“You smelled lovely when you arrived.” The low voice by her ear held a faint English accent. “But I never imagined you’d be so pretty.”
The blade pressed into her skin, not drawing blood, but implying that if the werewolf chose, she’d be destined for the grave. “I’m…”
“Going to explain yourself.” He lowered the dagger, took hold of her arm, and jerked her forward.
In a few short strides, the werewolf tossed her through the threshold of the cabin, and slammed the door behind them. He sauntered to the couch, sat down, and regarded her. “Now then, darlin’.” His olive skin was stunningly flawless, and his chocolate-colored hair was spiked tall. “Why would a pretty lass like yourself plan to attack me?”
“Don’t move.” That charm wouldn’t fool her. “Stay right where you are.”
“My mouth is the only thing moving.” His slanted amber eyes raked over her. “Would you like me to stop talking?”
“No.” She hesitated then added, “Only your mouth can move. Nothing else. Tell me what you know.”
He gave her a long look. “I’d be glad to tell you anything you’d like, love.”
His kind face and soft voice wouldn’t trick her. He was a werewolf. She was certain, which was another oddity.
After the block on her supernatural abilities had been lifted, she could identify a supernatural creature as if knowing the difference between a brunette and a redhead. “Tell me why you killed my family.”
“That’s an interesting accusation.” He cocked his head, studying her with a frown. “But I think the more important question is who are you?”
She lifted her chin. “The lass who’s going to cut off your furry wolf balls.”
…
The Guardians’ House, located on the north side of the Otherworld’s castle, was quiet tonight. Kyden strode through the wide hallway, passing the large arched windows on his right and the thick mahogany doors on his left leading to the residences of his fellow guardians.
Nearly at the bend in the hallway, a scuffle sounded at his back, followed by a loud squeak. He took a quick look behind him, discovering the Earth Witch, Haven, approaching from the Witches’ House. Behind her, his good friend and guardian, Finn, followed at a brisk walk.
“Thank goodness I found you, Kyden.” Haven gasped as she reached him. Her brown curls bounced off her shoulders, her big blue eyes were wide, and her cheeks were flushed pink. “I’ve messed up. Big time.”
When Finn joined them, he leaned against the stone wall and pursed his lips at Haven. As the thinnest guardian in the Otherworld, Finn could be underestimated. Kyden always thought that was Finn’s advantage. Enemies took him to be weak and by the time they realized they were wrong, they were dead.
Turning to Haven, Kyden noticed how she worried her bottom lip. While she was a sweet witch who had a huge heart, and she was Finn’s potential mate, her naiveté brought trouble often. “What have you done now?”
“You see…” She shifted on her feet, looking everywhere but at him. “I was with Nexi earlier tonight. We were talking about her parents’ murders and…I might have mentioned that Briggs could know something about their deaths.”
He arched an eyebrow. “And I should care about this because?”
“She got mad.” Haven’s eyes widened further. “Like, really, really mad. I didn’t think she’d do anything. But she’s left the Otherworld.”
He didn’t doubt Haven’s assessment of Nexi’s emotions. She and Haven shared a soul-sister bond, a connection only given to a pair of witches by fate, allowing them to sense each other’s strong emotions, which bound them together in a way, he, as a guardian, could never understand. He also knew that Nexi had used their bond as an advantage to get her way with Haven for the last month. “She’s left again?”
Haven nodded. “Nexi’s so tricky and gets me to tell her things.” She hesitated, then added, “Like where Briggs lives.”
Amusement stole his irritation. “Are you suggesting that Nexi has gone to kill Briggs?”
She bit her lip. “I think so.”
“Go home, Haven.” He chuckled, patting her shoulder. “I’ll go get her.”
“Be super-fast. Who knows what she’ll do, or what Briggs will do to her.” With a resigned sigh, she scuttled away.
Finn pushed off from the wall and his lips parted. He shoved a hand through his sandy-blond hair, then he finally muttered, “Nope, I’m done with talking about Nexi running off and Haven’s mistakes.”
Without another word, he followed Haven.
Kyden shook his head, understanding Finn’s frustration. This had become a habit of Nexi’s. He strode forward, carried on through the hallway, and soon he entered the Council’s Foyer. White stone walls surrounded him, stretching into a vaulted ceiling. To his right, four windows with intricate stone carvings decorated the sides, and a warm breeze soared through the room, carrying scents from the gardens outside.
He stopped, glancing to the Council’s Hall arched doorway, considering telling the Otherworld’s leaders, the Council, what Nexi had done again. He decided against it. No doubt they would hear of it from Haven soon enough, and he’d rather get Nexi home before Briggs mauled her.
Settling in front of the portal’s large wooden door, he gripped the wrought iron handle, and stepped over the threshold. He focused on thoughts of Briggs’s home in Cache Valley, Utah, to teleport him into the Earthworld.
The bright light flickered before his closed eyes and the swirling wind from the vortex squeezed his body. Only a split second passed before his boots connected with hard ground, and the rapid wind was replaced by the sweet scent of evergreen trees.
He opened his eyes to a dark night, understanding why supernaturals chose to live in this realm. He even understood why some guardians refused to protect the Otherworld and join the Council’s Guard. Earth was beautiful. But home to him was the Otherworld—maybe because guardians weren’t born from this land; they had originated from the Otherworld. Regardless, he’d always experienced the call to the join the Guard, and he also knew he’d never set down roots in the Earthworld.
Besides, his reasons weren’t only personal: supernaturals in the last few centuries had flourished. During the eighteenth century, the Council had created new laws. Only the Council’s Guard or those in training to join the Guard—including their families—were allowed to stay in the Otherworld. The land simply wasn’t big enough to build enough homes and the castle couldn’t support the size of the rapidly expanding supernatural population.
Earth had the space, then some.
Taking in his surroundings, Kyden noticed no noise came from the cabin in front of him, but the light from the living room indicated Briggs was home. He strode forward and, once at the front door, he knocked.
A moment later, it opened to a frowning Briggs. “’Bout time you showed up.”
Kyden cupped his friend’s shoulder. “Where is she?”
Briggs opened the door wider and Kyden stepped into the cabin, discovering Nexi sitting on the couch near the woodstove. Her arms were folded, leg crossed over her knee, which she bounced with clear irritation, and a familiar scowl he’d seen for weeks now marred her face. “How’d that go for you?”
Her hazel eyes narrowed.
Briggs shut the door behind Kyden, then he pulled a small silver dagger with a bejeweled handle from his back pocket. “She had this with her.”
Kyden took the dagger. “Where’d you get the knife?”
“It’s Haven’s,” she retorted. “I borrowed it.”
He slid the dagger into his scabbard in front of his sword. “You shouldn’t have a weapon until you know how to use it.”
She flicked her long, dirty-blonde hair over her shoulder. “Well, if someone would teach me, then this wouldn’t be a problem, would it?”
Briggs smirked.
While Kyden shared in his friend’s amusement over the smart-mouthed woman—and he rather enjoyed that smart mouth—she had become a real problem. Her present behavior was classic Nexi Jones. She might be new to the Otherworld, but her brisk confidence would make most believe she’d never left the magical realm.
Dropping onto the couch across from her, Kyden shifted the sword strapped to his back to rest upon the cushion, when Briggs asked, “Hungry?”
The warm, comforting scent of home cooking drifting through the air reminded Kyden he hadn’t eaten for hours. “Always.”
In the kitchenette behind Nexi’s couch, Briggs grabbed two wooden bowls out of the cupboard. He removed the lid from an old steel pot on the stove, and scooped out what smelled like beef stew.
With bowls in hand, Briggs returned and placed a bowl on the coffee table in front of Nexi and she glared at the dinner. Then Briggs handed Kyden a bowl before he sat next to her, looking at Kyden. “Would you like to tell me what’s going on?” He gestured toward the fuming woman. “And why this little darling wanted to remove my furry balls.”