The Early Girl Catches (Gets) the Blood Wolf

The Early Girl Catches the Blood Wolf/Michele Bardsley

The Early Girl Catches the Blood Wolf A Broken Heart Story

By Michele Bardsley

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The Early Girl Catches the Blood Wolf/Michele Bardsley

“No! Not now,” I ranted as the battered CRX coughed, sputtered, and died. I coasted onto the gravel shoulder of the two-lane road, braking to a smoldering stop. In the twilight and through belching smoke, I read the big, official sign that said: ROAD ENDS 3 MILES. “So, this is where it all ends,” I muttered. “Good to know.” I shoved open the door and heaved my tired butt out of the tiny car. I was exhausted. I couldn’t think about what to do next. There was nothing and no one nearby. And that suited me just fine. It meant less chance of getting tracked. Of getting caught. And, in hindsight, less chance of gas stations, roadside assistance, and diners. My stomach growled; a reminder that my last meal had been a granola bar and tepid bottled water. For breakfast. It was late August. Voluminous gray clouds rippled across the purple sky, threatening one helluva storm. A breeze brought with it the scents of honeysuckle and

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road dust, but it wasn’t strong enough to alleviate the humidity. My clothes stuck to my skin and every breath felt like inhaling water. I leaned against the car and stared at an endless field, not a tree or a cow in sight. Yep. Oklahoma sure seemed filled with a whole lot of nothing. “Can I help you?” The French-accented male voice startled me. I took a moment to gather my composure. Someone out to do me harm wouldn’t necessarily waltz up and announce himself. Stupid, Meckenzie. Really stupid. I was an easy take-down lolling here so I could throw myself a pity party. Slowly, warily, I squared my jaw and turned. I scowled at a very tall, very buff, very gorgeous man with moonlight hair and unnaturally gold eyes. He was so pale—I swear that his skin was made from paper. He wore a jeweled blue dress shirt tucked into black pants. His shoes were also black—Giorgio Brutini dress boots, if I wasn’t mistaken. Hmm. No bike and no car. Where had he come from? And how had he snuck up on me? He stared at me. And I stared back. Shoot. I was stubborn, but I was also practical. My car was kaput. I was starved and weary. He was the only help for miles. And if he was a serial killer … well, hell … I’d faced worse. I looked at him. Something about him was—off. I couldn’t pin down exactly what. Finally, he said, “I’m Ren Marchand.” “I’m Meckenzie,” I said. “Meckenzie…?”

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“Yeah.” I ignored his hint for a last name. “You’re one of the few people I’ve met who pronounce it right.” “It’s Gaelic,” he said. “Mec instead of Mac, right? It means ‘daughter of a wise leader.’” “That’s right. My mother had a sense of humor.” He waited, presumably for me to clarify that statement, but I didn’t. The silence went on, as if he had the patience of the ages. Maybe he did. Once again, I gauged his muscled build and warrior gaze and designer. Patient, sure. And predatory. I knew that attitude well enough. “I’d appreciate a lift into town,” I said. “I can arrange a ride for you to Tulsa.” He nodded toward the car. “I will make sure it is repaired and returned to you.” Yeah, right. It wasn’t my car, so it didn’t matter if it was repaired and returned to me. I had planned to abandon it, anyway. “Look, dude, I’m tired and I’m hungry. The entire state of Oklahoma is under construction, especially the roads. I bet there’s a Motel 6 nearby, right? And a Denny’s. Every town has a Denny’s.” He offered no response. Instead he withdrew a silver phone from a holder clipped to a belt loop, flipped it open, and punched in a number. “It’s Ren.” He walked away and carried on the conversation out of my earshot. Well, he could make all the plans he wanted. I’d started down this road, figuratively and literally—and there was no going back.

The Early Girl Catches the Blood Wolf/Michele Bardsley

“Your ride is on the way,” said Ren in a low voice. That flutter of French in his voice was damned sexy. He stepped close to me, his gaze curious, but wary. Wow. He was, to coin the phrase of an annoyingly perky TV chef, yumm-O. His gaze meandered along my low-cut top, a pink, ivory-lace-edged Wheels & Doll Baby. Its bejeweled velvet ribbon drew attention to the wearer’s cleavage, which I had plenty of thanks to genetics and a push-up bra. Ever hear that saying, “dress for success”? Well, I dressed to distress … and to distract. His stare dipped from my Double D’s to the tattered jean shorts I wore. Then he explored my bared legs all the way to my pink-polished toes. I wiggled the digits and said, “I hate to wear shoes.” Ren’s head snapped up and for an instant, my heart stopped. Lust beat like a raven’s wing in his gaze, the heat of it so intense I nearly turned to ash. Instead of reaching for that divine misery, I cocked a hip and glared at him. “You ever heard of personal space?” He moved back, his expression far from apologetic, and crossed his arms. “You are not scared of me.” “No.” I poked my chin out. “Perhaps, Meckenzie,” he whispered in voice designed to melt steel—or a girl’s insides, “you should be scared.” “I know what fear is,” I told him. “And honey, you ain’t it.”

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One corner of his mouth lifted. That hint of a smile wedged lust into my core. I knew the power of lust. It glittered like fool’s gold, offering so much and delivering so little. My entire being went cold, and my hair stood on end. Shit. Not now. Not here. Ren seemed to sense the sudden change in atmosphere, too. He straightened, his gaze tracking the surrounding area. I resisted the urge to move closer to him. No matter how bad-ass he was, he couldn’t protect me from Ena. The chill weaving along my skin turned to ice needles, sharp and gelid. I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered. Panic skittered in my belly. “What’s wrong?” Ren asked. His hands wrapped around my shoulders and he hissed. “You’re freezing! Your lips are blue.” “H-happens every time,” I managed. My teeth chattered uncontrollably. I felt as if every drop of warmth had seeped out of me. My heart strummed a harsh beat. “We nneed to go.” Ena’s minions had found me. They were close, too. “Il y a quelque chose qui cloche,” he said in a low, worried voice. He looked at me. “What are those things?” “You see them?” I asked. He nodded. We stared at the undulating black shapes a few feet away. Wrapping an arm around me, he held me close. I knew with a sudden, crazy certainty that Ren would protect me. He didn’t owe me squat, but here he was, putting his safety before

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mine. Such a terrible kindness he offered—and the burden of it made tears crowd my eyes. The shadows hissed and scuttled backward, but were not sufficiently cowed by Ren’s presence to dissipate. I shuddered and quaked, my skin tinted gray from the freezing cold that always accompanied the evil bastards. Then, the cold fell away like a discarded coat, and with it, the last of my energy. I sank to my knees, swaying … then crumpled onto my side. “Meckenzie!” I tried to raise my head, but it ached too fiercely. I moaned, unable to even lift my arms. My vision grayed. Ren’s face drew close, alarm flaring in his gold eyes. “Crap,” I managed. Then darkness claimed me. # “She’s pretty,” said a woman’s voice tinted with a French accent. “Yes,” agreed Ren. “And she is also trouble.” The woman laughed. “Maybe you need some trouble, brother. You are becoming too much like Damian.” “I still have a sense of humor,” he said, obviously offended. I debated about pretending I was still asleep. Meh. I wasn’t one to hide—if I had been, I might not have gotten onto Ena’s bad side—not that she had a good side. Gee, if I

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had time for personal growth issues, I might add “learn to stay put and shut up” on my list of behaviors to modify. “Hi,” I croaked as I opened my eyes. “Welcome back,” soothed the woman. “I’m Anise.” Dressed in a white pant suit, Anise looked like a nymph who’d stolen clothes so she could cavort as a mortal. Pale as moonlight, her skin seem carved from flawless white marble. Her waist-length hair was the color of new lace. Her gold eyes made her seem otherworldly. Like her twin. “How are you feeling?” asked Ren. I turned my head to look at him. The sizzling connection between us held firm. Oh, lawd. Lust was a terrible, beautiful thing. “Freaking great,” I muttered. Pain throbbed in my temples and my mouth felt filled with sand. “May I have some water?” Anise left, presumably to fulfill my request. I looked around the room. It was tiny, white, and smelled like antiseptic. I’d been tucked into a twin-sized hospital bed; the metal railing had been left down. “It’s a mobile medical facility,” said Ren. “It was closer than the hospital.” “Oh.” Anise returned with a plastic cup filled with water. Her gaze skated over Ren and she turned a knowing glance to me. Oh, no, sister. I was not in the market for a man. But sex … now that was something else altogether.

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I slowly sat up and took the cup she offered. “Thank you.” I gulped down half the liquid. “Did someone run me over with wheat thresher?” “You don’t look worse for wear,” she said, smiling. “But I’m sure you feel like shit.” Her gaze filled with concern. “Why were the shadows after you?” “You saw them, too?” She nodded. I considered lying. But it wasn’t fair to reward their help with anything less than the truth. Well, the truth Meckenzie-style. Besides, my time was almost up. I put the cup onto the little metal table next to the bed. “I pissed off a very powerful witch named Ena.” Ren and Anise shared a look, and then both pinned their gazes on me. “What did you do?” asked Ren. “I stole something from her,” I said baldly. “In my defense, it was a paid gig. I went in, did my thing, delivered the item to the buyer, and picked up my cash. Next thing I know, I’m being slammed against an alley wall by creepy shadows, and Ena’s in my face giving me the do-this-or-die speech.” I huffed out a sigh. “Seven days to track down and get back what I took, or she ends me. It’s day six, if you’re interested.” “If she’s such a powerful witch,” said Anise, “then why can’t she find the…” She trailed off and blinked at me. “You know about witches? Real witches?” “My mother was a friend to parakind,” I said. “So, yeah, I know all about you guys.” I paused. “Except you two are weird. Vampires, or not?” “Loup de sang,” said Anise.

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“Blood wolf,” Ren translated. “Wow. That’s … er, new.” It wasn’t like I kept track of the supernatural. I was usually too busy watching out for my own ass. I’m not saying I got into trouble a lot, but my two best friends were a bail bondsman named Leo and Kathryn, an FBI agent. Let’s just say we keep each other in business, okay? I was feeling somewhat better. The pain in my head had receded and my body didn’t feel so clammy. “You don’t seem too broken up about my profession.” “In this town?” asked Anise. She laughed. “You are almost boring.” “Well, no need to insult me,” I said, grinning. I hesitated. Oh, hell. The jig was up. I couldn’t pretend I didn’t know where I was, or that I’d had every intention of getting here. “Actually, I was coming to Broken Heart to look up an old friend of my mother’s.” Anise smiled carefully, and, if I wasn’t mistaken, her gaze held a wee bit of suspicion. “It’s not a coincidence you ended up near our borders?” I shrugged. “I had to do a little tracking.” It wasn’t the kind of tracking that used a computer and Google. I wasn’t sure how much to reveal. As nice as they’d been … well, I still didn’t really know them. If Mom taught me anything, it was to be open to the good and look out for the bad. Darkness lurks in the brightest of places, Meckenzie. “Who are you looking for?” asked Ren. “Her name’s Brigid.” “Your mother is a friend to Brigid?”asked Anise in a voice filled with awe.

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“Uh, yeah. Mom said Brigid owed her a solid and if I ever needed it, I could call in her marker. “ “Your mother will not collect her own debt?” Ren’s gold gaze went as cold as an Oklahoma ice storm. “She died five years ago,” I said. “So Brigid’s favor belongs to me now.” Ren’s lips tightened into a thin line. Well, so much for the possibility of doing the mattress mambo. French guy had the kind of morals I found irksome. “What did you steal from the witch?” he asked. “A gem the size of a coconut. Ruby, I think, except it had all this gold marbling. It wasn’t as heavy as I thought it would be. Well-guarded, too—with dudes and tech.” “How’d you get it?” His gaze latched onto mine, and I felt my stomach dip. Why’d he have to be so gorgeous? It’d be easier to ignore all the judgment in his tone. “Trade secret,” I offered with a winning smile. “I’m the best thief in the business.” “But not the smartest one.” He raked me with a look I couldn’t quite figure out then he nodded to Anise and … left. I blinked at the door he closed, and turned my gaze to Anise. “He’s a fun guy,” I said, my ego unaccountably wounded by his dismissal. I swung my feet off the bed, stood, and wobbled. Anise grabbed my shoulder and steadied me. “Thanks.” “You tracked down Brigid to Broken Heart. How?”

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I met her hard stare and sighed. What was the point of keeping all my secrets? What could they do that would hurt or frighten me? “I scried her location.” “Scried?” Anise’s expression reflected skepticism and astonishment. “You are human, are you not?” “It’s scrying,” I said, “not rocket science. Anyone who knows how to use a wooden bowl, water, and the right location crystal can do it.” Along with teaching me how to be an awesome thief, my mother had also showed me a few supernatural skills. Yeah, I was human, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t use magical tools. Ren re-entered the room, and his expression was thunderous. Anise took one look at his face, and then said, “I must go. Good-bye, Meckenzie.” It sounded kinda formal and permanent, and that did not bode well. I wiggled my fingers bye-bye at her. “I am to escort you to the compound,” said Ren. “Queen Patricia wishes to speak with you.” Poor baby. As if I’d go anywhere with him so he could lock me up, or whatever the plan was. Oh, c’mon. I doubted the queen wanted a convo with me. “What is this thing we have?” I asked. I put a hand on his arm, felt energy arc between us. He looked at me, and I knew he’d felt it, too. “It is nothing.” “Wow. Figured you for a lot of things, Ren,” I said, shaking my head and tsking. “But never for a liar.”

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He went utterly still. Men. You could always hit their egos squarely if you questioned their honor, especially men like him. He looked at me and saw what I wanted him to: a sexpot thief with a bad attitude. He was attracted to me, and it pissed him off. He moved aside, gesturing for me to walk ahead of him. “Fine,” I said. “Whatever.” The next room was small, set-up like an office. It was empty. I saw the exit to the left. Ren’s hand grasped my elbow as I opened the door and jumped over the two extended metal steps. “Baphomet!” screeched a woman’s voice. I barely had time to register the halfcircle of white-robed figures before the first sacrificial knife entered my left shoulder. The tiny blade lodged just below my collarbone. I wrenched it out. Pain whipped through me, but I gritted my teeth against the stinging waves. “Ena,” I said, tossing the knife into the air and catching it by the handle. “You’re early.” Ena’s black gaze burned with unholy light. She touched the tiny silver daggers lining the belt around her hips, and smiled. Wow. Can you say evil bitch? Ren leapt in front of me. I leaned against the RV and tried to catch my breath. Aw, shit. Those daggers were poisoned. I pressed a hand against the wound, hissing as acidic pain jolted through me. Ena screamed and scuttled back, as did the rest of her followers. “Deamhan fola! The devil’s own! You have aligned yourself with hell’s minions, Meckenzie.”

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“Oh fuck you,” I muttered. I wanted to toss the dagger right into her throat. The Gaelic words meant ‘blood demon.’ Mom told me that deamhan fola, AKA vampires, were like humans, some were bad and some were good. Never allow prejudice or ignorance to make your decisions for you, Meckenzie. The soul is what’s important. Not the form it inhabits. Enough of this crap. I tucked the dagger into the belt loop of my jean shorts. Then I took my place next to Ren, my gaze on Ena. Why hadn’t she and the others attacked? She had more weapons than those daggers. Not only could she cast nasty spells, but she was also a powerful telekenetic. If she wanted to, she could probably topple the RV right on top of us. Ren stepped behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I fit snugly against him. God, he was so muscular. To feel his strength envelop me, protect me—I wanted to crawl inside that feeling and stay there. I had known love, but never safety. And Ren made me feel safe. “Hold on,” he whispered, his lips grazing my earlobe. My stomach jolted at the light, sexy touch. I grabbed his arms tightly, not sure what to expect, but I was all in. We shot up into the sky, higher and higher and higher … until the white-robed figures looked liked scurrying albino ants. The air temperature dropped and cool wind rushed through us, ruffling hair and chilling skin. Flying. We’re flying. I clutched Ren’s arms. I had seen—and done—some really weird shit in my life. But shooting along the star-strewn sky in the arms of a beautiful devil? Not even I had would’ve believed it

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possible. We slowed to stop, hovering several hundred feet above the ground. My heart climbed into my throat and pounded there, a throb of fear and of wonder. “You will not fall,” he said. “I will not let you go.” “Okay.” I swallowed the knot in my throat. “Why can you fly?” “I am part sidhe.” A fairy? I almost laughed. That would explain his ethereal beauty. And it would also explain how he’d managed to sneak up on me while I was blubbering next to the Geo. When I was a little girl, my mother had introduced me to a fairy—a beautiful woman with fiery red hair and forest-green eyes. Her name was Brigid. Below us stretched the small town of Broken Heart, Oklahoma. Nestled in a little valley surrounded by rolling green hills and pockets of dense forest, it was just a square of big and small buildings crisscrossed by streets. Other neighborhoods, with small houses and tiny lawns, dotted the outside of Broken Heart. “We gonna stay up here all day?” I crooked my neck to look up at him. His gaze glittered, but I couldn’t decipher the emotion. The left corner of his mouth quirked and revealed a dimple. “Maybe,” he said. “What about Ena?” “Others are on the way to deal with her. She should not have been able to get into Broken Heart. We have too many security measures.” Guilt stabbed me. I looked away, down at the ground, and wondered how far the drop would be. Enough to take me out? Or just enough to make me suffer?

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“Broken Heart seems nice,” I said. “I’ve never lived anywhere for long. You start liking a place, crap starts piling up. Too much to carry around.” “What I need to carry,” he said softly, “I carry in my heart.” I wanted to tell him that he was a big ol’ corn-dog and that those silly lines only worked in romantic comedies starring Sandra Bullock, but his sincerity could not be denied. And his words sounded so much like what my mother might say that I accepted them as truth. “Is Brigid far?” I asked, looking up at him once again. He tilted his head in a manner that suggested he was listening to something in the distance. Ah. Vampire telepathy. Awesome. I watched moonbeams dapple his handsome face. The lunar light shimmered in his gold eyes and I felt my heart leap at their beauty. At his beauty. He grimaced. “Ena and her followers escaped. You were right about her serious mojo.” This time, guilt fluttered on razor wings, cutting at me. His gaze drifted over my face. “You are safe, Meckenzie.” The hell I am. I turned to face the view of Broken Heart. Ren’s arms tightened around me—a warning or a comfort, I didn’t know. Then we took off, flying north. # “Thanks,” I said as I accepted the coffee from Queen Patricia Marchand. I sipped the java. Its rich, hot taste settled me, made me feel human again. Sorta. There was still the question of what kind of poison had been laced on Ena’s dagger. I didn’t think she’d

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want to kill me just yet, so my bet was that something really nasty was coursing through my veins. If I was lucky, that initial salvo of pain was all there was, but if I knew Ena, then I was no doubt in for a world of hurt. But right now, I could handle the twinges of discomfort. The queen leaned back on the couch we shared and looked at me. She was still assessing me. Was I worthy? Was I not? Questions I fought with daily. We sat in a plush living room filled with warm colors—gold, bronze, dark green, the occasional splash of red. The bottom half of the walls were paneled with burnished cherrywood while the upper portions were painted dark yellow. The fireplace was cherrywood, blending into the paneled portions of the wall. It wasn’t in use—who needed a fire in August? “This is a gorgeous room,” I said. “Those paintings … Monet?” She glanced at the paintings on either side of the fireplace. “Hell, if I know. Some hoity toity interior designer came in and decorated the hell out of this place. Except for the rooms upstairs. Those were mine. About gave the guy a heart attack, too.” She grinned. “He said my taste in furniture was vulgar, my color schemes unrefined, and my lack of vision interfered with the flow he was trying to create for the house.” “Where did you bury the body?” She chuckled, but there was a little flash of fang. “Meckenzie,” said a familiar French-tinted voice. “We retrieved your car. It’s outside.” I put the cup onto the table in front of me, then stood up and turned. The person

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talking to me was not Ren, though he looked nearly the same. “Is there some sort of cloning plant around here?” The man’s eyebrows shot up. “We are triplets. I am Gabriel Marchand. You’ve met my brother, Ren, and my sister, Anise.” “Yeah.” I squirmed for a second then gave up. “Where is Ren?” He’d airlifted me to the front door of this house, newly constructed by the look and smell of it, then took off. This time, by bursting into a bunch of gold sparkles. I admit I was impressed, a little. Mostly, it was annoying. Do you know how many museums I could hit if I had that power? Huh. Probably better I didn’t. I wasn’t exactly good at denying myself. Which brought me back to the yummy problem of what to do about Ren. As in, what to do to him. Heh. “Ren and Anise told us you stole something from Ena,” said Patsy. “Who’d you steal it for?” Gabriel rounded the couch and sat next to his wife. So, he was the lucky consort of the queen of lycans and vampires. He looked a lot like Ren, but there were subtle differences. I decided being bunched up together on the sofa with two powerful paranormal beings was a bad idea. So, I picked up my coffee and grabbed a chair to the left of the table. I sat down, pretending a casualness I sure as hell didn’t feel, and sipped the java. “I’m afraid that’s confidential.”

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“I could pluck it from your mind,” said Patsy. “Or glamour you and make you tell me.” “Sounds fun. Go ahead and try.” She stared at me for a long moment then she laughed. “You’ve got balls, I’ll give you that.” “It was a paid gig, okay? I got a shitload of money to get that jewel from Ena. I probably should’ve asked a few more questions, but I was blinded by all the dollar signs. And I’ve done harder jobs for less money. Hell, I could retire if I wanted.” “Do you?” I shrugged. I liked the game too much to stop playing. They didn’t know it yet, but I was playing an even more dangerous game right now. What was I thinking, going straight into a nest of vampires and other parakind? If they found out why I was really here … shit. I was toast. But I had no choice. Maybe if Brigid could help me, I could reverse what I’d done. Fix it somehow. I sipped and sipped because I didn’t want to talk. No, I didn’t want to lie. Memories flashed. In the forest. The camper behind us. Sitting on a worn log. Staring at the fire in the pit, enjoying the last of our dinner, laughing about old jokes. Shadows surrounding us… “Run, baby! Run!” My mother’s voice. Screaming. I took off. I was fast. Had always been fast. They broke off, chasing me, screeching. Then they dissipated, like

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smoke … then reformed to wiggle away into the forest. I circled around, returning to the camp site. I would save her. I would save my mother. They danced, their warbling metallic cries tearing at me like claws. In the middle of their wavering shapes, I saw my mother. Collapsed next to the dying fire like a tossed rag doll, her throat had been ravaged. Her glassy eyes stared at me, her mouth opened in a final scream … and her blood, bright as spilled rubies, flowing, flowing… “Meckenzie?” My mind snapped to the present. I was breathing hard, tears gathering, and my heart raced. Ren stood next to my chair staring down at me. Was that concern lurking in that golden gaze? I couldn’t deal with more guilt, more regrets. I let anger fill the hole inside me. Why did I care? Why? To care about anything or anyone was foolish. “Well, look who it is.” I put my empty mug onto the coffee table—on a coaster, of course. I’m not a complete heathen. “You find Brigid?” “No,” he said quietly. He glanced at his brother and sister-in-law. “We found out how Ena entered our borders.” I didn’t break eye contact. As vampires they no doubt heard my increased heart rate, and my slight intake of breath. Adrenaline started pumping, and I felt my hands curl into fists. “Yeah?” I asked in a bored tone. “How?”

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His expression went cold. “You let them in.” My gaze stayed on Ren. “Where’s Brigid?” His jaw clenched. “You are not denying that you allowed Ena into Broken Heart.” I had no choice. But I couldn’t say the words. Excuses, lies, justifications. My gut clenched. I hadn’t much cared about the way I was living my life after my mom died. I was in survival mode for a really long time. I wasn’t interested in forming relationships. Caring about people meant risking loss, and I was too much a coward to put my emotions on the line. Even though Ena had forcibly attached the tattoo and the accompanying spell that allowed me inside—and therefore her and her cronies inside, too—I had willingly placed myself at the town’s border. Maybe I would’ve walked away, or changed my mind … but Ena had sent the shadows, and made sure I followed through. I felt the tension emanating from Ren as well as from Patsy and Gabriel. I had the uneasy feeling that they would have me captured and secured before I took my next breath. Hurt jagged my gut. Even now, I felt connected to Ren. I liked him. I wanted him. Still, I could almost taste his fury. It surrounded me, pummeled at me. I felt unaccountably sad, like I’d ditched a primo opportunity. Oh, Ren. What does Ena want? I kept my expression neutral. Shit. Thinking Ren’s name had apparently opened a mental door and allowed him inside my head. He waited, his gaze locked on mine, and I felt my lungs slowly deflate. I don’t know. I sent the words tentatively. I’d never done the telepathy thing before. It was kinda cool. And weird.

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His nostrils flared, his lips curling just enough to remind that somewhere inside him lurked a wolf. I don’t know what she wants, I sent. But I can tell you why I did it. I am not sure that matters. The why always matters, I said, offering another wisdom gem dropped by my mother. She was smart and kind and deserved a better daughter. I was trying to be that for her, but I was failing. I was pretty good at failure. Ren and I stared at each other. He stepped close enough to be able to reach down and grab me, but he didn’t try. I heard a heavy step to my right. Ah. Gabriel preparing to wrestle me to the ground, apparently. Like Ren would need help with that. Then Patsy uttered, “Wait.” I felt her mate’s pause, his impatience. Go ahead. Tell me why. Ren’s thought was tainted with fury. I flinched inwardly, but held steady. She has my mother’s soul. She promised to release it if I got her into Broken Heart. Ren’s gaze widened in surprise, and I heard him mutter something in French under his breath. “Tell the queen,” he said. His expression hardened. “And do not lie.” I wanted to be offended, I really did, but I was in trouble because of my choices. I was running out of time and options. All I had left with the truth, and the very tiny sliver of hope that these people would help me. “Five years ago, my mother was murdered. By those fucking shadows. After they killed her, they converged on her and took her soul.

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I’ve been searching for them, for her soul, ever since. My mother was a good person; she deserves to move forward into the next life, or wherever good people go.” Not that I would ever know that place. I wasn’t exactly a good person. “You tracked down Ena,” surmised Patsy. “And took what she prized most in the hopes that she’d trade it.” I turned and gaped at her. “I read a lot of mystery novels,” she said drolly. “Yeah, only she upped the ante. She wanted the gem and access to Broken Heart.” “And is Brigid part of the deal, too?” asked Ren. “No,” I said, casting him an irritated look. “It’s why I need her. She can stop Ena and get my mother’s soul back. So, if you would just tell me where she is then we can end this whole thing, and I’ll get out of your fur.” “Har,” said Patsy. “Why didn’t you just go to Brigid in the first place? Why waste five years trying to do it on your own?” Because I was breaking the only promise I’d ever made to my mother, and it made me sick to my stomach. She told me that I shouldn’t try to find the goddess. If she ever seeks you out then it’s as it should be. But don’t go to her, baby. Don’t ever go to her. It appeared that the favor Brigid owed my mother was world-changing humongous. Not that Mom had ever told me what she’d done for the goddess. And did it matter?

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It was ego—pure, bloody stubborn ego, but I wanted to save my Mom. I want to be her champion. And when she told me about how the goddess owed her … well, I’d tucked that away as a “just in case.” Now that I was in over my head, I didn’t have a choice. “She’s not here. She’s a goddess and pretty much does whatever she wants. But I know someone who can get in touch with her, and I’ll contact him,” offered Patsy. “In the meanwhile, you’ll understand that I can’t have you wandering around Broken Heart causing any more ruckus.” “What does that mean?” “If Ren’s up for being your babysitter, then you can hang out with him.” “Or?” I asked. “Or I lock you up in our handy dandy paranormal prison until we handle the situation with your bitchy witch.” I snagged Ren’s gaze, and waited for him to make the decision. A muscle ticked in his jaw, and his gaze flashed with ire. “Prison,” he said finally. He nodded slowly, his eyes narrowed. “She definitely needs to go to prison.” # Ren held my upper arm and guided—and by guided, I mean hauled—me down a narrow hallway. He’d had the audacity to handcuff me, and even though twelve ways to get out of the cuffs had already occurred to me, I hadn’t tried. ‘Cause I’m nice. And also, Ren could totally whoop my ass. Stupid vampire strength and agility.

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We stopped in front of clear plastic door. While he opened it, I noted the floor-toceiling white interior and the single, narrow bed. On the back wall, there was a closed door that I hoped led to a bathroom because I really had to go. “Way to hold a grudge, dude,” I said, laying on the sarcasm. Deep down, my feelings were hurt by Ren’s lack of confidence in my good side. And yes, I definitely had a freaking good side. The fact he had no reason to trust me (you know, that whole lying and conniving I’d been doing) was not the point. But Ren was not a leap-of-faith kind of guy. Obviously. “You cannot be trusted,” he said. “Yeah,” I said grumpily. “I figured.” My stomach had started hurting right after he cuffed my hands, and I thought maybe it was a combination of nerves and this annoying propensity to give a damn about what Ren thought. What was wrong with me? This whole having a conscience thing was a real bummer. I turned around and wiggled my fingers at him. “You wanna remove the jewelry so I can go sit in that cell and plot your death?” “You don’t want to kill me.” “Yeah,” I said as he removed the cuffs. “I kinda do.” I walked into the cell because I’m the biggest fucking moron on the planet, and Ren shut the door. I heard an ominous snick. I slowly turned and found him watching me. “Monkey in a cage,” I said sourly.

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“It is a temporary measure.” “Sure.” I rolled my eyes. “Well, go save the—” Pain stabbed through me like a thousand hot knives. I doubled over, gasping, curling my arms around my stomach. What the hell? The agony drove me to my knees, and sweat beaded my skin, the moisture dribbling down my temples. My lungs constricted; I didn’t have the ability to scream, and I wanted to. Boy, did I want to. “Meckenzie?” I shook my head, and it felt like I had skull full of razors rattling around in there. I squeezed my eyes shut, and tried to breathe. “I will not fall for your tricks.” Good for you, I wanted to shout. I only wished this was a trick. I didn’t know what was happening, why I felt like I was dying, and then I remembered … Ena’s goddamned throwing knife. I’d been poisoned, and knowing that bitch, whatever had coated the blade was probably nasty. Shit, I probably was dying. I opened my eyes, but my vision was fuzzy, gray. I rolled onto my side, but the new position offered no relief. I curled into a ball as sweat poured off me and fear raked icy claws down my spine. I really didn’t think this was how I’d go. I couldn’t breathe. Then everything started narrowing, dimming.

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I vaguely heard the door opening, and Ren’s footsteps as he strolled toward me. Bastard. He crouched down and peered at my face. “You are not well.” No shit, I sent to his itty bitty man brain. Ena poisoned me. His eyes widened, guilt flecking that beautiful gold. I will get you help, Meckenzie. Gee, thanks. Then I passed out. # “I’m really getting tired of fainting,” I said. I sounded like I’d swallowed shards of glass followed by a fireball chaser, and my head felt stuffed with cotton, and Good freaking God, there was a voluptuous red-head smiling warmly at me, which was freaking me out. “Who the hell are you?” “You’re just as charming as they said,” she replied. “I’m the witch who saved your life. Lenette.” “Oh.” I felt a lot less cranky toward her. “Thanks. Where’s tall, blond, and clueless?” Lenette laughed. “If you’re talking about the guilt-wracked Ren, I sent him in search of a very rare herb I didn’t actually need. He was driving me crazy with all his pacing and questions.” “Really?” I perked up. “Worried, was he?” “Massively.”

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“Good.” I slowly sat up, and took the glass of water that Lenette offered. I really hated ended up comatose in strange beds. I drained the glass and put it on the nightstand next to the comfy four-poster bed. “Where am I exactly?” “The Three Sisters Bed and Breakfast Inn. Ren brought you here a few hours ago. It was touch and go there for a while. But I managed to detox the poison and heal with you some magic and herbal remedies.” “Thank you,” I said. “A lot. Being alive is better than alternative.” “Well, there’re alternatives … and alternatives,” she said. “I hear you’re looking for Brigid.” “You know where she is?” Lenette shook her head. “She pops into town every now and again, but I haven’t seen her around lately. Why do you need her?” I cut off the urge to say, “Nosy much?” because after all, the woman saved my life. I swallowed the sarcasm, and said, “I need her help to get an evil witch off my tail.” “Ah, yes. Ena.” Lenette’s expression soured. “She’s been causing problems all over town.” “Totally my fault. I wasn’t trying to get anyone hurt. I thought if I could get to Brigid, she could get back my Mom’s soul from Ena, and it’d all be square.” “Sometimes, the sacrifice is greater than the reward,” said Lenette. Her green eyes were edge with sorrow, and I had the oddest feeling that sadness was for me.

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“Hoo-kay then,” I said. I was a little shaken by Lenette’s you’re-so-doomedMeckenzie vibe. “I’m starving. You got anything decadent and without nutritional value around here?” Lenette smiled. “Absolutely.” I shoved the covers back, and got out of bed. I had a woozy moment then the world righted, and I took a couple tentative steps. “Are you all right?” asked Lenette. “Oh, yeah. I’ve felt worse, believe me.” “You’ve dealt with being poisoned before?” “No, but I’ve done my share of tequila.” Lenette laughed. Then she held out her arm, and even though it made me a sissy la-la, I took it. We hadn’t even crossed the room when Ren appeared in the doorway, his expression zipping from worried to furious. “What are you doing?” He strode inside, shoved a paper bag at Lenette, and then scooped me into his arms. “You are not well. You cannot leave the bed until you are fully rested.” “Um, you’re not the boss of me,” I said. “Lenette promised me fat-laden treats.” The witch in question, however, abandoned me to the lycan-vampire, shutting the door behind her. The last thing I saw was a knowing grin on her pretty, traitorous face. “Put me down,” I said, even though I really didn’t want him to. I liked the feel of his arms around me, how warm and safe he felt. We were not ever going to be anything to each other, and that made me incredibly sad. I’d never been the relationship-type,

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certainly not the get-married-have-kids-live-normal-lives type. I found it disconcerting that I could imagine being with Ren as … well, my forever guy. “You will do as I say,” he said. His eyes flashed red and he bared his fangs at me. “Oh, bite me.” “Do not tempt me,” he snarled. I really wanted to poke at him, just to see how far I could push before he unleashed that tightly reigned beast of his. What can I say? I don’t like to play it safe. Still. I was feeling tired, and vulnerable, and for once, just once, I wanted to fall into the care of someone else. Even if that someone was a cranky loup de sang. “Okay,” I said. “I’ll rest.” Ren peered at me a moment longer, as though he couldn’t process that I wasn’t going to fight with him. Then he relaxed a smidge. “I’m sorry I thought you were faking,” he said, his gaze filled with regret. “Don’t be sorry,” I said. “That’s totally a tactic I would’ve used. Forgiven.” He allowed one corner of his mouth to curl up. “You are fascinating,” he murmured. “I know.” He lay me down gently, but before he could move his arms, I grabbed him and hauled him forward. Surprise was on my side, and he fell on top of me with a startled umph. “What are you doing?” he asked. He made no move to leave. Instead he adjusted himself so that he wasn’t squishing me so much. “What do you want?”

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“You,” I said, cupping his face. I could see all the doubts he had about me, about what was unfolding between us. I didn’t want to see that distrust, and know that I deserved it and worse. “Kiss me,” I said softly. “Just take a chance, Ren. And kiss me.” Desire flared in that golden gaze, burning away all those other pesky emotions. He looked at me, just looked, and that sensual appraisal started a trembling in my belly. He leaned down, a teeny tiny bit, and parted his lips. My heartbeat tripled, and the air in my lungs evaporated. Then that bitch Ena blew up the damned room. Ren covered me and protected me from the debris of the mangled wall. Dust thickened the air, and the sounds of falling boards and bricks echoed in the silence. “Are you o—“ Ren was yanked off me, and thrown against the door, which was amazingly intact. He jumped to his feet, growling, and made a leap for the nearest cowlcovered witch. A rope of black electric magic pushed against his middle like a giant fist, and pinned him against the door. His gaze sought mine, and he yelled, “Meckenzie!” Then his voice was cut off. I watched his neck muscles strain as he fought against the magic. My heart dove to my toes, and panic did the cha-cha up my spine. I rolled up onto my elbows, but before I could even think about getting off the bed and trying to kick some butt, Ena’s face appeared above mine. I shrank down. Her eyes narrowed with rage. “You’re a pain in the ass, Meckenzie.” She punched me, hard, and I felt blinding pain, and then boom, I was out. Again. Damn it.

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# “Did you forget our bargain?” “I fulfilled my end,” I wheezed. I ended my comment with a coughing fit. Inhaling blown-up wall bits was not good for the ol’ vocal chords. I was still feeling groggy, but I was aware enough to know I was laying on my back—in my bra and underwear, thank you—chained to some kind of really uncomfortable rock. “What did you do to Ren?” “He is not your concern.” “The hell he’s not.” “I want my dragon’s egg!” she screamed. Dragon’s egg? I had no idea if the big-assed jewel I’d taken was just called “dragon’s egg” or if it was literally the egg of a dragon. I had never thought about how dragons procreated before. “I sold it to the buyer,” I said. “You’re not getting it back.” “It’s here,” she insisted. “And you must get it for me.” “Um … no.” Well, at least I knew Ena’s motivation for wanting to get into Broken Heart. How had she tracked down the buyer? Oh, why was I surprised? She was scarily powerful. Whatever that dragon’s egg meant to her—and no doubt it was necessary for some evil plot she’d hatched (hah … egg … hatched … what? I get silly when under pressure, aw right?) “Your mother’s soul hangs in the balance, Meckenzie.” She grabbed me by the throat and jerked me upright. Her fingers squeezed hard, her sharp nails digging into my

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flesh. “If you fail me again, I will send dear, darling mommy into the world-betweenworlds. She will never be free.” Chills darted down my back, and lodged like arrows in my guts. I was sick of Ena and her threats, and I was worried about more than my own ass this time. “Tell me where Ren is, and I’ll get your goddamned egg.” Ena paused in her frenetic pacing, her dark gaze on my face. Her lips curled into a sneer. “Bring me the abomination.” Given my current position, which was securely pinned to a freaking pokey, scratchy, stupid rock, I couldn’t move my head too well. I needn’t have worried. Ren was shoved next to Ena. His face was bloodied, and he was so constricted with magic, it looked like he was wearing a black Snuggie. Not even his considerable powers could break the dark sorcery of Ena and her hag crew. What chance did I have? And PS: No idea where the freaking egg was. “You have two hours to bring me the dragon’s egg,” said Ena. “Or you will forfeit your mother’s soul—and Ren Marchand’s life.” Double whammy. I tried to hide my fear. Mom’s soul being on the line, that I was used to, but being responsible for the life of a dude I hadn’t even kissed yet? Holy crap. I swallowed the knot clogging my throat, and affected a bored tone. “I take it you know its location?” “The dragon elders hid it here,” said Ena. “I’ve narrowed down the quadrant. You’ll have to pinpoint its exact location and take it.”

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“If that’s all info you can give me, I’ll need more than two hours.” Soooo, dragon elders had hired me to steal the egg from Ena? What up with that? And anyway, the hell if I was gonna steal it back for the Ena the Evil Haginator. All I needed her to do was to unchain me. If I could get free, and claw her eyes out, then maybe the magic around Ren would weaken enough for him to escape. Maybe. The other witches didn’t seem to be as magically strong as Ena; it was possible they needed her to funnel their own magic. It was a helluva risk. I wanted nothing more than to free Mom’s soul. She deserved peace. But she would not be happy if she knew that I had sacrificed a living creature to free her. The dead are no longer concerned with earthly matters. Life is for the living, Meckenzie, so live well. “Two. Hours. If you cannot do it in that amount of time, it matters not. Your mother’s soul and Ren’s life will be forfeit. And so will yours.” “Yeah, yeah,” I said. “I get it already. Get me out of this ugly jewelry so I can go get your precious.” So, Ena was on some kind of time frame, something to do with that egg, and I could imagine that whatever she had planned, it fell under the label, “Sucktastic Situation.” Ena snapped her fingers and the chains fell away. I rolled up to a sitting position and rubbed the back of my neck. “You’re wasting time,” spat Ena.

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“You’re right,” I said. I shot out my legs and kicked her hard in the stomach. She flew backward, screeching. The other witches were so stunned by seeing their leader fall down, they just stood around and stared at her. I knew I only had seconds. So, I jumped off the stone, ran, and leapt on top of Ena. My knees pressed against her chest—wow, she had no boobs. Maybe giving her an A-cup was somehow karma’s way of compensating for her tiny, blackened heart. Her cowl fell back, revealing her pale face and wheat blonde hair. It was so not fair she didn’t even have any warts or scars. But no, she was all beautiful and shit. Well, until she went all crazy with the snarling and spitting and eye-narrowing—then she was one ugly bitch. I punched her in the face. Her head snapped back, and she yowled. So, I did it again. I couldn’t check to see if Ren had gotten free. I knew my window of getting the best of Ena was closing fast. Especially as the others had unglued their feet from the cave’s floor and rushed in toward us. I grabbed her hair and tried to bang her skull against the ground. “Enough!” cried Ena. I was airborne before I’d realized quite what had happened. Ena was screaming in outraged pain … um, probably because I two handfuls of blonde hair that I’d ripped out as I was tossed off her. I landed hard on my side, and groaned as pain jolted up my spine and down my legs. Ouchfuckingouch! I scrambled to my feet. Okay, I really sorta listed to my feet and wobbled around to face several very pissed-off witches.

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And found that my plan had worked. Ren was free. And he was kicking some major ass. He was a blaze of sound and motion and fury. Several of the lesser hags-inwaiting were crumbled on the ground, and now there were only three. Unfortunately, one of ‘em was Ena, and she was a tad upset. Yeah, possibly because she might need some Rogaine now that she was thinned out on both sides of her head. I wasn’t sure want to do. I didn’t want to mess up Ren’s fighting mojo, which was scary-awesome, but I was worried about him. Ena could literally cook up some nasty shit, and I didn’t want him to suffer any consequences that should be mine. I started toward them with no real plan about how help, but I had determination out the wazoo. I’d gotten within a few feet of the three-on-one melee, when I saw Ena reach for something under her robe. She drew out a long, thin curved blade. I stopped moving and gaped. Where the hell had she hidden that thing? It gleamed in the light of the flame torches on the cave walls—and wow, did I mention what a bad-guy-hideout cliché we’d ended up in? A torchlit cave? Really? Ena had no imagination. Except when it came to pain and torture. I noticed that Ren edged further back, his gaze on the sword. “That’s right,” she practically cooed. “Pure silver. I will take your head, blood wolf.” She swung it, but Ren easily dodged the blade and went low, trying to sweep out her legs. She leapt backward and her cronies moved forward, magic expelling from their upraised palms.

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Ropes of black glittering magic spewed forth and went at Ren like snakes. He pulled back, attempting to move out of reach of the magic while also staying out of the range of Ena’s sword. Then the magic grabbed hold of him; tendrils wrapped around his wrists and dragged him forward. Then more of ‘em grabbed his ankles and his legs. He was forced to his knees—and then his head was stretched back, giving Ena a primo spot to embed her sword. The. Hell. I ran at her, screaming like a crazy warrior woman. I had no weapons, no plan, and no fucking sense. But I wouldn’t let her hurt Ren. The sword swooped down, but I plowed into Ena like a linebacker taking down the other team’s quarterback. She managed to keep hold of the sword, but not her feet. We landed in a heap, fighting for the blade, but Ena was in full-on fury mode. I was having a difficult time warding off her blows. The other witches couldn’t do much given all their attention was focused on keeping Ren trapped. I could hear him growling, and the witches muttering, and then Ena was bucking me off, and rising to her feet. Literally. She floated in the air, and zoomed toward the Ren, blade raised. I have never moved so fast in my life. One of the reasons I’m a good thief is that I’m flexible, and I do a lot of gymnastics. I put on the moves, and ended up standing in front of Ren seconds before the blade swooshed toward that beautiful neck of his.

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Ena couldn’t stop the trajectory, but given the look of hatred in her gaze, I don’t think she was that sorry when the sword slashed across my ribcage. She twisted the sword and brought it up over my stomach. It felt like I’d been set on fire. Pain exploded through me. “Crap,” I muttered. I crumpled to the floor, unable to breathe. I could feel my heartbeat in my ears; it was slowing, a lullaby good-bye. I heard the most unearthly howl. I couldn’t feel my body anymore, so I didn’t know how to turn my head to view what was happening. Besides, everything was getting gray, and going really fuzzy around the edges. But I heard screams, growls, thumping, and odd crunching noises. Then there was nothing excerpt the harsh, shuddering breaths of Ren. He knelt next to me, his expression ravaged; he was also naked and spattered with blood. “Meckenzie,” he whispered. I couldn’t get words to form, but I wanted to say that I’d wished we had that kiss, and that I could see him again—with more naked, of course—and that— The world went dark. # “You were so brave, honey.” I looked up, unaware of how I’d gotten under this massive tree. I was sitting next to my mother. “Mom!” I wrapped my arms around her neck and squeezed the life outta her. Then I remembered she was dead, and if I was seeing her—oh, shit. “I’m dead?”

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“Your corporeal form, yes.” “But you’re free from the shadows and can, um … move on?” “Ena’s dead, and with her any curses she cast. So, yes. I’m free.” I figured this was the part where she told me she was going off to heaven, and me to a much warmer place, but she merely drew me in for another hug. “You will have such a good life,” she said into my hair. “You will have love, and family, and oh so many wonderful adventures.” Ren. Oh, how my heart broke. I wanted to sob. “Dead here, remember?” She laughed, then pulled back and cupped my face. “I will watch over you and yours. Always.” I didn’t remember Mom being so dense. I tried again. “You told me that life was for the living.” “Indeed.” She tweaked my nose. “So live well.” # I woke up with a throbbing headache, a cotton-dry mouth, and a body that felt like it had been dismembered and put back together wrong. This was like the hangover of all freaking hangovers. How much tequila had I imbibed? “Oh, my God,” I moaned. “Somebody kill me.” “Meckenzie!” The startled relief of the French-tinted voice had me prying open my eyes. Ren sat next to a bed, his hands covering mine. He looked like baked dog shit. Hah. He was a dog. Sorta.

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Ouch. My brain hurt. “What happened?” “You saved me,” he said. “And then Ena killed you.” Something fluttered at the back of mind. Had I gone somewhere? Visiting someone? Huh. That didn’t make any sense. Neither did being dead when I was quite obviously alive. “Is there a different definition of ‘killed’ that I’m unaware of?” “No,” he said, “but there is a different definition of ‘alive.’” He squeezed my hands. “You are undead, Meckenzie.” “Zombie?” He looked flabbergasted for a moment, then chuckled. “Vampire. You have been Turned, by the queen herself.” “So why am I not loup de sang?” “We have even less success at Turning than other vampires. Going old school, as Patsy said, meant there was less risk that you would not survive the process.” “Oh.” I nodded. “Cool.” “Really?” “Hey, I roll with the punches,” I said. “Are you okay?” “Now, that you are awake and being your usual smart-ass self, I am more than okay.” “Sweet.” I battered my eyelashes at him. “So how about that kiss?” He stood up, slid onto the bed with me, and tucked me into his embrace. “You are trouble,” he murmured.

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Then he kissed me. And let me tell you … that blood wolf really knows how to work those pouty French lips. Woof.

The End

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