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  Sierra stood next to the bed, shaking, her eyes focused on the space around his heart. This was what Sean had been talking about. Walking up behind her, I placed my hands on her shoulders. Bending down, I whispered in her ear, “Deep breaths. Do the best you can.”

  “I’ve…I’ve never seen…anything like this.” She gestured toward the bed. “I can feel the curse. The magic makes my skin crawl.”

  “I’m here for whatever you need.”

  She nodded and pointed to Christian’s heart. “The cloud is three times the size it was yesterday.”

  “What cloud?” I asked, not seeing anything but Christian’s bloody and stained T-shirt.

  She pointed again. “It’s right there, above his heart. I guess that’s what Sean meant about me being more powerful than him. It’s a black cloud swirling around his heart like a vortex.”

  Christian coughed, but he didn’t seem to have enough energy to roll over to the bucket sitting next to the bed anymore. Instead, the bile dribbled out of his mouth. Letting go of Sierra, I went to Christian’s bedside and helped him onto his side. When I let go of his arm, a piece of his skin peeled off in my hand. Sierra’s eyes bulged and I thought for a moment she might lose her lunch. Then I remembered she was a surgeon, she’d probably seen things more gruesome than this.

  Sierra immediately went for the first spell and began chanting like Sean taught her. I could feel her magic expanding the room. When the energy dissipated, I looked down at Christian to see there was no change.

  Sierra’s shoulders drooped and she turned away. Stepping in her line of sight, I caught her chin with my fingers and lifted her face to mine. “Don’t give up. We knew it may take more than one try to get it right. It’s why we stayed up all night to find different solutions.”

  She held my gaze for a moment before nodding. Bending down, she went to the next book, the next spell and so it went for an hour or so. At some point, Christian began exhibiting the final pieces of the curse. There were drops of blood leaking from his eyes, mouth, and nose. And still Sierra tried spell after spell. Nothing worked as his breathing became more labored.

  Sierra had tried every set of spells we brought with us and now she sat furiously looking through the books for an answer. She was a fighter, but Christian’s breathing became slower and slower, the blood from his face now covering the bed. There was a gasping noise. I looked over at Sierra to find her eyes focused on Christian’s chest once again.

  When I looked back at him, I realized the sound had come from him as he stuttered out his last breath. The door banged open and Theresa came running in.

  “No, no, no,” she screamed and launched herself on top of Christian.

  “I couldn’t stop it.” I heard Sierra whisper and I felt something in my chest crack.

  Christian was gone and the woman of my dreams, my mate, blamed herself. Forcing myself to my feet, I gathered her in my arms. Her tears soaked my shirt. Over and over she repeated she couldn’t stop it. We all knew it was a long shot.

  After a few minutes, Theresa stood up and walked over to where we were standing. She placed her hand on Sierra’s arm. “Please don’t blame yourself. You didn’t do this. Thank you for trying. I hope you’ll keep looking for an answer so my sons won’t have to suffer the same fate.”

  Sierra nodded and Theresa turned back to her husband. I collected the spell books and wrapped my arm around Sierra’s waist to guide her back to the living room. Sean’s tear-filled eyes met us at the door. Sierra’s shoulders shook before breaking away from me to run out to the truck. I knew Sean was hurting as badly as I was, but my need to comfort Sierra overruled everything else.

  “I told you she’d kill him,” Bradley sneered from the doorway.

  Without a thought, I let my fist fly and enjoyed the distinct crunching sound of a broken nose.

  “Fuck,” he screamed, dropping to his knees and holding his nose.

  I stood on top of his body, doubled up on the floor. “She did everything she could, you prick. To the point of destroying her own self-confidence. And now she’s out there in the truck blaming herself. So you can shove your accusations right up your ass.”

  Storming to the door, I threw it open and went out to check on Sierra, who was sitting quietly in the back of the truck. Climbing in, I sat next to her and pulled her into my arms.

  Sean came out a few minutes later and jumped in the front seat. He narrowed his eyes at me in the review mirror. “You broke his nose.”

  “Good, fucker deserved it.”

  Sean shook his head and started the car. When we got back to Sean’s house Sierra jumped out of the car and immediately locked herself in the guest bedroom. I tried to follow, but Sean stopped me.

  “Give her some time. It’s a lot to take in. She’s just now realizing she’s going to have to watch that happen to both of us.”

  I hadn’t thought of it that way. I nodded and took a seat on the couch. Silence filled the room, both of us lost in our own grief at the loss of our friend. About an hour later, Sierra came storming out of the room.

  “I need to go back to my place,” she announced.

  “You’re giving up?” Sean asked, incredulously.

  “Really?” she snapped. “No way in hell am I going to watch that happen to either of you, but I need to get Mom’s books. I think there’s more to the curse.”

  Sean ran a hand through his hair. “Care to elaborate?”

  She shook her head. “Not until we have the books.”

  I stood and walked over to her. “I’ll take you.”

  She turned back to Sean. “We’ll be back. Get out all of the books you have and find us a place to work.”

  Her determination was inspiring. Hopefully it led to an answer.

  Chapter 11

  Sierra

  A million thoughts bounced around my head on the way home. Dylan made a few attempts at conversation, but I was too focused on finding a solution. For Sean, for him, for Theresa’s little boys. Even that asshole Bradley, not that I ever expected him to look at me as anything other than the enemy.

  Well, fuck him. I’d find a solution to fix those I cared about, the innocent, and even Bradley to spite the asswipe.

  Instead of talking, I scribbled in my notebook, formulating theories and processing little details from my mother’s journal. Things about my grandmother that rankled my nerves.

  Maybe I was crazy, but it all seemed to cycle back to her. And there were other journals. Maybe the answer lay in those. I couldn’t fathom why Mom left so many books with me, and not Sean, but she never taught me, only him. The reason eluded me.

  Dylan’s hand closed over my shoulder and I turned. Curiosity and concern filled his eyes. “We’re here.”

  Nodding, I closed my notebook and tucked my pen behind my ear. I needed to get the books and head back so I could figure this out. The clock was ticking down, I only had a few days left.

  Initially I had felt like shit for not finding the answer in time for Christian, but I only had the crash course with virtually no working knowledge of what to do with the magic hours before trying to solve it.

  After sulking for a few more hours I realized it wasn’t my fault. I tried my damnedest to take the curse from Christian. I used everything at my disposal and put together the best plan I could. Truth was, I didn’t have all the pieces. Something was missing. Which was why I needed Mom’s books.

  My eyes trailed over Dylan and lust came alive. I’d already figured out he tried to give me another reason not to pursue him with his admissions about his mother.

  It was too late. I read my mother’s journey. She was bonding with Seamus from the moment they locked eyes. Fighting the bond was useless and would only bring more pain in the end.

  I felt the connection every bit as strongly as he seemed to. That scared the hell out of me, mostly because there was no rational explanation. It was magic, metaphysical, and not what I was used to dealing with. None of that dampened the pull I felt to him, the de
sire coursing through me.

  “Say something,” he whispered.

  I managed a smile. “Come on. I’ll need a strong back to help me gather everything.”

  “You plan to take all the books in your kitchen?” he asked with a raised brow.

  “You want me to find a cure, right?”

  He nodded.

  “Well, there’s stuff in those books Sean doesn’t have access to. Maybe he’s approaching it all wrong. I won’t know until I go through some of it.”

  He finally smiled. “Maybe a new approach is what we need.”

  “Agreed. Now that I know what doesn’t work, I can find something that might.”

  “Let’s load up.” Dylan hopped out.

  I hurried to my door and stopped when I found a box on the porch. It was the right size to hold a trinket, or paperweight. My skin crawled as I moved closer. The logo for Solstice Blessings was on the yellow paper.

  I stopped. Dylan walked right into me. “What’s wrong?”

  “Don’t touch that,” I warned.

  “Okay,” he answered slowly.

  Without touching it, I let us into the house. Again, my grandmother was involved with the curse. Something about my mother’s journal pointed at my grandmother’s involvement. Not directly, but enough to make me cautious.

  I locked the door and went to the kitchen to start stacking books in boxes.

  Dylan cleared his throat. “Why not bring the gift in?”

  I turned, frowning up at him. “That’s my grandmother’s shop. Solstice Blessing. She was against my mother being with a werewolf. She hates werewolves. I never met her until I came back after you all told me the truth. She was here when I got here. And in the journal, my mother seemed to fear her. Doesn’t that seem fishy to you?”

  He shrugged. “Witches tend to hate werewolves, Sierra. We don’t like witches either.”

  “Gee, thanks. And yeah, I got the message loud and clear from Bradley.”

  Dylan moved closer. “I don’t think that. My best friend is half witch. And I can’t get you out of my head. I don’t have any negative opinion of you.”

  I huffed. “You don’t, but the rest of your pack aren’t going to trust me until I come up with an answer.”

  “We’ll change their minds.”

  “Don’t bother. My mother never did. A few people treated her like part of them. Most of them with animosity. I don’t care what they think. I’ll fix the curse anyway. And I’ll take great pleasure in rubbing that in Bradley’s face next time he gives me shit.”

  “Sounds like you aren’t going to turn your back on all of us once you fix it. Why wouldn’t you? You can still walk away from me.” The last was whispered.

  “Too late for that.” I moved closer, looking up into his eyes.

  “I could stay away like you wanted. Never see you again.” His voice cracked, and he looked away, closing his eyes. “I don’t want you to suffer if you can’t find the answer in time.”

  “Don’t want you to stay away.” I pulled his face back, pressing against his hard body. “I was scared. I never felt anything like this and it didn’t make sense.” I leaned up to kiss Dylan. Our lips met briefly.

  He gently pushed me back, a tortured look on his face. “Even if you break the curse, you have your own life here. You’re a doctor, a surgeon. You can choose the world you know. I wouldn’t blame you.”

  “I told you, it’s too late for that. I can compromise.”

  “What are you saying?” Not a spark of hope in his golden eyes.

  “I accept this, whatever it is. I don’t want to fight what’s between us. My feelings don’t make sense, but maybe they’re not supposed to. I can’t lose you any more than I can lose Sean, and that scares the hell out of me, but only because I never thought I’d feel this way so fast.”

  His hands delved into my hair, his gaze intense. “Once it’s done, it can’t be undone. You know that, right?”

  I nodded. “It’s already too late to avoid. You’re already affecting me. You made the impossible situation bearable. And yesterday, when you brought me back, I wanted you then.”

  “Until you realized what came with it.”

  “It started the second I laid eyes on you, Dylan. My rational brain wanted to fight the instant connection. Everything else wants to dive in. You make me feel things I never believed in.”

  He licked his lips, his eyes on my mouth. “You said it yourself. I’m a stranger. You don’t know me.”

  “Are you saying you aren’t connected to me? You don’t feel what I’m feeling to some degree?” I covered his hard length and squeezed. “You feel something for me.” Hiding the smirk was impossible.

  Dylan grabbed my wrist. “Don’t tease me. If you change your mind it’s going to be my fault. I’m trying to save you the heartache.”

  “Damn it, Dylan, I told you, it’s too late to deny it. I’m not running away.” Tears stung my eyes. The thought of losing Dylan was as bad, worse even, than losing Sean. I couldn’t see myself without him. Once that finally settled in, my decision was made, whether it later ripped out my heart or not.

  His thumbs wiped under my eyes as he blinked back his own unshed tears. “Are you sure?”

  “I am. Whatever happens, I’m sure.”

  His mouth crushed over mine, desperate, hungry, full of emotion that rocked through me. Just as abruptly he tore away. “You might slap me for this, but uh—shit.”

  “Spill it,” I breathed.

  “Can’t do a condom. Won’t seal the bond, and it will only make this need to fulfill it worse. I’ve heard stories.”

  I couldn’t help laughing. “You clean?”

  He nodded slowly. “The doctor’s not going to argue?”

  “I’m on the pill. I’m not ready for a pup.” I winked. “But I trust you.”

  “Last chance to back out.”

  “Not happening.” I grabbed his waistband and dragged him up the stairs.

  Halfway up, he scooped me into his arms and ran the rest of the way. “Which door?” he demanded.

  A thrill of excitement rolled through me. “Left.”

  He threw it open and set me on my feet before the bed. “I’m torn. I want to make love to you, but there’s nothing gentle about what I want to do right now.”

  “Gentle can come later. The need you mentioned, it’s raging.” I kicked off my shoes, pulling the shirt over my head.

  His pants hit the ground, his shirt a second later, then his hands were shoving the pants down my legs as he backed me into the bed. His body was chiseled like a Greek god and his cock magnificent.

  I wrapped my hand around his length and groaned with him. He had my bra sliding down my arms before his fingers slipped under my panties. One yank and I was bare as he laid me down.

  “Fucking gorgeous,” he hissed, kneeling at the end of the bed, pushing my legs open.

  My mind spun as his tongue swept through my heat with a growl. Fast, hard, he licked and sucked at me until I couldn’t tell where one sensation ended and another began. His fingers pushed into me, stretching, rubbing, stroking just right.

  My hand tangled in his hair as the pleasure spiraled out of control. I screamed his name as the climax erupted, leaving me a trembling mess as I tried to remember how to breathe.

  Still, he lapped at me, making the sexiest growling noise I’d ever heard before he pushed me up the bed, crawling over me.

  All I could see were his eyes faded to pale gold like his wolf’s. “Need you,” he whispered. “Tell me you want this.”

  “Need it,” I begged, reaching between us to guide him to my entrance. I’d never wanted a man as bad as I craved him inside me. His head slipped in and I barely moved my hand before he thrust into me hard, filling me completely. I cried out, gripping a handful of his ass.

  Dylan searched my face for some sign. My body was on sensation overload, but I didn’t want it to stop. Raising my head, I nipped his bottom lip, sucking it into my mouth before kissing him hard.


  My wrists were pulled over my head and caught in one of his big hands as he stared down at me, his hips retreating. The slow glide sent a ripple of power through me. My magic flowed through the room with his powerful stroke.

  His beast rose up in his soul. I couldn’t see it, he didn’t change, but I felt it slide against me as Dylan pounded into me. The pleasure so intense I was sure it had to end any second, but he didn’t stop, didn’t slow down and I teetered on the brink of madness.

  “Please, please, please,” I chanted, needing his release before I couldn’t stand it anymore.

  “Tell me what you need,” he panted.

  “Need to come.”

  He kissed across my jaw, down my neck, then bit down where neck meets shoulder. Everything exploded in brilliant light as his hot seed filled me, shooting me over the edge with him.

  His heartbeat raced with mine as he pulled me into his arms, holding me tight. I knew something was growing between us, but I felt his overwhelming love threatening to drown me.

  My eyes drifted shut as I clung to him. My energy gone for the moment. I allowed his heartbeat to lure to me sleep.

  * * *

  The quiet, one-sided conversation pulled me from sleep. Dylan’s voice was a calming balm. “I’ll wake her soon. She needed rest, though.”

  He sucked in a breath. “Look, we can discuss that later. Just know I tried to argue. She made it impossible to resist. This was her choice. I fought against it.”

  I was fully awake in that instant. I sat up and snatched the phone from Dylan’s hand. “Don’t blame him. I realized there was no point fighting the bond.”

  Sean sighed. “Okay. I’m of two minds about it. I don’t want you to hurt worse if we can’t solve the problem. Then again, maybe the mate bond will be enough motivation to find the solution. Just tell me he treated you right.”