Chapter Twenty-Four
Rowe
“I’ll be right back,” he shouted over her singing.
If it could be called that. Rowe wasn’t sure when she’d developed a fetish for a certain sort of women’s underwear, but if it kept her occupied, then so be it.
“She’s got dumps like a truck, truck, guys like…”
He shook his head, tuning it out. Human music could be so weird sometimes. Apparently the same could be said for his mate.
Inside the circle of gas he could make out the shapes of the shifters who had been wise enough not to try and charge ahead. Nearby both Palin and Torran landed, the ground shaking slightly under the impact of the two huge dragons.
“You’re late!” he shouted.
Palin looked his way. “What is that infernal racket your woman is making?”
Rowe just laughed. “Your punishment. You should have been here ages ago.”
“Traffic was bad,” Torran called out from the other side of the triangle. “And you know Palin drives like a grandma.”
The playful banter was more than welcome. It had been a near thing, stalling for time and outracing the shifters around the property. For a while they nearly hadn’t made it. Too many close calls, and his left side would be a while in healing. However, thanks to the timely arrival of his friends, who had sped back after he’d called them to tell them what was going on, he would heal. The same could not be said for most of them.
“Finish this, Rowe. I am tired of drama,” Palin said wearily.
They must be nearing the end of their stamina he realized. The flights here would have been taxing, and they were traveling in broad daylight, which was a risky thing to do. There would be witnesses.
So be it. His mate was alive because of it. That, and the wolf shifters hadn’t realized that when they’d come back around to the ranch, the wind had sprung up, and was blowing toward them. That safety net had freed him to use his gas to imprison them without risking Cheryl’s safety.
He strode through it without a care, his eyes able to penetrate the mist with ease, since it was essentially part of him. “It’s over,” he announced, standing right on the edges, the gas swirling around him, eager to do his bidding. “Surrender.”
The black wolf paced back and forth in front of him, staring at him with eyes full of hatred.
“Stand down and you can leave with your lives. Continue this, and you’ll not make it out alive.”
All he got was a snarl in return.
“Fine. So be it.” He closed his eyes, letting the power flow through him. It built and built, and he took command of it, harnessing it, infusing it into his very being.
The wolf stared at him as the change happened, but by then it was too late.
Rowe’s body swirled, like a genie out of legend, and he darted forward, a mist-fiend that couldn’t be stopped, flying upon the wings of the very air itself. He concentrated his might on a spot just above the closest wolf’s heart.
The great beast howled for a moment, and then Rowe passed through the shifter, emerging on the other side and continuing on without bothering to slow. He passed around the remaining shifters one by one, until only the alpha was left.
His incorporeal form took an extra second to penetrate the tougher beast, but then it too crumpled to the ground, a hole carved through its chest. Rowe came to a halt and let the power leave him, returning to a solid form once more.
“They never stood a chance,” he spat as Palin and Torran emerged inside the swirling of mists. “Why must they be so damn stubborn!”
“Because that is how they are. Just as we are born the way we are. Some things cannot be helped, unfortunately.” Palin pointed and his own gas, a slightly darker green in color shot forth, surrounding one of the bodies.
Torran did the same. “You go see to your mate, Rowe. We’ll handle cleanup.”
“Thank you,” he said gratefully before jogging back through the mists.
“Let me see that thooooooooOOoooongggggg.”
Oh goody. She was still at it. Rowe raced forward at his fastest dragon speed. The sooner he stopped her the better.
Reaching her, he grabbed her arms and held them tight for a moment as she jumped in surprise.
“It’s okay,” he said, pulling her hands away from her ears. “You can stop singing now.”
He leaned in behind her, in a way so as to block her view of the scene behind him. She didn’t need to witness any of that, even if the wall of green would block her view. It was better safe than sorry, in his estimation.
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely positive.”
Cheryl frowned at his tone. “You don’t like my singing, do you?”
He winced. Had it been that obvious? “Ummm.”
“Ouch.”
“I did just save our lives.”
“How long are you going to hold onto that one?”
Rowe stammered for words. “It just happened!”
She laughed and leaned in to him. “I know. I’m still dealing with the high of that.”
“We should go inside. When the adrenaline fades, it’s not going to be easy on you. You’re going to want to lie down and not do much else.”
He helped her off the ATV and together they went inside. After downing a glass of water each they just sort of stood there.
“I’m still moving on a super high,” she remarked, bouncing back and forth. “No adrenaline fade yet. So much energy.”
He smiled, happy to see her alive and well. It was over, now. The troubles, and hopefully her stress. Things could proceed smoothly with the farm, and hopefully between them as well.
“Hey Rowe.”
“Yes?”
“Come on.” She stuck out an arm.
“Where are we going?”
“To work off some of my energy. Don’t delay, you don’t have long.” She winked at him, grabbing one of her breasts as she turned away, giving him an incredible profile view of herself.
Sex wasn’t first and foremost on his mind. Not after what he’d just done. Rowe would much rather lie down and come to peace with himself. It looked like that was going to have to wait though, because his mate took top priority. If she felt she needed sex, then that’s what he was going to give her. There were worse ways to occupy his time he conceded.
“Coming,” he called gruffly, chasing up the stairs after her as she giggled and tried to beat him to the bedroom.
She didn’t.