Warlock Unbound: Heart's Desire, Book 4 (5 page)

Chapter Five

“Are you ready?” Zach glanced toward Jo, his mate, who waved serenely from the front of the hotel.

“Who are you asking?” It had taken Daniel hours to drag Zach away from Jo. Damn it, why did they need to start talking about starting a family now? While Daniel would love to have little nieces and nephews running around the place, it wasn’t exactly the best time to have them.

“You, butt munch.” Zach blew a kiss to his mate and climbed into the driver’s seat. “Bring up the GPS and tell me where we’re headed.”

Daniel also waved. Gareth, Chris, Lana, Jo and Mac were standing at the curb, all of them giving Daniel differing degrees of concerned looks. Gareth was the worst, his worry turning his face into a deep scowl that Daniel knew well.

He was going to have to text every hour or Gareth would freak the fuck out. His big brother made overprotective bear moms look like an ad for
Why We Need Foster Parents
. It was only made worse by the fact that Gen was in the backseat, serenely reading a book.

She’d turned out to be everything Gareth needed, even if Daniel didn’t fully understand the appeal. She was still a bit uptight for his tastes, but she was slowly opening up to them. Daniel would protect her with his life, as he would all the mates, but…couldn’t she unclench just a
little
faster?

“Jo’s pregnant.”

Daniel blinked and turned back to Zach. “No shit.”

That
made Gen’s head pop up. “She is? Congratulations!”

Zach grinned from ear to ear. “No shit. That’s what took so long. She told me just before we left. And thanks, sis. She’ll want to talk to you and Lana about baby stuff, I’m sure.”

Gen blushed, just like she did every time one of them called her sis. “You’re welcome.” She turned back to her book, the fire slowly fading from her cheeks.

“Congrats, bro.” Even if Daniel didn’t think it was the right time, he wasn’t about to piss on Zach’s happiness. Zach deserved it after the way he’d been treated at the witch court. At least
that
mess had been cleared up, and Zach was considered a valuable member of the community. A community he and Johra would have to return to sooner rather than later. As an Own, Zach’s powers were off the magical charts, but it made simple spells most magical people cast almost impossible for him. As one of the mates had put it, it was like trying to power a stereo with a lightning bolt. Zach had almost given up, but Gen and Johra had convinced him he was more than he seemed. Now his baby brother was a total badass warrior for the Goddess. No one fucked with him.

It was just the way Daniel liked it, and he intended to keep anyone from ever fucking with his family again. That now included the tiny pup growing inside his sister-in-law.

“Thanks.” Zach’s grin turned wicked. “We need to take Arthur down before Jo bursts.”

Daniel chuckled as they merged with the traffic around the hotel. “All right. We need to make our way to Henry Hudson Parkway.” Daniel scrolled through the directions, reading them off until Zach was on the highway.

“What do you want to do once we get there?” Zach was watching the signs for his next turn off.

Daniel squinted as he pictured just what he’d like to do with Arthur Godwin once they had him. “Cover him in honey and fire ants?”

Zach chuckled. “How about I punt him into the ocean?”

“Been there, done that.” Daniel remembered how a pissed-off Zach had simply waved his arm and sent Arthur Godwin sailing halfway between Philly and New Jersey, landing his sorry warlock ass in the Delaware River. The man had taken the coward’s way out and swam away from Zach, leaving him the last Godwin standing other than Gen.

“I really had hoped you’d killed him.” Daniel grimaced as he remembered watching Arthur struggle to swim the river.

“He was a bastard, all right. But unlike Hugh he didn’t try and…do things to Kerry.” Zach bit his lip as he turned onto I-95. They needed to get their butts onto the Long Island Expressway, and the directions were…damn.

Sometimes Daniel missed living in Pittsburgh. And this was only a three-hour trip. Daniel also missed heading out into the country, just going to Chris’s house so they could run, all four of them. They couldn’t do that in New York. A wolf in Central Park would be one hell of a sight, let alone four of them. “I just want to know what the fuck Arthur is up to.”

Zach nodded. “Yeah. I mean, what the fuck is up with the parties?”

“It’s like he’s taunting us. The only thing we can get him on right now is kidnapping Jo and Kerry. We know he was working with his father, but we don’t have the proof the wizard council needs to act.”

“But we do have enough for
me
to act.” Zach glanced at Daniel. “How are you feeling, by the way?”

Ugh. Jesus, not
feelings
. He’d rather have a root canal with a dull drill and no Novocain. “Good.”

Zach’s brows rose. “What do you plan on doing once Kerry arrives?”

Tie her up in a safe place until Arthur is dead.
“Take a trip to Siberia?”

Thank the gods for rest stops, because Zach was laughing so hard he had to pull over before he killed them both.

Daniel grunted and opened his door. “I gotta piss.”

“That’s great.” Zach turned off the ignition and got out as well, locking the doors behind them. “I could use a snack.”

Daniel waved Zach toward the munchie machines. “Grab me a Snickers and a Coke.”

“Could I have a Coke as well?” Gen smiled from the backseat but quickly returned to her book. Whatever it was must have been fascinating, because she could barely take her eyes off of it.

“Got it.”

Daniel headed into the restroom, shaking his head. It was easy to distract Zach. Wave food under his nose, and his brother was a happy man.

Daniel finished his business, washed his hands and headed back to the car. Zach was already inside, waiting on Daniel. He held up the Snickers bar, pretending to eat it. Either that or he was giving it head.

Daniel opened the car door and got in. “Stop molesting my candy bar, asshat.”

Zach threw the candy bar at him. “I was not, butt munch.” He handed Daniel and Gen their sodas and started the car up, waiting until Daniel shut his door and put his seatbelt on before merging back onto the highway. “So. Kerry.”

Daniel banged his head on the backrest repeatedly.

“I’m just saying, the Godwins kidnapped her before Gareth did the ritual. You’re snarly around her, and you’re worse when she’s here. We all know she’s yours, so how are you planning on protecting her?”

Daniel glared at Zach. “By killing Arthur Godwin and anyone else who thinks they can lay a hand on my mate.”

“Now you’re talking.” Zach’s grin was evil. “See, I knew I’d get you to admit it.”

“I still hate you.”

“Nah. I’m too cute to hold a grudge against.” Zach batted his lashes but quickly returned his attention to the road. “By the way, want to tell me what’s really going on with you?”

Daniel stared at Zach, grinding his teeth when he saw Zach was glowing. It wasn’t the full-on, I’m-going-to-kill-a-warlock two-hundred-watt glow he’d gotten when he’d been fighting Davis and Hugh Godwin. It was just enough to let Daniel know he was talking to more than just his brother. He was talking to an Own, one of Her chosen warriors. “Damn it. What do
you
think is going on?”

Zach shook his head. “I don’t know, and that worries me.” He glanced at Daniel out of the corner of his eye. “Your wolf has always been closer to the surface than mine, but I thought you had better control over it than me.”

Daniel stared at his brother in shock. “How did you figure that out?”

Zach shrugged. “You peed on the front step when you were five.”

Daniel crossed his arms over his chest. “The neighborhood cat wouldn’t leave it alone.”

“You howl at the moon.”

“So do you.” Daniel bit savagely into his candy bar. He shouldn’t have asked Gen to come. Gareth was probably going to hear about everything they were saying. He’d hidden his enhanced senses for years, but the wolf was now out of the bag.

“You pull dominance moves on other people, getting in their space and daring them to disregard your orders.”

“That’s because I’m a demanding asshole, not because I’m a wolf.” Daniel sipped his soda. The caffeine kick wasn’t nearly as good as a strong cup of coffee, but it would do for now.

“Your wolf comes out in your eyes all the time, Daniel.” Zach obeyed the next direction from the GPS and made his turn. “You have a good grip on him most of the time—”

“I don’t have a grip on him.”

They drove in silence for about a mile before Zach spoke quietly once more. “How close is he?”

Daniel gave up. If it wasn’t Zach asking, Gareth would, or Chris. Chris would worry himself sick, and Gareth? Gareth would probably launch an investigation worthy of the FBI. None of which Daniel needed right now. “Look, it’s not like you think. I’m not going to go rogue, okay?”

“Then explain it so Gareth and Chris aren’t scared shitless over you.”

Daniel nodded. “My wolf is a part of me, but he’s apart from me. You guys always talk more about your magic than your wolf, but for me, my wolf is a separate being.”

Zach looked horrified. “Holy shit, Daniel.”

“Don’t worry about it. He and I get along just fine.” Better than fine. His wolf was his best friend, his confidant, and the one who ripped him a new asshole when he was being a douche. “If it helps, he hated that you were hurting almost as much as I did.”

“He speaks to you?”

“Not exactly. I get images, emotions, needs. He’s as much my brother as you are, except he lives in my skin.”

Zach tilted his head. “Like one of those parasitic twin things? Have you ever seen that on TV?” He shuddered. “That shit is nasty.”

Daniel turned up the radio, trying to drown his brother out. Parasitic twin? What the fuck?

“Not that I’m saying you’re nasty, bro. Just…don’t grow a wolf paw from your pelvis or something.”

Maybe he could turn the radio up even higher?

Nope. Zach turned off the radio. “I can’t hear the GPS.”

“Or your own stupid?” Daniel ducked when Zach tried to smack him upside the head. “A paw on my pelvis? Really?”

“You’re the one with the parasitic twin, not me.”

“He’s not a— Look, asshole, he’s not a twin. How do you think of your wolf?”

“Charming.”

Daniel blinked. “Huh?”

Zach smiled. “I think of my wolf as charming. He really charmed Jo, after all.”

Daniel was back to wanting to smack his forehead on the dashboard. “Just…drive.”

“This isn’t over, Danny-boy.”

“Wonderful. Can we get back to how we’re going to mutilate Arthur?”

“I can do that.” Zach began ticking things off on his fingers, his other hand firmly on the steering wheel. “There’s drawing and quartering—”

“Too bloody. Plus, I don’t have four horses.”

“Impalement?”

“My stick isn’t that big, and I’m not into guys anyway.”

Zach choked on his soda as he started laughing. “You have a teeny joystick?”

“Zach.” This was why he beat the shit out of Zach when they were kids. The guy just didn’t know when to stop.

“Aw man,” Zach said, wiping a tear from his eye. “Poor Kerry.”

“Ass wipe.”

“Butt munch.” Zach shook his bag of candy at Daniel. “M&M?”

Daniel took the bag and handed over half his Snickers. “Sure.”

Chapter Six

Kerry paid the taxi driver and stepped out of the vehicle. She was glad the only things she’d brought with her were her purse and her doll, because she probably would have killed herself if she’d brought a suitcase. She could see the headline now.
Woman dies in freak rolling suitcase accident involving Chihuahua and escalator.
She stood in front of the hotel Gareth now owned and took a deep breath.

Okay, Kerry girl. This is it. It’s only the rest of your life. What could go wrong?

She almost laughed as she walked toward the front door, automatically going to the rotating doors. Of course, her purse got jammed in the opening, and she nearly spilled the contents all over the sidewalk, but the nice doorman was able to help her free herself before too many people trying to exit the hotel got pissed at her.

Maybe she should stick with standard doors, at least until the hex was lifted.

She made her way to the front desk, awed by the elegant decor and the richness of the granite and marble on display. She waited while the front desk person finished a phone call before smiling. “I’m here to see Gareth Beckett.”

The woman smiled. “Your name, please?”

“Kerry Andrews.”

The woman picked up the phone and dialed. Kerry held still, terrified that if she moved something new would happen. The doll had slowly darkened as they’d approached New York, finally turning black as she exited the cab.

Annabelle’s “fix” had worn off, and Kerry was again on her own. At least it had lasted the short flight from Philly to New York. She hadn’t dared take a train or drive, wanting the least amount of time between departure and arrival. The taxi had cost her a bundle, but she had some savings, and unless she was wrong she’d be staying with the Becketts for the foreseeable future.

“I’m sorry, you’re not on the list to see Mr. Beckett today.” The woman seemed genuinely apologetic. “Can I take a message?”

Kerry pulled out her cell phone, praying it wouldn’t explode. “Give me a moment.” She dialed Lana’s number, impatiently waiting for her to pick up.

“Kerry?”

“I’m in the lobby, come get me.” Kerry hung up. “Alannah Evans is on her way down.”

“Oh.” The woman gestured for Kerry to take a seat. “Enjoy the lounge, Ms. Andrews. Can we get you a drink?”

Amazing what mentioning Lana’s name could do. “No, but thank you.” Kerry sat, clutching her purse to her chest. What could go wrong sitting quietly in a lobby?

That question was answered seconds later when a fist fight broke out right in front of her. The two expensively dressed men brawled like the best of them, complete with rolling around and punching the hell out each other’s faces.

Too bad they rolled right into Kerry. Scrambling out of the way wasn’t an option. There were people on either side of her in a flash, watching the fight with all the enthusiasm of groupies at a WWE SmackDown match. Kerry, and her chair, flew backward, both men landing on top of her. Neither one seemed fazed by the fact that they’d managed to bulldoze her.

Kerry tried to crawl out from under the combatants, but a boot caught her in the side of her head and a fist nearly took off her nose.

The sound of an air horn made everyone freeze. The two men on top of her got to their feet, but not before squishing her even more. Her ribs were cracking by the time they were off, her nose felt like it was twice the size it had been and her head was throbbing.

Man, hexes sucked.

Kerry saw a large hand reach down. She grabbed it, grateful that she was finally going to get out of the mess she found herself in.

“You all right?” Gareth Beckett, the wizard king, stood in front of her with a fierce scowl. “No, you’re not.” He turned to the men who’d been fighting. “Out of my hotel.”

“But—”

Gareth pointed to Kerry’s face. “Do you see what you did to this poor woman?”

The two men had the grace to blush. “We’re sorry.”

“For cheating with my wife, right?”

The two men looked ready to go at it again, but Gareth held up his hand. “Out. Side. Now. Before I call the cops and have Ms. Andrews press charges for assault and battery.”

The men left, still glaring at one another.

“Show’s over, folks.” Gareth carefully led Kerry out of the crowd. “Let’s get you upstairs, hmm?”

Kerry leaned against him as she slung her purse over her shoulder. She felt it bump into something and winced, praying it wasn’t a person.

Nope. It was a vase, one that shattered on impact with the lovely marble floor.

“Shit. That was expensive, I think.” Gareth led her to the elevator. “You’re awfully clumsy today.”

“Hexed,” she hissed under her breath. She wanted to show him the doll, but there were too many people around, too many who would look at her like a crazy person.

Hell, they probably already did.

“Shit. We
really
need to get you upstairs.” Gareth swiped his card and the elevator opened, giving them blessed privacy. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“Daniel cast the mate spell, didn’t he?”

Gareth nodded.

“The amulet Annabelle gave me, the one that would inform me when he did, started to glow at work yesterday.” God, was it only yesterday?

“Annabelle did that?” Gareth chuckled. “I didn’t know she could.”

“Yeah, well, apparently it set off some latent boogie-woogie on my ass, and now I’ve got a hex-monkey trying to kill me.”

Gareth blinked, confusion all over his face. “Can you explain that in English?”

Kerry blew out a frustrated breath. “Look, when Daniel cast that spell, it set off something one of the Godwins placed on me way back when.”

“Tell me everything.” Gareth had that tone, the one that brooked no backtalk.

“I got fired from my job, almost got crushed by a delivery truck, had a brick land right in front of me and almost kill me. When I saw Annabelle, she said all of my amulets were lit up, but the only one I could see was the one for Daniel and the mate spell. So she took this doll—” Kerry held up the now black doll,“—did some woo-woo shit to it and told me to get to New York pronto so Zach and Gen could un-hex me.”

“Daniel, Gen and Zach are in the Hamptons, looking for Arthur.”

So Daniel wasn’t even here? Great.

“We’ll see what Gen can do for you when they get back.” The elevator doors opened and Gareth started to step out.

“Wait!” Kerry pulled him back, pointing out that the elevator had stopped in between floors. The elevator creaked, and Kerry started to freak out. Fuck if she wanted to die splashed on the bottom of an elevator floor. “That way-back-when spell is now trying to turn me into guacamole.” She took hold of Gareth’s shoulders and shook him, or at least tried to. “I don’t even like guacamole.”

“What the fuck?” Gareth eyed the gap between the top of the elevator and the floor with severe misgiving. “Don’t move.” He paced for a moment, before plucking the doll from her. He placed it carefully on the edge of the floor.

He was forced back as the elevator dropped, cleaving the doll in half. Kerry stared at the legs of the doll in horror as they turned to ash. “Graveyard dust,” she muttered.

“Fuck me.” Gareth shook his head. “Do not move a muscle.”

Kerry didn’t even nod in acknowledgement. Any move could cause the elevator to collapse and kill them both. Wouldn’t the Godwins love that? Kerry and the king, gone in one fell stroke. “What do we do?”

“We do nothing. I call for reinforcements.” Gareth pulled out his cell phone and spoke. “Mac? All hands on deck. I’ve got Kerry with me in a broken-down elevator, and she’s got a serious hex on her. One that could kill both of us.”

She couldn’t hear Mac’s response, but she was willing to bet it was epic from the look on Gareth’s face. Gareth darted a glance toward her and nodded. “They’re on their way.”

“Goody.”

“So I’ll call Annabelle and ask her to start packing up your apartment for the move here.”

She glared at him. “No.”

“Yes.” Gareth simply smiled. “You’re ours now.”

“Yippee.” She rolled her eyes, the only part of her she dared move. Hell, she was surprised he understood what she was saying, considering she was trying to keep from moving her lips too much.

“You’ll get used to it.” The elevator shifted under them, nearly knocking Kerry off her feet. If Gareth hadn’t grabbed hold of her she would have landed on her ass. “Steady.”

She whimpered and clutched his arms. “Eep.”

Gareth eased her upright. “At least the lights are still on, so we have power.”

“Because they want to make us barbecue.” Kerry shuddered, staring up at the LED lights.

Kerry screeched as something banged on the top of the elevator. When the emergency hatch opened, revealing Chris, she wanted to punch him in his stupid, smiling face for scaring the daylights out of her.

Chris held out his hand. “Anyone want out?”

“Careful, bro. I think it’s going to collapse.” Gareth lifted her like she weighed nothing. “Get her out first.”

“Got it.” Chris hauled her out, practically throwing her to Lana, who pulled her into the hallway between the Beckett apartments.

“Now you.” Chris leaned into the opening once more, pulling Gareth up.

Kerry could see Jo chanting under her breath, her hands clasped together. Zach’s mate had to be the one holding the elevator up, keeping them from falling to their deaths. Mac was there as well, calling in emergency services. No matter what else happened, they knew the elevator was going to crash, and he was making sure no one would get hurt when it did so. There would probably be an inquiry into why the elevator collapsed, bringing unwanted attention to Gareth. “Damn. I’m so sorry.”

“For what?” Lana hugged her tight. “Nearly dying?”

“No. You know Mac is going to have to deal with the media, right? Elevator collapses aren’t exactly normal, everyday things, you know?” Kerry held her stomach as Gareth leaped across the elevator to the floor.

“C’mon, Chris.” Lana was holding her breath as she watched her mate carefully make his way off the top of the elevator. Once he was clear, she turned to Jo. “Now.”

Jo stopped chanting, and with one last groan the elevator began to fall. Jo fell to the floor, her face pale and sweaty, the pain of holding the elevator almost too much for the witch.

“Tape those doors, make sure no one tries to use them.” Gareth brushed himself off.

“You guys okay?” Jo pulled herself to her feet. She was shaking like a leaf.

“We’re fine.” Gareth pulled Jo close, helping her walk.

“We need to get this hex off of me.” Kerry embraced Chris, glad her friend had found her other half in the wizard. “Thank you.”

“Hey, what about me? I kept you calm.” Gareth held out his free arm. Jo had hold of the other, but she was smiling.

Kerry hugged Gareth. “Thanks, big guy.” She went to step back, slipping on something. As she fell, her arms shot out and—

“Ow! God damn it.” Gareth held his eye, cursing under his breath.

Kerry landed on her ass with a grunt. She rubbed her bottom, hissing at the pain. She was going to have a bruise, she just knew it. “Fuck my life. I’m sorry, Gareth.”

He snarled as he rubbed his watery eye. “We
really
need to de-hex your ass.”

She nodded glumly. What could she say? He was right.

The sound of the elevator hitting the bottom floor boomed through the open doors.

“Bubble wrap. Lots and lots of bubble wrap.” Chris helped Kerry to her feet. “C’mon. Let’s get you to Daniel’s room. You’ll be safe there.”

“Ugh.” She doubted it, but with all of them surrounding her like bodyguards and pushing her forward, what could she do? Off to Daniel’s suite it was. Hopefully she’d survive long enough for him to return.

“I’ll get Zach to start work on how to take off the hex as soon as he gets back.” Jo patted Kerry’s arm carefully. “Don’t worry. You’re going to be fine.”

Her disbelief must have shown, because Jo backed off. She might be free of the hex once Gen and Zach got done with her, but that still left Daniel to deal with, and
that
might be more frightening than an elevator ride.