Wolf's Mate: Lindy And The Wulfen Part 14

Her head cracked hard against a stone, and she felt herself roll to a stop as she slipped into unconsciousness, unsure of where she was or whether she would ever see her mate again.

Cold water dribbled into Lindy's mouth, waking her. She swallowed and choked, coughing slightly. Sitting up, she banged her head on a rock and winced, groaning.

"Ouch, d.a.m.n it."

Something small and warm touched her knee as she opened her eyes and looked down. The small, warm thing touching her was a small creature. It had tan skin and wispy brown hair. Its eyes were golden-brown.

"Shush now," the creature said with a lilting, feminine voice. "There is nothing to harm you here in our home."

Lindy looked around and found herself surrounded by dozens of the little creatures. The tallest among them were no more than two feet tall, each with the same tan skin and wispy brown hair.

Licking her lips again, she looked around for an exit but found nothing except rock walls. She must have fallen inside the mountain. The ceiling of the cave was just above her head and not tall enough for her to stand. Small homes made of wood were scattered around the cave and what looked like a hot spring was in one corner.

"What are you?" Lindy asked.

The one who had given her water smiled at her. "We're brownies. My name is Veril."

"It's nice to meet you, Veril. My mate told me that some of you used to work in the fae glens for the fairies."

There was a murmur of discontent, and Veril said, "We did, but we found that the fairies were happier taking credit for our work than thanking us for what we did. We love to work, but we also love to be appreciated."

Lindy remembered suddenly that she was in her human form, which meant she was naked. Looking down, she discovered she was wearing a simple but elegant s.h.i.+ft. It was the color of pine needles and knit of soft, thick yarn.

"Thank you for dressing me while I was unconscious. It's lovely."

Veril preened. "It was our pleasure. It's not every day that a mortal-realm werewolf tumbles into our hidden home."

"I smelled bread."

Veril chuckled, and the others did as well. "It was our baking day."

As if on cue, food was brought to Lindy, and as she ate, she told the brownies about her kidnapping.

The leader of the brownies, a stocky male named Levrin, shook his head. "That Crakin is a menace. The she-fae who hired him to take you was foolish. If he planned to sell you at the merash, then he will find her and sell her instead."

"What is a merash?" Lindy asked, sopping up meat gravy with a thick slice of bread.

Levrin's wife, Hior, shuddered. "You might call it a slave auction in your realm. Dark wizards like Crakin make money by kidnapping and selling supernatural creatures from this realm and others. You're very lovely, and Nikao is a s.e.x slave trader, so the merash was most likely for those looking for s.e.x slaves. I'm afraid your future would have been a very bad one indeed if you had not escaped."

"I don't think they knew I could s.h.i.+ft," she said. "They seemed very surprised."

"It's possible he believed you to be human. Regardless, we're happy to offer you protection."

"I'd like to get to my mate. Can you show me how to make it to the other side of the mountain so I can get to him?"

"Better than that," Levrin said. "We can take you to his home."

She grinned, and tears filled her eyes. "You can?"

"Of course. We're not fairies, but we do have magic," Yunni, Veril's daughter said.

Levrin nodded. "It will be our pleasure."

Lindy wiped at the tears that fell to her cheeks. "Thank you so much. For saving me and protecting me."

Levrin bowed, and the other brownies ducked their heads. "We were happy to do it."

While the brownies prepared the portal that would take her to Crimson's home, she washed her hands and face in the pool of the hot spring. She crawled on her hands and knees to avoid hitting her head on the ceiling, and knelt next to Veril and Yunni.

Levrin arranged some brightly colored rocks into a circle and spoke a few words. The brownies surrounded her, and Levrin said, "I would send you with my best fighters to ensure you are safe until you reach your mate."

A handful of male brownies wearing black trousers with swords strapped to their backs came to stand near her. One of them stepped forward and went down on one knee. "We would see you safe, she-wolf, until you are back in your mate's arms."

She smiled in grat.i.tude. "Thank you."

Veril said, "Yunni and I will come as well."

Lindy said, "I appreciate the company."

Levrin asked for Lindy to extend her hand toward him. When she did, he positioned her hand over the center of the stone circle and took a small dagger, the size of a letter opener, and made several quick strikes across her flesh. She winced, but the pain pa.s.sed quickly. He turned her hand over, and a few drops of blood fell onto the stones.

He said, "The blood of your mate is within your own blood, she-wolf Lindy. The portal will take you to his home. My people and I wish you a safe journey and a swift reunion with the one that you love."

"Thank you all for everything," she said. The six warriors and the two females put their hands on Lindy as Levrin began to chant. A bright glow rose from the circle, multi-hued like a rainbow and sparkling like the sunlight on water. It grew until it enveloped her with warmth, as if she were standing outside on a hot summer day.

Closing her eyes as the glow became too bright, she felt her body move and the air around her rush, and then she felt thick gra.s.s underneath her knees.

Opening her eyes, she found herself staring at Crimson's house and a very surprised woman.

She'd come home.

But where was Crimson?

Chapter 18.

Crimson smashed his fist into the face of the dark wizard named Crakin.

"Tell me where my mate is!" Crimson roared. He was struggling to keep his wolf under wraps. His beast wanted to tear Crakin apart with his claws.

Crimson and his friends had been searching for Lindy for almost an entire day. The horse and carriage tracks leading from his home ended abruptly at the bottom of the mountain. The horse lay dead, and the carriage had been set on fire. He could sense dark magic had been used, and it only confirmed his belief that she had been taken by a wizard. As far as he knew, wizards only kidnapped for two reasons: for sacrifice or sale. Although he didn't want to think about Lindy being sold in a maresh, he preferred that thought to her being slaughtered for some dark ritual.

They didn't know where the wizard had gone, so they were unable to open a portal. He had tried a location spell for Lindy, but it had been unable to tell him where she was. He felt as if she was still alive, and he a.s.sumed the reason he couldn't spell for her location was because she was being s.h.i.+elded by dark magic. They'd had to fly over the mountain, which had cost them precious time. Then they split up, and he, his father, and Riyad went one direction while Merik and the others went in another.

It had taken hours before he'd finally caught a faint scent of her. He followed it to a clearing just outside of Balladat City, which was known for its mareshes. There, he'd found the cage where Lindy had been kept.

It hadn't taken long to find the male who had taken her. There were three distinct scents near the cage: the wizard who stank of sulfur and ash, a fae male, and trolls. He wasn't worried about the trolls. They were stupid creatures that only followed the orders of those who ruled over them. He'd bet that they belonged to the fae male or the wizard.

First, they found the fae male named Nikao, who readily gave up the wizard, Crakin. Nikao had been restrained and was going to be taken back to the other side of the mountain to stand trial for his crimes. Crimson had a feeling that besides attempting to buy Lindy, he had done many, horrible things to others as well, and his crimes would need to be doc.u.mented. From Nikao's information, they'd found Crakin easily, but finding out what had happened to Lindy was proving difficult.

Crakin spit blood on the ground and laughed. "Your she-b.i.t.c.h is gone. Hit me all you like, you will never see her again."

Riyad had restrained the wizard with thick vines filled with thorns, which were keeping the wizard kneeling on the ground. Crimson snarled and let go of the tight hold on his wolf a little. He felt his eyes change color, his fangs dropped from his gums, and his claws pushed out from his fingertips. Growling darkly, he gripped Crakin's neck with his hands and dug his claws into his flesh.

He snarled and said, "I will not kill you quickly. I will kill you slowly and painfully."

There was just a glimmer of fear in Crakin's eyes. Crimson tightened his hold and reached his other clawed hand to grasp Crakin's arm. He drew his hand up and opened his mouth widely over Crakin's wrist. Crimson hid his disgust at the stench of the male's skin that made him want to retch. He would do anything to see Lindy back in his arms. Anything.

With a swift motion, he snapped his jaws around Crakin's wrist, and the bones cracked. Crakin tried to scream, but he could do no more than gurgle because Crimson held his throat in one hand.

"Tell me," Crimson said.

Crakin panted, his eyes wide with fear, but he remained quiet. Crimson opened his mouth again, moving up to the elbow joint of Crakin's arm. Just before Crimson would have bitten down again, Crakin whispered, "Wait! Please! Wait! I'll tell you!"

Crimson released his hold on the wizard, and Crimson's father and Riyad grabbed him by the shoulders to keep him from falling over. Crakin cradled his broken wrist against his chest.

"The she-wolf fled into the mountains. She was too fast for the trolls to grab her, and when I cast a tracking spell for her, I lost track of her on the mountain. It's like she vanished."

Crimson clenched his hands into fists. "You lie! Tell me where she is!"

Crakin tried to scoot backward but couldn't move because of the th.o.r.n.y vines. "I'm not, I swear!"

Riyad gave him a shake. "What were you going to do with her?"

"Nikao was going to sell her as a s.e.x slave in the maresh. I was told she was human, or I would have used a different potion to keep her from getting away."

Crimson moved closer. "Who told you that she was human?"

Crakin grinned suddenly, and his lips moved as he whispered very softly, his eyes flas.h.i.+ng. Crimson manifested his sword and thrust it through Crakin's thigh and into the ground, skewering him into the dirt. Crakin screamed in pain, the transportation spell he was casting stopped in its tracks.

"Try to spell yourself out of that, a.s.shole. Tell me where my mate is!"

Crakin seemed unable to do anything except cry and try to pry the sword from his leg with his good hand.

Riyad looked at Crimson, frowning. "You should try a location spell for her."

"I already did."

"That was before. It's been hours. If she escaped, then you might be able to find her now."

Crimson moved away from the group and gathered several stones, arranging them in a circle in front of a thick tree. He used his fangs to pierce his palm and let his blood drop onto the stones as he cast the spell to locate Lindy. Location spells were normally done with candles and an item belonging to the one that was supposed to be found. Crimson's blood was mixed with Lindy's because they had shared blood when they mated. She was a part of him forever. The important part of the candle was the flame, and he called his power forth and lit the drops of blood on fire, laying his hands on the tree and willing his power to find Lindy.

An image appeared, hazy like he was looking through frosted gla.s.s. He saw Lindy sitting on a hide couch surrounded by brownies and his mother sitting nearby with a cup of tea.

Hades! She was at his home!

Scattering the stones with his hand to break up the circle, he said, "She's home! Lindy made it home!"

Riyad and Crimson's father smiled in relief. His father said, "Riyad and I will wait for the authorities and contact Merik and the others. We'll find out how this wolly-mouthed tryuo found Lindy and was able to capture her. Go home to your mate."

Crimson embraced his dad and his best friend. "Thank you."

"You can thank me by naming your firstborn after me," Riyad called as Crimson took to the sky.

Crimson laughed, happiness blurring his vision as tears filled his eyes. His mate was home and safe. He flew as fast as he could towards home.

Chapter 19.

Lindy sipped at the selli-root tea Crimson's mom had made for her as she sat on the couch. Three of the warrior brownies were sitting on the floor in front of the couch, their swords drawn while the other three were outside patrolling. Crimson's mom, Thalia, told her the protection spell had been destroyed by a powerful wizard, and that Crimson could cast it again when he came home.

Lindy was worried about him. She'd been back at his home for two hours. Thalia had tried to contact him, but had been unable.

Veril and Yunni were sitting on the couch between Lindy and Thalia, nibbling on crackers. Veril said, "Your mate will figure out where you went soon enough, Lindy. He'll come storming through the door any moment, I'm sure."

"I must say," Thalia said, "the dress you made for Lindy is lovely. The weaving is so delicate."

Lindy also liked the dress and had complimented the brownies several times. Veril blushed, her tan skin pinking. "Thank you, Thalia."

While they were waiting for Crimson to come back, Veril told Lindy about the hidden entrance to their cavern. The cavern was hidden by a type of Fae magic, and Veril believed Lindy was able to not only find the cavern but fall into it because she was not in any way Fae or from the Fae Realm.

Lindy's wolf sat up, and she stood. "He's coming."

"How can you tell?" Thalia asked in surprise.

"I can feel him," Lindy answered.

She had taken two steps toward the front door when it was thrown open, the k.n.o.b cracking against the stone wall. Crimson stood in the doorway looking like a p.i.s.sed-off angel, with his white wings spread wide and his eyes glowing bright red.

Lindy's mouth fell open as he stalked to her. Her voice was caught in her throat as emotion welled up inside her. With little more than a grunt of acknowledgement, Crimson hauled her over his shoulder, and she found herself upside down between his wings as he stomped back to the bedroom and slammed the door closed.

He righted her quickly, and her head swam. Her back pressed to the wall as he caged her in, his palms flattened on either side of her. "I love you."

Her mouth fell open in surprise. "You do?"

He growled. "Yes. I swore to myself that the first thing I would say to you was how I feel about you. I love you."