"But we can't go off halfcocked," Xander said after Daphne finished. "We have to make a plan.""Agreed," Daphne replied. "Let's go back to the Compound, and you can plan. If you need me, I'll be in my quarters, resting." She smirked. "Magic takes a lot out of an old body."Xander chuckled, rubbing her back. "You're not old."She raised an eyebrow. "I'm older than you think." Actually, she didn't look a day over twenty-five.Elias took my hand. "Everyone, are you ready to go back?"I nodded, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "Let's go." I reached for the grimoire, and Daphne handed it to me. I held it in my arm, and then Daphne wrapped her arm around my shoulder, and Xander held Daphne's other hand. Daphne leaned toward me and smiled. "Together?"I nodded. "Together.""Three, two, one....""Lacus!" we both yelled together. We rushed through the Space Time Continuum, through the transparent tunnel, as dark matter and the stars shone on the other side. Suddenly, we came to a stop in Daph
Pushing myself faster, I had never felt so free in my life. I kicked up dirt and the fresh lichen as I pushed myself harder, moving quickly through the trees, easily dodging them as I ran. "Are we leaving the Oasis?" Xander asked in the Pack Mind, laughing. "The edge is right up ahead, and then there's nothing but desert.""Stop," Elias said, stepping in front of me. "Smell the air."When I came to a stop, my muscles already felt better. I did as he said and caught the scent of something that smelled delicious. "Deer?"Elias nodded, smiling. "To the left.""Oh, you should have let her smell them out," Xander turned to me. "It's more fun that way. It satisfies the hunter in you."I nodded, smiling. "Well, either way, I'm starving, and they smell delicious." We stalked toward the left, and there was a small herd of mule deer. "How do I do this?""Why are you whispering?" Xander asked mentally, chuckling. I nudged his shoulder, and not gently. "Ow!" Xander laughed. "The deer can't hear
Waking in our shared bedroom, I looked over and Elias and Xander were still asleep. Feeling amorous, I rolled over on top of Xander and started kissing his neck, waking him up.He turned me over onto my back, deepening the kiss. "I like wakeup calls like this." He kissed down my neck, going straight to my sex, causing my breath to quicken. "I want you... now," I breathed, kissing his neck, his chest, virtually anywhere my lips could reach."Your wish is my command." He pushed into me slowly at first. "Let me know if I hurt you."I shook my head. "You won't." Then I turned him over and pushed myself onto him, over and again, going faster."Come here." He turned me over onto my stomach and pushed into me from behind, causing me to gasp with pleasure. He pushed faster and harder as I hugged the pillow, my buds rubbing against the pillowcase with every stroke until I gasped my orgasm. He followed shortly after, pulling my hips to him repeatedly.I lay face down on the bed, spent. And he
After saying goodbye to Cruz, I headed to the Clinic, eager to see if Bailey had received my message. But I was glad that I ran into Cruz. I didn't like the way we had left things, and I missed our friendship."Hi, Bailey! Anyone home?" I asked, stepping inside.Bailey came out from the back. "What are you doing here? I didn't think you'd be in today."I shrugged. "I finished early."Even though I trusted Bailey with my life, I didn't want it getting around that we knew where Nightshade was. The last thing we needed was for them to get tipped off and know we were coming. In fact, I had the feeling that when it was time to go, it would be at a moment's notice. We had a mole in the Diamond Pack, and it was the only way to make sure we kept the element of surprise on our side."So, have you had many patients?" I asked, looking around. "Man! You've been one busy lady! This place is immaculate!""Thanks," she said, smiling proudly. "I had just a few dislocated or broken fingers come in, alo
Later that night, after Bailey and I had sent the last of the shifters out the door, I still hadn't seen Xander and Elias."Don't worry." Bailey rubbed my arm, knowing what I was thinking. "I'm sure they're alright.""Thanks." I nodded, smiling. "I'm sure they are, but I can't help but worry."Bailey smirked. "Well, in this business, no news is good news."I nodded, knowing she was right. "Well, if I don't hear from them soon, I'll text them." I shrugged. "I just don't want to bother them in battle."A crease formed between Bailey's eyes. "Alphas are usually the first ones in and the last ones out.""Why?" I threw away some gauze and started cleaning up as we talked."Shifters respect leaders who go in first," Bailey said. "It shows them that the Alphas wouldn't expect their pack to do anything that they wouldn't do themselves."I nodded, letting out a deep breath. "Makes sense."Just then, the door opened, and Xander stepped in... alone. "Where's Elias?"Xander gave me a weak smile, l
"Do me a favor and get my grimoire from the table over there, Kalyssa." In her suite, Daphne quickly took candles from the shelf and placed them on the table, along with a ceramic bowl.I nodded, setting her grimoire gingerly on the table. "Now, take the hair out of his hairbrush." She started lighting the candles. I did as she asked and soon had a few strands of his hair. "What do I do with them?""Set them in the bowl." She nodded toward the center of the table and paged quickly through her grimoire."Does every witch have a grimoire?" I asked, watching.Daphne nodded. "Every witch worth her salt." She tilted her head to the side. "I'll get you a grimoire, and you can start your own. Of course, the one I gave you belongs to your people. But that doesn't mean you can't have one of your own."I nodded, knowing that time was of the essence. Xander was waiting for Cruz's location. And every moment we wasted was another moment that Cruz was captive.Daphne raised her hands over the bowl
After Cruz and Xander were patched up and the rest of the shifters were gone, Bailey and I closed the Clinic."I'll take Cruz to his room," Xander said, kissing my forehead.I shook my head. "No, we need some rooms down here on the first floor to keep patients so we can monitor them. Kind of like a hospital. We can't leave Cruz alone overnight."Xander nodded, pulling me in for a kiss. "I'll stay with him."I shook my head. "I hate for you to do that.""No, I will." Bailey gave me a smile, looking over at me, lifting an eyebrow. "It'll give us a chance to get to know one another better."I chuckled, knowing that she was referring to me wanting to set her up with Cruz. "Sounds good. Xander, she'll do it.""Well, I couldn't ask you to do that." Cruz gave her a knowing smile."You're not asking." She shrugged. "I'm offering."Cruz lifted his shoulders. "Well, I guess she's staying the night then."Bailey hit him playfully on the arm. "Not like that!""Ow!" Cruz chuckled. "Watch the arm. A
Xander shook his head. "I doubt if the guilty one would flash that piece of paper around, but it may help to make them nervous." He let out a deep breath, talking about the note I had sent to the spy. "Go take your shower. I'll call someone to check on things."I nodded. "Thanks."A moment later, I stepped into the shower, letting the warm water run over my body, loosening my muscles. I hated the thought of not being able to spend any time alone for a while. Not that I needed a lot of time to myself, but it was just the principle of the thing. Having my freedom taken from me like this was crazy. I just hoped we found Rush Balista and the spy in our pack soon.When I finished my shower, I dried off, hitched a towel around my breasts, and walked through my suite and into my dressing room. Xander nodded as I passed. He was on the phone talking to someone.I dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, a long sweater, and boots, and then ran a brush through my wet hair. Then I pulled it back into a ponyta