บท 21: Chapter 21: A Wolf in a Crystal Shop

Jude POV

Dressed in turquoise robes and his wizard's hat, Daxius looked a little more put-together than when he'd surprised them during the sandstorm. Still lean and rangy, he clearly hadn't had a good meal in a long time. But for all that, he struck a warrior's pose, holding an enchanted wooden staff topped with a carved turquoise serpent.

Within spitting distance of Ravyn and Jude, he did not seem thrilled to find them locked in an embrace. Typical. If Daxius couldn't have her, even after abandoning such a prize, no one could. Coward.

Arcturus had one thing to say to the unwelcome intruder, the pathetic excuse for a man who DARED to interrupt Jude and Ravyn. "MATE."

Jude didn't say the word–instead, he growled in a way that anyone with a few brain cells would know what he meant.

Daxius' eyes narrowed. "I said–"

"I heard you," Jude growled. "But your opinion, like your presence, isn't welcome."

Daxius stepped forward, brandishing his staff. "This is between my wife and me."

If nothing else, Jude gave him credit for having a spine finally. He didn't even smell afraid.

Nevertheless, Jude wanted to tear the man to pieces, but Ravyn marched past him, all fire and fury. If she were a wolf, she'd be howling with her tail raised like an attacking army's banner. "It's two decades too late for that! And this time you're not going to run away–even though it is what you do best!"

Grabbing the tanzanite crystal, Ravyn channeled purple-and-blue bolts of energy through it and hit Daxius at point-blank range. Too shocked to make a sound, he staggered backward but kept his balance. Jude would have expected him to collapse.

Fenrir's guts, he did NOT want to respect the man as an opponent! This vile cur was trying to steal away his mate after hurting her and her daughter–both of whom he cared for deeply.

Daxius wheezed, "Ravyn, I've behaved abominably, but please listen–"

Another round of energy bolts answered him and Daxius twirled his staff, creating a focused whirlwind that made short work of her attack. He thrust his staff outward and the whirlwind swept up Ravyn, imprisoning her and tossing heavy crystals like pebbles. Her arms flailed as she battled hard to free herself of the trap, hitting the spinning column of wind with everything she had. A spiral of energy formed inside the whirlwind. A teleportation spell!

Daxius was going to steal Ravyn.

"We need more privacy for this conversation," Daxius said in an arrogant manner. "And Alpha Jude, YOU weren't invited."

Jude's wolf was done letting their mate fight on her own. Impulsively, Jude shifted and pounced on Daxius, seeking to knock the staff right out of his hand.

A few more inches and he would swat that stick aside … YES! He howled as his paw smacked the staff away from Daxius, who stumbled.

It clattered to the ground and the whirlwind vanished. With a surprised scream, Ravyn dropped to the floor. Crystals shattered in loud bursts around her and she cried out with fury and fear. "This is my nightmare!"

Daxius lunged for the staff but Jude, torn between comforting his mate and keeping such a dangerous weapon out of his rival's hands, crouched over the object of power. He growled, low and gentle, at Ravyn, a question in his voice.

"No, I'm NOT alright, thank you for asking," she grumbled. "But I will be."

His wizard's hat askew, Daxius got to his feet, his eyes like a stormy sea as he stared at Jude. "I've had enough of your interference!"

Seconds later, Jude thought he'd been dropped into a frozen landscape. His teeth chattered and ice covered him, lowering his shifter body temperature rapidly. Teeth chattering, he willed his muscles to move, but he had no feeling in them.

Ridiculous. A little ice couldn't stop him, could it?

Already, though, he felt the beginning of frostbite. He concentrated on willing his body to warm up so he could move. His shivering helped heat his blood and raise his body temperature. The ice felt like a prison, but feeling came back into his legs and he moved them, inch by inch. He would break free of the ice that bound him.

Why hadn't Daxius used silver or wolfsbane? Ice was unpleasant, but he could survive. For such a powerful wizard and disreputable individual, he seemed to be playing it safe.

Ravyn's angry shouting stirred his blood. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

He felt a heat spell at work, trying to melt the ice, but not making any progress.

Frustrated, Ravyn growled, "LET HIM GO!"

Maybe Daxius didn't use silver because he didn't want to anger Ravyn any further.

In a calm voice, the wizard offered, "I'll release the spell if you come away with me."

D*mn. He knew Ravyn well enough to suspect that she'd accept such a bargain for his sake. His snarl warned her against that.

Lilia interrupted before Ravyn could say yes.

"She's not going anywhere with you, FATHER. Let Jude go or the Evenhide Pack will make you sorry!"

He felt Garnet powering up her magic before she spoke. "And the Crimsontail Shadows will finish what they started."

* * * * *

Ravyn POV

Her family had come to her aid! How had they known? She shouldn't be surprised by anything when it came to her Crestas. They had a knack for sensing when one of them was imperiled.

Standing surrounded by crystal shards as in her prophetic dream, she used her witch senses to scan for the Dark Goddess. No trace of her.

Lilia, Dane, Jiro, Garnet, Patch, Anneliese, Dirge, and Thessi stood in the shop, all spoiling for a fight. Lilia, Garnet, and Anneliese menaced Daxius with their crystals and their staffs while Thessi wielded her wand. Dane's sheer size and muscle would cow anyone while Jiro's cool, contained warrior pose hinted at the destruction he could unleash. Patch and Dirge were balls of energy. She didn't see the others or Tulaska, but she guessed that they'd stayed behind to keep the home fires burning and their packs from being attacked. Besides, the two Alphas as well as most of the Cresta magicians were a powerful presence intended to scare the daylights out of Daxius.

It worked.

Stunned by their ambush, Daxius released his grip on the spell and Jude shook free of the ice that coated him, water droplets flying everywhere. Whirling, his hands raised, Daxius muttered, "I was hoping to avoid a confrontation with your packs."

Dane's eyes burned with golden flames. "Then next time don't invade our territory to stalk our Pack Mother."

Patch growled in agreement. "And if you do, try not to stick out like a lady-in-waiting in a frilly dress in a dockside tavern." Supporting his brother, Dirge snarled, his claws out.

Jiro's eyes were scorching red. "An invasion of Evenhide is like intruding in our territory–it will be dealt with accordingly. And you won't like it."

Anneliese's gaze was withering. "Mother said you were in the gutter before you left, Daxius. I see she was right as usual." Thessi just stared at him with disgust.

Daxius turned the color of a new moon. "Ravyn, we're leaving."

He summoned up the teleportation spell–and didn't even manage to make the hand gestures.

Sizzling beams of energy flew from all sides and combined in a single burst of energy from Ravyn and the other witches. Forming into a crackling ball, the spells struck Daxius and knocked him flat. He lay motionless on top of the crystal shards.

Jude pounced on him and straddled him, breathing on him.

Despite the all-consuming fire in her blood, the thirst for revenge, Ravyn's heart softened. She didn't want any harm to come to the man she'd once loved. Was that blood she smelled?

Yes. Red pearls of blood had formed on his lips.

Teeth and claws bristling, Dane, Jiro, Patch, and Dirge all surrounded Jude as he pinned Daxius to the floor. "Don't kill him," Dane growled.

"Are you sure about that?" Jiro's eyes were cold.

With a low snarl, Dane said, "Lilia and Ravyn have been waiting a long time for answers."

Patch grinned with a feral expression. "A dead man can't talk–unfortunately."

Dirge shivered. "You all scare me sometimes."

"We weren't the ones that knocked him flat," Jiro pointed out, looking at Ravyn with pride.

She couldn't answer because she was still catching her breath. She felt as if she wanted to lie down, but her heart hammered in her chest. Emotions swirled inside her, too many to process. Relief … sorrow … triumph … vengeance … anger …

She stared at Daxius and wondered how their love had gotten so twisted that they ended up fighting each other in her shop and dragging the rest of the family into the chaos. She felt humiliated and just wanted to hide in her room.

Dane smirked. "I always knew our mates were more terrifying than we were. Jude, let him up so we can check to see if he's breathing."

Flexing his limbs, Jude climbed off Daxius and shifted back to his human form in all its naked glory. Ravyn shook herself out of her gloom and self-pity, and flew to his side, holding him. "Are you–"

"Unhurt but in need of a warm fire," he answered. "Although I'm starting to get feeling back in my body thanks to you."

D*mn Jiro, Patch, and Garnet for their sharp-eyed stares!

Anneliese knelt beside Daxius, listening to his breathing. "He lives," she said in satisfaction. "Out cold, with a split lip, but he's alive."

"Lucky bastard," Patch growled.

"Not so lucky," Thessi said with a fierceness no one would expect from this delicate-looking, fair wood elf princess.

Jude grunted. "We can heal him, but not now. Let's get him back to Evenhide territory before he wakes up."

Garnet and Jude hauled the unconscious Daxius to his feet. He slumped like a rag doll, his head lolling to one side. "We can be in Cresta House in an instant," Garnet said.

Ravyn shook her head. "I used up a lot of my power. No one's teleporting anywhere until we have some of the energy potions I keep behind the counter."

Avoiding looking at her father, Lilia ran to fetch the box of potions and handed them out to all of the witches before gulping down the pink liquid in her vial. "That should do the trick," she said in an encouraging manner.

Garnet shot sparks from her staff as a test. "She's right. I do feel better."

Patch's eyes were on Daxius. "And for once he's not giving us any trouble."

Anneliese snorted. "Let's not press our luck. Next stop, Cresta House."

"Yes–you should leave."

Melisande marched into the shop with a few of her cronies flanking her like moths fluttering near a roaring fire. All the Cresta shifters and Jude howled sharply.

Ravyn's hackles rose and she stood defiantly. "This is a shifter matter."

"And this is a witch's shop in a witches' city. We'll take Daxius in hand now," Melisande said in her milky-smooth voice. "The Witch Circle thanks you for your cooperation. But if you don't leave now, you'll all face our wrath."