THE MATING CLAIM: Werewolves of Montana Book 14 Read online

  “Looks are deceiving with magick books.” The Shadow Wizard brought it over to a long wood table and unfolded it as one would unfold towel. The book increased to the size of a modern magazine and plumped up, revealing pages and pages of elegant inked script.

  Drust groaned. It would take him months, perhaps years, to read through all of this.

  “Use your powers to discern what lies inside. But take care. There are hidden lines within the book designed to show knowledge only as needed. So this book, unlike the Book of Shadows, will show nothing to mortals and only to those in great need.”

  He caressed the fine leather, wistfully recalling his own vast library in his mortal life. He’d recreated it in his castle here in Tir na-nog, but it was not the same, for now he had little time to read.

  And once in a while Drust had a flicker of sweet memory – sitting in a leather chair and reading alongside a woman who laughed at something he shared with her. The memory had vanished before he could examine it further.

  “I have tremendous need right now. How the hell do I destroy the book? Will coldfire suffice?”

  Caderyn pulled free one of the twin swords strapped to his back. The Shadow Wizard had never been seen without his blades, as if he constantly expected battle. Twirling the sword, Caderyn sliced at the air.

  “The book was created by a wizard while in the Shadow Lands for a witch, who cast a spell on it to make the book visible to mortals. It must be thrown back into the Shadow Lands to break the spell and erase all the spells inked upon the parchment.”

  Drust began to see the difficulty of his task. “It cannot be destroyed by coldfire?”

  The Shadow Wizard did not answer, but selected an orange from a bowl on his massive desk and then tossed it into the air. With expert ease, Caderyn sliced through the fruit, halving it.

  “I did not come here to watch your swordsmanship, as impressive as it is,” he grated out. “I need answers.”

  “Patience, young one. You must learn patience.”

  Young one? Drust felt amused. He was hundreds of years old, but yet Caderyn had seen many more centuries. No one knew his true age, but for Danu. He could have thousands of years on him.

  “Is there no way to expedite destruction of this book?” he pressed.

  The wizard finished tossing fruit into the air. Oranges lay scattered on the parquet floor. “There is one, but you will dislike it. The mortal who currently holds the book must die and the book dies with him. Or her.”

  His chest tightened as if someone sat on it. “You mean, kill Lacey, the present owner. No. That is not an option.”

  Despite all her wrongdoings, Lacey still remained his charge, and he was her guardian and judge, not her executioner. Yet he had dispatched other dragons in his short tenure, and the book held more danger than the damage those dragons had caused. He wondered why he felt loathe to even consider the idea of executing her. It was a swift and easy answer to a complex problem.

  Lacey is not a problem. She’s a complicated and intriguing woman…

  Caderyn did not meet his gaze, but took a silk cloth from a desk drawer and began cleaning the juice-stained sword. “You must convince her to hand over the book to you before she uses one of the spells within it.”

  “I will.”

  “You must convince her, Drust. You cannot destroy it yourself, not without terrible consequences. Trust me on this.”

  “It will be a challenge with that one,” he muttered, knowing Lacey’s stubborn and rebellious streak. “I killed her sire, and reasoning with her is not possible at this time.”

  “Such is the case with women,” the Shadow Wizard agreed. He wiped down his blade and studied the elegant runes upon the metal.

  “This sword has shed much blood,” Caderyn mused. “Too much. Time and again, I have used it to behead followers of the Dark Lord.”

  And those followers would clamor to get their hands on a magick book that probably contained spells to empower them.

  Perhaps Caderyn could find the book’s hiding place. But when Drust asked, the Shadow Wizard shook his head. “The book has a spell on it to hide it from beings of tremendous power, such as us. It is a dual-edged sword, for though we cannot find it, neither can followers of the Dark Lord. And yet mortals, innocents such as Lacey, put themselves into jeopardy with its possession.”

  All the more reason he felt this urgency.

  “Tell me, Caderyn, why is the Book of Shadows so dangerous? Tristan has yet to inform me of everything known about it.”

  If he was to urge Lacey to destroy it, he needed to know what it contained and what he faced, and why Lacey refused to surrender it.

  “The Book of Shadows is inherently dangerous because a wizard of the Brehon authored it and added spells to increase power, or strip it from the powerful. A wizard with intimate knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the Brehon. It was never intended for mortal use, but this foolish wizard was in love with a witch who passed the book to her coven so they could become more powerful.”

  A heavy sigh fled Caderyn. “But even the wisest men are foolish in affairs of the heart.”

  Sudden insight struck Drust. “You wrote it…the witch was your lover.”

  Caderyn’s gray gaze sharpened. “You may be a young wizard, Drust, but what you lack in years you make up for in intelligence. Yes, I authored it. More than a thousand years ago, I foolishly fell in love with a witch of pale beauty and wrote it as a gift as mortals will write poetry. Of this I will say no more. I would much appreciate you keeping silent on this. Danu knows, but I have no desire for the others to know.”

  “They respect you and would not judge you for it.” Drust thought about how both Tristan and Xavier had changed with fatherhood. Both wizards had softened with the experience.

  “It matters not. They look to me at times for guidance. If they knew of this, my influence would … shall we say… diminish. And there is much wisdom I have for them, words they need to hear and take under advisement, especially in the coming dark times we face.”

  Drust nodded. “Thank you.”

  As he went to leave, Caderyn clapped a hand on his shoulder. “One word of warning, Drust. So far, we have been fortunate. Lacey has only consulted with the book to create a potion. The spells in the back are far more potent, and with more extreme consequences if something goes wrong. If Lacey uses a spell from the book, she will be tied to the book and there is no return. Not only that, but your magick may not mend whatever mistake she makes.”

  Alarmed, he shrugged off the other wizard’s hand. This was much worse than he’d realized. Lacey not only possessed a powerful book of ancient magick, but he couldn’t reverse the spells?

  Remembering how the dragonspice potion she’d created turned his nephew into a monster, he fisted his hands in rising anger. “My magick can’t counteract the spells in that book? Because I am a new wizard and I’m still honing my powers?”

  “No. Tristan, Gideon and Xavier would most likely fail as you would.”

  “Why the hell did you create it if you couldn’t counter it?” His voice rose to a furious shout.

  For the first time since he’d joined the wizards of the Brehon, Caderyn’s big body sagged and his gaze clouded. “It was my greatest mistake, Danu knows. It was during a time when I was mad with desire and would have done anything for … love.”

  The wizard snorted. “What I thought was love. Love is for sentimental fools and starry-eyed women.”

  Then his gaze sharpened. “Promise you will call upon me if you run into trouble. I may be able to help.”

  Reeling in his temper, Drust gave a curt nod. “Thank you. I will hold you to that promise. But if anything happens to Lacey…”

  Unable to voice his innermost fears, fears that made no sense to him since Lacey was only one of his dragon charges, Drust waved a hand and vanished from the Shadow Wizard’s home.

  After giving himself several minutes to calm down, his next stop was at Xavier’s home, where the wiz
ard himself opened the door to allow him entrance.

  Xavier put a finger to his mouth. “Both Ciara and the baby are napping. I had several assignments and Sonia kept her up all night. But I have a gift for you that will aid you with Lacey.”

  “A net to catch dragons?” he suggested, keeping his voice down as they entered the living room and sat.

  Xavier grinned. “She’s quite a handful, that Lacey. No, this is better. I’m guessing you are still experiencing trouble tracking her down?”

  How he wished otherwise. It stung to admit this weakness, but as he did with Caderyn, he would admit to it if it meant fulfilling his duty.

  “Each time I try to envision her location, it goes cloudy, as if something prohibits me from seeing her.”

  Xavier waved a hand and a clear crystal ball hovered in the air. He donned a shiny lime green, pink and electric blue turban. Drust blinked. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m playing the part of the all-seeing genie to help you find her.”

  “You could tone down the turban. You are burning my retinas.”

  Xavier waved a hand over the ball.

  Drust stared at the clear globe. “What do you see? Where is Lacey?”

  Xavier squinted. “I see… a woman undressing…whoa… nice bra, matching panties… boring white but a nice figure beneath…”

  The distinct growl rumbling from his throat had Xavier look up with a sheepish grin. “Just kidding, dragon.”

  “Where. Is. Lacey?” he growled. “And if you tell me she’s in the shower and naked, I’ll…”

  “Relax dude. I was playing with you. She’s at her shop.”

  “Good. I will go there.”

  “Be careful, dragon. Lacey’s not only hurting emotionally but financially and that makes her even more dangerous. Did you know she has a part-time job now?”

  He went still, angry at himself that he knew so little about her and could not use his powers to find out more about her life.

  “She works at a restaurant called The Burning Taco.” Xavier waved a hand again and the turban and crystal ball vanished. “It’s named for the spicy food that burns you twice. Dragons love it, especially the guys.”

  He didn’t like that Lacey worked amongst other dragons, especially males. “How am I to find her again? I cannot keep returning here to consult with any of you.”

  “I have an answer that will help.”

  Drust followed him down the hallway to an expansive room filled with a rocking chair, carpet and brightly-colored walls. Toys were scattered over the carpet.

  “Here.” Xavier went to a toy chest and pulled out a bracelet strung with glittering plastic gems in blue and white. “If you need to locate her, use this.”

  Drust stared at the toy bracelet. “Truly X, if I wished Lacey to have jewels, I could conjure something more elegant. Or visit a merchant.”

  Sapphires would sit well on her. Blue stones to bring out the cobalt flecks in her green eyes.

  Xavier rolled his own eyes. “You are so smart, and so dense at times, Drust. It’s not jewelry. It’s a tracking device. I invented it for Sonia when she started to walk. It tells us where she is at all times.”

  The Crystal Wizard’s gaze softened as he looked over his sleeping daughter. “The bracelet is attuned to you and your magick once you hold it and say this spell.”

  After Xavier told him the words, and Drust repeated them, the Crystal Wizard nodded. “Make sure to slip it onto her wrist. It should work well on your Lacey.”

  “She’s not mine,” he corrected absently, studying the bracelet. “You have no need of it?”

  “Not since I installed a new tracking device in her favorite toy.” Xavier sighed.

  Drust followed Xavier into the nursery. In a large crib, Sonia napped, clutching a blue dragon in her chubby arms.

  Grinning, he clapped a hand on Xavier’s shoulder. “She has good taste.”

  X raised a dark brow. “She likes you, and for what reason, I don’t know. But whatever Sonia likes, there is usually a reason. Put the bracelet on Lacey and since she is an adult, it will absorb into her skin like a tattoo. When you are ready to remove it, simply use your powers and she will be free of it.”

  And you, the unspoken words hinted.

  Already in a pensive mood, he glanced over at the sleeping baby. Then he went to Sonia, and waved a hand over the child, murmuring an ancient blessing in dragon tongue. The words came out as a rough growl.

  The Crystal Wizard stiffened as he joined him at the crib. “Are you teaching her how to growl in dragon?”

  “No. It’s a protective spell my people use for their children. It will keep her safe when she is amongst dragons.”

  Xavier looked touched. “Thank you.”

  Drust rolled the bracelet in his hand. “Did it change you, finding your mate and then fathering a child?”

  His fellow wizard’s expression broke into a tender smile as he gazed at his daughter. “Yes. Ciara completes me, the same way I complete her. And Sonia, every day is an adventure. She keeps me young.”

  Drust raised a brow. “Hate to break the news, X, but you are young, compared to the rest of us.”

  Xavier sighed. “I know. And yet as blissful as life is here, I worry all the time. As long as Sonia is here, she’s safe from danger. But sooner or later she’ll want to visit Earth for longer than necessary and she’ll be vulnerable, like Tristan’s twins are when they visit Aiden, Nia and their daughter.”

  “Has she been there already?”

  The Crystal Wizard nodded. “Ciara has taken her there from time to time. It is good for both of us, because we don’t want her growing up coddled and afraid of the mortal world. I do still worry, as Tristan does.”

  It made sense for X to worry about his daughter on earth. Here in Tir Na-nog, the wizards’ children encountered no threats. Likewise any area created by the wizards had a natural level of protection, like Swamp World, the practice land where Drust honed his wizard skills.

  But that layer of protection vanished once they visited the ordinary mortal plane. Much worse could happen. They were immortal children, but still vulnerable children, perhaps even more so because they had not developed sufficient power to protect themselves.

  And yet Niki had been taking the twins to Montana to visit her twin sister, Nia, and her family. Tristan allowed it because Niki was devoted to her twin and he trusted Aiden, Nia’s mate, who was a ferocious alpha Lupine and quite protective of his own daughter. But Tristan also confessed to Drust he always worried about his children when they were at the ranch, despite all the precautions Aiden took.

  “Aiden takes tremendous care to protect Niki and the twins when they visit, and you will do the same for your Sonia,” he reassured his fellow wizard.

  “She’s part of my heart,” Xavier admitted. “I would die all over again to keep her safe and if anyone dared to hurt my baby, I would make him suffer before vaporizing him. Same goes for Ciara. Anyone hurting my beautiful mate would suffer horribly.”

  He understood and felt even a little wistful and jealous. Unlike Xavier, he’d had a mate and fathered children as a mortal, but never felt that close of a connection to his wives.

  Would it be worth it to do it all over again? To try to find love like Xavier held for Ciara? He’d been faithful to his mates, never cheating, and always ensured his children were well cared for, but love? Oh he had loved his children, but though he treated his wives with respect, until the day his second wife had cheated on him, he’d never shared the kind of passion X shared with Ciara.

  And yet, a distant memory tugged at him, as if he had loved and loved so deeply the very idea of it hurt on a visceral level. Because he had not only loved, but lost.

  “Drust?” Xavier waved a hand before his face. “Where did you go, dude? You look as if someone kicked you in the gonads.”

  Blinking, he frowned. “Gonads?”

  “Nuts.”

  His frown deepened. “I don’t care for nuts, excep
t for almonds.”

  Xavier shook his head. “Hello? You really do need to keep up with the times.” The wizard pointed to his own crotch. “Your man parts, dragon. You do have man parts, even though you’re a dragon, right?”

  “Bigger than yours. We dragons do everything larger.”

  “Not much good unless you use it.” Xavier chuckled. He nodded at the hallway and then closed the door behind the sleeping baby.

  “Listen Drust, you need to lighten up. Your problem is that you haven’t had sex in centuries, and you’ve been working too hard. Take my advice, once you get laid, you’ll feel much better.”

  “I’ll worry about feeling better once I’ve seen that book destroyed.” And yet he couldn’t help but think of how this new assignment would force him to spend time with Lacey.

  “Thank you for this.” He held up the bracelet. “Tell Sonia when I return, I’ll teach her how to say ‘I will not date until I’m fifty years old.’”

  Xavier laughed. “You’re worse than me. I was considering forty.”

  Drust smiled. “You’ll change your mind as she gets older and prettier.”

  Xavier frowned as Drust turned and left, and then opened the nursery door again to stare at his sleeping daughter.

  Damn, the Crystal Wizard had it bad. Drust laughed as he dematerialized to his own castle.

  Chapter 5

  He could not believe his eyes. Drust stared at the red neon sign glowing in the window.

  FREE SPELLS.

  With a low growl, he ran across the street and flung open the door.

  The Sage Shop was packed, crawling with witches. He could tell by the glow of their auras, pulsing weakly, threaded with flickers of hope. Witches who had lost much magick, and needed potions to revive it.

  Drust strode inside, barely checking his rage. Lacey needed to maintain a low profile lest she be vaporized.

  Not advertise her services with that damn light. Did she realize the trouble she caused? The risks she took?

  He did not know why this mortal dragon bewitched him. By all rights, he should simply let her dig her own grave.

  At the mere thought of that grave, a shiver ran down his immortal spine. He could not let that happen. He must save her, stubborn dragon. Even if she did not wish to be saved.