The Devil's Kiss

Chapter Six



The surroundings looked very similar to Valor’s ranch, mountain skyline with lush wilderness. Actually the landscape where we presently stood reminded me of an episode of Little House on the Prairie. It just had that old feel about it. “Where is your home from here?” I asked Valor.

“This is Hyde Park. It is only a few hours away from Cache Valley.”

A small house was nestled in a surrounding forest—almost a mirror image of my Carson City home. A bit rundown, but full of character with white washed wood paneling, black windowsills, and an old rickety swing sitting on a large porch.

“It is best that I speak to the family before we go around back.” Valor told the group, then looked at me. “Would you mind coming along?”

“Not at all,” I stepped forward.

“I will wait here for you,” Kyden said, giving my lower back a light rub.

I smiled, returning his as if that is even a question grin.

Just as we walked away, I heard Haven say. “Oh Finn, look, it’s so pretty here.”

I smiled, hearing the awe in her voice. Utah was beautiful—an outdoor enthusiast’s playground.

Valor climbed the old rickety steps, knocked on the door, and it immediately flew open. A woman stood before us, trembling, eyes rimmed red and her face was stone white. “Valor,” she said with a deep sniff. “Please, do come in.”

“Thank you, Ayan.” He glanced back to me. “This is Nexi.”

She smiled softly. “Welcome to our home, Nexi.” She waved us in. “Please, won’t you come sit?”

Hospitality right to the core, even when all that surrounded her was despair, she was still using manners. It made this entire situation all the more bizarre. How could a wolf that came from this woman be capable of such brutality?

After Ayan sat down, Valor and I followed suit, opposite her on the flowered couches. Valor looked around. “Is Narn not here?”

Ayan shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. “I do not know where he has gone. He…is,” she raised a tissue to her nose, “not handling the death of our Rhoden well.”

Without hesitation, I stood, then knelt down in front of her and took her hands in mine. “I’m so sorry for your son. Believe me, Ayan, we will find out what has happened here.”

She squeezed my hands, her palms clammy. “You are a Guardian?” she asked.

I nodded softly. “Among other things.”

“Then, I trust that you will keep your word. Our Rhoden would do nothing of this cruelty. There must be an explanation.”

“May we go around back?” Valor asked.

She nodded, releasing my hands to wipe her nose. “By all means, do whatever you need to catch the one who did this to my son.”

After a few reassuring words from Valor, we exited the home. Kyden met me at the door. “Alright?”

“Yeah.” I waited until Valor joined us before I filled them in on what I knew. “She truly believes that he is innocent,” I told everyone. While I held her hands, I read her a little, searching for anything that could help us. “From what I saw, her son definitely didn’t seem the type to do something this vicious.”

Valor sighed, and gave his head a rub. “Let’s go see.”

When we reached the back of the home, there was a little vegetable garden off to the left and an uninhabited area filled the rest. Sitting next to a rock was a man, sobbing hysterically.

“Narn, I take it?” I asked Valor.

Valor nodded, then approached him. “Narn,” he said loudly.

The man lifted his face, heartbreak aligning every part of his face. I froze where I stood. I had seen eyes like that staring back at me in the mirror just after Gloria and Frank died. They were completely desolate.

“Valor…I…apologize you are seeing me this way,” Narn said, desperation hitting every note.

Valor helped him to his feet, his hand tight on the Narn’s shoulder. “Think nothing of it. I would be in no better condition.”

“Narn, do you think it wise that you stay for this?” Dante asked him.

“I must be here,” Narn replied, his tone firming with each word. “I need to be here to see what happened to Rhoden.”

I understood why. The unknown is always the worse part of loss, the hardest thing to get over. He was searching for a reason, needed to find some sense in all this tragedy. My eyes connected with Haven’s and I gave her a nod to proceed.

She stepped forward, raised her hands to the sky, and within seconds the scene was before us. The Earth element gave her the gift—which Zia also had—an ability to manipulate time and bring a moment back. They could recreate past events that happened, imprints on time that showed exactly what had taken place in this backyard.

What we saw wasn’t good. A woman, knocked out cold, was lying on the grass as Rhoden growled fiercely beside her. His teeth were pulled back in a snarl as salvia poured from his mouth. I’d never seen anything like it. His expression was crazed and he looked rabid.

Suddenly, the woman stirred, moaning as she awakened from unconsciousness. She turned her head slightly. When she saw the wolf, she scrambled away, only to be stopped by Rhoden.

He bit into her calf, forcing her still. She screamed out loudly as Rhoden went wild on her. Tearing into her slowly, he ripped pieces out of her flesh.

Terror and horror shot straight through me, but it wasn’t all mine. I turned to see Finn grab Haven and cover her ears with his hands as she hid against his chest. I glanced back to the scene as the woman was mauled to death, piece by piece.

By the time it was over, all that remained was her skeleton. My stomach turned. “He ate every piece of her?” I said to Kyden, aghast.

He nodded grimly. “Indeed he did.”

Haven sobbed in Finn’s arms. She never could deal with this part of our jobs. Hell, I wasn’t sure I could deal with it. Gruesome never did sit well. Usually that part was easy to get past, when the need to stop the one who did it began to consume me.

The wolf lay next to the bones, stared intently at his kill. “When I found Rhoden,” Valor said. “He had not moved. He was still in this exact same position.”

Narn stepped forward, wiped tears off his face. “His eyes are not his. None of my son lies in there.”

Squinting my eyes, I looked closer, more intensely. Rhoden was lying down, breathing oddly. His quick, shallow breaths just didn’t seem normal. When I looked into his eyes, I instantly understood what his father meant about the eyes. They didn’t seem in any way right to me either.

Wolves eyes were always yellow or silver—a bright vibrant color. Rhoden’s were dark, completely shadowed. I reached out with my powers, searched the area and opened myself to all that was here. I could sense something was off. It was faint, but it was definitely there, and I had felt before.

I glanced urgently at Kyden. “We need to get Zia here immediately. There’s something wrong here.”

He shot a look in Finn’s direction, who instantly rushed off with Haven to the front of the house.

Seconds later, the scene faded as Haven returned to the Otherworld. Within minutes, Zia arrived.

“Haven is sleeping soundly,” she assured me.

Zia had had to erase more memories from Haven’s mind than I could count. She just couldn’t deal with the violence. Her sweet heart couldn’t bear it. Zia promised it didn’t cause her any damage, and I couldn’t deny that it wasn’t for her benefit.

“Glad to hear it.”

Then, I looked around. “There is something here,” I announced.

Zia stepped free from the crowd and lifted her arms, bringing the scene back again. It flashed by quickly. My stomach was as unforgiving as the first time. When it froze, she knelt down and examined the wolf. Then, she met my gaze with a knowing look. “Dark Magic surrounds him.”

I sighed deeply, glad I was on the right track, but annoyed by it too. “I thought it could be something like that.”

My experience with Black Magic was limited, but it felt very similar to when I fought a Black Witch not long ago. Had the similar edge to it that made it difficult to breathe, but a little fainter.

“You think Rhoden was influenced by Dark Magic?” Narn asked.

Zia stood, wiping her hands on her long black skirt. “He was either seduced by it or somehow it was placed upon him.”

Narn cried. “I knew it. I knew something had overtaken him. He would never do something like this.”

Zia glanced my way. “He may have chosen it.”

“Why would he?” I couldn’t imagine why he would do such a thing when he had a wonderful home and family.

She shrugged, then glanced to Narn. “He was not having any trouble?”

Narn shook his head. “He was happy, awaiting the birth of his first cub. He was a good soul. Never would he turn to the darkness. He had everything he needed. Someone must have forced him into it. They must have.”

Zia examined Rhoden a little longer, then looked at me again. “Darkness is wrapped so tightly around him I do not sense anything good in this wolf, do you?”

“He ate her entirely. I can’t see anyone with an ounce of good doing something like that.”

“What do we do from here?” Valor asked.

“We return to the Council,” Zia said, and instantly headed toward the front of the house, each of us scrambling behind her.

The moment we hit the front lawn, we all grasped hands, making the needed connection for teleportation. Then, with a bright flash, Utah disappeared as we landed back in the Council’s foyer. Weird as it was, that’s the way it worked. Wherever you stepped through the wooden door, the magic held within the portal, read your mind on the location you needed to go. To return, you only had to revisit that spot and think of the Otherworld. Quick and easy transportation at its finest.

When we stepped into the Council’s Hall, Zia didn’t waste a moment in bringing the other Council members up to speed. Within minutes, she was done, and the room was silent enough to hear a mouse scurry.

Finally, Talon broke the silence. “Dark Magic!” he exclaimed, surprise widening his eyes.

Zia nodded without hesitation. “It had overtaken him completely.”

“Intriguing,” Brax exhaled.

“This makes no sense!” Valor said. “Rogue wolves are normally the ones to turn to Magnus’ realm. They have been cast out by their packs, needing somewhere to belong, but Rhoden wasn’t rogue. He had a family, a cub on the way.”

My thoughts ran along the same lines. “I agree, something’s screwy here. When I read into his mother there was nothing at all that would lead me to believe he would accept the darkness.”

“Could he have been bewitched?” Kyden asked.

Zia was thoughtful for a moment then said, “I suppose it could true, but what would they want with a crazed wolf?”

No one had the answer to that.

“If this is true.” Valor sighed deeply, breaking the eerie silence. “We are in grave danger. None of us are safe here.”

“I should say not,” Zia noted grimly.

Without any warning, Valor suddenly growled, deep and low. He was eager to annihilate something, as was Dante. Then like a bat out of hell, they ran from the hall.

“Well that was just weird.” I said aloud.

Kyden nodded. “Indeed.” He stepped forward, his body tight with concern.

Curious as to what had caught his interest, I followed his gaze and immediately understood his distress. Valor and Dante rushed back into the hall, carrying a wolf. Isla followed close behind, her face streaked with tears.

Zia ran toward him before I even had a chance to comprehend what was happening. After Valor and Dante placed the wolf on the floor, she knelt down, rested her hand upon his chest and began shaking.

Shock froze my breath. I had never seen Zia strain so much healing someone—the wolf must have been very close to death.

Zia wavered, nearly toppling over, but Talon lunged forward to scoop her up before falling over just as the wolf shifted.

The moment Zia’s hand released from the man’s chest, I sprinted forward, drew on Spirit and gave Zia a little burst of healing. Within seconds, the tiredness left her eyes and she gave me a quick wink.

Glad that little bit of silliness was over, it was time for answers. I straightened up to find the wolf was Thor, the Alpha of Texas. He looked the same as he did the last time I saw him—gentle with a perfect baby face. Not what you’d expect to see in an Alpha, but appearances were sometimes deceiving. I’d seen this wolf kill another in a split second.

“What happened to you?” Valor asked him.

Thor stood, then glanced back at Isla. “I owe you much, Isla. If it wasn’t for you, I’d be dead.”

They shared a look¯one that was unmistakable. I’d seen the same look between Briggs and Rynn. She must be his mate and made me curious. Why weren’t they bonded? Isla stayed with Valor and never once had I heard of this. As much as I was intrigued, now wasn’t the appropriate time to let my mind drift away with such thoughts. I gave my head a little shake to clear the swirling questions and focused back on the present



Apparently, Valor caught the glance as well and looked none too happy about it. “What happened?” he growled at Thor.

Thor snapped his head toward him, leaving Isla’s gaze full of longing. “A wolf in my pack killed a man tonight,” he answered. “His mate contacted me and when I went to him, he was in the worst of sorts.”

Valor nodded dourly. “We have just recently discovered this. Did he attack you?”

Thor looked nothing short of pissed. “I was not expecting it. Being an Alpha…” He hesitated, grumbled something incoherent then finished, “I was not prepared for such an intense battle.”

“He nearly killed you,” Isla cried out, wiping tears.

Thor met her gaze again, his brows furrowed in unhappiness. He was about to reach out to her, but pulled his hand back at Valor’s growl.

I glanced at Kyden and his look of I’ll tell you later was clear. Oh yeah, he’d be telling me later. This was juicy gossip—the best kind.

“Where is the wolf now?” Brax asked.

Thor shrugged. “It is Isla who can answer that. I don’t remember what took place. She came for me.”

Valor’s growl deepened, while he glared at her. “You did what?”

She lifted her chin. “I sensed danger, so I used the portal to go to him. What should I have done, let him die?”

Sensed danger, huh? They weren’t bonded yet. The idea left me flabbergasted that the bond between mates ran that deep. Even without the connection sealed, they still held the ability to feel each other. Werewolves are so cool.

It appeared Valor wasn’t feeling as awed as I was. He stepped forward, wrapped his hands around her shoulders and shook her. “This is not your place, Isla. I have told you over and over again, you are too young to be dealing with matters such as these.”

“You think I’m too young,” she shouted at him. “I am not! I’m Nexi’s age and look at what she does.”

Everyone looked at me. I gave a little shrug in her defense. “She has a point.” Valor scowled at me. I quickly raised a hand to my mouth. “Okay, mouth zipped.” I locked my lips, threw the key over my shoulder.

“Tell me what took place.” Valor demanded from his daughter.

“I felt that something was wrong, so I went to him, and found the wolf attacking him,” she answered, examining her fingernails. “Soooo…” She glanced back up to meet her father’s furious gaze. “I returned home quickly, grabbed a bat and went back.”

“Go on.” Valor’s voice had deepened.

She didn’t look at all put off by the anger ruminating off him. “He was so focused on Thor that he didn’t even notice me. Basically, I swung the bat as hard as I could at his head.”

Dante laughed. “You hit him with a bat?”

Valor glowered at him. Dante’s smile faded instantly.

Isla shrugged. “It was the only thing I could think of. I had to get him off quickly. The second he started to black out, I grabbed onto Thor, and we landed back home. Then, I dragged him back through the portal, which leads us to now.”

The room was silent enough to hear a pin drop. Everyone awaited Valor’s response.

I thought Isla had done really well. Without thought, the stupid part of my brain made me reach up and give her a high five. “Way to go, Isla.”

She laughed, beaming from ear to ear.

Valor growled at me which lowered my hand in a flash, then he hovered over Isla. “You took a huge risk with your life, Isla. I should thrash you for disobeying me.”

“Do it.” She squared her shoulders. “Give me the biggest beating, I don’t care. I will not feel bad about doing it. He’s…” She glanced to Thor, who gazed at her intently.

Valor stepped between them, breaking their locked gazes.

“I will take her punishment,” Thor said adamantly.

Pride for Isla ran through me. Valor could be one tough cookie, yet she was standing up to him as if he didn’t scare her one bit. Plus, respect for Thor couldn’t be denied if he would suffer the brunt of Valor’s dismay. My heart broke a little watching them, they weren’t lusting after each other, they were desperate to be together. It was gut-wrenching to see.

Valor grumbled, dismissing the whole incident with a wave of his hand. “We need to find this wolf now. Dante, contact the other Alphas. Inform them of this situation.”

Dante nodded, then gave his sister a pat on the shoulder, obviously sharing my sense of pride for what she had done.

“I will be able to scent him out,” Valor said to the Council. “But I do fear we will need help in destroying him.”

“Of course,” Brax answered. “Kyden, Nexi, go with Valor, deal with this wolf.”

Kyden nodded firmly.

I sighed and glanced at Kyden. “Let’s just hope we don’t become doggy dinner.”

He grinned.

* * * *

The forest was lush with most of the grounds covered in rocks and weeds. “Texas is pretty and all, but I wish this damn wolf had chosen somewhere a little more flat to go run and hide,” I grumbled as I slipped on a rock once again. Rough terrain looked easy compared to this.

Kyden chuckled. He held my hand tight as we made our way through the thick bush. Of course, he had yet to slip, which only pissed me off.

Valor had shifted immediately upon arrival, having caught the scent of our wolf. I purposely slowed down, hoping to get a little info. When Valor was a few feet away, I whispered to Kyden. “Why is Valor refusing to let Thor and Isla be together?”

He smiled. “As you heard, he believes she is too young.”

“Oh I get it,” I nodded in understanding. “He’s suffering from Daddy syndrome.”

Kyden arched a brow. “Daddy syndrome?”

“Yeah, you know, can’t let his little girl go.”

Kyden’s brow lowered as he gave a soft nod. “Thor is being patient. Isla, on the other hand, is pushing for him to get over it.”

“I just bet she is.” My mind drifted to the handsome wolf that was her mate. I’d be raising hell, too, if I wasn’t allowed near him.

Suddenly, Valor growled low. Kyden threw me over his shoulder and rushed forward. He made quick work of the ground beneath him as he ran to catch up to Valor.

When he stopped, he set me down and I gave his shoulder a little punch. “That wasn’t necessary.”

“Didn’t want you to slip, Álainn.” His voice was serious, but the glimmer in his eye conveyed his amusement.

My fist clenched to give him another punch, but when Valor shifted, my hand eased as I stretched it out. Jerk!

“He is in those caves there.” Valor pointed next to him.

My gaze followed the movement and noticed a small entrance to a cave that was no bigger than our living room. The ceiling was rigid and drips of condensation splattered down on the stone floor. “We have to go in there?” I whispered to Kyden. “There could be bats.”

“You’re afraid of bats?” he asked, intrigued.

“Just so happens that I am,” I lifted my chin a little, trying to save a little pride. Vampires, easy and crazy witches, easy. But rats with wings, not so easy.

“No better time than the present to face your fears,” Kyden pulled me toward the entrance.

Oh Jesus!

Good thing our vision is superior because the place was pitch-black. Even better, the cave was very shallow. The second we stepped through, the wolf appeared, his eyes glowing as he snarled at us.

“Oh there you are.” I shook my finger at him. “You are a very bad doggy.”

He growled lower and deeper. His eyes were wild as he flew toward us. Kyden pushed me out of the way and kicked out hard, sending the wolf flying out of the cave.

Moments ago, he may have irritated me, but I could never ignore just how sexy he looked when fighting. The man exudes power and I may have sighed a little as I watched his muscles flex.

The wolf growled again and broke my ogling. I could have used the Fire element to disintegrate him. However, I made it a rule that unless I was fighting witches, I kept to my Guardian roots. It kept me true to my both halves.

“Come on,” Kyden raised his hands, calling him forward.

The wolf lunged and Kyden reciprocated with a hard punch to the wolf’s snout, which sent him flying twenty feet away. The wolf roared, lunging back toward him. In the moment of his lunge, I shot forward and kicked his side, causing him to crumble to the ground.

The wolf didn’t really have a chance. One of us could kill him, both Kyden and I were strong fighters. With the both of us together, he was as good as dead.

He snarled, glancing up at me. I gasped out a breath upon seeing his eyes. They were so dark, so viciously cruel. Nothing of a good wolf remained here. Only one thing could cause eyes like that…Black Magic. But why were these wolves turning to such darkness? They had families, their pack¯what would the magic give them that they didn’t already have? None of which I had answers to. The only thing I did know was that this magic was making them crazed and dangerous. It meant they had to die.

Kyden drew his sword. When the wolf lunged toward me, he sliced sure and swift. The wolf’s head flew in the opposite direction of his body as blood arced through the air.

When the body dropped to the ground, I glanced at Kyden. “Nice teamwork.”

He winked at me.

I glanced back at Valor. He was sitting on a rock, looking thoughtful. “You okay?” I asked, as I approached him.

He raised his eyes to mine. “You think I am being harsh on Isla?”

That was unexpected. “Valor, I don’t think it is my place to…”

He interrupted. “I am making it your place.”

“Total honesty?” I asked.

“Nothing less.”

I quickly glanced at Kyden. He gave me an encouraging nod. I let the zipper open, sent my lips a flapping. “Well, she is grown and…” I hesitated, searching for the right words. “Now having Kyden, I couldn’t imagine life without him. He has made me so happy. If Isla has something this wonderful available to her and she can’t experience it because you are withholding her…” I put my hands on my hips. “Well, that just seems wrong in my books.”

He rubbed his face. “These are the times I miss Hanna the most.”

“Isla’s mother?”

“Yes. She died while giving birth to Isla.”

“I didn’t know about her death, I’m sorry.” Valor gave me a little nod. Suddenly, I realized why he was talking with me about this. He desperately needed a female’s input. I knelt beside him and got right to it. “Okay, what’s the problem?”

He got a little teary-eyed. “If she is not in my home, I cannot keep an eye out for her.”

“Thor is a strong Alpha,” Kyden said. “He will protect her.”

Valor rubbed his face again. “I trust Thor with her safety. It is just Isla is…well…much like you, Nexi. She acts on impulse, makes quick decisions that endanger her life.”

“That doesn’t sound much like a compliment,” I said, a bit grim.

He laughed quietly. “It is what it is.” Then, his smile faded. “Thor cannot always be by her side and as Alphas we are always presented with danger. As you saw tonight, her impulse to save him might get her killed.”

I sighed, understanding his concern, but I also knew how to ease him. “I’m assuming Alphas are possessive in nature?” He nodded hurriedly. “Well then, you have nothing to worry about. Thor will guard her with his life.” I gave Kyden a knowing look following that statement, since I had a protective fool of my own.

He just grinned and winked.

Isla had better kiss me for what I was about to say. “You’re preventing her from being truly happy.” I grabbed Valor’s hand. “It’s time to let her go.”

He actually wiped away a tear. “It is not so easily done.”

“Of course it isn’t. You’re a good father to her, but really Valor, she’s twenty-four. Her hormones are probably eating her alive.” I said, then instantly regretted it. I shouldn’t have gone there.

He grimaced. “That is my biggest concern of all.”

Oh god, now we were about to have a sex talk. Get me the hell out of here. I glanced at Kyden, who grinned devilishly, seeing me squirm.

But like the protector that he was, he took the wheel. “Thor will be gentle with her, Valor. You know this.”

“I do know this, but…” He cringed a little.

“It doesn’t make it any easier.” I finished for him.

Valor gave a soft smile. “No, it doesn’t.”