Wrong mate, p.5
Wrong Mate, page 5
“Are you afraid of the water?” he asked.
“No, I’m not afraid of the water. What I am afraid of are the things that lurk beneath.”
“I don’t think there are any sharks or crocs waiting to eat us,” Killian said. “Besides, I’m a wolf, and I’ll taste all sinewy, and you’re a witch.”
“But I’m more than a mouthful. Trust me, I know my worth.” She shook her head. “I’d rather take on the sharks and crocs than mermaids and sirens.”
“Mermaids and sirens? I think they live out in the ocean, not in a river.”
Leah blew out another breath. “That’s kind of not true.” She pursed her lips. “The ones that aren’t banished live in the ocean as they’re allowed. The ones in rivers and lakes, well, they’re the banished ones for being naughty and tend to feed on human flesh.”
“What?”
“I’ve met a few,” Leah said. “Trust me, they’re vicious.” She had been at a few meetings with Lucinda. The mermaids and sirens were beautiful. No doubt about it. Totally in awe with the perfect body, not to mention the full tits and all of that. But, a banished mermaid and siren, yeah, they kind of, er, turned ugly when they didn’t get what they wanted.
This wasn’t going to be easy. She could already feel the hairs on the back of her neck, and she knew she was being watched. Taking another deep breath, she heard Killian laugh.
“You have watched way too many horror movies, Leah. I’ll take the lead, and that way, you’ll know there’s nothing to worry about.”
Yeah, that wasn’t going to make her happier. She didn’t argue with him, but followed closely behind.
It wasn’t long before the water was up to their waist. “As you were saying?” she asked, “about it not being deep?”
Killian didn’t get a chance to respond as he quickly disappeared beneath the surface, and she panicked.
“Killian!” she screamed his name, cringing as she did. If there were mermaids or sirens in the river, they were fucking awake now.
He broke the surface and chuckled. “Okay, my bad, I fell off the ledge. It’s pretty deep, we’ll have to swim.”
“None of this is funny. Why are you laughing?” she asked.
“Come on.” He held out his hand for her to take. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I promised your parents and your coven.”
She took his hand, and they locked their fingers together. Leah hated how her heart raced. They started to move across the river.
“Just how deep do you think it is?” Killian asked.
“Deep.”
She cringed as she was sure she felt someone drag a single finger across her stomach.
“Killian?” she asked.
“Yeah. Something’s in the water.”
“We are.”
She screamed as she was pretty sure someone grabbed her ankle.
“Leah, stop panicking, you’re fine.”
She was about to respond, to tell him to take this seriously, but she didn’t get the chance as she felt herself dragged under. Her scream was swallowed up by the water. She closed her eyes, trying to think about what Lucinda had told her.
Mermaids and sirens had been banished because they broke the sea code. They are not allowed to take human life. If a human dies under their care, they are responsible.
She was a human. They were killers.
She kept her eyes closed and drew upon the elements around her. She still couldn’t breathe, but in putting out the call, she knew something else would listen.
Something grabbed her wrists, and she opened her eyes to see Killian had followed her down.
The hiss behind her told her the mermaid or siren wasn’t happy. Past his shoulder, she saw another one coming toward him. There was more than fucking one. Seriously. She didn’t have time to wait for one of their own to come to their aid.
Instinct took over, and she drew the energy within her palm, a swirling water tornado, and launched it past Killian’s shoulder, blasting the sea creature with the bolt. Next, she took care of the one at her ankle. They were surrounded. She kept doing this, but it didn’t take them out for long.
Leah knew she was fast running out of air. She was growing weaker. And then, she heard it—the magic sound of a true siren.
She didn’t see what they did, but suddenly she and Killian were no longer in the water, but on the opposite side of the river, where their destination was meant to be.
Leah gasped for breath, taking big lungfuls into her mouth, sinking it right down to her chest. She was so thankful.
Killian wrapped his arms around her, and Leah opened her eyes, turning toward the river, where a single siren was perched on the edge. She had gems outlining her eyes, and a smile on her lips.
“Hello, Leah,” she said.
“Rachel.” She breathed out a sigh of relief.
The siren chuckled.
“You took your time.” Leah sat up and pushed her hair off her face.
“For that, I am sorry,” Rachel said. “I was surprised to hear your call.”
“Sirens and mermaids, living together in one river?” Leah asked.
“Yes, it is unusual, but they must be hunting together. Next time find a safer way to journey. I have told you many times, rivers and lakes are no place for humans, or little witches.” Rachel winked at her and then disappeared.
“What was that?” Killian asked.
“That was a siren. Her name is Rachel.”
“And you’re on first-name terms with a siren now?” he asked.
“I’ve known her for years. Rachel and I kind of met when we were kids. The coven had to do work with the sirens and mermaids several times. We trade magic for obscure gifts from the ocean that they can locate. Rachel was a young siren, and we hit it off. We see each other from time to time, but to hang out, I have to go to the beach or take a boat out to the ocean. She was the one that warned me about the banished sirens and mermaids, and where to locate them.”
“How did she know to come?” Killian asked.
“When we were kids, she told me how to use the signal under the ocean, to send out a locator distress call. That’s what I did, and she responded.” She breathed out a sigh of relief. “Can we go now? The mermaids and sirens are still in that water, and, well, I don’t want to run the risk of them figuring out how to walk on land.”
“They can do that?”
“Not yet, but I won’t put anything past them. They’re murderers. It’s how they became banished.”
“You are a surprise, Leah.”
She winked at him. “I’m full of many different surprises.” She was exhausted.
Getting to her feet, Killian grabbed her hand, and they left the river, keeping it far behind. Leah couldn’t help but look backward and as she did, she saw the head of either the siren or the mermaid bobbing in the water.
Fucking freaky.
****
The forest floor was not the ideal place to make camp, but it was already dark and cold. They’d been walking for the past two days, and he’d hoped to find a human hotel or even a rundown cabin. Something that could have provided them shelter. Instead, he only had his body heat and some food scraps to keep them fed. He pulled Leah into his sleeping bag, placing hers over the two of them. She shivered a lot.
“I’ve got you,” he said.
“It’s so cold.” She rolled her eyes. “I know, I know. You don’t feel it,” she groaned.
“I’m fine.”
“I’m not going to leave.”
“You better not,” she groaned. “I’m so cold.”
He chuckled.
“Why is this funny?”
“Because I’m hot.” He winked at her.
“That was a bad joke. A very bad joke.”
He chuckled again. He couldn’t help it. “So, tell me more about what you did growing up. Did you work with your coven?”
He heard Leah sigh. “My parents didn’t like it, but to be part of the coven, you have to accept the work. They wanted me to grow up, to have a normal life, but that wasn’t going to happen without all the trouble my pesky magic caused.”
“Did you want a normal life?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I have nothing to compare my life to.” She shrugged her shoulders.
“I’m pretty sure normal doesn’t involve becoming friends with sirens.”
“And mermaids. I have a couple of those as well.”
He smiled.
“Tell me about your life as a kid,” she said. “I’ll try to see if my life was so different.”
“My life wasn’t exactly normal as I had to train to take over as an alpha. My father knew his time was ending, and he didn’t want to spend all of it away from my mother.”
“Where are your parents?”
“They’re part of the elders now.”
“They passed?”
“Yes, they did. It was their time, and they had been around for a couple of hundred years, so they were ready to cross over.” That was what they did in his world. They aged slowly and had the ability to live forever, but some, like his parents, full of wisdom, chose the path to offer guidance to the young.
“Do you miss them?”
“I do.” They didn’t agree with what he was doing. They believed he was making a rash decision based on one interpretation of a prophecy.
“What did you do?” Leah asked. “Your life. Your childhood?”
“I lived within my pack. We had a school, so I went there. We don’t turn until we reach eighteen, so our lives are standard. I did usual kid things—climbing trees, going on adventures in the woods, that kind of thing. When my dad needed me to concentrate on my alpha training, I did that. I was always under some kind of test.”
“That sounds nice. I was always having to focus, to control. My emotions, when heightened, seem to affect the weather.”
“Yeah, I wanted to ask you about that. Why didn’t it affect the weather when I … brought you to orgasm?”
Leah chuckled. “It only ever happens during anger or sadness for me. My joy doesn’t bring the sunshine or anything. I mean, it might, but maybe I control it. I don’t know. My coven believe my powers are connected to the elements, which is why it’s easier for me to call upon Mother Nature.”
“Have you ever been tempted to call on bad magic?” he asked.
“No. I’m aware it is easier, but even as a kid, I don’t think I liked to do things easily. No, I liked stuff that challenged me, that made me work.” She giggled.
“So, besides sirens and mermaids, what else have you met?” he asked.
“I’ve met many wolves, other witches, warlocks, necromancers, vampires, bears, most things.”
“Any that have scared you?”
“Some of them. Has anything scared you?” she asked.
“Not a lot scares me, but my biggest fear is fucking up my pack beyond recognition. My father did everything he could to keep everyone safe, to provide a safe place, and I don’t want to mess that up.”
“And that’s why you’ve come on this quest?”
“Yes,” he spoke softly. She didn’t know what he planned to do.
“My coven and parents told me it was important. I suggested Lucinda go with you, but they insisted I was the one that needed to come on this mission. I’m starting to see why.”
“You are?”
“Yes. All my life I’ve had the coven watching my back. They’ve been like a security blanket. I know my life is under constant threat, but I feel they’re showing a great deal of trust.”
She smiled and he hated himself right now. The coven were not doing any such thing. He had no doubt they were still there, lurking in the shadows, ready to spring out and help her if needed. The coven adored her.
Leah yawned. Ever since the river with the sirens, he’d noticed she’d been tired. He didn’t have enough food to feed her. Tomorrow, that would change.
“I’m so tired.”
“Go to sleep,” he said. He pressed a kiss to her forehead.
She smiled. “That’s nice, Killian. I think you would have made an amazing mate.”
Leah fell asleep and he watched her, unable to take his gaze away from her.
“At any time, you can stop this,” Lucinda said, appearing behind Leah’s shoulder.
“For fuck’s sake, Lucinda. Are you, like, watching?”
“No, I have other things to do, but we all feel Leah’s energy. She’s growing weaker … why?”
“Did you not see the siren’s attack?” he asked.
Lucinda’s eyes went wide.
“No. Tell me.”
He told her everything. All the details he had, which wasn’t a lot, but he hoped it was enough.
She started to shake her head. “Two days ago?”
“Yeah, I figured tomorrow I’ll find someplace and feed her. She’ll get her energy back.”
“No,” Lucinda said. “That kind of stuff works for wolves. Leah doesn’t survive on food, Killian. She doesn’t work that way. Something is wrong.”
“She’s perfectly fine.”
Lucinda approached and she looked down at Leah. “She is too pale.”
Before he could stop her, Lucinda had already drawn back the covers.
“Damn it, Lucinda. She feels the cold.”
“I know she does, but that’s not what is making her weak.” Lucinda pressed out her palm, and he watched a bolt of light hit Leah’s face.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he asked, angry now.
“I don’t want Leah to wake up or to know that I’m here.”
“Ah, you want her to believe the coven has faith in her ability to take care of herself?”
“This is none of your business, wolf!”
“Wolf. I’m wolf now.”
“Do you want me to tell her what mission you seek?” she asked. “The cost it is going to take?”
“Yeah, let’s get into that. I must mate with her. You didn’t tell me that was going to be the greater cost.”
Lucinda glared at him. “I warned you that at the end of it, there was going to come a great sacrifice. Your loneliness. I told you the journey you seek would not come without a greater cost. I warned you as best I could, and I did my part. Every quest like this comes with more cost. You know this, Killian. You’re not stupid, even if your actions are stupid.” She put her hands on Leah’s face, then down her body. “Nothing. Nothing.”
“Because there is nothing.”
She stood up, pressed her palms out flat, and began to shoot light over Leah’s body.
“Damn it, witch, you fucking stop!” He was about to hurt Lucinda when he stopped and saw it. A black swirl danced around Leah’s ankle.
“You fucking bitch,” Lucinda said.
Shoving up Leah’s jeans, Lucinda removed her sneaker and sock, and on the outside, it looked normal. Lucinda ran her hand across the ankle, and that was when he saw the single black nail embedded in her flesh.
“What the fuck is that?” he asked.
“The siren is attempting to kill her. It’s rare for this to happen. Most sirens are good and only seek to protect humans, but this is her trying to kill Leah.” Lucinda gritted her teeth. “I need to wake Leah up. This is not going to be pretty. That nail is sunk in deep, attempting to poison her.”
“I had no idea.”
“Killian, you’ve got to hold her. This is going to hurt.”
He nodded, wrapping his arms around Leah.
“Are you ready?” Lucinda asked.
“Yes.”
She waved her hand and within seconds Leah was awake.
“What is going…” She stopped talking and began to scream.
Lucinda had exposed the area.
“You’ve got a siren’s nail in your flesh, Leah. It is why you’re feeling weak. I’ve got to get it out, otherwise you’re going to die.”
“That bitch,” Leah said.
“I’m going to start.”
Leah whimpered and Killian’s wolf came to the surface, growling at Lucinda.
“Get your shit together,” Lucinda said. “I’m going to have to do this, and you can’t.”
“Do it. Just get it done,” Leah said.
Killian didn’t know exactly what Lucinda was doing, but whatever it was, he had to hold Leah down, as the scream that tore through her lips filled his senses, and not in a good way. He had to fight his wolf, who wanted to take Lucinda out for hurting his mate.
Leah’s hands began to glow.
“Hold her down!” Lucinda cried out.
He had no choice but to straddle Leah’s chest, pinning her hands above her head. She writhed in agony, screaming for it to stop, for it to come to an end, and the ringing in his ears made him wonder if he would ever be able to hear again.
Chapter Six
“Are you not going to get rid of that?” Killian asked.
Leah held the ugly nail in her hands. it was long and had been embedded into her flesh, connecting with bone, and slowly killing her. She hadn’t even thought to check her body for any possible damage.
She was thankful for Lucinda.
“No. This can be used in a spell. It might come in handy one day.”
“A banished siren’s nail?”
“Yep. Trust me. A witch can use a whole lot of ingredients to come up with spells and incantations. We’re always learning.”
She wrapped the nail in some bandage and slid it into her bag.
“You’re looking sad, sweetheart,” he said.
Leah smiled. “Sweetheart.”
He rolled his eyes. “It’s a term of endearment, and I thought you and I had this agreement to give this mating thing a go while we’re on our quest.”
“True.” She sighed.
“So tell me what’s troubling you,” he said.
“It’s Lucinda.”
“What about her?”
“She was here, watching over me. The coven doesn’t trust me at all. I don’t understand why they forced me to come along when they don’t think I’m capable of doing this.”
“I called her,” Killian said. “Lucinda and I go way back. She’s pissed at me over what I did to you, but we’re goodish friends. She listened to my call.”
“Why did you call her?”
