Chapter Twenty-five #3
Then he’s gone, disappearing out the door as silently as a ghost.
I nearly call him back, my hands clenching and unclenching with the need to keep him at my side. I even take a step after him when my eyes land on the injured prisoners, and my shoulders slump in defeat. If I leave, our carefully placed plan will fail, and people will die.
Adulting sucks.
I want to be selfish for once in my life, and I turn away from the door to keep from following.
Dante is the last to leave, waiting for Garth to join him.
Only the beast plants his ass at my feet and turns in the opposite direction, pretending like he can’t see anything.
I nudge him, tipping my head toward the door, but the infuriating animal only lifts his head, and I swear to the gods, he raises an imperious brow that says, make me.
Tyler sighs, then releases his hold on me before stepping away. Even as I turn, he’s reaching over his shoulder and drawing his shirt over his head. Against my will, my eyes drop to the exposed skin, and I can’t look away.
The many freckles that trail across his body look like swirls of different galaxies, and I desperately ache to step close and trace the pattern with my fingers. He doesn’t hesitate to shuck his pants, and my eyes widen when I notice that the freckles cover his whole body.
Maybe I should turn away and offer him some privacy, but I can’t make myself move.
He’s fucking stunning.
I’m not aware that he pauses, allowing me to look my fill, even turning, and I bite my cheek to keep a moan from crawling past my lips. He has the best ass, strong legs. Muscles ripple along his back. Even covered in dirt and bruises, he’s gorgeous.
Shifters don’t see nakedness the same way as humans.
Witches and wizards are more reserved, seeing the shifters as more primitive for their lack of modesty.
Even the fae are more restrained, drowning in formality.
They might not clutch their pearls like the magical community, but they see our nudity and lack of decorum as lesser.
Most species ignore nudity, but fuck that.
I don’t think I even blink until someone clears their throat. It’s only when I turn away that Tyler finally shifts. Heat burns my cheeks, but it has nothing to do with embarrassment.
I enjoyed the sight too much to be self-conscious.
It’s only when I glance up that I become aware of the audience, and I glare at the few girls who didn’t turn away.
Mine.
The possessiveness is enough to shake me out of my trance.
Mortified by the stray thought, I clear my throat and quickly look away.
A moment later, the fox bounds toward me and paws at my leg until I glance down.
A cute fox face peers up at me, his nose twitching adorably, and he smiles with sharp little teeth that erase any lingering awkwardness.
Heart melting, I can’t resist the urge to touch his furry little ears. “Be careful. Watch after Dante and come back to me.”
His expression turns serious, and the little fox nods once before scampering across the room and disappearing out the door in a streak of red. Dante stares at me with an indecipherable expression, then the door clicks shut and blocks him from view.
It’s all I can do not to sprint across the shop, yank open the door, and demand they return. I’m not used to sending anyone off into danger.
I’m used to handling everything on my own, especially since leaving Kyperian, and I very much fear that I’m marching them to their deaths.
Sensing my unease, Garth presses his massive form against me, his weight nearly knocking me on my ass. I stumble, barely catching myself, but when I turn to glare at the mutt, he flashes me a cheeky grin that has too many teeth.
“Goober,” I chide him. His nose crinkles in a mock scowl, clearly not appreciating the name, then he sticks his nose in the air with a little sniff.
His antics are enough to pull me out of my funk.
“Is everyone else ready?” I glance around at the eight or so people remaining. They each nod, their expressions hardening, and the witch in charge comes to stand next to me.
“Wait for the signal,” the witch warns before heading toward the front of the shop. I hesitate a moment longer, wishing I could do more, and one of the younger witches shoots me a determined look.
“We’ll be fine.” She nods toward the entrance to the shop. “You gave us a chance when many of us had lost hope. It’s more than enough. Please worry about yourself and your mates now.”
She dips her head, a formal nod of respect, and I can only gape after her when she turns on her heel and joins the others gathered near the rear door.
Not used to being thanked, I head toward the front of the shop on stiff legs. Claws click on the floor, and I’m conscious of Garth following so closely that I swear I can feel his warm breath on the back of my neck.
I shiver at the reminder of his presence, relaxing slightly at knowing I’m not alone. I don’t normally have backup and do my best not to fidget when I can sense him staring at me so intently that I feel awkward in my own skin.
I angle my body until I have a clear view out the window. When I don’t see anyone walking past, I sit and wait. Most shifters can fall dormant as they wait for their prey. Their breathing lightens, their heart slows, and it’s like they fall into a trance.
I can sit for hours during a stakeout and not twitch once.
That’s impossible with Garth so close.
He makes me too aware of my own body.
Conscious of his attention, it’s all I can do not to squirm as my skin warms and my heartbeat thunders in my veins.
Is this what attraction feels like?
I’m not sure I like the sensation.
Sure, I’ve been drawn to the opposite sex, fucked a few men to rid myself of my virginity so it couldn’t be used against me or auctioned off. The way the guys make me feel is more potent than any sexual encounters from my past, and they’ve barely even touched me.
My reaction to them is more than a little unnerving. I’m so drawn to them, it’s like I can’t control my own fucking body. Before I can tear apart and obsess over every interaction with them, the scent of smoke fills the air, and a siren blares not a minute later.
I smirk, recognizing Tyler and Dante’s work without having to check. They both go for maximum chaos, and I admire them for it. People shout and run across the street…only to have men from the opposite direction running away.
Huh?
Twisting, I peer out the window and snicker when a stampede of nearly thirty cows barrels down Main Street, mooing and bellowing in distress.
Between the hooves, I spot a coyote and a sleek leopard weaving between the large beasts, nipping at their heels to keep them moving.
They’re so quick that they’re almost impossible to spot.
If I didn’t know what was happening, I would’ve missed them completely.
Across the way, an alarm warbles in distress.
Water gushes from dozens of windows…even from the fifth floor.
How were they able to flood a whole building?
It’s only when the structure shivers, then sways alarmingly, that I realize only one shifter is strong enough to tear down a whole fucking building.
Bellamy.
I unconsciously step forward, my breath catching at the thought of seeing his dragon form. The yearning in my chest is almost painful, despite knowing that if he shifted, we’re screwed.
Very few dragons still exist.
The instant the sighting is reported, the council will know Bellamy is alive and no longer theirs to manipulate. It won’t be long before they discover how it happened.
It will put a target on both of us, and a real hunt will commence.
Any shot of freedom will vanish.
Right now, they’re only suspicious of me. They want me back so I can be studied. If I’m not deemed valuable, I’ll either be sent to the breeding sheds or killed as an example to anyone who thinks to escape their rule.
That might be a moot point if we don’t eradicate Geoffrey first. There is no way to guess what he’s already told the council, but that’s something we’ll have to deal with later.
Water continues to gush from every window of the building, diverting the reservoir so much that the town is unable to combat the fires.
It’s pure chaos outside, men running in different directions, unsure what to fix first, and pride fills my chest at their deviousness. I glance at the back door, then nod. “Go fast. Be quiet. Head toward the trees and don’t look back.”
Most of the supernatural beings nod in acknowledgment. Though the three snooty people snarl in annoyance that I would dare give them an order, that doesn’t stop them from being the first out the door.
They’re nearly halfway across the clearing before they’re spotted. A few people shout an alarm. I take a step in that direction, ready to intervene, when the witch grabs my arm and shakes her head. “The best way we can help them is to cut off the head of the threat.”
I pause, fighting my instincts to shrug her off. The only thing that stops me is knowing she’s right. Just as I turn away, I see the witch bitch shove one of the injured shifters, sacrificing him to make her own escape. The poor man falls to the ground in a heap and struggles to rise to his feet.
The young witch who reassured me earlier pauses at the commotion, then turns and coldcocks the bitch, knocking her ass out.
She heads toward the shifter, helps him to his feet, and they limp away, leaving the bitch to her fate.
The fae couple don’t even pause to rescue their companion, pretending they didn’t see her as they sprint toward the tree line.
My chest burns in appreciation for the young witch’s actions, and I glance at the woman at my side. “You would be smart to find her later and add her to your coven. She would be a great asset.”
“Her name is Tera, and I had that very same thought,” she murmurs contemplatively, and we both continue to watch the others flee. No one lifts a hand as the guards swarm over the fallen bitch, watching as they drag her back toward the center of town.
Most of the shifters have reached the tree line, and the tension eases from my spine. Inhaling deeply, I face the front of the shop, ready to do my part. The only way to keep them from being dragged back is to give Geoffrey a bigger target—us.
I glance at the witch at my side, a smirk of excitement kicking up the corners of my lips. “Ready to fuck some shit up?”
A slow, vindictive smile crosses her face, her eyes darkening with vengeance, and she nods. “My name is Isobel. If we get out of this alive, know that you and your men have a safe haven with me and my coven.”
I’m shocked speechless at her offer. It’s a great honor for a shifter to be given protection by a witch, much less a whole coven.
I swallow the lump in my throat and offer her a formal vow.
“It’s an honor to fight alongside you. My name is Francesca, but you can call me Frankie.
If you ever need me, you can reach me through this message board. ”
I pass over one of the cards that Connor insisted I carry.
The witch traces her fingers along the card, her eyes scanning the information, then she sets it on fire. A genuine smile crosses her face. “You and your pack are now friends of the Rosewood Coven. Thank you for all you have done for us this day.”
With a nod, I head toward the door with Garth shadowing my steps, and Isobel trails behind us. When I reach for the knob, she holds out her hand, her expression conflicted. “Your power…you can’t let anyone know what you can do. If they find out that you can destroy magic, they will kill you.”
There it is—my greatest secret spoken out loud for the first time.
I purposely don’t look at Garth, unsure how much he understands.
It’s a problem for future me to worry about.
I don’t know why she didn’t tell the others or kill me outright. I suspect the only reason I’m alive is because she needs my help.
But then why offer her friendship and protection?
She leans closer, her voice dropping. “You are more than just a shifter. If you train, you have the power to change the future. You just need to survive long enough. You are stronger than you can ever imagine. Push to find answers. You’ll need them if you want to stay ahead of the coming danger.”
Without giving me time to ask questions, she opens the door and steps into pure chaos.
Part of me wants to bolt in the opposite direction, run away from her prophetic words. The only thing that keeps me rooted to the spot is that I don’t sense she is a threat.
Does she know about my kind?
I thought I was the last kismet alive.
I step after the witch, determined to keep her alive. If she knows anything about my heritage, it could mean the difference between life and death.