Snowy With A Chance 0f Mating (Move Over Fate Book 3)

by Michelle Ziegler

  "Marci. Look at me. Do you know what being mine would mean?"

  His. In his arms she was safe. Her magic danced along with him as if he was the piper. The wandering in her soul stopped as she blinked away the last of the forest's magic. Taking in the deep green of his eyes glowing against the iridescence of the forest, no more questions remained.

  "Yes. I do. I would be yours, and you would be mine. Forever."

  This time he blinked. "Is the forest getting to you too?" Marci asked. Sending up a prayer to anyone that would listen, she hoped it wasn't. She needed him.

  Shaking his head, he said, "No. It doesn't affect me. Not like it affects you."

  A wind blew around them. The forest dimmed for a moment, or maybe it was her imagination.

  "Do you trust me?" He didn't look away from her.

  She nodded. "Yes. I trust you. I love you."

  She liked the way his lips pulled up at the edge as he let a smile out.

  "I'll love you, Marci, for as long as my heart beats and after."

  The cobwebs of magic in her head evaporated with his words.

  "I'm done living for anyone else. I'm living for me, and for what I want," Marci said.

  He pulled her to him, the heat of his body feeding her need.

  "And what do you want?" he asked.

  She smiled for the first time since entering this place. "You."

  "Save her, shifter." The words a whisper in the air.

  Before she could ask if the words were real, his mouth was against hers and the world around her no longer mattered.

  Her body ached for his touch, ached for his taste. She ran her hands along the ridges of his back, the muscles solid beneath her fingers.

  A heat raged through her, a fire burning hotter with each kiss. His lips trailed along her jawline, a tingle of magic wherever Caleb touched her. She shivered as he whispered in her ear.

  "Be mine forever?"

  "Yes." She breathed out.

  The need within her pooled between her legs. An ache running along her body begged for him.

  She pulled her own hands back and began to yank at her nightshirt. This wasn't her, and she didn't care. Everything in her needed Caleb.

  He growled as she pulled up her nightshirt. Marci gasped as his teeth nibbled on her breast, moaning against the delicious pain and pleasure.

  Finally, she freed herself from the cotton prison.

  Gripping his head, she pulled him to her face.

  Pushing against him, they stopped as his back met a tree.

  Pressing her body against him, knowing every point he touched brought relief from the burning pain.

  She grabbed his naked dick, hard, ready, and wanting her. He was hers. Stroking him up and down, she watched as the veins in his neck popped as he restrained himself. His hand trailed down her bare skin down, down, cupping her over her wet panties.

  "Take me," she said.

  He hissed out the word, "Mine."

  Her body shivered at the possession in his voice, the deep tones of need, want, power.

  She pulled at him, stroking him until his breathing met hers.

  "Make room for me," he commanded.

  His hand slid beneath the cotton panties, his fingers sliding between her folds where he started to stroke against her sensitive nub.

  She whimpered as he stroked her, sliding along the sensitive skin until he stopped at her entrance and slowly slid a finger into her. Her breath shuddered.

  One more stroke and his finger retreated. He yanked at her underwear, the thin fabric ripping with ease.

  "Now. Please."

  He gripped her behind the thighs and lifted her. His lips mashed against hers as she wrapped her arms around his neck. The world slowed down as he lowered her to the ground -- the weight of him on top of her everything she needed.

  He pushed her thigh with his knee as he readied her for him. Her body willing, she would always want this. Him. Forever.

  Forever.

  He pushed forward as her body stretched around him.

  A gasp left her lips as he pushed further and further, his eyes never leaving hers.

  Arching her back she rocked against him, inviting him deeper.

  Matching her rhythm, he met her thrust for thrust between every kiss.

  She pulled air in ragged breaths the higher he brought her. Everything started to tingle, her body electrified, energy filling up an invisible jar reaching the top slowly, rhythmically.

  Her fingers dug into his back as she wrapped her legs around him.

  "More," she said.

  A coil within her began tightening down as he drew her into his will harder, closer, tighter, faster.

  Magic she couldn't understand filled her. Her pulse rose. Too much, not enough, her world started to shatter as he pushed in one more time. An odd foreign burn started at her shoulder as her body released and the pleasure exploded within her.

  She shuddered and submitted to him. Giving him as much as he wanted, taking what she needed.

  * * *

  Light filtered through the dense canopy as she slowly opened her eyes. Her first deep breath came easily; she breathed again and again freely. Sounds of fluttering and a bird call she'd never heard before filled her ears.

  How had she missed the beauty of the forest before? Was it morning? Sniffing the air, it reminded her of sweet honey. The fear she'd known evaporated.

  Caleb's even breathing calmed her while they lay on the soft forest floor. She wiggled her fingers against his thigh, his bare skin eliciting memories

  Sucking in a breath, she tried to stifle a smile. She trailed her fingers along an invisible line of his inner thigh.

  "Don't." He gripped her hand and stopped her before she could start something new.

  "We need to find that human of yours and leave."

  Marci sat frozen. She'd forgotten why she'd come here until now.

  "Shit. Jeff. Where is he? I forgot all about him." Leaning on her elbow, she glanced around.

  "He isn't going to be right here. They wouldn't hand him over that easy."

  "No. I mean, right. But, do you see my nightgown anywhere? Or a leaf or something?"

  Caleb yawned. "They probably took it."

  A chill chased up her spine. "Who's they?"

  "The Pixies. The deal was we could have him after..."

  Why did everything seem to have some kind of underlying strings attached?

  "After what, Caleb?"

  She followed his eyes to her shoulder. "After you mated me?"

  Life sucked. The air, suddenly heavy, didn't seem to want to fit down her throat.

  "You didn't mate me because you love me? I thought - I thought that you had to love the person."

  He hung his head.

  "You don't want me?"

  He jerked his head back to see her. "What? No. I mean yes. I mean I want you. This," he gestured between them. "Mating doesn't work unless we're meant to be."

  Meant to be. What did that even mean?

  "That's not what I asked. Did you mate me because you wanted to or not?"

  His mouth opened and closed.

  "Forget it. Let's go find Jeff." She sprung up, ignoring her nudity, and headed into the forest. Methodically she tried to breathe through the weight on her chest. She could smell the magic in the air, but this time it didn't seep into her skin, her bones, and intoxicate her. She pushed the threads of her magic.

  "Marci, wait."

  Nope. Ignoring Caleb, she enjoyed seeing her magic work again. Relief that this time she could find Jeff and get out of here, on her own. The issue was she could still feel Caleb behind her. Every nerve within her knew he was following. She knew he was there and would be there, even without looking at him.

  Great. All the happy couples she'd ever worked with, any marriages matched for love, none had ever mentioned this part. She'd traded her life in for a leash. Her eyes burned.

  "Marci, please stop. I can't live without you. I've been trying to hold b
ack since we met."

  Focusing on her magic, she tried to block out the tightness in her chest, her hand absently rubbing where her heart beat, broken.

  "Go away, Caleb. I'll find him. Go away."

  "Marci. Stop. Please stop."

  Her feet picked up speed as her magic sprang to life the closer she came to Jeff. If he wouldn't have come, she wouldn't even be in this mess. God, she'd love to tell him to fuck off.

  "Marci, stop."

  Her feet pushed her further following her instinct. She wanted to get away from Caleb, wanted to kill Jeff, and at some point, she just wanted to be alone.

  The magic started to thin as she stepped into a clearing. Mossy trees lined the edges, but only free moss cushioned the clearing. Pink specks of flowers broke the monotone. The magic stopped short of the center as she spotted Jeff.

  A tear found its way down her cheek as she realized that her dreams lay broken around the warlock laying motionless. Why couldn't she leave the last piece of her life alone. Even here, here mother ruined her life? Only this time, what if she wasn't strong enough?

  "Please don't cry, Marci." Caleb came up next to her, the back of his hand brushing hers. "I'll help you."

  Pushing the traitorous tear away, she nodded.

  "Will he be okay? He hasn't moved."

  "Listen," Caleb said.

  Closing her eyes, she tried to block out the noise of the forest.

  "His heart still beats. His breathing is even. He's fine for now."

  Her jaw started to burn. Would she ever relax again?

  "Caleb? Why does my magic seem to work now?"

  She opened her eyes and turned to him.

  "My magic isn't affected here. We're mated, you're part of me now. Annie mentioned it, but the pixies confirmed it."

  "Oh."

  He'd saved her, but it didn't mean that he would have chosen this life. What would she do now? What would she do with a shifter who mated her to save her?

  She stole a glance at him. "Help me get him out of here. I never want to step foot in this place again."

  Caleb picked up Jeff as if he weighed nothing and held him up.

  "Marci?"

  She paused.

  "I'd have mated you when you were ready had the choice been mine."

  18

  Caleb watched as Marci scrubbed the kitchen one last time. He loved the way her ass filled her jeans. He'd have bent her over the counter again, but she'd already yelled at him to leave her alone, twice.

  "Caleb, stop staring at me. You need a hobby."

  He smiled. "Pleasing you is my hobby. Staring at you is just a perk."

  He could practically see her eye-roll.

  "Fine. I'll stop staring, for now. The chicken coop's done and Hazel is happily clucking away. Have you heard from anyone?"

  She dropped the rag and stood up. "No, not yet. I'm sure they'll just show up and storm the castle. My mother thinks she's the queen."

  He stood up and crossed the room, taking her in his arms. "She isn't the queen here. Besides if she gets annoying, toss her in that damn forest to cool off."

  Marci shivered. Three weeks and neither of them could fully get past that night. Jeff had been out for several days, and by the time he'd woken up to find his fiancée already mated, well, they hadn't been able to keep him there even if they'd wanted to.

  "Jeff is going to burn in hell someday for the mess he created," Marci said, nuzzling into his chest.

  "If it weren't for Jeff who knows if either of us would have gotten out of our own way. Pixies apparently aren't all bad."

  Marci shuddered.

  "But, I agree. Jeff didn't have to go back and tell your mother. He really is a small child, and here I thought he just looked like one," Caleb said.

  "You're really mean, you know that? Everyone looks like a small child compared to you," Marci said, poking him in the center of the chest.

  She looked up at him. The first week was a bit of a struggle, convincing her that he loved her. She'd had it in her head that it had all been the pixies.

  Caleb left out the part where a pixie had attempted to look like Marci too.

  The next week had been trying to figure out where they would live and how to handle the spirit. Marci had dealt with it, and for the moment it looked like the spirit was satisfied with them living at his place and the chicken staying here.

  He dipped his head in for a kiss, her taste the only craving he couldn't satisfy.

  The kiss turned deeper, and what he'd meant as innocent turned into something else. He slipped his hand under Marci's shirt as she slid her hands up his chest. He gripped her ass and lifted Marci, sitting her on the counter.

  Pulling away she said, "my family will be here any minute."

  He nibbled her ear lobe. "So? They can wait."

  "Caleb. You don't know the snow queen. She doesn't do PDA; let alone accept the knowledge of anyone having midday sex."

  He sighed and shifted the bulge in his pants.

  "She probably needs more midday sex," he grumbled.

  Standing straight, he settled for the smile that lit up her face whenever she looked at him.

  "I'll make it up to you tonight though." He almost came as she rubbed his glaring hard-on beneath his zipper. "Now think of something opposite of me, because my mother and sisters will not miss this."

  His eyes narrowed. "Maybe you should wear a parka for the next few days. The kind that covers you to your damn ankles."

  Her eyes sparkled. "We've already seen that even a parka isn't going to deter you. Oh, and speaking of. Do not shift in front of my mother. It's going to be hard enough to have her accept you as you; let's not push it."

  The doorbell rang before he could argue. Marci pushed him away and hopped off the counter.

  Her nerves vibrated through him. Their connection was different than he'd expected. He felt her presence always; he always felt her need for him. Sex had gone from mind-blowing to world-ending since they'd mated. But he also couldn't get past that her sadness was now his and his hers. It was no longer okay to wallow in your own world when your mate was right there knowing exactly what your pain was. It's why he also knew that something still wasn't right between them, and he thought he knew what.

  Following behind Marci, he watched her pause, hand on the doorknob. She stood frozen. He knew she needed him, just as he needed her. His hand settled on hers, and he helped her gain the courage.

  The door swung open with minimal creaking, a testament to how much they'd done in a few weeks.

  "Dear Lord, Marci. I nearly froze out here. Who's getting my bags? Do you have room service, I'm famished. The driver had no idea where we were going. What on earth has gotten into you?" Her mother entered, whipping her sunglasses off her face as she continued the complaints. "Jeff really seems to have exaggerated the state of this place. I mean, it's no Hilton, but it's quite adorable."

  Finally, the woman stopped flapping her jaw and turned to face them.

  "My, my, my. Aren't you a big fellow."

  Marci coughed, and Caleb tried to smile. What the hell did that mean?

  "Well Marci dear, I assume I'll be getting grandchildren soon then? God knows your sisters are never giving me any."

  On cue, her sisters and their husbands walked in, complete with rolling suitcases.

  "Mother, get over the grandchildren. I don't think you understand how hard it is to maintain this figure," said one of the girls.

  "Fran, if I have to hear you talk about kale one more time I'm going to shove it..."

  Caleb glanced down at Marci, her eyes large as saucers. This wasn't how she had described her family.

  "I. Well. Caleb, these are my half-sisters Francesca and Rebecca." She gave him a sidelong glance. Her surprise was rolling off in waves.

  "Nice to meet you."

  Both girls quieted and reached out.

  "I thought you said she married a shifter, mother," asked Rebecca.

  Her mother stepped forward. "He is a
shifter."

  Fran looked him up and down, Caleb took a step behind Marci, not that she'd hide much of him.

  "I always thought they looked like homeless people living in the woods," said Francesca.

  Marci slammed the door. "You two seriously need to get out in the world. Maybe take a walk past your high society clubs and realize there's more to the world than money and the coven."

  Francesca crossed her arms. "I'm a stay-at-home wife Marci, exactly when and where would I see a shifter."

  "I've failed as a mother." Her heels clicking as she walked around the front hall. "I'll take the blame for your slightly sheltered lives, but after Jeff came home blubbering about a shifter stealing his fiancé, I had to admit I was a bit curious. It turns out Caleb is a highly decorated veteran in the magical segments of the military. He saved some very powerful warlocks and has quite the reputation."

  Marci looked up at him, confused. He looked down at his shoes. Alright, he might have a lot more to tell her, but they'd only known each other a few weeks.

  "Caleb dear, Marci's been a little modest about her new catch. I can't say I'm thrilled that she broke from tradition, but I also looked into a bit more about shifters and well, perhaps I've been a little prejudiced."

  He nearly fell back as Marci lost her balance into him. Quickly she stood up and straightened her already pristine shirt.

  "Uh, Mother? Are you okay?"

  Her mother nodded.

  Hmm. Marci was right, her mother's hair didn't move at all.

  "Quite dear. He's a very well known man. Imagine my surprise when Jeff made the announcement publicly to our coven and the head warlock burst out laughing. I was mortified at first, and then he stood up and said 'well I'm glad someone finally found that grumpy old bear.'"

  Her mother ran a finger along the entry table and inspected it.

  "We were all shocked, and then he stated that you, Caleb, had gone off the radar for a few years. Missed a few award ceremonies, a meeting with the President that kind of thing. He acted like Marci was the newest celebrity. Didn't you check your email for the electronic version of Witches Weekly? Indeed, dear, you are."

  Caleb looked down at Marci and then back at her mother.