by Tl Reeve
Aunt Matilda ignored her response and just cocked a brow at her as she reached out to touch her witch’s hat. “Let me guess, Cian?”
“Yeah. How'd you know?” Jamie shivered in the early morning cold, praying that it would warm up some. She already couldn't feel her fingers. “He said you would help me pick out my broom.”
Aunt Matilda threw back her head and gave a hearty laugh. “That boy just isn't right.” Aunt Matilda reached into her pocket, pulling out a bundle of Sage, a rope, and a piece of paper. “He was screwing with you. We don't fly brooms, and we don't wear hats; unless it’s Halloween.”
“I'm gonna kill him,” Jamie glanced over her shoulder to glare at the house, not at all amused by her mate’s sense of humor.
“You don't want to do that, but I bet by the end of the day you might have a trick or two up your sleeve to get the boy back,” her Aunt announced as she handed over the items in her hand.
“You have my attention.” Jamie took the items and followed her Aunt who started to walk deeper into the woods. She'd love to get that little troublemaker back.
“Thought I might.” Her Aunt glanced over her shoulder. “What you have there is a wand of sage, a plain piece of rope, and a spell or incantation. The piece of paper has the spell.”
“What's the spell for?” Jamie stopped walking when her Aunt did and opened the piece of paper.
“It's a protection spell.” Her Aunt began to gather small sticks and some dried leaves in the center of a small rock circle.
“Get the fuck out of here.” Jamie whispered as she watched her Aunt set the small bundle aflame with a couple of words. Yeah, she had accepted who and what she was, but to see it. That blew her damn mind.
“Begin,” Matilda ordered, and for a second, Jamie wondered if she was related to Zane.
Jamie looked down at the piece of paper again, noticing that it carried detailed instructions for the spell her Aunt wanted her to cast. Taking the string, she slowly began to wrap it around the sage bundle chanting slowly and clearly the spell printed on the paper.
I tether this string to the left, to the right and to the top and bottom.
I tether this string to keep you from my sight.
I tether you while the sun rises and sets and I tether you during the long night, with all my might.
“Keep chanting the spell as you light the tip of the wand and allow the smoke to build up as you sweep it around your body. Breathe the sage in slowly through your nose and exhale through your mouth,” her Aunt ordered.
Jamie followed the instructions to the letter, chanting as she weaved the bound, smoking wand of sage around her body over and over again. The air around her became heavy, and Jamie swore she could feel it get heavy with energy.
“Now toss the bound wand directly into the fire and don't stop chanting.”
Jamie tossed the bundle into the fire and then crinkled her nose as the Sage caught fire and the burnt smell of the herb reached her nose.
“Perfect!” her aunt cried. “See how the tendrils of smoke turn from grey to black to purple?”
Jamie nodded. “Yes.”
“The magic infused in those wisps of smoke is what binds its powers to you. Everything you do from this point on will be purple if you do it correctly.”
“Seriously?” Purple smoke? She thought it would be pops of light and glowing embers. Who knew?
“Yes. Every witch has their own marker. It tells those around a spell, who created it and how powerful it is.” Her aunt pulled another small incantation from her pocket. “This is for luck. Wrap the green ribbon around your hand and repeat after me.
“Winds from the north, I summon thee. Winds of the south, I summon thee. Winds of the east, I summon thee. Winds of the west, I summon thee. Bind thee luck upon my person. Grant me good health, love, and guidance. Empower me with the greatest gifts bestowed from the north, south, east, and west. So mote it be.”
Jamie repeated the incantation and felt the tingle in her hand where the ribbon had been wrapped. This time sparks of purple did rise from the ribbon. A giddy whoop of pleasure fell from her lips. “I did it.”
Matilda laughed. “Yes, you did. Here.” She handed Jamie a four-leaf clover charm. “Place it on the ribbon then put it around your neck. This is your lucky charm.”
She did as her aunt asked, then smiled. “My skin feels as if it's humming with energy.”
“It's supposed to. For so long, your natural wiccan abilities have been dormant. The blocker I used to keep you safe also acted as a natural barrier between what you knew and what you were destined to know. From here on out, everything is about to get interesting.” Her aunt pulled another parchment out of her pocket and led her deeper into the woods.
Hours seemed to pass as minutes. When Cian appeared at the edge of a protection circle her aunt made when they began, he smirked and touched the invisible bubble. The caldron boiled and wisps of purple already floated away from her spell. If someone had told her a long time ago, this was really how incantations worked, she'd have balked at their assessment. Now, she knew better.
Matilda handed her another ingredient and she added it, speaking the next part of the spell. With her mate so close, he distracted her without trying, but she held fast to her work. As she spoke the last of her spell, multicolored flames shot from the caldron. The soft rolling boil turned into a hard thickening plop. The concoction overfilled the pot and oozed onto the ground below, eating away the snow and dead leaves.
“Oh, no,” she groaned. “No, no, no.”
Matilda laughed as the potion exploded in a cascade of lights and sparks. “It happens.”
From beyond the circle, Cian howled with laughter. His arm was around his middle while he leaned back, chuckling like a loon. “This is not funny.” She broke the protection bubble and stepped out. “I have worked all morning on making this one perfect, and you, you... you ruined it!” She pointed at him, and a small arc of lightning shot from its tip and she zapped her mate in the ass.
Jamie's eyes went round. Cian yelped. She stared at him with wide eyes, as he stalked after her. “And this is my cue to go. I will be back tomorrow, Jamie.”
Her aunt started back for the house, leaving Cian to stalk after her. Her heart pounded. Adrenaline spiked inside of her. “I didn't know.” She bit her lip trying not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. “Well, what did you expect? I'm a witch.” She pointed her finger at him again, and Cian stopped.
“That's a dangerous weapon, babe. Put it away,” he said holding up his hands.
She advanced on him. “Well, I'm a deadly witch.”
Cian gave her a boyish grin. “I saw. I think you killed enough grass and leaves out here for one da– Ow! Why did you zap me again?”
“For being mean.” She charged after him. “I'll do it again, too.
Cian leaped into the air and shifted mid-jump and took off running for the house. Jamie gave chase, following him through the switch backs of the thicket leading their back door. Her mate's yips and howls guided her way as they grew closer to the home she now shared with both of her mates. Which begged the question, where was Zane?
As she darted out into the clearing of their backyard, she came to an abrupt halt. Strong hands grabbed onto her, keeping her from falling on her ass. “Care to tell me what the both of you are doing out here?”
Jamie gave Zane a sly grin. “Cian started it.” She held up her finger. “I was finishing it.”
Zane laughed. “I should have known never to leave you two alone. I swear you're like a couple of puppies out here.”
“Not fair,” Cian said, coming up behind her. “She zapped me first.”
“Did you now?”
“Yep,” she said. “He distracted me.”
Her Alpha-mate shook his head. “Looks like I need to teach both of you a lesson.”
Zane woke the next morning and smirked. The water was already going, and Cian was whistling some colorful tune. The cocky asshole. Last night
, they wore their little mate out, and yet she still clung to him. The scent of her arousal was tantalizing as she lay curled in his arms. Damn if he didn't feel a bit cocky, too. He lifted her wrist and breathed a sigh of relief. The black mark next to her birthmark had gone away. When he told Matilda about it before she arrived at the house, she promised by the time he returned home, it would be fading.
She'd been right.
The protection spell she’d had Jamie perform did the trick, casting out the blackness of their suspect’s dark magic; something Jamie hadn't realized yet.
Zane carefully extricated himself from her arms then sauntered into the bathroom. He had a surprise for Cian. Since they'd spent the majority of the time protecting their little mate, he hadn't had much of an opportunity to care for his beta.
Wisps of steam curled around him as the cooler temp of their bedroom displaced the air. With his back to Zane, his mate shook his ass as he danced while scrubbing his hair. Fucker had to know he stood there. If he didn’t, Cian was in for a wild wake up call.
He opened the glass door on the shower and pounced on his mate, pushing him to the tiled wall. Cian grunted. Zane wrapped his arm around his mate's middle and found his lover's cock hard and ready. He fisted his beta. “What's wrong, mate? Didn't get enough last night?”
“You know what's wrong,” Cian growled, pushing his ass out. He rubbed across Zane's hard cock and groaned. “Question is; are you going to tease with your dick or are you going to fuck me?”
The thick undercurrent of desperation in Cian's voice made Zane pause. “Why didn't you tell me last night you needed me?” He turned his lover around.
Cian shrugged. “We were taking care of Jamie. I know she is the priority right now.”
“You're both my priorities.” Zane pushed his beta under the spray and rinsed the soap from his hair. “You should have said something. Right now, I have tons of fucking stamina. I can't get my dick to go down.” He gave Cian a smug grin. “Neither can you.”
“Cocky much?” His lover quirked his brow.
“Well, you are the one I caught shaking his ass in the here, teasing me.”
“What are you going to do about it?” Cian asked.
“This.” He stalked his mate until Cian's back touched the tiled wall. “Uh oh, looks like I've got you cornered.” He reached out and grasped his lover's cock and stroked. Then, pressing to him, Zane adjusted his hold, taking his own dick into his hand. He pumped both of their shafts, sending shards of pleasure skirting down his spine. “Fuck yes.”
Cian closed his eyes, and his head bounced off the tile. A needy groan passed his lips as he pushed into Zane's hand. “Damn... feels so good.”
“Yeah, it does. You want to finish this way, or do you want me inside you?” He pressed his lips to his lover's neck, not stopping the pace he'd set them on.
“Inside,” Cian said, trembling against him.
“Good answer.” Zane stepped out of the tub and grabbed the lube from the drawer next to the sink. Once he was back in the stall with his mate, he opened the bottle, and squeezed a generous amount on his dick and worked it in. Then, he began the slow torturous task of opening Cian up. As it stood, his mate was already leaking precum to the point it dribbled down his length.
Zane had been so wrapped up in their slumbering mate, they'd forgotten... he'd forgotten, to care for his beta mate. He slipped his finger into Cian and worked it in and out. His mate yelped then groaned, with his hand wrapped around his cock as he stroked himself, matching Zane's rhythm. Slow and steady, he prepared his beta and when he was ready, Zane fit his tip to Cian's rear, and pushed forward.
His mate's ass rippled around his crest, clenching and unclenching as he filled his lover. Warmth engulfed him as he grit his teeth. The urge to slam into Cian and fuck him till neither of them could walk straight, rode him hard. It caused his balls to draw up and his wolf to snarl.
Pulling out to his tip, Zane slammed home and moaned. He pressed his forehead between Cian's shoulders and held still. If he moved, he'd come. As it was, the tingle of awareness snaking down his spine, had him on edge. “Fuck, so damn tight.”
“Move,” his lover whimpered. “I need...”
“I know you do.” His strokes were short, measured to give the maximum amount of pleasure to them. His hands gripped Cian's hips, holding him in place as he thrust. “So good. You should have told me. Don't ever hold back on me,” he growled.
“I won't,” his beta replied. “I promise. Fuck... Zane. More. I gotta...”
Yeah, so did he. His pace increased. The pleasure of being balls-deep in his lover was overwhelming while also feeling perfect at the same time. They moved together, giving and taking what they needed from each other. Zane pressed kisses to Cian's neck and shoulder while each thrust elicited a groan of satisfaction. He laid his chest to his lover's back and reached around then pushed Cian's hand out of the way. He palmed his lover's cock and squeezed.
“Ah, fuck.” Cian bucked, and hot jets of his seed splashed against the wall of the tub and his hand as a long low moan of pleasure passed Cian’s lips.
“Fucking perfect,” Zane muttered. He shuttled into his mate twice more and stilled. His mouth latched onto Cian's neck as he bit down on his mark. The force of his climax stole his breath as he held tight to lover, riding out his release. “Son of a bitch, that felt amazing.”
“I think I'm dead,” Cian chuckled.
Zane groaned as the muscles of his lover's ass rippled around him. “Damn, now I know you're trying to kill me,” he teased.
“What a way to go.”
“Yeah, seriously.” Zane kissed Cian's neck as he slipped his still hard cock from his ass.
“Is she still asleep?” Cian panted as he turned to look at him. His features were calm, relaxed. The tension he noticed around his beta’s eyes had eased. Cian picked up the soap and a washcloth. “You should go spend some time with her.” Cian wrapped the cloth around his dick and cleaned him. “She needs just you without me to intercede or help her.”
“You sure?” Zane couldn’t keep the concern from his tone, he never wanted either one of his mates to feel left out.
“Yeah. I got shit to do at the bar, anyway.” Cian grinned up at him as he dropped the washcloth and rubbed the soap into his dick. “It's okay. I got exactly what I needed from you this morning. It's her turn. She gets the softness from me. She needs the hardness from you.”
Cian had a point, and he knew it. Yeah, the Trinity had been formed, but to make the bond strong, they still needed learn about each other together, as well as individually. Zane hadn't had the opportunity to do so with Jamie as of yet, and he knew it was important. Jamie still worried about the dynamics of their relationship. He sensed she still had fears and questions. Maybe he could get her to open up to him and ask them today.
Zane cleaned himself up then stepped out while Cian brushed his teeth.
“Go get her, Alpha.” Cian kissed him then got dressed. “I’ll see both of you later.”
Zane leaned against the door to the bedroom and stared at the bed where the other part of his heart slept, completely unaware of the fact he watched her. He had to give his beta credit; he saw more then he let on. Most people saw Cian’s humor and assumed there wasn't much more to the beta, but they would be dead wrong.
He crossed to the bed and slipped under the covers, smiling as Jamie rolled and cuddled into his still damp body. He relaxed, and a sense of peace wash over him. Up until then, it had only been something he had found with Cian. Zane laved at the mark he’d left on her neck the other day, and she moaned his name. His dick jumped and pre-cum pooled at the tip in anticipation. He peppered kisses down her collar bone to the swells of her ample breasts. He had plans for those luscious tits of her in the future, but he needed Cian for that. He continued on, placing kisses to her nipples then worked his way to her soft rounded belly and smiled when she groaned.
“Zane!” Her hips jerked as the scent of her need hit his nose
. Fuck, her pussy was sweet, and he pressed his dick into the bed to ease the ache.
“Yeah?” Zane growled against the mound of her sex as he settled his wide shoulders between her sumptuous thighs. “Just enjoy, little witch.” Zane eased the lips of her sex apart and admired the view before him.
“Fuck, you're soaked,” he muttered before running his tongue from opening of her pussy to her clit. Her juices coated his tongue and slid down his throat.
“I was thinking of you.” Jamie groaned as her fingers dig into his hair, and she rolled her sex toward his face in anticipation.
He moaned against her clit in response as he lapped at her swollen nub.
“Oh!” She was so damn responsive, it blew his mind every time they were together.
He released her clit. “That's it. Come for me. Let me taste that sweet cream of yours. Then I'll fuck you. Hard and rough like you want and need it.” Zane slipped a finger into her pussy, she clenched and rippled around the intrusion as he swirled his tongue around the taut bead. Zane added another finger. He fucked her in short, tempting strokes, increasing the speed as her hips bucked and rolled, growing closer to her release. Zane curled his fingers against her sweet spot and watched her eyes go round with pleasure.
“Yes. Oh... yes. Right there!” Jamie’s pussy clamped down on his fingers, and her release tugged at him with harsh demanding pulls.
“I love watching you come,” Zane murmured against her pulsing clit as he removed his soaked fingers from her pussy. He sat up then and repositioned himself, so he was lined up with her entrance. The heat of her sex seared his length, and he wanted more of it. “Roll your hips, spread that sweet cream all over my dick.”
“Zane.” Jamie shuddered. “I need you inside of me.”
“I know what you need, and I always give it to you.” He teased her, pressing the head of his dick into her opening only to pull back before sinking balls-deep inside of her. Jamie placed her hands on his shoulders, her nails dug into his shoulders for purchase. He wrapped his arm around her and rolled them, so Jamie was on top.
