Love's Protection (Passion Moon 3): (A Shifter, Supernatural Romance) (6 page)

“Why are you here?” I repeated, folding my arms beneath my breasts. “You've had my entire life to visit me. You left my momma pining after you every day of her life while I had to be raised by an abusive step-father.”

“Like I told your mother, I'm a Traveler, Dakota. I never could stay in one place.” His green eyes deepened. “Hell, I didn't even know I had a daughter until recently. I'm just so happy to meet you. You have your mother's looks. Bessie was a beautiful woman. What a night we had.”

My cheeks blushed. My momma always spoke glowingly of the night I was conceived. My father seemed so sincere. His eyes seemed so caring. But Burt's words echoed in my mind. He had to be lying. Burt knew about him.

“No. I think you've known about me for some time.”

My father looked around. “Do you all mind giving me some privacy with my daughter?”

“I do mind,” Vanessa growled.

“It's okay,” I told her. I had my magic. Penny and Vanessa were here. “Just wait in the store. Within earshot.”

Vanessa threw a look over her shoulder. I kept my gaze level. I was mated to her Alpha. I had to be commanding. If I was strong, she would instinctively obey. Vanessa's jaw tightened, and then she nodded her head. “I'll be right out there,” she growled to my father as she walked by.

“Be careful, girl,” Augustus said and Penny nodded in agreement.

Everyone left. It was just me and my father. Questions tumbled through my head.

“You've grown strong and confident,” my father said. “You have a lot more fire in you than the last time we met.”

“The night you tattooed my totem on my back?” I asked.

“You were pretty drunk that night. I wasn't sure if you'd remember.”

“I remembered your eyes.” I swallowed. “I've fixed the spell you put on the totem. Burt triggered it, but I overcame it.”

His face hardened. “That boy messed things up, huh?”

“I'm sure he ruined all your plans,” I nodded. “I'm on to you, Father. You let that monster abuse me for three years.”

“I did.” He leaned against the wall. “It would have been perfect. You hated Burt. You were aching to be rescued from your misery. Imagine how happy you would have been to have your mysterious father swoop in, rescue you, and show you that you're special.” He laughed. “I missed you by a week.”

I shuddered at his matter-of-fact tone. “Didn't you care that he beat me? Or that he used magic to make me fall in love with him?”

My father shrugged. “It was necessary. The boy just did what he was told.”

“You...told him to do that?”

“In a way. I shaped him to be the perfect tool. I taught him the magics. I just told him you were special and that he had to protect you at all costs. I made him think you were his if he could claim you. And then I made him fear my anger if he failed.”

My flesh crawled. “You...taught him the spell that made me...love him?” My eyes widened. “Sweet Lord, you used that spell on my mother.” My stomach twisted. “She...she spent the rest of her life waiting for you. She didn't have a choice to love you. What kind of monster are you?”

“The kind with the will to get what he wants, Dakota.” His voice was firm. “I created you. I need you, and you will help me.”

I laughed in his face. My heart beat faster. I gathered my will and prepared to use my magic. If he wanted to force me, I would make it hard for him. My totem prickled.

“You have a choice, Dakota. You can help me with what I need and then live happily ever after with your wolf, or I will destroy everyone you love.”

“You did train Burt,” I sneered. “He made the very same threat. And now he's dead.”

My father strode towards me, his green eyes burning. “I am far older than Burt. I do not make empty threats. So what will it be?”

I swallowed. His eyes were so hard. I had scoffed at Burt's threat, but I could see it in his eyes. My father would do it. I trembled, biting my lip. “What do you want?”

“What do you think, Dakota?”

My heart trembled. “The power in the Moon Tear Spring.”

“It's why I made you. You will be my conduit. Once I have the power, I really don't care what you do with your life.”

I had touched that power. It was immense. What would he do with it? Why would he need so much power? My heart beat faster. He may be a strong man, he may have planned out my life, but I was a strong woman and I had amazing friends and my powerful mate. We stopped Christian and Burt. We would stop my father.

“No. I will not help you.” I glared at him. “That power is too strong. I don't think you're the sort of man that can be entrusted with it.”

My father sighed. “Yes, you are far stronger than I had ever thought you would be. I did all I could to keep your will tiny. How did you manage to survive Wayne and Burt with any spine intact?”

“I discovered something to fight for,” I spat back. He knew about Wayne?

“I would rather you were willing,” he said. “It'll make this far less painful.”

“I would never help you!” I hissed.

“Well, this was pointless. I'll give you a day to come to your senses.” His eyes flicked down at my wedding dress. “You do look lovely, Dakota.”

He turned and strode out of the changing room.

I almost collapsed.

Chapter Five: Family

Penny, Augustus, Connie, and Evelyn rushed back into the room as my knees buckled. Penny caught my arm and helped me to a seat. My head swam. My father had no qualms laying out everything he had done to me.

Did he make my momma marry Wayne? As a child, I never had understood why she did that. She always talked about my real father like she loved him, but married this abusive drunk anyways. And then she died so young. She was only twenty-four. Far too young to be taken away.

Tears trickled down my cheeks. What if my father killed her? What if he gave her cancer so I would be raised by Wayne? I was so eager to get away from Wayne I probably would have dated Burt without the love spell. For a while, I thought of Burt as the man who rescued me from Wayne.

Penny wrapped her arms around me. “It's okay,” she whispered as she rocked me. “He's gone.”

“He...he...” I sobbed, struggling to speak. “He's a monster.” I looked up into Penny's eyes. “He used magic to make my momma love him. He manipulated my entire life.”

“Kotie!” Forrest shouted from the front of the store.

“Vanessa called him the moment we walked out,” Penny said.

“Back here,” Augustus shouted, opening the door.

Forrest burst into the back room. I flew to his arms and buried my face into his chest. My body shook. My father had controlled my entire life. He inflicted cruelty after cruelty all so I would be thrilled to be rescued from my misery.

“What's wrong?” Forrest asked. “What did your father say?”

His anger grew as I told him all that my father did to me. His eyes burned gold. The wolf was eager to be unleashed. When I finished, Forrest growled, “That bastard was the one who put me here. I've been defending the Moon Tear Spring just so the bastard could use it for himself?”

His arms tightened about me.

“But you messed up his plans,” Forrest continued. “You were stronger than he thought. You escaped Burt. You figured out what a piece of shit he is.”

“So now he'll do what Christian tried to do,” I answered. “He'll try to force me to be the conduit. He's threatened everyone I love. He means it, Forrest. He'll kill you. Penny. Everyone.”

“Not if I have anything to say,” a new voice snarled. Miss Maggie stumped in, her eyes fierce.

“I called her,” Penny said.

Forrest let me go and pulled out his radio. “Vanessa.”

“Yeah, boss,” she answered.

“Are you still following Kotie's father?”

“Yep,” she answered. “He's driving a black, Chevy impala. I'd say a '65. We're heading up to the cabins by Redrock Lake.”

“You alone?”

“Nope. Kiernan and Bobby Ray are following behind me.”

“You be careful. He's a witch.”

“Boss, that's what you pay us to fight. So he's after the Moon Tear Spring?”

“Yep. We're taking him down today.”

“I'm in,” Penny said, folding her arms beneath her breasts. Her totem, a tattoo of a tornado wrapped in a red bow whirled and Air spirits danced around her. “I'm not gonna let him use me to blackmail you, Kotie.”

Tears burned in my eyes.

“I reckon your father needs to learn some manners,” Miss Maggie snarled like an angry momma bear. “He ain't 'bout to harm a single hair on your head, Kotie.”

I nodded my head and looked at Forrest. How did I get so lucky to find these amazing people? “He can't possibly stop all of us.”

Forrest brushed away my tears. “You look gorgeous,” he said.

My eyes widened. “Forrest, you can't see me in my dress before the wedding.”

“Too late.” He leaned down and kissed me. I trembled when he broke it. “I won't let your father harm you.”

“Are you going to kill him?”

Forrest's eyes were hard. “Doesn't he deserve it?”

I nodded my head. “He killed my mother. I'm sure of it. He seduced her and then killed her all so he could use me.” Another tremble shuddered through my body. “He made her love him. He destroyed her.”

“Augustus?” Forrest asked. “What about you?”

Augustus shook his head. “I'm not sure I'll be much use. But I know you'll deal with him.”

“Let's get you out of this dress,” Evelyn said, her face pale. She was just a normal human, but like most residents of Moonrise, she understood what was really happening in this town. “We don't want to ruin it. You'll need it for your big day.”

I nodded my head.

Forrest withdrew as Evelyn helped me out of the dress. I would not let my father ruin everything. He would pay for all the pain he had inflicted upon me. How could he be so cruel to his own daughter? How could I even be his daughter? How did that monster produce me?

I pulled my cowboy boots on last. I stood up and glanced at the mirror. The beautiful bride was gone. In her place was an angry witch. I tied back my hair in a ponytail. My fists clenched. “Momma, I'll make him pay for what he did to you.” I looked up at the skies, fresh tears rolling down my cheeks. The bastard had stolen her from me.

I wiped away my tears and strode out of the back room. Forrest stood fierce and dangerous, his hand resting on the butt of his gun holstered on his belt. Penny had her arms folded beneath her generous bosom, hard determination on her normally cheerful face. Miss Maggie's face was full of a mama-bear's anger, her lips curling. The hard woman was close to her change.

“Let's stop your father,” Penny said.

I had such amazing friends. The town of Moonrise had embraced me. This was my home. My family. And there was no way in hell I was letting my father ruin everything. He had already done enough harm to my life.

“Let's go.” My boots thudded on the hard floor of the shop as I strode across it. Forrest fell in beside me, walking with a wolfish grace, his lips pulled back in a snarl. The barbed wire tattoos crisscrossing his chest must be burning bright red. The change was almost upon him. My mate would make my father regret ever meddling in my life.

“Take care, girl,” Augustus said, his narrow face pale.

I nodded to him. I wanted to pause to hug him, but I couldn't. I had to keep marching. I couldn't stop now. Momentum built inside me. I was like a boulder rolling down a hill. My father lay at the bottom and nothing was stopping me from crashing into him.

The day was bright and warm. It seemed far too sunny for what we were about to do. If this was a movie, I'm sure it would be a dark and stormy night. Birds sang in the trees lining the street and a sweet perfume of flowers adorned the air. Moonrise was a perfect town. It didn't deserve my father's taint polluting it.

Forrest's SUV was parked a few cars down from Evelyn's Treasures. It was like any sheriff SUV you'd see in any part of America, beige and white, a light rack on top, and the city seal of Moonrise printed on the door.

“Hi, Sheriff,” an elderly woman nodded as she power walked by in her jogging shorts and t-shirt, a pink sweatband half-covered by her gray hair. “Beautiful day.”

Forrest nodded.

Cars streamed up and down Spring Drive, either passing through Moonrise as they followed the highway through this part of Montana, or locals heading home from work, going shopping, or just out to enjoy the beautiful afternoon. I paused at the door to the SUV, looking around at the town. It had that small town charm, the storefronts almost looking like an old west town, only ruined by the modern lighting and the rows of cars parallel parked along the sidewalk.

“Kotie?” Forrest asked from across the SUV as he opened the driver door.

“Sorry.” This town deserved protection. That's why I was here. To stop men like my father from plundering it. I would protect it. I would stop my father's plans for the Moon Tear Spring. I wrenched open the passenger door and climbed into the SUV.

The vehicle rocked on its shocks as Forrest climbed into the cab. He was a big man. In the back, Penny and Miss Maggie buckled their seat belts. Forrest's police radio squawked as he flipped on his lights and sirens. He gave a quick look over his shoulder before pulling out into traffic. The V8 engine growled as he roared down the street towards Miner's Way, the road that led up into the Rocky Mountains and out towards Redrock Lake.

Forrest snatched his radio. “Where's he at, Vanessa?”

“We're still heading towards Redrock Lake,” she answered, her voice a little garbled on the radio. The last few months, I had gotten a lot better at understanding radio chatter. “I don't think he cares that I'm following him. We're approaching the cabins. I'll let you know if he makes the turn or keeps going.”

Forrest didn't stop at the red light at Miner's Way. He honked his horn a few times, stopping traffic as he raced through the intersection and made the left. A patrol car appeared behind us, its light rack flashing as it followed us up into the mountains.

I looked over my shoulder as the SUV climbed the hill. Moonrise stretched out across the valley, tiny and perfect. Flashing lights dotted the roads, more of Forrest's pack racing to catch up with us and take down my father. We would stop him. He was only one man. We wouldn't make the mistake we had with Burt. We wouldn't underestimate my father.