Page 33 of Protecting The Gray Wolf
“You’re welcome. Don’t waste this gift.” She paused at the door. “Remember this. I may need your help someday.” It was a reminder of the payment demanded for her service. With those parting words, she was gone.
Kade brushed aside a few strands of hair that had escaped the clip. It was as damp as the rest of her. Her face was pale and drawn, like someone waking from a life-threatening fever. He rubbed the pad of his thumb over her lips and cheeks, unable to stop touching her.
She held her hand up in front of her. “It’s gone. I don’t feel it anymore.” She pressed her fingers against his cheek. “Thank you. You saved me.”
“What?”
“The gray wolf came to me. I clung to him. He took the pain and the heat.Youtook the pain and the heat.” She let her hand fall to his heart. “It’s odd, but in some way, we were linked by the tattoo. What do you think that means?”
He shook his head, caught her hand, and brought it to his lips. “I don’t know, but Onyx is right. It’s not safe here. We need to move. I’ll get us a safe place to stay. Then we’ll talk.”
Dark energy lingered in the air, like dust, or glitter. No regular housecleaning would rid the space of it. It would dissipate over time. “Stay here.” Moving fast, he grabbed their belongings. Since they hadn’t unpacked, it took mere seconds. Luna waited by the exit, leaning against the wall. Damn it, she needed food and rest. It was time he made sure she got it.
“Where’s your phone?”
She reached into her bag and rummaged around until she found it. He took it, removed the case, and popped out the battery.
“We can’t afford to be tracked.” He dumped both pieces back into her bag. Opening his senses, he listened before stepping into the hall. Bypassing the elevator, he went to the stairwell. Ignoring her objections, he lifted her into his arms and raced to the main floor.
…
Onyx waited until she was outside the hotel room before slumping against the wall. Resting her hands on her knees, she took several deep breaths.Move.Her feet were in motion before the command was more than a thought.
By now, Solange would know what had happened. Whether she knew who was responsible or not remained to be seen. It wasn’t safe. She’d been running for years and had chosen now to make her stand. The lone wolves weren’t the only ones locked into an inevitable battle with the woman and her chosen mate.
The elevator door opened when she pressed the call button. She’d used a little magic to keep it on this floor, needing every advantage she could get. Once in the lobby, she pulled the hood attached to the back of her dress over her head, using the deep folds to cover her face. The camera on the suite floor and elevator she’d been able to manipulate. There were too many hidden here for her to risk relying on magic.
Walking briskly, she headed to the subway station. Once there, she headed straight to the bathroom. When she emerged a short time later, sliding in easily with a pack of girls, she’d totally changed her appearance. With her hair stuffed inside a baseball hat, wearing jeans, a plain T-shirt, and steel-toed boots, no one would recognize her as the same person. Her bag and other clothes were stuffed into a thin pack she had slung over her shoulder.
The timing was perfect. The train slid into the station, and the doors opened. Giving one last look to make sure no one had followed her, she stepped into the car. Going to the far end, she slipped the crystal heart out of her pocket and wedged it into a crevice between the seat and the wall. She hadn’t dispelled the magic. She’d captured it.
How long would it take for Solange to realize she’d been duped?
…
The Baccarat crystal decanter hit the wall and exploded in a shower of glass and liquor. All her plans were falling apart. Solange wasn’t having it. She was too close to her goal.
“That was prime whiskey, my dear. What has your feathers ruffled?” Charles rose from behind the desk and went to her side.
She pointed at his phone. “Call your men. Get them to the Marriott.” That was their last known location. “Get another to the nearest subway station.” It would be too late, but she had to try. “The tracking spell has been removed.”
Did they think she was stupid, that she wouldn’t be able to tell that the spell had been tampered with? Or in this case, transferred, likely to an inanimate object. It was a brilliant strategy. She’d admire their ingenuity if it hadn’t fucked with her plans.
Focused on the endgame, Charles made the call. “How is that possible?”
“No way a human or wolf could remove it. My magic is strong. A mage had to have helped them, but there is no other who can compete with me.” The last was said mostly to herself.
“Yet one did.” He caught her hand in midair before it struck him. “Temper, temper. The facts speak for themselves. Some other mage has removed your spell. You said you barely touched the human. The spell wasn’t as strong as you wanted it to be.”
“Yes. You’re right.” He knew how to calm her. She’d wanted to give the gray wolf time to become attached to the human. That’d been a mistake. Now another player was involved in the game.
“We have a complication. What if this other mage is after the same thing?” She’d worked too hard, waited too long to allow someone else to grab the prize.
“Don’t fret. As you said, no other mage can match you. If they get in your way, I trust you’ll deal with them in your usual fashion.”
“Hmmm.” It broke every law for mages, but if this interloper got in her way, she’d sacrifice them, stealing their life force and their magic. A shiver, much like arousal, made her tingle. The forbidden was delicious. Maybe she’d do it anyway, a warning to all other mages to stay out of her way.
“As for the wolf and his mate, they’re still in the city. We’ll find them.”
