Astrid's Wish (11 page)

There was a loud roar from down the hallway. Klaus turned lightning fast to wrap his body around Astrid’s. He didn’t know what was happening, but protecting Astrid was the most important thing to do.

He peeked over his shoulder to make sure everyone was all right.

What he saw shocked him silent. Abner had Carter pinned to the wall.

Carter had his head tilted to the side, with his neck exposed as Abner sniffed along the sensitive flesh.

Tension was so thick in the air it was almost a living entity in the room. No one moved, as if they knew that simple action might ignite Abner into defending what he considered his. And by the way he was pushed up close to Carter and smelling him so deeply, that left only one possible explanation. Poor Abner was mated to a very selfish witch.

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“Mine,” Abner growled as he started to lick along Carter’s neck where the witch’s pulse beat.

“Dude, I don’t care if we are mates. I belong to no one,” Carter moaned as he pushed at Abner’s wide shoulders. Klaus couldn’t tell if he was trying to climb the large man or get away.

“Abner, you need to put Carter down,” Klaus said to the large man.

“But he’s mine.”

“Once again, I’m nobody’s. Now put me down, you big oaf,”

Carter snapped.

“There’s no reason to be rude, you–you big meanie,” Astrid said.

Astrid stood with his arms crossed over his chest, tapping his foot as he glared up at Carter. Boy did his angel have a temper when provoked.

“Abby, please put him down. I don’t think he likes you smelling him.” Astrid gentled his tone when he spoke to Abner.

Abner set Carter back down to his feet. Reluctantly, he stepped away from his mate. Klaus could see the pain in the large man’s eyes.

To find that one special person, only to be denied had to be heartbreaking, something Klaus almost did to his mate.

“Thanks,” Carter said, never looking in Abner’s direction. “Klaus, is this that witch you had me fly out here to read?”

“Yes, Carter.” Klaus motioned for Astrid to come to him.

Astrid ignored him and went to stand by his friend. “Hey, Abby, it’ll be okay.” Astrid’s small hand encased Abner’s large one.

“If you say so, little man. If you say so.” Abner rubbed a hand through Astrid’s hair as he smiled down at him. He looked longingly one last time in Carter’s direction then spun on his heel and walked out of the room.

“Do you feel nothing?” Klaus asked.

“Me?” He pointed a finger at his chest. “I feel tons of shit, but I’m too young to be saddled with a mate just yet. I need to live a little more, if you know what I mean.” Carter waggled his eyebrows.

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“You’re an insensitive asshole, you know that?” Carlos said from behind Klaus. “Some of us would give anything to find our soul mate, and you’re just going to toss yours away like a piece of garbage?”

“Hey, I didn’t ask for any of this.” Carter waved a hand in the direction Abner left. “By all means, feel free to poach my rejects. I’m all for giving him to you.”

“Carter—” Klaus’s words were cut short by Astrid.

“You don’t deserve Abby. He’s too good for you.” Astrid’s face became flush with anger. “I wish you would just go away!”

“Astrid, no,” Klaus shouted as he spun Astrid around to face him.

“Angel, you can’t make wishes, remember,” he whispered close to Astrid’s ear.

“What the fuck was that?” Carter held his hands in front of him as if to steady himself from a jolt.

“What was what?” Carlos asked as he peered among the men standing in the foyer.

“I think we need to go find a quiet room to discuss some things.”

Klaus caught Trevor’s attention with his eyes. The man stood so still he blended in with the wall. “Trevor, would you please inform Ben and Miles that the past-reader is here, and I’ll be with Astrid the whole time.”

Trevor nodded his understanding and took off. Klaus led the men to the sitting room in the back of the house, where they would have more privacy. After what had just happened, Astrid’s possible fairy blood had been proven, and Carter and Carlos had witnessed it. By council regulations, they would have to report him as such.

* * * *

Abner heard the men talking in the other room. He heard what his mate had said. Carter didn’t want him. He even offered him up to his friend.

Boy, Abner, you got picked a winner.

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He was just about to leave when Trevor came careening around the corner.

“Hey, Abs, you seen Ben or Miles?” Trevor asked as he peeked around him.

“No,” he said as he turned to leave.

“Abner, don’t let what that douche said get to you.” Trevor winked at him. “You can’t run from destiny.”

Abner watched as Trevor jogged down the hallway.
You can’t run
from destiny.
Well, he sure hoped he could because there was no way he wanted to spend an eternity with a man who didn’t want him.

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Astrid followed Klaus down the hallway. He messed up big time by wishing Carter would go away, but he couldn’t regret saying it.

The way Carter treated Abby was unacceptable. Besides Klaus, there wasn’t a greater man than the bear shifter that he knew of.

When he came to live with the Warriors of the Light, the big man took Astrid under his wing, made Astrid feel part of the group, and kept him safe. They were friends, and friends had each other’s backs.

Astrid glared over at Carter. The man looked quite scary with his black attire—well, black everything, actually. Everything he wore was black—shirt, long jacket, pants, and even his boots. The man’s short, spiky hair was black as midnight. All the black made his already-pale skin seem all the whiter if that were possible.

At closer observation, Astrid could see that the man wore makeup.

No big shocker that is was black. He wore the dark eyeliner around his eyes, making them stand out. Carter’s eyes were such a dark shade of blue, they, too, almost appeared black when framed by the black eyeliner and mascara.

“In here, gentlemen.” Klaus opened the door and ushered them to a long wooden table with wingback chairs surrounding it. Astrid took the seat farthest away from Carter. His anger still ran at high levels toward the witch.

“I get that you’re not happy with me, Astrid, but I’m going to have to touch you for this to work,” Carter said to him.

“Uh-uh.” He shook his head. “I might catch your cooties.”

“Seriously? How old are we, twelve?” Carter flopped down onto the chair across from him. “Dude, you’re wasting my time as well as
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everyone else’s. Grow up. Your friend out there is a big boy. I’m sure once he thinks about it, he wouldn’t want me anyway.”

Astrid’s eyes narrowed as he studied Carter. The witch might have been more sophisticated than him, but he knew nothing about people.

It was as if Carter had no feelings whatsoever inside him. The witch, by all accounts, seemed dead inside. What could have caused him to lose faith in the power of love? Love was what saved him. He couldn’t fathom someone denying themselves something given so freely.

“Angel, please work with Carter on this. He will be able to answer questions we can’t.” Klaus knelt beside his chair and grasped Astrid’s hands in his larger ones. “I understand that you’re upset on Abner’s behalf, but we have more important issues to deal with right now.”

Klaus held a finger to his lips when he started to speak. “I’m not saying what Abner is going through isn’t important, but, angel, you’re my world, and we need to get to the bottom of what is going on with you.”

He wanted to climb into Klaus’s lap and never let go. The man always seemed to say the right thing. Astrid turned his hand palm up and squeezed Klaus’s fingers in answer.

“Before we get started, there is something I need to inform you of.” Klaus looked from Carter to Carlos. “If you haven’t already guessed from what just happened out there”—Klaus pointed to the door—“I believe my mate may have fairy blood in him.”

“No fucking way,” Carter whispered. “I knew something wasn’t right when you wished I’d go away. I knew it.” Carter pointed a finger at him.

“Carter, shut the hell up,” Carlos said as he smacked Carter in the back of the head.

“Hey,” Carter whined as he rubbed his head.

“Yes, it would appear my mate has the ability to make wishes. I’m not certain of the extent of his abilities, but you get the gist of it. I would also like to ask for your silence in this matter. We all know the
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history of what happened to the fairy population, and if Astrid is a witch-fairy hybrid, you have to see my concern.”

“That’s absurd.” Carter rolled his eyes. “It’s impossible to crossbreed any paranormal species.”

“That’s what I thought, and that’s why I asked you to come here.

Astrid doesn’t remember much before he was sent to live with Malcolm, so I need you to see what you can find out.”

“Shit, Klaus,” Carlos said. “If this is true, he is one of a kind. This could be very bad.”

“I know.” Klaus reached out to hold his hand. “I need to ask one more favor of you two.” Both men nodded. “If what I suspect is proven, please hold off on reporting him to the council until I know what we are going to do.”

“You have my word,” Carlos agreed immediately.

Carter sat silent for so long, Astrid feared the witch would turn him in to the council before they even got started. “Okay, I give you my word. Now let’s get this thing started. Kid, give me your hands.”

For a fleeting moment he felt a connection to the witch, a sense of understanding, but then he made the “kid” comment. His dislike for the freaky little man flared back up. He didn’t mind his family calling him by the youthful nicknames, but Carter hadn’t earned the right to joke or gently tease him.

“My name is Astrid,” he said as released Klaus’s hand and reached for Carter’s.

“Whatever, dude.” Carter grabbed onto his smaller hands. “Okay, this is how this works. I need you to think back to your earliest memory. From there, I can latch on and go back into your past with you.” Carter shrugged his shoulders. “Think of it like this. You’re my guide through your life. I see what you show me, and sometimes I can tap into more if you open up completely to me. Does that make sense?”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, Carter, the man isn’t brain-dead,” Carlos said, growling at Carter.

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“I’m just making sure he knows what I’m about to do.” Carter turned his attention back to him. “Do you have any questions before we get started?”

“Will this hurt?” Astrid’s voice was just above a whisper.

“Good question, actually,” Carter said as he tapped a finger on his chin. After a few seconds, he spoke. “Not hurt, but you will feel me push at your subconscious. But rest assured, it’s not painful.”

Astrid nodded and laid his hands before him for Carter to take.

Knowing it wouldn’t hurt helped, but he was still frightened about what the other man would see. The past hundred and thirteen years weren’t the greatest, but when he thought back on those years now, they seemed to have passed in a blur like he didn’t exist until he came to live with Miles and the other guys.

Carter grabbed his hands lightly. The feel of his smooth, thin fingers tingled the skin covering Astrid’s hands. It was almost like a jolt of electricity. He bit back his gasp. As if reading his mind, Carter smiled at him.

“When I do this past-reading gig, my touch has a zing to it. It’s normal, sugar. Don’t be afraid.”

He nodded. The kind words coming from the arrogant witch surprisingly eased his nerves. This was Carter’s job, and knowing how protective Klaus was, he didn’t think the man would endanger him, for fear of his mate’s wrath.

“Astrid, close your eyes.” He did so. “I want you to think back to the earliest memory you have.” Carter gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “From there I’ll do the rest.”

With his eyes shut, he thought back as far as he could remember.

What he saw first was the room he’d lived in at his mother’s house.

The cold and unwelcoming room was just as he remembered. Pale-green walls with a bed and a single dresser were the only furnishings in the room. There wasn’t any clutter because he wasn’t allowed to have any toys. The room was lifeless, all but for one small boy sitting on the bed, staring out the window.

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Astrid’s chest tightened when he recognized the little blond-headed boy to be him. He looked so lost and alone as he gazed out the window. He remembered feeling the need to escape and run free like the deer that frolicked in the yard surrounding the house. Oh, how he wanted to get out of that house and leave the woman who he called mother.

His mind jumped to another memory. He stood before Malcolm, resisting the urge to bolt out the door. But he knew if he ran, they would catch him. His mother sat off to the side in a high-backed chair next to the fire.

“He’s all yours, Malcolm.” His mother’s sweet tone made the hairs on his neck stand on end even now. “You know the plan. Treat him as you wish. The meaner the better.” She laughed bitterly.

“Oh, Constance my dear, your evil ways never cease to amaze me,” Malcolm said as he gave Astrid the once-over from head to toe.

“We’ll get him prepared for the coming. Have no fear in that, Constance.”

He watched as Malcolm sat back and continued to stare at his thirteen-year-old self. “Constance my dear, who is this young one’s birth father? He looks so familiar?”

“Malcolm, you know I can’t divulge that information to you. It’s forbidden.”

“Yes, I know, but still, I must say, he is completely stunning.”

Malcolm motioned with his hand. “Come, Lucian, what do you think of our new houseguest?”

As Astrid watched, a cold sweat broke out across his forehead.

The man of his nightmares stood just behind Malcolm, smiling that evil smile of his. This smile of Lucian’s always promised pain for Astrid.