She needed to think. And she needed to do it alone.
Chapter Three
The chill of the fall air outside the cocoon of the motel room added to the desolation that Aria felt. Shoving her hands into the pockets of her leather coat, she strode down the sidewalk to her motorcycle, which was still parked in the now-empty lots of Harrys.
As she pulled her helmet from the storage beneath the seat, something that felt like a million tiny needles showered over her skin. She stiffened, waiting to see if the now-familiar sensation passed.
It didnt. Inhaling deeply, she discovered the scent of something otherworldly on the air, something that wasnt werewolf, vampire or magic.
The blow struck from behind, causing pain to explode through her skull as, caught off guard, she fell to the sidewalk. The concrete kissed her skin, and she could smell bloodher bloodhanging on the air.
Stop! She didnt have a chance to picture what she wanted as, out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a blur of gray rushing at her again. Throwing up her arms, she managed to catch the blow there and save her face.
Rolling away quickly, she sprang to her feet and whirled to face her attacker.
Her mouth fell open when she saw that it was. She didnt know what it was. It had the form of a person, but was misty and gray. It didnt look like a solid entity, though it had certainly felt like one when it had hit her.
What do you want? Aria tried to distract the thing as she pictured the gray thing disappearing, and the sensation of safety surrounding her.
Her magic sparked fitfully, and Aria knew it was because she couldnt focus.
The gray thing didnt respond, just swung back and forth fretfully...stalking her, Aria realized. There was something off about the being.
There was no sense of sentience. It was as if this creature was no more than a shadowy zombie, programmed to do only one thing.
What do you want? Aria repeated herself, and there was still no replythere wasnt even a sense that the creature had heard her, let alone acknowledged her.
This was her chance. Drawing everything that she had into her will, she pictured the scene again, and this time the heat of her magic streamed blue light from her fingers.
The gray mass charged at her again, swinging its ghostly fists as she lifted her hands and willed the streaks of blue light to make the creature disappear. With a great roar and the stench of burning flesh it did, fading away to little more than remnants of smoke.
As her heart pounded in her chest, Aria scrambled backward, still crouched at the ready, the light of magic still streaming from her fingers.
What the fuck just happened?
Aria groaned. From behind her she heard the crash of the motel room door slamming open, and recognized Declans voice.
Casting a new spell had clearly broken her previous one. The men were awake, and they were not impressed.
Aria. Declan was at her side before she could blink, and his arms were around her, pulling her tightly. Her heart skipped a beat. Thisthis touching without lustthis made her want all kinds of things that she couldnt have.
She batted his arms away, then crossed her own over her chest.
Are you all right?
Aria could see the wolf in Adam as he crouched, sniffing the air. He growled, the sound more animal than human, and a shiver skated over her skin.
Im fine. Her magic was still giving off feeble, last-minute sparks from her fingers. She saw Declan glower at it, then at her, and she knew that shed been caught.
What the hell did you think you were doing? Declan was nothing if not alpha, and his male pride was quite clearly wounded at the thought that she had run out on the pair of them.
Leaving. Her words were defensive. Like you left me before, her brain silently added, a knee-jerk reaction before she could stop it. From the way Declans pale brow furrowed, she knew that hed made the connection.
I dont recognize the smell. Clearly frustrated, Adam rose to his feet, scrubbing his strong hands over sleepy-looking eyes. It stinks of dying flowers, and its not something Ive scented before.
Dying flowers. Aria frowned, not sure what to think of that.
It looked like a person, but...not. Suddenly weary, she fisted her hands in her hair and tugged lightly. I dont think it was fully...I mean...it was like it was attacking on instinct. I dont think it had any thoughts of its own.
Declan caught her chin in his hand, and his vampire vision scrutinized the skin of her face, which was thankfully unmarked.
Her elbows, knees and forearms were another story.
Why were you leaving? Avoiding his stare, Aria looked over his shoulder to where Adam stood. Her eyes moved to the bite marks that marred his neck, and she felt as though her heart was being squeezed by a giant fist.
Aria shrugged off Declans touch, shaking like an angry bird, though she was more unnerved by the tender touch than angry. She didnt answer, didnt know how to express what she was feeling.
Im going back to Belladonna. I want to make sure that Loris okay. Aria didnt make it five steps when she found herself scooped off her feet and dangled ass over teakettle, her stomach pressed into Declans shoulder.
Rather than kick and scream, which she knew from experience that hed enjoy, she growled, the sound full of the wrath of woman.
Save it, sweetie. Adam fell in beside them, protecting Arias exposed side as, together, the two men broke into a supernaturally fast run down the street, Aria bouncing over Declans shoulder the entire time.
We told you why we were back here. Weve had a taste of you now, and were sure as hell not letting go.
Wrathfully, Aria stared at the fantastic view of Declans ass, which was at eye level. Declan had done what she couldnthad acknowledged the intensity of what had happened between the three of them.
But she wasnt the only reason Declan was back. And until he told her more, she would hold her heart close.
* * *
What the hell? Aria heard her sisters exclamation as she was carried upside down into the closed shop, accompanied by a werewolf and a vampire.
Still, Aria didnt miss the quick flicker of glee that sparked in Lorelais eyes as she no doubt saw the sexual red energy threads binding the three.
Its a long story, she began, glowering at Declan as he slid her down his body.
Its a long story, she began, glowering at Declan as he slid her down his body.
She tried to ignore the lust that ignited as she felt the skin-to-skin contact.
Id love to hear this, too. Adam crossed his arms, looking just as irritated as Declan, and Aria blinked in surprise.
Shed been so lonely, how on earth had she wound up with two pissed-off alpha males in her company? She was so not in the mood to deal with even one right at the moment. She was edgy and emotional, and she couldnt quite quell the nausea from her race down the street at vampire speed.
Its a story Im happy to share with my sister, after the two of you leave. Aria pointed at the door, and neither man moved so much as a whisper. Frustrated, she cast a look at Lorelai, who was staring at Adam in disbelief.
Do you really have to hog both of them? Aria was darkly amused to see Adam shift uncomfortably beneath Lorelais frank perusal. Obviously Id never go after Declan, but this one? Hello.
Lori! Her twin wasnt often so frank, but then, these two were fine specimens of manhood.
And I didnt have a choice. Theyre sort of...a package deal.
Lori furrowed her brow
Oh. Understanding seemed to dawn, and Aria felt her cheeks flush scarlet under her twins frank perusal. Well, that worked better than I had intended.
Lorelais eyes widened as the words fell from her lips. Knowing her twin as she did, Aria narrowed her eyes, honing in on what her sister wasnt saying.
What did you do? Her words were a whisper, but one she knew that the two men would pick up on.
Whatever it was, she knew that she did not want them to hear it.
Could you two please go somewhere else? She thought of the shadowy gray figure and felt her pulse speed up. She wanted them to go so that she could talk to her sister, but she was a little bit afraid of being left alone.
It seemed to be the story of her life.
She thought that they would refuse, but Declan instead inclined his head to one side, his version, she knew, of an enthusiastic nod.
Well be right outside. She only hoped that that was enough distance to put a damper on Declans vampire hearing.
As soon as the men left, she whirled on her sister, her finger pointing accusingly.
I smell roses. I smell strawberries and jasmine. A lust spell, Lori? Am I really so scary that my own sister thinks I cant get a date? Anger trembled through her, as did disappointment. She would forgive Lorelai, she knew that already, because her sister never acted with anything but the best intentions.
But now she understood why the two men were so focused on her. They were being compelled by a spell. None of it was real.
Trying to fight through a crushing depression, she looked her sister square in the face. Lorelai was eyeing her warily.
I only wanted to make you happy.
Aria heaved a sigh and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
I know. She was more disappointed than she wanted to be, knowing that the two menespecially Declanwerent acting of their own accord. Im pissed, but lets talk about it later.
Why are you all scratched up? Seeming grateful for the distraction, Lorelai reached out and ran tentative fingers over her sisters cuts. The worst of them were still tacky with blood.
Have you ever come across any mention of a gray, shadowlike creature in any of the books? In the back room of the apothecary the twins kept all the volumes of their familys history, the diaries, the Books of Shadows.
What kind of gray shadow? Lorelai had paled at the words, and Aria knew with a sinking sensation in her gut that she wasnt going to like what she heard next.
It looked like a person. But it was more of a mist...and it wasnt sentient. Im sure of it. Aria resisted the urge to press her fingers to her temples as Lorelai uttered a curse.
One of Grans diaries mentioned the exact same thing. Lorelai tugged on the length of her ponytail, the golden curls springing back as soon as she released them. I dont remember which one, though. Let me look.