Hunted By Firelight by Krista Street

Chapter 9

~ AVERY ~

The power inside me hummed. Electrical snaps zoomed down my arms, but I was just as likely to kill those around me as I was the forest sprites. Shit on a brick.

“Avery, watch out!” Wyatt called.

I spun around just as two dozen sprites launched toward me from the trees. They struck from all angles, descending like locusts.

My hands rose automatically to shield myself, and a part of me hoped the dome would form automatically again, but since I didn’t know if it would, I clenched my eyes shut and waited for the creatures’ razor-sharp teeth to tear into my skin.

But only a grunt followed, then the pummel of fists on flesh.

I opened my eyes to see Wyatt standing in front of me, his eyes glowing gold as alpha power radiated from him.

Several of the squad members winced when Wyatt’s energy hit them, but he quickly sucked it back inside.

Behind us, two dozen sprites lay dazed on the forest floor—the two dozen that had tried to attack me all at once.

Wyatt rapidly assessed me, wind ruffling his hair as his attention shifted up and down my frame, but I was completely unharmed. None of them had touched me.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me,” I said.

His nostrils flared, then he jumped back to his carpet to help Bavar with seven sprites that had landed around Squad Three’s commander. They were all trying to latch on to his legs, but Wyatt once again turned into a blur of action making it impossible to follow his movements.

“Look!” Marnee yelled. “We’re almost there!”

I twirled around, searching for a cottage hidden amidst the trees, but what greeted us made my jaw drop.

A castle glittered ahead. It rose two stories from the ground, its beige exterior and stone roof blending into the forest. It was built in the shape of a star. Five thin wings extended from the castle’s center.

Trees grew around the entire perimeter of the five points, their canopies extending over the long wings, hiding the roof and dwelling, which would also keep the castle hidden from anyone flying above the Shroud Forest.

A solid stone wall surrounded its perimeter, glimmering with magical wards. At the wall’s center, a large set of black towering gates waited.

Squad Three continued to battle the never-ending sprites as the carpets zoomed toward the castle.

“This is gonna hurt!” Bavar warned. He yelled a command, and the gates swung open just as we barreled into the wards.

A flash of pain zapped my nerve endings since we hit the wards going so fast. Charlotte groaned as the wards tugged and pulled, the ancient magic assessing if we were allowed to enter.

Finally, it released us and we ground to a halt on the other side of the wall. The wards shimmered in a deadly glow behind us.

I breathed deeply, my chest heaving. On the other side of the wall and behind the gates, hundreds of sprites lay on the ground either dead or dazed from hitting the wards. Hundreds more chattered around them.

The ones still alive jumped up and down, squawking, hissing, and growling at us, but when they approached the wall and tried to jump over its impressive height or attempt to enter through the gates, they squealed in pain when the wards flared and repelled them.

“Is that how your family trips always go here, Major?” One of the men stood, breathing heavily as he brushed himself off. Blood oozed from his forearm where a sprite had bitten him, but already his skin was healing, the wound closing.

He must be a werewolf. But then I frowned as I realized that knowledge had come from some deep-dwelling memories that I had but couldn’t readily access.

“Usually not.” Bavar dusted himself off. His uniform was surprisingly clean. “But that’s only because we usually give the Shroud Forest fair warning when we plan to venture here. Given that I didn’t have time today to appeal to her delicate sensibilities, I’m not surprised that she let her displeasure be known.”

“Did she ever.” Marnee twisted her blue-black hair back into a ponytail since most of the strands had come loose.

Wyatt hopped off his carpet, his eyes on me.

The fluttering began in my stomach again as he strode purposefully toward me. I jumped off the carpet and rushed toward Lex.

“I think you better take a look at Charlotte. One of the sprites attacked her, and her injury is bleeding again.”

Lex gave a curt nod and set off to tend to Charlotte, which left me an easy target for my incoming commander.

Crap.

Wyatt’s energy barreled into my back just as the two women that had been fighting beside Lex hopped to the ground.

“I’m Terry,” one of the women said. She had long red hair and held some kind of crossbow. She’d been the one who made the comment about my magic taking out the sprites. “And this is Marnee.” She nodded toward the woman with the blue-black hair who was fixing her ponytail.

I took in Marnee’s blacker than black hair, cobalt-blue eyes and translucent skin. With a start, I realized she was a siren. On the other carpet, Heidi and the werewolf were assessing each other for injuries. I still didn’t know the werewolf’s name.

“You got a few nice kicks in and shots back there.” Terry placed her hands on her hips as her long red hair brushed around her shoulders.

I shrugged, having a hard time taking my eyes off Marnee. I wondered if I’d met many sirens before. “If I knew how to wield my power better I could have done more.”

Marnee’s expression remained impassive as she watched me, but Terry laughed.

Her laughter abruptly died, though, when Wyatt’s energy continued barreling into me, letting me know the silent predator had arrived, and this time, I couldn’t escape him.

“We better see what Bavar needs us to do.” Terry dipped her head respectfully at Wyatt. “Major Jamison.”

Marnee nodded, too, but her lips titled up, a sultry heat filling her eyes. “Major,” she said in a low, husky voice, a soft sing-song tone carried in that one word.

My lips parted when her siren’s magic washed through me. Then came the jolt that she was using her seductive song on Wyatt.

A flame raced up my spine, sending sparks of power tingling all the way to my hairline, but Wyatt’s jaw merely tightened, and his gaze remained clear. A wave of alpha power pushed off him, and I realized his power had protected him from her song.

“Marnee.” He frowned.

The hopeful look in her eyes dimmed, some of the sultriness evaporating from her full lips. She shot me a look—one I couldn’t quite interpret—before she sauntered off to join Terry.

I watched her retreating form, taking in her full hips and round ass. Like most sirens, her body begged for a man’s attention.

But Wyatt didn’t watch her. He watched me.

“You’ve been with her.” The accusing words slipped from my lips before I could stop them.

He stilled, then placed his hands on his hips. A moment of silence passed between us before he said, “Yes. Once. It was years ago.”

He continued to watch me, his expression giving away nothing.

I bit my lip, not understanding the rush of—gah—something that sped up my spine and made me want to pull my hair out. What the hell’s the matter with me?

“Does that bother you?” A glow flickered in his eyes, the only hint at emotion on his face.

I dropped my chin and spun around, my breath suddenly coming too fast. “No. Why would it?” I said tartly over my shoulder.

The energy from Wyatt grew, and it heated my back again. His magic warmed my skin and made my nerves electrify, but when I finally swung back around to face him, his power abruptly disappeared, as if he’d sucked it back inside him.

He stared down at me as his assessing gaze moved up and down my frame. “You look unhurt.”

Breathing a sigh of relief that we were no longer talking about that subject, I replied, “I’m fine. I think being in the middle gave me an advantage. That and Charlotte took most of the hits.” Guilt stole over me when I caught Lex tending to her shoulder again. More blood had seeped through the bandage, soaking through in parts.

“She was doing her job, as she was trained to do. Don’t feel guilty about that.”

“Do you feel guilty about leaving her in the inn?” My question came from out of nowhere, but I had to know if he dismissed my friend that easily. I didn’t think he did since he’d already apologized to Charlotte, but what he just said . . . maybe she was just a lackey to him.

The glow in his eyes intensified. “Yes, I do feel guilty about leaving her. It was wrong to do that. I shouldn’t have, and if I’d been in my right frame of mind and not so sleep deprived, I wouldn’t have. If any harm had come to her because of my actions—” His lips tightened. “Thankfully that isn’t the case, but that doesn’t mean this job is without danger. We all know and understand that, and right now, our assignment is about guarding you and solving the mystery that afflicts you. That’s what I meant when I said you shouldn’t feel guilty about Charlotte fighting to keep you safe.”

A wave of relief washed through me that he did value her, which brought an entirely new array of sensations ripping through me. Ugh. Sensations I still didn’t understand.

Shuffling my feet, I tried to ignore those feelings. “And are you in your right frame of mind now? You didn’t sleep long.”

He raked a hand through his hair. “Not quite. Those few hours of sleep helped, but I’ve been ordered to rest while we’re here. Bavar is taking over, and Squad Three will be guarding this castle while those not on patrol duty confer with the SF library and database to learn what we can about the men who attacked us.”

A breeze shifted the wind, and his oak and pine scent flowed through my senses. He continued to loom over me, which made the power inside me spark, and a zap of electricity raced along my skin. I tried to quieten my reaction, but something about this man made everything inside me come alive. Like how I’d wanted to claw Marnee’s eyes out when she tried to use her song on him.

I crossed my arms, as if I could protect myself from these foreign feelings racing through me. “So when those sprites attacked me, and you jumped in front of me, was that you just doing your job?” My eyes bugged out. Um, why did I just ask that?

“Would it bother you if I only did it because duty called for it?”

“Did you?” I challenged. Seriously, why do I need to know this?

He drew closer to me, coming within an inch of my chest. Gold rimmed his eyes, and once again alpha power shimmered off him.

My breathing kicked up, and my breasts tightened, feeling like two heavy orbs that throbbed for his touch.

His nostrils flared, the glow in his eyes intensifying.

Just the feel of him so close to me made my insides twist, but I held my ground, not backing away or showing submission.

“Do you really think I only protected you because you’re the subject of my assignment?” he said softly, his voice as smooth as velvet.

A deep ache curled in my lower belly. I opened my mouth to reply, but then caught the sight of blood on his shirt.

Frowning, I looked at the rest of his clothing. Tiny claw marks and puncture wounds riddled the sides of his shirt.

“You’re hurt.” I rapidly assessed the rest of him. Dried blood was everywhere.

“That’s what happens when two dozen sprites attack you at once.”

My lips parted. “You need the medic!” My hands came up of their own accord to probe his injuries.

The second I touched him, his breath sucked in.

Heat tingled my hands, racing up my arms as the rock-hard feel of him made a flush creep up my neck. He still stood so close. Too close.

I made a move to step back, but he abruptly reached up and covered my hand with his, holding my palm to his chest.

His muscles tightened beneath my fingertips, and my breathing grew so fast that I wondered if I’d pass out.

“I’m not hurt.”

“But they bit you.” So many bite marks littered his clothing.

“I’m already healed.” With his free hand, he lifted his shirt, awarding me with a view of some very impressive abs, honey-hued skin, and a slight trail of hair that dipped in the middle of his stomach to trail tantalizingly lower to something else that waited in his pants.

My mouth went dry.

“See? I’m not hurt. Even sleep deprived, I still heal immediately.”

Swallowing, I couldn’t reply. Dried blood caked most areas of his skin, but there weren’t any visible claw or bite marks. The only evidence of the attack lay on his shirt, which was entirely ruined thanks to the sprites.

“I’m a werewolf. We heal fast. You probably already noticed that with Bishop.” He nodded toward the other wolf who was standing with Squad Three as Bavar outlined the plan for the next few days.

Wyatt let his shirt fall back down.

I nearly whined at the sight of his perfect body disappearing from view but managed to clamp my mouth shut.

An amused smile tilted his lips, and he finally released my hand.

My arm fell to my side, but my heart still pattered too fast.

Leaning down, Wyatt’s warm breath washed against my ear when he whispered, “Were you worried about me?”

Goosebumps rose on my skin at the feel of him so close. Oh my Gods. Were these feelings what Charlotte had been talking about? Was my reaction related to Wyatt wanting to claim me? Maybe he was weaving some kind of magic over me. Maybe that was why I felt this way.

Before I could respond, he placed a feather-light kiss beneath my earlobe, and a million volts of lightning rushed across my skin.

Sucking in a breath, I gazed up at him wide-eyed when he straightened.

He didn’t smile or say anything further, but his nostrils flared when he inhaled, and I could practically feel the male satisfaction pouring from him.

He’d affected me, and he knew it.

Embarrassment flamed my cheeks just as someone behind Wyatt cleared their throat.

“If you two are finished, we would like to head inside.” Bavar had his hands clasped behind his back as amusement danced in his eyes.

Shit. Bavar also knew that Wyatt wanted to claim me. Was there anyone who didn’t know?

My cheeks had to be as bright as a tomato by now.

Wyatt faced his friend, blocking me from the fairy commander’s view. “We’ll be there in a minute. Don’t wait for us.”

“As you wish.” Bavar’s retreating footsteps carried away, and I sighed in relief that the fairy commander and the rest of Squad Three couldn’t see me right now as I desperately tried to compose myself.

It wasn’t working though. With Wyatt’s back so close to me, his scent flooded me again, and the oak and pine fragrance stirred something deep inside me.

I wasn’t sure if it was a memory or something else. Regardless, I gasped, reaching and stretching for whatever it was that his scent elicited, but nothing came.

“Dammit,” I whispered, my eyes closing.

“What’s wrong?”

The feel of his finger lifting my chin made my eyes open. Any earlier amusement or satisfaction in his expression was gone, concern taking its place.

“I keep trying to remember things, but nothing comes.”

“Can I ask what you were trying to remember?”

I inhaled, relishing his intoxicating scent as a shiver danced over my skin. “It was about you.”

A veil descended over his face. He watched me, waiting.

My lips parted. “But it didn’t come. I no more remember you than I do Bavar.”

Disappointment flared in his eyes, but in a blink, it was gone. “That’s okay. Right now, it doesn’t matter. You’re safe and healthy. At the end of the day, that’s what’s most important.”

Yet his comment left unspoken words hanging between us. At the moment it didn’t matter, but what about tomorrow, or next week, or a month from now? What if I still didn’t remember him? What then?

He abruptly turned, his shoulders like an unyielding wall. “We should join the others.”

Ahead of us, Bavar was leading Squad Three across a small bridge that arched over a creek. On the other side, a wide cobblestone path led to the castle’s interior doors at the center of the five spindly wings in the castle’s strange pentacle design. At least a dozen fae servants stood to attention, waiting for their employer.

As Wyatt and I walked toward them, I couldn’t help but admire the colorful flowerbeds that dotted the carefully manicured lawns under the trees’ thick canopy. Couple that with the sound of trickling water coming from a large fountain halfway around the estate, and one couldn’t help but be affected by the serene living environment. I almost snorted at the irony. The journey to get here was anything but tranquil.

“How do you suppose the grass and flowers stay alive when such little sunlight reaches them?” Similar to the forest, the large trees that ringed the oddly shaped castle kept most sunlight out.

“Magic,” Wyatt replied. “Can’t you smell it?”

I sniffed and a potent tang of metal filled my nose. “I thought that was the wards.”

“The warded magic is there, too—it’s strongest—but underneath that are the varying layers of fairy magic that imbue these lands with life.”

I huffed in amusement. “I don’t think my sense of smell is that good.”

He gave me a sly grin. “Well, if it was, you would detect the sweet mint scent mixed with a sharp hint of balsam wood. Both of those scents often accompany garden-preserving magic.”

“What’s it like to be able to scent all of that?”

He shrugged. “Now, it’s normal, but when my wolf first emerged and his senses became my senses, it was a bit overwhelming.”

My brow furrowed. “Is that something I used to know about you?”

“Yes. We were friends, long ago when we were younger, but since then you’ve—” He ran a hand through his hair. “You’ve gotten to know me on a deeper level.”

Bavar and the rest of Squad Three waited for us at the top of the pathway to the front doors. I dipped my head, hurrying my pace. I knew Wyatt hadn’t meant to alarm me, but knowing that we used to be more than friends made me ache in a way that bordered on painful. Is that why he wanted to claim me? He wanted what we once had?

Damn, this was too much. Between the crazy night and now this, I was starting to get a headache.

“Avery and Wyatt.” Bavar waved a hand toward a group of fae. “I was just introducing the squad to the staff here at Shrouding Estate.”

A dozen servants waited for the introductions. Like most of the fae I’d seen, their hair and skin tones were various shades of color. They all bowed and waited for Bavar to continue.

“This is Meestry, head of the household. He’ll make sure to tend to any of your needs while we’re here.”

Meestry bowed deeply, his face angular, as though cut from marble. Dark purple hair covered his head. “Lord Fieldstone, as always, it’s a pleasure to serve you. We will happily attend to all of your guests.”

Lord? With a start, I realized that Bavar wasn’t just an average fae.

As if sensing my curiosity, or perhaps scenting it, Wyatt brushed closer to me, his warm breath near my ear. “Bavar is the king’s nephew. He’s a royal fae, which also means he’s nearly immortal. The royal fae live longer than any other fae, and they control much of the lands on this continent, which also means they control the vastness of its wealth.”

“Which explains the castle in a forest with a full set of staff,” I whispered under my breath as Bavar introduced each member of his squad separately.

A twinkle lit Wyatt’s eyes. “Exactly.”

“That’s rather lucky for the SF, that a royal fae works for your organization.”

Wyatt chuckled. “Bavar’s connections have come in handy once or twice.”

I was about to reply, but my lips snapped shut when Bavar reached us.

He winked in my direction, then nodded at Wyatt. “And this is Major Jamison, a fellow commander. We’ve recently joined his assignment, which means he’s ultimately in charge of this job, but he’s going to take a few days of rest to recuperate. Whatever he wishes for shall be given to him. Understood?”

All of the servants bobbed their heads or curtseyed.

“And at last, we have Avery Meyers, who is a very special guest. You are to treat her with the utmost respect and do anything she asks. If she’s hungry, thirsty, tired”—He rattled off a bunch of various ailments, half of which I was certain I would never experience—“you are to wait on her immediately. Understood?”

As before, the staff either curtseyed or bowed, and the head servant, Meestry, lifted my hand to kiss the back of it.

His eggplant-purple hair glittered when a rare streak of sunlight hit it. “Ms. Meyers, it is our pleasure to serve you.”

When he straightened, I slipped my hand back to my side, feeling entirely uncomfortable with anyone serving me, but since Bavar carried on as if such devotion was normal, I tried to smother my embarrassment.

“If you’ll follow me.” Bavar began gliding forward, his squad falling into line behind him.

They fell into rank, the highest rank following directly behind Bavar, with the lowest bringing up the rear, which meant Charlotte was once again at my side.

“How’s your injury?” I asked as the doors to the castle opened soundlessly.

“Those little fuckers really tore it up, but Lex got a fae salve from one of the servants. He said it should be healed in no time, but if I ever encounter another sprite, I’m going to wring its neck.”

I laughed, but the sound died when we entered the castle.

If I thought the outside was beautiful, it didn’t hold a candle to what lay inside.