“Then, by all means, center yourself so we can keep moving. I don’t wish to be caught unawares by your witches again.”
There was no doubt Rex was one of the Royal Kanes. He gave permission like he was used to doing it on a regular basis. She had news for him, she was going to center herself whether he liked it or not.
And the witches… Well, she didn’t want to dwell on them. They might have zapped their powers nearly destroying the car but they wouldn’t be gone for long, and if she didn’t find a way to handle them—and this situation—soon, she was terrified they would call their mother. If they did, she didn’t want to imagine what would happen to her own family.
She forced those thoughts from her mind. No way could she do this if she let the stress get to her. For years now she hadn’t been able to keep her mind where it needed to be. What made her think she could do it now?
“Elizabeth?”
She opened her eyes, wishing she could be angry with Rex for interrupting but knowing she hadn’t really been able to focus anyway. “Yes?”
“I can feel your mind isn’t where it should be.” He walked toward her. “My wolf is prowling around inside wanting to help you.”
“Your wolf.” She tried to get used to the thought. There was a wolf inside of Rex who was and was not the same entity as Rex. It blew her mind. “Wants to help me?
Why?”
“He loves you. You’re our mate. He’s very attached to you already.” She swallowed. “And you?”
“I’d like to help you too. If I can.”
He hadn’t answered her question, and she supposed she should be glad he hadn’t.
“You can’t help me, Rex.”
“Wrong, witch.” He bent over until he was so close she could feel his breath on her face. Elizabeth’s mind went blank. What was he doing? “I can.” His mouth came down on hers.
Chapter Three
Rex shuddered under the feel of Elizabeth’s soft lips pressed against his. He’d meant to jar her with the kiss, to give her some of his own strength to aid in whatever crazy witch thing she had to do. He hadn’t expected to nearly melt into a puddle of ridiculous lovesick wolf at her feet.
Before he couldn’t do it anymore, he ripped his mouth from hers and took two steps backwards. “Get it done or I’m putting you over my shoulder and dragging you to the hospital. I suspect we’re running out of time here.” Elizabeth stared at him with huge blue-gray eyes. Her hand reached up to touch her lips in a way which made him question whether she was aware she’d done it at all. “Elizabeth?” Gods, the woman had been seriously injured. He had no business listening to her nonsense about fixing herself.
“Rex, so help me, some day I’m going to make you pay for messing with me.” Her eyes looked heated, which he greatly preferred to the dazed, out-of-it expression she’d been carting around for hours. Angry Elizabeth worried him less than quasi-delirious Elizabeth.
He glared at her. “I’m doing nothing of the kind.”
She shook her head, her emotions unreadable to him. He’d watched all of his brothers go through their respective matings. Even when Tristan had been half-mad, possessed of a curse, and attempting suicide by throwing himself off a cliff, it hadn’t looked this hard. What was he supposed to do with this fragile witch who stirred his blood, alerted his long dormant protective instincts, and made him want to wring her neck all at the same time?
A rush of heat hit his body. It started at the tips of his toes and travelled upward until his cheeks were red with warmth. What the hell? His cock jumped to attention even as his wolf shrugged inside of him. The canine had no idea what happened either.
Rex’s gaze shot to Elizabeth. She regarded him silently. He adjusted his pants, knowing she’d probably already seen the proof of his sudden, unexplained arousal. He’d been fighting back his desire since the moment he’d laid eyes on her. But he didn’t need her seeing him jump around inside his trousers like he was fifteen years old.
“I’m done.” She wobbled to her feet. “This is the best I can do. Hopefully, I’ll be able to follow a conversation now and not zone in and out so much.” His nose told him she wasn’t fully healed—not anywhere near fixed. Her orange-filled aroma still smelled off. Until she was back to her usual scent, he wouldn’t feel satisfied she wasn’t still in imminent danger of expiring. They still needed a hospital, and he needed a phone. Tristan needed to know what was going on. Rex narrowed his eyes.
“When you did your magic-thing, did you direct some of it my way?” Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. “No. Why on earth would I?”
“Indeed.” Was the witch up to something or was he just being paranoid?
She wobbled, and in two strides he’d grabbed her. Pressed close together, he could see how delicate her pores looked in the setting sun. Her skin was like porcelain under his fingertips. He swallowed. Hell, he was in so much trouble.
Once you mate her, you’ll feel better. His wolf was filled with useless advice.
Not exactly the appropriate time or place for such things. He didn’t think. Rex had stumbled upon quite a few of the newly mated couples taking private moments in the woods of Westervelt. Elizabeth, however, was severely injured, and they weren’t romping around the privacy of their magical island. His witch might never want to go there since she disliked wolves so immensely.
“I’m going to shift. I can get you to the human hospital faster.” He tugged at his shirt, pulling it over his head.
“Whoa.” Elizabeth’s blue-gray eyes were so huge they looked like they might pop out of her head. “What are you doing?”
“I’m taking off my clothes. If I shift with them on, they’ll be gone when I shift back.
I’d rather not present myself at the hospital naked.”
She swallowed, her neck muscles clenched as she did so. He had no idea what he said to make her so tense. Sniffing the air, he tried to see if he could get a sense of it.
Elizabeth wafted a ton of emotions. She seemed to be happy, sad, intrigued, terrified, and
… slightly aroused at the same time.
He held back the urge to grin. Rex would bet good money it was the last bit which made her the most uncomfortable. “Unless you’d like me to be completely nude in the hospital. For you, I’d strip.”
She placed her hands out in front of her like she could ward him off. Rex shook his head. If he really wanted to get to her, those tiny hands wouldn’t stop him. It was a good thing his mother had raised him to be a gentleman. Sort of.
“Just let me turn around.” Faster than he’d thought she could move, considering her head injury, she showed him her back. “And I guess I’ll carry your clothes while I ride on you?”
Her voice shook as she asked her simple question. This time it was the acrid taste of fear filling his senses. His wolf form would really terrify her. As fast as he could manage, he removed the rest of his clothing. “Yep.”
In two seconds, he’d called the white light onto himself, shifting into his wolf body.
As a canine, he was completely black. The darkest of all his pack, his fur had always puzzled the pack elders. Where had a completely black wolf come from in the Kane line?
Does it matter?
That was always his wolf’s question. Rex had always answered no. He really didn’t care one way or another. It was only fur. But lately, it had irked him. His brothers were all one shade of brown. His mother had been the same. Where had his black fur come from? He pushed away the questions. It was just another way he didn’t fit in with the pack, another way he could demonstrate to the others how truly shadowed his soul must be. The darkness matched the man.
Do you think I’d be hanging around with a person who had as dark a soul as you claim to have?
He ignored his wolf, padding forward until he could bump Elizabeth with the top of his head. She jerked backward before righting herself. Her breathing picked up. Rex could hear the loud thump of her heart in her chest as her blood swooshed quickly through her veins. Rub
bing against her, he willed her to relax. I’m not going to eat you.
“I should hope not.” Elizabeth gasped and covered her mouth for a moment. Finally, she pointed at him as if her finger could accuse him of all kinds of atrocities. “You spoke in my head.”
Yes. I did. He walked in a circle around her . It’s a mate thing.
“I don’t like it.”
Rex scratched at his ear. I don’t really care. How else could I communicate with you like this?
“It’s creepy.”
Actually, Rex kind of liked it. Pushing his thoughts into Elizabeth’s mind made him feel warm inside. Most of the time he wondered if he’d been born on the wrong planet.
But if he could be in her this way, then perhaps he wasn’t alone. Please pick up my clothes so we can get going.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes as she moved on quiet feet to pick up his discarded wardrobe. “Do I just climb on?”
He nodded. She walked toward him. “You’re huge. You’re aware of your size, aren’t you? Wolves are not supposed to be as big as you are. How do you ever blend in with the indigenous populations?”
The indigenous populations of wolves? He couldn’t keep the smile out of his voice.
“Don’t make fun of my word choice. You get what I’m trying to say.” He did but it seemed a really random question. People see what they want to see. In general, we try to avoid being around humans when we are running as wolves, unless they are part of our pack. But, my brother Tristan had to live for a time as a wolf in a zoo. No one questioned his size. To think he wasn’t what they thought he was would be too much for most people.
“That makes sense.” Elizabeth hoisted herself up, swinging one leg around his back as if to ride him like a horse. She shoved his clothes between herself and the fur, lodging it in so the clothes didn’t move. Rex grinned at her ingenuity. She liked to fix problems.
“I still don’t understand the whole ‘getting your wolf at puberty’ thing. Can you explain it some more?”
I’d really rather hear about your witch problem and the curse.
He took off running in the direction of the hospital. His nose could smell the chemicals, the cleaning products, and the distinct aromas of life and death even as far away as they were. In this case, his extra-heightened sense of smell would prove to be good for them. He didn’t have to wander around looking for help. His nose told him exactly where it was located.
Elizabeth sighed. “I’ve never been able to talk about it with anyone.” Talk about it with me. He wasn’t going to let up on this. She was, like it or not—
although he liked it more and more—his mate. He needed to protect her. Then he had to get her home so she could do whatever witches did and stop his father from being able to send his minions to the island at will. He hadn’t forgotten his mission and, for once, he wouldn’t fail.
“My mother was the head witch of our coven. A member of our family had always been in charge, starting about a hundred years ago.” She sighed louder this time. “I thought we were pretty well liked.”
What happened? Were covens hereditary? Did Elizabeth automatically take over after her mother? It was hard for Rex to imagine Elizabeth being in charge of a coven.
The woman’s magic seemed pretty miniscule. Unless she was simply less powerful than the rest of her family. He could certainly understand not quite living up to expectations.
“Some new witches moved to town.”
What town?
“I feel like I’m under some kind of investigation here. Are you going to let me tell the story or aren’t you?”
He growled, and she tugged at his fur, making him wince. Yes, she was on his back and she had fingernails which stung. Best not to forget. Continue. Please.
“My family has always lived in Key Biscayne. It’s off Miami.” Florida. Rex had always hated Florida. He was really better suited for cold weather.
The fur made heat almost unbearable and he had to shift at least once a day or he got twitchy. Okay. He couldn’t focus on heat at the moment because Elizabeth continued her story.
“The family who arrived was very powerful. My mother had always been about inclusion and she brought them into the fold immediately. Shortly after, with an amazing amount of cunning and ability, they managed a coup and took over the coven. My family and our supporters tried to fight back. But then they cursed me to look like this.” Rex still hadn’t seen what she looked like to others. The way her voice lowered when she talked about it made his heart clench. This woman who had done this to her would pay. He would see to it personally.
“It was a brilliant move. The curse made it so no one can look at me without trouble.
I’m brutally ugly to look at. Except, of course, for you.” Because I am your mate.
“Yes, that. Right.” She clenched her fingers. He wished he could read her mind. Was she getting on board about the mating or did she still deny it, even after he could speak to her telepathically?
“I am basically powerless and bound to serve the woman’s twin daughters forever. I do whatever they want. If I object in any way, then she’ll kill my mother and the others.
This thing we’re doing—running away—constitutes objecting. Even now my mother and the others could be dead. Although, I don’t think they are. I think I would somehow know if they were killed. It would feel like a piece of my soul had been ripped apart.” And if your mom and the other witches make any moves, then you stay permanently in your cursed form.
“Exactly.”
It’s exactly what his own father, Kendrick Kane, would have done. Place everyone in an impossible situation and watch as they struggle for the rest of their lives. If he was honest, it’s what he would have done. Divide them up and make them all responsible for each other’s lives. Then, as soon as you are fixed, we will go to Miami and handle this.
“I don’t see how you can possibly think you can take care of this.” I am devious and manipulative. I don’t always do what is right. But I will do what you need. I will fix this for you. Rex hadn’t wanted to tell her the truth about himself, at least not this early in her knowing him. But she needed to understand how serious he was about what he’d told her. He would fix this. One way or another.
They travelled in silence and Rex felt gratitude for the silence. It gave him time to plot. The coven leader would have to be removed. Forcibly. The good news? She wouldn’t see him coming. Even if her daughters managed to warn her—and he suspected they had not yet told their mother of Elizabeth’s disappearance or Elizabeth’s mother would be gone from the world—she wouldn’t know exactly what he was capable of.
If Rex had to, he would shoot the woman in the head. She might expect a wolf but she would get a man. He’d watched humans throughout the years engage in meaningless violence. One thing he had learned: Sometimes one crack of a gun could solve all your problems. The action might be a disgusting thing to think—even worse to do—but if his claws couldn’t save Elizabeth, then a man-made device of war would.
Will the curse lift automatically if the witch who cast the curse dies? That had been how it had worked, sort of, with the witch who had cursed Westervelt. She’d had to die, but a blood ceremony had to be performed to truly lift the curse from the land.
“No, she has to remove it.”
Then she would remove it. Can your mother hold the coven together once she regains control?
“You make it sound like it’s some kind of military thing. The coven is our home, our community, and our spiritual center. She is meant to be leader because her powers make us stronger.”
You’re the one who used the word coup. I would venture to guess you don’t think of it all that differently than I do. Like a pack, any organization requiring leadership, unity and obedience is going to function something like a military unit. My father was wrong about many things but he wasn’t incorrect about how to handle groups.
“Rex?” Her voice sounded tentative.
They rounded the corner of a cle
aring. Rex could hear human sounds getting closer.
Elizabeth would be able to notice them herself shortly. Good, he would get her help and then they would get out of there. Yes, Elizabeth?
“How many witches have you killed?”
So now they’d gotten to the heart of the issue. Nothing would ever be easy between them. Not with this issue so prevalent and important. He’d never expect her to understand what his pack had been driven to do. To save Tristan they’d all do it again. But in a million years, none of them could have foreseen the decisions they’d been forced to make over the years. Had they crossed a line? Maybe. Personally?
She stroked his fur, and he wondered if she did it knowingly or if it was some kind of unconscious nervous gesture.
“Yes.”
I have never personally killed a witch.
“Oh.” Her voice had lightened up, and sadness ate at his gut because he was going to have to bring her back down to the nervous state she’d been existing in.
But I would have killed the one who destroyed everything. I was involved in her kidnapping. And any witch who comes to cause my family harm will have to fear me as acutely as they do any of my pack mates. In our war, everyone who is not with us is an enemy.
He slowed down gradually, not wanting to jostle her around any more than he already had. Finally, he stopped entirely. She slid off his back and walked in front of him.
Holding out his clothes, she scratched her head. “I feel okay now.” We still need to get you checked. Her smell had improved but he wouldn’t take chances.