Chapter 4: Magic's Mate

"She wasn't the lawyer we expected?" Josh Rayburn asked as he piled fresh logs into the pit, preparing for Bull Creek's weekly bonfire. "Then who is she?"

Dimitri stood, his hands in his back pockets as he stared back in the direction of the cabin he had just left, as if he could see the structure through the woods. "The scent of Draven Falls still clung to her, so my guess is she's been sent by the Paranormal Council to help us somehow. Of course, it would be nice if someone had told me they sent the woman and how she's exactly supposed to help us." He smiled, as he recalled how confident the newcomer seemed when she faced him from her car, feisty and confident. She was a small woman in height, but her mouth more than made up for her size. Her long, dark hair framed her oval face, bringing out the deep blue of her eyes. Her curves had made him want to shift his cock in his pants, as he swallowed her with his gaze, knowing he already showed signs of arousal. His animal practically growled at the sight of her, as she shoved her way out of her car and toward him, undaunted and determined. He may not know her name, but he knew her: strong, focused, and cheeky. She was definitely going to be a fun addition to their little community. "And, to be honest, I'm not even sure a lawyer's coming. Doing things the legal way just isn't Bane's style."

Josh stood, staring at Dimitri. "Draven Falls, huh? Good to know we still have friends there."

Dimitri turned and smiled. "The Paranormal Council helped establish Bull Creek. Of course, we still have friends there. The coyotes, however, are not friends. Mangy pack of…" He took a deep breath. "They're as bad as hyenas and jackals, but they won't worm their way into our territory, bringing their prejudice against humans with them. Bull Creek is a safe haven, and I'm determined it'll remain that way, a sanctuary for any who needs one. We've worked too hard to protect this area, opening it up to people who need a home. I'm not giving it over to some scavengers to come in and muck it all up."

Josh nodded. "I agree, but Bane Kastner is a sneaky son of a bitch. If he's set his sights on this land, he's not going to let go easily."

Dimitri nodded. He couldn't argue with what Josh said. "Still, easy or not, he's not taking over this land without a major fight. People need Bull Creek. What they don't need is the hatred of old school shifters." More than that, however, Dimitri needed this safe haven. It gave him a purpose. These people gave him a purpose.

"Are you going to help me build this fire or are you just going to stand there staring at the new woman's cabin while making speeches I've already heard?" Josh laughed, as he reached for more firewood. He paused before tossing it onto the pile. "So, what's she like?"

Dimitri turned at the waist, his feet still facing the cabin, his brows bunched in confusion. "What's who like?"

"What's who like?" Josh repeated as he rolled his eyes. "The new lady. The one who wouldn't give you her name? You know, the one who almost ran our asses over on the main road, while we patrolled the area?"

"Almost ran your slow ass over, you mean," Dimitri said with a chuckle, as he turned and picked up a log. "And she's cute, with curves in all the right places, and a mouth that can cut you with its snark." He glanced back at the cabin. "Of course, she also had a scent of sadness about her as well. Like she was recently hurt or something." He turned, as he heard wood thunking against wood.

Josh just shook his head. "Here it goes. Dimitri the heart doctor."

"Aren't we all heart doctors here? That's kind of the purpose behind Bull Creek." Dimitri tossed a log onto the pile, which was beginning to be as tall as Josh. "If the Paranormal Council sent her, there must be a reason, something our new resident can offer as well as something she needs."

"They sent a woman to aid the alpha of Bull Creek," Josh said with a laugh. "I think someone might be doing a little matchmaking." Then Josh cocked his head to the side as he asked, "Shifter?"

"Not a shifter. I didn't smell it on her. Not a vampire, either."

"Witch? Elf? Retired school teacher?"

Dimitri laughed, reaching for another log. "I guess we'll find out soon enough. I told her I'd pick her up and escort her to the bonfire."

"Such a noble beast, you are," Josh chuckled. After throwing one more log on the pile, he turned and grabbed a towel to wipe his sweaty brow. Florida heat was horrendous. "Remind me why we're having a bonfire again? I mean, it's ninety-eight frickin' degrees out here."

Dimitri shrugged. "Brings the community together. We need to keep close until Bane and his coyotes are dealt with."

"And a party in an air-conditioned house wouldn't have done the same thing?"

"Nah. Bonfires have a certain feel to them. I want that."

"Just make sure you have the beer and smores. Otherwise, I'm going back to my place where it's cool. And I have cable."

Dimitri shot his friend a grin. "But all the available women will be here."

Josh made a dramatic sigh. "Damn it. You can be so cruel at times, you know that?"

"Just didn't want you making a poor decision, that's all. You know, looking out for you. Besides, Alanna will be here, and I know you wouldn't want to miss her, not with the way you two have been sniffing around each other over the past few months." Alanna Bradbury was Bull Creek's resident wolf, and she and Josh had been panting after each other likes mates denied since they met.

"What would I do without you?"

Dimitri shrugged. "Stay home with a beer in one hand and your cock in the other, more than likely."

"My savior," Josh said with a laugh.

"Just be here on time."

They finished piling the wood in a giant tee-pee shape before calling it an afternoon and returning to their homes to get ready for the evening. Dimitri walked the dusty road, taking in the homes and cabins he passed along the way, each filled with a hurting soul, a drifter looking for an escape from the outside world. Each person had their reasons for being there. Some they shared; some they kept to themselves, tucked down into the hidden recesses of their minds. Dimitri never pushed for reasons as to why people arrived in Bull Creek. He just offered them a place to stay and helped them integrate into the community. Everyone belonged who wanted a place, a home, as long as they abided by the rules, his rules. There weren't many, and they only existed to protect the community, his community.

Dimitri knew he felt possessive about Bull Creek more so than normal lately, but that was why the Paranormal Council back in Draven Falls sent him down here a year ago. They knew he would make it personal when he stood against his parents and their purity of pack mentality. His older brother got trapped by their parents' beliefs, and Isaac had been miserable ever since. Dimitri was sick of the prejudice coming from paranormals and humans alike. Bull Creek was founded as a safe haven against such hate-filled viewpoints, and he would be damned if someone like Bane would come in and wreak havoc on what Dimitri had built.

His thoughts shifted from all the residents in Bull Creek to just one in particular. One of the facts Dimitri had kept from Josh was that Dimitri had also scented magic when he was near the new arrival. A witch. Perhaps that was the real reason the Paranormal Council sent her, knowing what Dimitri was up against. He welcomed any help that ran Bane off.

However, that wasn't the only thing he didn't share with Josh. Dimitri also kept quiet about the fact that his panther went crazy at the sight of the witch, making it hard for him to keep his cock hidden as he interrogated her. Some interrogation it turned out to be, too. Whoever she was, she was spunky, and he liked spunky. She would be fun getting to know if he could calm his panther down long enough to wait. His animal wanted to take her right then, bend her over the hood of her car, and plow his cock into her. Now, he wondered if he should have offered that to her as a welcome basket.

"Dimitri!" Turning, he saw Sheriff Einstein driving toward him, his arm outside his window, waving Dimitri down.

Dimitri stopped walking, glancing around to see if anyone else was near. Sheriff Einstein eased his car up next to him until they were side by side. "Chet, what's up? My sister driving you crazy, yet?" As soon as Dimitri set up shop in Bull Creek, his younger sister, Lainie, followed, taking a job with the sheriff's department, giving Chet Einstein a shifter perspective on crime.

"Nah, she's pretty good at keeping me on my toes," the sheriff chuckled. "I just thought you should know, Bane's over at Everglades in Holopaw, and he's gathering more of his coyotes around him. Of course, they're all drinking and shooting off their mouths about their plans for Bull Creek and the kitty cats they plan on skinning. Their words, not mine."

Dimitri glanced up into the sky, as he took a deep breath. Great. He glanced back at the sheriff. "Thanks for telling me, sheriff. I appreciate it." He'd have some of the other shifters patrol the area, keeping their noses to the ground for coyotes.

"No worries. I hate people like Bane." Chet shook his head. "I know you have that bonfire tonight, and I thought you might need to be on your toes. A pack of drunken coyotes could very well lead to trouble. I'll make a few passes, try and keep an eye on things. I'll even have my deputies do some extra sweeps."

Dimitri nodded. "Thanks. Hopefully, Bane and his thugs will stay in Holopaw."

"Hopefully." The sheriff said his goodbyes and drove off.

Dimitri watched as the sheriff disappeared, his tires kicking up more road dust as he drove away. Dimitri doubted Bane and his pack would stay in Holopaw and leave Bull Creek alone. The man itched to take over the small community, driving the humans out. Surely, however, he wouldn't do it the old-fashioned way, with brute force. Would he? Dimitri's hope when he came to Bull Creek was that it would get him away from shifter prejudice on all sides. That wasn't the case, however. He took a deep breath. Hatred existed everywhere. There was plenty of land in Florida, so why was Bane trying to move his pack into Bull Creek? What was here that he wanted, besides his disgust of humans? Dimitri wished he knew.