Lorelei (4 page)

Zeke refused to let anything get in the way of his desires. A wave of his hand discarded the furniture between him and Dylan and Lorelei. The couch went tumbling over the carpet, the small end tables doing the same while the lamp crashed against the wall. There, his path was clear. Nothing hindered his course and his strides ate up the ground between them.

Dylan was on her right and he knelt at her left, reaching for her.

Dylan tried to stop him. “Zeke, didn’t they say—”

He snarled at his partner and grasped her free hand, encasing it with his own and then… Bliss. There was no other way to describe the sensations. Bliss and joy and need and an overwhelming need to kill anyone who dared separate them.

Theirs. Theirs. Theirs.

A shadow broke through the brightness, lurking closer and casting itself over their small group.

“I told you not to touch her, dammit.” The rumbling voice cut into their peace and Lorelei trembled, twitching and jerking in their embrace.

When a large, rough hand gripped his shoulder, his response was immediate. His response? No, his
wolf’s
response was instantaneous.

Human teeth were replaced with the beast’s and he turned his head, snapping at the male attempting to pull him from his mate. Tangy blood filled his mouth, and the animal both rejoiced and gagged. It was happy they’d hurt the intruding male, but they only wanted one person’s coppery fluid in their mouth: Lorelei’s.

He spat the offending liquid on the floor, uncaring if it stained the carpet. The intruder backed away with a snarl, but Zeke ignored the male. He was no longer a threat to his mating.

“I thought you told him not to touch her.” Another male was in the room… Levy. The other Ruling Warden.

“Of course I fucking told him. You think I wanted this to happen?” Emmett snarled.

Zeke wanted this to happen. Whatever
this
was. It brought him closer to Lorelei. Closer and closer with each passing second. It was as if their three souls reached and stretched for each other, beckoning them closer.

“Well, we have to separate them,” Levy sighed.

Dylan was the one to respond this time, and it was immediate. His partner lashed out, not with fang and claw, but with pure power. Then he realized the longer they remained connected, the stronger their magic became. It stretched and flexed, filling all three of them with a Warden’s abilities. Only it wasn’t the familiar rush, but something more. Much, much more.

Two low grunts reached him and he imagined the Ruling Wardens colliding with the wall. That wasn’t far enough away, not hardly, but he wasn’t about to release her in order to rid them of the two males completely. As long as they kept their distance, everything would be fine.

The soft click of the door teased his ear, but it was the fresh scent of spring rain that drew his attention. It was so like Lorelei’s but different. Where Lorelei was sweet honeysuckle, this newcomer was… soothing lavender.

The voice that immediately followed confirmed his suspicions. “You two just had to do this yourselves, didn’t you? You couldn’t wait two seconds for me to come along.”

Whitney. Ruling Warden Mate. She knew what was going on. She knew and she wasn’t a threat to them. She wouldn’t try to claim Lorelei and she wasn’t strong enough to steal her from their grasp.

The female padded forward, her shadow eventually breaking past the blinding light. Her long brown hair flowed past her shoulders, the dark hue contrasting with her own halo of gold.

Whitney crouched near Lorelei’s head and Zeke focused on the woman. “Hey, guys. How’s it going?”

She extended her hands over Lorelei’s head. Her fingers twitched, but she didn’t attempt to touch their mate.

Zeke took a moment to glance at Dylan and take in his partner’s reaction to Whitney’s presence. He found the male wasn’t staring at Whitney, but at something beyond the woman. He followed Dylan’s line of sight and squinted to see past the glow, watching as Emmett and Levy lifted themselves from the ground.

Dylan curled his lip and bared a fang, growling low.

Of course the sound had the energy from Lorelei flaring, sending a threatening wave of magic through the air. It sent a bolt of arousal and need into Zeke’s body, but it knocked Emmett and Levy back on their asses.

Their mate was protecting them even as she lay unconscious.

“Hey,” Whitney bit off the word and snapped her fingers in front of Dylan’s face. “You need to chill out. I can’t help you two if you keep doing that.”

Dylan narrowed his eyes at Whitney but remained silent.

The Ruling Warden Mate sat on her heels and her gaze went from Lorelei to Zeke, then Dylan and back to their mate. “Okay, you’re not going to like this, but you need to let go.”

It was Zeke’s turn to snarl and Lorelei’s unconscious reaction was instantaneous, knocking the two Ruling Wardens to the ground once again. Even Whitney swayed with that push of power.

“Damn, she’s got a punch, huh?” Whitney shook her head. “Look, you don’t understand what’s going on, but the longer you two hold her, the longer this will go on. You need to let her come around and have everything explained. Then the three of you will deal with things.” She waved toward Lorelei. “Right now, the best thing for her is to give her body a rest. You guys were born Wardens. You can control your magic. She cannot. She’s not gonna power down unless you let go.”

Zeke looked to his partner, ready to take a cue from his longtime friend. They’d been through so much shit together… If D was onboard, he’d fight his instincts and release their mate.

Yellow eyes met his and after several seconds ticked past, Dylan finally nodded.

Agreeing was the easy part. Doing was a different story…

He returned his gaze to Lorelei, studying her heart-shaped face and the hazel eyes currently hidden from him. Would they spark with anger? Or need? He’d sensed her arousal as the power took control. Would she turn it on them once she realized how her life had just changed?

Probably.

He hoped she didn’t kick his ass too hard.

Zeke battled his wolf, growling at the animal when it refused to budge. Then he finally beat it into submission. He captured the beast and forced it into his mental cage. They had to do this for Lorelei. He needed to remember that.

Even as he released her and the pain of loss struck him in his chest, he had to remember…

Zeke’s fingertips lifted from her wrist, their skin no longer connected through touch, and he saw Dylan did the same. The instant the link was destroyed, the glow eased. It lessened until it merely hovered around Lorelei. As if it was a protective shell, keeping others from coming near.

A force field.

He’d been watching way too many Star Trek reruns.

“See? That wasn’t so hard.” Whitney was way too perky now.

And yes, it was hard. His entire being called for her touch and yet he’d released her. Dylan rumbled, the sound vibrating the air and the low glow surrounding Lorelei flared higher, reaching for them both.

“Okay, see that right there?” Whitney pointed at the way Lorelei’s power wrapped around their wrists. “That’s a very bad thing. So you’re gonna back away and those two are gonna pop her up to—”

It was Zeke’s turn to voice his objection. “
Ours
.”

Lorelei’s magic crept along their arms, inching higher.

Whitney stared at the ceiling. “God save me from possessive Wardens.” She huffed and lowered her head. “Okay, let’s rethink this. You two can’t carry her. You’re not allowed to touch her anymore. What we
can
do is one of you will go with Emmett and Levy. The other will stay with me and Lorelei and I’ll transport you there myself. No nasty boys will touch her. Are we okay with that?”

No, he was very not okay with that. But it was necessary because beneath the healthy brightness of her magic, her skin was paling more and more.

“Dylan will stay.” His partner was the stronger of them and could protect her for the split second he was parted from Lorelei.

“Whitney, we’re not leaving you here.” Emmett’s tone was smooth, but the threat was evident in his gaze.

“Emmett, I don’t interfere with your job. I let the two of you handle your Wardens as you see fit, but I have this.” Whitney glanced over her shoulder. “As males, you don’t get this. You need to listen to me.”

Zeke could tell the Ruling Warden didn’t like what Whitney said, but he finally jerked his head in a quick nod.

That had Zeke staring at Dylan. “You’ll take care of her.”

“You know I will.”

“We’re right behind you. We’re going right to the Ruling Alpha’s suite.” Whitney reached toward him, but stopped just shy of touching his skin. “She’s my cousin, Zeke. I can feel it. I’m not about to let something happen to her. Their suite is the safest place in the hotel. The second you disappear, we’ll be there.”

Zeke understood her words and even accepted them as truth, but…

“The faster you leave, the faster we get her help, Z.” Dylan’s words were a hoarse whisper. He noted the man’s fur coating his arms and the sharp edge of his jaw. Dylan held onto his human shape by force of will alone.

No longer hesitating, he pushed to his feet and strode toward Emmett and Levy. He didn’t pause, didn’t falter, and immediately reached for one of the Ruling Wardens as soon as he was close enough.

His arm closed over Levy’s shoulder, fingers curving over the man’s flesh, and then the hotel room disappeared in a flare of light. The brightness only lasted a brief moment, a single blink before they were sucked into the darkness. It enveloped them, wrapping them in a choking, midnight blanket. It ripped the air from his lungs, and strangled him with its fierce grip. He thought he’d suffocate before all was said and done, die in the middle of the dark that surrounded him.

Then, just as quickly as it began, it ended with him collapsing on the heavy carpeted floor of another suite. One he imagined belonged to the Ruling Alphas.

Shouts surrounded him, growls and snarls came from all sides, but he didn’t give a damn. He waited for his partner and his mate.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited…

*

Dylan couldn’t tear his gaze from Lorelei. Their Lorelei.

The magic that lived inside her continued to pulse and press against her skin while the marks covering her body flared over her flesh. He’d never imagined… He’d read the announcement from the Ruling Wardens. He’d even seen Whitney in the flesh and heard the words from the Ruling Warden Mate. Yet he hadn’t believed.

He let his hand hover over Lorelei’s skin and desire bloomed in his chest as her power reached for him. Tendrils of light kissed his skin, wrapping around his fingers and seeming to draw him to her.

Until another grip halted his progress. The fingers encircling his wrist glowed brighter than his mate, the throb of magic overwhelming Lorelei’s gentle tugs.

“Maybe you didn’t understand. No. Touching.” Whitney spat the words through gritted teeth and then he noticed… It wasn’t anger that had her growling at him. No, it was fatigue and worry and… fear.

“What’s happening, Whitney?” He withdrew his hand, fighting his mate’s beckoning power.

“It’s too much, too fast. There’s a reason Tests of Proximity with Wardens are closely monitored. There’s a reason Warden Born are gently activated before the tests even begin. It’s so something like this doesn’t happen.” She sighed and her attention drifted to Lorelei. “It’s burning her from inside out, Dylan. The more contact, the more it hurts her. You gotta let my guys and Miles and Holden work on her before she comes out of it.”

Miles and Holden, Dylan’s rage overtook him, the anger rising hard and fast. They were Wardens, males responsible for verifying a human female’s status as a Warden Born before they were introduced to other Wardens. He’d seen them meet with the humans drawn to the Gathering. Seen them
touch
the women.

“No,” he snarled and Lorelei’s magic flared, the shimmering wisps stretching toward him.

“Dylan,” Whitney sighed. “What’s more important to you? Healing Lorelei or losing her. That’s what we’re faced with right now. Choose.”

He swallowed past the lump in his throat. Choose? Wasn’t there a door number three? Apparently not. “Heal her.”

Whitney jerked her head in a quick nod. “Okay, the teleporting thing is new to me, but I can get us there. I’m gonna hold on to her, you’re gonna hold on to me.” She gave him a rueful grin. “A little power boost would be great, but be prepared to get a punch to the jaw from one of my mates for your trouble. The good thing is, the other one is getting better at healing.”

Dylan grabbed Whitney without question. Teleportation wasn’t one of his skills, but he was thankful the Ruling Warden Mate had the ability.

“Ready?” Whitney raised her eyebrows.

“Yeah.”

“Hold on tight.” With that, the woman grasped Lorelei’s wrist and closed her eyes.

A second ticked past, and then two, and he wondered if Whitney truly could accomplish her goal.

He shouldn’t have doubted her. Not when the dim glow in the room flared to life and encompassed them in a wall of pure white. That brightness was immediately followed by darkness. Not the nothingness of midnight, but a deeper, blacker existence. Air rushed from his lungs and he couldn’t draw in another breath. His body betrayed him, heart refusing to beat and muscles refusing to tense. He was frozen and yet… moving? The rush of the wind was unmistakable, the noise filling his ears. But his hair wasn’t stirred by the breeze.

The gloom continued, remaining in place as second after second passed and he wondered if it’d ever end, if they’d ever reach their destination.

Then… then midnight slowly receded, the delicate light of the hotel room gradually appearing and replacing the black. It was slow and a new tremor wracked him, the vibration shaking his body. No, it was Whitney shaking, trembles overtaking her small frame.

Then more sound reached him… Lorelei’s whimpers and whines coming on the heels of Whitney’s hoarse cries.

“No. Wrong. Stop it.” The brightness increased, finally giving him a clear look at the Ruling Warden Mate, and shock and fear held him captive.