CHAPTER NINE
Alaric spoke patiently, “Tell him what you told me.”
Cass stepped next to him. He had been pulled (shouted at) into Alaric’s bedroom with us…along with Theron King, Rune Mason, Wolfe Cooper, Finn Baker, Poppy Carvene, Mina Kramer, and Megan Marshall.
The whole damn gang was in here.
I cleared my throat and wrung my hands in front of me. “When I came here that very first night, something happened. It was as if my body had been taken over. I couldn’t stop it. I was there inside my head, saw what was happening, but I couldn’t stop it. It happened a few times that night, and then again today during the ceremony. Like, when I stopped walking down the aisle, that wasn’t me. Or when I fucking bent over in front of him—that wasn’t me, either. I don’t know what’s going on.”
Cass opened his mouth and then shut it. His eyes narrowed on his handsome features, fury erupting behind his eyes. A moment later, he held out his hand. “Touch my hand.”
I did so.
And he let go. “Okay, I’ve touched you… That’s how this spell goes.” He closed his eyes, and then the fur on his coat started to quiver.
My arms rose above my head.
They dropped back down to my sides.
His eyes opened. “Did it feel like that?”
“Yes!” I shrieked in horror, taking a step closer to my husband. “Oh my god. You aren’t the one doing that fucked up shit to me, are you?”
“No, it’s not me.” He shook his head slowly and rubbed his chin. He flicked his gaze to Theron, holding there thoughtfully, and then pulled his gaze back to me. “I think it’s Mr. Valentine back in action. I told you about him.”
I shuddered and stepped into Alaric’s waiting embrace. He rubbed my back in slow circles until I was no longer shaking, my arms snaking around his stomach and holding tight. I shook my head. “Why is he doing this?”
“I don’t know. But I think it is curious. Everything he’s been doing can only be performed by a seer.” His silver gaze cast back in his dad’s direction. “But you killed the last seer before me, right? Now isn’t the time to lie, Dad.”
Theron lifted an agitated brow. “I fucked his world up. He’s dead by my hand as is written down in the seer documents.” He bared his teeth—a little. “Don’t ever question my word on shit like that, son.”
Cass sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Dammit, I thought I was onto something.”
Alaric growled, “Back to the current matter. How do we stop him from messing with my mate?”
Cass snorted. “I can block it. That’s easy enough. If I don’t, he could easily turn her into a bear and have her attack you.”
I ground my teeth together. “A bear? What?”
He glanced up and down my frame. “It’ll wreck that dress. You probably want to keep it.” He inspected the other women in the room and, reluctantly, settled on a redhead. “Ms. Carvene, the dress you’re wearing won’t tear from this. But when I turn you into a lioness, just don’t go batshit crazy. It’s a little odd until you get used to it.”
Her brown eyes blinked. “What? A lioness?” Suddenly, her eyes lit from within. “You mean you can change a mate into animals?”
Cass held up a quick stopping hand. “Don’t get too excited. It’s not just any animal. It’s your destined other half’s animal, the man you were born for, in a female version. It was created so a mate and her shifter could play together.”
Her blinking slowed, but then she grinned. “Fuck yes. I’ll get to see what Godric talked about all the time. I’m going to be a lioness. How long does it last?”
“For as long as I hold the spell.”
“So I don’t need to get naked.” Poppy picked at her flowing dress. “This will probably hold up.”
Cass tipped his head down and closed his eyes, the fur on his coat ruffling again in an unseen wind. “Remember, don’t attack anyone. Especially the woman who isn’t immortal yet.”
“I’ll behave,” she murmured.
My eyes widened when a tornado of white sparkles erupted inside the room. Alaric had never shifted in front of me yet, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. This was a marvel to behold, if only it would last just a little longer.
“Done.” Cass tipped his head upright as the tornado started to disappear. “Let’s see the mighty lioness.”
The sparkles disappeared.
As one, we all leaned forward and cocked our heads.
“Is it a baby lioness under there?” I asked curiously. “She is a lot younger than Godric was.”
“I bet that’s it,” Finn muttered.
The black silk of Poppy’s dress continued to shift as the animal inside tried to get out. A tiny bump under all that material.
Rune whapped Finn on the back of his head. “Use your fucking nose. That’s not a lioness under there. What the fuck?”
Theron crept forward on silent feet, not making a sound as he cocked his head and crouched. With a gentle touch, he unraveled the dress from around the adorable animal, revealing it.
“Oh, my gosh,” I gushed. “She’s a—”
Alaric slapped his hand over my mouth.
I blinked and pried his hand off my face.
Message received. Keep my mouth shut.
Mina snickered across the room. “I knew it.”
“Hello, Poppy,” Theron whispered quietly. He gently patted her head, dragging his fingers along her fur. “Ignore them. I know it’s hard because it’s all so loud right now, but try to do it. They’re talking out of their asses right now, anyway. You are absolutely beautiful, small and all.”
The tiny red fox peered up at him with piercing blue eyes as she sat on her haunches. Her bushy tail wagged at the compliment. She tipped her head to the side and licked his palm once.
Theron chuckled softly. “You’re welcome.”
Poppy lifted onto all four legs. She wobbled a second before she raced toward Cass. From her low angle, she couldn’t see his expression. Or the way he hadn’t moved since she transformed, his nostrils flaring in horror…and anger.
Poppy raced around his ankles, rubbing against his legs, silently thanking him for this special treat. Then she raced into the bathroom…
Alaric barely breathed, “Mirrors. There are mirrors in my bathroom. All over the place.”
Cass blinked.
“Omph!” Poppy cried out, skin smacking tiling instead of fur, and loud tumbling inside the bathroom. “What the hell, Cassander!”
Cass turned on his heel and stormed out of the bedroom. If looks could kill… My shoulders jerked when, in the next bedroom, items began crashing against walls. More items broke, loud and furious. The wall behind Alaric’s bed bowed out and started vibrating.
We all took a step back.
From inside the bathroom, Poppy griped, “Can someone at least bring me my dress and weapons? I’m kind of naked in here. I love you all, but you can’t see my tits.”
Megan cleared her throat, calling, “I got you covered. I’ve already seen most of your goods, anyway.”
A pause. “How the hell have you seen my goods?”
“I’ll explain later,” Megan grumbled, keeping an eye on the expanding and deflating wall. She bent and grabbed Poppy’s stuff from the floor, trying to grip it all in her arms. “Jesus, how many knives did you have on you?”
“Big dress. Lots of room.” Poppy huffed. “Um, it’s cold in here. Hurry up, please.”
The wall snapped back into place.
Theron heaved a sigh of relief.
But…he wasn’t through yet.
Cass’s bellow shook me to my core.
Raw pain and anger rattled the foundation.
The literal foundation.
I braced as the ground beneath me shook.
“What the hell is that?” Poppy shouted. “Is…is that Cassander? Hey! What the fuck is going on out there?”
Naked or not. She didn’t give a shit.
All the mated men quickly averted their eyes as a furious and worried naked Poppy raced out of the bathroom, banging right into Megan as she rushed toward the bathroom. Poppy and Megan smacked foreheads, but they managed to keep their footing. Poppy started grabbing items from her, growling, “What the hell is happening? And why isn’t anyone going to help him? He sounds like he’s being fucking tortured!”
Theron looked directly into her eyes, uncaring that she was nude and just getting dressed. “Poppy, leave him alone right now.”
She shoved the dress over her head. “What?”
Those dark and dangerous eyes of his darkened even further, a blackness spreading over his eyes to his temples. He growled low and hard, “Let him be for now!”
All the other shifters in the room grunted and took a step back from wherever they stood as if they were physically shoved. They started to pull their dress shirts like they couldn’t breathe. Their faces started to turn red and blotchy.
“Alaric?” I whispered in alarm, rushing to him.
“Shh,” he choked, patting my hands away. He continued to pull at his shirt. “Okay… It’s okay.”
Poppy’s eyes narrowed, her gaze roaming the transforming shifter’s face. She hissed with forced calm, “I’ll do as you say, Theron. Now let your power go. You’re hurting them.”
Instantly, he let out a harsh breath.
The room quieted.
No more shifters suffocating on power. No more transforming kings. No more cries of a seer.
It all just stopped. Everyone just stopped.
Why?
Poppy glanced around in suspicion. “Anyone else hear that?”
As one, we all nodded.
Quiet…quiet laughter filled the air. It was all around and nowhere at once. It pushed and pulled at the senses.
I pulled at my ear, grouching, “Who the heck is that?”
“It’s him,” Rune rumbled on a deadly purr.
Mina spit, “The fucker is playing with us again.” She turned around in a circle and threw her arms out wide. “Are you watching us right now? Is this all a game to you?”
A tingle up my spine. I mumbled, “Oh, shit.”
My head arched back as a tornado of power engulfed me, twisting and turning in the most pleasant sensation. I curled into it, allowing it to take hold of me from the inside out. Warm and cocooned, I groaned in satisfaction.
Then blares of voices. I couldn’t understand them, each like a foghorn to my brain, bashing against each other as everyone around me started screaming.
My head shook back and forth, trying to dislodge their voices, but they were too loud. Too loud as they crashed down upon me, one after the other. A brutal attack, again and again and again.
I opened my mouth wide and roared at them.
They didn’t stop. They wouldn’t stop.
So loud. So loud.
I sneezed. The hunger of each and every smell…ever…lodged itself in my brain. Dust, cedar wood cologne, silk, strawberry shampoo, copper blood… All raced around and around, more and more scents bombarding and throttling me.
I lifted onto my legs…and fell onto my butt.
Shaking my head, I lifted my hands.
Huge brown furry claws stunted my vision.
More shouts, all sounding a beat. As one.
Why wouldn’t they shut up?
I roared and raised onto four legs.
They were before me, but I was bigger. They wouldn’t be quiet. For the love of anything sacred, just be quiet. I shook my head and bared my teeth. I inhaled and more scents attacked.
I had to get away. My brain was going to explode. No noise and all noise bounced together as one against my skull, the smell of coconut lotion like a paddle to the brain, a never-ending beat to fry me.
I shook my head again and ran. Right through them, heading for the only outlet that I could see. I smashed through the door and banged against a hallway wall. I growled at my paws for not working right and then tried again.
I raced as fast as I could. Down hallways, just needing to be outside. In the open where it was quiet. I bounded down the stairs, only tumbling on the last step.
More screams…the wedding guests.
All began running like ants around me.
I was bigger than an ant.
I burst through the front door, trampling people as I raced for freedom, their cries cutting off a sweet reprieve.
Farther and farther I ran. Into the forest.
There, finally there, I found peace the farther I ran.
Eventually, I flopped onto my side under four barren trees. Birds, they were definitely birds, chirped nearby. Their sound was sweet and kind, like a flower petal brushing against my eardrum. I sighed and closed my eyes.
Just a little rest. Just…a little rest.
My mouth opened in a growl.
My head flew back. Someone was touching my ass.
It was a naked Cass, his eyes turning white.
I shuddered at his touch, a tornado engulfing me once again. Power, so much power, that I sank into the warm blanket of it. I groaned and closed my eyes.
“Faith, can you hear me?” Cass asked softly.
I curled in further on myself and wrapped my arms around my knees, the hard ground biting at my side; my naked flesh shivered in the cold.
I whispered, “Where’s Alaric? Did I hurt him?”
“Open your eyes. He’s coming up behind us.” Cass pulled me into a sitting position, even though I wouldn’t release my legs, staying curled up. He rubbed my back. “It isn’t as bad as what you think.”
“You can go back to the house, Cass. Thank you, but I’ve got it from here. See if you can do damage control,” Alaric rumbled, his tone vibrating down my spine. “Tell them the damn circus was in town, and I ordered them as a special gift to my new wife. She loves wild animals. But a cage was left open, and a bear went on a run.”
Cass snickered. “Which circus?”
“Make the damn thing up. You figure out the logistics of it—and the medical insurance.” Alaric was still behind me where I sat shivering. He was wearing his clothes, at least. He wrapped his arms around my smaller frame and pressed me tight against his chest. “Just get out of here. We don’t need your dick in our faces any longer.”
I was so happy my eyes were closed. “Cass? Thank you.”
Alaric grunted. “She is good now, right? She’s blocked from him?”
“Yes, as long as he doesn’t touch her again.” Cass paused. “And this is friendly advice from your seer. You need to have sex with her sooner rather than later.” With those final words, dry leaves crunched under his feet as he stomped away.
Alaric released me to yank his suit jacket off. Sure hands bundled me in the soft, warm fabric. I slipped my hands into the arm holes, only opening my eyes then. He cooed quietly in my ear as I shook inside his hold.
I gasped in shock. “Is Butch all right?”
“Yes, I saw him near the pond. He missed the entire show happening inside.” Eventually, he cleared his throat, musing, “I think we’ve had a pretty memorable wedding, don’t you?”
I choked on a dry laugh. “I actually felt it coming this time. It was different from before. It was me in control of my actions. That bastard just changed me and kept me that way.”
He nodded against my hair, whispering, “Was it the voices or the smells?”
I shuddered. “Both. They were both rotting away in my brain.”
He rocked me back and forth in a gentle sway. “You’re okay now, beauty. You’re okay. I promise. Just keep breathing. Your nose is right now.”
I rested my head back against his shoulder. “Beauty, huh?”
“Oh, yes.” His hands rubbed slowly against my body, a curling flame firing low in my gut. “You’re the beauty to my beast.”
My lips twitched. “I’ve read that fairy tale.”
“I imagine you have. After all, that was the only hobby you listed on your Marriage Match application.”
I chuckled. “You read that?”
“Of course, I did.” He tipped his head and placed his lips against my temple, whispering, “We are a perfect match, don’t you think?”
“So far so good.” I pressed against him harder, enjoying his strength and heat. “Did you know that I think you’re the sexiest man alive?”
He paused in our gentle sway. “Is that bullshit you’re giving me?”
“Nope.” I smiled and tilted my head, resting my forehead against his neck. “I think you’re sexy as hell.”
He bent his hands out from my body, peering down at them. “And my hands?”
“Oh, shut up. You know I love them. I stare at them all the time. How about you fill out one of those forms honestly, and then hand it over.”
He went back to rocking us and rubbing my body. “Legs. I love legs the best.” He dipped his hands under his jacket that was covering me to grip my thighs. “These are the sexiest legs I’ve ever seen.”
I giggled, then coughed to hide it. “I already know what your hobby is.”
“What would that be?”
“Hanging out with your friends during your downtime. You love all of them very much, and it shows. I like that about you.”
“And I like that you like them.” He kissed my temple again, his lips lingering as he inhaled deeply. The bear inside him growled quietly, his tone an intimate purr. “Has this ruined our wedding night?”
I whispered, “Give me a few hours. I’ll be better by then—hopefully.” So he was on the same page as me about our wedding night. “Though, you don’t just want to have sex because Cass told you to, right?”
He snickered, and then pressed his lower body against my butt. A thick, raging erection was happening in his pants at that current moment. He grumbled, “What do you think, beauty?”
“I think…,” I squirmed against him, “…I’ll be just fine in a couple of hours.”
Alaric groaned low in his throat. “I hope like hell you are.” My husband lifted me into his arms and stood in one smooth motion. He peered down into my eyes. “First, you need a shower. You have blood all over your feet and hands.”
I choked, not glancing anywhere near them. “That’s a way to romance me.” My brows pinched together, worry gnawing at my throat. “No one died?”
“Not that I could tell. Just broken bones and the like. Nothing a little money thrown their way can’t handle.”
I peered heavenward. “I did say I wanted a rich man. Who knew this is what it would be used for.”