by R. A. Boyd
“You haven’t had sex in three years, Willow,” she said as she shoved the sheet and light blanket from her legs. “You’re going to show him that you want a hug.” And his warm body against hers. “Stop thinking naughty thoughts.”
After slipping her feet into her soft socks, she quietly walked downstairs and stood in front of his door. Like a weirdo.
“He’s probably asleep,” she muttered.
Damn. Maybe she shouldn’t bother him. He did say he was tired. Her knocking on the downstairs guest bedroom where he slept would not be helpful. He needed to rest.
Okay. This was a bad idea.
“I’m not asleep,” his voice said from beyond the closed door. “Come on in.”
Dang. She could run and make him think she was just as crazy as everyone assumed him to be, or she could put on her big girl panties as Audra said, and go hug the man.
Big girl panties it was.
Willow grabbed the doorknob and turned, pushing the dark wood door open.
Holy crap, this was a mistake.
Like a tasty man being offered up to her on a silver, orgasm-promising platter, Ronin lay in bed, dark hair mussed and made to look like ink as the moonlight shined through the open window. The light of the muted television illuminated his bare chest. The strips of muscles that fit over his body were breathtaking. His six-pack rose and fell as he breathed, and his head and wide shoulders were propped up on a pillow. Even lying in bed with the sheets covering him up to his waist, he was all predatory beauty and pure man.
Willow leaned against the frame of the door and crossed her arms over her chest. Damn. She forgot to put on a bra, and her girls were too big to sit up on their own. Too late to be worried about that now. “Just checking on you. Can’t sleep either?” she asked.
He huffed out a laugh and put one arm behind his head, and Sweet Baby Jesus, the muscles that she didn’t have the names for popped out even more as if teasing her.
“No,” he said, a slow smile tugging at his lips. “Couldn’t sleep. I’m fine though. Thanks for checking on me. That means a lot to—”
“Can I lay next to you and give you that hug we talked about earlier?” Stupid mouth. “I know we don’t want Samiyah involved when we touch, but…”
The plan was to be casual about it. What just flew out of her mouth was anything but casual. That was rushed and clumsy. The idea that this must be how mortals felt when they were smitten flitted through her brain. Barf.
Ronin’s eyebrows arched high as he watched her. Was he going to turn her down? That would be embarrassing.
With the grace of a hand model showcasing a brand new car, he swept back the covers and scooted over. Willow glanced back at the door, wondering if coming in here was a huge mistake, but Ronin’s deep voice seemed to ease her soul.
“You can lay on top of the covers if you want. Or I can. I’d never pressure you into anything, Willow.”
Without a second thought, she closed the bedroom door and walked over to the bed. Sitting down on the edge, she took her socks off and pulled her legs up and onto the bed. “Pressure? I’m the one who came in here telling you it was time to hug me.”
She laughed at the idea of bossing Ronin around. He was more than two of her put together, and all muscle.
He pulled the covers up and over her body as she slid into the bed next to him. In a low, grainy voice, he said, “Boss me around. I don’t mind. I might like it.” His whispered words tapered off into a sensual growl, but he cleared his throat as if embarrassed.
“Just wait until I do start bossing you around,” she joked. “I don’t think you’ll like it anymore.”
They both laid stiffly in the bed next to each other, and Willow had the notion that he was just as unsure of what to do as she was. This was supposed to be easy. A hug. A cuddle. In bed?
Willow lifted her head and looked at him. “It may not seem like it, but I swear I’ve hugged people before. Does this seem like a big thing for you? It does to me.”
Ronin nodded and looked at her. “It does. And just so you know, I’ve hugged people too. It’s been a little over a century, but it’s true.” He smiled, and the simple action lit up his handsome face. “Come here.”
He turned on his side, lifting and bending his right arm high up on the pillow. With his head resting in his right hand, Ronin created the perfect spot for her to fit into. He lifted the sheet with his free arm, inviting her into his embrace.
Willow waggled her eyebrows and looked down the length of his body. “Is that space for me to snuggle into?”
“All yours,” he answered.
She moved in closer and nestled her head on his bent arm and draped her arm over his warm waist. The feel of goosebumps erupting along his skin tickled Willows’ arm as she got comfortable. Ronin sighed as she pulled her leg up and intertwined them with his.
As he curled himself around her body, Willow snuggled in deeper and took in a breath.
“I love your scent,” he whispered against the top of her hair.
The warmth of his large body comforted her and chased away the evil butterflies in her stomach that made her nervous. “What do I smell like?” she asked.
His fingers brushed against her back as he spoke. “Maple syrup after its been cooking all day. The ancient winds of the sky I used to soar through when I had wings.”
Willow lifted her head and looked up at him. “My sense of smell isn’t like shifters, but I’ve heard the Ghosts say that all angel born smell like the sky. I wish I knew what that smelled like. I can’t remember.” Her voice softened as she tried to remember what it was like to fly.
“One day, when I’m worthy of your trust, I’ll show you,” Ronin said.
Why would he need her trust to show her what it was like?
The thought to tell him that she did trust him skirted through her mind, but she wouldn’t dishonor what they were building with lies. She didn’t not trust him, she just couldn’t wait until he was free of Samiyah.
Willow put her head back on the bed of his elbow. “I can’t wait.”
“But, I can tell you this,” he said, taking a deep breath. “Imagine being at the top of the tallest tree in mid-Autumn, and the wind is just blowing all around you, making the trees look like they’re waving. The air is crisp and cold, and the scent of newly fallen leaves kisses your face. You take a deep breath right before the wind calms down and you just know it’s going to rain soon. That’s what it smells like. That’s what you smell like.”
That sounded beautiful. Just for a moment, Willow could imagine what it was like. But maybe, just maybe, laying here in Ronin’s arms was better than that.
Before long, the sound of Ronin’s evenly-timed breaths played like a pendulum in her ears and against her skin. It was comforting and hypnotic, and just what she needed to lull her to sleep. She tried to stay away longer to bask in the peace he’d surrounded her in, but she was too tired.
Slowly, Ronin leaned his head down and brushed his lips against her temple. Even while he slept, he managed to adore her.
Every question in her mind floated away as she fell asleep in the arms of her mate.
◆◆◆
A ringing doorbell bleeped over and over in the distance.
“I think someone’s at the door,” Ronin muttered, sleep laden voice sounding raspy and sexy as hell. “I’ll get it.”
The doorbell rang again and again, time after time like someone was leaning on the damn thing and would let up until someone answered the door.
The doorbell. Shit!
Panic erupted in Willow’s chest as she sat up and crawled to the edge of the bed. “It’s a spell. It lets us know when we have unwelcomed guests, and from the sound of it, we have a lot of them. At least twenty.”
“It’s them,” Ronin said between gritted teeth. “It’s the Rogues. I think they're coming to get me.” He grabbed a pair of black sweatpants that were draped over a chair in the corner of the room. “Will this bracelet stay on if I fight?�
� He held his arm up and shook the bracelet.
No. Willow wouldn’t let him fight. They needed to keep him protected until she was able to rid his body of Samiyah.
“It’ll stay on, but you’re not taking part in this. I’m sealing the house to keep you inside and keep them out.”
Anger slashed across his face as he punched one leg into the pants. He almost fell over but then righted himself. “Fuck that. I’m not going to let those psychos hurt anyone here. Not if I can help it.”
How could he not understand how vital his safety was? If the Rogues managed to bypass her and the Ghost shifters and take Ronin, they might never get him back.
Willow bit the tip of her tongue, and it hurt worse than being shoved by Audra. Almost. The taste of iron passed over her taste buds. She swiped her finger across her tongue and held her hands in the air. “Signa meo sanguine. Defendere per voluntatem.” The tingling sensation of the spell taking hold raced down her spine. “You aren’t going anywhere. They can’t get in, and you can’t get out. Only I can break the spell.”
Anger flashed in Ronin’s eyes as they reflected in the dim light of the television. They grew lighter with each passing second until they simmered like the midday sky after a storm. “I know you don’t trust me, but I can help. I won’t betray my family. I would never betray you.”
She wanted to kiss the look of rejection from his face, but they didn’t have time for this. “I know. And I’m starting to trust you, I think. But this has nothing to do with your allegiance. If they get you, if they get Samiyah, we will be right back where we started. Samiyah is a powerfully trained witch in the body of one of the most formidable shifters on this planet. You want to help your family? Don’t get caught. Stay here. Be safe. I have to go.”
Understanding appeared in his eyes as they bled back to that beautiful chocolate color she was starting to adore. He nodded once, and when she went to run from the room, he grabbed her hand.
His thumb rubbed a tight circle around her wrist, and when he looked at her, he seemed grateful and apologetic at the same time. “I’m sorry I’ve caused this, Willow. Be careful.”
She fought the urge to stand up on her toes and kiss his lips. “I will be. Don’t worry if anyone tries to get through that door… just don’t worry.”
Willow ran to the laundry room and grabbed a pair of leggings and her sneakers. She wondered the entire time she put on her clothes how many Rogues were there to attack them. Were they here for Ronin, or was this some other plan where they thought they could get the upper hand? They’d find out soon enough.
Crouching and looking around the perimeter of the houses, Willow ran from the door and straight to the back of Audra and Zeke’s house. She closed her eyes to sense if they were still inside.
The house was empty. They must have already made it to Paige and Aiden’s house. That was always the plan. If anything happened and their community was under attack, everyone would meet at Paige and Aiden’s. Their home was directly in the center of the rest of all the houses. It wasn’t far, but Willow could already hear the sounds of footfalls getting closer.
Carefully as to not make too much noise, Willow stood up to see what direction the Rogues were coming from. She couldn’t see anything at first. Damn-it, she should have worn her heels. Her five foot three height made it difficult to see over the line of bushes that lined the border of the fence.
Looking across the short walkway toward her intended destination, Willow said a few quiet words and wrapped a cloaking spell around herself, making her invisible. Thankful for her sneakers, even though she still couldn’t see over the bushes, Willow ran to the back of Aiden and Paige’s house.
“Quiet,” a voice spoke off to her right. “No one’s moving. Get everyone in position.”
The Rogues.
Willow stopped moving and settled behind Jax’s truck that sat quietly in the driveway of the house he shared with Damon and Cass. One more house to go, and she would be where she needed to be.
Eight men crouched about ten feet in front of her. Another eight or more were stooping across the street behind the hedges that lined the perimeter of the empty houses.
Willow stared at the man who quietly spoke. His eyes glowed yellow, and his thin lips were lifted in a snarl. Short reddish-brown hair was cut close to his head, and his tanned skin looked covered in tattoos. Willow fought the desire to blast his ass back to where ever the fuck he and his dumb ass friends came from, but she needed to make sure her friends were where they needed to be. She didn’t want to make a mistake and hurt one of them.
She tightened the spell around her and quietly took a few steps.
“We get Ronin. Storm the building right up there,” he said, pointing in the general direction of the community hall where the Ghosts often gathered. “Remus said they’re most likely holding him in a cell beneath that building,” the man ground out, broad shoulders widening as he inhaled deeply. “I can scent him. Kill as many Ghosts as you can.”
A man next to him pulled out a gun that had a cartridge full of bullets filled with Heaven’s Flame.
Shit. The Ghosts couldn’t fight these cowards. They would be incapacitated as soon as they were hit with Heaven’s Flame. It was poisonous to all angels. Fallen and current angels alike. Willow knew that the Ghost shifters could jog through a hail of bullets with smiles on their faces, but one hit with one of those bullets would put them down until the Flame was extracted. Or until one of the Rogues got close enough to behead them and take out their heart. Willow knew without a shadow of a doubt that none of her friends here would face the final death. She’d kill every single one of these bastards to ensure the Ghost shifter’s safety.
As she moved closer to the back door of the house, Willow passed by more and more Rogues. Their numbers were frightening, and they all had a gun with Heaven’s Flame.
They came here to kill the Ghost shifters.
Willow finally got to the back door, and when she went inside, she came face to face with all the Ghosts who lived in New Rose.
“We have a problem,” she said, walking toward Jax and Damon.
Jax’s eyes glowed bright as the summer sun, and it was hard to look him in the eyes. “No problem. We kill them all. They came here. We will defend our territory.”
“No,” Willow said, looking to Damon and Cass. “They all have guns with Heaven’s Flame.” She took a deep, shuddering breath and shook her head. “They are here to kill us and to get Ronin. Hand to hand fighting isn’t going to work.”
“Guns?” Damon spat out. “What kind of shifter uses a fucking gun? God damned cowards.”
“The kind who know we can kill them without even trying,” Simon muttered. “Fucking dipshits.”
Tension filled the room as quiet mummers started. Everyone offered ideas and solutions.
“Are the kids safe?” Willow asked Zeke.
He stood next to Audra, who looked as crazed as the day they’d met. She was muttering something low as Riley tried to calm her down.
Zeke rubbed Audra’s shoulders. “Yeah. Emma and Charlie are with Liv and Lily. I put a protective spell around the house to kill anyone who is not one of us. And a sound-dampening spell. Lily and Liv don’t need to hear us fighting for our fucking lives. Ronin?”
Willow sniffed and gave a stiff nod. “Yeah. I sealed him in as well.” She filled her cheeks with air and chewed on her lips. “I heard some of the men talking. They’re here for Ronin. And to kill us.”
Paige walked over to where she stood with a pissed-off looking Aiden. “I’m going to shift, fly out of here, and get help. I’ll go to the Gold Wing Raven shifters. I know they’ll do all they can to help us fight.”
“No,” Willow forced out. “They’ll be killed. Probably shot on sight.”
What the hell were they going to do?
They’d taken precautions to alert them of any intruders, and knew they would fight to the death if anyone came here. But they’d yet to come up with a plan to go against a gr
oup of people armed with Heaven’s Flame. The topic had been broached, but they had yet to come up with a solution.
“I’ve got an idea,” Zeke said, pulling a sheet of paper from his back pocket. “I haven’t worked it out yet, and I’d need everyone’s blood, but maybe we can strengthen the wards like the ones they have at the Salvatore clan. Make everyone who doesn’t belong here sick or scared or whatever the fuck. It’s a work in progress.”
Willow took the paper from Zeke and looked over the spell. It was a good one. They didn’t have everything they needed to make it stick, but maybe they could set it up to expel anyone who didn’t belong in their community tonight.
Paige sucked in a breath and shook her head. “What about the others who aren’t here? We can’t get their blood. Not now.”
“They are sealed in houses with powerful spells set by us,” Zeke said. He scrubbed his hands down his face and sucked his teeth. “As long as they stay within the sanctuary of the spell, they’ll be safe. We just have to fix it once this is over. Come on, Paige. We need your magic too.”
She shook her head and took a step back. “I’m not strong enough.”
Slowly, Willow closed her eyes and shook her head. “Stop doubting yourself. You’ll get there. But you can do this. Zeke and I are doing this with you. There are at least thirty shifters out there with weapons that kill angels. This spell will help us make it through the night.”
No matter how much Willow reassured her every time they practiced magic, Paige believed that she would never be the witch she wanted to be. Yes, she was half shifter and half witch, but she had the potential to be so much better than she could possibly imagine. They’d already come to the conclusion that her shifter abilities allowed her natural magic to come from the earth. And that’s exactly what they needed.
Willow chewed on her lips as she tried to imagine what Paige had gone through. Samiyah, or Uncle Sam as he’d pretended to be to her, stripped her of her power of premonition and her memory when she was a teenager. He’d used Paige as a pawn in his game of revenge against the Ghost shifters. Samiyah killed her grandfather to get to her grandmother. Once he had found out Paige was destined to be a mate of a Ghost shifter, he’d killed her parents to keep Paige to himself. Through years of passive-aggressive abuse, he’d taught Paige to doubt herself and to fear shifters.
