Page 66 of Destined to Fight

“Seems exhausting to have to hide from humans.”

“It’s usually not a big deal. Most Arcane follow the law and don’t start anything around humans. The Council says we shouldnae engage in any fights where humans may witness them. The shifters tonight pushed against the rules, but the Council will likely let it go. Any human watching would assume it was a deranged pack of wild wolves that attacked us, and they’ll write it off. They’ll probably be more thrown off by Fabian’s swords than anything else.”

“Who were they, anyway?”

“I dinnae ken. I’ve never seen any of those wolves before, and the alpha isn’t from around here. Fabian got his ear, and that will make him easily identifiable. If he lives in town, we’ll find him. I’m going to call Luther when we get back to the house to see if he kens whose pack it was.”

There were so many things for her brain to sift through, it was overwhelming. “Wait, why would Luther know anything, and why would he help again? He seemed reserved at best when we met him. And what’s this with the guy’s ear? I got the impression shifters could heal wounds just like vampires, but I’m not to that book yet.”

They turned right at the next street, and Kelly instantly recognized the houses. They were close to home.

“Luther is the Texas alpha. He kens who all the local shifters are, and he’ll ken who that alpha is if it’s anyone from around here. Hell, he may even ken if it’s one from outside of Texas. As for the mutt’s ear, it willnae grow back because Fabian’s swords have silver in them. Silver is just as lethal to shifters as it is to vampires. Any wounds caused by a silver weapon will heal like those of a human.”

Luther’s mannerisms made sense now. His confidence was that of an alpha, not an egotistical ass. And the fact that he was the alpha for the entire state meant that he was privy to any and all information his people heard on the streets, not just in his bar.

“This is all a lot to take in,” she thought out loud. “I put all of you in danger tonight, and I don’t want it to happen again.”

Kade’s touch moved from her back, and he entwined his fingers in hers, squeezing her hand in reassurance. “It wasnae yer idea, and Fabian was the only one that mentioned the danger. But mention it is all he did. This wasnae yer fault; it is just the first of many attacks ye will face until ye are bonded.”

The first of many. How many people had warned her this was coming? She couldn’t even count them on one hand. Everyone had seen this coming, and she’d been naive enough to think it couldn’t happen to her, that they were all overreacting.

No more. Neither fear nor self-doubt would hold her back now. Fabian’s nickname for her echoed in her head. Warrior. Tonight was the night she threw her old life away, the life as a human, and became a warrior mage.

They made it back to the house safely, something Kelly was more thankful for than she cared to admit. Another fight without the ability to defend herself was not an option.

Tomorrow, she would train for at least six hours with Fabian, giving herself just enough time to get ready before her dad came over.

The door clicked shut behind her, and Kade slid the deadbolt home. It seemed like a silly measure of security when it came to Arcane, but she didn’t say anything.

Suddenly, all she wanted was Kade.

She tried to lead him upstairs, but he didn’t follow. He stood firm in the entryway and shook his head.

“I think it’s best ye go upstairs alone, lass. Nights like this do nothing for my self-control.”

Closing the distance between them, Kelly kissed him without a care in the world. Done with the careful shit, she demanded his attention, pressing herself against his chiseled body. Her free hand grasped the back of his head and pulled him to her urgently.

Parting her lips, she gently licked at his, asking permission to deepen the kiss. Kade broke from her, though, a painful expression on his face.

He shook his head. “We need to ken more about what is going on between us. I’ve told ye how bad the bloodlust is and what I wanted to do to ye.”

“Fuck it, Kade. I’m done being afraid.”

“Yer only done being afraid because ye dinnae ken what I am capable of—what a vampire is capable of.”

His eyes were amber again, and it made her wonder what was causing the color change. It seemed like anything that involved her made them light up.

He rested his forehead on hers, deep in thought.

“I sent Connor to search for answers. I’ll call my mother and ask her if she’s ever heard of anything like this, but I dinnae have high hopes for that. She is well-versed in the history of vampires, but has stayed out of mage and warlock affairs.”

She didn’t respond. What was there to say?

“Ye dinnae ken what ye do to me, lass. Just yer scent makes my fangs ache. Yer touch makes my cock so damn hard it hurts. I want to kill anyone who even thinks about harming ye. Yer blood makes me mad with hunger. I want to take ye somewhere and lock out the world for all of eternity just so I can have ye to myself for the rest of our lives. I ken for a fact that hundreds of years havenae given me the willpower to keep myself under control with ye. I’ll break ye, if I dinnae devour ye.”

She sighed. “So what then? We’re doomed and we just give up on whatever this is?”

“Nae, we find the answers, like I said. If we dinnae find them, well, we’ll just invite Fabian to watch while we try things.”

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