by Kamryn Hart
“You are mine,” she said with so much authority Rogue wouldn’t have dreamed of questioning her. “Mason too. The both of you always were.”
Rogue let out a helpless whimper when she reached up and ran her nails lightly down his Five Claws scar. She lingered there, paying special attention. He wondered if she somehow knew that was where Mason had left his mark of forever love. Maybe she could see it now. A quick glance told him she could. The mark was visible again, proof Mason was here, that he wouldn’t leave again. He could feel it, feel his warmth.
“Yes,” Rogue breathed. “Make me bleed, Em.”
She ran her nails down the mark again, harder this time. She looked up at him as if to ask if he meant it. He meant it. But she ignored him. She ran her hands down his sides, tracing his narrow hips. Then she palmed his cock like a fucking pro. His knees were about to buckle from underneath him. She kept bringing him to the point he thought he’d explode, but then she pulled back at the last second. He was practically gasping for air. She was merciless. And he loved it.
“On your knees,” she told him.
He did what she said. His knees refused to keep him standing any longer anyway.
She bent down over him, play biting his ears, his neck, digging her nails into his shoulders. Her hair and large breasts brushed against him time and time again. He was going out of his mind. He wanted to touch, but not until she told him to. They were locked in their roles. He never liked playing dominant, so this suited him perfectly.
When she stood up straight again, he instinctively grabbed the back of her thighs, pulled her in and licked the sweet arousal dripping down her legs.
“I’ll show you now, since you asked so nicely, kitty cat,” she said.
She slid her hand against her stomach and dipped her fingers into her slit, parting the wet lips and showing him her pleasure center. She swirled her finger around, alternating with rubbing. Then she slipped her fingers all over, dipping inside of her sex and emerging, coating her clit with her own juices. She moaned.
“Make me feel good,” she said breathlessly.
That was his cue. Thank the Moon. He didn’t know how much longer he could watch and stay still. Sexy, sexy woman.
He pressed his tongue against her wet sex as she rolled her hips forward, meeting him. She was vocal, telling him exactly how she wanted it. Higher, lower, right there, keep doing that. Rogue was more than happy to comply with her every command. He was lost with her. He was digging in hard to the back of her thighs. His claws were showing because he was feeling this so strongly. It was a natural reaction for him. He was cutting into her, making her bleed.
“Tell me if it’s too much,” he said quickly. He wasn’t coddling her or thinking less of her. Humans didn’t heal as fast. It was a fact. He cared about her wellbeing. If this was too much, he would back off that instant.
“Keep going,” she demanded. “Mark me.” At the same moment, her nails dug into his shoulders, threatening to break the skin. She was a perfect match for him of course. He never should have doubted. She and Mason knew exactly what to do to keep him from backing out, to keep him with them and enjoying every moment of their exchange.
He dug in and dipped his tongue inside of her. Her sex squeezed his tongue, and then she exploded all around him. He carried on with licking her, taking advantage of her now hypersensitivity as she let out a shuddering gasp. She was holding most of her weight with her arms and hands pressed against his shoulders. She was trying to roll her hips forward again, to meet him with every stroke, but her legs were shaking. He let go of the death grip he had on her thighs and she dropped to the floor in front of him. She pushed him forward, coaxing him to sit down, and she crawled into his lap.
“Show me those professional cuddling skills,” she said.
“What about my dick?”
“Who’s in charge here?”
Rogue laughed. “Demanding lover.”
“I’m just trying to make up for Mason not being here.”
“He’s here.”
“Physically.”
Rogue smiled at that and kissed the top of her head. Those little micro braids she had all over had an interesting texture, but he liked how they brushed against his skin when she hovered over him. They kind of tickled.
Emily pressed her lips to his left pec, right over his beating heart. Then she started nibbling, gently biting his skin. He dug his nails into her waist at the same moment.
“I don’t care how you do it, Em, but please. Please, I need you to make me bleed.”
So she bit him. Hard. Fuck, she acted more like a shifter than he did. She started kissing him after, laving him with her tongue. Rogue let out a sigh of relief, but he wasn’t satisfied yet.
He scooped her up into his arms and laid her on his bed.
“Top or bottom,” she asked, holding on to him.
“Which do you prefer?” he asked.
She smirked at him. “Get over here.”
Rogue plopped onto the bed next to her. She trapped him underneath her, more than willing to be the dominant again. Rogue chuckled and propped himself up with some pillows as she sat on his stomach, legs wide so he could feel the heat of her sex. He was ready, so ready.
“So fucking wet,” he murmured.
“Let’s go, babe,” she replied.
She lifted herself onto her knees, Rogue grabbed his cock, and she shimmied down. She began settling herself on his erection, easing down slowly. They locked eyes, feeling the weight of every second. When he was buried hilt deep, she moved. She set the pace, and he followed. Her hair and large breasts bounced with each movement. He would have grabbed for one of her boobs and squeezed if his claws weren’t stuck in her waist. She came first, her pussy clenching and throbbing around his swollen dick. Then he came too, relishing the sensation of her body massaging his as he spilled everything into her.
“Oh, fuck,” he said. He hadn’t even considered a condom. “I hope I don’t get you pregnant because of this.”
Emily gave him an incredulous look.
“Do we seem like the kind of people who could handle a baby?” Rogue asked sarcastically.
Emily leaned down, walked her fingers up his body. She was staying close to him while keeping his dick buried deep. Her breasts were flush and warm underneath his own chest.
“We could do it. I wouldn’t get an abortion if you did get me pregnant because I’d want that baby with all of my heart whether we’re ready or not.”
Rogue’s heart sank. “I’d never ask you to.” Suddenly, he couldn’t look at her. No, he was not ready for kids, but he would never ask Emily to do that. The thought wouldn’t even cross his mind. He’d want the kid, too.
“You’d love a kid, Ethan. You’d be head over heels for a little baby of your own,” Emily said.
Rogue rolled his eyes, but he knew she was right.
“Sorry for digging in so deep,” he told her. Her waist got the worst of his claws.
“I’m fine,” she replied.
Rogue sat up and Emily carefully got off of his lap. He didn’t have to coax her to lie down on the bed. She was already there, eyes half closed. She was tired. He started kissing and licking away the blood on her skin and cleaned the scratches he had made. When he was finished he pressed his lips to her right breast, where he knew a new Lunas Sigil would appear.
“Mason told me to mark you, Em, but you’re the one who marked me.”
When his lips left her skin, Lunas glowed between them, over the bloody bite she left on his chest and where he had just kissed her, mirror images.
Emily pressed her hand to his mark, no doubt feeling the buzz of energy from his skin. “We’ll always be together now, won’t we?” she asked.
“All three of us,” Rogue confirmed.
“Lie down with me, mister.”
Rogue listening obediently. He thought Emily wanted him to cuddle her, but she had him roll over and snuggled against his back as she pressed her lips to the back of his neck
. She knew him way too well. Yeah, he was taller, but he liked that she was being the “big spoon.” He didn’t know how this human made him feel so safe, but she did it.
“Goodnight, Ethan.”
“Night, Em.”
What would tomorrow bring? Whatever dangers were in store, Rogue would make sure to keep Emily and his friends safe. He’d protect Moonwatch. His house didn’t just feel like a house anymore. It felt like home. Maybe he was always supposed to end up here. He never knew a family beyond Emily and Mason, but he was starting to. And he wanted to hold on to all of it.
Chapter 13
EMILY WALKED HAND IN hand with Ethan as they made their way to the burned down Alpha Den. They could have taken her Impala, but time wasn’t pressing, and she was enjoying this closeness. It was romantic to walk with Ethan in the snow like this. Moonwatch was a pretty little town.
Ethan got a call from Nick this morning, telling him Bruiser and his people had arrived. They got up, ate breakfast, and left the house soon after Ethan gave her a quick rundown on everything.
This was the most beautiful morning of Emily’s life. There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky. The sun was up, shining down on the snow below, creating little rainbows all over the place. It was also an easy morning. She and Ethan fell into step perfectly. It was their first time together like that last night, but their hearts had already been there years before. It didn’t feel new exactly, but it did make everything feel complete.
It was about damn time.
“How’re you feeling?” Ethan asked her.
“Perfect.” She pressed her free hand to the right side of her chest. “That Lunas Sigil you gave me made me forget all about those scratches you gave me.” She squeezed his hand and bumped into him playfully. “I can’t wait to meet Bruiser, grizzly bear shifter friend.”
“You’re a little too excited. He’s not that awesome. You’ll be disappointed. I dunno how much of a ‘friend’ he is either.”
“Lie. You think he’s totally awesome, and he is your friend. I’m not going to be disappointed.”
“He’s big, scary, and bad-tempered.”
Emily laughed. He was sounding better and better by the moment. It was all too obvious Ethan was fond of him.
“Still can’t believe it burned down,” Ethan said absentmindedly as they came up to the Alpha Den’s remains. There was a group of other people standing around it, too. Emily recognized Nick, Gwen, and Ava. There was a bald man she didn’t know, but her eyes rested on the big burly man with an ugly scar on his face and a ruined left eye. She wasn’t the type to judge or get spooked, but the white of that eye, void of any other color, made her skin prickle a little. She wasn’t superstitious exactly, but she couldn’t help thinking that eye of his was like a fortuneteller’s crystal ball. Did he see the future? The past? She shuddered at the thought and mentally lectured herself about letting her imagination run wild.
She was certain this guy was Bruiser.
“Rogue,” he grumbled when he glanced their way after saying something to Nick. Then he started walking toward them. Emily couldn’t help feeling a little bit threatened because he was huge, his muscles were crazy, and because of the look on his face. Ethan let go of her hand a second later, bridging the distance between him and the scarred man, but he was doing it in a way that was too protective. Did he feel threatened?
Bruiser raised his hand and Ethan flinched as Bruiser slapped him hard on the shoulder.
“Fuck,” Ethan muttered as he clapped Bruiser’s much broader shoulder in return; his touch was much lighter. “Now I’m going to have a bruise. Thanks, Bruiser. Way to live up to your name. But I’d prefer if you lived up to your other—”
“Not another word, Rogue. Not another word,” Bruiser warned.
Nick looked at the two of them with a slightly raised eyebrow. His mate was making a similar face.
“So this is Emily,” Ethan gestured to her, letting whatever he was going to say before drop.
Emily walked forward, despite Bruiser being intimidating, and extended her hand in greeting. After seeing him treat Ethan so roughly, she wondered if he’d break her hand. The last thing she was expecting was the gentle touch he had when he accepted her offer. Ethan didn’t even hold her hand that carefully.
“Good to meet you,” Bruiser said.
“Same here.” Emily grinned. “Ethan’s told me all about you.”
“Unfortunate. He often blows things out of proportion.”
“I know how to see past his fibs.” She winked.
“Good girl.”
“Stop flirting with my woman,” Ethan growled.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Bruiser replied. He jerked his thumb at the bald man. “This is Josh, White Witch, and Ava’s teacher.”
Emily nodded. She felt a little better about all the craziness going on, but there was still a lot she didn’t know. Until Moonwatch, she hadn’t known a thing about witches. She couldn’t say it surprised her though. If there were shifters, why not witches too?
“Learn anything new?” Ethan grabbed Emily’s hand again and squeezed tightly. He didn’t want to be apart from her. She felt the same way, so she squeezed back.
“Scouts came up empty. Even Cedric,” Nick informed. He pressed his lips into a grim straight line. His eyes were a pretty intense yellow. He wasn’t hiding his displeasure.
Bruiser eyed Ethan’s hand in Emily’s for a moment. Then he spoke up. “I found something. Black Magic and witches in Blue Forest. I don’t know the exact numbers because I held back at a safe distance after what happened last time when Rogue and I confronted Black Witches.”
Ethan shuddered at what must have been a very unpleasant memory.
“It doesn’t look good though,” Bruiser continued. “I have a bad feeling. Don’t understand why they’re out there waiting instead of attacking. It’s like they’re waiting for something.”
“Or someone,” Ethan suggested. “If David is part of this, he used Owen’s name for a reason. Maybe he wants you here.”
“That’s far-fetched.”
“Hey, it’s my job to look at all the little unlikely pieces and make something of them.”
“Well, that’s all we have. The only concrete evidence we have is the involvement of Black Witches.”
“I’m just saying that David Fletcher is the kind of guy who’d get his revenge no matter what, and you would be high on his list, big man.”
Bruiser grunted. “How’s Griffin?”
Gwen answered, “He’s okay, sedated because of that Black Magic that turned him into a suicide bomber, but his broken wing was set.”
“Black Magic is such a pain in the ass. Too bad we can’t wake him up and ask him for answers.”
“We could try anyway?” Ethan suggested.
Bruiser closed his eyes. “Ava, you might be able to do something we haven’t done in the past, actually bypass or break the hold on Griffin, but I wouldn’t bet on it. This has been an ongoing battle for some time. When Black Witches get a hold of a shifter, it’s never an easy fix.” He opened his eyes again. “Keep Griffin sedated. We’ll need Ava for whatever is going on in Blue Forest.”
“I don’t understand,” Nick spoke up. “How did you find Black Witches in Blue Forest when none of my packmates did?”
“They’re using cover, Black Magic like a fog that distorts space. I only noticed because I was using magic too, Terros Sight—though that hasn’t helped us find the Circle’s stronghold after all these years.. I could see past the barrier thanks to the Earth. If Ava had been sent out to scout, I’m sure she would have seen past it, too. Ava and Josh are going to be invaluable here.”
“What’s the plan?” Ava asked. Her voice was quiet. Emily could barely hear her. The petite thing was shaking, too. Apparently, she had great power, but Emily wouldn’t have known it just by looking at her.
“We strike first,” Bruiser announced. “It’s the best way for us to be the ones in control. However, I’m only taking
a small group out to that Black Magic infestation in Blue Forest. Because, like I said, I didn’t get a good look, and they could already be on the move. That means I need to split Josh and Ava up to keep everyone as safe as possible.”
“Ava is stronger than I am,” Josh commented. “Take her. If anyone can break a Black Magic barrier, she can.”
Bruiser nodded. “Take care of this place, Josh.”
“With my life.”
“I’m taking Ava, Rogue, Max, Derek, and a few other brawlers, Trinity Shifters and Blue Pack members alike. We’re heading out immediately.”
“I-I’ll get Max,” Ava said.
“I’ll help you round up everyone else,” Nick added.
Ethan turned to Emily and commented, “Looks like you’re holding down the fort, Em. Your sharpshooting will come in handy.” He brushed his hand against her back and lower until he touched the butt of her pistol.
“I never miss,” she assured.
“I’m counting on that.”
“Be careful, Ethan.”
“Same to you, Em.”
“We’re going to get this fixed, and then you owe me a date.”
Ethan smiled. “Perfect.”
“Because we’ve never been on a date.”
“Criminal.”
“Absolutely criminal.”
Ethan bent down and kissed her on the lips, sweet and slow. “I love you, Emily Walker.”
“And I love you, Ethan Street. See you soon.”
Chapter 14
IT WAS LATE MORNING, and the sun filtered through the blue spruces that grew in every part of Blue Forest. Rogue thought the place would feel more welcoming, but there was some kind of fog drifting in. It made the place eerie.
It didn’t help that everyone with him had nearly soundless footsteps. He thanked the Moon for Ava. She was the only one without that shifter stealth. She made him remember they weren’t just a pack of fearsome killers. Rogue hated going on hunts like this. Most of the time he was fortunate enough to be drafted for recon, spying, pilfering, the stuff he was good at, but he had seen his fair share of bloodshed even after joining Trinity. Sometimes it was unavoidable.
