Taking on Tory(29)

She blinked several times as she tried to figure out what had woken her. A loud, but familiar, growl pulled her upright in bed. She scrambled over the side, half sliding, half falling as she tried to get to the window to see if she was imagining things.

A low cry escaped her when she saw her brother and Simon locked in battle. She was unable to move until she saw Simon throw Alexandru off of him. Turning away from the window, she rushed for the door.

Practically flying down the stairs, she waved her hand at the front door to open it. She growled in frustration when the front door opened, but the screen door didn’t. She royally sucked at magic.

Pushing the screen door impatiently to the side, she watched in horror as Alexandru turned on Youssef who was trying to help Simon. The sound of breaking bones and Youssef’s pain-filled cry echoed through the air.

“Stop!” Tory screamed in horror. “Nonny! Help! Alexandru, Simon stop!”

Alexandru ignored Tory’s cry. Unsure of what to do, Tory’s hands rose in the air. A long forgotten spell she had made up slipped from her lips. Her eyes widened as Alexandru, already in motion, disappeared into the dark hole she had created. The moment he passed through it, it closed around him.

“Simon,” Tory whispered, staring at the huge white and gray wolf. “Oh, Simon.”

Tory turned as the door opened behind her. Nonny stepped out onto the porch along with Aura. Both women hurried down the steps to where Youssef lay motionless.

“Tory,” Simon’s choked voice whispered.

Her head turned back to where Simon now stood instead of the white and gray wolf. Blood ran down along his neck and coursed over his bare shoulder. She could see a dark discoloration spread around his ribs on the left side.

Tears glittered in her eyes as he took a stumbling step toward her. She rushed down the steps as he sank to his knees in the red dust. Her hands reached out to touch him.

“Oh Simon,” Tory whispered as she frantically brushed her fingers over his cheeks. “Where are you hurt?”

“My ribs,” he breathed heavily. “I think a few of them are cracked. Give me a minute… to heal.”

Tory caught him in her arms as he fell forward. She carefully rolled him over onto his back. She mumbled a healing chant under her breath. She wasn’t very good with magic, but she was pretty damn good at healing.

She glanced up at Simon’s face to see how much pain he was in. Her breath caught as she saw the tears glistening in them. She caressed his cheek with trembling fingers.

“It will be alright,” she whispered as she brushed the dirt from his face. “Everything will be alright.”

Simon’s hand raised and he captured her hand in his own. He pulled her fingers to his lips and pressed a tender kiss to them before pulling it down to his chest. His eyes remained locked on her face as he started to talk.

“I love you, Tory,” he whispered. “I love you so very much. I knew before he took you that I loved you. I can’t let you go.”

Tory smiled down at him. “You silly Werewolf, whoever said I’d let you? I love you, too, Simon. You just knocked the stuffing out of me. I was coming to get you back as soon as I could.”

“Tory!”

Tory looked up as her mom and dad suddenly appeared. A reassuring smile lit her face as she stared up at her dad’s look of apprehension. She turned back to Simon when he suddenly sat up, wincing slightly as his still healing body protested the sudden movement.

He stared back at her father who was hurrying toward them. Her dad, seeing Simon’s unclothed state, muttered a quick spell. A pair of loose fitting trousers and dark blue T-shirt suddenly clothed Simon.

“Daddy, this is Simon Drayton. He’s a Werewolf and he is all mine,” Tory said as she and Simon rose to their feet. “I love him, daddy.”

Charlie stared at the huge Werewolf standing protectively over his little girl. For a moment, he remembered a time not so long ago when he had stood over Sophie and stared down her father much the same way.

Sophie had been right. It had been time to let his little girl spread her wings. His lip twitched as he noticed the possessive arm around Tory’s waist. He also wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t a grandfather in less than nine months.

“Tory, where’s Alexandru?” Sophie asked as she walked back from where Nonny and Aura were talking with a dazed, but healed Youssef.

“Uh-oh,” Tory whispered with wide eyes.

“Oh dear,” Sophie sighed. “You cast your far, far away spell, didn’t you?”

“He was hurting Simon,” Tory replied, defensively. “I’m sorry, mom.”

Charles laughed and wrapped his arm around his beautiful wife. “Well, it’s a good thing he knows magic, isn’t it? Let’s go inside. Simon, tell me a little about yourself, son.”