The sweater I pulled out of thin air was bright blue, the same color as his deliciously sensual eyes.
At least he was now covered, though he still looked good enough to eat.
Instead of continuing to advance on me, he stopped and looked down at himself, before meeting my gaze again. He smirked, as though he knew why I wanted him covered from head to toe.
I ignored the smirk and turned to the cobblestone path that led back to the small town where our coven resided. “I’m going home,” I said over my shoulder, curious about their business in this area and still unsettled by their presence. “Come on, then.”
“The dark-haired one’s smirk disappeared. “You’ll take us to your coven?”
“Of course. The high warlock will want to see you. Follow me.”
I gestured them forward and began walking. I decided I would take them to the high warlock immediately, though I would probably get a serve for exploring in the forest on my own.
This is why they tell you not to walk off at night by yourself.
“Ah, no. We’re not going anywhere with you.” The big one crossed his arms and planted his feet in the dirt, glaring at me. “Not unless you tell us what we’ll be heading into.”
I laughed, feigning amusement at his antics, though my stomach was in knots. I had to maintain the illusion that I wasn’t afraid of them, and that I knew what they were capable of and had already dismissed them as not threatening.
Both of those things were completely untrue. I was fighting hard not to let the trembling in my limbs show.
“You don’t have a choice,” I said, meeting his gaze. I could tell he was in charge, and if I could get the bigger one to cooperate, the smaller guy would follow suit. “I couldmakeyou come with me. But out of respect, I’m willing to let you walk.”
I let them mull that one over for a few seconds. It would take every bit of magic I had left, and I’d probably be laid out all day tomorrow in payment for the power I’d need to draw down, but I’d do it if I had to.
When they glanced at each other, but still made no move to follow me, I threw up my hands. “Okay, then. Handcuffs and magic it is.”
“No,” the smaller guy said, eyeing my raised hands. “You don’t need to cuff us. I’m Kyle. This is Xander. We’re here to find a witch who knows our Alpha. We’re just wary of going with you, when we don’t know anything about you, or your coven.”
I shrugged at him, though my heart began to pound. No witch in my coven would have anything to do with wolf shifters. And if she did, she wouldn’t be welcome in the coven any longer.
“Thank you for introducing yourselves, Kyle.” I lifted an eyebrow. “But you still need to come with me. You’re in coven territory here, and the high warlock will want to see you. The question is, are you going to come with me willingly? Or am I going to have to make you?”
“We’ll come,” he said, and hurried across the clearing to stand a few feet from me.
I took a step back and yet somehow my body seemed to lean into him, all at the same time. He smelledamazing. Like a hot, sexy, woodsy man.
“Xander.” Kyle glanced over his shoulder. “Come on.”
I grinned at the slightly exasperated tone. These two seemed to have a brotherly camaraderie that hinted at a long-term friendship.
“Fine,” Xander, said at last. He released a sigh, then stalked across the space until he stood next to Kyle.
The closer Xander got to me, the faster my heart pounded. I turned away from them both and scurried up the path toward home.
It was only about nine-thirty p.m., so everyone should still be awake. Everyone except the youngest children, of course.
When we reached the magic veil that hid our coven town from prying eyes, I took a breath. Was I going to get into more trouble for this, or less?
We weren’t meant to bring strangers beyond the veil, but we also weren’t meant to be discovered by wolf shifters, roaming in the woods.
It seemed stupid to let them go. It could be dangerous for us, to have them roaming so close to the veil. It was also strangely impossible for me to face the idea of letting them go at this point. I wasn’t sure why. But I wasn’t going to walk away and leave them. Not even if it meant I would get into trouble for wandering alone.
“Come on,” I said, pushing aside the magic veil like a curtain, and holding it open for the men to walk through. “Just mind your head. And if you feel a touch of dizziness as you pass through, don’t worry about it. The sensation will dissipate in seconds.”
Kyle walked up to me, and I held my breath as he ducked his head and passed through. A hot flush rushed over my face.
When Xander stepped up, I went up on my toes to lift the veil as high as possible to accommodate his height. A wave of desire raced from the tips of my toes all the way up to my head.