“If you’re done sucking face, let’s find a place to spread the blankets,” Saxon grumbled.
“Leave them alone. Hell, you do the same thing to me all the time.” Nava smacked Saxon in the stomach, earning a laugh from Lacey.
“They all do. My sisters and I have our blankets set up over there if you’d care to join us?” Lacey asked.
“We would love to,” Elf said before she leaned over and whispered. “Not to worry, I think Mr. Biker guy has eyes for a little blond.” Elf nodded to Lanny, and Kayden shook his head.
“He’s in for a big surprise there, Lanny hasn’t dated anyone since she arrived last year. She’s run off three of our men and a dozen others who had shown some interest in her,” Kayden said, spreading their blanket out as Elf took the little guy out of the stroller and sat down, placing him on the blanket next to her as Nava and Lacey joined her.
“Lanny is special, Kayden, plus she’s more into a little kink. I know for a fact she visits Club Eros in the next city over. Nice place and fun from what I’ve heard,” Lacey said.
“And you would know this how?” Frost, her mate, asked, standing behind her.
“She said she’d heard,” Sam’s sister said, coming over to join them. “And who is this handsome little man,” Sam said, kneeling down next to Lacey.
“Elf, Nava, meet my sisters, Sam and Joanna,” Lacey said as Kayden noticed Storm coming their way with Matty and what had to be the other brother Nolan. Neither of them looked too happy.
Chapter Five
Elf half listened as Storm raged on about Nolan and Matty getting into it non-stop since Matty found them. She glanced over where Maranda and the other girls were laughing as they rode the merry-go-round. But... “I know you’re here. Never knew you were a chicken shit.”
“Aww, princess, in time, in time.” Tormac’s voice answering her back in her head.
“And I will personally be waiting for you, Tormac,” Drake’s voice joined Tormac’s in her head, as Elf glanced up to see Drake staring at her.
“Elf,” Kayden growled. “Why provoke him?” Kayden pulled her up and wrapped his arms around her. “Nava, would you guys watch the little guy while I dance with my woman?”
“I’d be happy to sit. Storm, you are not going to allow those two knuckleheads to ruin our day. We have a baby to play with and an office to plan,” Nava said, shooing Elf away while yanking Storm down on the blanket, handing her Malcom.
Elf couldn’t help but laugh as Storm stared down at her son, not knowing what in the world to do. “Relax, Storm, Malcom is a pretty sturdy little guy,” Elf said as Kayden led her out into the crowd in front of the gazebo where the band was playing a nice slow song.
She wrapped her arms around Kayden’s neck, starting up at the man. “You do know I don’t know how to dance, right?”
Kayden smiled. “I’ve got you. Put those little feet on mine and just hold on,” he whispered in her ear before scrapping his teeth over her neck.
“I can’t do that; I’m too heavy,” she squeaked as he lifted her up.
“You’re not too heavy; if anything, we’re going to put a few pounds on you,” he said as she placed her feet on his.
Kayden could dance that was for sure as she rested against him. “So, what is it you would ask of me?” Elf questioned, looking up at him.
He sighed. “Our bond is already growing, I can feel it, but I would like to speed up the process by taking your blood and you taking mine.”
Elf said nothing at first, letting the fool stew a little before she broke away from him, heading toward her son without a word.
“Elf, wait.” Kayden lifted her up into his arms. “Look, I know you’re mad, and I’m sorry, but this man scares the living piss out of me, Elf. The thought of him near you or the children...” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the demon so close to the surface.
His skin changing to a light-colored pink and, to touch, Elf could tell it was thick, almost leather like. Elf rested her head against his shoulder. “Kayden, you are the first man, and most likely the only one, I’ll be out on dates with. I don’t want to rush anything, only if we have to will I consider it.”
“Drake thinks there is a way...” Kayden said just as Drake stepped up to them.
“There is a way to break the connection you have with him. So he won’t hear and see what you are doing. I should have done this before, and I’m sorry I didn’t,” Drake informed her.
“And you’ll never see our daughter again,” Tormac hissed, but then, she heard his scream of pain, but Elf could have sworn it was...
Kayden laughed, placing a kiss on her cheek before lowering her feet to the ground. “Let me take you back to the girls while I help Drake find out what this Tormac knows.” He placed a kiss on her cheek.
“Wait. what you said... was to get Tormac?” Elf asked, and he nodded.
“The only time I take your blood will be when I claim you while we are making love,” Kayden told her.
“My daughter!” Elf swung around. “You have Tormac?”
Drake reached up and cupped her cheek. “We’ll find my granddaughter, I promise you, daughter. Go have some ice cream with the ladies and your daughter.” He leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead.
Elf took a deep breath and made her way back to the ladies. As soon as her daughter saw her, Maranda came running to her, smiling and wrapping her arms around her. “Momma, they have bubble gum ice cream.”
“They do. Did you get some?” Elf lifted her little girl up, carrying her back to the blanket where the woman with the long blond hair stood talking to Darla.
“Elf, I’d like you to meet Lanny; she’s here to take our ice cream order,” her mother introduced them.
“You have a beautiful family; welcome to Magic,” Lanny said, reaching out and hugging her, and that is when Elf noticed the biker and Alaster, both staring holes into her back.
“It looks like you have two very interesting men staring at you,” Elf whispered as Lanny stepped back, rolling her eyes.
“They’re a pain in the ass. I don’t need or want a man in my life...” Lanny said, looking back at said men. “Been there, done it and been ripped apart, too. Don’t think I’m going to risk my heart again. Now, tell me what flavor of ice cream you would like to try?”
Elf smiled and glanced at Nava, who shook her head. “You know they won’t stop if you are their mate, right?”
Lanny lifted her chin. “But I’m human, so none of that is going to work on me,” she said, earning a shake of Darla’s head.
Darla patted her hand. “Don’t worry, Lanny, right now, I think both men are trying to figure out what the hell is going on, and if you have both of them... Well, it will be interesting.” Darla leaned over to Lanny, nodding to Storm, who stood off to the side.
“See my son and Nolan speaking. I bet you odds that those two are just figuring out that they share the same woman,” Darla said.
“What? Storm?” Nava got up and turned to look at the little fairy. Everyone did as Storm glanced up meeting their looks.
She frowned, going over to them. “Okay, why are you all staring at me? Do I have ice cream on my face?”
Nava pulled Storm down on the blanket, but Darla’s words had Nava pouting. “It’s their place to inform her, Nava.”
“What are you talking about? Whose place?” Storm asked as Matty and Nolan came up to them.
“Storm, we’d like a word with you, please,” Matty said, holding out his hand for her.
She looked at him then at Nolan. “Why?” she asked, looking back at Nava then at Elf. “You guys know something?”
Elf shook her head. “Sweetie, I’ve been locked up all my life; believe me, this is all new to me.”
Storm came over, hugging her tight. “If I could find those assholes, I’d send them to another planet,” she grumbled.
“I know you would. Go on. Go so you can tell us the latest gossip
when you get back. Oh, I think they caught Tormac. I’m hoping my oldest will be here soon,” Elf announced, drawing everyone’s gaze.
“Really? Where is the asshole, so I can send him into space?” Storm growled.
“Hey, none of that. I have enough creeps to go after, I don’t need more out there,” Frost said, coming over with Drake and Kayden.
“Well?” Elf asked moving toward Kayden.
“We have men on their way now to retrieve my granddaughter Willow. She’ll be in your arms soon,” Drake promised.
Elf closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears and swallow the lump in her throat. She would have her family all together soon.
Kayden’s strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her into an embrace and was about to tell her something when the gazebo behind them blew, knocking her and Kayden to the ground. Her arm hurt like the devil, she had ringing in her ears and a nice bump on her head if the slight pounding in her head was any indication.
“Maranda, Malcom...” she screamed.
“Are you okay?” Kayden growled as he shifted right there on top of her as he lifted up, jumping up. He reached down, helping her, holding her, thank god, or she would have fallen flat on her ass again as her leg gave out.
Swinging her up in his arms, he glanced down at her. Before Elf knew what was going on, she was back in her rooms. Kayden gently laid her down as Drake showed up with her mother and Saxon with Nava.
“I need to go back now,” Elf growled just as Alaster came in carrying Malcom and Maranda in his arms. Behind him, her sisters Elle and Tara carried by Cahir, and Anna being carried by Ringo.”
“Sorry, Doc wanted to check each of them quickly. They all have scrapes, but little Malcom might be a little sore, Storm dove over him, saving him,” Alaster said as he put her son in her arms.
“Storm?” Elf asked as Miranda curled up next her, holding her arm.
“She took a direct hit in the back of the head. It’s not good. My brother and Matty are with her as Doc works on her. We called in three other doctors to help. Every single person in the band, gone.”
“Alaster, enough,” Drake growled as Kayden stepped in front of her.
“What is your problem,” Kayden growled.
Alaster moved away from her. “Storm is my brother’s mate and Matty’s. I’m sorry, his pain is swamping us both.” Alaster stopped and looked to the left. “They have to take Storm to the hospital in Farmington. There are physicians there that know our kind.”
“Go be with your brother,” Drake said, but Alaster shook his head.
“No, we stay here and find the bastards who did this. I’ve called in the family. My cousins will have their backup. I’m sorry, Drake, I should have run this by you, but she’s family now.”
“As you are with us now, Alaster. I would have the same,” Drake said.
Elf grabbed onto Kayden’s arm and pulled herself up, limping toward Alaster. “This shouldn’t have happened.”
“Don’t say it. These people are like the plague, but we know how to wipe it out, and we will do the same to them,” Alaster said.
“But...” Drake turned, placing his hands on her shoulders. It’s not just you, Elf, they are after the whole town now. Placing that bomb there, they’ve declared war, and we are going to wipe them out. Now, go sit down before you fall. Alaster, I want the sheriff here as soon as we get the mess cleaned up and our folks healed. Ringo, I want you to set up trust funds for every member of that band for their families. Their children, wives will be taken care of.”
Elf turned and limped back to the sofa, curling up with her daughter Maranda.
Kayden knelt in front of them, resting his hand on her knee and on Maranda’s. “Why don’t you guys get cleaned up, all of us, and meet back here. We can have our ice cream here. Hopefully...” He looked back at Drake, who nodded to him. “I’m hoping by the time you get cleaned up, we’ll have Willow here.” Kayden reached up and cupped her cheek. “You’ll have your whole family here tonight, my lady.”
Elf couldn’t help it, she rubbed her cheek on his hand before turning and kissing his palm. She’d only known the man a few days, but each day that he was around her, it’s like her body quivered, hormones started doing the jig inside her. Maybe she was sick, but then, Elf shook that off as Kayden helped her up and he placed a kiss on her cheek.
“I’ll be back before you two are cleaned up. I’ll even pick up some pizzas for all of us since I know we haven’t eaten,” Kayden said, turning to leave and that’s when Elf noticed that the others had left, too.
“Kayden?” Elf said, stopping his movements toward the door. He glanced over his shoulder at her. His dark blue eyes meeting hers. “Thank you, for everything.” Before he could say anything, Elf moved into her bedroom with the children, shutting the door. She really needed to talk to... “Nava, when you have a free minute, I’d like to ask a few questions, if you don’t mind, before Kayden and the others come.”
“I’ll be there in thirty minutes. You okay? Do I have to hurt Kayden?” she asked through their link Elf had started years before.
“No, Kayden didn’t do anything directly, just a little confused, and with you mating with Saxon, well, I have questions. If it’s okay?” Elf started the bath water for her daughter before sitting down to feed her little man as he started to fidget in her arms.
“Anything I can do to help you know I’ll help. See you in a few,” Nava sent as Elf sat back and watched as her daughter started to rip off her clothes. If it was one thing, her daughters both loved their baths like their mother.
“Your toys are in the basket but not too many today, sweetie, we have to get ready quickly before everyone comes back,” she told Maranda, who nodded, picking two toys and getting in the tub. One thing good about her suite, she could see into the bathroom, watching her daughter from where she sat feeding her son.
But what had her really nervous was wondering if her oldest had been hurt. She hadn’t seen her in what seemed like forever, and the last time Elf had held her... “I won’t cry,” she whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Chapter Six
Kayden stood in the middle of town staring at what was left of the gazebo. Blood covered parts of the ground where six band members and four people standing next to it were killed. Many more in critical condition from what Doc had told him.
Storm had gone into surgery to remove the piece of the wood but still nothing. His heart heavy, it was the first time in a long time anything had happened like this to their town. The last time... he sighed, remembering the blood and one of the reasons he had joined the service. Humans had murdered his little sister and three other teenagers when they had found out they were different, and that was over forty years ago.
Sure enough, over the years, there had been bloodshed here, after all, the city was over two hundred years old, but this was different. Not only were these monsters aiming for them, but they were also stealing their children. Something no species would do, knowing how special children were.
“I thought I’d find you here,” Saxon said, appearing at his side. “How are you?”
“Brings back so many memories in a way. Have we heard anything from the two the Knockers found? Do they need help interrogating them?” Kayden asked.
“No, they are singing just fine. Seems the two we caught had no idea there were shadows here,” Saxon laughed. “One of the posse members went right through the man, and he fainted. We’ll find out all of the information later, but come, I’ve come to help you get the pizzas and ice cream. Elf’s daughter should be arriving soon,” Saxon said as they both moved toward his truck.
“Did you call Nala? Is she open?” Saxon asked.
“Yep, she’s going to hold Mystic Pizza open ‘til ten tonight. She knows a lot of town people aren’t going to want to cook, so she made sure to have enough for whoever wanted pizza tonight.” Kayden smiled. “That little unicorn needs to find a male. I’ve caught h
er out in the woods by herself feeding. I hope, with all that is going on, she realizes it’s too risky to go out,” Kayden growled. “I have to agree with Drake; we need to speak with the sheriff and others. Our women are at risk here, and so are our children. Maybe a patrol.”
“The patrol isn’t going to do much if we don’t find the damn traitor. That’s twice these peons have gotten by our men. I almost think there is more than one person here in town,” Saxon told him.
“If that is the case, we have more trouble than we thought. Why aren’t you with Nava and Ana?” Kayden drove down Main Street, turning onto Incantation Street, where Mystic Pizza and their recruitment center was, along with Doc Lope’s office.
“Nava and Elf are having a powwow, and I have a feeling it’s about you.” Saxon smiled.
“Me? Why? I haven’t pressured her or anything. I thought I was taking it slow, and I have to tell you, it’s killing me. Especially since the attack. My demon wants to claim her now,” Kayden informed him.
“Same thing happened with Nava after they attacked us at the dinner, but you are going to have to watch it with Willow. I’m afraid that little girl is going to be a mess when she returns to Elf. Hell, they are all a mess after what happened,” Saxon growled, looking out the window.
“What we need to do is set up a trap for the traitor, but the only way to do that is to use bait, and I know for a fact our women are not going to be used.” Kayden hit his steering wheel as he parked the truck in front of Mystic Pizzas.
Kayden and Saxon didn’t say much, going into the pizza place where Frost and a few other men were picking up orders.
“How are Lacey and her sisters doing?” Saxon asked.
“Each of them was hurt but not severely. This has to stop. Parents are afraid to allow their children out to play. Even the twins have been hog tied and forbidden to go anywhere without one of us.”
Magic in His Touch Page 4
