Chapter Six #2
“I found this guy on the other side of the shield. He says the council sent him, and since he’s not a Kudlak, I thought I’d bring him here.”
The man nodded. “I was sent by the council. My name is Dasha.”
“You don’t look like a council enforcer,” Tamsin said, sounding stupid to his own ears. What did council enforcers look like? Usually, they wore uniforms, but there could be a good explanation as to why Dasha didn’t.”
“I never said I was a council enforcer,” Dasha said. “But I assure you that I was sent by the council. Now, I thought we had someone to rescue.”
“We do,” Tamsin said as he stepped aside. “My mate.”
“Let’s go rescue your mate, then.”
Tamsin was all for that, and Dasha looked more serious than Nysys, so hopefully, they’d actually manage to reach his mate. As much as he wanted to go right away, Rowan would never forgive him if he just grabbed Dasha’s hand and forced him to leave, so instead, he led the way to the kitchen.
Nysys looked disappointed when he saw Dasha. Tamsin wasn’t. “I’m coming, too,” Nysys said.
Dasha arched a brow. “You can do whatever you want. I’m not going to order around a council member.”
“Why have you been sent here if not for that?”
“I’ve been sent here to rescue someone.”
Tamsin had enough. He clapped his hands together, getting everyone’s attention. “I don’t care who’s coming or who’s not. I’m leaving and rescuing my mate.”
That seemed to get everyone into motion.
Tamsin led them outside, afraid they’d waste even more time if he didn’t.
His skin itched with the need to find Nic, and he told himself to focus on the bond they shared.
It wasn’t easy, but it was made easier by the fact that he could feel that Nic wasn’t as scared anymore.
He was confused and curious, which didn’t make sense, but it was enough to tell Tamsin that Parrish probably wasn’t with him.
He wasn’t sure he liked that. He wanted to end this once and for all, and they couldn’t do that if Parrish wasn’t with Nic.
At the same time, Tamsin was relieved to know that his mate was safe.
They had to walk through the shield, but as soon as they did, Dasha held his hands out.
Tamsin took one of them, nodding at the man.
Nysys was nowhere to be seen, which probably meant that Rowan had sent him home.
Hopefully, Nysys wasn’t one to hold grudges because he could cause trouble since he was a council member.
“You know how this works?” Dasha asked.
“I just have to think about him.”
“That’s right. I’ll shimmer us as close as possible, but it depends on whether or not he’s behind shields.”
That was a possibility Tamsin hadn’t considered, but he should have.
They knew that Parrish had a Vila mate. She might have put up a shield around wherever they were hiding.
In fact, it would’ve been smart for her to do just that.
At the same time, Parrish was so full of himself that it was possible he thought he didn’t need that kind of protection.
They wouldn’t find out until they got there.
Tamsin closed his eyes and focused on Nic and their bond.
He thought about the time they’d spent together, sitting on the couch watching movies.
He thought about how Nic was slowly opening up to him and settling in, even though he obviously still felt like he didn’t belong.
He wanted to belong. He wanted to stay in the village and be with Tamsin, and Tamsin wanted the same.
“We’re there,” Dasha said.
Tamsin opened his eyes to find that they were standing in front of a house. It was cute, with a wraparound porch and curtains at the windows. It didn’t make sense until he remembered what kind of monster Parrish was.
“Did he kill the people who lived here?” Dermot murmured.
The look Dasha gave him told Tamsin it was best not to ask. He was curious about Dasha, but not curious enough to wait.
“We need to regroup,” Rowan said.
That sounded like more time wasted, which, in turn, sounded like something Nic couldn’t afford. Tamsin had enough. “I’m not regrouping,” he said. “I’m not waiting any longer.”
“Tamsin,” Rowan started, but Tamsin moved toward the house.
Someone grabbed his arm, and something twisted inside of him. The desperation to get to his mate was too much. It felt like it exploded out of him, and before he knew it, everything changed.
For some reason, Tamsin found himself lower to the ground, but he hadn’t fallen. He tried taking a step forward, only to stumble on his own feet. When he looked down, he realized it was because he didn’t have feet anymore.
He had paws.
“I didn’t think that Vila could turn into wolves,” Dasha said, sounding mildly impressed as Tamsin struggled to get out of his clothes.
“We don’t,” Dermot said as he took a step back. “We’re not shifters. We’re magic users, like Nix.”
“I’m pretty sure he just turned into a wolf.”
“It has to be because of his bond to Nic,” Rowan said. “Tamsin, can you shift back?”
Tamsin didn’t try. He hoped Rowan wouldn’t be offended, but he had plans, and it would probably be easier to put them into action as a wolf as long as he could control his paws.
He took a step forward, then another. He felt slightly shaky, but once he wrapped his mind around the fact that he had four limbs to move instead of two, it became easier. It was almost as if he’d done this before, and maybe in a way, he had. If this wolf came from Nic, it would be familiar.
“Tamsin,” Rowan called out, but Tamsin ignored him. He had a mate to find.
He rushed toward the porch, and he didn’t slow down until he found himself in front of the closed back door. He looked up at it, then down at himself. Without hands, it wouldn’t be possible for him to open.
He felt someone behind him and looked up to see a smiling Dasha opening the door. “I get it,” the man murmured. “If my mate was in danger, I’d be doing everything I could to rescue him, too.”
Tamsin was glad that Dasha wouldn’t be one of the people who would yell at him for putting himself in danger once this was over, but he wasn’t here to chat. As soon as the door was open enough, he pushed his way in, sniffing the air for his mate.
Even though he’d never done anything like this before, he caught Nic’s scent right away.
He didn’t smell blood, something he’d have recognized because it was such a common scent for Vila, even with their human nose.
There was a metallic smell to the air, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t fresh, and it would make sense since Kudlaks drank blood.
He didn’t care about that. Once he found Nic’s scent, he locked onto it and followed his nose.
He was relieved he had people backing him because he couldn’t focus on anything else.
He knew that Dasha and the others would protect him if anyone found them, which they were bound to do.
He wasn’t sure how they’d managed to invade enemy territory without anyone noticing them, but there was no way it would last.
It didn’t have to. As soon as Tamsin found Nic, they’d be out of there.
* * * *
WHEN NIC HEARD SOMEONE at the door, he thought that Parrish had finally realized that his two goons had put Nic in Celeste’s room, which wasn’t what he’d intended.
He wasn’t sure how he’d pay for that, but he knew he would.
He’d told Celeste he would help her, and he’d meant it.
When the door opened, he placed himself between her and the door, ready to do just that.
A blond man appeared. From his pointed ears, it was obvious that he wasn’t a Kudlak, and Nic had never seen him before.
He didn’t have time to wonder what the man was doing here or who he was, though.
A black wolf pushed past him, rushing toward Nic.
Celeste whimpered, visibly scared, but Nic wasn’t. It took him a second to realize why.
He recognized the wolf.
It didn’t make sense because Tamsin wasn’t a shifter. He was a Vila, and Vila didn’t shift into animals. Krsnik did. Kudlaks did.
But not Vila.
There was no denying that this was Tamsin, though. Nic could feel it.
Celeste grabbed the back of Nic’s shirt and pulled. Nic refused to move. He turned to glance at her, trying to smile. “It’s okay. This is my mate.”
She cocked her head. “You said your mate was a Vila.”
“He is.”
“Why is he a wolf, then?”
“I’m going to guess it has to do with our bond.”
“I never turned into Parrish’s animal.”
“I don’t think you’d have wanted to.”
She wrinkled her nose. “You’re right, I don’t.” She paused and swallowed heavily. “You’re sure we’re safe?”
“I’m sure that none of these people are here to hurt us.”
“Good enough, I guess.” She let go, and Nic strode forward. He didn’t have to go far. Tamsin was on him in seconds, and while Nic imagined that he wanted to kiss him, he couldn’t do that in this form. Instead, he licked Nic’s cheek, making him laugh.
“Do you really think now is the appropriate time to do that?” Dermot complained.
He wasn’t wrong, but Nic almost asked him why he was there. Why would he want to rescue Nic of all people? Nic suspected that Dermot would have happily left him if Tamsin hadn’t insisted on coming, but he was Tamsin’s friend. He’d help if Tamsin asked him to.
“We’re happy to see that you’re okay, but we need to get out of here,” Rowan said, getting everyone’s attention.
Celeste crowded closer to Nic as if she could sense that Rowan was in charge. She was afraid of him, which Nic couldn’t blame her for. He was an intimidating man.
“We can go,” Nic told Rowan as he sank his fingers into his mate’s fur. “I promised Celeste she’d come with me when I left. I told her you’d come for me.”
Rowan glanced at her. “Is she Parrish’s mate?”
“She is, and she’s a prisoner.”
Rowan didn’t hesitate. “She’s welcome to come with us.”
Nic turned to Celeste, grinning. “See? I told you.”
“I’m still not sure this is safe, but I don’t exactly have a choice.”