Saxon froze, growling. “We have trouble. They have breached Drake’s house. Elf is missing, and so is Nava,” Saxon disappeared with Kayden following him, appearing in Elf’s rooms.
Blood was on the carpet, and Darla held Malcom in her arms with Ana and Maranda each curled up next to her crying. Behind the love seat another little girl, bruises covered her face, but there were no tears on her face, just fear in her eyes—Willow.
With tears running down Darla’s face, she looked up at them as Drake paced back and forth. “They have Nava and Elf. They shoved Maranda and Malcom in the bathroom, making sure the door was locked while they fought them off trying to protect the children. Just as we arrived, Willow was brought here. I want my daughters home NOW.”
Maranda moved off the couch, coming to stand in front of Kayden as he tried to get control of his demon. Her little hand took his clawed one. “I want my mommy. You can find her?” she cried.
Kayden knelt down as Willow moved behind her sister, resting her hands on her shoulders. “I promise you both I will find your mommy and aunt. We’ll be that family you all deserve,” he said, promising both of them. “Willow, I’m Kayden. I’m your mommy’s mate. I know things are scary right now, but soon, you’ll have your mother.”
The girl nodded, not saying a word, but Maranda climbed up on his body, wrapping her arms around his neck, she gave him a kiss on his cheek, hugging him tightly. “You’ll be our daddy?” she asked.
“If you want me to, I’d be happy and proud to have you girls as my daughters, but I want you two to stay with Darla until I find your momma and bring her back for you.” He stood, hugging Maranda and placing a kiss on her cheek. He held out his hand for Willow, waiting.
She stared at her sister then at his hand. Slowly, Willow placed her hand into his.
“Darla, take the children to our wing; you’ll all be safe there, but just in case, Alaster and Cahir will be with you and the girls ‘til we find that traitor,” Drake said as Alaster and Cahir came into the room.
“We’ll take the children and be right back,” Saxon said, scooping up Ana into his arms as Darla carried Malcom. Moving down the hall, Ringo, his team, sheriff, and the posse moved down the hall toward Elf’s rooms.
“Are they going to help you find Momma?” Miranda asked, watching the men move by them.
“Yes, we have many that are going to help get these bad men, your mother, and aunt,” he said, rubbing his cheek against the top of her head and squeezing Willow’s hand. “Willow, what is your favorite meal?” he asked.
She frowned. “I don’t know, we didn’t have much food,” Willow said, her voice a mere whisper.
“Well then, I think, when we get your mom and aunt back, we have a little food party at home. What do you think, Darla? Maybe samples of many different favorites so everyone can see what they like the best? We could have Chinese, Greek, Italian, and, of course, many American dishes.”
Darla looked over her shoulder, smiling. “I think that would be an excellent idea. I know one of my favorites to make is the Sheppard pie. It’s comfort food when I feel down. Of course, warm blackberry pie and ice cream is my favorite to eat.”
“Okay, my stomach is rumbling,” he grumbled, and Maranda giggled as Willow smiled.
“On my way back to the meeting, I’ll have someone pick up the pizzas for you girls, so you have some food to munch on with some different snacks and drinks. You can let me know what you think when I come to get you. But until then, you don’t leave, understand?” he asked as they moved into Darla and Drake’s private suite.
Both girls nodded as he set Maranda on the floor, kneeling down in front of them both. “I know you two don’t know me, but I promise, I’m not going to stop ‘til we have your mommy here with us.” He reached up and brushed Willow’s hair out of her face, ignoring when she flinched but held her ground. “I will never, and I mean never, raise a hand to you guys.” He ran his finger over her bruised cheek. “Tormac is no more, Willow. He can’t come and hurt you again.”
Her eyes got big and watered. “Really?” she whispered.
“Really.” He rose, leaning over, kissing the top of Willow’s head. “You’re safe. No more prisons.” He moved to leave, but Willow’s little hand on his arm had him stop.
“You really want to be our daddy?” she asked. “And you won’t hit us?”
Kayden knelt down and pulled her body into his, surrounding her with his arms, hugging her frail body. “I promise, I will never hit you, and yes, I want to be your daddy. Now, Willow, Maranda, that does not mean I might not get frustrated with something, but when you love someone, that happens. Just means I have to try harder.” He kissed her cheek, leaning back and smiling at her.
“I’m not perfect, Willow, no one is. But I will try my hardest to make sure your life is a happy and safe one,” he said again and would keep repeating it until she believed him.
Willow stepped back. “Thank you,” she whispered as he stood.
“There is no need to thank me. To me, you are already my daughters.” He smiled. “Wait ‘til you meet your cousins and other grandparents.” He laughed and ruffled the girls’ hair. “Be good, little ones,” he said, following Saxon out, closing the door as Alaster and his brother stepped into the room while two other men that looked like them stood next to the door.
“Their cousins. Seems they also have special abilities,” Saxon snorted as they made their way back to Elf’s rooms.
Entering the suite, Drake’s gaze caught theirs. “They secured?”
“Yes,” Saxon said, moving to his side. “So, how do we find them and the traitor, because this isn’t going to stop even when we do get the ladies back until the traitor is caught.”
Everyone agreeing with him as the posse came in, along with some of the Knockers, Nava’s parents, and Calamity Jane.
Drake smiled, and it wasn’t a good one. “We have something they don’t know about,” he said, stepping to the side, revealing three of the scariest creature’s Kayden had ever seen and that said something.
One had to be some kind of bear as it stood on its hind legs sniffing and growling, its eyes a blood red. Another, a wolf, Kayden believed, and the last animal, he shivered. This was not any Rudolph he ever saw.
“Gentlemen, may I introduce you to the Tuamgraney Beasts, well three that agreed to help us,” Alaster said.
“They are not ordinary animals, and the hunt will go fast, be ready,” Drake said. As said animals disappeared from the room, an eerie howl filled the hallway as all filed out, following the animals, his beast out now searching for their mate.
Chapter Seven
Elf’s head was pounding like a bitch, not to mention her arm and thigh were bleeding bad, but she was really worried about Nava behind her. She was still out of it, and who the hell knew what they were going to do to them.
She didn’t move an inch as Elf took in the small room they were in. No one was there in the room, but that didn’t mean they weren’t watching. Elf could hear them yelling, and someone was not happy they were there it appeared.
“Where are we?” Nava asked, still not moving as Elf glanced back really quickly to see her looking at her.
“I think we’re in someone’s cellar, but where ever we are, they are not happy we were brought here. I think we’re in the home of the traitor. Are you going to be able to move when they come in here?
“They hit something in my back. I can’t feel my legs, Elf,” Nava said calmly.
“Assholes. Do you think they’ll find us?” Elf asked, hating the uncertainty in her voice. “I don’t know how long we’ve been out either.” Elf reached down and ripped the bottom of her shirt and started to wrap her leg to stop the bleeding. She, sure as hell, didn’t need to get any weaker if she was going to try and keep the assholes away from them.
“Elf, I know that voice. It seems we have found our traitor, and it’s freaking sad. Boy, is Drake going to be furious,” Nava sa
id.
“Who?” she asked out loud, forgetting. Her captors went quiet right before Elf could hear them coming their way.
“I told you to keep them knocked out!” The voice yelled as the locked door flew open, hitting the concrete wall.
Four men came into the room, staring at them as Elf jumped up, ready to take on any of them if she had to. But what Elf wasn’t expecting were the three animals that appeared in front of them. If one could call them animals.
“Alaster,” Elf whispered as one turned its red eyes on her for a second before it turned to stare once more at the men in front of them. Elf risked a look back at Nava, who smiled.
A growl so fierce and loud had Elf jumping and crouching, ready to attack anyone or thing that came her way.
Her eardrums rang as if they had bells in them, covering her ears, afraid they were going to erupt. She turned and watched as one of the stupid men started to move toward them, dumbest thing he could have done as the big animal chose that time to attack him.
The bear-like creature was massive and quick as the blood of said man now covered the wall and floor. His scream died the second the animal ripped out his throat at the same time their men appeared in the room with help.
Nava’s grandmother, Calamity Jane, moved to Nava’s side and cocked her gun. But her man, Flask, appeared next to her, grabbing the gun away from her. “No, we need them alive for now,” he told her. “See what is wrong with Nava,” Flask said, moving toward the other men, as Elf plopped down beside her sister of the heart, Nava, taking her hand into hers.
“I really hate being hurt,” Elf grumbled, and Nava laughed.
Both Saxon and Kayden knelt down next to them, both men in full beast looking each of them over, growling. Elf did have to admit Kayden was hot even in his demon form. His pants ready to rip at the seams kneeling next to her.
The intensity of his gaze had her blood warming and her heart rate increasing like that of a drum. Elf never believed she’d be one to give her heart to any man let alone her body, but it would seem both were now craving him like someone would dark chocolate.
“Three stab wounds,” Kayden growled and reached up, cupping her cheek. “And she’s going to have a nice shiner, too.” He leaned down and whispered, “You keep giving me that look, and I swear, I’ll claim what is mine.”
Saxon’s words broke the intense feeling moving through her as Elf glanced down at Nava, seeing her smiling up at her. “Some kind of dart in the spine. Nava, can you move your legs?” Saxon asked, and she shook her head.
“Below the waist, I feel nothing,” Nava said, turning her gaze to her mate, reaching up and cupping Saxon’s cheek.
“The children?” Elf asked, looking up at Kayden as Doc Lope appeared with someone she didn’t know.
“All three of your babies are with your mom, waiting for their mother.” Kayden leaned down and kissed her lips softly. “You scared the hell out of me, angel.”
“Hell, I scared the hell out of me, too,” she said, watching as Doc Lope rolled Nava over.
“Sorry, Nava, this is going to hurt, but it needs to come out. I think what it’s doing is slowly drugging you so you can’t move.” The doctor didn’t give her time to think before taking the long needle out of her.
“She was out longer than I was, too,” Elf told the doctor.
“Did you have any darts in you?” he asked, looking at her wounds.
“No. I think they thought since they stabbed me a few times that I would be out,” Elf said as she glanced over to see Drake lifting a man up by his throat and, boy, was Drake pissed as he shook the man.
“We gave you a place to live, a job, and you betray your own kind and the town that welcomed you?” Drake dropped the man. “Lock them down while we get the women home and healed. We will deal with them in a few hours.”
The sheriff and the posse took the three men since the fourth was no more, that is when she noticed the animals were gone.
“Take the ladies back home, boys, I’ll bring the children to you,” Drake said, and that is when she turned to Kayden.
“Wait, did you say all three of my babies?” she asked, hoping Elf had heard him right.
Kayden smiled, carefully lifting her up into his arms. “Yes, your Willow is a beauty, but I’m afraid the bastard beat her, Elf. She has bruises on her face, and I don’t know where else,” Kayden growled.
“I’m coming with you, so I can look over the wounds you have. Maybe your daughter will allow me to look at her if she sees me working on her mom,” Doc Lope said, as Drake stepped up the doctor, disappearing from the room.
“I must really be out of it if I didn’t even see the animals leave,” she mumbled, resting her head on Kayden’s chest. “You might want to change back. We don’t want the children to see your nice package. I’m afraid those pants hide nothing, and damn, the man was impressive.”
Kayden placed a kiss on the side of her neck. “And did you like what you saw?” he asked, taking her back to her room, setting her down on the large overstuffed couch.
Elf let out the breath she was holding and looked up at Kayden. “I promised myself long ago I wouldn’t even consider giving myself to a man, but you, Kayden, are slowly changing my mind. You are one male I could see spending my life with, but I have to admit, your package scares the crap out of me,” she said, feeling her cheeks warm, another first—embarrassment.
He ran his finger down her cheek. “Tonight, we will discuss this fear because I’m afraid, after this, I’m not allowing you out of my sight ‘til we join our life forces.” Kayden sat down next to her, shifting, new clothes covered him, and damn, he looked sexy as hell.
The door opened, and Willow’s cry had her looking up as her daughter ran to her, throwing herself onto her, crying. Yes, it hurt like a bitch as Willow jarred her leg and arm, but having her daughter in her arms was well worth the pain.
* * * *
Kayden reached down and lifted Maranda up in his arms as Elf and Willow hugged and cried. Even he had a knot in his throat.
Darla smiled at him, holding Malcom. “All the girls have been fed; we had a pizza and ice cream. I did get Willow to take a bath and got both girls in PJs.” Darla looked over at the door, seeing Doc and Drake come in. “I would like Doc to look at Willow’s left side. She has a nasty cut on it, and it does not look to be healing.”
Elf pulled back. “Let me see now,” Elf said to Willow, who stepped back, her gaze looking around.
“Willow, this is the doctor for this town. He’s here to look at you and me. Let him see your side, baby, so we can get you all healed up,” Elf informed her daughter as Doc Lope came over and removed the made-up bandage on Elf’s leg.
“I was afraid of this,” Doc said. “Drake, can you get me towels, please, a few of them. Okay, little lady, can I see your sore?” he asked, turning slightly as he knelt next to Elf.
Willow glanced at him, and his heart swelled.
“He’s a good man, Willow, I promise, and so far, I’ve kept my promises, right?”
The little girl nodded and lifted up her top where a new bandage covered the wound.
“Nice dressing, Darla. I’m going to remove this so I can see what we are dealing with, okay?” Doc said, carefully removing the bandage. “Yep, just like her mother’s wound,” Doc said as Drake came in with a handful of towels.
“What?” Kayden asked, frowning, seeing the nasty cut on Willow’s side, knowing a blade had cut the little girl. He was going to make sure these men suffered.
“So far, on most wounds from knives and such, the instrument in question is coated with a toxin that eats away at the flesh, keeping the wound open and spreading.” Doc took a towel and a black-blue jar out of his bag. “Even our kind have trouble healing from it; humans, it would kill them. Willow, I’m going to apply some of this medicine on your wound. It’s going to be cold at first then it will warm up, but it might hurt a little. I’m sorry, little one.” Doc
waited as her gaze jumped to Elf’s, who nodded.
“You can do this, and after we are all patched up, we’ll watch a movie with popcorn, okay?” Elf said, and Willow nodded.
Doc Lope didn’t wait as he started to clean out the wound. Willow didn’t move at all, but tears rolled down her cheeks, and once, he heard the whimper.
Kayden looked up at Drake, his dark black gaze met his. “We’ll find everyone,” he said calmly, but Kayden knew the man was beyond furious.
“Did you find the traitor?” Darla asked, standing next to her husband.
“One of them, yes,” Drake said, wrapping his arm around his wife. “Porter.”
Darla shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “Why, Drake?”
“I don’t know, baby,” Drake said, placing a kiss on her cheek. “Elf, did you know any of the men that took you and Nava?”
Elf glanced at him and nodded. “The one that was killed was a guard. The one with the long hair... Let’s just say he thought he was a doctor.” Elf shivered, and so did Willow.
“Monster had you?” Willow asked. “Is he dead?” The little girl asked, looking at Kayden then at Drake.
Drake knelt down in front of Willow. “Right now, he is locked up. There is no way he can escape. This man will not hurt anyone again.” Drake smiled. “You are a very pretty little girl. I have a feeling you look a lot like your mommy when she was small, too.”
Willow smiled and looked up at Elf as Doc put a new bandage on the little girl’s side. “Okay, you are all set. The medicine will destroy any of the poison left in your system. You’ll be sore for about two days but will completely heal. Now, let’s clean your mommy up,” Doc said, tossing one towel to the ground and turning toward Elf.
Elf frowned. “I really would like a shower before you put the medicine on. I sure don’t want to stay in these clothes. They stink. Could I do that first?” she asked, and Doc nodded.
“I want to cover the wounds, so no water gets in them, but you’re going to have to be careful in the shower, Elf, so you don’t fall. I know this poison makes us weak,” Doc said as he began covering her leg.
Magic in His Touch Page 5
