by Brenda Trim
“I don’t care. Turnabout is fair game. You mess with the beast and you get the claws.” With that, he tore the fabric and hungrily eyed her breasts. Besides, these have been on my mind since I first saw you.” Her sweater hung open in tatters but she didn’t care. He unfastened the front closure of her bra and slipped the lacy fabric from her shoulders. It was seductive as hell and drove her need sky-high.
He stared at her for a long moment before crushing her breasts to his chest and attacked her mouth once again. She swore she would orgasm from the way his chest tormented her nipples as he sucked on her tongue. And then, he licked one of her fangs. She pulled back in surprise and looked at him.
“They are tiny, delicate little things that I couldn’t resist. Has no one ever tongued your fang before?”
Breathless, she licked her lips. “No. I wasn’t prepared for how that would feel.”
He chuckled. “I’m going to enjoy exploring your body. You’re so sensitive and responsive.” She was half-naked in the cold air which made her nipples harden even further. That coupled with the heat from the fire had every erogenous zone on her body roaring to life.
“This is so crazy. I don’t even know you.” She was terrified by the intensity of her feelings for him after knowing him only a few hours. The only thing that made sense had to be it was due to the severity of the fight and seeing him get shot. Traumatic situations were known to create an instant bond between people.
He kissed her lips and murmured, “Crazy is good, baby.”
He kept one hand on the back of her head and the other on her ass as he trailed his mouth across her lips and along her jaw. Her head fell back and she moaned at the pleasure. Damn, he had a very talented mouth that she wanted all over her body. He moved from her jaw to her neck and then her breasts. He kissed his way around her extended nipple before he sucked one into his hot mouth.
Her back arched and she pressed the flesh further into his mouth. He bit down and the painful pleasure shot straight to her core, moistness saturating her panties. Her hands roamed freely over his bronzed skin. From the plains of his chest to the muscles of his forearms to his shoulders all while he laved one breast and then the other. She writhed in his lap, needing deeper contact with the hard shaft she felt trapped between their bodies.
“Fuck, Jessie. You’ve got to be careful or I’m liable to go off.”
“Then we’d better get these pants off.” She fumbled for the button of his jeans and smiled as his body tensed, but he didn’t stop her. He was just as turned on as she was at the moment. She had the button undone and hadn’t started on the zipper before it was lowering, aided by the pressure of his thick cock. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of him bare beneath the fabric. Earlier, when he was naked, she had averted her gaze, but now she wanted to see it all. He was big, bigger than anyone she’d ever been with and she ached to have him inside her.
She licked her lips and reached for him but was suddenly flipped on her back, shoes flying through the air. “James,” she breathed. Her jeans and panties were gone in the next instant.
Her thighs opened automatically to his gaze and she felt her flesh quiver at the hunger she saw on his face. “I’ve got to make sure you’re ready,” he murmured in a husky, almost desperate voice. On his knees, his hands ran up her thighs and gripped the insides, pushing them further apart. He ran one finger through her slick folds and descended upon her.
His lips and tongue and teeth tasted and licked and bit her female flesh while his free hand explored her opening. It was maddening and she needed more. “If you aren’t fucking me in the next ten seconds I may have to skin you alive.” She had no idea where the bold statement came from, but inhibitions were burning in the flames of her desire. She wanted him deep and thrusting, filling her completely.
Chuckling, he shucked his pants and blanketed her before she blinked. His hot flesh surrounded her as his broad tip pressed against her core. He braced his weight on his elbows and took her mouth in a slow sensual kiss, while at the same time, he pressed inside inch by glorious inch.
She felt every millimeter of him stretch and fill her in the most delicious way. His shaft was sleek steel and when he was seated to the hilt he didn’t pause to give her time to adjust. “I can’t wait. Tell me you’re close because I need to feel you explode around my cock.”
He pounded into her hard and fast, bringing her closer to the edge. “So close.”
Her heartbeat quadrupled and her breathing was as frantic as his. She bucked against his body, meeting him thrust for thrust. He reached a hand between them and pressed down on her clit. She detonated into a million pieces, her muscles clenching around him while he groaned and bucked into her.
Immediately, he tensed and she felt an odd sensation as if his cock was enlarging, if that was possible. She opened hazy eyes to see he was looking down at her, shock clear on his face. He moved as much as his swollen shaft would allow and came a moment later. Suddenly, her left wrist blazed with the fires from hell and blinding pain made her cry out.
He’d gone completely still, his shaft still hard inside her and she was still reeling from her mind-blowing orgasm. He lifted her arm and placed it beside his. On the inner portion of their left wrists was the brand of a wolf’s head.
“Is that what I think it is? And. why does it feel like you’re locked inside me?” So many things were going through her head that she couldn’t think straight.
“There is no doubt we are Fated Mates. And, it feels that way because shifters develop a knot that locks them inside their mate during sex. It’ll go down in a few minutes, baby,” he muttered, clearly enjoying the sensation.
She clenched her muscles, smiling at his groan of pleasure. “I like you being locked inside me. Although, it might be difficult riding home like this.” She squeezed again and he shouted as another orgasm shot his hot seed deep inside her.
“I’ll take you home after I make love to you again,” he murmured, taking her lips in a kiss that ignited her desire all over again.
*****
“Where have you been, young lady? It’s Christmas Eve and we’ve been worried sick.” Jessie cringed as she and James walked into her childhood home. Her mother stuck her head out of the living room and her jaw went slack. “Oh, I didn’t realize you brought company.” Jessie would have laughed at the expression on her mother’s face, something between confusion, frustration, and curiosity.
“Sorry, Mom. We ran into some trouble with one of the gangs. Mom, Dad, this is James, and he’s much more than just company.” That got their attention as the house fell silent and all eyes were glued to her. “You know how I told you guys about Elsie and Cailyn and their Fated Mates? Well, James is my Fated Mate.” Jessie nervously bit her lip as she watched her parents and brother digest what she’d said.
Her mother narrowed her eyes. “Are you telling me that you went and got married and didn’t include us?”
Jessie laughed. Her mother had been planning her wedding since the day she was born and would never forgive being excluded from the event. “No, Mom, a mating isn’t like a marriage. It’s so much more than that. But, there will be a ceremony, I hope.”
James winked at her before stepping forward. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Higgins. Finding out Jessie carries the missing part of my soul was unexpected and I would never dream of denying you, or her, the experience of planning the ceremony.”
Jessie smiled as her mother became putty in James’ hand and Jessie could practically see her wheels spinning with thoughts of weddings and babies dancing in her head.
“Well, Junebug, sounds like you’ve had quite a night. Let’s go in the dining room and you can tell us all about it over dinner,” her father said, wrapping her in a hug. The smell of her mom’s ham filled the house and all of a sudden, Jessie was famished. She looked to James and he licked his lips, but she was pretty sure it wasn’t food he was craving. And damn, if her body didn’t agree with that idea.
Jessie�
�s mom led them to their seats, peppering James with questions about his family. Embarrassed that she didn’t even know his last name, which was Brower, she realized they had a lot to learn about one another. Luckily, James didn’t seem bothered by her mother’s aggressive interview and patiently answered all of her questions while they ate.
She almost choked when he stated he worked for Hayden. She had met the Shifter Omega and couldn’t believe how connected their worlds were. His military job, as he’d vaguely described, was actually as dangerous as that of the Dark Warriors. He was one of Hayden’s elite pack members and she felt honored and proud to call him her Fated Mate. She couldn’t wait to get back to Seattle and introduce him to everyone at Zeum.
Every now and then, he would squeeze her inner thigh and ripples of arousal coursed through her veins. She made sure to return the favor and rubbed his crotch under the table. She snickered when he jerked in surprise, accidentally spilling his water. She couldn’t wait for dinner to end so she could drag him to her bed and continue the playful exchange of touch that had her squirming in her seat.
Yeah, her mate had dropped like a bomb on her life and she was exploding with happiness. What had started out as a dreadful road trip had turned into the best Christmas she’d ever imagined. Her family not only accepted what she’d become, but she’d discovered the man of her dreams. The fact that he was a sexy wolf shifter was icing on the cake.
She had no idea what lay ahead, but one thing she knew for sure…it was going to be one hell of a ride.
CHAPTER ONE
A loud crash startled Pema, making her look up from her computer. Cursing echoed from the front of the store, and she cocked her head to the side, catching snippets of the argument raging between her sisters. Apparently, Suvi had dropped a box of fluorite crystals, and Isis was on the verge of going postal. Just a typical day at Black Moon. Shaking her head, Pema ignored them and wound her long blonde hair into a twist at the nape of her neck and went back to the papers she had been reviewing.
She didn’t particularly enjoy the bookkeeping portion of their business, but someone had to do it. For two straight years business had boomed, allowing them to pay Cele, their High Priestess, back the money she loaned them. She had given them a loan to start Black Moon Sabbat, and it had taken a mere eighteen months to pay her back. They were proud of that fact, given the economy and Cele’s astronomical interest rate.
More quarreling reached her in the back room, and with a sigh, she stood up. Time to play peacemaker. Pema was beginning to rethink her idea of opening earlier in the morning to service more of their human clients. There were too many nights they stayed up late trying to find the perfect martini. Prosperity came at a price, she thought, as she made her way from the office to see what had happened. But it wasn’t like they were going to give up their pursuit of the perfect martini any time soon.
Glancing around the shop, she swelled with pride. They had built Black Moon from the ground up. The store was as unique to the Tehrex Realm as Pema and her sisters were. Neither should exist, yet they did and were thriving. Pema and her sisters believed the ignorance of their youth was partially responsible.
They were the youngest witches in the realm, and were impetuous enough to take the risk to create a business that brought humans into close proximity with the realm. They enjoyed interacting with humans, and thrived off of the unique verve for life they had. However, that didn’t mean they were completely senseless. They understood the Goddess’ edict to maintain secrecy, and would never do anything to risk exposure. But they liked to toe the line.
The pungent odor of lavender and jasmine claimed Pema’s attention and almost knocked her over when she entered the front. She glanced around to see Suvi standing amidst a mess of books and various teas, with the pricing stickers in hand. She noticed the decks of tarot cards had already been labeled and set off to the side.
“What are you two bickering about?” Pema asked.
“We are too damn tired to be up and functioning this early, and butterfingers here, dropped a case of fluorite. The entire box is damaged. Thankfully, I managed to save the potions we made last night. Had she broken those, we would be looking at an even bigger mess,” Isis griped. “I mean, seriously, those magics, if mixed, would be lethal. When we stay out ‘til two or three, it isn’t wise to open at ten.” Pema pursed her lips at the familiar argument her sisters made to push back her new hours.
“But, you did save the potions, and this,” Pema gestured to the mess around Suvi, “is nothing. We’re a team, remember? We couldn’t run this place without watching each other’s backs. And, lest you forget, Suvi sells more crystals and leather pouches than the two of us put together. I’ll bet she can sell the damaged ones, just as easy,” Pema told Isis as she crossed the room and pulled Suvi into a hug.
“Ugh, whatever. I won’t say I’m sorry to her. She needs to try and pay attention for once. All it will take is one serious mishap with our potions to prove Cele right, that mom and dad should have forced us to stay at Callieach Academy all those years ago, and I’ll be damned if I prove that witch right about anything.” Isis stomped to the big, wood bookshelves that had been in the Rowan family for centuries, irritation in her every step. Isis was easily upset, but Pema shared her disgust about Cailleach Academy. Pema never wanted to be under Cele’s thumb again.
“I don’t know why you let that female get under your skin. I don’t like her, but I’m not going to spend my time worrying about her unnecessarily. I’d rather talk about Confetti Too opening tomorrow night. I wonder if the Dark Warriors will be there,” Suvi sang as she flitted about, placing books here and there haphazardly. Pema smiled as she watched her sister, wishing she was more easy-going like Suvi. Everything seemed to roll off Suvi’s back, barely ruffling her feathers.
“I’m sure they’ll be there. This is Killian’s club, I doubt they’d miss the grand opening,” Isis offered with a sly grin, her temper finally cooling down.
“On that note, I’m going to change the stone on this wrap to a rose quartz. I want some lovin’ in my future,” Pema said, waggling her eyebrows as she crossed to the RockCandy Leatherworks display, glad to have the mood lightened. It was her favorite jewelry, and she always wore one of the handcrafted pieces.
“That isn’t the right choice of stone if sex is what you want, sister. You need the red jasper. It stimulates vitality,” Suvi commented as she walked over to help her pick.
Pema shuddered, Suvi was right. No way did she want love. Love brought nothing but heartache and trouble. “Thank the Goddess you are so much better at remembering that stuff than I am,” she replied as she looked through the assortment of stones. “That could have backfired on me,” Pema admitted as she unscrewed the rose quartz from the leather band and replaced it with the red jasper.
Being a witch and connected to the earth, Pema felt the power in natural objects like these stones. As the effects of the stone began humming through her system, she turned to the less pleasant task of cleaning the store. “Help me grab the ladder, Suvi. I want to dust the candles on the top shelf. Have you heard anything more about the updates to the club? When we added our protections it was all steel beams and brick, but I’ve heard it has a whole different feel to it, and that Killian hired additional security. That doesn’t surprise me given the skirm attack.”
Pema was going against her better judgment in asking Suvi to help her, but her sister needed a boost after the fiasco with the fluorite. As they reached the storage room and gazed at the tall wooden ladder, Pema briefly rethought her decision when she saw the shoes her sister had on. Suvi was always dressed to the nines, no matter what they were doing, and today was no different with her six-inch heels. She sent a silent prayer to the Goddess that they managed without further destruction.
“I heard that Killian had the council members send him their strongest males,” Suvi shared as they maneuvered through the halls, “Of course, that means there will be new, highly-mackable males.”
“Yeah, but can they dance? I’m ready to hit the floor and shake my thang,” Isis said as she sashayed over to the stereo and changed the music to a club mix. Pema and Suvi started laughing as Isis began to bump and grind to the sound as she spoke.
“Stop shaking your ass and grab some black candles from the back,” Pema told Isis as she climbed up the ladder. “I sold the last we had out here to Camelia a couple hours ago.”
Isis winced as she headed to the back. “No telling what crazy Camelia is conjuring with them.”
“I heard she was trying to bring her son back from the dead,” Suvi said, handing Pema the feather duster.
“You can’t believe everything you hear. She may be trying to communicate with him, but she’s not crazy enough to believe she can bring him back, resurrection isn’t possible.” Pema figured Cele was spreading the rumor to discredit Camelia, given the bad blood between them. There was nothing worse than sibling rivalry, and Pema thanked the Goddess that she and her sisters were as close as they were. She reached over and the ladder swayed under her feet, so she quickly muttered a stability spell. It would hurt like a bitch if she fell from the very top.
“I know. It’s as insane as what they say about us. I mean, we could never be part of a hostile takeover,” Suvi replied from below where she was now rearranging necklaces on the glass counter.
Pema nodded her agreement as she ran the duster over the shelf and candles. “That’s the problem with prophecies. They are vague, confusing—” She stopped talking when the tinkling of the wind chimes above the front door signaled they had a customer.
A cool breeze blew through the room, chilling the air. She twisted around to see the most stunning male walk through the door. He was easily six feet tall and had thick, brown hair that fell in soft curls around his ruggedly handsome face. He had a strong, square jaw that she immediately imagined running her tongue over. His warm, brown eyes invited her to share her secrets, and suddenly it wasn’t so chilly anymore.
