Tricking Tara by Viola Grace Page A

of an abandoned gardening shed. Her landing was not graceful. “Oof. You could have put me down more gently."
    "Carolyn. Where is she?” His muzzle had trouble forming around the words and he chewed them as he spoke in his deep snarl.
    "Caro has been taken by her mate. She is gone.” Tara flinched as his claws dug into the floor on either side of her.
    "No! She is mine.” He started to use those sharp claws to peel the clothing from her. In seconds she was clothed in her hair and skin with a few red and raw scratches put in for good measure. “They will come for you and then I will make them bring her back to me."
    "Why did you remove my clothes?"
    "There are a number of thorns and brambles surrounding this place. You will be clawed to hell if you try to escape.” The deep boom of his voice was sincere.
    She felt a resounding pity that conflicted with her irritation. He really did seem to think that Caro was his mate, but she was in love with the handsome and inventive elf who had swept her off her feet. “Why don't you pursue her at Silverwood?"
    "They will keep me from her. I know those elves. They are all focused on humans as the next source of magic."
    "And you are not?"
    "The Lios are pure magic. We do not need the contamination of human genes to produce our magic.” Pure pride was glowing through his half-shifted form.
    She carefully kept herself from mentioning his less than appealing state. It did not seem to be a deliberate shift. If she guessed right, he wanted Caro because he was stuck. “Why don't you ask Alexi for help? He is one of yours."
    "He is one of your courtiers. He will not help me to get my own mate."
    She couldn't control her surprise. “That is odd. The members of the Wild Hunt all work together to win the ladies."
    "They are fools who need the help. The Lios win their own women.” He was menacing her with his claws again and she was naked. She wisely shut up.
    The small room was covered with a layer of dust and rubble, some of which was now digging into her unclothed backside. A corn husk broom leaned against one wall, showing the care that this little shed had once been blessed with. The waning daylight coming through the grimy windows gave her a burst of relief. As soon as it was dark she would leave. With or without a rescue by her suitors.
    She had staff to train.
    The wolf's head jerked to attention as the angry whinny of a horse broke the silence. Cursing followed confirming the brambles that her captor had mentioned. She was on her feet when he turned to her and snarled for her to sit down. She grudgingly complied when he waved his claws at her. He was out the door in an instant.
    There was a banging, a crash and a lot of snarling coming from outside the little shed, so she decided it was time to leave.
    Tara lifted her hand and pulled the broom toward her. As it came to her hand and she took her position astride it, one of her rescuing heroes came through the wall. Nice trick. She didn't bother waving at him, merely used her talent to tear away the roof and fly into the night sky, using the broom for balance. Michaels's eyes grew wide as he watched her nude form fly into the inky darkness, the last she saw of him was him standing with his hands on his hips, laughing like a loon.
    She gained the altitude that she needed and located her house, then made a beeline for it. There was no time for taking a leisurely flight, she was getting really cold. Her nipples were beaded and rock hard, her skin chilled and rough. Naked broom flying was not a sport that should be indulged in after August, certainly not in October. Her feet skimmed the treetops, the telekinesis was a pillar of power under her, bending the limbs as she passed. Most people thought that you could actually fly when telekinetic, it was a little less than true. What she could do was to propel herself upward on a column of her talent, pushing against the ground. As the ground rose and fell, so did she. The tree line gave her