breast as Itchy closed the back gate. I bit down on the sting of a scratch from her ivy as she worked in close quarters to unfurl a vine. She planted two feet on my breastbone. My T-shirt tightened as she began to tear at the rough blanket’s fabric.
Before I could ease myself onto my side, the rollback made a tick-tick noise as Itchy pulled it closed. I steeled myself against the claustrophobia that would surely come. “It won’t close,” he said.
Thank you, Goddess.
He threw it wide again, then pulled it back with enough force to shake the truck.
“Don’t mess with it!” snapped Gerry. “Let me see.” He tested it. “There’s something blocking it from closing.” I drew myself into a ball as his meaty hand patted the area. “What’s stuck?”
My Fae, you asshole. My Fae is stuck.
“It’s this place,” said Itchy. “This place is all wrong, man.”
Gerry figured it out quicker than Itchy. “Nah, she’s doing something,” he said, after another couple of experimental tests of the lock. “Shoot her with your crossbow.”
And with that, my Fae must have finally appreciated the fact that our destinies are tied together. The hard tug on my aching fingers eased. I felt her brush against my legs, and follow the curve of my hip, all the way to my waist. She rested in the dip of my waist as the lock clicked. Faintly twitching. Kind of like a hungry cat sitting on her human, wanting to be fed.
Together again, huh?
Evidently, this week’s chosen theme had something to do with pairs. Twice now, I’d been tied up and threatened. Coincidence? I think not. One-and-one-equals-two was evidently going to being worked and reworked until I picked up on whatever the hell I was supposed to learn from this life lesson. Of course, that’s only if one believes Oprah and subscribes to the idea that all events in life are lessons.
Some lesson. All I’d figured out from the last few body blows was that bad things for me seem to come in twos. Two bad guys. Two mages. Two trees.
“You got it now?” Gerry said. “Stay here with the girl. I’m going to take care of the other problem.”
What other problem? Merry stiffened, and so did I.
“Liam said no guns,” Itchy reminded him. “We’re supposed to use the crossbows.”
“Like I give squat what Liam says,” said Gerry. “I’m using my piece.”
“I’m not shitting you.” Itchy’s voice was strained as he shouted over the moaning wind. “They need the Alpha alive, so they can prove that he’s dirty. Gerry! Don’t fuck up the bonus,” Itchy shouted.
Then I heard him curse, and felt the vehicle dip on the passenger side as he reclaimed his seat. A second later, I heard a loud thump, as if someone had brought their fist down hard on the dashboard. Then there was no more talking or movement. Just the wind’s cry.
Gerry’s going after Trowbridge.
No, no, no.
In my mind I pictured him heading down the slope toward the cliff overlooking the pond. Finding the perfect place, amid the pine trees and utter darkness, to aim his gun.
Scream. Even if he can’t hear you.
I opened my mouth for a howl to rival a banshee—
And with one invisible tick of the world clock, the witches’ ward went from an improbable premise to an immediate promise.
* * *
The hags had called to the elements, and they had answered.
Suddenly, we could sense the leylines, my Fae and I. Right there. So close. Even with my eyes closed and my head wrapped in a blanket, I could see them. They lay underneath the soil, thick rivers of mystery and magic, as invisible to most mortals as underground springs. Untapped by the average man but ready to be exploited by sorceresses with payback on their agenda.
One flowed nearby.
Hell, if I wasn’t trapped, I could have walked out of the cemetery, knelt down on the road, and touched the exact place it crossed to the side. That’s how strongly I felt the connection between my magic and the earth.
Those leylines were calling
Before I could ease myself onto my side, the rollback made a tick-tick noise as Itchy pulled it closed. I steeled myself against the claustrophobia that would surely come. “It won’t close,” he said.
Thank you, Goddess.
He threw it wide again, then pulled it back with enough force to shake the truck.
“Don’t mess with it!” snapped Gerry. “Let me see.” He tested it. “There’s something blocking it from closing.” I drew myself into a ball as his meaty hand patted the area. “What’s stuck?”
My Fae, you asshole. My Fae is stuck.
“It’s this place,” said Itchy. “This place is all wrong, man.”
Gerry figured it out quicker than Itchy. “Nah, she’s doing something,” he said, after another couple of experimental tests of the lock. “Shoot her with your crossbow.”
And with that, my Fae must have finally appreciated the fact that our destinies are tied together. The hard tug on my aching fingers eased. I felt her brush against my legs, and follow the curve of my hip, all the way to my waist. She rested in the dip of my waist as the lock clicked. Faintly twitching. Kind of like a hungry cat sitting on her human, wanting to be fed.
Together again, huh?
Evidently, this week’s chosen theme had something to do with pairs. Twice now, I’d been tied up and threatened. Coincidence? I think not. One-and-one-equals-two was evidently going to being worked and reworked until I picked up on whatever the hell I was supposed to learn from this life lesson. Of course, that’s only if one believes Oprah and subscribes to the idea that all events in life are lessons.
Some lesson. All I’d figured out from the last few body blows was that bad things for me seem to come in twos. Two bad guys. Two mages. Two trees.
“You got it now?” Gerry said. “Stay here with the girl. I’m going to take care of the other problem.”
What other problem? Merry stiffened, and so did I.
“Liam said no guns,” Itchy reminded him. “We’re supposed to use the crossbows.”
“Like I give squat what Liam says,” said Gerry. “I’m using my piece.”
“I’m not shitting you.” Itchy’s voice was strained as he shouted over the moaning wind. “They need the Alpha alive, so they can prove that he’s dirty. Gerry! Don’t fuck up the bonus,” Itchy shouted.
Then I heard him curse, and felt the vehicle dip on the passenger side as he reclaimed his seat. A second later, I heard a loud thump, as if someone had brought their fist down hard on the dashboard. Then there was no more talking or movement. Just the wind’s cry.
Gerry’s going after Trowbridge.
No, no, no.
In my mind I pictured him heading down the slope toward the cliff overlooking the pond. Finding the perfect place, amid the pine trees and utter darkness, to aim his gun.
Scream. Even if he can’t hear you.
I opened my mouth for a howl to rival a banshee—
And with one invisible tick of the world clock, the witches’ ward went from an improbable premise to an immediate promise.
* * *
The hags had called to the elements, and they had answered.
Suddenly, we could sense the leylines, my Fae and I. Right there. So close. Even with my eyes closed and my head wrapped in a blanket, I could see them. They lay underneath the soil, thick rivers of mystery and magic, as invisible to most mortals as underground springs. Untapped by the average man but ready to be exploited by sorceresses with payback on their agenda.
One flowed nearby.
Hell, if I wasn’t trapped, I could have walked out of the cemetery, knelt down on the road, and touched the exact place it crossed to the side. That’s how strongly I felt the connection between my magic and the earth.
Those leylines were calling
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