Page 26 of Emerald Flame
Mary was able to form a powerful fae conveyance called a dreamglide. It was created when she was in a deeply meditative state and she could pilot it anywhere she wanted without usually being detected. Though a powerful witch or wizard could sometimes hone in on a dreamglide, for the most part it was a hidden phenomenon. From that vantage, she could see everything.
When the time was set, Warren would have ended the call, but Fergus stopped him. “Gotta know, bro. Did you do the deed? What was Kiara like?”
Warren felt his wolf bristle and a sudden line of fur erupted down the length of his back. He stood in the foyer where several of the rescue wolves clustered in small groups chatting quietly.
He hadn’t yet responded to Fergus’s question, but his swift change in demeanor had telegraphed through the room and brought every voice silent.
He mentally cursed. He needed to get somewhere private to set Fergus straight. He headed back toward Kiara’s apartment. Once in the hallway, however, he cursed again. Her protection spell was in place and he couldn’t see the damn door.
“You still there?” Fergus asked. “What the hell, Warren. I can feel your rage through the phone. Why are you mad, no enraged? Wait. Oh, shit. She’s the one, isn’t she? Dammit, Mary was right. Again.”
Warren stood staring at a stone wall that suddenly disappeared and became an open doorway. Kiara was there, smiling at him, a goddess, her brown eyes large and beckoning.
“I have to go.” He’d moved from sudden inexplicable rage that Fergus had asked about sex with Kiara to an overwhelming need to be with her again.
“See you in ten,” Fergus said.
“In ten.” He slipped his phone into his leathers.
“What’s going on?” Kiara asked. “And what’s with the wolf? Not that I’m complaining. I find it ridiculously sexy and you smell fantastic: Wolf and storm.” She made a soft, cooing sound.
His wolf was at the fore so there wasn’t anything he could do but cross the threshold and drag her into his arms. She gave a startled cry then slung her arms around his neck as he kissed her hard. He kept kissing her, too.
When he drew back, he caressed her face. She fingered the fur that had risen along the line of his cheeks.
Yeah, it would be so simple to walk away.
“This will pass.” His voice was hoarse. Was he trying to reassure himself or her? Before she could say anything else, he kissed her again.
What went through his mind was very male. If he got her clothes off lightning quick, he could take her before Fergus showed up. When her legs tightened around his hips, he was about ready to suggest a hot-and-heavy quickie, when his phone chimed.
Damn phone.
With the way things were heating up in Savage, he couldn’t ignore it.
Kiara seemed to understand. She relaxed her legs and settled her feet back on the floor. He slowly unwound his arms from around her. He’d pinned her tight against him and reluctantly let her go. His pants were tight against his arousal.
With difficulty, he plucked his phone from his pocket.
Ralph.
He drew a deep breath as he brought the phone to his ear. “Ralph, Fergus will be here in—” He got no further.
Ralph broke in, his voice three tones higher than usual. “They’re here. Shit. Fuck. Warren. We need you. Shit. Don’t know what to do.”
Warren put the phone on speaker. “Kiara’s with me. Tell me what’s going on. What happened?”
“Julio showed up. I was in the office. Susie’s out there somewhere. She’s probably dead.”
Warren stared into Kiara’s horrified eyes as Ralph continued. “He put them in a partial shift. My wolves. My bouncers are dead. All of them. The customers. Blood bath. A warlock is working with Julio. Fuck. Susie. My Susie.” His voice broke.
Warren could hear some of Ralph’s female wolves in the background. They cried out in painful yelps and hoarse howls. For a moment, he got stuck in their pain until Kiara reached for his arm and held on. Soothing warmth flowed at the point of her touch and his mind sharpened once more.
She dipped her chin.
Kiara spoke into the phone. “Ralph, talk to us. Tell us exactly what happened.”
“My wolves are in a partial-shift and in more pain than I can bear. Can you hear that?” A partial-shift was different from the shifting signs Warren exhibited when he experienced a strong emotion. This kind of incomplete shift involved twisted bones and ligaments stretched to the breaking point.
