Page 20

Chapter 19

Can’t take the heat

CHARLIE

I wake abruptly as light floods the room. “What’s happening?” I mumble, reaching for my phone and squinting at Lennox’s shadowy form standing next to the window.

“Time to get up,” he says, his tone distant. “I spoke with my brother. Vanessa is going to be okay. They want to see us before we go back to New York.”

“We’re going back to New York?” I realize I’m naked and clutch at the sheet, heat rising in my face.

I don’t know what I was expecting the night after a passionate interlude with Lennox, but it was more than this. Maybe a gentle awakening, followed by softly spoken platitudes, a little kissing and bed in breakfast. Just as the thought leaves my head, I remember he can hear my thoughts and try to snatch it back. Of course, I can’t.

Shit. Telepathy is hard.

He ignores my thoughts. “There’s nothing left for us to do here. The police are stonewalling and the only lead we had, the ASHRA house, has gone up in smoke.”

I’m finally awake enough to catch the disgust in his tone. “You’re upset. Why?”

He growls his frustration, shoving a hand through his hair. “Every lead hits a dead end. I’m good at my job, but I’ve been shit at it since…” His sentence hangs in the air.

“Since me?” I finish for him. It’s much easier to hear what he’s thinking today. Like a filter has been lifted. Not only can I hear the unsaid words, but I can feel the intention behind them. “You’re blaming me for our lack of leads?”

“I’m not blaming you,” he says gruffly. “But I can’t think straight when you’re around.”

I blink back the sting of tears, then remember he’ll know anyway and stop trying, allowing them to drip freely. I thought last night was special, that it meant something. “I can remedy that for you,” I say in my chilliest tone, gripping the sheet and pulling it from the bed as I head toward the washroom, slamming the door behind me.

I take a quick shower and brush my teeth, and when I reemerge, he’s gone. Good. It gives me a minute to collect myself.

I give myself a stern talking to as I pull on my clothes. This is not who you are. You don’t allow a man to play with your heart and then act like nothing happened. Last night was monumental. It was a revelation. And he’s fucking it up by acting like I’m interfering in his investigation. Well, he can suck it because I’m not going anywhere until this thing is solved, then I’m going to walk away from him. After, when it’s time to pick up the pieces, I’ll do it in a martini bar surrounded by hot men.

As I emerge from the room into the warm L.A. morning, a breeze caresses me and I breathe in deeply, taking in the earthy scent of the desert around me. Better? I ask myself. Better , I confirm.

Lennox is waiting by the car, his sunglasses hiding his eyes. I don’t need his eyes to know what he’s thinking anymore. He’s pissed that I intend to mainline tequila and men when this case is over.

I think about my hot sweaty body rubbing up against a dozen men as I dance my woes away, careful to add plenty of erotic detail to the image.

He gnashes his teeth but doesn’t say anything as we climb into the car. Lennox punches in the address to Keenan and Vanessa’s house into the GPS.

I’m not one to ignore the elephant in the room, but I can’t bring myself to mention our night of mind-blowing, no-holds-barred, hotel-destroying sex. He’s already rejected me, but hearing the words, hearing him tell me out loud he doesn’t want to be with me… it’ll be too much. I can’t handle it.

And that pisses me off, which is probably why I’m in such a bad mood.

I know he can hear my thoughts, but he doesn’t talk and neither do I. Our silence fills the car with explosive energy. One spark and the whole thing could go up. We manage to make the entire 45-minute drive without exchanging a word. Not even a sneeze to break the silence.

When we arrive, a gate guards the entrance of the estate and a person wearing security gear waves us through, clearly aware of our scheduled visit.

The driveway is long and winding, huge palm trees lining it. Beneath them is a plethora of brightly-coloured flora, making it impossible to see the house through the thick foliage. As we round the final curve, the house comes into full view.

It’s a mix of Mexican hacienda and Greek architecture that works perfectly in a strangely beautiful way. Columns stand sentinel in front of the house holding up a massive, curved balcony on the second floor. The house is white but it’s surrounded by colourful flowering plants.

I like to think of myself as a practical girl, but if it came down to a choice between my first born and living in this luxurious piece of heaven, I would absolutely choose the house.

Okay, no, I wouldn’t, but I’d definitely trade a sibling or two.

Lennox lets out a mirthful snort, which reminds me he can read my mind, which pisses me off all over again.

I get out of the car and slam the door, leaving Lennox to catch up as I stride to the entrance of the house, jabbing my finger into the doorbell, then wincing as pain travels up my hand.

Lennox reaches my side and grasps my wrist, lifting my hand and kissing my finger, his serious gaze searching my face. “Does it still hurt?”

I yank my hand away. “My finger is not the hurt I care about.”

He sighs heavily, leaning his bulk against the doorframe. “There are things I can’t tell you, but you have to believe me when I say I want everything I see in your head as badly as you do.”

My anger drains and I’m in tears again. “Then why are you doing this to us?”

“I can’t explain it.”

“You don’t want to explain it.”

We’re interrupted as the door opens to reveal Keenan. Though he’s a nearly exact replica of Lennox, except his hair and posture, I don’t feel the intense spark I feel with Lennox.

“Probably a good thing,” Keenan drawls with a blindingly handsome smile. “Vanessa is it for me.”

I take a step back, narrowing my eyes at him. “You can read my mind too.”

“I can hear your thoughts,” he corrects. “But only if you project them.”

Vanessa comes up behind Keenan, slipping around him to face us. “It’s quite disconcerting, isn’t it? Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it, then Mags will teach you how to conceal your thoughts. A girl needs to have a few secrets, am I right? Please, come in!”

She grips me by the arm and leads me inside, chattering as if we’ve been friends for years. She looks great for someone who wasn’t supposed to survive her injuries just a day ago.

In truth, I’m awed by her beauty, her reputation, and her house. I’ve never met anyone famous before besides Keith Richards in a Donair shop in Queens. And I didn’t technically meet him so much as order food at the same time as he did.

“Shall we sit by the pool while Keenan and Lennox discuss whatever business they have?”

I look at Lennox, hoping he’ll tell me he needs me, but he says, “Go ahead. We’re talking palace business. I’ll come get you when we’re done.”

Feeling abandoned, I allow Vanessa to drag me out the back door.

She sweeps her arm out to indicate the pool. “This is why I bought the house. I swear I must’ve been a mermaid in my last life because if I could, I would stay in the water forever. Do you want to borrow a bathing suit? We could go for a dip now.”

I tell her no and she continues chattering, circling the pool with me in tow. “Actually, I probably would have been a Phoenix in my last life. Is that how reincarnation works for shifters? It’s all very confusing and I’ve only been a shifter for a day, so — “

“You’re a shifter?” I ask, surprised. “Lennox didn’t tell me.”

She shrugs. “I’m a brand-new shifter. It happened last night when I died.”

“You died?” She looks fantastic for a former corpse.

She nods enthusiastically. “Yup. Keenan was very upset, but then I was brought back and that’s why I’m a shifter now. Mags and her brethren believe that my death broke the family curse, which is why they were able to bring me back using…,” she looks around like there might be spies in the bushes, then whispers, “… dark magic.”

I gape at her wondering if she hit her head in the explosion.

Vanessa looks thoughtful. “It’s weird, though. It seems like it happened months ago, even though I know it was only yesterday. It feels like watching the Terminator series, where the latest movie references what happened in an earlier movie but you kind of forget and if it’s bugging you, you go back and watch the earlier movie.” She shrugs, then waves her hand at a patio set. “Come, sit down.” As we sit, she continues, “I know it sounds fantastical, believe me, but it’s all true.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“You’re family,” she says simply as if that explains everything.

Now I know for sure she hit her head. “No,” I say slowly. “Lennox is related to Keenan, not me. You can’t have missed the resemblance between them.” Maybe I should call an ambulance; she might have a concussion.

“Of course, I know Lennox is Keenan’s twin. I met him in Wolf-Haven and he came to our wedding. What I mean is you’re family because you’re Lennox’s mate and we don’t keep secrets in this family. There’s no point. Everyone knows everyone else’s thoughts.”

Once again, I gape at her, then forcibly close my mouth and lean closer to her across the table, saying in a low voice, “How do you know I’m Lennox’s mate when he won’t even admit it to himself?”

She rolls her eyes. “That stubborn wolf! Is he really refusing to acknowledge your connection? I bet this is Mags’s doing. As much as I love that witch, she can be interfering when it comes to other people’s relationships.”

“Witch?” I say faintly.

She nods emphatically. “You’re going to love being part of this family.”

Not if there are interfering witches, but I keep the thought to myself. “So if you and everyone else knows Lennox is my mate, then why won’t he admit it?” An ache radiates through my chest and I rub it. “The only explanation I can come up with is that he doesn’t want me.”

“No, no, it’s not that at all!” She moves her chair closer to me. “He’s just afraid for you. He thinks if he lets himself fall for you the curse will get you.” Her eyes cloud and she looks frightened for a second, before adding, “I should know. I’m a victim of the curse.”

“How did the curse get you?”

“It killed me,” she says gravely. “You saw for yourself how close to death I was. When it finished me off, Mags and her brethren were able to bring me back, but I had to go through a change. Do you want to see?” Her last sentence is said with child-like excitement, as though she wants to show off her new skill, but I have too many questions to lose the focus of our conversation just yet.

“What is the curse?”

“You don’t know?” Vanessa’s eyebrows go up in surprise. “It’s all over the internet, especially now that King Lock is gaining so much attention internationally.”

I shake my head in answer to her question. I’d Googled Lennox, of course, but I didn’t delve into his family history beyond confirming his princely status. I was more interested in his police work over the past few centuries. Even that kind of information was sparse and I hadn’t come across any mention of a curse.

“Tell me,” I demand. “I want to know.”

She looks pleased at being the one to divulge the juicy family gossip. “Well, it all started when the Lunatic King found his mate.”

“The Lunatic King?”

She nods, her eyes shining. “He’s the oldest of the five brothers. I haven’t met him yet, but Mags says he’s mellowed into quite the lapdog. In the old days, when he was in charge of Wolf-Haven, the pressure got to him and he began making erratic decisions that weren’t in the best interests of the people. Under his stewardship, fields grew fallow, businesses failed, and famine threatened. Many wolf shifters fled to other parts of the world to rebuild what they once had. When Fallon, sorry that’s his name, found his mate, he got even worse, became protectionist. He closed borders and surrounded the castle with his soldiers. He was obsessed with ferreting out traitors and many innocents were accused of plotting against him. His bride hated him on sight, or so I imagine. I don’t really know because historical records are vague on what it was like for her to live at the castle under his guardianship. What I do know for sure is she rejected him repeatedly, turning down his marital proposals pretty much daily, which drove him into a frenzy until he attempted to force her to mate with him.”

Spellbound by Vanessa’s vibrant storytelling, I’m helpless to say anything except, “What happened next?”

“Lock, Rush, Keenan and Lennox tried to calm the situation, but it got worse by the day. Lyra, sorry, that’s Fallon’s mate’s name, is a witch who had crazy amounts of natural power. Before the incident, she was a Guardian Witch, a highly regarded designation in witch culture. I think she was stripped of the title though and might be an ordinary witch now. I’d love to know more about her, but she left immediately following my revival.”

I’m stumped by half of what Vanessa is saying, but I can follow the core of the story. “So the powerful witch got pissed when King Fallon tried to touch her without permission. Am I getting this right?”

“Something like that,” Vanessa says, then continues her story, “So on the day he tried to force her, Lyra’s emotions were extremely high which intensified her magic exponentially. She cast a spell while in this heightened emotional state that became amplified beyond her control. To all accounts, she was terrified by her own magic more than she was frightened by Fallon and begged for his help. When he tried to reach her, the amplified spell hit not just Fallon, but all five brothers. It wrapped her in dark magic and nearly killed her. In fact, for many years, the brothers believed she was dead, but we know now that she’s not. The Oracles punished her for disrupting the natural order by calling up dark magic. Only Rage Witches can use dark magic and even then, they must be extremely careful.”

I mentally file the phrase Rage Witches to examine later. “Poor Lyra! She didn’t mean to call up that kind of magic,” I say heatedly. “How was she punished?”

“She was sent to a penal realm where her magic is bound. She’s meant to serve out the rest of her days there. The Witch justice code doesn’t make room for unintended consequences. I think in their minds, all witches should have supreme control over their magic, especially Guardian Witches, whose job is to protect everyone from rogue operators.” She beams proudly. “I spent a few days in the Shadow Realm while Mags was studying a way to save me. I learned a lot while I was there.”

I stare thoughtfully at the glints of sunlight playing among the tiny ripples of water in the pool. “What was the spell she cast?” Whatever it was, it’s the reason Lennox doesn’t want to accept me as his mate.

Vanessa’s expression is serious as she says, “Lyra’s exact words were, ‘For the crime of trying to force me into an unwanted bond, I doom you to a life without your mate.’ The natural order wouldn’t allow the spell to stand so it went haywire, and due to the extra energy caused by her emotional state, it rebounded onto all five brothers.”

A shiver goes through me. “Meaning the spell impacted all of them, instead of just the target?”

She nods. “It’s meant to separate the Wolven-North brothers from their mates. And it worked. Rush lost many reincarnated mates before he found Mags, who survived the spell by changing from a Good Witch into a Rage Witch. I bypassed it by changing too.” Her solemn gaze remains steady on me.

I have questions about the reincarnation bit, but I try to focus on the message at hand. “Lennox won’t mate with me because he’s protecting me from the spell.”

“Yes, exactly,” Vanessa says. “Though why he didn’t just explain all this to you is beyond me. These silly enigmatic wolves are too much for me sometimes. Just out with it so we can get on with our lives, am I right?”

I can’t help but laugh weakly, despite the heavy feeling pressing on my chest as I realize I might never be able to be with Lennox.

“Of course, I wouldn’t let some family curse stop me from loving the man I was born to be with. Even if I’d stayed dead, I wouldn’t change anything. The months with my husband before the bombing were the best in my life.”

I’d love to be able to say the same, but I can’t. I have a son who means more to me than my life and Lennox’s put together. I will never put a curse before Luke. Lennox was right to stay away from me.

I lift my eyes and see a shadow move in one of the house’s windows. All the windows are tinted, but I know who it is. Lennox knows that I know and his despair hits me like a ton of bricks.

“Do you want to see me shift?” Vanessa asks excitedly, her bright enthusiasm at odds with the suffocating feelings bubbling inside me.

I smile slightly and nod, “Sure, let’s see it.”