Page 8 of WitchCurse
“You are starved.” He held up a bite. “You taste it. All three of them combined in this cake.”
“It’s just magic.”
“It’s more than magic. He’s gotten much better with his control over the past few months. And Liam is…amazingly astute with his creations.”
It was all ridiculous. They could delay the monster, but eventually I would completely turn. Lose control and try to devour everyone. Likely starting with Nick. Then what would happen? The fox and his alpha would be forced to kill me. Or try to cage me. I shuddered at the latter. Death a much easier fate than the darkness rising again.
“Please eat,” Nick said holding the fork to my lips. “Or maybe you’d rather talk about the dream? Who was the male with eyes like mine? I have glimpsed him before, but our time in this world seems to have tightened your tongue and your shields.”
“No,” I said, and he forced the fork into my mouth. I glared at him. He wasn’t supposed to see the dream. I didn’t like that my shields were weak. It meant he wasn’t safe.
“I’m fine. New books to read,” Nick sounded cheerful as he cut off another slice. I ate to keep from having to answer questions. “The top book stinks. Made of some sort of animal flesh?”
I sighed and wondered how much I could tell him about a long extinct species. Though his smile said he was more than thrilled to hear.
“Food first, then we can take a little walk while you tell me.”
“You’re a manipulative bastard,” I growled.
“Learned from a pro,” Nick threw back, unabashed. He set the fork down, and ran a hand through my hair. “Maybe we’ll dress you up and take you to town today. You can choose your own sweaters.” His grin widened at my irritated glare. “There’s my grumpy Gus. Wouldn’t you like to leave this self-imposed cage for a time? You are looking better. Let’s enjoy that for a bit, shall we?”
CHAPTER3
Kiran
Cars were ever unpleasant. Making my skin itch with the intensity of all that metal andplastic, bizarre lifeless creations of mortals, stripped of all energy and will. But Nick had insisted we leave the safety of the camper. The charge of the magic from the meal provided by the new lords of the realm gave me some energy. I’d washed in the tiny space of the modern worldbathroom,and battled my snarled hair for a time before Nick had taken over and crafted it into a long elaborate braid. I’d have cut it if I hadn’t been worried about losing more magic from the simple act of throwing away part of my hair.
We had to leave the wolf behind, as he was scheduled to work at the bakery today. It took a minute for Nick to soothe him as he stood beside us, wanting to get in the car, too.
“They will be fine,” the other wolf said, Dylan was his name. He was high in the pack and our guide for the day. The little wolf grumbled at him before heading not into the house but around the back where the pack den usually sat empty.
“You have less than two hours before work,” Dylan shouted after him. The wolf didn’t respond.
In the car, my glamour flickered, my hands resting in my lap turning dark gray, the right one rotted and bony. It was not a color found among mortals. I locked down on the glamour, trying to weave it stronger around myself. No need to alarm the natives.
Nick reached over and absently threaded his fingers through mine, a small charge of magic adding to the tapestry of my glamour and making my skin look human pale beside his. The magic would hide the worst of the rot and transition, even making my hair look blond like the humans rather than white like snow. He said nothing, and Dylan didn’t seem to notice the change in magic or my wavering resolve.
Dylan was one of the few wolves I liked. Not the growling one who often challenged his alpha. But the one who hid dark fears behind fake smiles and exhaustion. He wore emotions like magic and dripped with the intensity of them. I knew all too well how deep that well could go, and never tried to pry.
“You don’t have to stay with us,” Nick said.
“It’s fine. Liam is resting with Seb. They work the close shift at the bakery today. And I could use a break from the pack,” Dylan said. “I know the best place to get clothes if you’re okay with mass-produced stuff.” His gaze rested on us for a half second, but didn’t linger as he drove us into the bigger city rather than the small-town center where the pack was located. “Spring comes fast, so you’ll need a mix. Sweaters, T-shirts, some lighter weight jackets, and that sort of thing.”
I could glamour any sort of clothing, though it did take energy and didn’t provide real warmth or protection, things that I seemed to need in this alien world, and everything here was an exchange with some sort of numeric currency.
“Liam gave me a credit card to use,” Nick said. “And a list of items we should look for. You said this town is large?”
“Bellingham is pretty good sized. But it’s not like we’ll be exploring the whole city. I think a shop or two and then we can head back? Maybe be home to catch a late lunch, early dinner?” Dylan drove us toward one of those sprawling buildings with many openings, finding a spot in which to park the car. “Sean’s better with the whole style and clothing thing than I am, but he’s still recovering.”
Recovering from being bespelled by a death fae. The fox had severed the spell in a very inelegant way, and left the mortal a bit flustered. Perchance that was something Nick and I could fix to begin repaying what we owed, and keep me from being caged again.
Nick threw me a look, one he gave me often, indicating he didn’t think we owed anyone anything.Hemight not. His entire life was a consequence of the fox’s existence. The trip into Underhill where he’d been lost, and even our bond. Nick didn’t blame the fox, and I was grateful for having a scion fall into my lap, no matter how it happened.
His gaze found mine and a slight upturn of his lips said he was happy. Because he was stuck with me? Foolish. He squeezed my hand, his touch warming my fingers.
The wolf got out and waved at us to follow. Nick did not release my hand though I frowned at him.
“It helps your glamour,” was all he said.