished Colton’s sentence.
“But what stronghold is here?” Brailynn asked. “There’s only what...” She looked around the room. “Ten people here? It doesn’t make sense.”
“There is more here than meets the eye, moje láska.” Andrej moved away from her and nodded toward Wallace.
Brailynn and the others watched silently as Wallace touched a spot under the table and all the windows shuttered closed. The entire room when black as all the sunlight was banished.
“Hey! some shouted.
“What the fuck!” said another.
Around the room, one complaint after another was raised.
A set of overhead lights turned on and everyone started to blink.
“What the hell, man?” Malcom said, guarding his wife.
Andrej walked over to a panel on the wall. “Stop complaining.” He pulled on a candle holder causing a projector of some sort to descend from the ceiling.
“Many years ago,” Andrej started to speak. “I built this place as a haven, not only for vampires but all supers. Over the centuries…”
“Centuries?” Tabatha interrupted.
Andrej smiled. “I’m nearly six hundred years old.”
“Holy shit,” Malcom, whispered.
Brailynn chuckled.
“Anyway,” Andrej continued. “Over the centuries, people have come and gone. While they were here, they helped to progress the place. Some built the animal pens you see outside. Others planted the herb and vegetable gardens.”
Brailynn (A Rogue Enforcers Novel) Page 15
