Page 12 of Hunting Savage
In the small town of Huntsman, she realized their trail was easy to find.However, she couldn’t follow them into the woods with her Bronco without risking being seen or observed by them, which left her no other option but to find a place to park and wait for them to come out.
Her need to set up protection wards for her and Starla almost overrode everything else in her psyche until she realized that even now, she had her wolf unsuppressed.If the males' heightened senses caught her scent, they’d be on her faster than she could say boo.With her eyes closed, she focused inward, feeling the sweet connection to her wolf one more time before she locked it away again.The loss of not only the other part of her soul, but the extra abilities gutted her each time she had to close her wolf off.One day, she and Starla would be free to be completely whole and hold nothing of their true natures from the world.
Once her equilibrium balanced out, Aurora visualized a glowing white light surrounding her body and the interior of the vehicle, cleansing everything within it of negativity.She needed to purify every inch of her surroundings of the events that had unfolded over the last twenty-four hours, before chanting the words of protection.
After several minutes of quiet, Aurora allowed herself to breathe in and out, testing for negative energy surrounding her.She let out a relieved sigh as only lightness filled the interior of the Bronco.
“Circle of light, pure and bright.Guard me now, both day and night,” she said with her eyes closed, and then repeated the words two more times, focusing on her breathing between each chant.
She let out a deep breath when she finished and then opened her eyes, checking her surroundings before starting the next protection spell.
“By root and flame, wind and sea.Only good may come to me.”Again, she repeated the words three times, maintaining her even tone, breathing, and focus.As the last word left her lips, she opened her eyes, a sense of ease filling her.Yet, a lingering feeling of dread threatened to send her spiraling, knowing her sister was unprotected.
She let out a frustrated puff of air and searched for the link that she and Starla had created years ago, hoping they were close enough for her to somehow connect with the younger girl.Seconds felt like hours as she imagined the golden string flowing from her through the woods, searching for Starla.
A protection spell for her sister flowed from her as she sent the thread further.The words were seamless even as she feared she couldn’t hold the link much longer.
“Wrap Starla in light, strong, and clear.Keep her safe, bring her near.”Aurora gave a hard push with the last words, praying to the Goddess for extra strength.
The sliver of light became brighter, and then she felt her.Starla.An image of her sister in the backseat of a large SUV flashed through her mind.
“Starla,” she whispered.
Her sister seemed to sense her presence.She looked so small, but then Aurora realized it was because Starla was lying in a position that made her appear smaller.A shiver wracked Starla’s body, making Aurora want to wrap her arms around her.
The Tahoe’s leather seats were probably cold under her sister’s bare skin.Stupid shifters left a human girl alone in the vehicle while they went off to run in their fur, not thinking about her comfort—the assholes.
“Aurora.”Starla’s voice broke through her mind.
“Oh my god, Biddy Bee, is that you?”Aurora cried.
“How are you in my head?”
Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks, but she fought them back as she held their connection, showing her sister the way she found her.
“That is so cool.Can we do this with anyone?”
Aurora chuckled, loving how innocent her sister sounded.“It’s not that easy, nor something you should do with just anyone.Some might find it creepy or get strange ideas about us.”
“Oh, like during the witch trials.”
Aurora got a picture from her sister’s mind that made her flinch.“Oh lord, don’t think of Salem and us in the same vein.But that’s not far off from what could happen if you ran into some crazy person, and they decided to make an example out of you or a name for themselves.You just never know.”
Starla projected herself, rolling her eyes.“You’re rambling, sis.I totally get it.I mean, it would be really cool if I could do this with the smartest kid in class and read all her answers—kidding.”
“I love you, Biddy Bee.I’ve been so scared since they took you.”
“Not half as afraid as I’ve been thinking you were hurt or worse.They said they’d killed you, but I knew you were alive.”
Aurora pressed her fist against her chest, wishing she could hug her sister.“I’m going to get you out of there.”
“They have me in the backseat of the Tahoe with duct tape on my wrists and feet.The alpha glared at me as if I’d killed his favorite pet before he placed the last bit of tape over my mouth.I swear, Aurora, my world shrank as they filed out of the vehicle and left me inside, and then the howling began.They all shifted.I’m glad they’re out there, and I’m in here.Wolves can’t open doors, on account of the whole opposable thumbs thing, right?”Her sister’s question tumbled into her mind so fast that it took her a beat to catch up.
“Alright, first, I’m glad you’re safe in the vehicle.They haven’t hurt you, right?”Aurora needed to hear Starla tell her they hadn’t touched her or harmed her in any way.
Starla shook her head, the image as clear as if she were right in front of her.
“Okay, good.As for them having the ability to open doors in their wolf form, the answer is no.”She didn’t mention the ease with which most shifters could change from one form to the other since it wouldn’t serve her any purpose.
