Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble (20 page)

“I won’t move far—maybe a small place in the village. Not more than ten minutes.”

Rand frowned and stopped walking, his attention centered on me. “Ten minutes could mean life and death.” He started pacing again. “Couldn’t you be comfortable here? I won’t interfere in your personal life again. You have my word.”

I shook my head. “I think I need my own space, Rand.”

He sighed and collapsed against the counter. He strummed his fingers along the granite as if he were playing every chord of my guilt. I couldn’t feel bad about my decision though. If I were to have any sort of dating life, Trent aside, couldn’t have it while living underneath Rand’s roof. And I was determined not to remain a spinster forever; I needed to make up for lost time. I needed to get Rand off my mind.

“There’s a small house on the property here that served as the butler’s quarters when the house was built. It has a separate entrance, and I believe you’d be happy there. It would be a compromise because I’d feel more secure knowing you were closer than the village.”

“I’ll consider it. Can I see it tomorrow?”

“No one has occupied it for over forty years and it’s currently being used as a shed so it’ll need a bit of repair, but it’s yours if you want it, free of rent.”

I smiled and watched him remember the wine spill as he pulled out a cloth and mopped it up. “Thank you, Rand, that’s very generous, but I’ll pay you something. You aren’t much of a business man, are you?” I asked with a grin, hoping to elevate his mood.

His face remained serious. “Not where you’re concerned, it seems I have a bit of a soft spot for you.”

My smile fell. If he had a soft spot for me, I had a gaping wound for him. “Let’s visit it tomorrow. If you don’t mind, I’m a bit tired, so I think I’ll be on my way.” As if to prove my statement, I started for the hall. I didn’t need to turn around to know Rand was directly behind me. I faced him and his lips parted as though he was going to say something, but he stopped. And I realized I wanted him to say something. Anything. If he’d just admit his feelings, I’d stay in Pelham Manor, I’d forget Trent.

He said nothing.

“Goodnight, Rand.”

“Jolie, I hope you know you can trust me?” It seemed an odd thing to say and I suppose my confusion showed on my face. He stepped closer to me, biting his lip.

“If that wolf, Trent, ever hurts you, I hope you’ll come to me.”

“I’m sure he won’t hurt me, but if he ever he does, I’ll come to you.”

He smiled and with a nod, leaned back against the kitchen wall. I recognized my exit cue and took it, knowing he watched me all the while.

#

Two weeks later and I had a new place to call my own. I couldn’t admit I was completely pleased with my decision—I’d miss being so close to Rand, seeing him every day, eating our meals together. And I was a little jealous that Christa was still his roommate. Not that I thought there would ever be anything between them—I knew Rand’s feelings toward Christa were merely platonic and she’d been happily dating John for a while now. But, still, there was definitely a part of me that would miss Pelham Manor.

So, now, I sat in my very own breakfast room complete with new furniture and a blazing fire in the hearth. Plum returned from the bedroom and crawled into my lap. I petted her in long, languorous strokes as I thought how easy it was to be a cat—what a wonderful and simple life they led. To worry about the occasional mouse interloping in your house, sleep whenever it pleased you and never be concerned with warlocks.

Oh, to be a cat.

It was exactly one week since I’d last seen Trent. He’d been out of town on business, but was due back in a day or so. I couldn’t wait to see him. I’d missed him, which was strange, because I hadn’t thought myself so emotionally attached—something that was exciting but also scared the b'jesus out of me.

The rain had been threatening all day and now it began in earnest, pattering against my slate roof like diamonds falling out of the sky. I curled up on my new sofa and opened a romance novel I’d been meaning to start for a few weeks. I didn’t get through page one before a knock sounded on the door.

I shooed the cat from my lap and wondered who would be calling in the pouring rain. Upon opening the front door, Trent smiled down at me, his white shirt wet and clinging to his muscled chest, his dark hair plastered to his head. My gaze moved down the length of him to the bouquet of roses in his hand. They were soaked too.

“Special delivery for Jolie Wilkins,” he said in a cartoon voice and held up the bouquet. I accepted it and opened the door for him. Once inside, he took hold of me and spun me around, his lips imprisoning mine as soon as my feet touched the ground.

“I missed you,” he groaned in my ear.

“I missed you too.” The truth of it was that I’d counted the hours until his return and had found little diversion in anything else.

“I wanted to take you out tonight,” he said with a smile. “Shall we go?”

“Where are you taking me?” I asked, thinking I was still in my loungewear and wouldn’t mind applying a dab of makeup or two.

He shrugged and the grin on his face deepened. I guess this one was going to be a surprise.

“Get your coat. I’ll start the car and get the seats warm for you.” I watched him turn and head back toward his red Audi.

Figuring I didn’t have any time to change, I eyed my sweats with a sigh and grabbed my coat from the peg behind the door. Stepping outside, I locked the door behind me. I didn’t see Trent’s car, which was odd, as he’d just parked in the driveway. Covering my face to avoid the teardrops of the heavens, I started up the drive, wondering where he’d gone.

A low growl vibrated through the night.

My steps faltered, as I doubted whether I’d actually heard the growl. It could’ve been thunder. I turned at the sound of rustling leaves and saw a white wolf in the driveway.

The wolf turned to face me, its hackles raised, the raindrops coursing down its mouth, looking like drool.

I took a step back.

“Trent!”

The wolf came nearer.

“Trent, are you out there!”

The wolf pawed the ground and watched me, edging ever closer and closer. I could try to get back inside the house, but by the time I pulled out my keys and unlocked the door, I’d be wolf bait.

My mind was such a mess, I couldn’t even think of a spell to use on him. I just kept my eyes on his and backed up slowly. The wolf, apparently growing impatient, lunged at me as I turned on my toes and ran as quickly as I could. My ballet flats combined with the puddles of rainwater made it exceptionally difficult to get any sort of traction and I nearly lost my balance a few times.

As if I had eyes on the back of my head, I knew the wolf was nearly on my heels. Like a shard of glass straight through my brain, the memory of Trent telling me to whistle pierced my swollen thoughts. But, the idea of trying to whistle while running as fast as I could was ridiculous not to mention impossible.

All I could think of was panicking until a little voice in my head reminded me to use the help of the fox, my inner beast. I headed for the trees alongside my little house and with the wolf on my heels, I called to my beast. No sooner did the thought enter my head then that familiar feeling of lightness overtook me and I felt myself drop to the ground.

It took me a second to shake off the after-effects of my metamorphosis. Realizing time was a luxury I couldn’t afford, I galloped for the undergrowth of the forest which would offer prime protection. Wondering if the wolf was still on my tail, I made the mistake of glancing behind me and stumbled headlong into a large rock. Luckily, my paws hit it before my head did which allowed my instincts to kick in and jerk my head back before it, too, came up close and personal with the rock.

The wolf took advantage of my moment of stupidity and threw his body on mine, nearly crushing the life from me. With a squeal, I was back to myself, naked with a growling wolf on top of me, his eyes aimed at my throat. The rain continued to pound down on us, and I had to close my eyes against the onslaught. The wolf shifted, and I pulled one hand up to clear the errant drops from my eyes.

As I looked into the very human eyes of the beast atop me, I could only wonder if it was one of the wolf henchmen that had teamed up with Bella. If so, I didn’t imagine he’d kill me—Bella wanted me very much alive. Even with that somewhat relieving thought, I couldn’t stop the fear that ate through me like maggots on a corpse.

The growl of another wolf interrupted my gruesome thoughts, and I prayed it was Trent. The wolf atop me cocked his ears and turned his long face, apparently to see where the growl came from. No sooner did he incline his head then the other wolf leapt on him, pushing him off me. Newly freed, I wasted no time in clothing myself in jeans and a sweatshirt with a blink of my eyes. Then I scurried to a nearby tree, and turned my attention to the two wolves.

I recognized Trent as one of the wolves, his reddish coat giving him away. I had to wonder at who would best the other. They seemed to be of the same large stature, their canines and upturned muzzles intimidating by any account. They continued to growl and circled each other, as if daring the other to make the first move. The white wolf sniffed Trent’s re wolf leapd Trent did the same. I guess this was the wolf way of saying: “You talkin' to me?” If I hadn’t been so damned scared, I might actually have found that little ass-sniffing bit amusing.

Trent pulled away from the other wolf and raised his head, howling into the bitter and wet night. Then he leapt on the other wolf, wrapping his paws around the white wolf’s neck and bit him right on the nose. Blood welled from the bite immediately and coursed down the wolf’s white coat, looking like a piece of white cake with a flowing river of cherry filling.

The white wolf yelped a high-pitched wail and Trent separated himself, allowing the wolf to retreat. Trent didn’t permit him relief for long, though, and threw himself on his opponent again. The white wolf whimpered as it dropped to the ground, rolling to its back. Trent wrapped his canines around the wolf’s neck and I wasn’t sure if he was going to rip the wolf’s throat out.

The white wolf whimpered louder, as if begging Trent not to kill him, while his bushy white tail cemented between his legs. Trent continued to growl, but stood aside, allowing the wolf to change to his human form. The wolf’s facial features shortened as his hair disappeared, replaced with milky white skin. The man who appeared was a pretty young werewolf—maybe in his early twenties. He was extremely pale with a long forehead and a large mouth. The bite on his nose continued to bleed, running down his cheek and chin until it puddled in the mud below him. He didn’t appear to enjoy playing captive to the growling Trent and I’m sure it didn’t help that he was as naked as the day he was born.

Trent changed into his human form much faster than the other wolf had—in fact, it was so quick, I blinked and found Trent before me. He continued to stare at the other wolf, making no attempt to free him. It was kind of funny actually, watching two naked men glaring at one another.

“Who were you after?” Trent growled out.

The young wolf refused to answer until Trent pummeled him in the stomach. Then he was quick to groan: “You.”

“Who sent you?”

The wolf didn’t wait for the next onslaught of fists in his rib cage. “Bella. I was to bring you back. Once I saw…the witch, I wanted to bring her back also.”

“You go back to Bella, and you tell her the next creature she sends after me or this woman, I will kill her myself.”

The young wolf looked like he might laugh but, apparently, thought better of it and nodded as Trent stepped aside and allowed him to pass. The man bolted for the trees, the sound of rustling heralding his departure. Trent turned to me, grabbed me by the shoulders and jerked me forward.

“Did the wolf bite you?” he demanded.

I held my attention to his face, not daring to take in his naked body. “Nope, why is it true what they say about werewolf bites—that I’d turn into one?”

Trent smiled and engulfed me. “Absolutely.”

I forced my gaze on his face and away from his incredible and incredibly bare body. “Are you okay?” I asked/font>

He nodded and pulled back with a frown. “So, you’re dressed and I’m not.”

“I prefer you in your birthday suit.”

The rain pounded against us, soaking my clothing and trailing down Trent’s muscled body. He grabbed my hand and led me from the umbrage of the forest. Not finding my house key, I used a bit of magic to unlock the door and let us inside.

As soon as I shut the door behind us, Trent pulled me to him, holding me as if I were the most precious thing to him. Damn, did it feel good.

He grabbed a throw blanket on top of the couch and took hold of me, wrapping both of us in its warmth.

“I’m sorry, Jolie. I’m sorry you had to get in the way of that.”

“Where were you? When I came outside, I couldn’t find your car.”

He shrugged. “When I was getting in the car, I thought I noticed a wolf at the end of your driveway, so I went to investigate. I guess the wolf found you before I found him.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Do you know what the good news is though?” he asked and I looked at him in doubt as he continued. “We’re both naked.”