Moonlight and Midtown

by Christina Bauer

  Nyxa mock-sniffs. “This is…so touching. I’ll keep it in mind as I flay you. I’ll even keep you awake for the duration, so we can all enjoy your screams.” The room of fae start up their golfer’s claps again.

  I may not be able to shift into my wolf form, but I do still know a thing or two about self-defense. And I know enough to realize that once the baddie starts talking about flaying, it’s time for me to get my fight on.

  Picking up a display table by one leg, I swing the entire thing right at Nyxa’s face. It impacts into her cheek with a satisfying crack.

  At the same time, Abe and Hollywood transform into their wolf forms and leap straight at Nyxa. The other fairies slowly rise from their lounge pillows. Evidently, fighting breaks out in Nyxa’s Boudoir fairly often, because the dozen of them don’t seem too shocked.

  Working together, Wolf-Abe and Wolf-Hollywood have Nyxa pinned to the ground. She’s screaming and flailing around, but she isn’t getting up. Yet.

  The dozen other fae stand in a loose circle around us. Silver dust sparkles around their raised arms.

  Kneeling beside Elle, I shake her shoulders. “Wake up! We don’t have much time. We have to run.”

  While still holding Nyxa down, Wolf-Hollywood motions with his head toward the exit door. I know what he wants: me to leave.

  There’s no way I’m going anywhere without Elle.

  The fairies around us release the fairy dust from around their arms. A haze of silver motes and magic comes flying at me, Elle, Wolf-Abe, and Wolf-Hollywood. The haze surrounds us for a moment. When it fades, I find myself kneeling beside Elle’s sleeping form. My ankles and wrists are tied behind me. Abe and Hollywood are trussed up with ropes as well.

  Nyxa slowly rises to stand. “Thank you, my sweetlings.” She brushes her fingers over her chin. There’s a cut along her jawline. Nyxa glares at me. “I’ll kill you extra slowly for that.”

  Blythe steps forward. “My queen, the two girls have magical protection while they are in your store.”

  Nyxa rolls her eyes. “Then we’ll transport them somewhere else, won’t we?”

  Blythe bows. “My queen, that would require a lot of fairy dust. You’re already—”

  “Enough!” Nyxa folds her arms over her chest. “We all know I have enough fairy power to last a hundred years. I could transport all of you anywhere.”

  In other words, Nyxa is low on fae power. Good to know.

  Nyxa raises her hand. “No, I have a much better death in mind. We leave the girls here to die of starvation, right beside the dead carcasses of their friends. That’s brilliant, isn’t it?”

  More golfer’s claps erupt around the room. The fae really are evil.

  “Let’s get this started.” Nyxa waves her arm. More fairy dust flies off her hand. This time, the magical haze encircles the room. Once it disappears, I can see that all the ornately carved walls are gone. Instead the place is nothing but bricks.

  Oh, no. We’re magically bricked in. No exit.

  Nyxa stalks over to Wolf-Abe and Wolf-Hollywood. They are writhing under her bonds. Nyxa kicks at them with her slippered foot. “I can kill these then. They aren’t under any protection.” She glares at me. “And then, I’ll have you dragged out into the alley to finish you there. Not because I don’t have the power for a transport, but because it pleases me to have you die that way.”

  I pull at the bonds around my wrists and feet. The silver cords bite into my skin. They don’t loosen in the slightest, though. My heart pounds so hard, I can feel its beat in my throat. That’s when I remember it.

  My cell phone.

  I wiggle with all my strength, working my cell free from my back pocket. Closing my eyes, I try to picture the keyboard. What and where do I push to send a text to Knox? My emergency code is TBL. With all my focus, I dip into the power inside my soul. This time, I don’t so much try to grip my fae power as direct it. Silver glimmers shine under my eyelids.

  For the first time, fae power trickles through me. My cell phone beeps. In my mind, I can see the magic type in a message to Knox.

  Pain explodes across my cheek, snapping me out of my reverie. Opening my eyes, I find that Nyxa now kneels before me. “How about we play?” Reaching out, she wraps her fingers around my throat and starts to squeeze. Every nerve ending in my body goes on alert. My shoulders heave with the attempt to pull in breath, but Nyxa is too strong. My mind becomes a riot of fear; it’s impossible to tap into my powers again.

  I struggle under Nyxa’s grip, but it’s no use. As the minutes pass, my movements become more sluggish while my thoughts turn more frenzied. A low thudding sounds in my head. At first, I think it’s my heart, but I realize that’s not what happening at all.

  Someone is banging on brick walls. The faintest scent floats on the air.

  Sandalwood and musk.

  It’s Knox. He must have gotten my emergency text and got here super-fast. I don’t know what makes me more excited; the fact that my magic worked to help me text or that Knox is here so quickly.

  Who am I kidding? I’m happier that Knox is here, definitely.

  Nyxa releases my throat. I hunch over, gasping for breath. “Oh, my.” She focuses her attention on Knox. “Another intruder to kill. It’s turning into an interesting day. I shall make him turn boneless. That’s always entertaining.”

  Knox? Boneless?

  Never.

  Power and rage erupt through my soul. Colored lights dance in my vision: golden for shifter, red for witch, and silver for fae. They all course through me, but the fae power is now the easiest for me to direct. Silver haze encircles my body. The bonds snap. I rise and lift my arms. A blast of silver energy pours off my palms and slams into the wall. The bricks shatter under the magical blast.

  Knox stands on the other side of the new opening in the wall. His face is tight with rage. With a great roar, his wolf bursts free from him as he leaps into the room. Knox races over to Abe and Hollywood and bites through their cords. Now, Knox, Abe, and Hollywood encircle me in a protective ring.

  I’m not the kind to stand around when there is work to do, especially now that I know how to focus my fae energy. It would be great to tap into the witch power as well, but heck, I just got a hold of the fairy stuff. There’s no point being greedy. Closing my eyes, I pull on the well of fairy energy, imagining it enveloping my wolf. In my mind, I see my wolf surrounded in a silver haze. The glowing motes of power settle into her white fur.

  My wolf awakens.

  I focus the power again, commanding her to appear.

  Fur appears on my limbs. Muscles reform. Teeth lengthen. My wolf form bursts free. The sense of freedom and power thrums through my veins. I take my place in my pack. With my mate. Moving on instinct, we all turn to face Nyxa.

  Nyxa takes a half step backward. “I command you to leave my presence.” But her words come out as a half whisper.

  Nyxa is afraid.

  As well she should be.

  Knox and I share a quick look. There’s no need to speak. We both know what we want to do. Leaning back on our haunches, we spring forward and attack. Tables go flying. I grab Nyxa by the arm and toss her against the wall. I nip another fae in the ankles, making him tumble over. Once the guy is prone, I jam my head under him and flip up. The fae slams into the ceiling with a thwack.

  Wow. The fairies are really toss-friendly. No wonder they’re terrified of wolves.

  The wolf forms of Knox, Abe, and Hollywood go after other fae, too. Soon, it’s not so much a fight as a game of catch. We move too quickly for them to summon up any fairy dust. Although, considering how rare the stuff is in the first place—and how much they wasted before Knox arrived—I wouldn’t be surprised if they ran out anyway.

  At some point, Nyxa comes to. For a second, I think she might rejoin the battle, but that’s not in the cards. Instead, Nyxa races from the room. Once their queen retreats, the rest of her court follows along closely behind her.

  Wolf-Knox looks to me. “Want us to
kill them?”

  Some of the fairy power I’d awakened now speaks to my soul. “No, there are too few Magicorum left.”

  Wolf-Knox sniffs. “Nyxa is a nightmare.”

  I shrug. “She’s a fae who’s being a fae.”

  Knox nuzzles into the fur on my neck. “You’re too good.”

  “I don’t know what I am, really.” I shift my weight from foot to foot. “I only know that it feels wrong to destroy someone unless they are attacking.”

  Nearby, a swirl of red light appears on the torn-up carpet. Fresh magic, and since it’s red, this power is of the wizard variety. The crimson light disappears. In its place stands Alec. He’s wearing jeans, a blue blazer, and a grin. “What did I miss?”

  “How did you know I was here?” asks Wolf-Knox.

  “I slapped a tracking spell on you because, well, you’re Knox. If there’s something to kill, you’ll get into a fight.” Alec lets out a low whistle. “Looks like I missed a doozy.” He scans the room, his gaze landing on Elle’s sleeping form. “No!”

  “She’s fine,” I say quickly. It’s awkward to talk in my wolf form. The long canines always get in the way. “It’s a sleeping enchantment.”

  Alec kneels beside Elle and pulls a large gemstone from his pocket. Holding the stone in his palm, he whispers an incantation. The gem lights up crimson, the seams of brightness shining through his fingers. Beams of red fall across Elle’s sleeping face. A second later, she opens her eyes.

  “What happened?” asks Elle.

  “You and Bry got into another caper.” Alec’s tone is so gentle and sweet. “Are you all right?”

  Elle sits up and rubs her neck. “Sleeping spells. Why does it always have to be sleeping spells?” She points at me. “That’s your jam, not mine.”

  “Maybe we’ve been hanging out too long. My Sleeping Beauty life template might be rubbing off on you.”

  Wolf-Knox raises his paw. “Bry called me her king, too.”

  “Hey,” I playfully nip at him. “I thought we agreed you were my not-so-charming prince. This is a coup.”

  Wolf-Knox mouths one word: king.

  “Well, Your Highness.” Alec stands and then gently assists Elle to her feet, too. “How many am I transporting?”

  Wolf-Knox looks at Abe and Hollywood. “Definitely Elle and Bry,” he says to Alec.

  I nudge Wolf-Knox with my muzzle and stare pointedly across the room. Wolf-Abe and Wolf-Hollywood are all droopy ears and tails. “Just me and Elle?” I ask.

  Wolf-Knox pauses for a long moment before letting out a long sigh. “Transport Abe and Hollywood, too.”

  Wolf-Abe and Wolf-Hollywood start yipping with glee. “Don’t get any ideas,” warns Wolf-Knox. “We’re not pack.”

  The yipping instantly stops. Poor Abe and Hollywood.

  Wolf-Knox swings his massive head toward Alec. “Can you send these two…back to wherever’s their home? You can do that, yeah?”

  Alec flashes his most toothy grin. “For not-pack members, I do such things all the time.” He fishes in his pocket and brings out more gems. “This ought to do it.” Alec raises his voice and addresses the room. “Everyone, over here.”

  There is no way I’m switching to my human form now—there are way too many people around. So, I stay all wolfed up as I cross the torn-up shop floor.

  That’s when I spy it.

  My unshreddable outfit.

  Still sitting in a pile where Blythe dropped it.

  Now it’s my turn to yip with joy. “My clothes are still here. Can you grab them, Elle?”

  “My pleasure.” Elle steps over and scoops the items into her arms. “This stuff is the bomb.” Once she has the items in hand, we all go to stand near Alec.

  Alec rubs the gemstones between his palms. “Everyone ready to go?” He poses the question to the group, but for some reason, all eyes have focused on me. Not sure when I became leader of this party, but I like it.

  “Yes,” I answer. “Let’s go home.”

  Alec casts the spell, and we all go home, including me with my new outfit. All in all, this makes of the best capers Elle and I have ever had.

  And that’s saying something.

  Chapter Ten

  One Week Later

  I take another turn on the highway. Knox and I are riding his Harley up to Bear Mountain. The lowering sun paints the trees in shades of yellow and orange. Is there any better feeling than riding with your best guy pressed up behind you?

  Hard to think of one at the moment.

  Now that my wolf is under control, Knox has been teaching me to ride. His Harley is a little large for me, but I’m getting used to it. Knox leans against my back and wraps his arms more tightly around my waist.

  My inner wolf pipes up. “We do so love to ride.”

  I have to agree with her.

  Although I’ve gotten my shifting under control, I’m still not taking any chances with my wardrobe. Today, I’m wearing what’s become my go-to outfit: my unshreddable black leather pants, duster, cropped tank, and boots. And they are self-cleaning, just like Blythe promised. When we went fae shopping a week ago, I never thought I’d get an outfit as awesome as this one.

  Then again, I never thought I’d fight Nyxa and channel my fae powers, either.

  How things change.

  Shifting my weight, I make the turn onto the back roads that lead to Bear Mountain. I’m not supposed to know this, but we’re going to Bear Mountain for a very specific reason. Knox is throwing me a surprise party. It’s to replace the art opening that we never actually made it to. The goal was so I could get to know kids from West Lake Prep; Knox wanted to make sure I didn’t miss out. He tried to hide it from me, really. But I guess it’s one of these wolf-mate things. Hard to hide anything from each other.

  Although I did add in a little surprise of my own. It will be interesting to see if he figures it out.

  We pull up to our favorite spot to park—a knot of trees by a small toolshed—and I kill the engine. Now that the bike isn’t roaring anymore, I barely make out the sounds of a drum and cymbal. There must be a band getting ready to set up.

  “Did you hear that?” I ask, trying to look surprised. “Could that be a rock band getting set up?”

  Knox nips my ear. “Might be.” My mate isn’t getting off the bike. Plus, he’s still got his arms wrapped about my middle.

  “Sounds like it’s about a quarter-mile away. Could this be a party?”

  Knox chuckles, low and soft. “Not surprised at all, are you?”

  “No, it’s the bond between us.”

  “I’m never going to be able to keep birthday presents secret now.”

  “Hey, it wasn’t a surprise, but I’m still so happy about it. You’re a thoughtful mate.”

  Knox gives my waist a squeeze. “What was that word?”

  “Thoughtful?”

  “No, you know what one I mean.” Even though we’re obviously together, I’ve still been a little squeamish about using the word mate around Knox.

  “Oh,” I pause for dramatic effect. “Mate.”

  “That’s the one.” Knox hoists himself off the bike and then scoops me into his arms. If I liked the sensation of riding a bike with Knox, I love the feel of being curled up against his chest. His ice-blue eyes lock with mine as he twirls us around. “Say it again.”

  My face turns about three shades of red. “Mate.”

  Knox leans in until our mouths are about touching. “That’s the one.” His lips brush against mine in the barest of touches. I’m hoping this will turn into a full-blown kiss when a familiar set of scents waft in from the woods around us.

  Abe and Hollywood.

  Knox sets me back on my feet. He’s frowning, but there’s no real anger in him. “Hey, now. I didn’t invite them.”

  I flash my palms in a classic jazz hands move. “Surprise.”

  Knox gives me one of those deep chuckles that I love. “Well, I have to admit, I did not see this coming.”

 
“They’re just heading off to the party,” I say. “They weren’t going to interrupt us. We just happened to catch their scent.”

  Knox tilts his head. “How did you know that?”

  Closing my eyes, I search my soul. How did I know that, exactly? I feel a pull on my rib cage—a thread of connection that reaches out from me and ends with Abe, Hollywood, and Knox.

  Inside my soul, my wolf raises her voice. “You know who they are,” she says.

  “I do,” I reply.

  I link my fingers with Knox’s. His touch is warm and firm. “I know where Abe and Hollywood are going…because we’re pack.”

  “Yeah,” Knox sighs. “I can sense them, too.”

  “We don’t have to do anything about it. I know how you feel about taking on hundreds of wolves.”

  “But it’s not hundreds of wolves. It’s Abe and Hollywood. You want them around?”

  I purse my lips. Do I want more people dependent on me? What does it even mean to be the mate of a pack Alpha? As the questions hit my mind, my wolf starts chanting inside my mind.

  “Pack! Pack! Pack!”

  I shake my head. “My wolf certainly does.”

  Knox lowers his voice. “Yeah, and what about you?”

  The answer tumbles from my lips, fully formed. And the moment I speak the words, I know that they’re true. “I do want them around. I’m a Bryar Rose life template. That means I’m supposed to be a princess with a court.”

  “They told you about the knights thing?” Knox tries to look serious, but there’s no hiding the smile that rounds his lips. “Those guys.”

  “Why shouldn’t I have a court? I’ve already found my, you know...”

  Knox grins. “Are you saying I’m your prince?”

  I hold my thumb and forefinger slightly apart. “A little.”

  “Good, because it’s true. I’m a prince of a guy. Incredibly charming.”

  “More like moody.”

  “And handsome.”

  I roll my eyes. “Not to mention humble.”

  Knox cups my face in his hands. “And lucky.”

  My face reddens. Whenever Knox gets sweet, I can’t help but blush. “We’re both lucky.”