Just as she neared the tree, a woodsy scent that had nothing to do with the forest mixed with the citrusy aroma of aftershave. A blink of an eye later, the dagger she held was now at her throat, a hard body closed in on her back.
“You smelled lovely when you arrived.” The low voice by her ear held a faint English accent. “But I never imagined you’d be so pretty.”
The blade pressed into her skin, not drawing blood, but implying that if the werewolf chose, she’d be destined for the grave. “I’m…”
“Going to explain yourself.” He lowered the dagger, took hold of her arm, and jerked her forward.
In a few short strides, the werewolf tossed her through the threshold of the cabin, and slammed the door behind them. He sauntered to the couch, sat down, and regarded her. “Now then, darlin’.” His olive skin was stunningly flawless, and his chocolate-colored hair was spiked tall. “Why would a pretty lass like yourself plan to attack me?”
“Don’t move.” That charm wouldn’t fool her. “Stay right where you are.”
“My mouth is the only thing moving.” His slanted amber eyes raked over her. “Would you like me to stop talking?”
“No.” She hesitated then added, “Only your mouth can move. Nothing else. Tell me what you know.”
He gave her a long look. “I’d be glad to tell you anything you’d like, love.”
His kind face and soft voice wouldn’t trick her. He was a werewolf. She was certain, which was another oddity.
After the block on her supernatural abilities had been lifted, she could identify a supernatural creature as if knowing the difference between a brunette and a redhead. “Tell me why you killed my family.”
“That’s an interesting accusation.” He cocked his head, studying her with a frown. “But I think the more important question is who are you?”
She lifted her chin. “The lass who’s going to cut off your furry wolf balls.”
…
The Guardians’ House, located on the north side of the Otherworld’s castle, was quiet tonight. Kyden strode through the wide hallway, passing the large arched windows on his right and the thick mahogany doors on his left leading to the residences of his fellow guardians.
Nearly at the bend in the hallway, a scuffle sounded at his back, followed by a loud squeak. He took a quick look behind him, discovering the Earth Witch, Haven, approaching from the Witches’ House. Behind her, his good friend and guardian, Finn, followed at a brisk walk.
“Thank goodness I found you, Kyden.” Haven gasped as she reached him. Her brown curls bounced off her shoulders, her big blue eyes were wide, and her cheeks were flushed pink. “I’ve messed up. Big time.”
When Finn joined them, he leaned against the stone wall and pursed his lips at Haven. As the thinnest guardian in the Otherworld, Finn could be underestimated. Kyden always thought that was Finn’s advantage. Enemies took him to be weak and by the time they realized they were wrong, they were dead.
Turning to Haven, Kyden noticed how she worried her bottom lip. While she was a sweet witch who had a huge heart, and she was Finn’s potential mate, her naiveté brought trouble often. “What have you done now?”
“You see…” She shifted on her feet, looking everywhere but at him. “I was with Nexi earlier tonight. We were talking about her parents’ murders and…I might have mentioned that Briggs could know something about their deaths.”
He arched an eyebrow. “And I should care about this because?”
“She got mad.” Haven’s eyes widened further. “Like, really, really mad. I didn’t think she’d do anything. But she’s left the Otherworld.”
He didn’t doubt Haven’s assessment of Nexi’s emotions. She and Haven shared a soul-sister bond, a connection only given to a pair of witches by fate, allowing them to sense each other’s strong emotions, which bound them together in a way, he, as a guardian, could never understand. He also knew that Nexi had used their bond as an advantage to get her way with Haven for the last month. “She’s left again?”
Haven nodded. “Nexi’s so tricky and gets me to tell her things.” She hesitated, then added, “Like where Briggs lives.”
Amusement stole his irritation. “Are you suggesting that Nexi has gone to kill Briggs?”
She bit her lip. “I think so.”
“Go home, Haven.” He chuckled, patting her shoulder. “I’ll go get her.”
“Be super-fast. Who knows what she’ll do, or what Briggs will do to her.” With a resigned sigh, she scuttled away.