The actual drive to the old Sweson farm wasn’t difficult, but with each mile Wes’s mood grew darker. Guilt ate away at his very soul. He should have eliminated the threat to Emma when he had the chance. Now Emma was paying the price for his mistake. He failed to protect her just like he failed to protect his family, but what happened to his family wasn’t going to happen to Emma. She was going to live and never have to worry about Orson Goodwin or her aunt and cousin again.

We save mate, grunted his bear.

If we had protected her in the first place, we wouldn’t have to save her, Wes told his beast.

We stop them, growled his bear.

Wes nodded. They would rescue Emma and make sure neither Orson nor her aunt were able to ever harm her again.

Keep mate safe.

That’s the plan. Wes turned onto the private road leading to the Sweson farmhouse and parked his truck in the grass on the side. He got out and closed the door as quietly as possible. Climbing over the old wooden fence, Wes slipped into the trees and brush. Letting his bear close to the surface, he sniffed the air. He caught an oily deathlike odor on the breeze. Recognizing it as Orson’s scent, Wes slowly followed it.

Several minutes later, Wes spied the old farmhouse through the thinning brush. Weather and neglect had left it in a rough condition. Remnants of paint showed that at one time the house had been painted white, but now many of the bare boards were graying with age. Wes moved as close as he dared to the house while still staying hidden in the trees. He knelt and studied the house. His bear urged him to rush forward but Wes ignored the beast.

Two cars were parked in the yard in front of the old farmhouse. Wes waited several minutes but after seeing no movement he figured everyone had to be inside. He started moving out of his hiding place, but the creak of the front door opening stopped him. Wes froze.

Orson Goodwin walked out of the house. “I’ll be back in the office tomorrow afternoon,” he told someone on the cellphone he held up to his ear. “No, everything’s fine. Actually better than fine.”

There was a long pause. Orson occasionally nodded and said yes or no to the person on the phone as he walked down the uneven steps and toward the cars. “I will have everything ready for our meeting. I will see you tomorrow afternoon.” He ended the call and slipped the phone into a pocket.

The farmhouse door opened again. “The spell you used was rather strong. She’s still unconscious,” said the woman who had to be Emma’s aunt. She frowned as she walked across the rickety porch.

“And you are telling me this because?” Orson turned and stared at the woman.

She stopped at the edge of the porch where part of the railing was missing. “Emma has to be awake to drink the potion. The more she ingests, the stronger her bond to you will be.”

“Then I suggest you figure out how to wake her.” Orson tone spoke volumes of his contempt for Emma’s aunt and her complaints.

“And how exactly am I supposed to do that? I don’t even know what spell you used.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

Orson raised an eyebrow. “More than once you have insinuated that you are a very capable witch. You should be able to figure out something. The money I’m paying you should be enough motivation for you to get the job done.”

Her arms dropped down to her sides as her face grew slightly pale. “I will wake her and she will drink the potion even if I have to pour it down her throat.”

Orson smiled. “I knew you would figure out a way to get it done. Just make sure she drinks the potion in the next twenty minutes. I plan to fill Emma with my seed. With a little luck she will be pregnant in a few days.”

Emma’s aunt opened her mouth but quickly shut it and nodded. She turned and walked back into the house.

Orson chuckled. “Stupid witch.” He turned and looked directly at the trees where Wes was hiding. “Stupid bear. Do you really think I didn’t know you were there? I suggest you go back to your den and hibernate until spring. It would be much safer for you if you did so. There is nothing here for you.”

Wes let out a low growl. He planned to go around the house and enter through the back door, so he could rescue Emma. Once she was safe, then he would focus on Orson and Emma’s aunt. But now that he had been called out, there was no way he could go with his first plan. He stepped out of the trees and into the clearing.

“And what do we have here?” asked Orson. “You’re not that smart, but then you are a shifter.”

Wes ignored his taunt. “Where’s Emma?”

“The bear from earlier today who thinks he is Emma’s mate.” Orson slowly walked around the cars.

“I don’t think anything. Emma is my mate. She wears my mark.” Wes watched the warlock.

“Not for much longer. She belongs to me. She will give me the heirs I desire and then when I tire of her, I will add her powers to mine.” Orson’s lips slowly turned up into a sneer. “And there’s nothing you can do.”

“I see no one ever told you not to come between a bear shifter and his mate,” growled Wes.

“Do I look like I even care? A shifter is no match for me.”

Now, growled Wes’s bear.

“I’ll leave but Emma is leaving with me.” Wes watched Orson’s body language as he slowly moved closer.

Orson shook his head. “I don’t think so.” He stopped walking and closed his eyes. He started speaking in another language.

The shift was so quick, it looked as if the black bear had literally burst out of Wes. It tackled Orson before he finished casting the spell.

Warlock and beast rolled across the ground. Wes’s bear desperately tried sinking its sharp teeth into Orson’s neck.

Orson cast a simple spell.

The bear flew through the air and landed on the hood of the older blue sedan. The animal laid there for several seconds before it was able to roll off the car causing the sedan to creak and groan.

“So glad that wasn’t my car. Foreign cars are so expensive to repair,” said Orson.

The bear shook its head. with a long, low growl, it charged at Orson again.

 

*****

 

The dank smell of mold and decay filled Emma’s nose causing her to cough and gag. She rolled onto her side, but the foul smell only grew worse. Emma’s eyes flew open as the contents of her stomach rolled up her esophagus and into her throat.

She managed to roll off the bed and land heavily on her hands and knees just seconds before her body emptied the contents of her stomach onto the filthy floor. Even after everything was out of her stomach, her body was racked with dry heaves for a couple of minutes.

Finally, they passed.

Emma wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She rubbed the hand against her jeans. Using the rickety bed to steady herself, she pushed up until she was standing on her feet. A wave of dizziness swept over her. She closed her eyes and waited for it to pass. Once it did, she opened her eyes and grimaced. Emma wished she had some water to rinse out her mouth, but that was a luxury she didn’t have.

She looked around the room. Rags that were once curtains covered the dirty windows. Trash covered the floor. The dresser still had old bottles of perfume set out on it, but they were covered with a thick layer of dust and grime. She glanced at the bed. It was just a mattress on a frame.  Emma wrinkled her nose. The whole room reeked of several things she didn’t want to think about, especially since she had been lying on the mattress.

“Thank goodness! You’re finally awake.”

Emma looked up. “What are you doing here? And where are we?” she asked her aunt.

Susan blinked several times. She forced her lips to turn up into a smile. “I’m here to make sure everything goes as planned. Now be a good girl and sit down. You looked like you could use something to drink.”

Emma shook her head. “What are you talking about?”

“Sit down and drink this.”

Emma stared at the glass vial her aunt was holding out to her. A strange inky black liquid filled the vial. Slowly, she started shaking her head. “I’m not drinking anything.”

“You will do what you’re told and drink this.” Anger flashed in Susan’s eyes.

A loud growl rippled through the air. Emma’s eyes widened. “Wes,” she whispered. She moved to leave the room, but her aunt quickly stepped in the doorway.

“I can’t believe you would mate with such a filthy beast. I’m so surprised Orson still wants you even though you let that animal mark you. But he does, and I’m here to make sure you are bound to him.” Her aunt glared at her.

Emma glared back at her aunt. “Just because Wes can shift into a bear doesn’t make him an animal. He is the most honorable and caring man I’ve ever met, and he is my heart’s mate. and even if he was an animal, I would still prefer having Wes as my mate instead of Orson.”

Susan sneered at her niece. “Why would Orson want you for a mate? He comes from a well-respected family…a witch family. You should be thankful he wants you as his mistress. It’s a fitting position for someone like you.”

“I will never be Orson’s mistress or anything else. Wes is my heart’s mate.”

“That animal biting you doesn’t make him your heart’s mate. It only makes you easy. Besides what would you know about heart’s mates?” She laughed.

“Obviously more than you do,” said Emma.

Susan snorted as she glared at Emma with cold eyes. “Heart’s mates are touched by the goddess and the mates have matching marks around their wrists. But heart’s mates are a thing of the past. The thought of fate choosing your mate is ridiculous. Certain people are not worthy to be mates. That’s why the goddess wouldn’t waste her time with you. You’re too flawed to have a mate. The only thing you’re good for is being the mistress to a wealthy witch.”

“I’m different than you, but I’m not flawed. Your thinking and attitude are what’s flawed. Too many witches have turned away from the old ways and teachings.” Emma heard her aunt’s sharp hiss and realized she was right. Her aunt and cousin were among the witches who had turned their backs on the teachings of their goddess. They were all about making matches that would strengthen the power of the old families or increase their wealth and social standing in the community.

“You have no clue what you’re talking about.” Her aunt’s voice was cold and hard.

“I know heart’s mates are not myths. They are real.” Emma held up her wrist and pushed the sleeve out of the way so her aunt could clearly see the mark. “I know heart’s mates are real because Wes is my heart’s mate. He may be a shifter and I wear his mark, but he wears my mark on his wrist…a band that is identical to this one.” She held up her left wrist so her aunt could see it.

Susan’s eyes widened as she stared at the scrolls and quills encircling Emma’s wrist. “No, it can’t be,” she whispered. The muscles in Susan’s face tightened. Her eyes narrowed. They grew icy cold and harder than Emma had ever seen before.

“Why?” asked Emma. “Just because you think I’m too flawed to have a heart’s mate doesn’t mean the goddess does.” Emma pulled her shoulders back and stood up to her full height. “You need to get out of my way. Orson kidnapped me and now my mate is outside fighting to rescue me. I’m not letting him face Orson alone.” Not waiting for her aunt to move, Emma tried pushing her aunt out of her way.

An almost animalistic guttural roar escaped from Susan. She grabbed Emma’s arm, squeezing it to the point Emma cried out in pain.

“Let me go.” Emma’s voice was laced with anger. Her stomach twisted. Emma swallowed several times hoping to push down the nausea.

“You aren’t going anywhere. You now belong to Orson.” Susan jerked Emma, forcing her to step back into the musty bedroom.

Emma shook her head. She tried pulling her arm out of her aunt’s grasp but the woman refused to loosen her grip. “I don’t belong to Orson and I never will.”

“Yes you do,” said her aunt. “I sold you to him and I plan to collect a bonus as soon as you’re completely bound to him.”

Emma’s lower jaw dropped as she stared at her aunt. Slowly her words sank into Emma’s brain.

“Drink this.” Susan shoved the vial she was still holding into Emma’s face.

Emma stared at the vial of inky black liquid. Something dee down told her the contents of the vial were created by black magic. Slowly she shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

Susan let go of Emma’s arm. “You will drink it even I have to pour it down your throat.” She uncapped the vial.

“No.” Emma shook her head.

Susan stared at her. “You will drink this.” Her mouth twisted into a grotesque shape that was neither a frown nor a sneer. She started speaking in a strange language.

Emma quickly said a simple protection spell and threw her hands up to ward off her aunt’s spell. She felt a surge of energy ripple through her body and out of her hands.

Her aunt suddenly flew backwards and through the hallway wall. The woman skidded to a stop in the next room. She laid on the floor coughing and sputtering. The inky black liquid from the vial covered her nose and mouth. Susan slowly sat up and wiped her face with her hand. What am I doing here?” she said.

Emma wasn’t sure where the power that had surged though her had come from, but she was thankful for it.

“Do you know why I’m here?” her aunt asked again.

Emma snorted in disbelief. “You came here to meet with Orson Goodwin.”

“I did?” A blank look filled Susan’s face.

“Talk about poetic justice,” said Emma as she walked out of the bedroom.

“What did you say?”

“Why don’t you sit there and I’ll go find Orson for you.” Emma bit her bottom lip as she wondered what rabbit hole she had managed to fall into. How she was going to get out of it before she lost her head? Glad it wasn’t me who drank that stuff. She turned and slowly made her way through the old house. Emma wrinkled her nose against the awful odors that filled the place. She glanced at her clothes as she wiped both of her hands on her jeans.

Emma heard a loud crash and then Orson’s sick laughter. Fear gripped her heart. She hurried across the room and out the front door. The scene in front of her caused Emma’s heart skipped a beat. A large black bear laid on the dented hood of a blue sedan. The animal didn’t move. Emma had never seen Wes’s bear, but she knew this was Wes.

“I believe I told you that there was no way you could beat me. You should have walked away when you had the chance.” Orson flicked a hand. The bear flew off the car and across the yard. It crashed through several trees. When the bear finally came to a stop, it didn’t move or make a sound.

“No!” screamed Emma. The fear in her heart for Wes was slowly replaced by a burning anger at Orson. Kidnapping her was bad enough, but he was trying to kill her mate. With each step she took toward Orson she spoke, “Get. Away. From. My. Mate!” Her voice reflected her fury.

Orson turned and looked at her. “I see you’re finally awake.”

“Good observation. Now leave my mate alone.” Emma wanted to run to Wes and heal his injuries. She wanted to stare at his bear, touch it, and see if it liked being scratched behind its ears. But she couldn’t do those things…at least not yet. She sent a prayer to the goddess to keep Wes alive until she could go to him.

Emma focused her attention on Orson.

Over the years she had heard a lot of rumors about various witches in the coven, due to the fact she was invisible to most of the coven. The biggest rumor was about Orson and how he was only half witch. For some reason when the family lost its wealth, his mother supposedly hooked up with a warlock.

Emma knew there had to be a thread of truth in the rumors because it would explain the dark vibes surrounding Orson.

But whether he was half warlock or not, she had to be careful unlike she was when he kidnapped her. Orson was a deadly problem. He caught her off guard then, but she was ready for him now.

“That animal is not your mate. Shifters and witches do not mate with each other.” Orson smiled at her.

“Shifters used to be our mates but something happened to cause a split between us. Wes is not just my mate. He is my heart’s mate.”

“Only a witch can be a witch’s heart’s mate, and he’s definitely not a witch.” Orson chuckled but there was nothing light and airy about it. “You will forget all about him as soon as you drink the potion your aunt made for you. I can’t have you pining away for a shifter while you’re my mistress.”

Emma sent a quick thank you to the goddess for the accident with her aunt and the potion. “I’m afraid Aunt Susan had a little accident a few minutes ago. She fell and ended up drinking most of the potion. It had a very strange effect on her too. I think I’ve just discovered your new mistress and it isn’t me.” She watched Orson’s features grow hard and his eyes darken with pure rage as her words sank in and he realized exactly what she was telling him.

“You were supposed to drink the potion. Not her!” he snarled at her as he took a several steps toward her. His hands curled into fists.

Emma fought the urged to moved away from him. She was terrified about fighting a warlock even if he was only half warlock, but she refused to let him know that. She shrugged her shoulders. “Fate has a way of choosing the right person for you. I think you and Aunt Susan are a perfect match.”

“And why would you say that?” asked Orson. He took a couple steps closer to her.

Emma knew he was trying intimidate her and it was working. She was terrified of him but she was more terrified of what would happen to her and Wes if she didn’t do anything to stop Orson. She wouldn’t let him kill her mate. “You both use people for your personal gains without any thought as to what you’re doing to the person.” Emma was proud of herself. Her voice didn’t tremble like the rest of her insides were doing.

Orson laughed. “Power is the only thing that matters.” He stared at her. “The weak were put on this planet for the rest of us to use…for me to take what I want and discard what’s left.”

“You and Aunt Susan have sold your souls to the devil.”

“You have no idea what you’re dealing with. You belong to me. I’ll enjoy your body until I decide you’re no longer of any use to me. Then I will strip your powers and add them to mine. And there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” His eyes slowly turned a deep reddish black as he muttered something just out of Emma’s range of hearing.

A little more prepared this time for Orson’s attack, Emma managed to cast a simple shield spell she had read about in one of her mother’s journals. She felt her spell slip into place just as Orson’s spell hit her. It felt like a thick oily sludge rolling down her skin. The urge to wipe it off her arms was almost overwhelming.

“That protection spell won’t stop me.” He mumbled more words in the strange language.

Instinctively Emma threw her hands up in front of her. Orson’s spell hit her hands and ricocheted back to Orson. It knocked him to the ground. Stunned, she stared at him. She had never used her magic for anything but healing related stuff. But she could feel power surging through her. The scary part was that it didn’t feel foreign, it felt like an old friend who had finally came home after being away for a long time.

Orson looked up at her. “It seems you’ve found the talents your aunt bound when she caused the car wreck. I really had planned to use you for a breeder before I drained your power, but I can’t have everything so I’ll just settle for your powers,” he said as he stood.

A low growl caused both of them to look over to where the black bear had landed. It was no longer lying motionless on the ground. Instead it was on its feet and growling at Orson.

“Look who decided to join the fight. I’ve always wanted a bear skin. I have the perfect place for it too,” he said as he stared at the beast. “On the floor in front of the fireplace in my office along with all my other trophies.”

“Leave him alone!” shouted Emma.

“And why would I want to do that?” Orson laughed. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had this much fun. I will deal with you once I skin that bear.” He turned away from her.

Emma realized Orson didn’t see her as much of a threat. This was her chance to stop him and her only chance to protect Wes from him. She cleared her mind and focused on the warlock. The words to a binding spell came to her. Staring at Orson, she slowly said the words. She repeated the spell but louder.

Orson tried to casting a spell, but nothing happened. He frowned. Slowly he turned and stared at Emma. “I order you to stop what you’re doing.” His body shook with anger and his cold fury flowed through his voice.

Emma ignored him and repeated the spell.

A loud growl filled the air.

Orson tried casting a spell but nothing happened. “You stupid bitch! What have you done to me?”

“I bound your powers. You will never be able to hurt anyone again,” said Emma.

Wave after wave of pure rage poured off of Orson. “I don’t need my powers to teach you a lesson. You have no clue who you are dealing with. I will crush you.” He moved faster than Emma had ever seen anyone move before.

Fear froze her. Her brain told her legs to move, but they refused to listen. Her eyes widened as Orson got closer to her.

A loud roar rippled through the air.

A black blur flew at Orson, knocking him away from Emma.

Two rifle shots rang out.

Emma screamed as she watched the black bear stumbled and go down hard to the ground. When it finally came to a rest, it didn’t move.

She watched Orson slump to the ground not far from the bear. His shirt slowly turned red. His vacant eyes stared at her.

“Wes!” She rushed to the black bear and dropped to her knees beside it. The strong scent of blood hit her. She ran her hand over his fur. Blood covered him. “Please don’t leave me.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. She started whispering a healing spell when another shot rang out. Something struck her left shoulder. She fell backwards.

Emma gasped.

Pain radiated through her body.

A loud snarl unlike anything she had ever heard cut through the cool air. Screams followed the unearthly snarl and then silence.

Emma gasped. Her vision grew black around the edges. She tried rolling toward Wes. Her body refused to cooperate.

A roar echoed across the area.

A chill went through Emma. Whatever had made the noise was coming toward her.