Gwen sat on her balcony, staring out over the Puget Sound. She drew a tight breath and hit send. Robert answered after a single ring. “Hello, Gwen. What’s up?”
“An update. Mike’s adapting quickly. He’s not all there yet, but close. I don’t want off this assignment, but I should warn you, I feel something a lot stronger than lust for Mike.”
“Where is he?”
She smiled. “Walking Sasha.”
“Who?” Robert asked in mild amusement.
“His dog. Beautiful Siberian husky pup.”
“All right. What’s the problem? Why the warning for something I’m not going to fault you for?”
Sighing, she shrugged. “I have a theory about Coltrain and what he’s after. Mike’s power is raw and mostly untapped. Preston’s right. A lot of death magic seems to use druid magic as a catalyst. I remember doing research on forbidden magic with Coltrain back at the academy. Josephine was part of our group. One particular spell involved siphoning magic from a young druid and funneling it into a corpse. It wasn’t quite reanimation—actually closer to resurrection. Coltrain thought he had a way to truly bring the dead back to life. He’s had more than two decades to research this. Hell, he may have an army of something better than zombies for all we know.”
Robert laughed. “Zombies? Really, Gwen.”
“Animated corpses, Robert. I saw him do it once. He could bring them back for a limited amount of time. Brought them back more alive than the stories we read at the academy.”
“And you never told anyone?” Robert balked.
“Shit, Robert, I’m not the only one who knows. He put the corpse to rest after his demonstration. The point is, he can bring them back. What if he can bring a person’s soul back and fuse it with the body again?”
“This isn’t good. You best stay clear of him.”
“I’m not looking to run into him again. I’m telling you this because I think Mike plays into his plans somehow. I also think Cole had his sister changed because he could enthrall a vampire much the same way they can enthrall us. He’s likely using his sister.”
“What about her?”
“She’s a vampire now, and wants Mike back. I’m not sure how far Coltrain would go to get what he wants. I wouldn’t put it past him to use his sister as a pawn.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to Preston and we’ll get some answers. Keep an eye on Mike. However, letting him roam around Seattle on his own may not be wise.”
“Yeah, you have a point. I didn’t want him to think he’s under watch though.”
“Do what you need to do. The first priority is to keep him safe. If he’s frightened about what he can do, Coltrain catching him off guard could turn disastrous. He might want to shut it all down again if he hurts someone.”
“Got it. Thank you, Robert.”
“Thanks for the update.”
* * * *
In a quiet, shady corner of Volunteer Park, Mike threw the ball and Sasha chased after it with a happy ruff. She brought it back, wagging her tail. One thing was missing. Gwen.
Now he felt stupid for not asking her to come with him. It had barely been an hour and he missed her already. Sasha jumped up to place her paws on his shoulders and dropped the ball into his waiting hand before giving him a big wet kiss.
“Good girl. Take your time bringing this throw back. I need to send a text,” he murmured, and gave his puppy a scratch behind the ear.
Mike chucked the ball as hard as he could, then sent a quick text. Miss you. I’m at the park if you’d like to meet me.
Her reply came in seconds. Which park?
Volunteer.
See you soon.
Relieved, he parked his ass on a bench while Sasha came trotting back. Her front paws landed in his lap and her tongue slathered his face. “You like Gwen?”
Another kiss.
He laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes. Which is perfect, because I do too. A lot.” Taking the ball, he tossed it again, and waited.
His skin crawled, every hair rising on end. He looked over to find Cole sitting down beside him. “Told you, Cole, I’m over Amanda.”
“I hear you’re with Gwen Fate,” he said with a sneer. “You know I broke her heart and threw her away.”
Mike let out a laugh. “No surprise there. I’ve never considered you the brightest man alive.”
“Do you know what she is? Or the fact her kind hates your kind? Then again, do you even know how special you are?”
Mike sighed, considering walking away. Something told him whatever game Cole was playing meant trouble for both Gwen and himself. Gleaning information from the asshole might help them both.
“What do you know about what I am? Or her, for that matter?”
“Then you do know?”
Refusing to give the slimy bastard any ammo, he glared back. “I’m still waiting for you to get to your point.”
Sasha sat down at Mike’s feet, her lips curled over her teeth as she snarled at Cole.
Patting Sasha’s head, Mike chuckled. “Calm down, girl. I don’t like him either.” He met Cole’s dark gaze, and asked, “What do you want?”
“Gwen can never love you. She gave her heart away once, and I crushed it. Talk to my sister. Hear her out. She’s still in love with you and wants you back. You’re much better suited to her.”
“Back to that? It’s not happening. And besides, you were the asswipe who warned me away from her four years ago.”
“At her request. I was protecting her,” he insisted.
Mike shook his head. He wasn’t buying Cole’s bullshit. “You want something more, I don’t know what.”
“Maybe you are more intelligent than I gave you credit for.” Cole stood and walked into the woods as Gwen came up the path.
Her smile was bright, as if she completely missed who was with him seconds before. That deepened his dread about Cole’s sudden interest in him and Amanda.
Standing, he closed the distance and pulled her into his arms. Most of the dread slid away, but he still felt Cole watching. Making a show of the fact he truly was done with Amanda, he gave Gwen a long languorous kiss before taking her arm, and leading her back to his place.
“What’s the matter? I thought we would stay and play.” She paused to pet Sasha, who rewarded her with a happy yip.
“It’s chilly,” he offered. It was true. Her nose and cheeks were rosy, and her breath was steaming.
Nodding her agreement, she purred, “Then let’s get warmed up.”
* * * *
Apparently it was Mike’s turn to be quiet and brooding. She had hers in the car on the way. She had parked at his place, so they walked back. He’d put her fears to rest. She hoped she could do the same for him, unless they were directly related to her.
Don’t think like that. So far, he’s accepting. Maybe it’s something else.
He let her in, dropped the ball in the basket, unhooked Sasha, then locked the door. All that without a word.
Gwen couldn’t help worrying. She’d learned that sometimes, Mike needed to figure out the right words. So she placed her backpack on the chair and took a seat on the couch, hoping he would sit next to her.
He didn’t disappoint. After going to the kitchen for a bottle of water, he came back and sat next to her. Taking her hands, he looked into her eyes. “How did you miss Cole being at the park as you walked up?”
“Fuck,” she whispered. One deep breath in, and out, slowly. “I was worrying about what Robert told me right before you texted. Said I shouldn’t have left you alone, and clearly he was right.”
He shrugged. “Cole didn’t do anything, besides try to convince me Amanda was better for me. Which is bullshit and you don’t have to worry about that.”
“Why does he want you back with Amanda so bad?”
He huffed. “No clue, but I know it’s not for her benefit. He wants something, but I can’t fathom what unless it involves some freaky tantric shit with his sister. In which case, I hope to god he forgets it.”
Gwen couldn’t help laughing. “Doubtful that’s his goal. Though I think he wants you for a spell or something. My best guess is he wants you under Amanda’s enthrallment so he can better control you both.”
“That twisted fuck would. But what does me being with Amanda have to do with anything?”
“Know much about vampires? Like how they can enthrall us?”
“No. They can?”
“Yeah, like hypnotizing. Thing is, Cole can do it to vampires. I told you he’s a necromancer. Well, he’s a powerful one.”
“That’s unsettling. I hope Amanda’s all right.”
Gwen sighed. “We’ll make sure she is.”
“Hey, I may want her safe, but I want you all to myself.”
“That’s a relief. I can handle Amanda safe, as long as I get to keep you.”
He took a brief kiss before leaning back. “Now where were we?”
“If he can control Amanda, through her, he could control you. Or so he hopes.”
Shaking his head, his brow creased. “But how? I don’t understand.”
“That’s the thing that worries me. As a druid, you’re basically immune to a vampire’s gaze, or most mind magic as it is. She’d have to drink from you and form a blood bond. In that way, she’d be able to control you.”
Shaking his head, he put his hands up. “She’s not getting her fangs in me. No way, no how.”
Gwen couldn’t help laughing before explaining, “Thing with vampires, if they drink blood from an Other, they get high. It can make them crazy. The power fucks with them.”
His eyes widened. “Is she high now?”
She shook her head. “I don’t believe so, but I can’t guarantee it. Though the fact she backed down when I pushed power at her, and she ran instead of attacking, leaves a good chance she isn’t.”
“Okay, so that’s a good thing, right?”
She nodded. “We need to find her, or let her find us, so we can take her somewhere safe. There aren’t too many options, but I can pull in some favors.”
“Thank you, Gwen.”
“You still want to go dancing?”
“I do. Maybe she’ll find us there. Please tell me you have a way to shut her up if she tries to pull any freaky voodoo hypnotizing shit with me.”
Laughing, she shook her head. “Vampires can’t do voodoo. But I promise, we can get her to safety, even if we have to restrain her. Oh, avoid looking in her eyes or letting her bite you, and you’ll be fine.”
“She’s definitely not biting me, and I should be able to manage the avoiding eye contact.” He licked his lips. “Now, if you want to bite, I won’t protest.”