AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His soul mate was right here and he couldn’t give her everything she—and her son—wanted.
“Reardon, I’m so sorry,” Brandy cried, tears rolling down her beautiful cheeks. Was there anything in the world, her time or his, as perfect as she was? She was an amazing woman, a wonderful mother, a gifted scientist, a caring animal protector, and a skilled lover. She was everything.
And he was nothing. Nothing but an abomination of nature. One the protector of wild things no longer wanted under her domain.
That blade heading for his heart would definitely miss its mark. His heart was already gone. It belonged to the woman standing before him. It had belonged to her from the moment he’d awakened in wolf form at Silver Moon’s clinic and first set eyes on her. He hoped Brandy would remember him always and know he would have spent his life trying to give her everything. The sun, the moon, the stars. Whatever she wanted.
“Whatever she wanted?” Flidae rushed to him.
Both he and Brandy cowered, expecting the goddess to lash out at them. He wanted to put himself between Flidae and Brandy, but that sword tip was making a mark on his chest, blood trickling out in a warm, slow drizzle.
“Please, don’t make me hurt him,” Brandy pleaded.
The sword clattered to the floor between Brandy and Reardon and Flidae pushed Brandy out of the way. She landed on her bottom, her arms reaching back and breaking her fall. When she brought her palms to her lap, however, Reardon saw the torn flesh. The blood. The pain on Brandy’s face.
Something in his brain exploded and suddenly he was ripping into wolf form again. He lunged forward and sunk his teeth into Flidae’s thigh, biting down until his teeth were deep into her flesh. He hadn’t expected that. Flesh. The goddess always appeared to be more apparition than anything else. When blood filled his mouth, he was doubly surprised.
The shriek Flidae released also shocked him. “You monster!” She beat her fists against his head, but he didn’t let go. In fact, he clamped his jaws tighter until Flidae went limp between his teeth.
Releasing her, he stared at the sword sticking out of her chest. Brandy’s hands still gripped the hilt as she looked wild-eyed at Reardon then back at the blade embedded in the goddess.
“How is this possible?” Brandy asked, her voice hoarse from screaming earlier.
Reardon shifted to human and pried Brandy’s hands off the sword. He pulled her back from Flidae’s body that slowly sunk to the floor in a heap of violet cloak and long, dark hair. Another bolt of lightning sparked into the cell and Brandy shielded herself against Reardon’s bare chest.
He wrapped his arms around her, never wanting to let her go. She was shaking and he squeezed her tighter. “It’s okay, fairy lass. I’ve got you.”
She raised her head and blinked teary eyes up at him. “Do you? Do we have each other?” She looked back to where Flidae had fallen to the ground. Only she wasn’t there anymore. “Where is she? Is she dead? Can a goddess be dead?”
“I’m… not sure.” Reardon made a move to let Brandy go, but she dug her fingers into his shoulders.
“Don’t let me go.” She buried her face in the curve of his neck.
“I don’t plan to, Brandy. Ever.” He brushed his lips over her forehead. “But we need to figure out what’s happening here. While I’ll be the first to admit not having Flidae here is a wish come true, she’s also our ticket back to your time.”
Brandy sagged against him. “I was so concerned about saving you, I didn’t think about getting home.” A strangled cry tore from her throat. “We have to get back to Dylan.”
“And we shall. I promise.” He cupped her face. “My beautiful, brave fairy lass. You came for me.”
“Of course I did. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find the perfect werewolf? I’ve been searching my entire life.”
Reardon surprised himself by laughing. Only this magnificent woman could make him laugh when moments ago he’d been certain his life was ending.
Maybe it was just beginning instead.
Chapter Eighteen
Brandy wanted to stay in the warm embrace of Reardon’s strong arms for a long, long time, but he was right. They’d both attacked—and made bleed—their only means of getting back to the sanctuary, her wolves, her family, her home, her time. They needed to find a way to zap themselves back. Quickly.
“How do we find Flidae? If she could beam out of here, she can’t be dead.” Brandy released Reardon and nudged the fallen sword with her boot tip. She jumped back when a flash erupted from the sword and it completely disintegrated into a pile of black ash.
Reardon grabbed her arm and pulled her up against him. “Flidae might not be done with us yet. Be careful.” He bent and poked a tentative finger at the violet cloak the goddess had left behind. When he did so, the garment shimmered and moved as if it were alive.
“Get away from it.” Brandy pulled Reardon to his feet. She didn’t want to see him suffer any more than he already had. She wanted to get him home. Get him home and keep him.
Forever.
The cloak slowed its movement then changed from the violet color to something black and gray. Fabric swirled, a blurry pinwheel of motion. When it stopped, a pair of black jeans and a gray T-shirt were left in place of the cloak.
