Bruja (27 page)

Raphael started screaming. “You stupid fucking bitch. How dare you try to bind me.”

I ignored him. This wasn’t my brother. Not really.

The mage had been wearing the ring, which probably meant that it had some protection abilities. I was glad I was wearing it. I was going to have to touch my brother, and I didn’t want the demon to jump into me.

“What are you going to do now?” Lucas asked.

I stared down at what was left. The hand. The athame. The crystal. “I don’t…” I swallowed down the fear that was choking me. My hands shook as I reached toward the nightstand again.

I grabbed the pinky and broke off the tip of it. The bone was brittle and white. I turned to Beth. “Do you have a mortar and pestle?”

She nodded.

“Sage. Cloves. And cinnamon. And holy oil or water, if you have it.”

“I have everything but the oil or water.”

It would have to work. “Shane, will you—”

“Boil water. On it.”

I turned to Lucas, hands shaking.

“No matter what happens, I’ll be here for you.”

A tear rolled down my cheek, and I brushed it away. I could do this.

Shane and Beth returned, and I ground the bone down to dust. I wished there was time for me to steep the tea, but I couldn’t. I poured the mixture into a little glass cup.

This would work. It had to.

I started to climb on the bed, and Raphael started thrashing. He was tied down, but if he didn’t stop, I was going to spill the brew. “Hold him.”

Adrian, Lucas, Beth, and Shane each grabbed a limb.

I reached over my brother. “I love you, Raphael. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

“I hate you, you fucking cunt whore. You’re sleeping with the fucking dogs now. You’re nothing but—”

I covered his nose, and his mouth opened. I poured the brew down his throat. He sputtered, choking. His mouth started foaming. At first the foam was white, and then it turned into black sludge.

I slid off the bed, stepping back until I hit the wall, hardly breathing.

Raphael started convulsing and I couldn’t hold back the tears. I sobbed and crumpled to the ground. Lucas’ arms came around me, but I couldn’t look away from my brother. He wasn’t breathing anymore.

I’d killed him. He was dying. And it was my fault. I killed him.

My breaths came so fast that I almost threw up.

“Calm down, Claudia.” Even Lucas’ soothing voice couldn’t keep me from losing it. “Breathe. Breathe. Slower. Slow it down, princess.”

I tried to follow his orders, but my heart was shattering into a million tiny pieces and I didn’t think there was enough glue in the whole world to put it to right.

Raphael let out a scream, and I froze. At first it was raspy and had too much texture too it—like it was more than one voice. And then it changed. It was his voice. And then he started coughing as a white light filled the room.

I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the light.

I scrambled up and looked into his eyes. They were clearing. His skin was less gray.

Shane leaned closer, studying my brother. “He’s back.”

Adrian, Beth, Lucas, and another wolf who I’d never met before came around the bed. All looking down at him.

“It’s okay,” Lucas said as he ran his hand up and down my back. “I think he’s going to be okay.”

I was too scared to look. I kept staring straight ahead. Not glancing down at all. I blinked back the tears. The others started moving around the room. I heard them cutting my brother free, but I still couldn’t look.

“Cloud?” Raphael grasped my hand. “You can look at me now.”

I blinked a few more times before looking down. My legs collapsed as I started crying again. I rested my head on the edge of the bed, and Raphael’s arms came around me. “I thought you were going to die. I thought that was it. It was like losing a piece of my soul. We’re twins. You’re me and I’m you. You can’t die.”

“I’m not going to die. I’m okay.”

I wiped my face and looked at him. And then hit him. “Don’t ever scare me like that again. I swear. I don’t… You can’t… Just. No.”

He smiled. “I’ll do my best.”

I stood up and leaned over him, giving him a hug. I held on to him a little too long and Raphael laughed. “Hey, Cloud?”

“What?” I mumbled against his chest.

“You smell.”

I started laughing. Hard. It felt good. I’d been so panicked. Ever since z-Daniel bit him, I hadn’t relaxed.

When I caught my breath, I sat back down on the ground, exhausted.

Shane cleared his throat. “You bonded with this wolf?”

“Lucas…” Oh shit. I’d never learned his last name. I’d just mated to a guy whose last name I didn’t even know. What was wrong with me?

“Reyes,” he said for me.

“You paid for my hotel room?”

He raised a brow. “Yes. I’m the pack Alpha.”

I shook my head. It made sense. I just never put it together.

Shane cleared his throat again. “That means you broke your oath with Luciana.”

Oh God. I’d practically forgotten about that. I wasn’t tied to her anymore. My magic was my own again. “Yeah.” A grin spread across my face. “Yeah, I did.”

“So Beth, Raphael, and the others can take an oath to you. You’re stronger than her. I know you are.”

No. Nope. No way. “I don’t want to be a coven leader. I don’t want to be part of a coven at all. I’ve had enough of that for one lifetime.”

“It could be temporary,” Beth said. “Just until this is over and we join a new coven.”

“I don’t know…” Even temporarily, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I hadn’t even tasted freedom yet, and now I was tying myself down.

I’d already tied myself to Lucas, but Mr. July was worth it. But anything more…

“Do it,” Raphael said. “Then she can’t use us to get back at you anymore.”

“You’ll still have your freedom,” Lucas said. “I’ll make sure you travel and take all the courses they offer at whatever college you choose. I won’t let you give up your dreams.”

“Please,” Beth said. “I don’t want to be tied to her anymore.”

I clenched my fists at my side. Every part of me rebelled against this. “But not a blood oath. Just the normal one.”

Beth gave me a sharp nod. “Fine.”

“By Claudia de Santos before whom this sanctuary is holy,” Beth, Raphael, and Shane said the words as one. “I will be true and faithful, and love all which she loves and shun all which she shuns, according to the laws of God, magic, and the order of the world. Nor will I ever with will or action, through word or deed, do anything which is unpleasing to her, on the condition that she will hold to me as I shall deserve it, and that she will perform everything as it was in our agreement when I submitted myself to her and chose her will.”

As they finished, I felt the oath tighten like a noose around my neck, binding me to them and them to me. It wasn’t that I couldn’t bear it—I just didn’t want it. I didn’t want the responsibility that came with it.

The magic snapped into place, and if I’d been bone tired before, now I felt half-dead.

The phone rang, and Adrian left to answer.

I made my escape to the bathroom. I needed to wash my face. To take a breath.

When I came out, Adrian was waiting for me. “St. Ailbe’s has been attacked again. We’ve got to get there. Can you get us back like you got here?”

I shook my head. “Not without making another bargain with a fey. I think one—”

“You made a bargain with a fey!” Raphael yelled from his bed. “You bonded with a wolf and made a bargain with a fey? What were you thinking? Why would you do this?”

Well, I guessed he was feeling a little better. “I did what I had to in order to get back here in time.”

Before he could speak up again, Lucas bent down and picked me up. “We need a place to shower and sleep, clothes, and food.”

Adrian grabbed a key. “Take my room. It’s next door. I’ll order you room service and then get to work on arranging flights for us all.”

“I’ll grab you some clothes.” Shane moved past us. “You’re bigger than me, but I’m the closest fit.” Shane was built thick and very tall. Adrian was cut and tallish, like all the wolves, but Lucas was at least a few inches taller and much more built.

“I’ll find some things for you, Claudia.” Beth hurried out of the room.

I rested my head on Lucas’ shoulder. I felt him walking, but my eyes were heavy. Everyone was safe and alive. It would take my brother a bit to recover, but he would. The oath was broken, and everyone was safe from Luciana for now. My job was done. I could finally rest.

And so I let the darkness take me.

Chapter Twenty-Five

I woke to the sounds of people talking and the smell of food. My stomach rumbled and I sat up.

The talking stopped.

I rubbed my eyes and saw Lucas and Adrian staring at me over a pile of food. “What time is it?”

“Ten in the morning,” Adrian said.

“What time did we get here?”

“Two. You’ve been asleep for eight hours.”

I fell back against the pillows. “I could sleep for another twelve.”

Adrian snorted. “No kidding. How many days did you stay awake before you left for Peru?”

“Uhh.” I scratched my head as I thought. “I think I got two or three hours the first few nights at St. Ailbe’s. Then, I pretty much stayed awake for three days straight. Although I passed out in the infirmary for a couple hours. So…”

“And how did you sleep now?” Lucas asked.

I thought about it for a second. “Like the dead. It was amazing. Best night of sleep I’ve had in years.” I felt Lucas’ pleasure at that, and smiled. This whole thing was new, but it was nice knowing that my sleeping well made him happy.

I struggled to sit up again. “I’m going to shower. Save some food for me?” I didn’t wait for an answer. I went into the bathroom and started the water. Some of Beth’s clothes were sitting on the counter. In the rush to get here, I’d left my backpack in the forest. I guessed all those clothes were history. What a waste.

The water was perfectly steamy. I scrubbed myself from head to toe before getting out and brushing my teeth. It was a crappy hotel toothbrush, but I didn’t care. Running water was a treat I now appreciated in a whole new way.

I got dressed in the yoga pants and tank that Beth had loaned me. She was taller and thinner than me, but the clothes fit well enough. I finger-combed my hair and then left it. My body was still too tired to bother with a braid.

When I stepped outside, Adrian was gone. A new tray of food was in his place, with silver covers keeping it warm. I poured myself a cup of coffee, holding it with both hands as I settled into the chair. I pulled my feet up, and sighed. This was the life.

“Feeling better?” Lucas asked.

That was a giant understatement. “There’s not much that coffee and a hot shower can’t fix.” We were quiet for a second, and for the first time it was a little awkward. I wasn’t sure how to be his mate. Or what he expected. And I wasn’t sure what I wanted from him either.

“I didn’t know what you’d want for breakfast, so I got a bunch of things.”

I took a breath, letting go of all that worry.

This was Lucas. My Lucas. I knew him. He was kind and generous and thoughtful.

He still made me nervous, though. No one had right to be so handsome.

I set down my coffee and busied myself with uncovering the dishes. Eggs, bacon, toast, potatoes, roasted tomatoes, yogurt, granola, a bowl of fruit, and a basket of pastries. I laughed. “You really did get everything.”

He shrugged, and if I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought his cheeks had a little more color. But Lucas wouldn’t blush. Would he? “Better safe than sorry,” he said.

I met his gaze. Those twin dark pools. I bit my lip as I considered him. I hadn’t known him long—days really—but he’d hooked me from the beginning. “Thank you.” I took a bite of fruit. “So, what’s next? What did I miss?”

He crossed his arms over his chest, and I couldn’t help but stare at the shirt that was stretched so thin over his biceps, I was half-convinced it’d rip any second. “Your brother is doing better. Adrian has us all booked on an afternoon flight to Texas.”

“You’re coming?” I almost winced. That came out wrong. I wanted him to come, but I wasn’t sure if he wanted to. Or if he was even able to. He had a pack to take care of, and I… Well, I had at least one more fight ahead of me.

“Of course I’m coming.” He frowned. “Do you not want me to come?”

“No. I want you to come, I just thought—you have a pack and responsibilities and I know we’re mated—”

“I was wondering if you caught that.” He grinned, and my cheeks caught fire.

“I did catch that.” I cleared my throat. “But I don’t really know what it is that it means… What you want and everything. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do or what’s expected of me.”

His shoulders relaxed, and I felt his relief through the bond. “Don’t worry. There’s nothing expected except for you to just be you. We jumped into the deep end, and it’s going to take time for us to settle into who we are as a couple.” He grinned and I couldn’t help the blush that spread across my face. “I know I said it before, but we were rushed and I want you to know that I wasn’t planning on doing it this way. I wanted to get to know you. For you to get to know me. To consider your options. But…” He shrugged. “So, now, where you go, I go. We’ll take this as fast or as slow as you want, but as for what I want—I want to be with you.”

Now it was my turn to be relieved. “I want you to be with me, too.”

“Okay, then. So we go to Texas and deal with this lady. And then, we can travel a bit.”

Travel? I had a million questions, starting with where? But I didn’t want to get my hopes up. Not yet. “What about your pack?”

“The pack is fine.”

“But what about those mages?”

“The pack is taking care of it. Don’t worry.”

But I was worrying. I’d done so many things wrong, and I wanted to make sure that I got this right. “But you have—”

“I’d give the pack up if I thought it was a problem.”

I snapped my mouth shut.
He would?

“I’ve been the Alpha there for a very, very long time. I’ve got a good second, and he’ll keep things going. I haven’t had time for myself in… Well, let’s just say it’s due. So, I’m taking time with my new mate. Honeymoons are traditional for humans. We’ll just take a long one. Maybe a few years. Okay?”