Darkest Wolf (3 page)

Her musings were cut off by his response. “Yes, of course. He badgers me constantly.”

“You don’t always get along?”

“No. The wolf-human relationship is not always a harmonious one. In general, we don’t discuss it. Ever. It’s a very private thing.” He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “But you have to understand about my dual nature. I’m actually two entities in one body. One of us is always fighting for control.”

“Fighting? Like in a constant war?” Elizabeth had never been so glad to not be a wolf in her life. Well, she’d never wanted to be one but now she really didn’t want to grow fur and walk on all fours. She’d have to be sure to never let Rex bite her. Assuming being bitten turned a person into a wolf. She needed to find out from Rex if the rumors of changing into shifters were, in fact, true.

“It starts out war-like. At least it did for me. I’m not sure what it’s like for everyone else. Like I said, we don’t talk about it.” He sighed. “For me it calmed down after a time.

Mostly.”

The car suddenly jerked to the right. With her hands not free to brace herself, she slammed against the window. Stars passed in front of her eyes. She wasn’t sure what happened. Maybe she lost consciousness. When the world righted itself, she only knew she wanted to vomit.

Moving, but not of her volition, she realized she was being carted in Rex’s arms again. “What happened?” She wanted to close her eyes but she also didn’t want to.

Nausea was too close to the surface. Any second, she might throw up. “Were we in a car accident?”

“Not exactly.” Rex sounded hoarse. He stopped moving and leaned her up against something. She wasn’t sure what it was—everything felt sort of … hazy.

“Where are we?”

“About fifty yards from the van. It rolled over.”

It had? She had no memory of any of it. How hard had she hit her head? She tried to sit up.

“Don’t sit up, little human.” He touched her head, and she flinched. Rex had come back into focus, sort of. Now she could see two of him. Two dark figures who were so staggeringly handsome they might take her breath away were he not a wolf. She blinked.

What the hell was wrong with her? She had no business finding Rex Kane attractive in any way.

“Now I’m a human?” She tried to laugh. “I thought I was a witch.”

“You’re both, as you know. They’re not mutually exclusive and we are not in a position to argue semantics at the moment.”

“What is happening?” Everything felt so fuzzy…

Rex growled. “How many fingers do I have up?”

His hand swayed for a moment before righting itself. “Four.”

“Wrong answer.” He cursed, using a string of words she’d never heard put together before. The foul language seemed wrong coming out of his mouth. He’d been so formal.

Wow, he must really be stressed. “I hate to move you but we don’t have a choice.”

“It might help if I knew what was going on?”

“I might believe you if you weren’t slurring your words together.” He hoisted her forward. Or, at least it felt like he did. He might have gently moved her, but from her vantage point it certainly seemed like Rex moved her abruptly over his shoulder. “I won’t leave you here.”

She groaned.

“Elizabeth?”

“What?”

“You zoned out on me there. Stay awake.”

She had? “Seriously, Rex, what happened? We had a car accident?”

“Our car was jolted. I’m not sure exactly what happened. But it feels like witch crap to me, which is not surprising considering Dad’s had his coven after us for forty-some-odd years now.”

“No.” She shook her head, which was a mistake. “No witches would ever help a wolf. This is the work of the bitch-twins.”

“I assume you are referring to the two ladies we left frozen on the floor.” From the clenched sound of his voice she could tell he wasn’t happy. “What is bothering you? My swearing or what they’ve potentially done?” He walked fast, turning deeper into the woods. Pretty soon she wouldn’t be able to hear the highway at all.

“Because I’d like to point out you just cursed a ton a few minutes ago.” Rex laughed, a sort of rumbling sound. It made her smile, which, in turn, made her head hurt worse. “Fair enough, but for the record, one, I was annoyed thinking the two witches might have gotten the jump on us and, two, I cursed hours ago, not minutes. It concerns me a great deal you are losing so much time.”

“Are you some kind of doctor?”

He shook his head. “No. But I’m going to get you to one.”

“Was anyone besides me hurt when we crashed?”

“No. I managed to get the car to the side before it flipped over.” He adjusted her slightly on his shoulder, and she wondered if he had started to get tired of carrying her.

Earlier he’d claimed he could carry three times his weight, but surely he must get tired after a while. “Why would the twins be trying to kill us?”

“Not
us
, although I am sure they’d be thrilled to take you out in the process,
me
.

They’re coming after me because you hauled me out of the diner and away from them where I am supposed to be. Leaving them is a death sentence for me and my entire family.”

“What?” He roared so loud she wondered if the entire state could hear him. “You should have said something, Elizabeth.”

“It’s Liz. Everyone calls me Liz.”

“You are not a Liz. Elizabeth suits you better.”

“Said from a guy who is named Rex like a dog? My uncle had a dog named Rex.

You would think, as a canine, you’d be called something else.” He groaned. “You are tiresome. My real name is Randolph, but I’ve been called Rex now for so long I’m not sure I would answer to Randolph if you used my full name.”

“Does anyone call you Randy?” She realized this was a completely asinine conversation, but what was she supposed to discuss with the crazy wolf who claimed she was his mate while he carted her, probably concussed self, around the woods in New Jersey? The weather?

“Never.” From the tone of his voice she didn’t think it would be a good idea for her to try to be the first to call him Randy. She might have whacked her head but she hadn’t lost her mind.

“Hey, Rex-y, I have a thought.” She kicked her legs until he stopped moving. She wanted him to listen to her. Finally, when he stopped walking, and she felt certain she had his attention, she spoke again. “I’m not sure why I didn’t think of this earlier—well actually I am but…”

He interrupted her. “Is there a point you’d like to make or are you just kicking me and rambling for the fun of it?”

She narrowed her eyes. If she weren’t afraid he’d drop her onto the ground, she’d whack him hard. “Well, once upon a time, before my magic went mostly away, I could have healed myself. Perhaps I can make it slightly better. Give us some more time to run from the twins.”

“I am not running from anything.” He set her down onto the ground, squatting next to her. She could see his nearly black eyes staring at her in the light of the moon. If she’d been a romantic girl, she might have sighed. But unfortunately she’d been born to be sensible.

“What would you call what we’re currently doing?” She reached out to steady the world by touching his arm. When this was over, she’d never again choose to ride a roller coaster. Not when she knew the universe could spin like this on its own.

“I would call this getting you some help. Two miles more in the direction we’re walking.” He pointed with his hand, but she didn’t follow where he indicated. It would require her to move her head. “Is a hospital. We’re hoofing it.”

“Hoofing it implies horses, doesn’t it? Not disgusting wolves?” Rex rolled his eyes for just a second before seriousness returned to his gaze. Goddess forbid wolf-boy actually smiled.

“I have some questions.”

She had assumed he would. The real decision would come in how she chose to tell him and how much she held back. At the moment, however, even if she could fix her head a bit with magic, she would still be dependent on his good graces. For a while, at least. “Go ahead.”

“First.” He waved his hand. “Do your magic thing.”

“My magic thing?”

“Elizabeth, have you become a parrot? Fix yourself.”

“I’m only going to be able to make this moderately better.”

“Fine.” He nodded. “You’re a bad witch. I get it. Do your thing. Now.”

“I’m a lousy witch now; I didn’t used to be so powerless.” Rex stood up and walked away from her. “Listen to my words very carefully, I don’t care. It doesn’t matter. All I want in the universe, at the moment, is for you to do whatever it is you kicked me to tell me you could do. Are you capable of performing the task or not?”

“I am.” But if she’d been in any condition better than one she was in she would keep annoying him just for the fun of seeing him get so worked up. It had been a long time since she’d had this much control over her own life. It was too bad her head hurt and she couldn’t enjoy it. She closed her eyes.

“Elizabeth.” Rex’s voice pushed at her like an explosion going off.

Opening one eyelid, she glared at him. “What?”

“You closed your eyes. I thought you were passing out.” Lifting the other eyelid, she shaded her eyes from the brutal light of the moon.

Really, when had the night ever been so bright? “You thought yelling at me was the appropriate way to get me to stop passing out?” Liz shook her head. He was a character; she’d give him credit for being different. If they both managed to live through this time she would certainly never forget him. “I wasn’t going to faint. I have to close my eyes to do this type of spell. If I’m not centered, there is no way this is going to work.” There was slim to little chance it would work even if she managed to connect to nature properly. The powers controlling these things had long since stopped letting her tap into their eternal spirit.

“Then, by all means, center yourself so we can keep moving. I don’t wish to be caught unawares by your witches again.”

There was no doubt Rex was one of the Royal Kanes. He gave permission like he was used to doing it on a regular basis. She had news for him, she was going to center herself whether he liked it or not.

And the witches… Well, she didn’t want to dwell on them. They might have zapped their powers nearly destroying the car but they wouldn’t be gone for long, and if she didn’t find a way to handle them—and this situation—soon, she was terrified they would call their mother. If they did, she didn’t want to imagine what would happen to her own family.

She forced those thoughts from her mind. No way could she do this if she let the stress get to her. For years now she hadn’t been able to keep her mind where it needed to be. What made her think she could do it now?

“Elizabeth?”

She opened her eyes, wishing she could be angry with Rex for interrupting but knowing she hadn’t really been able to focus anyway. “Yes?”

“I can feel your mind isn’t where it should be.” He walked toward her. “My wolf is prowling around inside wanting to help you.”

“Your wolf.” She tried to get used to the thought. There was a wolf inside of Rex who was and was not the same entity as Rex. It blew her mind. “Wants to help me?

Why?”

“He loves you. You’re our mate. He’s very attached to you already.” She swallowed. “And you?”

“I’d like to help you too. If I can.”

He hadn’t answered her question, and she supposed she should be glad he hadn’t.

“You can’t help me, Rex.”

“Wrong, witch.” He bent over until he was so close she could feel his breath on her face. Elizabeth’s mind went blank. What was he doing? “I can.” His mouth came down on hers.

Chapter Three

Rex shuddered under the feel of Elizabeth’s soft lips pressed against his. He’d meant to jar her with the kiss, to give her some of his own strength to aid in whatever crazy witch thing she had to do. He hadn’t expected to nearly melt into a puddle of ridiculous lovesick wolf at her feet.

Before he couldn’t do it anymore, he ripped his mouth from hers and took two steps backwards. “Get it done or I’m putting you over my shoulder and dragging you to the hospital. I suspect we’re running out of time here.” Elizabeth stared at him with huge blue-gray eyes. Her hand reached up to touch her lips in a way which made him question whether she was aware she’d done it at all. “Elizabeth?” Gods, the woman had been seriously injured. He had no business listening to her nonsense about fixing herself.

“Rex, so help me, some day I’m going to make you pay for messing with me.” Her eyes looked heated, which he greatly preferred to the dazed, out-of-it expression she’d been carting around for hours. Angry Elizabeth worried him less than quasi-delirious Elizabeth.

He glared at her. “I’m doing nothing of the kind.”

She shook her head, her emotions unreadable to him. He’d watched all of his brothers go through their respective matings. Even when Tristan had been half-mad, possessed of a curse, and attempting suicide by throwing himself off a cliff, it hadn’t looked this hard. What was he supposed to do with this fragile witch who stirred his blood, alerted his long dormant protective instincts, and made him want to wring her neck all at the same time?

A rush of heat hit his body. It started at the tips of his toes and travelled upward until his cheeks were red with warmth.
What the hell?
His cock jumped to attention even as his wolf shrugged inside of him. The canine had no idea what happened either.

Rex’s gaze shot to Elizabeth. She regarded him silently. He adjusted his pants, knowing she’d probably already seen the proof of his sudden, unexplained arousal. He’d been fighting back his desire since the moment he’d laid eyes on her. But he didn’t need her seeing him jump around inside his trousers like he was fifteen years old.