Chapter Two
Rowan called the first of the two numbers, and when a woman picked up, she said, “Hello, I am looking for Dell Umbridge.”
There was a pause. “That’s me.”
“Do you remember your cousin Mellwyn?”
The voice got wary. “Where is she? What can I do; what does she need?”
“She’s well. If you can believe it, she was under a curse, and she’s doing well now. She just got back to herself today, but she needs family, hugs, touch. I think you know what I am referring to.”
“Oh shit. Does she have an alpha?”
So Dell had caught the reference to the pregnancy. “Yes, she does, sort of. One and a half. Maybe two. We are still figuring it out.”
“Is he a good guy?”
“He can throw a punch through a truck. He’s very attentive to her, though.” Rowan touched her ribs. “Are you in town or in the mountains?”
“We are in town. We have a house with an amazing yard and a great contractor for additions.”
“Interesting. So are you interested in seeing her?”
“Yes, oh, my gosh. Yes. Who are you?”
“I am her housemate, Rowan.”
“Wait, you and her were roommates in university?”
“Yup. We met once. You had a corporate gig and were being all adult and stuff.”
Dell chuckled. “I remember. We went out for barbeque. You two ate a ton.”
“Starving students at the time. You fell into our trap.”
Dell chuckled. “Right, well, let me know when she’s settled, and I will come by. I may bring one of my guys, but that is the land I live in.”
“How many kids do you have?”
“Two so far; I am carrying the third.”
“Wow. If you want, bring the kids. I find them fun.”
Dell paused. “They are a handful.”
“That’s fine. I can take it.”
Dell laughed. “Does she have a phone?”
“Not yet. That’s next on my list. When I have her number, I will text it to you.”
“She’s safe?”
“Oh, yeah. Djinn, elves, mages, and orcs surround her.”
“What is your classification?”
“Clever Dell. I am a witch. I think. Pretty sure. I don’t have unlimited access to the earth’s energy like the mages. I have to make do with stealing it from horny people.”
“What?”
“I absorb magic from sexually aroused people. I save it up and use it when I need it.”
“Oh. Different.”
“Yup. Very.” She smiled. “I will be in touch when she’s settled. Her mate might want her with him, and in that case, things are going to be difficult. He doesn’t like me.”
“Why not?”
“Easiest targets for collection are alphas, and I end up with alpha scent on me from proximity. He doesn’t like that scent near Mell. He informed me of that, repeatedly.”
She chuckled and felt her ribs ache. She and Dell said their goodbyes, and Rowan looked over to where Mell’s lover was speaking to his companions. Mell stood by and waited.
Rowan put her phone away and saw Lucia speaking softly to Mell, who was smiling. Oh right. Cell phone mage.
Mell was smiling brightly. Rowan walked over, and when Mell’s arms extended, Rowan walked in and hugged her.
Mell’s energy wrapped around Rowan, and there was a shout that wasn’t a roar anymore.
It was all the warning she got before she was pulled away from her friend and heaved through the air.
There were shouts, and then arms caught her and slowly decelerated her.
She knew the scent. It was the persistent healer.
He grunted as they landed, and he settled to the ground. “He really doesn’t like you.”
“I think he thinks I am a romantic rival.” Her ribs were screaming.
“That is likely. You don’t have much of a scent of your own.”
“Too much borrowing. Men are easiest.” She was fighting for air. It was suddenly hard to breathe.
He looked down at her, and his eyes turned dark green. “Rowan, I think one of your lungs collapsed.”
“Yeah, that’s what it feels like.” She wheezed to get the words out.
The man looked at her, and his skin took on a dark green cast. “I am going to puncture your lung to help reinflate it. It will be painful.”
“Yup. Figured.” She croaked.
He laid her flat on the grass, and green vines sprang from his fingertips. He lifted her shirt and hissed at the bruises. “You didn’t say anything.”
“I am not particularly chatty about the state of my body.”
“This will hurt.”
She nodded and then felt touches against her ribs. When he worked into her skin, she screamed.
* * * *
Mell was wrapped in her lover’s arms, and he was breathing her in. She had been relieved when the healer caught Rowan. Once her friend was safe, she returned to the cuddle.
He was holding her and murmuring against her, one hand moving to her belly, and then there was a scream of agony that caused everyone to turn around.
Mell turned in his arms and saw Rowan arching while the healer had his fingers jabbed into her side. Her abdomen was visible, and it was covered with red and bright purple bruising. “Ohmygod. What’s happening?” She pulled away and ran to Rowan’s side.
“The cursed one must have a collapsed lung.”
Mell was outraged and turned to him. “Why did you do that to her?”
He frowned. “Her? She’s a male. Her scent is male.”
Ted stepped forward. “She’s a witch who uses sex magic. She collects arousal from males and turns it into magic. She’s a she.”
Mell blinked away tears. “She’s an omega.”
The man staggered. “No. Oh no.”
Mell blinked. “You thought she was an alpha?”
He rubbed the back of his head. “The goblin spirit was convinced she was a male. He kept finding her scent in your bed. He was furious.”
“Yeah, I got that idea by the fights. Good thing she took it easy on you.”
He stared. “What?”
“Yeah, she knew I liked you, and she pulled her punches. If you were particularly bitchy, she absorbed his lust and left me with a cuddle buddy for the night.”
He blinked. “What?”
“Oh, yeah. When you were too rough with me, she pulled your urges, and I had a very pleasant evening.”
He stared at the woman who was fighting to breathe. “But she smells like an alpha.”
Mell turned back to her friend and knelt at her side, holding her hand. “So do you, and I still touch you.”
He reeled back, and Mell smoothed Rowan’s hair out of her face while the healer helped her get her lung inflated.
A wooden tube was where one of his fingers had been, and the healer leaned back. He smiled. “Since you have to remain prone for an hour at least, I am going to finish healing you.”
“Fine, but minimal contact.”
He nodded. “You find it disturbing. I understand.” He placed his hands against her skin, and a light glow spread under her skin.
Mell looked at her lover’s confusion.
He asked, “What does he mean she doesn’t like contact? That scent was all over you.”
Mell had understanding hit her. “Dude, you know I have to have contact to stay healthy and sane, right? It’s a family thing.”
He blinked. “What?”
“I need contact to remain healthy. I really needed it once I got pregnant. It helps my digestive system, my circulatory system, and my mental acuity. I would have told you, but I couldn’t.”
He stared past her to Rowan. “Oh, he feels horrible.”
Rowan grunted. “He’s going to feel pain when I am fixed. I am going to rip those fucking ears off.”
Her healer smiled. “You have a lot of confidence in your abilities.”
Mell said, “She should. She killed the shadow morons who cursed me. It stopped the draw; it just didn’t stop the curse entirely.”
Rowan sighed. “Sorry about that. I didn’t know it took three layers of power to snap, or I would have kidnapped some of the pointy-eared ladies.”
The healer said, “That would have been unwise.”
“And yet, it is an interesting thought. Those tall gals love a ride on a motorcycle,” Rowan whispered as she went limp.
Mell started shouting and squeezing her hand, but Rowan wasn’t waking. “Rowan! Wake up.”
The light under her skin got brighter as the healer started sweating. He muttered, “She’s fighting me.”
“She’s stubborn.”
He glanced over, and his eyes went wide. “Let go!”
Mell was pulled back, and the light turned blinding. Her eyes went wide as she realized that she had been absorbing some of the healing. “Oh, no.”
Her mate stroked her hair. “You were worried. You were not thinking.”
“She doesn’t really like me holding her, but she knows I need it, so she does it.” Mell was crying. Her mate cuddled her close.
“I have grossly misjudged your friend.”
Mell kept crying, waiting for Rowan to breathe. The light went blue-white, and then there was a raw sound of Rowan sucking in air, and Mell moved into soft sobs. She leaned back against him and held his shirt. “She’s breathing.”
He rubbed her arms. “She’s breathing. What is your name, love?”
“Me? Oh. Mellwyn Umbridge. You?”
“Norecayet Kestrel.”
“Isn’t that a hawk?”
“Yes.” He chuckled. “Well done.”
Rowan croaked. “Isn’t that just fucking adorable? Get a room.”
Mell sniffled. “Oh, Rowan, you scared the hell out of me.”
“Sure. It’s all about you.” Rowan croaked. She looked down at the hands on her torso and started batting at the hands on her. “Knock it off.”
“No. You had a lot more damage than you were letting on.” He growled, and vines shot out from under his skin and held her down.
“What the fuck? Nope. Not into this. Not one bit.” She wiggled.
“Be quiet, infuriating woman. I am almost done.”
“Thank goodness. This is taking forever. Do you get paid by the hour?”
“Do you get paid by the word?” He growled.
Mell snickered. “She should. She’s a paralegal. She’d make a fortune.”
Rowan muttered, “Mell, shut up.”
“Why?”
“Because he figured out why I don’t want people touching me, and he’s starting to perv to it.”
Mell looked at the man, who was glowing green as he caressed her skin, and held her with vines. “Uh, sir?”
He looked at her with his glowing green eyes. “Yes, miss?”
“Is she healed?”
“She could be stronger.”
“Not the answer to my question.”
He chuckled. “Yes, she is healed. Does she injure herself frequently? I could give her my card.”
Rowan looked at him and said, “Healer to healer, enough is enough. The next thing those fingers of yours will feel is a feedback loop that is going to build exponentially.”
She dragged a deep breath in. “Starting now.”
There was a crackle and snap where he was touching her, and he jerked his hands back. Mell smiled. “She always gives a warning.”