by B N Miles
“Jared,” she said, stepping closer. “I meant what I said. I know… you’re struggling. Back there, what you did.”
“It’s fine,” he said through clenched teeth.
He couldn’t handle this right now.
“Two spells,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
“It’s my family’s special talent,” he said with bitterness. “It’s also why my family tends to burn out faster.”
“Burn out?”
He looked at her. She was staring at him with concern… and something else.
“Lose their minds to the Need,” he said. “Either die a junky, or spend their whole life channeling the priori until their mind is so warped by it they can’t tell the difference between reality and whatever realm the priori comes from. It’s the fate of every Magi… just happens to my family faster.”
She sucked in a breath. “That’s horrible.”
“Yeah, well, there’s a reason I stopped using.” He stared at her. “What do you want, Cass?”
She stepped closer. “I want to help.”
“You can’t help me.”
“You know I can.”
“Cassie.”
“Why are you fighting this so hard?” she asked. “It’s just sex. And it’ll help you think straight, and I need you right now, Jared.
His jaw clenched. Desire flooded him. Fuck, she was beautiful and willing, and he had no reason to turn away.
He stepped closer and reached out for her. She tilted her face up toward him. Her eyes were shining as he pulled her against his body, but this time, he had no ulterior motives.
His lips pressed against hers, and he kissed her.
She tasted like morning dew and grass and honey. He let the kiss turn from something uncertain and new to something deep and hungry. She returned that hunger with a desire that surprised him.
“If you think this will fix things, it won’t,” he whispered in her ear, straining to hold himself back.
“I’m not trying to fix you. I’m just trying to feel good.”
She kissed him again, pressing tighter, her breasts against his body, and he knew.
He was lost now. The Need was screaming, her body was against his, and he knew he had to take her.
His right hand moved up through her thick dark red hair and gripped it tight as he pulled her lips up to meet his. He tasted her deep and felt her groan against his tongue as his other hand pressed her tighter against his body. He released her hand and reached down to the hem of her shirt, pulling it up and over her head, throwing it aside. Her breasts were barely covered by a sports bra, dark black, and he let out a hungry growl as she fumbled at his own shirt.
She took it off and dropped it on the floor. Her eyes razed over his bare chest and she kissed his neck. He pushed her back toward the bed, his body pulsing, and she gave him an almost shy little smirk as she took off her sports bra.
Her breasts were perky and gorgeous, with little pink nipples, hard in the cool evening. She took a step back away from him, lips parted, as he advanced on her, hunger in his eyes. He felt like an animal again, and it felt good to finally unleash himself after so long pent up in that old life, denying what he was.
He grabbed her hair again, making her gasp, as his other hand teased her large, firm breasts. He moaned into his kiss and her finger dug into the skin of his back as he pulled her hair, making her gasp out again. He kissed her neck, mixing pleasure with pain, and pushed her back onto the bed.
She blinked up at him, and for a moment, he thought there might be a hint of fear in her eyes. But no, that wasn’t fear, it was desire, pure and intense. He unbuckled his belt, took off his jeans and kicked them off. She leaned back on her hands as his eyes took in her breasts, her lips, his cock straining against the fabric of his black boxer briefs.
“You look fucking perfect,” he crooned. “Gods damn, Cassie. You have no clue what you do to me, do you? Even without this fucking Need screaming in my head, I’d want this.” He stepped closer to her and she leaned forward, pressing her breasts together as she reached for the waistband of his underwear. She pulled them forward and down, and she bit her lip as she took his hard cock in both of her hands.
She stroked him slowly. “When was the last time you had a release like this?” she asked.
“Too long,” he growled. “You have no clue how hard it is to hold back right now.”
She cocked her head. “I didn’t ask you to hold back.”
“I know you didn’t.” He reached down and tilted her chin up and kissed her. When the kiss broke off, she took his cock in her mouth, her tongue rolling around his tip, and he let out a deep, low groan.
She sucked him slow at first, her hand trailing behind her lips. Her breasts shook with each new bob of her head and her spit trailed along his shaft. She stroked him, pulling back, and he grabbed her head, pushing her back down. She took him as deep as she could but she could hardly take his cock in her gorgeous lips. She pulled back again, taking a deep breath, and he let out a low growl, pulling her to her feet.
He pulled off her jeans, dropping to his knees to get them off. He turned her around and bent her over the bed, her perky ass begging for him as she looked over her shoulder. He spanked her once then stroked his hand along her pussy, finding her soaked through her thin cotton panties already.
Slowly, he slid them off, heart racing. She was dripping wet with desire and once her panties joined the pile of clothes they’d created on the floor, he couldn’t help but tease her with his fingers.
“Look at you,” he growled. “You know exactly what I need, don’t you?”
She moaned as he slid his fingers in deep then back out to find her clit. He leaned over her, rolling his fingers around in soft circles, making her body pant and shake. She shivered with delight and kissed him over her shoulder before he pushed her back down and pressed his cock against her tight, soaking cunt.
“Please,” she whispered, looking back at him, bent over the bed. His eyes moved down her lips, along her taut and gorgeous back, down to her perky ass, her spread legs. “I want it. Gods, I want it so badly.”
He held her hips and slid himself deep inside her. She moaned and threw her head back. He filled her from behind, feeling every tight inch of her incredible pussy, and began to stroke in and out.
His desire fueled him as his pulse raced. Pleasure tore through his mind, his body, and he could feel the Need already beginning to recede, already beginning to feel sated.
But he was far from finished with her. He fucked her rough, deep, sliding in and out. Her soaking, tight pussy drove him mad. He slapped her tight ass and had her begging, moaning, whispering his name. “Come on, Jared,” she groaned. “I need it. Gods yes, I need it. Take me, gods, you feel so good.”
He growled his pleasure and fucked her harder. She pushed back against him, her back working, her body matching his rhythm. He pulled back with a grunt and climbed up on the bed, pulling her over to him. She straddled his hips and arched her back as he licked her nipples, teasing her perky breasts with his hands.
She slid back down his shaft and moaned, her hands on his chest, her breasts pressed together. Jared had never seen something so purely sexual, so beautiful in his entire life. She took every inch of him and worked her hips faster, her soaking pussy dripping down his shaft, her beautiful hips working and working, rolling and rolling, riding his thick cock.
He grabbed her hair and pulled her close. “Come on me,” he whispered in her ear. “Come on me, Cassie. I need it, I know you need it. Come for me.”
She moaned his name, groaning it, whispering it like a prayer. “Oh gods Jared,” she said, moving faster. They were sweating, working, their bodies moving in perfect symmetry, until she threw back her head and cried out.
Her moans were music, were heaven. He could feel her clench down as the orgasm tore through her body. He moaned his joy and knew he couldn’t take it much longer. As she finished, her rolled her over onto her back, spreads her
legs wide, and slid himself deep.
There was no holding back, no mercy. He felt his orgasm building. She pressed her breasts together, her beautiful lips hanging open, panting, begging him to fuck her, to take her body. He needed this release, needed it more than he’d ever known. As the orgasm approached, he felt the priori touch his mind, its soft, supple caress a liquid molten spike of utter ecstasy down his spine.
He fucked her wild and rough, unable to stop, unable to help it. He was barely aware of her moans, barely aware of her whispered begging, barely aware of anything but the magic coursing through him.
Finally, he released it all. He came, an explosion of bliss, his seed filling her deep. She gasped as it flowed into her, and he knew she came a second time, so shocked at the magic bursting through him and into her, overwhelmed by the intensity of being so close to the priori.
Together, for a perfect moment, they hung suspended in orgasm, the magic coursing between them.
But it began to fade and dissipate. Jared rolled back, gasping. They were both sweating, and Jared felt like he just ran a marathon. He was spent, so utterly spent. And gods, it felt good.
His head felt quiet.
“Holy shit,” Cassie whispered.
He laughed. He couldn’t help himself. Gods, that was perfect, so incredibly good. And the Need was quiet. He’d gotten days back, just from that one orgasm.
“You okay?” he asked. “I should’ve warned you.”
“Warned me?” She giggled. “I can’t feel my lips. What the hell was that?”
“All the excess priori my body built up from using magic. That’s what causes the Need.” He crawled over and wrapped his arms around her body. “You’re welcome.”
She laughed again. “If I’d known that could happen with a magician, I would’ve been sleeping with one sooner.”
Jared grinned and pressed his lips against her neck. “Now you know why Magi don’t find it hard to get a partner to satisfy them.” He sighed as she snuggled close into his arms. She was beautiful and soft, but there was a strength in her eyes that drew him even closer.
“It’s the same for, uh, female Magi?” she asked.
He nodded. “And way more intense when it’s two Magi together.” He closed his eyes and smiled at the memory. “Almost a little too intense, honestly.”
She laughed and sighed. He held her close to him and he slowly let out a breath. They were quiet for a long moment, just listening to each other breathe.
“You said something earlier,” he said after a while
She wiggled a little. “Yeah?”
“You called me love.”
She looked up and frowned. “I did?”
“You did.”
“I’m not so sure about that.”
“You did.” He smiled and pushed some hair from her face. “Don’t try and pretend like you didn’t.”
She blushed. It was adorable and matched her red hair. “Look, let’s just not talk about it, okay?”
“Okay, if that’s what you want.”
“I should thank you, by the way.”
“For what?”
“You saved me back there. You let Ferric go to save me.”
Jared shrugged. “Wasn’t a hard choice.”
“But it would be for some other people.” She looked up into his eyes again. “You didn’t have to do that. You could’ve let him…”
“Keep shooting at you?” He shook his head. “Not the kind of man I am.”
“Yeah. I see that.”
He sighed. “Six years ago I could’ve iced the moisture in his lungs. But now I can barely pull together enough strength to hold him in place. Really, I wasn’t all that much use to you out there.”
She put a hand on his cheek and shook her head. “You have no clue, do you?”
“What?”
“Magi are so, so rare. And now you’re all mine.” She blushed even deeper, a dark crimson red. “Oh shit, sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
Jared laughed. “Something you want to tell me?”
“Nope.” She struggled from his arms and got out of bed. He leaned back and watched her, and felt his cock stir at her gorgeous body, perky breasts, pink nipples. It was just a human stirring though, no magic involved. “I’m going to shower.”
“Ouch. Cleaning me off already?”
“Nope. Cleaning off the day.” She grinned at him. “You’re welcome to join. I’d love a little bit more of you on me.”
He laughed as she winked. “You know what?” He said and sat up. “I just might take you up on that.”
She laughed and ran into the bathroom. He heard the water turn on, but the door didn’t shut.
He lingered in bed for a long moment. He knew he had to be careful here. What just happened between them wasn’t a small thing, even if she pretended like it was just sex. When a Magi came like that and released that amount of pent up priori, it did something to people. It had a tendency to create a bond. That was why many Magi preferred drugs over sex. The bond could be powerful and intimate… and not always shared. Sometimes it took a few sessions to cement, sometimes it was instant.
At least it created a bond in humans. He wasn’t sure how it worked with Metas. They were different creatures. He’d never been with one before. He didn’t know how Cassie would react to what just happened, but he’d be careful. If she showed any signs of the bond, he’d stop himself. Eventually the connection would fade if he didn’t keep feeding it, although it might take some time.
“Jared?” Cassie called, sing-song. “Are you coming? Oh, it’s so lonely in here.”
He laughed. “I bet it is. I’m on the way. Feel free to get started without me.”
He heard her laugh and close the shower curtain.
Meta or not, something was up with Cassie. He was going to have to be careful.
But tonight gave him a little hope.
Maybe, just maybe… he could keep using his magic without the consequences eating him up. At least, he could if Cassie agreed to keep satisfying the Need. Also assuming she didn’t show a strong bond beginning to develop.
Lots of variables. Lots of things to manage.
But that’s the only way he’d keep using. Otherwise, he’d spiral into a black hole, and he knew he couldn’t go down that road.
He got out of bed, stretched, and went to join his new Shifter partner in the shower.
He might as well enjoy himself while he could.
17
Jared stood outside the hotel room early the next morning, a travel cup of coffee in his hand. Cassie was still sleeping, and he’d snuck inside, placed her coffee next to her on the nightstand, and snuck back out without waking her up.
He felt strong. As the sun peeked up, he felt good for the first time in a long time. He’d used magic again, and it hadn’t killed him. He’d felt the Need, and it hadn’t driven him insane. That was thanks to Cassie and her willingness to help him, but it still felt right.
He’d missed it. Gods, he’d missed what he could do. He was out of practice, but he knew that the more he touched the priori, the more he worked on his visualizations and meditation, the stronger he’d get. Maybe he won’t ever be as strong as he was years ago at the height of his powers, but he also won’t end up sucked back into a black pit of despair and drug use.
The coffee tasted good as he took a long sip then unlocked his phone. He called Wyatt’s office line, let it ring, and wasn’t surprised when he didn’t answer. Jared tried his cell next, and Wyatt picked up on the second ring.
“Morning,” Jared said.
“You’ve been busy,” his Captain grunted. “I was wondering when you’d call.”
“I meant to debrief you last night but things got out of hand.”
“I heard.” He was quiet for a long moment. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” Jared said. “Cassie is too.”
“Hm.” His grunt was noncommital, like he didn’t much care if the girl was safe or not. “Did she help thi
s time?”
“Sir, she’s been an enormous asset,” he admitted.
“Give me a full briefing,” he said. “I’m driving up to you right now and I should get there in a couple of hours.”
“We can wait until you arrive.”
“No, I’d rather hear it from your perspective now and be prepared for when I see the local MetaDept.”
Jared took a breath and told him the whole story, starting with Cassie’s tip about the mine, through the library research, and up until they were ambushed coming out of the safe house. When he finished, Wyatt was quiet for a long moment.
“You got lucky,” he said.
“I know, sir.”
“Tell me something. Don’t you find it a little odd that the girl led you to that safe house… and got you ambushed?”
He frowned. “She was shot at. She risked her life to put a tracker on that Dryad’s bike.”
“True. But it all feels so convenient.”
“Sir, you weren’t there. You didn’t feel her aura when it happened. She was surprised and afraid, just as much as I was.”
He grunted but said nothing. Wyatt wasn’t a Magi and couldn’t sense a Meta’s aura like Jared could. It was hard for a non-Magi to understand just how much information an aura could reveal about a Meta’s mental state if they were willing to release it.
“Regardless. I’m not sure how much longer your little arrangement will last. She’s been useful so far, but her use is nearly over. She got you to the safe house, put the tracker on that biker, and you can take it from there.”
“No,” Jared said, surprising himself by the ferocity in that one word.
“Excuse me?” Wyatt asked.
“Absolutely not, sir. I’m not moving forward on this case without Cassie.”
Jared felt the anger build in him. Finally, after so long, he found someone he could be with that helped take the edge off the Need. But more than that, he found a partner that was his equal, that was smart and capable and strong, and gorgeous on top of it all. He didn’t care if she was a Meta or if she was a criminal. So far, the Cassie he knew was a good person, and he wasn’t about to let her go.
“That’s not your call to make,” Wyatt said.
