by Alanea Alder
Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Epilogue
About the Author
Coming Soon
Other Books on Amazon
My Champion
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Bewitched and Bewildered
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ALANEA ALDER
Copyright © 2016 Alanea Alder
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed "Attention: Permissions Coordinator," at the address below.
"Respect by Aretha Franklin, 1967" As quoted by character Meryn McKenzie.
PUBLISHER'S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law.
Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated.
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Moyock, NC, 27958
Digital ISBN- 978-1-941315-16-3
Print ISBN- 978-1-941315-17-0
Sacred Forest Publishing
Dedication
~Omnia Vincit Amor- Love Conquers All~
To those who feel broken, may you find the ones that show you why your pieces are different and that by being different you are all the more precious, for there is only one of you in the entire universe and you have a special place that is all your own in this world, you just have to fight for it.
PROLOGUE
Declan sat up in bed and immediately swung his feet over the side to stand. He couldn't catch his breath. Clutching at his chest, he staggered to the bathroom. He splashed water on his face and took deep breaths.
Eva didn't die. Eva didn't die. He repeated this to himself over and over again like a mantra. Adriel hadn't lost his mate, neither would he. Closing his eyes he saw his mate's mouth open and screaming, yet he couldn't hear her from the other side of the locked door.
Fate, I would accept an eternity alone to save her any suffering.
And even though his heart and soul protested the thought, he knew he would rather never meet her than for her to suffer the terror of dying in a fire.
Keep her far, far away from here, he pleaded to any god that would listen.
CHAPTER ONE
Kari Delaney looked up when she heard raised voices from the other side of her door. Seconds later, Marcus Recher stormed into her office, an expression of fury on his face. Her personal assistant, Avery, was trying in vain to keep him from entering the office. He had a hold of Marcus' arm in an attempt to stop him, but Marcus dragged him along.
Kari raised an eyebrow "So, to what do I owe this honor?"
"Why wasn't I given the Jepson account?"
"That is because Jepson himself told me he did not want you. He said you were an ill fit for his organization." Kari fought the urge to roll her eyes. Jepson actually called Marcus an ingratiating asshole and flat out refused the man as a personal assistant. Unfortunately, Kari couldn't help but agree. The only reason he was still in her training class was because he had come so highly recommended by one of her trainers.
"I had that account nailed!" Marcus yelled angrily.
"Maybe not as 'nailed' as you believed," Kari retorted.
By this time, Marcus was right in front of her desk. He turned and shoved Avery away, causing the smaller man to fall. Kari's patience snapped.
"You have got two seconds to leave here before I have you escorted out."
"I want that account! I worked hard for it!" Marcus demanded.
Kari stood and crossed her arms over her chest. "You are not going to get anything. In fact, as of right now, you are fired." Not waiting for response, Kari pressed the button on the intercom system to her left.
"Yes, Ms. Delaney?" Tom responded. Tom Adison was an older wolf shifter who was in charge of the security side of her company and he took his job seriously.
"Tom, I need you to escort Marcus out of the building."
Tom chuckled. "You've got a visitor coming up; I'm pretty sure he'll be able take care of it for you."
"Tom, what do you mean?" Kari asked.
"You'll see." Seconds later, the door swung open, and Kari grinned wickedly.
"Hello, Law."
"Hello, Kari. I heard some yelling as I was coming off the elevator. Is there a problem here?" he asked.
It took everything in her not to laugh. Law literally filled the doorway. Taller than most shifters and virtually all witches, he topped seven feet and was so broad in the shoulders he nearly had to turn sideways to get through the door.
Law was one of the very few people in the world she trusted implicitly. He had taken her in when she was lost and floundering in the human world. For all intents and purposes she considered him a brother. When it came time to put down roots and start her business, she couldn't think of a better place to be than the small town where she had first met Law.
"No problem here, Marcus was just leaving." Marcus eyed Law. Kari could almost see him weighing the decision. Would it be worth going against the larger man? Probably not. In a fit of anger, Marcus swept everything off the top of her desk on to the floor.
Law took a step forward, but Kari held up a hand. Marcus stormed across the room and out the door.
Kari glanced down where Avery was watching everything from his place on the floor beside her desk, his bright blue eyes wide.
"Are you okay?" She leaned down, offered him a hand, and pulled him to his feet.
"I'm fine. I just knew you wouldn't want talk to him right now; he's such a jerk!" Avery rubbed his bottom.
Law's jaw clenched. He babied Avery to no end. If he had been in the room when Marcus knocked Avery down, they would be scrapping bits of Marcus off the ceiling.
Kari's heart melted just a bit. Avery had a way with words. Somehow he always made her smile. "Avery, why don't you run down to the library? It is almost time for your study session," Kari suggested.
Avery nodded. "Yeah, I just didn't want to leave with him coming through the door, you know?" He and Law exchanged masculine nods, as if she couldn't take care of herself.
"I appreciate that," she said, gently nudging him toward the door. "Have fun. I am sure there are some dusty, musty tomes waiting for you to read."
Avery giggled. "Thanks Kari." He turned toward the door and paused, looking at Law. "Will you be around later? I can do some more tests for you."
Law smiled and handed up a small charm. Avery's face brightened, and he clipped it on his belt. "I think
I got the shoes worked out. Shift a few times and let me know."
"Will do!" Avery gave Law a mock salute and hurried out of the office. Kari knew that he was rushing so that he could catch the afternoon bus.
Kari looked down at the floor. She was glad she didn't like much on her desk, preferring an open workspace, so there wasn't much to pick up. She bent down and started to pick up her calendar, phone, desk blotter, and pen cup. Law knelt down beside her, picking up her scattered pens.
"So why are you really here?" she asked.
Law didn't say anything for a moment. One by one, he picked up her pens and dropped them in the cup before placing the cup on her desk. When they both stood, he looked down at her, his forehead creased with worry.
Kari put the rest of her things down. "It cannot be that bad," she teased. When he didn't respond, she frowned. "Can it?"
Law took a deep breath. "You know I travel a bit, taking missions." She nodded, and he continued. "I get updates from certain active warriors in the pillar cities. They told me to get anyone that I cared about to a pillar city. Outside of my squad and my family, you and Avery are the only people I care about. It's not safe for either of you to be on your own."
"But I have always taken care of myself; that has not been an issue before now," she pointed out.
"Things have changed."
"You are not referring to the notice that Prince Magnus sent out are you?"
Law nodded. "That's the one. There are things going on that they are not telling everyone. It's not safe for you to be by yourself without the protection of a larger family unit, like a coven. So I'm evacuating you and Avery to Noctem Falls. They are taking in another batch of refugees the day after tomorrow."
Kari felt a ball of ice start to form in her stomach. She shook her head. "No way. No way in hell am I going to Noctem Falls! You know how I feel about their discrimination against anyone who was not born five thousand years ago. Ageism. That is what it is: ageism!"
Law rubbed the back of his neck. "I would send you to Lycaonia, but time is of the essence. Noctem Falls is closer."
Kari shook her head again. "No Law, no way. I have worked too hard for too long to establish myself. I have finally got everything up and running; there is no way I can just abandon everything because of some sort of dictate from Prince Magnus."
"Kari, people are dying. Vampires, shifters, paranormals across the country are being murdered." Law's voice was quiet but firm.
Kari blinked. "Why have they not told us? If it is that bad, should there not have been... I do not know, one of those emergency broadcast system alerts or something?"
Law looked at her, sadness and pain filling his eyes. "Kari, paranormals have grown so much since the Great War. There has been no fighting or territory disputes; because of that and our long life span, our population has experienced a boom over the past couple hundred years. The elders that were wiped out in the Great War have been replaced by the younger generations."
The weight of his words was starting to sink in. She collapsed into her chair. "The pillar cities are not big enough, are they?" she whispered in horror.
Law shook his head. "No, they're not. I don't think any of the Founding Families realized how much we would grow. That's why they're evacuating small pockets of people, anyone who would be easy pickings for these guys. I want you to go. Even the large families that are sticking together have more protection than you do."
Kari stared down at her desk. "I just got my business going. Everything is finally coming together. I cannot stop now."
Law smirked. "Don't tell me you can't run this business from that little laptop of yours; I know better. Besides, Tom runs most of the day-to-day operations here. You're more hands on with training and getting new accounts."
Kari pursed her lips. "Maybe," she admitted begrudgingly. She gasped. "What about Avery? He needs to come with me. He is a shifter; would he be welcome? You know he does not do well with large groups."
"The first wave of refugees that went to Noctem Falls was a town of wolf shifters. I don't think Avery being a shifter will be an issue. Prince Magnus is more open-minded than most vampires half his age."
Kari exhaled. "Is Noctem Falls my only choice?"
Law gave her a wolfish grin. "Or you can move in with me and the guys," he offered.
Kari shuddered. She couldn't think of a worse type of hell than living with a group of bull-headed men. Avery was different; he was more like her. In their condo, household items went back to the places they belonged. Surfaces gleamed; clothes were put in hampers and washed regularly. Even their food was organized in the refrigerator. She couldn't imagine living with a group of rough-around-the-edges alpha males. She swallowed hard. "When do we leave?"
Law smiled. "How soon can you be packed?"
*****
"What do you mean, we have to go?" Avery asked, a panicked look on his face. He had just returned home from the library. Kari rose from the couch and wrapped her arms around him, cuddling him close.
"It is just for a little while. Law says is not safe for us to be out on our own. So we are heading to Noctem Falls. Think of it as a vacation. I have always wanted to show you the vampire city."
Avery raised his head from her shoulder, a skeptical look on his face. "One, you never take vacations. Two, I thought you hated snobby vampires, especially those in the vampire city."
Kari grimaced, she should've known better than to try and sugarcoat this. "Okay, I admit heading there was not my first choice, but if Law says it is dangerous, then it is. Our only other option is moving in with a bunch of Neanderthals, and I do not think either one of us would enjoy it." She gave him a final squeeze and stepped back. With her mind racing around in circles, she began to pace back and forth in their living room. "From what I understand, Prince Magnus is providing housing, and we will be on the market level. There are vendor market stands, wares for sale, food stalls, you name it."
Avery looked down at the floor and scuffed one toe over the other. "Will they like me?" he asked.
Kari straightened her back. "Of course they will, and if they do not, they can deal with me."
Avery looked up, a soft smile on his lips. "They wouldn't want to do that."
Kari winked. "Of course not, but they do not know that yet, do they?"
Avery giggled. "So when do we leave?" he asked.
Kari looked over where three of her suitcases waited.
Avery's eyes rounded. "That soon?"
She nodded. "I took your suitcases out of storage and placed them on your bed. Go ahead and pack." She sighed. "To be honest, I do not know how long we will be there. So take anything you think you may need for a while."
Avery nodded. "Okay Kari." He dropped a kiss on her cheek and immediately headed toward his room.
Kari walked over to the large window and looked down at the picturesque scene their bustling small downtown offered. It wasn't Chicago--hell, it was barely a city--but it was small and quiet, and she loved it.
When she and Avery were house hunting, they had both fallen in love with the location. So they decided to buy two condos in the old brick building in the center of town and had them completely renovated into a huge single condo just for her and Avery. The window overlooked the town square where she could watch people coming and going. It was getting dark, and the streetlights were turning on one by one.
It was still early spring, and the sun was just now starting to stay in the sky longer and longer each day. With an overcast like this, it still felt like the deepest part of winter. She reached up and rubbed her temples.
"It is just a vacation," she whispered to herself. "We will go, and I will show Avery the city. Things will calm down and we will come home. It is just a vacation."
CHAPTER TWO
Declan held out one hand to fend off the hissing male vampire; with the other, he held back a snarling wolf shifter. He wondered how his day had come to this. His morning had been great. He woke up, got in a good run, ate a hu
ge breakfast, teased Adriel, and was lucky enough to be assigned to Level Six patrol for the day. So how had he ended up between two angry males, looking like he was trying to referee a couple of velociraptors?
"Gerald, you need to calm down," Declan ordered, squaring off to the vampire. Gerald DuBois hissed. "I will when he gives me back my mate!" Gerald tried to reach past Declan, and Declan batted his hand away. Behind him, he heard a snarl.
"She is not your mate!"
Declan looked back at the wolf. "How do you know that?" he asked.
Yellow canine eyes met his. "Because she's mine." The wolf turned back to stare at Gerald. "I'm Peter Hernandez," he said, not taking his eyes off the angry vampire.
Fuck me, Declan thought. He turned to face Gerald. "Okay, Gerald, the wolf here says she is his mate; what do you have to say about that?"
Gerald shook his head. "I have been with her for over five hundred years. Our families arranged our mating. We have a son together; she is mine!"
Declan wished that Warrick was up here. This was his crazy ass uncle. "Gerald, you said it was an arranged mating. As far as I know, we don't have arranged matings."
Gerald looked at him, disgust in his eyes. "Of course not. Arranged matings only happen within the Founding and Noble families, to keep our lines pure."
Declan turned his attention to the small, trembling woman behind the wolf shifter. "Rachelle, honey, you know I'm not going to hurt you. You want to tell old Declan what's going on?"
Rachelle nodded. "It is true, I belong to Peter. We found each other a few days ago. Gerald normally does not let me go up to the market level, but as we were out of some things, and our normal servant has been helping the refugees get settled, I decided to come up here myself." Her face took on a dreamy expression. "And that is when I found Peter. For my entire life, I did not even know what I was missing. I did not know." Her voice broke, and she took a deep breath. Peter wrapped his arm around her. She looked up, tears in her eyes. "I did not know that matings were supposed to be like this." From the way she emphasized the word, Declan knew exactly how she'd been treated by Gerald. He turned back to the angry vampire.