For the Good of All

by Nicky Charles

  “Good.” Stone leaned back in his seat. “And what about Dante? Any idea where he is?”

  Reno shrugged. “The man appears and then seems to vanish into thin air. Most likely he’s following another trail. Human trafficking is still a problem so who knows when, or where, he’ll turn up again.”

  “Yeah. We get rid of one group of bastards and another appears to take their place.” Stone moved to take a drink of his water, realized it was empty and set it back down again.

  “I’ll get you another,” Tina volunteered. The conversation was winding down and they didn’t need her input anymore.

  “And the water stays in the glass. No throwing it at me,” Stone warned.

  She stuck her tongue out at him and walked to the bar.

  “A glass of water for Stone, please, Gwyneth.”

  Gwyn set the glass in front of her but didn’t remove her hand from it. “You’ve been avoiding me, witchling.” She whispered the words. “Why?”

  “You gave me the week off. I’ve been busy. And I don’t like being called a ‘witchling’.” She tried to take the glass but Gwyneth held on.

  “Stone told me what happened. The earthquake, your nosebleed.”

  “He had no right!” She shot an accusing look over her shoulder towards where Stone was seated. Maybe this glass of water would end up on him after all.

  “He cares about you. He was concerned, as he should be.” The older witch fixed her with a hard stare. “Come to my office. We can’t talk freely here.”

  Tina reluctantly followed Gwyn out back. When she’d been a simple visionary witch she’d been happy enough. Now, knowing she had more magic in her, she felt uncomfortable and wished it would all go away. Life was simpler when you didn’t have to worry about magic spilling out at inconvenient times.

  Gwyneth’s office was depressingly drab and crowded. It consisted of a desk with a computer, a couple of chairs, two filing cabinets, shelves filled with books, and a window. The window had dusty olive green curtains and the glass beyond was filthy so you really couldn’t see outside. Of course, since it only looked out onto the alley, that really wasn’t an issue but it always bothered Tina nonetheless. Why not make the room more cheery? Exchange the beige walls for a cheery yellow, maybe some bright orange curtains, lime green cushions on the chair…

  “Sit down.” Gwyneth pointed to the chair and then took up a spot on the edge of her desk, her eyes narrowed. “You’ve always been a puzzle to me.”

  “Really?” Tina shifted her focus from the décor and sat down as instructed, crossing her arms in front of her. She did not want to be lectured.

  “Yes. I could sense there was magic in you, knew you had potential but I didn’t imagine the full extent of it.”

  Tina shrugged, struggling to keep from pouting out her bottom lip. “I never sensed any potential.”

  “You’re young,” Gwyn snorted. “Youth never know what they are truly capable of until circumstances force them to act.” She stood up and began pacing the room which was quite a feat given how small the space was. “You realize what this means, don’t you? We need to harness your power, refine it. Now that we know it’s there we can focus our instruction and—”

  “Wait.” She sat forward in her chair, frowning. “You’re assuming I want to refine it. Can’t I just pretend it isn’t there?”

  Gwyn looked at her as if she were insane. “No, you can’t. You have a duty to use your abilities, to learn to control them, if not for yourself, for the safety of others. Look what happened this time. A person was killed.”

  “He was one of the bad guys.”

  “I know, but you’re lucky there was no collateral damage.”

  Tina didn’t reply. Gwyn was right. Mendoza was dead and she didn’t feel the least bit guilty about that, but what if someone else had been injured? Sister Bernita or one of the children?

  She gave a sigh. If only studying magic wasn’t so boring.

  In her heart, she knew she was behaving like a spoiled brat. Gwyneth was willing to help her, the least she could do was be gracious about it. “All right.” The words reluctantly left her lips. “When do we begin?”

  “We’ll fit your lessons in between your work with Stone.”

  “My work with Stone?”

  “Have you turned into a parrot? I thought it was a Lycan and a jaguar who gave you blood not some tropical bird.”

  “No. I mean yes. I mean…” Tina paused and took a deep breath. Gwyneth loved to rattle people with her acerbic comments. She tried again. “No parrot. Yes they gave me blood. And what work are you talking about?”

  “I assume you and Stone will become a team. He’s a Shomer Virtus, you’re now linked—”

  “Linked?”

  “You’ve developed a connection to him beyond just simple affection. You sense his emotions, feel a pull towards him, don’t you?”

  “Yes, but—”

  Gwyn closed her eyes and shook her head as if praying for patience. When she opened her eyes, she sat back down on the edge of the desk and spoke slowly and distinctly as if Tina weren’t the fullest bottle in the wine rack. “The power of three. Three infusions of blood from three different shifters. That’s what the ancient ones decreed, what was needed to ensure the whole community would agree to accept a witch.”

  “You mean since Stone and Esteban both gave me blood, I’m two-thirds of the way to becoming a shifter?”

  “Technically yes, but it has to be within the limited time frame of three days. The window of opportunity has passed.”

  “Oh.” She wasn’t sure if she wanted to be a shifter or not. The idea that the possibility even existed boggled her mind. And having a link to Stone made sense given some of the thoughts and feelings she’d been having lately. “So I’m sensing Stone but not Esteban because...?”

  “The first shifter is the dominant force, the one who initiated the process. You’ll have a connection to him for the rest of your life which is why it makes sense that you’ll work together. His sense of justice will be transferred to you.”

  She thought of what she’d said to Reno a few minutes before, how Stone had said she’d taken the words out of his mouth. “Does Stone know this?”

  “He does now.” Gwyn rolled her eyes. “Exchanging blood without having any idea of the repercussions. I feel like I’ve had to explain the birds and the bees to the both of you.”

  Tina scowled at the snide comment but Gwyneth paid no attention and continued talking.

  “I should have known something like this was going to happen. In retrospect, that damned vision I had just before you left was as clear as glass. The blood red colour, the witch vanishing, leaving just a wolf. It was definitely foretelling your fate. If only visions…”

  Tina tuned out Gwyneth’s rant about the vagaries of visions and instead tried to decide why Stone hadn’t mentioned the link to her. She’d definitely be asking him about it once they were alone.

  “Is that understood?”

  With a start, Tina realized Gwyneth had asked her a question. “I beg your pardon?”

  The look on the older witch’s face had her cringing.

  “I said, your lessons will commence next week and continue at least two days a week unless you have a job to do with Stone. Is that understood, witchling?”

  Tina agreed, not mentioning once again that she disliked the term witchling. It was best not to cross Gwyneth when she used that autocratic tone.

  Stone put his arm around her as she slid into the booth beside him. “Water?”

  “Oops, I forgot. I started talking to Gwyneth and—”

  “No matter, Reno and I are finished.”

  “For now.” Reno amended as he stood up. “If I have further questions, I’ll contact you.”

  “Nothing personal, but I hope you don’t. When a case is done, I like to put it from my mind.” Stone idly played with a strand of her hair. It was a spring green colour today, one of the first things she’d done upon returning home.


  “I’ll try to accommodate you.” Reno took his leave and Stone relaxed beside her.

  “You know, I’ve been thinking…” He let go of her hair and began to twirl his empty glass instead.

  “Yes?” He seemed hesitant and she wondered if he was he going to mention the link.

  “I need to do something with my time. When we met I was thinking of working on the docks, something simple, uncomplicated.”

  “I could understand you wanting a break.”

  “Yeah, but now I’ve changed my mind. I think I’ll resurrect Virtus again.”

  “That’s the organization you started when you first left Lycan Link.”

  “Yep. My sister screwed it up, but with her gone I can try again.” He took a deep breath. “If nothing else, these past few weeks have shown me there are still lots of people out there who need help, who might have nowhere to turn.”

  “People who need you.” Tina momentarily forgot about their link and the fact he hadn’t told her about it yet. She could sense how he was feeling; his desire to help others, the uncertainty about the past that still plagued him.

  “Or someone like me.” He turned to look at her. “My last mission, the one in the desert, I still feel I screwed up, that I made mistakes. It haunts me.”

  “I know.” She placed her hand over his. “You did your best in horrible circumstances and that’s a lot more than other people might have done.”

  “Maybe.” He shrugged one shoulder. “I’m not perfect but if people have no one else to turn to, I’m better than nothing.”

  “You’re a lot better than nothing.” She hit him lightly. “So where are you going to set up headquarters? Here in Chicago?”

  “No, I don’t think Damien and Sam would appreciate me intruding on their territory.”

  “Oh.” This was where he’d tell her he was leaving and that he’d look her up again if he ever was in town. Damn, they’d already played this scene before. Little wonder he hadn’t mentioned the link. He had no intention of hanging around.

  “I was thinking of heading up north, checking out Canada. It’s a big country. According to Lycan Link’s records there are a lot of areas without Lycan packs.”

  She nodded fighting to keep her face impassive. “Sam went there to find Damien at one point. It was a little place called Stump River. I remember it was winter and she said it was cold.”

  “Do you like the cold?”

  “It’s okay for a while, I guess.” She took a deep breath and stared across the room wondering what it would be like to live without Stone in her life. They hadn’t known each other that long but after what they’d been through—

  “So you won’t mind moving there?”

  “What?” She swung her head around to stare at him.

  “I was hoping you’d be my first employee.”

  “Me? Work for you? As part of Virtus?”

  “Yeah. I figure we did good together in Cantala. And having a witch on the team might be useful.”

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Yes is pretty easy to say.” He gave her a crooked smile.

  “Then yes, of course. I’d love to work with you.” She hugged his arm and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

  “Good. It will take a lot of planning and we won’t be leaving right away.”

  “That’s okay. I have stuff I need to do here first, anyway.” Like witch lessons with Gwyneth, she added to herself. That reminded her that Stone still hadn’t mentioned the fact that they were linked.

  “Ready to leave?” He gently nudged her and she gave a start.

  “Hmm? Yeah. Let’s go home.”

  He put a guiding hand in the small of her back as they left the club. She walked silently beside him, preoccupied with what Gwyneth had told her and wondering why Stone was holding back. The more she thought about it, the more upset she became. Keeping secrets from each other was not a good thing in her book.

  “You’re quiet tonight.”

  She made a noncommittal sound and kept her eyes fixed straight ahead.

  “Something bothering you?”

  “If you can’t figure it out, then I’m certainly not going to tell you.” She clamped her mouth tightly shut.

  He gave her a sideways look as if she’d grown horns or something.

  Men!

  She knew she sounded pissed off and she was. He hadn’t made any attempt to tell her they were linked. It was pretty important news, in her mind, and should have come from him. Had he ever planned on telling her? She shoved her hands in her pockets and stepped away so he was no longer touching her.

  He sighed. “Gwyneth told you.”

  “Yes, she did.” When he didn’t comment back, she pursed her lips, her temper slowly starting to boil. “I really think it should have come from you.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. It probably should have.”

  His admission cooled some of her anger though not all of it. “Then why didn’t it?”

  “Good question.”

  “Do you have a good answer?”

  “No.”

  She shot him a glance over her shoulder as they climbed the stairs to her place. “Well, that’s honest if nothing else.”

  “I’ve always tried to be truthful with you, Christina.” He held the screen door for her while she unlocked the other.

  “And I appreciate that but not saying anything is lying by omission.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Those two words accompanied by him looking her straight in the eye was her undoing. No deception. No shirking of responsibility.

  She sighed, the cool, distant feeling fading. “I’m sorry, too. I know you didn’t know. You and Esteban were trying to save my life.”

  “Will it be that awful, having a permanent link to me, having some sense of what I’m feeling?” He stroked her cheek with his knuckles, then tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.

  “No. Not really.” She stared up at him, taking stock of his familiar features. She loved his evening stubble, his strong jaw, the scar on his face. The way his dark eyes stared so intently at her that she felt he was looking at her soul. “Actually, having a permanent link to you sounds pretty amazing.”

  “That’s what I was thinking, too.”

  “No you weren’t. You were thinking being saddled with a wacky, neon-coloured witch was going to drive you crazy.”

  The corner of his mouth curled ever so slightly. “That might have crossed my mind as well.” He put his hands on her waist and drew her close so he could murmur in her ear. “But mostly I was thinking ‘hot damn, she can’t get away from me now’.”

  “You know what I want, Stone?”

  “What?”

  She hit him lightly. “You’re supposed to say ‘of course, I know what you want.’ We’re linked together.”

  “It’s doesn’t work that way. It’s not like a true blood-bond. You can sense me but I can’t sense you.”

  “Whatever. Take a guess at what I’m thinking.”

  “Umm... You’re horny and want to get laid?”

  She frowned. “I think you’re confusing your feelings with mine.”

  “You don’t want to get laid?”

  “I do, but—”

  “See? I was right.” He laughed, scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom.

  Stone set her down gently, his teasing mood gone. He looked at the woman before him, laughter dancing in her eyes, spring green hair framing her face.

  She is colourful, but she is ours, his wolf observed the witch indulgently.

  “I lied to you.”

  “What?” She looked confused. “But you just said…?”

  “I know.” He sighed and looked away. “I’ve always told you the truth except this one time. I didn’t tell you about the link because…”

  “Because?”

  He returned his gaze to her eyes. “I was afraid.”

  “Of being linked to me?”

  “No. Of how
you’d feel about it.” He reached down and took her hands in his, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. “I didn’t mean for this to happen but the fact that it has doesn’t upset me. In fact, I’m pretty damned pleased.”

  “You are?”

  “Yep.” He raised her hands to his lips and kissed them. “I love you, Christina.”

  A smile slowly appeared on her face and then grew wider and wider. “I love you, too.” She reached up and stroked his cheek. “But I thought I’d have to hex you before you ever admitted to returning the feeling.”

  “I guess it’s a good thing I finally manned up to my feelings then.” He gave a crooked smile.

  “Darned right ’cuz you know how my hexes can turn out.”

  “I’m trembling with fear.”

  “No you’re not. I’ve got an inside scoop on your feelings now, remember?”

  He pulled her closer. “We could even the playing field.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “If I were to bite you, drink some of your blood, we’d have something like a blood-bond. Gwyneth told me.”

  “You’d bite me?” A worried look appeared on her face. “Would it hurt?”

  “No.” He shook his head. “You won’t even notice.”

  “Oh.” She was quiet for a moment, a frown wrinkling her brow. “This is permanent, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. We’d be mates for the rest of our lives. No escaping me.”

  “And you couldn’t escape me, no matter what colour I make my hair!”

  He tweaked a lock of it and laughed. “Right.”

  “In that case, I accept your proposal.” She grinned up at him.

  Stone studied her upturned face and the laughter slowly faded away. Quirky, brave, smart… “I really do love you, Christina. More than I ever believed possible.”

  A sheen covered her eyes and she blinked rapidly. She placed her hand on his chest over his heart. “I know.”

  He leaned forward and kissed her brow, her temple, the curve of her cheek. She murmured her pleasure when he nuzzled the sweet spot behind her ear, sighed softly when he finally brushed his lips over hers.

  Tenderly, he undid the buttons of her shirt, easing the material over her shoulders and letting it drop on the floor. Her bra followed and then her skirt and underwear. When she was completely naked he laid her on the bed.