Authors: Crystal Red
Chapter Fourteen
The instant his
doorbell rang, Brandon hoped it was Kelsey. He yanked the door open, and his
heart melted at the sight of her. She didn’t scowl or glare at him, but she
didn’t smile. The haunted expression on her face didn’t make his heartache any
less. If she didn’t trust him, why had she come there?
“I don’t know why.
I’m still trying to figure everything out.” She shoved her hands into her dark
blue jeans pockets.
“You want to come in
to talk?” He leaned against the doorframe.
Her gaze darted everywhere,
except at him. “I guess.”
He moved aside and
let her walk into the living room. He closed the door and turned to face her.
Her lips were flat and tight as she stared at him. Damn. He wished he could
read her thoughts.
Her hazel eyes turned
dark. “Why were you there? You were supposed to be at work.”
“I sensed I needed to
protect you because you were in danger. So I decided to try to find you to make
sure you were okay.”
“No!” She fisted her
hands and hung them at her sides. “I only saw you. It doesn’t make any sense.
You told me you wouldn’t hurt me.”
“And I meant it,
baby,” he insisted.
How could he make her
believe what he said? He couldn’t lose her. Not again. Almost losing her once had
nearly destroyed him. He didn’t think he could handle it a second time.
“Was this just about
sex?” Kelsey studied him as her nostrils flared.
He gaped at her. “What?
Why would you think that?”
Her lips tightened
again. “Because guys do nice shit for women until they get what they want. And
usually it’s in their pants. So now that you’ve done this twice already, what
the hell do you want from me?”
Brandon reached for
her hand, but she waved him away. “This isn’t just sex.” He gazed into her
eyes. “Not to me. I don’t think it ever was about getting into your pants.”
“B-But your ex…” she
sputtered.
His muscles loosened
as he moved closer. With a pounding heart, he leaned forward and cupped her
chin. She trembled against his touch. He looked over her, up and down,
seductive-like.
The kiss he left on
her mouth made his lips burn. He wanted and needed more. One from her wasn’t
enough. Kelsey parted her lips again, and she raised her mouth to his. It was
sweet like sugar, and he craved more of it like a drug. He found her tongue with
his and swirled it, savoring the sweetness. A few seconds later, she pulled
away with a loud gasp.
“Not just sex, huh?”
she murmured.
“Not even a little
bit. Well, maybe somewhat, because you know men can’t live without getting some
for long, but it’s deeper.”
She froze as she gaped
at him. “What do you mean?”
His stomach turned.
He swallowed hard and tried to get the words off his tongue.
How am I
supposed to tell her when she probably won’t believe me?
“Try me,” she said
without blinking.
“I care about you,
okay, Kelsey? A forever kind of care. I can’t see myself with anyone else but
you.” His gut tensed with each word he spoke.
“I get that, but…”
She shook her head. “Being with you is very complicated. Even more than my past
relationships.” Tears formed in her eyes.
He nodded. A knot
settled in his chest because he knew why. “Because I’m a werewolf.”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“If you want to walk
away from this, I understand. I want you to be safe. This isn’t over yet.” His
voice may have come out calm, but inside his nerves were a tangled mess. He
refused to let her get hurt because of him. She didn’t deserve any kind of
pain. If he couldn’t have her, then he didn’t want to be with any other woman.
“Brandon.” She stared
at him with misty eyes.
His heart knocked
hard. He couldn’t take the sadness that lingered in Kelsey’s eyes. She wouldn’t
be in this much trouble if he hadn’t moved next door to her. This was all his
fault. He had to make this right. So they could move forward.
“Promise me you’ll be
safe,” he said in a low voice.
“I will.” She wiped
her wet eyes. “Why are you making me choose?”
“I’m not.”
“Yes, you are!” She
threw her hands up. Her voice became cold as steel. “You’re telling me to walk
away, but then you say you care about me.”
Brandon reached for
her hand, but she pushed him away. “You aren’t making this easy for me. I’ve
never connected with any woman like I have with you.” He rubbed his temples.
Why couldn’t she understand her safety was more important right now? They could
deal with everything else later.
She scowled. “You
know what? Forget it. It’s obvious you’re confusing lust with love.”
Numbness spread over
him as she turned and walked away. Maybe this time it was over between them for
good. He let her go because of his stupid pride. This proved how much he wasn’t
good enough for her. A werewolf had no right to be with a human. It was obvious
from the beginning their relationship wouldn’t end well.
The decision left his
stomach with an empty feeling. He groaned. As he marched off to his bedroom, he
thought what his life would be like without Kelsey. One word came to mind.
Lonely.
He picked up a pillow
and punched it over and over again. Even after he wore himself out, he ran down
to the basement where he and Chad kept a punching bag. It hung from one of the
beams and was lowered at just the right height for him to go hardcore on it.
One punch wasn’t enough. He did it again. Now a third time, but it still wasn’t
good enough. After about twenty hits, something foul filled his nostrils. It
was almost like rotten flesh.
Fuck
. Could Kelsey be in trouble already?
He gagged. Bile rose
to his throat. If he didn’t get to her soon, it might be too late.
Brandon raced up the
old wooden steps. They squeaked even when he barely tapped them as he ran. His
heart slammed each of his ribs as he reached Kelsey’s door. He rang the
doorbell and then pounded on the door.
Beth pulled it open
with a frown. “What?”
“Is Kelsey here?”
She shook her head.
“I haven’t seen her since she went to your house. Is something wrong?”
“Not yet, but it
might be soon.” He paced the porch. If he didn’t find her soon…
Damn it. He shouldn’t
have let her go anywhere, whether they stayed together or not.
“You love her, don’t
you?” Beth’s voice lowered to a whisper.
“That’s not important
right now,” he muttered.
* * * *
Kelsey staggered down
the sidewalk blinded by tears. She had no clue where she was headed. She needed
air. She sniffed. How could Brandon be willing to let her go so soon? If he
cared about her, wouldn’t he want to fight for her no matter what? Her heart
shattered.
Maybe he’s not in love with me like I am with him.
She continued to
stumble down the pathways and crossed a few streets. A honk of a car horn
caused her to jump back.
“Watch where you’re
going, lady!” A dark-haired man shouted and shook a fist out his car window.
“Sorry,” she
muttered.
The waterworks
continued as she walked along, even though her heart slowed. She had no idea
where she wanted to go or if she’d ever stop. All she continued to do was aimlessly
wander down every street to clear her thoughts and never think about Brandon
again.
She found that
difficult. Brandon had become a big part of her life. Maybe more than she
wanted him to, and there might not be any turning back now. The way he smelled,
touched, kissed and looked at her made all her senses flood with joy. She still
wanted him with all her heart, despite the danger he brought into her life.
Forgetting a man who made her feel so good, both emotionally and physically, was
hard.
Her long walk did
nothing to clear her mind. Instead it made her think more about Brandon, and she
wanted to turn back to tell him everything would be okay. It wouldn’t be. She
looked around, but didn’t recognize the street she was on nor the barber shop that
stood across from her. Where the hell did she go to? Neverland?
Kelsey had lived in
Kansas City her whole life, but yet this part of it she’d never seen. Could she
really be this out of it? She sighed and prayed she’d find her way back to her
home. If a werewolf found her, she’d be in big trouble.
As she headed in the
opposite direction, footsteps from behind her pounded the pavement. No. She wasn’t
being followed. It was her imagination running away with her. Someone probably
wanted to go for a jog, and they happened to be behind her.
She picked up her
pace and forced herself not to look back. All she needed to do was keep going
and then she’d make it home safely. Her stomach churned as hot breath made the
hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
With a hard swallow,
she kept moving. She refused to turn around. If she could make it this far and
then find her way back home, she’d be fine. Her gut somersaulted, and her
throat burned.
The moment a hand
grasped her shoulder, she froze, even her thoughts, but she couldn’t move as
the person behind her tightened their grip.
Her first instinct
was to fight back. Elbow or kick them so she could run away. She flinched, and
a cry slipped from her lips. No more time to struggle or panic, because the
hand was no longer on her shoulder. Now it’d moved to her mouth. Something wet
on a napkin with a sickeningly sweet smell invaded her nose, and she gagged.
Kelsey no longer had any fight in her. Body now weak, everything turned dark. Her
eyes shut and she faded into a deep sleep.
Chapter Fifteen
Brandon paced
Kelsey’s kitchen floor. She wasn’t there, but he walked back and forth anyway.
Where the hell could she have gone? On a walk? Why would she do that knowing
she could end up in danger? A hard knot formed in his throat. He rubbed the
ache.
“We have to find
her,” he muttered.
Beth narrowed her
eyes. “Pacing isn’t going to help find Kelsey. We should call her. Maybe one of
our neighbors saw her leave.”
He nodded as he
pulled out his phone. After he dialed Kelsey’s number, the call went straight
to voicemail.
Fuck, that’s no good.
“She didn’t answer,
did she?”
“What do you think?”
He threw his hands up and paced again.
“Give her time. Maybe
she’ll call back.” Beth exhaled. “She could have lost the signal.”
He stopped and turned
to face her. “Beth,” his jaw ticked, “I know you’re trying to help, but please
don’t.”
She moved closer and
poked him on the arm. “I warned you, but you didn’t listen. Now you’re in too
deep, and you have no idea what to do about it.”
Brandon scowled.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Beth lips tightened.
“Damn it. You can’t be that stupid.”
His heart slammed
against his chest faster with each second that passed.
Could Beth be
hinting
that I’m in love with Kelsey?
He shook his head in disbelief. What the hell
had he done? He dragged Kelsey into all his shitty drama, and now he might lose
her because of his stupidity. How would he be able to live with himself if
Kelsey died at the hands of Victoria and her wolf pack?
“I’m sorry, but I
can’t talk about this right now. Don’t leave your house. I don’t need anyone
else in danger.”
Beth stared at him. “How
are you going to find her?”
He gagged at the
scent of rotten flesh that entered his nostrils.
Shit
. This had to be a
sign. Kelsey wasn’t safe. Victoria obviously had her, and it was only a matter
of time before she tried to kill Kelsey.
“She’s in big
trouble. I’m pretty sure Victoria has her.” His stomach turned, the fear
sinking in more. “I can smell it every time someone’s going to die. One of the worst
things about being a werewolf.”
“And yet you’re in
love with a human.” Beth looked away, only it wasn’t quick enough for him not
to see the smile she tried to hide.
“I’d never force her
to be with me or be what I am. This is a curse, not a gift.” He dialed Kelsey’s
phone again. Same thing happened. It went to voicemail.
Beth nudged his arm.
“What?”
She showed him the
text message that popped up on her phone.
You have to help me.
I’m going to die. Send Brandon now.
He scratched his
head. That didn’t make any damn sense. How could Kelsey text Beth if she was in
trouble? Unless…
With no time for any
more disturbing thoughts, he whispered. “Text her back and see what happens.”
Beth’s brows shot up,
but she wrote back to Kelsey, anyway.
“What did you say?”
“I asked her where
she is and who has her,” she said, her voice shaking.
Beth’s phone buzzed.
He took it from her.
Victoria has me
chained to the wall in her basement. The address is 1803 S. Maple St. She said
Brandon only has half an hour until the wolf pack kills me. Please hurry.
Beth shook her head.
The corners of her eyes welled with tears. “There’s no way Kelsey is sending
these messages if she’s chained to a wall. Victoria has to be doing this.”
“That’s what I
thought,” Brandon muttered.
“I’m coming with
you.” Beth tried to move past him, but he held up a hand to stop her.
He stiffened. Hell
would have to freeze over before he’d let that happen. He didn’t need anyone
else in danger.
“I told you to stay
here.” His lips tightened.
Beth slapped her
hands to her hips. “I can help you. She’s my best friend. I don’t want to lose
her.”
He rubbed his
forehead and groaned. “And you think I do? I can’t risk you getting hurt too.”
She sighed. “Fine.
I’ll stay here, but I don’t want to be alone.”
He nodded. “I’ll have
Chad keep you company.”
She crossed her arms
and pretended to gag. “He’d better keep his hands to himself.”
Brandon shook his
head. He dashed over to his place and told Chad the plan. Then he hopped onto
his motorcycle and floored it to Victoria’s house.
His gut pulled
tighter with each passing block. The closer he came, the more he feared for
Kelsey’s safety. He couldn’t lose her now. Finally, he arrived at Victoria’s
address. His heart drummed louder as he ran up the sidewalk path. It led to a
wooden porch. He banged on the door. It opened with a loud creak and out popped
Victoria, the blonde-haired witch.
She grinned. “Just in
time, handsome.”
“Where the fuck is
she?” He bared his teeth as anger coursed through him.
“Calm down.” Victoria
waved him inside. “She’s in the basement.”
Brandon followed her
down the creaky wooden steps. His heart stopped the moment his gaze met
Kelsey’s. Victoria had her arms chained to the wall. Duct tape covered her
mouth. What he wouldn’t give to exchange places with her right now. She didn’t
deserve this torment.
Kelsey’s gaze met his
as she thrashed her legs. She tried to speak, but the duct tape muffled her
sounds.
He glared at
Victoria. “Let her go. It’s not her you want. Put me in her place.”
The witch threw her
head back and laughed. “You really think I can be fooled so easily?”
Brandon stepped
closer. He’d accepted any challenge given to him, even if it was an ex who
happened to be a witch. His love for Kelsey could outweigh his hate for
Victoria any day.
He snorted. “Why not?
I tricked you into thinking I cared about you.”
Victoria’s eyes
darkened. “Tell me something I don’t know. You’re using Kelsey the same way you
did me. So I bet you wouldn’t care if she became wolf meat.”
He flinched at the
words “wolf meat.” His hands became clammy, and he tried to find his voice. He
couldn’t let Victoria win even if it meant losing his life to save Kelsey’s.
Brandon held his chin
high. “You’re wrong. I care about Kelsey so much it hurts.”
“Is that so?”
Victoria’s lips curled into an evil smile. “How much? Enough to die for her?”
“Yes,” he whispered.
Kelsey’s eyes
widened, and she shook her head. She kicked her legs against the wall. Victoria
smirked and walked toward Kelsey. She gave Kelsey’s cheek a little pinch before
she ripped the duct tape off Kelsey’s mouth.
Kelsey screamed at
the top of her lungs. “You bitch!”
Brandon’s neck vein
tightened. He had to do something, but the only problem was Victoria even being
a witch was still female. He’d never do a woman any harm even in a dangerous
situation like this one. He hurried over to them. As he stared into Kelsey’s
eyes, he raised his hand and stroked her cheek.
She blew out an
unsteady breath. “Brandon.” Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I want you to know,”
he swallowed hard as he searched for the right words. “I love you and I never
thought I’d fall for someone like you so fast. I did, and I wouldn’t change
anything that happened between us.”
Kelsey’s jaw dropped.
“I, uh…”
Victoria snickered as
she clapped her hands. “How did I know? Brandon you’ve got to be the dumbest
man I’ve ever met. Don’t feed this poor woman lies right before she’s about to
die.”
“I didn’t lie to her.
I meant every word.” He turned around to face her with a snarl.
The rosy color faded
from Kelsey’s cheeks. She gasped.
“Really?” Kelsey
blinked rapidly.
“Yes,” Brandon
whispered as he looked her way.
“I love you too,”
Kelsey murmured as their gazes met.
“Disgusting,”
Victoria said with a growl.
Brandon met
Victoria’s glare, which burned into him as though it’d ignite him. Her nostrils
flared as she balled her hands. “You two are pathetic. What kind of Hallmark
shit is this? If I can’t have a happy ending with Brandon, neither can you,
Kelsey.” She waved toward the two wolves that panted beside a wooden desk
across from them. The pair of creatures rushed over to Victoria One stood on
each side of her. “Good boys. You’ll be rewarded later. I promise.” The witch
winked at the animals.
Loud howls echoed
through the basement and pierced his ears.
Brandon eyed Victoria
up and down. “What do you mean you’ll reward them? A T-bone steak or what?”
He didn’t know why he
gave a shit about what she’d said, but hell, if it stalled her from hurting
Kelsey, he’d be up for the conversation.
Victoria giggled like
a sixteen-year-old girl. She put a hand to her lips and then looked down at the
wolves. “Yeah, when they need to eat, but I meant something totally different.”
Brandon’s stomach
twisted. On second thought, maybe he didn’t want to find out. If it came from
Victoria, then obviously it’d be something disturbing.
The witch grinned as
she poked him in the side. “Come on. I thought you wanted to know.”
“What does it matter?
Just let me go! Damn it.” Kelsey groaned and fought the chains as she glowered
at Victoria.
“Now, now.” Victoria
waved a finger toward Kelsey. “Behave if you want to live a little longer. I
need to finish the conversation with your hunky werewolf boyfriend.”
Kelsey sneered as she
jerked her arms around again.
“You were saying?”
Brandon looked away from Victoria’s eyes as he rubbed his temples.
“Lloyd and Patrick
aren’t just my pets. They’re my lovers too.” The witch’s eyes lit up as she smirked
at him. She patted each of the wolves on the head.
Brandon threw his
head back and laughed to hide the creepy feeling that suffocated his insides.
“Sleeping with your animals? You’ve stooped to a new low.”
“You really are
disgusting,” Kelsey muttered.
Victoria lifted a
shoulder. “We only make love when they’re in their human form, of course. I
believe you would know about that, Kelsey.”
The two things
growled as their red eyes stared in Brandon’s direction. He swallowed. Would the
wolves attack him and Kelsey?
Kelsey thrashed her
legs against the wall again. “What I have with Brandon is different.” She
narrowed her eyes at Victoria. “It’s not disturbing like you are with your
pets.”
Victoria huffed and
rolled her eyes before turning toward the desk across from them. She opened the
middle drawer and pulled out a small wooden stick. She sashayed back to them
with a smirk on her face.
“What the hell is
that thing for?” Brandon pointed to it as his jawline pulsated.
“Oh, don’t worry.
You’ll see.” Victoria waved the stick in the middle of the room and spoke in
French. A large black pot brewed with a glowing orange fire.
Kelsey’s eyes widened
into saucers.
“Lucky for you,
Kelsey, I don’t like the taste of humans.” Victoria snickered.
Brandon’s stomach
twisted and bile threatened to rise in his throat.
Damn. What the hell did I
ever see in Victoria? She’s one crazy witch.
“Yeah, she is. I
wonder why you liked her too,” Kelsey choked out as she tried to cover her
gagging.
Victoria raised her
eyebrows and gave a glassy stare. “I see she still has the ability to read your
mind.”
He crossed his arms.
“It doesn’t bother me one bit. I’d rather be with someone who isn’t crazy and
selfish.”
The witch turned on
her heels and walked in a circle. “There’s something you need to know,
Brandon.” She gripped the stick tighter and pounded it against the cement
floor. “You weren’t supposed to turn into a werewolf.”
Kelsey gasped. “How
would you know anything about that?”
“Yeah, care to share
the rest of the story?” His tone was cold as ice.
Victoria grinned.
“Why, of course I will. My father was a wizard, and he married my mother, who
happened to be a witch.” She tapped a finger to her lips as she continued. “I
inherited my mother’s genes, and was supposed to marry a wizard too, which
would have happened if my plan had worked. Too bad it didn’t.”
Kelsey grimaced. “You
wanted to turn Brandon into a wizard so you could marry him, didn’t you?”
“Uh, yeah.” Victoria
held her chin high. “Turns out a damn alpha werewolf had other plans. He got to
Brandon before I could.”
Kelsey gave Victoria
a curious look. “How did you know Brandon when he was sixteen?”
Victoria shrugged. “A
vision of him popped up when I cast a love spell. Sure, I’m a couple years
older than him, but I look good for my age.” She waved a hand over her body.