A Cursed Bloodline (WG 4) (8 page)

I clutched Bren’s unmoving form as my tears spilled across my cheeks. “You’re supposed to stay and make me laugh. Who will do that if you’re gone?”

Time marched forward again without my consent. But then the whisper of a soft breeze tickled my skin. Slowly, very slowly, the scent of magic surrounded Bren’s body. I blinked, unable to believe what I saw. Fragments of bone lifted from the ground and realigned into his skull. His scalp knitted itself across the wound, closing it shut. Hair follicles grew in twists and lengthened to match his mop of curls. I jumped when his flaccid limbs abruptly snapped back into place. My hold on him tightened.
He’s healing. He’s coming back.
His lids flickered shut and his chest expanded with one deep breath after another. Still, his body remained terrifyingly cold.

I glanced up at Misha. The Catholic schoolgirls busied themselves licking the trailing blood from his healing wounds. “Consider this a wedding present,” he said. “Now come to me so I may tend to you.”

There was so much sexual connotation in his voice, it brushed against my face like a lover’s touch. Ying-Ying and Chang urged me toward Misha while they took over Bren’s care and covered him with a blanket.

Misha had saved Bren’s life. I owed him, but I refused to repay him the way he intended.

I stood to face him. The Catholic schoolgirls smiled, pleased that I had seemingly come to my senses. I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, but my nervousness at confronting Misha made my motion overly aggressive. I reopened the large gash in my cheek. The cut was deep. Anara had literally punctured a hole in my face.

Misha took my face in his hands in one motion and began to feast. I don’t think his tongue stroked me more than twice before I shoved him away.

Misha’s eyes widened with confusion while his breath released in short bursts. His taste of me had aroused him. Perfect timing, seeing how the Elders had finally arrived, with Aric.

Aric broke away from Martin and rushed to my side. His wild eyes took in my injuries and blood-smeared clothing. There was nothing I needed more than to fall into his arms and cry, but when he touched my arms, I shrugged him off.

Makawee stepped forward, her pure white hair blowing in the breeze. “What’s happened, Celia?” she asked in her calm voice.

I backed away to where Misha waited. “Bren and I were attacked, by the same wolves who caught me at the house.”

They frowned as if they didn’t understand. Martin’s voice boomed above us. “He’s over here.”

It was only when Martin spoke that they noticed Bren. Makawee hurried toward him and touched his face. Aric watched me closely before joining his Elders. “Brendan is injured, but not healing,” Makawee said. “Celia, please explain what transpired.”

Anger slowly dissolved my fear. I lifted my chin. “We were walking to the car when we were attacked. Bren was…was shot in the mouth with gold bullets.”

Aric bent and lifted Bren’s head to examine it. “If he was shot with gold, where’s the exit wound?”

Misha closed the distance between us. “It sealed when I mended his soul.”

The three wolves exchanged glances. Martin removed the blanket covering Bren’s chest, exposing the rune created by Misha’s blood and vampiric magic. “You performed a blood rising…on a wolf,” Martin said slowly. Disbelief shadowed his dark skin. “Why?”

Misha smiled at me. “My love wished it so.”

Although Martin held on to Aric’s shoulder lightly, there was tremendous power behind his gentle grip. “How many wolves were there?” he asked, keeping Aric in place.

I recalled the echo of all those howls. “It’s hard to tell, at least a dozen, maybe more.”

Martin rose, the hint of suspicion deepened his voice. “I scent the wolf pack you claim attacked you, but not their blood—only yours and Brendan’s. Did you fight back?”

“No. Bren and I were helpless. There was nothing we could do.”

Bren and I were tough fighters. The fact that there were no other dead bodies or limbs strewn about riled their doubts. Yet they knew I spoke the truth when I admitted how powerless we were. I began to ask questions before they could catch me in a lie. “Can you tell me why he’s not healing?”

Makawee stroked Bren’s head gently. The deep-set wrinkles in her forehead creased further the longer she stared at him. “Tell me what you see, my Omega,” Martin said.

Makawee shook her head. “He’s not allowing himself to heal. It’s as if his wolf wishes to die.”

Even if I hadn’t been present for the attack I would have known Makawee was wrong. Bren wasn’t suicidal—and neither was his wolf. Anara was restraining his wolf from healing him. Misha’s power had only allowed him to live.

I bit my bottom lip and tasted my blood. “What’s going to happen to him, Makawee?”

“Until he chooses to heal, he’ll remain in this state.”

A coma. That bastard Anara had left my friend in a goddamn coma.

Martin picked him up. “Let’s get him back to the Den.”

“No.”
My sudden outburst caught everyone by surprise. “Misha, I want Bren to stay with us.” I glanced at the Elders. “I’m a nurse. I’ll look after him and take care of him.”

There was so much anger in Aric’s voice I had to avert my gaze. “He’s
Pack,
Celia. Bren goes with us.”

I dug my heels in and stood my ground. “The attack today was directed at me. Bren got hurt protecting me. I owe it to him to help him now.”

Makawee regarded me with patience and with a voice as gentle as a streaming brook. “Celia, young Brendan is part of our family. We care for our own.”

My head snapped toward her. “Since when? Aric had to fight just to allow him into your Pack. Now that he’s hurt you feel sorry for him enough to claim him as your own?” Makawee had never shown me anything but kindness. I hated disrespecting her, but I couldn’t turn Bren over to them. Not when it meant he would be easy pickings for Anara.

Martin held Bren. “Celia, our wolves will watch over him.”

“I’m surprised you can spare them, Martin. Shouldn’t you be sending them off to breed?” My tone was hideously cold. I wasn’t proud, but I couldn’t let Bren go. The problem was, I wasn’t just picking a fight with the neighborhood kids. I was stepping on the toes of two
Elders
. Martin and Makawee were as formidable as Anara. I knew the patience of their beasts would soon wear thin.

“I-I can try to help him,” Emme interrupted.

My sisters and Aric’s Warriors had arrived without me knowing. I wasn’t sure how long they’d watched me, but it seemed they’d witnessed enough.

Emme knelt by Bren and placed her hands against his chest, careful to avoid touching the symbol. Aric blocked my path when I rushed to stop her. I stood close enough to feel the warmth of his love, so strong it stung my eyes with tears. He tried to catch my gaze, but I looked away. “Just let her help him, Celia,” he said softly.

I feared that Bren would wake and explain what happened…and that I’d watch everyone I loved die because of it. My frustration made my tears run faster. Aric sniffed the air. “You’re still bleeding.” His voice was different then, he’d always hated seeing me cry.

I nodded.

“Are you in pain?”

“Yes,” I mumbled.

Aric moved closer. The heat rose between us. Sweet heavens, I just needed him to hold me.

“Something is terribly wrong,” Emme said. “It feels like I’m touching…” She scrambled away from Bren with her hands clasped over her mouth.

I wasn’t sure what had happened until Liam loomed over him and said, “Shit. Bren just popped a tent.”

Liam was right. Bren might have been in a coma, but he still managed an erection. He even smiled. Emme must have “touched” him in more ways than one.

Taran sighed with relief. “Thank Christ. That’s a good sign, right?”

Makawee stroked Bren’s moppy curls. The smile on her face faded. “No. His wolf still refuses to mend him.”

“I’d like to take him home now.” My eyes stayed fixed on the ground, not wanting to face the judgmental stares bearing down on me.

Aric took my hand in his. “Celia, have Emme heal you first and we’ll talk—”

Moving so abruptly from Aric’s body heat was actually physically painful. “Misha, I want Bren with me.” Misha furrowed his perfect brows. The last thing he probably wanted was a werewolf living in his home. My eyes implored him. “Please, Misha.”

He nodded slowly. “Very well, if that is what you desire.”

“No,”
Aric growled.

“I want to take care of him, Aric. I need to, it’s my fault he’s hurt!” No one moved. Instead they regarded me like someone juggling grenades. They thought I was losing it. I reinforced their belief when I threw a ridiculous tantrum in my desperation to save Bren. “Give him to me, I want him now!”

Martin stood, I thought to attack me. Instead his teak-colored eyes watched me with pity. “Celia, the events in recent days have left you in an extremely fragile state. I don’t feel you’re the best person to care for Brendan—”

“Or for any one of your wolves, right? Goddamn you, Martin—”

Aric placed his hand over my mouth and grabbed me tight. Although I was Aric’s mate, that didn’t give me free rein to say what I pleased or disrespect Martin. Despite my anger, the familiarity of Aric’s arms abruptly unleashed my misery. I sobbed. Worse yet, I began to bleed when I attempted to break free from his hold.

Aric lifted me and carried me to Koda’s SUV. “Emme, get over here! Her wounds are opening.” The other wolves quickly stowed the seats so everything lay flat. It was hard to struggle against Aric, but I panicked that Anara would know of our contact. “Stop fighting me,” he whispered in my ear. “Let me help you, baby.” I stopped thrashing, but the moment Aric released me, I tried to escape. Aric yanked me back and restrained my arms behind me. “Shayna, hold her legs—Taran, get her sweater off.”

I yelped when Taran pulled at my clothing “Damnit, Aric. I’m hurting her. You’ll have to rip it off.”

Aric tore off my clothes and growled hard enough to shake me. My sisters gasped in horror. “What’s happening?” Koda asked over his shoulder. He and Liam guarded the back of the vehicle.

Fire sparked in Taran’s eyes. “Those assholes clawed her to shreds!”

Gemini shoved a bottle of water and towels through the front. “Here. Take these.”

Shayna slowly released my legs and began to wipe off the blood with the wet towels Taran handed her. “Ceel,” she said, her voice trembling. “Did they…?”

“No, Shayna. I wasn’t raped.”

Although I could still sense Aric’s anger, he relaxed slightly at the news.

I followed Shayna’s movements. Deep gashes marred my breasts, chest, and neck. Misha would have had a field day. Emme touched me with tremulous hands. Her warm tears fell against my bare skin as she closed the gaping lacerations. If not for Aric’s gentle murmuring, I might have joined her.

“Rest, sweetness. I’m here.”

I allowed his words to melt against my battered soul.
You’re here.

“Trust me.”

I trust you.

“You’re safe now, no one can hurt you.”

I stiffened.
You’re wrong.

Aric released my arms when Emme finished. I cringed away and dressed in the sweats Gemini tossed me. “I have to go get Bren,” I mumbled.

I kept my arms crossed over my breasts, feeling violated. My breasts were emblematic of my womanhood. They were intimate body parts. And they’d been defiled by a monster.

Aric and my sisters followed behind me. They kept speaking and asking me questions. I ignored them. Misha scowled at Aric when he saw him so close to me, but when he returned to his conversation with the Elders, his voice was calm. “You have my word as a master that no harm shall come to your wolf. My family will keep their distance and Ying-Ying and Chang will assist in his care.”

I sighed with relief.
Fantastic. Bring on the Gan Mao Ling.
“Can we go, Misha?”

“As you wish, my love. Hank?”

Hank lifted Bren in his arms using great care, probably because his master and the Elders were watching. Aric’s glare followed him, but it wasn’t until Misha placed his arm around me that the growls that accompanied his glare turned challenging.

“Let her go, Aric,” Makawee said softly.

My sisters tried to say their goodbyes. I hurried away from them and chased down Hank. I was emotionally beaten and incapable of dealing with more of their questions. My prime concern was getting Bren to safety and finding a way out of this ever-worsening nightmare.

Emme ran full out to catch us. “I’ll go back with them.”

The vampires had formed a perimeter around the lot, using their mojo to alter the memories of the few humans walking the streets. They abandoned their posts as soon we appeared, exchanging annoyed glances when they caught sight of Bren.

Hank usually drove Misha’s Hummer limo, but this time he asked Tim to drive us back. It wasn’t until we were seated that I realized why. Bren’s head rested across Emme’s lap and she stroked his hair with easy affection. Hank was not at all pleased. He watched her, grinding his fangs. I leaned forward. “This might be a good time to remind you that you aren’t allowed to hurt my friend. And if you do, I’ll skewer your liver and feed you the chunks.” Hank clenched his teeth to hiss, but something in my face told him now was not the time to mess with me. I leaned back when he turned his focus elsewhere.

Emme’s fingertips slid over the new section of Bren’s scalp. “Misha, how did you help Bren?”

“Masters at my level can often heal those near death. It’s referred to as a
blood rising
.”

Emme smiled at him. “What a wonderful gift. You could help so many—”

“No, he could not,” Hank snapped. “My master risked demonic possession by helping your mutt.”

I straightened. “Is that true?”

Misha casually shrugged off my question. “The soul you returned to me combined with my immortality affords me unimaginable power. Yet it’s not without its weaknesses. During the
blood rising
my body became vulnerable to the Dark Ones. However, the close proximity to Tahoe’s magic was likely enough to deter their presence.”