Текст книги "Turn of the Moon"

Автор книги: L. P. Dover

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Текущая страница: 8 (всего у книги 15 страниц)

Bailey

“And why are we going to the bar again?” I asked.

Tyla checked her makeup in the rearview mirror. “For drinks, why else?” She winked over at me. “Don’t worry, I’ve been sworn to keep all men away from you.”

“By Ryker or Sebastian?”

“Both.” She giggled.

Groaning, I sat back in the seat. “I swear, they’re both going to drive me insane. Although, I never thought I’d see them actually getting along.” For the past week, Sebastian stayed close, while Ryker continued with his ranger duties; it was all Ryker’s doing. They still gave each other a hard time and were quick to inform me that wasn’t going to change.

“That’s a good thing though. Having two sexy wolves guarding you is a dream come true. If they weren’t both alphas, with one being your mate, you could probably have yourself one hell of a ménage a trois.”

I burst out laughing. “Not going to happen with those two. Besides, even if Ryker and I weren’t mates, I don’t see Sebastian in that way.” I shivered and pretended to gag.

She snorted. “You’re the only female in the pack who doesn’t drool over him. Even I’d love to have a bit of royalty in me for the night.” She drove around downtown Jackson Hole until we got to the bar. There were cars everywhere, even more than a usual Friday night.

“What’s going on down here? It’s never this crowded,” I stated.

Luckily, she found a parking space right in front of the bar. It was the only one open in a three block radius. “What do you know . . . a spot right out front. Someone must love us.”

We got out of the car and I put on the fitted denim jacket I bought to go over my dress. The night was breezy and cool, exactly how I loved it. Turning my attention to inside the bar, I could tell it was packed, and not with your normal human patrons; there were wolves. A lot of them. I narrowed my gaze and looked at her.

Smiling wide, she took my hand and walked me to the door. When she opened it wide, my mouth hit the floor. Everyone inside stopped what they were doing and regarded me with their attention. Some even cheered and hollered out my name. I didn’t know what to do other than give a stupid little wave.

I recognized some, but there were a lot I didn’t know. Right in the middle of them all was Ryker, dressed in a plaid button down shirt and jeans, smiling devilishly at me. “What’s going on?” I whispered to Tyla.

She waved at someone from across the room and Kami bounced over, dressed in a cute pink dress and cowgirl boots. Hugging me, she said, “You made it just in time!”

“Just in time for what?”

Ryker walked through the crowd toward me and grabbed my hands. “To show everyone you’re mine.”

Kami snickered and put her arm around Tyla. “We wanted to tell you sooner, but we thought it’d be better as a surprise.”

“Surprise?” I looked up into Ryker’s mischievous green gaze and searched his mind. Wolves never had weddings like humans, where you exchanged rings. We could never wear them or any kind of jewelry when shifting. The magic of the moon was stronger than any verbal vow or wedding ring.

Smiling, he pulled me close. “We can always have a wedding if you want, but we thought having somewhat of a reception would be similar. Everyone came from all over to meet you.”

It was amazing seeing everyone together, laughing and talking without animosity. “I don’t need a wedding, Ryker. This is perfect.” Squeezing his hand, I nodded toward the crowd. “Let’s mingle.” There were a ton of faces I didn’t recognize but Ryker introduced me to every single one. “I can’t believe you know every person here,” I whispered in awe.

He chuckled. “I have a good memory.”

“All right it’s time for me to steal him away,” Cedric announced, slapping a hand on Ryker’s shoulder.

I put my hands on my hips. “Oh yeah, why is that?”

“Stripper time, why else?” When he saw the expression on my face, he balked and held up his hands. “Holy fuck, Xena Warrior Princess, I was kidding. I’m not stupid enough to have done that; I’d like to keep my balls.”

Ryker burst out laughing. “You sure as hell weren’t going to have any if you were serious.”

“No shit. Good thing I am only taking you to the bar.” Cedric looked back at me, “You don’t want to see Whitemore dance without a little bit of liquor in his system.”

With a smirk on his face, Ryker pushed him away. “Cocksucker. I dance better than you.”

“I never claimed I was good. Now let’s go. I think the ladies want to steal your woman away.” He nodded toward something behind me and when I turned, Tyla and Kami were there.

Tyla grabbed my hand. “He’s right.”

Ryker kissed my cheek and nipped my ear before disappearing with Cedric to the bar. All the alphas were there, lifting their shot glasses. “Don’t get into too much trouble over there,” I sent through our bond.

Lifting his glass, he peered back at me and winked. “Same goes to you, angel.”

“So what are we going to do if we’re not getting drunk with the guys?” I asked the girls.

They giggled and pulled me over to a corner where at least thirty unmated female wolves waited for me, including Seraphina. “They all wanted to ask you questions,” Tyla informed me.

I sat down and smiled at all the women. Some were old, but a lot of them were around my age. “All right, let’s hear it.”

A girl in her mid-twenties from one of the red wolf packs spoke up. Her name was Emma Redding, cousin to the alpha of her pack. She had long, strawberry-blonde hair and green eyes. “How did you know Ryker was your mate?”

The question made me smile. “I didn’t at first, but then again, I’m stubborn. You also need to take into account that the people who raised me never told me about true mates. Were your parents true mates?”

She nodded, her gaze sad. “My father was killed by a rogue a couple years back while hunting. My mother doesn’t like to talk about him because it pains her. We only have one mated couple in my pack and they’re much older. It’s hard to get a fresh take on things.”

“I understand. Is that how it is with the rest of you? I know Tyla’s parents are true mated.” I glanced around and they all nodded. “Tell me about your parents, Tyla. What have they said about it?”

All eyes turned her way. “Not much other than it’s just a feeling they got. They said I would know when it happened.”

“And you will,” I began, catching their attention, “it’s just again . . . I was stubborn. I had to have proof and when I got it, it was still hard to grasp. None of it made sense to me.”

“That’s because she had her memories taken away by the Yukon pack witch,” Kami interrupted.

“She’s right, I did. I met Ryker a long time ago when I was just a girl. We were friends and it was because of that close friendship I think our bond was formed. I’d give anything to remember that time with him. Maybe one day, I will. However, I don’t think the Great Luna just randomly chooses two wolves to be mates. I think it happens over time when a connection is formed.”

“So we don’t need to sit on our asses and wait for them to come to us?” Tyla asked.

Everyone laughed and I shook my head. “No, I think you need to get yourselves out there, talk to them. Ryker and I were not born a part of the same pack. Just because your mate isn’t with your own pack, doesn’t mean he’s not out there. Take a look around,” I said, waving my hand about. “There are wolves here from all over the country. If you have brothers, cousins, friends, introduce them to some of the women here in this group. I fully believe the magic will come back to our people. You just need to believe in it—have faith.”

I could see the determination in their eyes and it brought me joy. The magic of the moon would come back to them; I had no doubt.

“And I think I just found the wolf I’ll introduce myself to. He just walked through the door,” one of the girls said happily.

I didn’t even have to look to know it was Sebastian. He winked at the group of females and marched straight to the bar. The little stinker knew exactly what he was doing. The women all separated and flocked around him and the other men at the bar. There was a strong chance their mates were in that very room.

“Sebastian sure can be a conceited jackass sometimes,” Tyla grumbled.

I chuckled. “That he can. He just needs a woman to tame him.”

“I’m sure he has a fair share to choose from. Look at them all lining up to talk to him.”

He sat at the bar with three females, hanging on his every word. Tyla watched on, her jaw tense and eyes blazing. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were jealous,” I told her.

She rolled her eyes and turned her back on him. “Don’t think so, B. He has a smokin’ hot body, but I don’t want a wolf who’s fucked more women than I can count. I bet he goes home with one of them tonight.”

“I doubt that. He may be a ladies man but he’s not a douche, well, at least not around me. Have you ever tried to talk to him? Like really talk to him?” I inquired.

She huffed. “No. I doubt he’d want anything to do with me.”

Grabbing her arm, I squeezed, hissing my words so only she could hear. “Are you even listening to yourself? You are an amazing woman who deserves to find her mate. You said it yourself, you can’t wait on them to come to you. Grab the reins and take control.”

“Take control of what?” Ryker asked, coming up behind me with his arms around my waist.

Tyla backed away. “And that’s my cue to go. Have fun tonight, guys. You both deserve it.” She sauntered off quickly and I wasn’t surprised to see she didn’t head in Sebastian’s direction.

Ryker turned me around to face him. “What’s up with her?”

“Just girl stuff.”

“Then I don’t want to know.” The music started playing over the speakers and he smiled. “Wanna dance?” Everyone moved away from the floor, giving us our space.

“How can I say no when everyone’s watching?” I laughed.

“Exactly.” Taking my hand, he led me out onto the floor, wrapping his strong arms around my waist. In that moment, nothing else existed but me and him, and the sound of a country love song. We moved in perfect rhythm with each other, almost like clockwork.

“I didn’t think you could dance,” I teased.

He winked. “There’s not much to it. Besides, we move pretty well together in bed. The dance floor shouldn’t be much different.”

My cheeks started to burn. “Thank you for this. I think this will be the beginning to something new. Look at everyone. There’s bound to be someone coming out of this with a potential true mate.” Before the party really got started, there was still some separation amongst the packs, especially between male and female. Territory always played a factor when it came to that. The beta males never approached a female from another pack. I’d wanted those lines to be crossed and now they had.

Ryker glanced around the room, satisfied with the outcome. “I think this is what everyone needed.” We danced to the rest of the song and then the next one started; it was upbeat and fast.

Grabbing my waist, he held me against him while I moved my hips to the beat. Everything was perfect until I felt a blast of magic sweep through the room. It was sudden and meant to be quick, like Sebastian had done at the airport. Only, it wasn’t him. But it was definitely a royal.

Ryker saw the expression on my face. “What’s wrong?”

“Someone’s here.”

Sebastian left the women at the bar and hurried over. “Did you feel it?” he asked, his gaze concerned.

I grabbed Ryker’s hand. “Another royal wants us to know they’re outside. Who could it be?”

Sebastian glanced around the room. “I don’t know, but I say we go find out.”

“Let’s go out the back. That way no one will see us leave,” Ryker suggested.

We smiled at everyone in passing and disappeared to the back hall. My heart thumped wildly in my chest as I got closer to the door. Sebastian and Ryker went out the door first, both looking in the opposite directions. “No one’s here,” Ryker grumbled.

I stepped outside. “I know I felt something.”

Sebastian marched down the sidewalk. “So did I. Someone’s here.”

Across the street, standing in a dark corner was a man with whitish blond hair—an Arctic wolf. I had enough time to see his eyes flash before he disappeared into an alley. “Over there,” I said, pointing toward a taller building.

Sebastian stepped in front of us. “You guys follow on his trail. I’m going to cut him off on the other side. I’ll meet you there.”

He took off and Ryker and I rushed across the street. The guy had just turned around another corner, but I could see his moving shadow. He wasn’t in a hurry, which made me wonder what the hell he was doing. Why would he walk away when he obviously wanted to be found?

“Why would another royal be here?” Ryker asked.

“I don’t know, but we’re about to find out.” We turned the corner and there he was, leaning against the brick wall. Sebastian crept up behind him, but stopped cold when he got closer.

The rogue wolf raked his gaze over me and chuckled, his body hidden in the shadows. “Look at you, all grown up. It’s good to see you again, princess.”

Ryker stood protectively beside me. “Who are you?”

The guy stepped out into the light and I gasped. “Holy shit. You look just like—”

“Me,” Sebastian answered, approaching cautiously. When he got a good look at the stranger, he smiled and shook his head. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

Bailey

“I knew you’d come out here and find me,” the guy said.

Sebastian chuckled and pulled him in for a hug. They looked so much alike, it was uncanny. Sebastian let him go and faced me. “Bailey, this is Micah, my eldest brother.” Then he turned to Ryker. “Micah, this is Ryker Whitemore, Bailey’s soon to be mate, and alpha of the Teton pack.”

“You look like twins,” I murmured in awe.

Micah smiled. “We got that all the time. We’re actually seventeen months apart, just like you and your sister, Faith.”

I gasped. “Where is she? Are you her protector?”

He nodded. “For all of her life. She wanted to come but I didn’t think it was safe. We live out by Yosemite.”

“Does she remember anything about me or our family?”

“Not at first, but I told her everything. She’s on pins and needles back home, waiting to hear if you’re who we thought you were.”

“What happened the night of the attack? Where did you go?” Sebastian asked.

Micah looked at us all. “When the Yukon pack came, I took Faith and kept running. Marrock loaded up a duffel bag full of money and told me to get her as far away as I could. We ended up in California and that’s where we stayed. When I heard about a royal female showing up in these parts, I had to know who it was. I knew if it was Bailey, you would be by her side.”

“Why would you leave Faith by herself?” Ryker cut in. That was a good question.

Micah sighed. “It was either that or bring her here. I heard about the attack from the Yukon pack. The last thing any of us need are two female royals to entice them. I wanted to make sure it was safe before bringing her here.”

“I understand,” I said.

He glanced back and forth between me and Ryker. “Congratulations on finding each other. Not everyone’s so lucky.”

Sebastian snorted. “That’s a whole other story. Hopefully, Faith hasn’t been a pain in the ass like this one,” he said, pointing to me.

Ryker chuckled under his breath and I elbowed him in the side. “Hey, I wasn’t that bad. Try living with a pack you think is your family only to have them turn around and mate you off to a sadistic bastard.”

“Who also happened to be Whitemore’s brother,” Sebastian added. Ryker tensed beside me; it would always be a sore subject for him.

Micah’s eyes went wide. “It looks like I have a lot to catch up on.”

“That you do,” I said, “and you can start tomorrow, when you both leave to get my sister. Right now, we have a party to go to.”

Sebastian stared at me, his gaze concerned. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to leave right now. I want to wait until after the full moon.”

I took his hand and squeezed. “I’ll be fine. You forget I can take care of myself. Not to mention, I have Ryker. You just saw your brother for the first time in over a decade. Maybe you two can figure out how to find the rest of our pack, including our brothers.”

Sebastian wanted to fight me on it, but with Ryker there he backed down. “All right, if you want me to go, I will. I’ll help bring your sister back safely.”

“That’s all I want.” I watched them disappear around the corner, as I stayed with Ryker who backed me into the wall.

“I wonder what the packs are going to think when yet another eligible royal walks into the bar.” He lowered his lips to my neck, kissing his way up to my cheek.

“I think the ladies will love it. You have no idea how many of them want Sebastian.”

He scoffed. “Great. I can see a few fights in our future. I hope your boys are ready for that.”

I waved him off. “They’ll be fine.” We started back toward the bar and stopped about midway there. Low growls could be heard inside. “Uh, maybe you’re right. Let’s get in there before they tear the bar apart.”

Ryker burst out in laughter. “Yes, lets. I’d love to see Lyall get knocked on his ass.”

Bailey

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” Sebastian asked.

Laughing, I pushed him towards Micah’s SUV. “No, I don’t. Judging by that black eye of yours I’d say you need a break. You’re going to start pissing Ryker off if you don’t back away soon anyway.”

“But that’s the fun part.” He fake pouted.

I pursed my lips. “Maybe for you, but not for me. I know you just want to keep me safe, but I’m a big girl. One of these days you’re going to have your own mate to protect. You need to get used to not being by my side. He tolerates you because he knows I love you.”

His jaw tensed. “You’re all I’ve had for the past fifteen years.”

Eyes burning, I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I know but now you have your brother. You’ll need his help to find our families.”

He nodded. “I’ll find them.”

I wrapped my arm around his and walked him the rest of the way to Micah’s car. “In the meantime, stay safe out there. I’ll be here when you get back.”

“Try not to miss me too much,” he teased.

“Don’t worry, I will.” I kissed him on the cheek and watched him get into the car. As soon as they drove out of the driveway, Tyla pulled in.

“I see the twins of terror just left,” she called as she got out.

I rolled my eyes. “Twins of terror? They aren’t even twins.”

She shrugged. “They remind me of these twin MMA fighters I watch on TV. They’re some sexy beasts. I wish we had wolves in our pack who looked like that.”

“We do. We have several who are very good looking.”

“You better not let Ryker hear you say that,” she said with a wink.

“I don’t plan on it. Did you ever talk to Sebastian last night?”

She snorted. “Nah, as soon as he walked through the door with his brother, every single woman in the bar salivated over them. Do all royals have some kind of pheromone that makes people pant after them?”

I laughed. “Not that I know of. I think it’s because we’re different. The allure will die down once everyone gets used to us. I guess it doesn’t help that Sebastian and his brother are easy on the eyes.”

She followed me up to the front porch and sat down beside me. “You got that right. Anyway, before you and Ryker walked in on the fight, one of the grays from the Great Plains got mad because the girl he was talking to left him mid-sentence to meet the new royal. He was pissed as hell. The next thing I knew, fists were flying.”

“Ryker warned me it would happen. I didn’t believe him.”

She stared out at the driveway. “How long do you think they’ll be gone?”

I shrugged. “Don’t know. Hopefully, not long. I’m dying to meet my sister.”

“I bet. Do you think you’ll remember anything once you see her?”

“She might feel familiar, but other than that, I doubt it. Seraphina made it perfectly clear the only way to get my memories back would be to kill the witch who did it, or make her reverse the spell. The only way to do that is to go back up north, and that’s not going to happen.”

“I understand. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t remember my family. I love them way too much.”

“I think that’s what I miss the most. There’s an emptiness inside. When I try to think back, there is just nothing; it’s like a blank spot that makes me feel like I’m forgetting something. It’d be nice to remember my parents and to know they loved me. I want to feel it. I don’t think I’ve ever truly felt love, except from Ryker and Sebastian.”

Sitting back in her chair, she looked down at her hands, her brows furrowed. “I was in love with a human once. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been with other men, but he was special. He was so different from everyone else. But humans age so much faster than we do.”

“What happened?”

She closed her eyes, her lip trembling. “Once he started to age and I didn’t, I had to leave him. It broke my heart to do it, but I didn’t have a choice. Years later, when he was diagnosed with stage four cancer, I knew there was nothing I could do. I visited him in the hospital right before he died. He thought I was an angel.”

Her story brought tears to my eyes. “I’m sorry, Tyla. I can’t imagine being in love with someone and watching them die. Did he ever marry?”

She wiped her eyes and faced me. “No. He died at forty-three. He always said I was the only one for him. On that last day, I told him I wasn’t an angel, I was really me. He told me I was beautiful and that he still loved me. I was there when he took his last breath.”

“Does anyone else know about this?”

She shook her head. “No, not even my parents. It’s frowned upon to fall in love with humans. It’s not supposed to be part of our nature.”

“You can’t help who you fall in love with. I think it’s a beautiful story. Not many people get to experience real love. I can assure you you’ll have it again.”

She sniffled. “You promise?”

I looked into her soft, gray gaze. “I promise. Now let’s go into town and go shopping. I have two interviews I need outfits for.” We got up and I put my arm around her as we walked to Ryker’s Jeep.

“I can deal with that. Anything to get my mind off of love. Speaking of which, are you excited about the full moon next week?” She opened her door and I stood at mine, my heart thundering out of control.

“More like terrified. I don’t know what to expect.”

“I do. And I know just the thing you need.” By the devilish look in her eyes, I was almost scared to ask.

“Do I even want to know?”

She winked. “Don’t worry, Ryker will love it.”

Sitting on the back deck of the cabin, I propped my feet up on the banister and gazed at the stars, drinking my hot chocolate.

“Did you have fun with Tyla today?” Ryker asked.

I turned to him and set my cup down. “I did. We talked a lot. I think she has a thing for Sebastian.”

“Oh hell, who doesn’t? How did it go with him when you said goodbye?”

“Fine. I know he wanted to go with his brother, but he wasn’t happy about leaving. I guess, until we’re mated, I’m still vulnerable.”

“But you have me to protect you.”

“I know that, but there’s a reason female royals have royal-blooded protectors. You have to admit Sebastian has powers that even you don’t.” A low growl escaped his lips and he tensed. “Ryker, I’m not saying he’s physically stronger than you. Besides, you have a couple of powers he doesn’t possess.”

“Oh yeah, and what are those?”

Smiling, I climbed onto his lap and kissed him. “The power over my heart.”

His body relaxed and he kissed me again, his tongue taking claim of my mouth. “And what’s the other?”

I shoved my hand between us and rubbed his growing arousal through his jeans. “The other one is so big—so obvious—I don’t think it bears mentioning.” I smirked as I squeezed his length.

Thrusting into my hand, he growled his approval. Standing up with me in his arms, he carried me up to his bedroom and laid me down on the bed. I moved back and he crawled on top of me, lifting my shirt.

His fingers tickled me as he rubbed circles along my stomach. “After we complete our bond during the next full moon, you’ll officially be mine. We’ll both be alphas of this pack, making all of the decisions together. It’s not going to be easy, but you’ll always have me by your side. I want you to be happy.”

“What about you?” I asked, combing my fingers through his hair as he laid small kisses along my stomach. “What will make you happy?”

He looked up and met my stare. “I will be the happiest man alive when you bear our children. We were robbed of our families at such a young age, and to have one of my own is something I’ve dreamt about for years.” Covering me with his body, he wiped away the tear I couldn’t stop from rolling down my cheek.

“And I promise to fulfill those dreams. I won’t let you down,” I whispered softly.

“And neither will I,” he murmured. Lifting my shirt over my head, Ryker unclasped my bra. He freed my breasts and suckled them, his teeth growing slightly. I could feel the razor edges grazing my nipples. “I want to taste you. Will you let me?”

I groaned and bit my lip. “As long as I can taste you as well.” I was nervous to see what the next vision would be like. Before he could unzip my pants, a howl sounded in the distance. “Is it one of your wolves?” I asked.

Jumping off the bed, Ryker rushed to the window and peered out, eyes glowing. “It’s Cedric. Something’s wrong. I need to go.”

Sliding off the bed, I dropped my jeans and underwear to the floor. “I’ll come with you,” I offered. Ryker stepped in my way before I could let the magic of the shift take over my body.

“You’re not coming, Bailey. I need you to stay here, where you’re safe.”

“What if you need my help? I can shield your presence.”

Growling low, he cupped my face firmly in his hands. “I know, but I can’t risk you. Shield yourself and stay here. I’m not going to put you in harm’s way again. Just stay close in my mind so I know you’re there. If I tell you to run, I want you to listen to me, got it?”

“What?” I gasped frantically. “There’s no way in hell I’d ever leave you! Don’t ever ask me to do that.”

“I just did.”

He kissed me long and hard before taking off. I quickly grabbed my shirt and threw it on, racing after him to the door. Before he could shift, I grabbed his arm. All I could do was stare into his bright green eyes.

Sighing, he brushed a finger down my cheek. “Lock the door and shield yourself. If no one can find you, you’ll be safe. I love you, angel.”

“I love you too.”

He kissed me again before the magic shimmered across his body and turned him into a giant, white wolf. His wolf was beautiful and majestic, but also a deadly killing machine. Taking off into the forest, he disappeared from sight.

“Be careful,” I said.

“Always.”

Closing my eyes, I concentrated on my magic and made sure to shield my presence. When I was in college, I had run into other wolves from time to time, but none of them realized what I was. It was nice to know I could stay hidden. I didn’t need them pissing all over my yard, trying to mark their territory.

The phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Bailey, what’s going on?” Tyla asked.

“I don’t know. Ryker took off a few minutes ago.”

“Do you want me to head over there? I don’t have a good feeling about this. My father called and said something’s going down and to stay out of the woods.”

“He’s right, stay there,” I commanded.

“What if it’s the Yukon pack again? You don’t need to be alone.”

I looked out the window and there was nothing amiss. “I’ll be fine. The last thing I want is for you to be here if they are around.”

She huffed. “Fine, but if you need me, I’ll be there. Maybe Sebastian should’ve stayed. He’d be there to protect you right now.”

“And I’ll never hear the end of it when he comes back.” I rolled my eyes. “Listen, don’t worry. I’ll call if I need help.”

“Okay, B. I’ll have my phone on me at all times.” We hung up and all I could do was wait. The wind blew unusually strong, the sound of it screeching against the windows. I could feel eyes watching me, yet there was no one out there.

Ten minutes later, the dreaded news came in from Ryker. “There’s a group of wolves about three miles out. Some of them are from my old pack, and some of them are from yours. They’re not moving any closer, which has me concerned. I wish I knew what the fuck they were doing.”

Panic rose in my chest. “Are you going to attack? Maybe they’re testing the waters to see what we do.”

“I don’t know, angel. We’re all in place, so if they attack we’ll be ready. Keep your shield up and I promise I’ll come back for you as soon as it’s over.”

“Please, let me join you, Ryker. They don’t want me dead. I can fight them.” My instincts told me to get out of the house and fight. I always listened to my instincts.

“If you come out here, they’ll have what they want. Stay there!”

Groaning, I sat down on the couch and gazed out the window at the dark, midnight sky. The moon glowed ominously behind the clouds and it made me shiver. Chill bumps fanned out across my skin and the shivers grew worse. Something wasn’t right; I never got cold.

Fear settled in the pit of my stomach and it grew so strong, my lungs constricted. I couldn’t breathe and fell to the floor, gasping for air. “Ryker, I can’t breathe.”

“What the fuck? Are you okay?”

“No. There’s magic, lots of it. It’s suffocating me.” My instincts had told me to join Ryker and I didn’t listen. I needed to get out to him and fast, but I couldn’t breathe. Clawing at my throat didn’t help and if I screamed, no one was going to hear me.

“What do you mean? Bailey, tell me what’s going on! Is someone there?”

The chills grew worse and I doubled over on the floor and clutched my stomach; it felt as if my insides were trying to rip out of my body. “I can barely move. All I feel is pain.” Tears fell down my cheeks and I screamed as loud as I could.

“Goddammit, I’m coming to you. Bailey, hold on!”

Fading in and out of consciousness, I heard footsteps on the front porch leading up to the door. I tried to crawl toward it, but I was frozen in pain. “Thank God you’re here. I can’t take the pain anymore.”

“I’m not there yet!” Ryker growled in my mind. “Fuck me. Bailey, hide!”

The door to the cabin slammed open and all I could see from the floor was a set of boots thundering toward me. I wanted to fight, but I was frozen in rictus. The only sound I could hear was the erratic beating of my heart. Panic exploded in my veins, and when I tried to scream, all that came out was a ragged whimper. It was dark magic constricting me, the same kind that took my memories away. Whoever was in the room bent down and brushed a hand over my cheek.