Page 261 of Warlords, Witches & Wolves

Chapter 8

The first thing Kass did when he landed back in Australia wasn’t call Bailey, or even his parents, but the Coven.

“Hello, this is the bakery, how can I help?”

Kass drove through Sydney with nothing but the tug in his gut to guide him toward Bailey. While he was away, he’d been contacted by the cops regarding his ID in Bailey’s possession. He’d covered Bailey’s ass and said they were dating.

“My mate is a snow leopard shifter. Bailey Fisher.” This time he had a full name. He prayed that last time they hadn’t said more because he hadn’t been able to give a full name. “What do you have?” He wanted to sit with Bailey and talk about what they were going to do about the bond and them and everything. Before he’d left, he’d wanted to break it, but now he wanted it. He liked it. Even though Bailey had withdrawn from all contact.

“Snow leopard? Are you sure?” the woman asked.

There was something in her voice that made him wary. “Yes, why?”

“Snow leopard shifters in Australia are very…insular, and they never take mates.”

He muttered a curse, almost ran a red light, and pulled over. “Well, this one did and now he’s in some kind of trouble and I need to find him, so can you do a wide search and tell me what you’ve got?”

The keys clacked as she searched. “Hmm.”

Kass waited instead of pressing her.

“Okay, his birth certificate was issued only months ago and before that he didn’t exist.” She gave his last known address and Kass memorized it like his life depended on reaching the location. “Wait, I have court documents.”

“For what?”

“He’s got a one-year sentence. That can’t be right. We always assign coven lawyers. It was his first offense, and they threw the book at him. There must be something else going on…”

“You couldn’t assign a lawyer if you didn’t know he existed.” Bailey had slipped through the Coven’s protective net. A shifter in prison would always have a hard time. “Is it possible to get him released?”

“Let me find out and get back to you. In the meantime, don’t do anything stupid.”

“I’m not going to break him out if that’s what you mean.” He laughed like he hadn’t been thinking that. “But I want to visit him. Can that be arranged?”

“I’ll contact you within forty-eight hours. Is this your best number?”

“Yes.”

“Kassidy, you enquired previously about breaking the bond, but it’s not wise to throw away what the Fates have given.” Then she hung up.

He tipped his head back against the headrest. Yeah, breaking a bond was considered not just rude, but also bad luck. As much as he wanted Bailey, he didn’t know how they were supposed to be together. Bailey was a thief—a convicted thief—and he was an army sniper. What future did they have when he could be killed, and Bailey was in jail?

Bailey was being smart by shunning the bond. Just because they were mates didn’t mean they needed to do anything with it. They didn’t have to help each other, and they didn’t have to be lovers. But the itch to see him, touch him, taste him never left.

Kass drove past the prison, where Bailey was being held, even though he wanted to stop. Instead, he went to the address the Coven had given him. An hour later he was at a run-down complex made up of eight little bungalows. The paint had peeled on the front door, revealing the wood beneath, and the late afternoon sun didn’t soften the edges. This was Bailey’s home.

A pang of something sharp and bitter slid through him. Bailey wouldn’t want him to be here, he knew that like he knew his bullet would always hit its target. But he got out of the car and walked up the path to Bailey’s house, not sure who’d answer, if anyone.

An old woman opened the door. Her eyes were bright blue like Bailey’s and she hissed like a cat in water before trying to slam the door in his face. “Witch.”

“Shifter.” Kass stuck his foot in the gap before she could close the door. “Do you know Bailey?”

“No.”

“Liar.” She hadn’t just moved in. He’d bet she was related to him somehow.

She spat at his feet. “You corrupted him.”

Kass smiled. “I didn’t corrupt anyone. Why’s he in jail?”

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