Page 30 of Wicked Fate

Are you fucking serious?Uncomfortable heat seeped into the already-strained bond.The psycho who was watching you sleep and covering your mouth is around too? How do you know?

That answer wasn’t going to go over well, but what could I do?That strange magic feels a tug toward him.

A snarl ripped from Ryker’s chest despite us needing to be quiet. Granted, if we smelled them, they’d probably already caught our scent, or would soon.

I’m going to kill the motherfucker.Ryker’s back muscles quivered in front of me as he continued,You’re mine. No one will ever take you from me.

I wanted to reassure him it wasn’t anything like that, but I already had, and clearly, it hadn’t helped. Even though I wished he would listen to and believe me, a part of me—my wolf—was thrilled with his possessiveness. Fated mates were meant to make you feel special and worthy.

Every step we took made the hair on my arms rise. The familiar pulse of Ryker’s presence next to me grounded me—but barely.

Something else stirred beneath my skin, and it wasn’t my wolf.

Everyone, stay on high alert.Ryker slowed his pace, scanning the area even more thoroughly.We’ve got both vampires and the weird man on our trail. Neither of them can be seen.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw Kendric and Briar scanning the flanks while Xander and Gage guarded the rear, silent and sharp-eyed.

But I couldn’t stop my head from turning toward the trees. Toward the feeling that we were being followed.

Unlike last time, the cold, disturbing magic wasn’t advancing on us. It was more like they were watching us, as if they were trying to get answers themselves.

The warm pulse of the strange man’s magic brushed mine again—soft and too pointed to be anything but deliberate.

Ryker stopped short and extended an arm to block my path, and I almost slammed into him. My shoulder bumped into his, but I planted my feet into the mulch to prevent myself from moving further.

The coldness increased as did the warmth, as if they were coming from the same direction.

Strange.

Were the man and the vampires working together? Maybe Ryker had been correct that the strange man was using something to influence my mind.

What’s wrong?Kendric inched forward so he could see both Ryker and me.

I don’t want to get too far from the neighborhood in case we need backup.Ryker’s eyes glowed as his wolf surged forward.

His frustration built, bubbling over.

He was trying to hide that he was upset, but why?Do you see something?

You’re joking, right?He looked at me, his face lined with what had to be concern.You’re the only one who can see them… unless your morning visitor somehow took the vision from you.

Before I could stop myself, I flinched. I hadn’t expected him to take out his frustration on me. It was unacceptable, but we would address that later. We didn’t need to lose focus on the actual threat.You feel frustrated.

He exhaled.This whole bond thing is going to take some getting used to. I can feel your emotions too, and I let you down.

What do you mean?Out of every response possible, I hadn’t expected that one.

Because I was so desperate to find this man you keep talking about that I rushed out here without thinking to alert the Blackwood pack.

We’re close to them, and if we don’t leave the perimeter Cassi created, we should be fine.I tilted my head in the direction of the houses where I could hear a couple sets of paws running not too far away from us.If we scream, they’ll know.

I don’t understand why the perimeter wasn’t broken.Briar’s voice interjected into our private conversation, pulling us back with the others.If Ember can feel them, shouldn’t they be right here?

That was when it hit me. They weren’t sure how I knew either, beyond seeing the vampires in cloaked form. The vampires must be trying to figure out both my abilities as well as the barrier that sometimes came to our aid.

No, I can feel them a ways off, but I think that’s what they’re testing as well.If that was the actual case, I couldn’t react until they revealed themselves.They’re somewhere near the perimeter to the left of us, but they haven’t crossed it yet. That’s why Cassi and the Blackwoods haven’t been alerted.

Ryker swallowed.I bet you’re right. Is your sense of the strange man coming from the same direction?

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