Part 14 (1/2)

Jamie shrugged.

Damian's expression softened. ”Happy birthday, ma pet.i.te. I didn't realize.” He pressed a soft kiss into her palm. A s.h.i.+ver of pleasure shot up her spine. ”I promise, I will make it up to you. What do you want?”

An absurd joy wriggled up from her stomach as she imagined her dearest wish. It was so stupid. A wide smile broke over his face. ”Ah, excellent. Good choice.”

This sure was freaky, having someone else peer into her thoughts. She felt invaded, exposed. Maybe she could block him, and she thought of a redbrick wall.

”Do it again. Read my mind,” she insisted.

His smile dropped. ”It's not necessary,” he said curtly. ”Just tell me to stay out and I'll stay out. You don't need a gatekeeper.”

Damian dropped her hand as they continued walking. She felt a bit ashamed, acting as if he were some pervert, eavesdropping into her thoughts like a peeping Damian.

They turned from Bourbon onto St. Philip, slowly approaching the McDonough school. As they walked, hair rose on the nape of her neck.

Someone's following us.

Blus.h.i.+ng again, she realized she'd used their mental communication. Damian only nodded. Stay ahead of me. He shuffled so she walked slightly in front.

Suddenly Damian stopped and whirled with a snarl. Oh, great. Wonderful. Jamie sighed with exasperation as she recognized the man who'd hit on her in the bar.

”Hey there, sweetie. Why are you with this loser?” He glowered at Damian.

”Leave us. Now,” Damian said, his expression tightening.

”I'm not afraid of you.” Vodka Breath raised his chin defiantly. Claws grew from his fingers as he swiped at Damian, who sidestepped.

”Not human, but not pack. Rogue,” he said. Putting Jamie behind him in a protective maneuver, he faced the male.

”Give me the female. I need her to breed. She has an aura of power and will make strong young,” Vodka Breath snarled. ”I challenge you for her.”

Shocked disbelief coursed through her as he flashed two very sharp descending canine teeth.

Damian smiled slowly. ”Your right. Your mistake. But not on the street. Too many eyes.”

He leaped over the low iron gate separating the school from the sidewalk and went into the yard. Shadows covered him. Vodka Breath followed, then shrugged out of his clothing. He stood naked, then faster than she could blink, changed into a wolf. A muscled black wolf with bared fangs.

Damian merely waved his hands. Clothing vanished. Then he s.h.i.+fted, his far more powerful and larger Alpha wolf outweighing the other male by thirty pounds.

Jamie gasped as the two wolves charged, their bodies smacking together with a dull thud. She climbed the fence, jumping onto the ground.

Frantic fear cresting over her, Jamie reached out, fingers stretched outward. With a mighty thought that sent pain spiking through her brain, she hurled the black wolf backward twelve feet into an alleyway between the school and the brick building next door. The wolf growled, shook its head. Blood droplets from its torn muzzle sprayed the wall. In a brave, suicidal rush he charged Damian, who waited with calculating patience. Damian turned, drew blood on the other's muzzle.

Damian would kill him, she realized with sickening dread. Damian fought for the right to mate and breed with her. And he'd tear apart any male who threatened his authority. She knew the animal world, knew what drove Damian. But she couldn't let him kill this inebriated fool.

Yet she remained motionless, reluctant to test her powers again. The pain had proved too much. Jamie hugged herself as she watched the battle rage.

The black wolf retreated then darted around, tearing at Damian's hindquarters. Blood dripped down his flanks. She cried out. No more. He was hurt.

Ignoring the pain stabbing her temples, she directed all her thoughts.

Just as Damian bared his fangs and sprang for the male's throat, Jamie sent them both flying upward. Knives stabbed her temples. Jamie winced, holding them aloft despite the agony. She only wanted to collapse and scream. With every ounce of her strength, she concentrated.

The large gray wolf suddenly shape-s.h.i.+fted back into Damian. A fully clothed Damian. Slowly she lowered him to the ground. He came to her, his hands framing her face.

”Jamie, put him down. I can feel your pain. Chere, what is this?”

Slowly she released the other wolf, letting him drift downward. When all four paws touched the ground, she staggered back and released a low moan. Jamie clutched her pounding head.

The wolf charged, jaws snapping, Jamie in the way of its target. Damian whirled, pulled her aside just as the wolf leaped. Claws skidded on the ground as the wolf attempted to stop, and crashed into the iron fence.

Agony speared her temples. Jamie moaned, sank down to the ground. ”My head, it hurts. Just give me a minute, please.”

Damian leaned over and gently touched her temples. His fingertips were cool and soothing. Some of the pain fled, bringing intense relief. She struggled to her feet.

He narrowed his gaze at Vodka Breath, who s.h.i.+fted back into human form, and quickly dressed. ”You could have injured her. You're so obsessed with winning her, you forgot the first rule. Protect your mate at all costs. You're brazen for your age, and need to know your place.”

”I apologize. I never intended to hurt her.” The other male lowered his head as Damian stared him down. Submissive at last.

Damian gave him a level look. ”You need a pack, cub. Being alone among humans hasn't taught you manners. You need to be with your own kind.” He slid an arm about Jamie and named an address. ”Tomorrow, go to that house, ask for Raphael, tell him what happened. He'll accept you if you're humble and tell him I sent you. If I see you on the streets alone again, know this. Your a.s.s is mine.”

Looking mortified, the male nodded and mumbled thanks. He shuffled away.

She let herself sag against Damian with a small moan.

Magick always came with a price. And this one felt almost too high to pay.

Jamie's pain radiated through him. He supported her weight. She felt ice-cold. Like death. He had to warm her, get her home fast. Frantic, he checked her pulse. Too slow. Sluggish.

Breath caught in his throat as he glanced down at her fingernails.

Gray. Like stone. Magick had activated the spell.

He lifted her into his arms as if she weighed no more than a sack of cotton candy. The street was deserted. But for the revelry drifting from the Lafitte bar nearby, he heard nothing.

Then footsteps. Slow, purposeful. A threat.

A group of ten walked toward them, their steps determined. Instinct screamed to fight, but he couldn't risk Jamie. Carrying her, he retreated back into the shadows of the schoolyard. He set her down, reached for his phone and speed-dialed Raphael.

”McDonough. Jamie's hurt and I've got company,” he muttered, then shut off the phone and pocketed it.

The people suddenly stopped before the schoolyard, turned with exact precision toward him. Military precision.

In an eyeblink, they s.h.i.+fted into a swarm of angry wasps and flew toward him.

No choice. He lowered Jamie to the ground and covered her body with his, turning her face to let her breathe and protecting her head with his arms and hands. The insects buzzed angrily around him, stinging, trying to get at skin. They stung through his thin silk s.h.i.+rt, crawled on the back of his neck. Wasps landed on exposed parts of his face. He just had to outlast them and pray his magick would heal him fast enough before the allergies kicked in. Fighting back the burning pain, he hung on. Several wasps landed on his cheeks, ears and neck. A few crawled toward his eyes. Damian squeezed them shut.

No use. They stung his eyelids. He clenched his teeth.

Minutes later, several motorcycles roared to the curb. Damian heard the thump of heavy boots on concrete, snarls, and felt the power in the air. Eyes closed, he waited, still covering Jamie.