Lorelei (14 page)
“Last chance.” She tilted her head toward her sister. “Let her go.” When he shook his head, she mirrored the move. “I gave you fair warning, huh? Remember that.”
Lorelei released it, let the gathering magic free into the air to do as it wished. The glaring glow of her skin hurt her eyes, but she kept them open, soon becoming accustomed to the brightness. Then she watched. She watched and gestured and formed the power as she desired.
The tendrils didn’t creep—they raced. They shot through the air and headed for the two offensive males. The one holding Rebecca was quickly subdued, a burn marring his skin while the energy stole his breath.
Apparently her magic was very eye-for-an-eye.
She attempted to communicate with that part of her. It was separate but the same, and the attacker couldn’t be killed. At least, not yet. She had the impression it pouted.
Next she went after the fleeing male, reaching for him with those glowing, snaking coils. One wrapped around an ankle while another snared his wrist. It tugged and yanked, drawing him back into the suite. He sought escape, but her magic wouldn’t let that happen.
It knew, just as Lorelei did, they were needed alive. More the pity.
So, she tugged, fought, and wrenched. Another twirling glow grabbed him and hauled him deeper into the room. She wouldn’t let him flee. There was no way he’d take off without telling them everything he knew. There was no way…
He had a gun in his hand. His free hand. She’d left it untethered and he had a gun pointed at Rebecca and…
And Lorelei didn’t think, didn’t breathe, didn’t even blink. No, her entire consciousness was focused on that weapon, at the flare of light and pop as it fired.
She didn’t know how it happened, didn’t know where the energy came from or how she wielded it, but she curled in on herself, air heaving from her lungs as she bent over. And as she rose, as she drew oxygen back into herself… she simply let go.
The light didn’t come in gradual increments. Her power exploded. It overruled everything, every law of nature and man, and it filled every nook and cranny in the room. Hell, she had the feeling it moved beyond their small space. It sent Rebecca staggering and the main guy tripping backwards, but most importantly, it froze the bullet in place. It immobilized it midair, keeping it suspended.
It saved Rebecca. Saved her and she was uninjured and the magic could recede now, but it wouldn’t let go. It wouldn’t quit hunting for a target, wouldn’t stop trying to find someone else who threatened her and Rebecca. She begged the magic to return, to climb back into Lorelei before they hurt someone, before they destroyed an innocent…
“Lorelei!” She recognized that voice.
“Dammit, Lorelei!” Knew that one, too.
They were both safe, comforting. They were home.
The power would protect her home as well.
It wrapped around the men, drawing them closer as she tugged Rebecca nearer in their wake.
“Lorelei, you need to calm down.” Dylan? Yes, Dylan urged her to calm. Why? She was fine.
“Pull it back, baby. It’s out of control.” If the first male was Dylan then this was Zeke. Sweet smiles and damned sexy.
If she pulled it back, they’d be vulnerable. No, she would not. They would discover she was right.
“Lor, you gotta stop.” A soft, delicate hand landed on her shoulder. It was small and smooth, not rough and large like her mates. “We can’t find Paisley this way.”
Paisley. Yes. Paisley.
Lorelei reached for the writhing glow, the physical part of her that lived in the power, and drew it to her. She breathed deeply and exhaled slowly, fighting and clawing it back to her body. It battled her. It didn’t want to be contained, but they needed the unconscious men to find Paisley. No one could help do that if they couldn’t come near her. She had no doubt the magic would tear into anyone who wasn’t theirs.
Rebecca was theirs
Zeke was theirs.
Dylan was theirs.
The glow slowly diminished, lessening with every beat of her heart. It dimmed the harder she tugged until her skin was a pale imitation of her natural color. Her twining Marks remained a pulsing reminder of her power, but at least it was banked.
For now.
God help the men who stole Paisley.
Calm and exhausted, she slumped into the men on her right, letting them take her weight, and she knew one of her mates swung her into his arms. She buried her face against his neck, inhaling his scent, allowing her to calm further.
“Check on Rebecca,” she mumbled.
“Zeke has Rebecca. He’ll get her to a Warden and her mates just as I’ll get you to help.” Dylan’s voice rumbled through her, vibrating her from within.
“Don’t let them get away.”
Zeke chuckled. “Baby, we’ll be lucky to wake them up.”
“I can bring them back after my nap.” She didn’t know how she could, but there was no question in her mind.
“Okay, sweet. We might take you up on that.” Dylan’s lips brushed her forehead and she nuzzled him again.
“Was scared,” she whispered.
“I know, we were, too. We didn’t realize you were in trouble until you…” Zeke didn’t finish his sentence.
“Exploded.” The word was a grumble.
“How’d they get in?” The new voice, familiar and male, singed her nerves.
Her magic immediately reacted, coiling and tensing in preparation of attack. Dammit. She couldn’t go after every man who came near.
Then a cool balm stroked her, the first joined by a second and she released a relieved sigh. Her mates. They were there, ready to smooth her still-ragged edges.
“Paisley,” she licked her lips, hating the truth. “They used her blood. The spell was tied to our family line, not us individually.” She peeked over Dylan’s shoulder and noted the three unconscious men. “Their hands are painted red.” A shudder wracked her. “It’s her blood, but they talked about her as if she’s still alive.”
She turned back to the man. Levy. Levy and behind him was Emmett and they were Whitney’s mates. Even farther were Keller and Madden with their mate Scarlet.
My cousin.
Thoughts, memories, were slowly coming back. The longer she remained calm, the more that filtered through.
Carson and Aidan were there for Rebecca and Gabriella was there with Berke and Jack.
Her family.
“She is alive, Lor.” Rebecca spoke with firm conviction and she prayed her youngest sister was right.
Because if they lost Paisley, she wasn’t sure what she’d do. Hell, she wasn’t sure what her
magic
would do.
Carson and Aidan twitched, bodies jerking, and she noted the gray covering their cheeks, the sharpness of their faces.
“Let them through.” She cleared her throat and fought to speak louder. “Let Carson and Aidan through.”
“You won’t…” Levy raised his eyebrows and she recognized what they’d done.
Most Powerful Wardens first.
Most Dominant Alphas next.
Then Fierce Alphas.
And finally, the newest additions to the family.
They knew she wouldn’t harm Rebecca or her own mates.
They weren’t sure about anyone else.
“I promise. Let them come forward. Let them see for themselves that she’s fine.” Lorelei nodded.
Everyone slowly relaxed and then Rebecca’s mates were there, hands stroking her body and growls filling the air when they spotted her neck.
Then it became a battle to keep Rebecca’s mates from killing the prone men.
Slowly their group dispersed, everyone stepping into their roles, organizing clean up and securing the interlopers.
It happened around their trio, the activity manic while the three of them seemed to exist in a bubble. Dylan carried her to one of the untouched bedrooms and lowered to a cushioned chair, cradling her in his arms. Zeke tugged another close until she was warm and safe between them.
Safe.
She was safe.
“Are you okay, sweet? That was… amazing.” Dylan didn’t add that it was scary as hell, too.
“Baby?” Zeke echoed Dylan.
“I’m…” She took stock of herself, noting the aches and pains, but she was alive. Alive and safe and it was more than her sister had, wasn’t it? “I’m okay. I’m…” She reached for Zeke and Dylan, clutching their hands. “I thought Rebecca was gonna die. I thought they’d kill her and you guys weren’t there and then I—” She couldn’t stop the sob that rose to her throat. One made way for two and she couldn’t breathe through the crying. “I could have killed you. I could have killed them. It wanted to. I wanted to destroy them.”
Both men squeezed her hands and it was Zeke who spoke first. “But you didn’t. And I know how hard it is. When Dylan showed up on my doorstep all those years ago,” Zeke brushed a strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear, “he was battered, bloody, and bruised and I wanted to go after the man who’d done that to him. I wanted to bathe in the male’s blood. Thirteen and more than anything, I wanted to destroy him.” Lorelei let her gaze skitter away, but he wouldn’t let it. “Wanting to hurt someone who hurt a loved one is nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone has rage. True, you’re a little more dangerous than most, but just because you can end someone’s life doesn’t mean you will.”
“I almost did,” she whispered, hating herself for her actions. “I’m as evil as they are. As twisted and broken and—”
“But you didn’t and that’s what matters.” Zeke cupped her cheeks and his gaze grew intent and serious. “The woman we mated, the woman who will bear our cubs, and the woman we love is not evil. She’s so full of goodness and caring that she was willing to risk her life. Those aren’t the actions of an evil person.”
Tears burned her eyes and she fought to blink them back. “You,” she sniffled, “you love me?”
Did he? Was he just telling her what she needed to hear?
“You know I do and if you look in Dylan’s heart, you’ll see he does, too.”
Lorelei tipped her head back and met Dylan’s gaze. “Is that true?”
“Only if you want it to be. The last thing we want to do is scare you.” Dylan traced her lips with a finger. “A mating starts with a wolf’s instincts and nature’s guidance, but our hearts are our own. How could we not love a woman who risked so much for someone she loves? We just hope you return our feelings someday.”
“I already do.” The words were low, but when their eyes blazed yellow and a dusting of gray hair invaded their cheeks, she knew they’d heard her.
Yes, she already did love them—there was no question—and she hoped to love them for a very long time.
Hopefully as long as Paisley would love her mates. Once they found her and she found them. Because, above all, she
knew
her sister would be found. Found. And someday Paisley would discover the happiness she shared with Zeke and Dylan.
They just might have to kill a few people along the way.
The End
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By the way… below are some links to help you hunt up the rest of the series:
Alpha Marked #1: Scarlet -
http://bookbit.ly/amsare
Alpha Marked #2: Gabriella -
http://bookbit.ly/amgare
Alpha Marked #3: Whitney -
http://bookbit.ly/amware
Alpha Marked #4: Rebecca -
http://bookbit.ly/amrare
Alpha Marked #5: Lorelei -
http://bookbit.ly/amlare
Alpha Marked #6: Paisley -
http://bookbit.ly/ampare
Ex-dance teacher, former accountant and erstwhile collectible doll salesperson, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Celia Kyle now writes paranormal romances for readers who:
1) Like super hunky heroes (they generally get furry)
2) Dig beautiful women (who have a few more curves than the average lady)
3) Love laughing in (and out of) bed.
It goes without saying that there's always a happily-ever-after for her characters, even if there are a few road bumps along the way.
Today she lives in Central Florida and writes full-time with the support of her loving husband and two finicky cats.
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Published by Summerhouse Publishing. Alpha Marked, Book 5: Lorelei. Copyright © 2014. Celia Kyle. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.
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