Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 185(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 185(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
“Yeah, but everything comes at a cost. You see, good magic takes a personal cost—exhaustion, possibly even death. The cost is more to your soul with bad magic. The more you use, the more it eats away at who you are, until you become evil.” She shrugged. “Like Olivia and Greta.”
“Who?”
“The twin witches we saw in the forest. They were more than willing to pay the price for their souls, and are considered to be two of the darkest witches. I also believe they originated from my coven, but once they went to darkness, they changed and killed that coven as they were not powerful enough to take my coven. So, yay.”
He chuckled.
Their food came and he waited to take a single bite until he saw her eat several large bites. He wanted her to be well. Killian hated to see her so pale. After she had finished a large plate of fries and a burger, he began to eat his own food.
He knew this mission wouldn’t come without its dangers. Even being with the humans came with risks as enemies liked to wear many disguises.
“Your mission will not be easy, Killian. Most want Leah alive or dead. She is powerful. If you take our daughter out there, you must promise to keep her safe. She must return to us.”
Leah was loved.
He knew the coven had gone hard on her as he met Lucinda before, many moons ago. Lucinda had perhaps been his one and only witch friend. She was the sister of Olivia and Greta.
Killian hadn’t spoken to Lucinda since he rejected Leah. For years, they had met to just enjoy some company, two leaders, alphas within their own right. She had spoken of Leah, the child with so much potential, and how worried she was. When he finally met Leah during the protection spell he had requested from Lucinda, he had known his rejection would put a strain on his friendship with her.
They finished their food, then he paid their bill and followed Leah out.
“How about we take a car?” Leah asked.
Trapped in a metal automobile with Leah. That wasn’t good enough.
“No, I need us to go on foot.”
Her shoulders slumped.
He reached out, taking her hand, locking their fingers together. His wolf calmed in his mind as he did this. Killian and his wolf were not on friendly terms. His wolf wanted his mate. Killian wanted his mate but not at the cost of what it would mean. He shoved those thoughts and concerns to the back of his mind. He knew what was best for him, for both of them, and his pack.
They began to hike out of town. Once they cleared town, he had no choice but to take them to the edge of the forest once again.
“See, you just can’t resist. You love the forest,” she said.
He shook his head, but kept on alert as they continued walking. Leah continued to hum and he was so focused on his surroundings, he didn’t see what she was doing until the light became too bright.
“What the fuck!” he growled.
She extinguished the light. “Sorry, I was just, you know, focusing. It’s a controlling thing.”
He shoved her up the nearest tree. “You nearly killed yourself calling upon Mother Nature, and now you think you need to keep using your energy!”
“It was a protection spell,” Leah said. Her eyes were wide. “For you. That arrow that I only just stopped was aimed at you. Now, no weapon will penetrate the field around you.”
Killian took a deep breath and he saw tears shining in her eyes. He’d scared her.
“I was just fixing my mistake,” she said.
“Magic takes your energy, Leah. From now on, you don’t cast a single spell unless I tell you to.”
He let her go, even though all he wanted to do was rub his body against her, kiss her, and strip her naked. Killian wanted her completely naked, to feel her naked flesh against his. Every second he spent with her, that urge was getting stronger. He was stronger than this impulse. Holding her hand, he saw her hesitate.
“I can take care of myself,” he said.
“You were fast asleep. I saved you.”
He growled and this time, Leah chuckled.
“You are a miserable man, aren’t you?”
Killian ignored that and they continued their journey. They needed to stay focused and quit making unnecessary stops. The longer he spent in her company the harder this was.
He could reject her, deny she was his mate, but that didn’t stop the feelings from flooding his body at being near her. Killian wanted to be near her. Touching her was a fucking dream. Breathing her in was exquisite.
Leah was a temptation he didn’t want to deny himself. But, he was going to keep denying. At the end of this journey, they would both be free. Once that happened, he wouldn’t have any of these desires. Leah would stop being a temptation to him.