CHAPTER 12
Rudgar
T his is a terrible idea.
I knew that without question. My female swung our connected hands, humming out a tune that I didn’t know as we walked. And the only reason we were walking was because she’d refused to stay in the car.
She was the most disobedient creature in the universe and somehow she was mine . So here we were—walking down the street toward her mother’s house as if we were just out for a stroll.
Not that I wasn’t loving it—if the stupid grin on my face was any indication. I wanted to scream at every being that passed us.
She’s my mate.
But other than scaring unsuspecting beings, that wouldn’t help with our mission. We were trying to be incognito. But my Gul-ar didn’t do well with that. She was pointing out things in her neighborhood, her voice excited and loud as she told me stories and she squealed, grabbing my arm every once in a while, when she wanted to draw my attention to anything.
Like the shiny rock on the corner. Or the leaf that looked like a face. Or that female walking by who would look amazing with blue hair.
If I hadn’t known that she was perfect for me before, this would have proved it. This female—who’d seen the worst of the world—had so much joy left in her that she found a simple stroll down the street to be thrilling. I was already planning all the dates I wanted to take her on in my head.
She appreciated even the smallest thing, so I was going to show her the world. There was never going to be anything that she ever wanted for. As long as I could provide it, I would.
“That’s it,” she gasped, gripping my arm tight, pointing with excitement toward the big Tudor-style home on the corner. I frowned as I noticed cars parked in the yard, neatly lined in front of the home.
“You said that the house might be empty?” I asked her, and she froze before nodding.
“I said might ,” she whispered, her grip on my arm tightening. “But it could be our coven. They lived here, too. I just thought they might leave after… I was taken,” she admitted.
“Wait here,” I told her, running my hand over her curls before I crossed the street. I peeked back at my female and she was standing there, her palms glowing with a purple light that told me she was prepared to protect me. I grinned at that, feeling for the gun pressed securely against my thigh in the holster that I wore.
I could protect myself. I had enough training that I was certain I could handle a few warlocks, but I loved that this female wanted to fight for me too.
I made my way to the door, my hand on my holster, ready to pull my gun at the slightest hint of a threat, pressing the bell. The cheerful sound of the gong inside the house was followed by the sound of many voices inside.
My sensitive ears twitched and I cocked my head, confused.
Females?
Without warning, the door swung open and a little girl with braids stared up at me, her eyes wide in her face. Before I could say anything, she opened her mouth and released the most high pitched scream I had ever heard in my life. I slapped my hands over my ears, wondering if they were bleeding.
The little girl ran up to me, punting me in the leg and then screamed even louder, turning and running back into the house, leaving the door wide open.
What the actual—
“Did you try to take Gabbi?” a female gasped, standing in the doorway, her fingers glowing with the same light that Zara’s had.
“What?” I asked, shaking my head, holding my hands out in a placating gesture. “No, I—”
“You sicko ,” she gasped, raising her hands and blasting me with magick. I staggered back, grateful that it wasn’t a powerful blow, but as three other females crowded into the entryway, their own hands glowing, I backed away from the door.
“No, wait!” I started again, “I didn’t—”
“He’s some kind of pervert,” one of the other females said. “He tried to take Gabbi!”
“No I didn’t,” I insisted, but they lifted their hands, ready to unleash their wrath on me anyway.
That was when the scent of my mate filled my nose. I grabbed her, trying to pull her behind me, but the females all froze when they spotted her. A grin spread across my mate’s face.
“You guys!” she squealed, running up toward them. I reached out, snagging her back into my arms, trying to keep her away from the psychotic hoard of females, but she wasn’t having it.
“They’re my mom’s coven,” she insisted, elbowing me in the stomach. With a grunt, I lowered her to the floor, and she ran toward them.
What happened next was a cacophony of sound and noise, the likes of which I’d never heard in my life. I slapped my hands over my ears again, when the decibel level got so loud I didn’t think I would survive it.
All four of them were hopping around, squeezing Zara in hugs and passing her around, excitement and joy filling their faces. I held my hand out towards her, wondering if they were hurting her, but they turned glares and raised glowing palms my way, warning me off.
This doesn’t bode well for me.
It wasn’t long before the group settled and allowed Zara to explain where she’d been and what had happened.
“When you disappeared,” one female gasped, reaching out to take Zara’s hand in hers, “I thought the worst.”
“Me too,” another sobbed, hugging my mate close.
“Did you bring me anything?” the little girl asked, blinking up at Zara with owlish eyes.
“I did,” she laughed, leaning down to give her a tight hug. “I just didn’t bring it this time. When I come back—”
“What do you mean when you come back?” the female I recognized as Tasia asked, frowning as she turned to eye me with suspicion. “You’ll be staying. This was your home. We might be a little behind on the payments…” she trailed off, staring hard at me and I realized that she didn’t want to finish her sentence while I was there.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Zara exclaimed, moving toward me. The other females didn’t follow, keeping their distance from me. “I didn’t introduce you! This is Rudgar. He’s—” she cut herself off, frowning as she looked up at me. “He’s Rudgar,” she finished, with enthusiasm and Tasia quirked an eyebrow.
“You said that,” she told Zara.
“Well it’s true,” Zara finished with a nod. “And I’m staying with him. I’m not sure how safe the house would be since they can probably track my magick back here, so I’m going to be staying with him and his clan. His clan-brothers saved me on the warlock’s plane,” she explained and the coven watched with rapt attention. “And he’s protecting me,” she added, her eyes darting away. “So…” she trailed off before turning to face me again, holding her hands up toward me as if I was on display. “Rudgar!”
I raised my hand in a wave and the coven looked from Zara to me and then back again.
“Rudgar!” the little one chirped, moving closer and then pointing at my gun. “He’s packing heat!”
“Gabbi,” Tasia snapped, holding her hand out toward her. The little girl frowned, pointing at the gun.
“But he is ,” she insisted, even as she moved to take Tasia’s hand.
“You’re back home, Zara,” the tallest female with a long braid down her back said, hugging my mate around her shoulders. “We can protect you as a coven. You should stay with us.” She turned to look up at me, but I could see the suspicion in her gaze. “Thank you for taking care of her, but she has us now.”
I shook my head, my lips parting to speak, but Zara spoke first. “I’m sorry guys,” she said in a low, sweet voice. “But it’s safer for everyone if I stay with Rudgar and his clan.”
I had to forcibly stop my eyebrows from going sky high. Even if I thought so, I didn’t think that Zara would agree with me.
“And I’d feel safer if you guys didn’t stay here either. I won’t be able to protect you,” she explained.
“But…” Tasia trailed off, her eyes snapping to me and then back to Zara, her shoulders going stiff. Realizing that she wasn’t comfortable speaking near me, I pointed toward the door.
“I’m going to stand over there. I can’t leave while she’s in here in case they come for her,” I explained, hoping that they’d understand.
They all nodded—even Gabbi—and I moved away from them.
Even though I can hear every single whisper.