In the jeep, white knuckles appeared on both Kylo’s hands as he steered them out of the car lot and off toward their destination.
“I need you to let me be the one to face her down. You mustn’t get in my way once the shift starts to happen. It’s too dangerous for you.”
“How can it be dangerous for me?” Kylo gazed sideways, then back at the street as he handled the jeep around the next corner so fast it pushed Conrad against the door.
Conrad kept his curses to himself as he eyed the crazy traffic as they raced down streets that were busy with folks.
“Well?” Kylo demanded. “How is it dangerous for me? Mates can’t hurt each other.”
“My lion is your true mate, and only him. The others… they feel the mating pull ‘cause I do. When they converge together, it’s for one purpose and one purpose only: to kill. I’ve only once before had them all converge together, and I don’t have any memory of how the devastation and carnage left behind happened. See, they protect me, and I have no clue if that will apply to you, too. I can’t take the risk with you, so you have to promise me you won’t get in my way.”
The jeep pulled to a violent stop and jerked Conrad forward against the seatbelt, he’d only fastened because of how crazy folks were on the roads.
He found himself yanked towards his mate, their lips nearly touching. “Why didn’t you explain this to me earlier? We need a different plan.”
Conrad didn’t think twice. Seatbelt released, he ignored the blaring horns of those passing them. He slammed his mouth down on Kylo’s in a kiss of possession, of emotions, all those that he felt coming from Kylo and his own. Love… it was there, mingled with the fear for him.
Breathless and disconcerted by the depth of feelings, Conrad pressed his forehead to Kylo’s. “If I’d told you that, would you have agreed with this plan?”
“No,” Kylo growled, then sagged. “We could have come up with something else.”
“We laid it all out. There is nothing else but me. I’m the only one who can cope with her magic. To do so, I have to become what they created. That part of me doesn’t have a soul. Its purpose is death.”
Kylo shook his head vehemently, dislodging Conrad. Kylo took hold of the back of his neck. “It has a soul. It has yours. The one with a capacity to love. To give love to me. You hold on to that. Feel that.” His free hand pressed to Conrad’s chest as his heart thudded painfully against his chest. The weight of it, and Kylo’s conviction came at him like a solid punch to the gut. “Here, where I sit, feel it. Let those animals inside you know that we do this together. You and me.”
Conrad’s sigh was a mixed bag of confusion. He covered Kylo’s hand and held it close. “I’ll do my best if you promise me, you’ll be close, just not between us. Please.”
There was no demand, just a plea.
Kylo’s dark eyes held his and searched his expression before he finally nodded. “I won’t get between you.”
Conrad let out the breath that had remained in his lungs. The tightness that had gathered in his shoulders released. “Thank you.”
Kylo let go and waited for Conrad to buckle back up before he set off again. Neither breaking the silence between them nor letting the other read their thoughts.
The driveway to the house set off Conrad’s animals as the oppressive wards stabbed at them. Kylo’s features were a mask of determination as he drove up to the house. His jaw flexed as the sound of teeth grinding together filled the jeep when they came to a juddering stop.
“She’s upped her juice, which is good.”
Kylo switched off the engine. “How so?”
“She’s weakening her power base. Most witches require a period of rest between depleting their magic. We’ve been making her use up her store.”
“Good,” Kylo muttered, meeting Conrad’s gaze. “Ready?”
“To kick her butt to hell?” Kylo’s nod was brusque. “You bet your fucking sexy ass.”
Out of the jeep, Conrad was alert and ready for any attack as they approached the house, with Kylo right at his side. His mate’s panther was there in his eyes, ever watchful of the night.
The darkness was complete. Not a star flickered in the sky. It was as if the universe understood that what was about to happen would change things. The critters were silent, leaving an eerie quiet.
Conrad signaled to Kylo to stand back as he walked to the door and used his rhino and dragon to force the door off it’s hinges. He threw it on the lawn.
Show off!
Conrad flexed his arms and grinned.Gotta show off the goods.
He chuckled at Kylo’s eye roll as he stepped into what felt like an icebox. His chuckle turned to full-blown cackles. The kind that could set a person’s teeth on edge. “You think your little parlor tricks are gonna stop us?” He tutted loudly, making sure she could hear them.
