by Kensie King
Audrey was right behind me and Grace brought up the rear, probably keeping an eye on the vampire.
“How did you get Gage out here?” Audrey asked.
Her breathing sounded labored. I slowed my strides to accommodate her. Gage would literally kill me if anything happened to her while he was stuck in the cave.
I skipped the part where I tricked Gage, but that was how I got him out here. I told him I could find Savannah’s Book of Shadows out here to give me a clue how to do a spell, but I knew it was just a cave full of amethyst. Amethyst that weakened vampires and clearly caused some pain as well.
“My ancestor, Savannah, came to me in a vision.” I slowed further so I could fall into step with Audrey. Dylan was close on the other side, but he kept quiet.
“She told you to come here?” Audrey asked, looking around the forest and the back of the hotel.
“Yes. She was trying to help me stop Gage.” We walked around a large tree and my shoes crunched on fallen leaves and branches. The further we walked, the more I felt Gage.
We hadn’t had as much contact in the last twenty-four hours, so it wasn’t as strong as before, but I could still feel him.
“I know that doesn’t make you happy,” I told her, “but we clearly got off on the wrong foot. He wasn’t up front about what he was doing and why. I did what I had to do at the time.”
Her lips pressed together but she didn’t say anything else.
I stopped by the familiar boulder. “We’re here.”
Audrey looked confused. She glanced around. “Where?”
“He’s inside the cave.”
Grace gave me a look of warning. I knew she could tell how Audrey was feeling, and I wondered if she could tell my feelings too.
Helen hadn’t said a word this entire time, but now she nodded at me, and it almost looked like a nod of respect. Like she knew what I had to do to deal with Gage and she approved.
I swallowed and looked away. “Okay, let’s do this.”
Dylan and Grace helped me move the rock. Sunlight streamed across the opening, but beyond the magical border was darkness.
Audrey stepped forward. “Gage?”
“You can’t go in there,” I said.
She shot me a dark glare. “Sorry, witch, you can’t tell me what to do.”
“Hey,” Dylan started.
I shook my head at him and then told Audrey, “I’m not forbidding you to go in there. I’m suggesting you don’t considering it’s full of amethyst and once you go in, you can’t come out.”
“She’s right,” a voice said from the opening.
Gage stood just beyond the entrance to the cave with his hand propped against the stone wall. His cheeks were taut but otherwise he didn’t look any worse for the wear.
“Gage,” Audrey gasped.
He held up a hand. “Stay out there.”
Audrey turned to me, blue eyes distraught. “You have to get him out of there.”
“Hell no,” Dylan said to her. “This is a compromise, remember? You can’t start making demands—”
“Get him out of there!” she yelled, stepping toward me.
Dylan stepped in her path, ready to fight. But behind them, Gage spoke up again.
“Audrey, sweetheart, hold on. Just take a breath. This is all a misunderstanding.”
When she finally looked over, she’d calmed down some. Her chest still moved with heavy breaths, but she was listening to him. I’d heard him speak like this before. It was like he was a completely different person. Someone who cared. He’d spoken this way to me, too, when I told him about the boy I accidentally set on fire.
He could be kind if he wanted to.
“You’re trapped in there, Gage.” This time when Audrey turned to me, there was no anger. Her eyes pleaded with me. “Let him out. Please.”
Fuck. Now what? I glanced to my mom. I wasn’t sure why. Maybe because she was the oldest one here. She inclined her head. “Talk to him and work this out.”
Dylan sighed next to me, but Helen was right. We had to work this out.
I turned back to the cave and said, “We want to make a deal.”
He straightened and considered my words for a moment. I almost thought he was just going to laugh and then tell us to leave. Instead, he stepped back and gestured to the cave. “Come on in.”
Chapter 5
Once I stepped inside, Gage asked, “What time is it? My watch stopped.”
I spotted the water bottle I brought him yesterday. It was empty and set in the corner. Dammit. The guilt I felt last night hit me full force now. It was even worse when Gage leaned against the wall and slowly slid down until he was sitting again.
I checked my phone. “Nine.”
He blew out a breath. “Shit. I was supposed to work today.”
“Sorry.”
His laugh was weak. “Sure.”
I looked around again, trying to figure out what to say. I really was sorry for what he’d gone through, but I also knew I’d done what I had to do.
“Why did you bring Audrey here?” he asked.
“She wanted to know where you were.”
“And you…want to make a deal?”
“We told Audrey that if she gives back my Book of Shadows and my mom’s Book of Shadows, we’ll try to help her.”
He ran a hand through his hair, looking confused. “Help her.”
I nodded. “Figure out a spell or something. To take the sickness away.”
He frowned. “I was already helping her.”
“What about the consequences of that?”
“Don’t you think I was aware of that?” Gage growled. He got to his feet, more slowly than normal, but still faster than any regular human. He stepped up to me. “I know all about the consequences, but losing my sister is the worst one of all.” His chest heaved with a few deep breaths. When he met my eyes again, he was calmer. His voice came out soft. “You know how that feels, Link. What would you have done to save your father?”
I swallowed hard, trying not to feel the pain of reliving my father’s death. I missed him every day and I would have done anything to save him.
Before I could answer, Gage reached out and gripped my arms gently. “What if you can’t do a spell? Or what if it doesn’t work?”
I started to answer but caught movement out of the corner of my eye. Dylan appeared at the opening to the cave.
“Get your hands off of him,” Dylan growled.
Gage barely spared him a glance. “This is not your fight, Shifter. Link knows what he’s doing.” He returned his attention to me. “Get me out of here.”
“You have to give me the books back.”
“Done.”
“Link,” Dylan warned, his voice echoing in the expanse of the cave.
I kept my gaze locked on Gage’s. “You have to work with us—or at least stay out of the way.”
His jaw clenched.
“He isn’t going to do those things,” Dylan said.
I looked over, exasperated. “Come on, Dylan. We all have to try to work together.”
He muttered something I couldn’t make out but then turned and walked away.
“Idiot,” Gage said.
I pulled from his grip and shot him a glare. “You got yourself in this mess. So be a big boy and get yourself out. You have to cooperate. And I promise I will try to help Audrey. Dylan will, too.”
He sighed. But I could tell it was as much because he was tired and in pain as it was the fact that he was reluctant to play along. “I will try to cooperate. But the shifter better stay away from me.”
“No guarantees,” I said easily, ready to have this done. “Now, let me concentrate.”
He leaned against the wall again, moving his foot to scuff his boot on the cave floor while he watched me silently try to come up with a spell to get him out of here. I stepped to the cave entrance and saw Dylan pacing in the distance. Grace was talking with Helen, and Audrey had her arms folded, staring at me.
&
nbsp; I ignored her and closed my eyes before whispering, “Unblock this path, set Gage free, as I will so let it be.”
A soft breeze stirred the air inside the cave. When I glanced at Gage, he was looking at me expectantly.
He stepped to my side. “Is it done?”
“I think so.”
I let him go first, watching as he put one foot in front of the other. He gripped the stone at the exit with a grimace but the next thing I knew, he was out of the cave.
Audrey nearly knocked him over with her hug. He ran a hand over her dark brown hair and soothed her with words I couldn’t make out.
When she finally pulled back, he said, “We’re going to fix this, okay?”
She nodded.
I exited the cave and Dylan moved to my side, looking wary. He kept his gaze on Gage, tensing when he glanced at me.
“If you need those books now,” Gage said, “I can get them for you. They’re at the house.”
I glanced at Helen, then Grace. She only shrugged.
“You can take some time,” I told Gage. “We can get the books later.”
A hawk swooped overhead, shrieking as it passed a tree. Dylan rubbed a hand over his eyes before turning to me with a grimace. He dug in his pocket, grabbed his keys and shoved them into my hand.
“Take my truck,” he mumbled, already turning. “I’ll be back later.”
Dammit. He was shifting again. I watched as he raced away, disappearing into the trees. Grace and I shared a look. He was shifting every day now. And a hawk? Was that even possible?
“It’s okay,” she said, coming to my side. “Let’s get back. Take the day to recoup.”
She was right. We needed a day to gather ourselves. But I couldn’t help but worry for Dylan.
“Why is it happening more now? Because we’re all here, inside the boundaries of Knob Creek?”
Helen stepped over with a nod. “All of our powers are getting stronger.” She gestured to Gage. “See? He’s already better.”
We both glanced over and saw she was right. Gage was leaning casually against a tree, chatting with Audrey. He almost looked bored. He didn’t appear to be in pain at all. He lifted his eyebrows at me with a slow smile.
I rolled my eyes. “Let’s get out of here.”
No one disagreed, just turned and started back around the hotel, through the deep trees.
Lincoln…
I glanced back to the cave with a wince. It was Savannah’s voice echoing in my head now, soft and appealing.
Something touched my elbow, making me straighten.
“Link?” Gage asked. He followed my gaze. “What’s wrong?”
Shit. Now he was back to acting like he cared. And damn, I wanted someone to care—to be here for me.
It was like he always knew what was going on in my head and in my body.
I shook my head, brushing it off even though my stomach was unsettled. It felt like Savannah was with me all the time now. The same kind of link I had with Dylan and Gage. But those links feel like they’re fading while the one with Savannah was getting more intense.
“You should drive me home,” Gage said.
I frowned. “No. Go with Audrey.”
“I’d like to talk to you.”
I snorted. “Last time you said that, it didn’t work out so well for me.”
“I thought we were over that,” he said softly. Then he spread his hands. “I promise I won’t do anything.”
“Why should I believe you?”
This time he laughed, and it was completely genuine. “Because Audrey made me promise and she’ll kick my ass if I break that promise.”
I glanced at Audrey, who was making her way through the brush and trees. She looked fragile and far from being able to kick anyone’s ass. But Gage did seem to respect how she felt.
“Why don’t you talk to me about whatever you want to talk about while we walk?” I asked.
“Because I want privacy.”
I shook my head. “Again, I don’t think that would be in my best interest.”
I spotted the hawk again, circling the area where we were walking. Or…was that Dylan watching us from above? Dammit, it really would help if he’d talk to me. Everyone else seemed perfectly fine with being open about what was going on.
Except your mom, I reminded myself. But now she didn’t have a choice.
“It’s not just him you know,” Gage said.
“What?”
Gage glanced over as the parking lot came into view. “Your mom is right. Our powers are getting stronger—and they’re changing. Dylan isn’t the only one dealing with it. You are, too. So am I.”
“What do you mean?”
Tension gripped me, and Grace slowed down to look back at me. “Everything okay?”
She must be able to feel my emotions too like I was wondering. Who knew that werewolves were empaths? But then, her powers were also getting stronger and maybe this was a new development like the rest of us since I came to town. And since the full moon and the beginning of the reversal of the binding spell.
“I’m fine,” I assured her. I held up Dylan’s keys. “I’ll take Gage home and grab those books if you don’t mind taking my mom back to her house.”
She frowned. “You don’t have to do that today. You’ve taken on a lot.”
My mom gave a slight nod behind her. Then, Gage chimed in. “I agree.”
That was the last thing I needed—everyone telling me what I was capable of. I felt okay and I was eager to get this taken care of.
Trying to make light of it, I pointed at Gage. “I don’t need your opinions, so get in the truck before I refuse to take you home. And you—” I looked at Grace— “need to realize I don’t have much of a choice. So keep your opinions to yourself. Or…”
She lifted her eyebrows, looking amused.
“Or I’ll cast a spell on you,” I said.
She snorted. I saw Audrey’s small smile behind her. But they all listened to me and got in their cars. I watched as they drove away and then looked over to find Gage lingering by the door.
Of course he didn’t listen to me.
“You’re tense,” he said quietly.
“Excellent powers of observation,” I snapped.
He grinned and stepped closer. “I see what I see.”
“Stay where you are,” I warned him. “No, get in the car. And stay on your side.”
When he didn’t move, I got in and fumbled with the seat. Damn, Dylan’s legs were long.
Gage got in next to me. “Want me to drive?”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m sure Dylan would love to hear that you drove his truck.”
“He’s not here—doesn’t matter what he wants.”
“He can’t help it, okay?” I said, feeling defensive for Dylan. “He—”
I closed my mouth and started the car, then adjusted the mirror while Gage watched.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“Come on,” he coaxed. “You were going to say something. What’s going on? Trouble in paradise?”
“Seriously?” I growled. “I’ve barely known him a week.”
“I’ve only known you that long and I can already tell he’s not right for you.”
This time I didn’t respond. It was a ridiculous conversation—especially with Gage on the other side.
He chuckled, sounding a lot more carefree than I felt. “Have dinner with me. You’ll feel better.”
I kept my mouth shut, but not only because he was being irritating. Also because he was actually right. Dinner—a normal dinner with someone I could talk to and was attracted to—sounded nice. It was far easier to talk to Gage than Dylan, too. He was remarkably open with me and understood where I was coming from.
Because I was still feeling defensive, I blurted, “You just got out of a cave and your sister is sick. Maybe you should focus on that.”
He didn’t respond, effectively ending the conversation. Good. He had to realize at
some point that we were enemies—or supposed to be. We were just going to work together for the greater good.
The trees grew thicker as we pulled into the drive at his house. It was a warm day but there were clouds piling up overhead and eclipsing the sun.
I parked behind Audrey’s car, noting she’d already gone inside, and waited for Gage to get out.
He didn’t.
He turned in his seat and took my hand before I could blink. “I wouldn’t have hurt you.”
“What?”
“I just wanted the spell undone for Audrey. By the time Dylan and Grace got involved, I figured the only way to get you to listen to me was to take you to my house. I wasn’t going to hurt you. I was going to let you go.”
The sincerity in his voice, in his gaze, made me nod. “I know.”
His fingers were warm and steady around mine. He didn’t look like he’d been trapped in a cave for hours. He looked like the Gage I first met. A charming bad boy. But that was just surface. Underneath he was compassionate and seemed to understand me better than most people.
I tried to pull my hand away, but he wouldn’t let go.
“Dylan doesn’t understand you like I do,” he said as if echoing my thoughts. “I can listen if you need to talk. And about dinner—”
“I’m not having dinner with you,” I reminded him.
He flashed his charming grin and ran his thumb over my knuckles. “I know. That’s a little too intimate right now. We can do something else instead.” He released me and opened the door. He turned and leaned his arm on the top of the car so he could peer inside. “Tomorrow morning. I’ll bring the books and pick you up.”
“No, Gage—”
He closed the door on my response and tossed me a short wave before strolling inside. I had half a mind to go after him, but I forced myself to put the truck into gear.
I still needed those books, so I had to play nice for now.
And, though I didn’t want to admit it, I was kind of curious where he wanted to take me.
Chapter 6
The next morning, I texted Dylan while I was making coffee. Everything back to normal?
