by K. A Knight
The door slams open, and Perses strides in with an open book in his hands, muttering to himself. He stops at Darius’s bedside and snaps the book shut with an anxious look.
My hands tighten around Darius. “Can you do it?”
“Yes and no,” he says, distracted.
“Now is not the time for your fucking riddles!” I scream, and he throws me a disapproving look.
“Yes, I can do it, but I need your help.” He crosses his arms. “And it’s not a hundred percent that it will work.”
“Do it, I don’t care,” I beg and I let him see all the emotions fighting for control in me right now.
His eyes soften, and he takes a step closer. “We will help him.” With that, he turns to Darius. “Okay, it seems simple enough. I need to suck the darkness from his soul and mind, and you need to be there with your mind open, ready to protect him and call him back.”
I frown and stare at Perses. “Won’t the darkness stick to you?”
Perses throws me a cocky look as his eyes shift color, making me dizzy. “God, remember?”
Shaking my head, I turn back to Darius. “Okay, let’s do it.”
I close my eyes and concentrate on my connection with Darius, holding it hard and fast. I feel the moment Perses enters his mind, but I keep my eye on the worn thread between me and Darius.
As Perses sucks out the darkness, Darius’s soul tears, and I surround him with my energy and connection as much as I can to help. It works a little and Darius settles down.
I don’t know how long we work, but when Perses leaves Darius’s mind, I quickly call to him. I feel the moment Darius returns. He’s weak, but there.
Thank you, angel face, he whispers in my mind before he passes out.
I open my eyes and look around. A weak, sweaty Perses perches on the end of the bed, looking exhausted. My head is heavy as well.
“Magic like that takes its toll. We all need to rest. You’re safe here. I’ll get Bob to return you in the morning. Aurora, beware. Not all of the darkness may be gone,” Perses says slowly, like each word hurts.
Then he stands and stumbles to the door before shutting it behind him.
I focus back on Darius. He looks better now, his color better and no longer sweating. Some of the weight even returned to his body and face.
“I’m so sorry,” I say before laying my head down and keeping my eyes locked on his face, watching him as he rests. My eyes slide shut even as I fight them.
Something strokes my hair.
I mumble and bury my face into the softness beneath me.
The bed shakes as someone laughs, and I raise my head with a glare to find Darius sitting up and staring at me.
I jump up, running my hands over him as I panic. “Are you okay? How do you feel? Do you need anything—”
When he laughs, I cut off and narrow my eyes.
He winks before leaning back again. “Never knew you cared so much, princess.”
Well, I guess it didn’t hurt his fucking attitude, asswad. Laughter brushes my mind.
I heard that, angel.
Fuck, I need to shield my thoughts better. I find my eyes running over him. He looks good. He looks like I saw him in the memories. His face is filled out, his lips plump, and his eyes sparking.
You checking me out, your highness?
“Stop fucking listening to my thoughts,” I grumble, and he grins in real life.
“Sure thing, princess.”
I huff as I sit back. “Fucking asshole.” Blowing out a breath, I look at him seriously. “Darius, I’m sorry. I didn’t know blocking you would do that. I really didn’t. I’m sorry. I won’t block you from now on.”
His face closes down as he stares at me, that cocky expression firmly in place. “Don’t worry about it, angel. We both know we don’t want to be bound to each other. We’ll stay this way until we can break it, and then we can be rid of each other.” I gape at him as he slips from the bed and stretches casually. “Now, can we get back? I’m craving bacon.”
I stand slowly and swallow down all the arguments bubbling on my tongue, but hurt sears through me, and he flinches before looking at me. Gritting my teeth, I storm away. No way will I let that asshole know how much he hurt me. If he wants to find a way to unbind us, then so be it. I don’t need someone who doesn’t want me, anyway.
Angel.
I ignore his pained whisper in my mind and set off to find Perses so he can send us back home.
Please don’t tell the guys. They’ll panic. Promise me. The whisper brushes my mind like a truce, but I’m still so angry and hurt.
Against my better judgment, I answer him. I promise.
36
Jason
When I hear footsteps near the front door, I shut the fridge and edge down the hallway, hiding behind the living room door in case the person is here to hurt Aurora and my brothers. I hold my breath when they turn the door handle and push the door open, their shoes light on the wooden hallway floor.
When Darius storms past, I let go of my magic and breathe out.
He heads straight down the corridor and slams the kitchen door. Looking around, I spot Aurora in the hallway. She looks so lost and alone, and before I know it, I take a step toward her.
Those eyes, those deep eyes, swing my way, and when I see the pain and vulnerability in them, my heart stutters. She might not know it, but I’m crazy about her. She’s so amazing, so strong all the time, and yet so kind, and right now, she’s hurting.
I open my arms, and she runs into them. I hold her there as she presses her face into my chest. Kissing her head, I tighten my arms.
“Shh, you’re okay,” I whisper, and when she shakes, I keep on whispering to her.
When she calms down a bit and pulls away, her eyes are red-rimmed, and I cup her face. God, she’s beautiful. With twigs in her hair and tears staining her face, she makes me feel like a giddy teenager again. I can’t help myself.
I lean forward and run my lips gently across hers. Fuck, she tastes amazing. All sweet with the slightest hint of salt. I pull away as my cheeks heat, realizing what I just did.
Good going. She’s upset and you’re—
Her lips meet mine, and I lose all rational thought. I can’t help myself. I grab her cheeks and deepen the kiss, and when she moans into my mouth, I walk us back until she meets the hallway wall. Her hands wind in my hair as I pull back and search her eyes.
I don’t want her kissing me unless she wants to, but when I see her blown pupils and face coated in passion, I dive back in, having to reach down and rearrange my cock as it presses against the front of my jeans tightly.
“Jason,” she groans, and using the wall, I hoist her up and jam my leg between hers.
I devour her mouth, my mind caught on those moans I heard from her through the walls when she was with Ezra. She probably wouldn’t care that I listened in. I couldn’t help it, but I’ll never tell her I jerked off to it. She was so hot and those noises drove me crazy.
She pulls back, and I open my eyes to see her staring at me in wonder.
My cheeks heat even as I grin at her.
Blinking, she watches me before biting that plump lower lip. “I thought you were shy.”
Leaning in, I sweep her hair to the side and kiss up her neck before whispering in her ear, “I am, but I know exactly what I want. You beneath me, screaming your orgasm as you ride my cock.”
She pants at my words, and with a groan, she yanks me back to her, her soft lips exploring mine.
“Jason,” she moans, and the sound of my name on her lips drives me wild.
Bolstered by her moans, I drop my hand to the bottom of her top and slowly lift it, running my hand up her toned stomach and curves until I reach her lacy bra.
Her back arches, and I take it as permission, hooking my fingers under the cups and dragging them up until I can reach her breasts. She groans into my mouth as I curl my finger around her nipple, moving against my thigh in a way that makes my cock jerk. I
can’t help but imagine her riding me like that.
Tweaking her nipple, I sweep my tongue inside her mouth.
She pulls away, breathing deeply, and watches me with wide, lust-filled eyes. Her eyes sweep across my face as she puts some distance between us.
“Everything oka—” I cut off mid-sentence as she darts forward, her hands running under my shirt and across my stomach, causing me to freeze. My eyes stay locked with her as she explores me, her hands running up my back before circling around and cupping my face.
“I missed you so much,” she says softly, causing my heart to stutter, and I see the truth in her eyes. She really means it.
Swallowing hard, I stare at her as her lips rise to mine, and with that touch, I’m lost again. I’ve been trying to fight it, to push it away. Knowing how crazy the others are about her, I tried to stay the smart one, but she knocks down my walls every single time. That evil little smile, those sparkling eyes, her wit and loyalty. I might not have realized it completely, but this little witch is buried so deep in my heart I couldn’t separate us if I tried.
I’m hers, if she’ll have me.
I draw back to tell her that when a crash sounds from the kitchen. We pull away and whirl at the same time, me stepping slightly in front of her.
She snorts and pats my arm.
“You don’t have to protect me, sweetie. I’m a total badass, remember?” With that, she leans on her tiptoes, drops a kiss on my cheek, and pushes past me to investigate.
37
Aurora
I quickly right my bra, ignoring the throbbing between my legs created by Jason’s masterful fingers, along with his dominant mouth. Who knew it? My shy witch, the guy who blushes when I wink at him, has a dominant side. I can’t wait to explore that.
Shuffling down the hallway, I push into the kitchen and stop with my mouth hanging open. What the…?
I stare around incredulously. “Bob?”
Jason stops at my back. His body pushes up against me; his heat makes me shiver. Pushing my horniness aside, I stare around again. The gremlin, doubled his normal size, is throwing every utensil he can get his hands on at Nev, who growls at him with his fur standing up and his eyes glowing.
I grab Jason’s shirt and drag him down in time to duck a fork flying through the air.
“Bob, stop it right now!” I yell when he chucks a cheese grater at Nev.
The gremlin turns toward me and seems to lose some of his air, shrinking back down a bit.
“Silly witch.” He nods before glaring back at Nev.
“What’s going on?” I ask, confused.
“Silly witch was busy sucking face with other silly witch.” He picks up a rolling pin when Nev growls again.
I roll my eyes as Jason coughs behind me, obviously covering a laugh.
“Okay, so why are you attacking my dog?” I frown at Nev as he growls again. “Nev, heel,” I command, and he growls once before sitting down and tilting his head at me with his tongue hanging out.
“Silly witch, this isn’t a dog.” Bob rolls his eyes and stares down at Nev.
“Erm, gremlin, say what?” I choke out, staring between him and Nev like my dog can give me all the answers.
Jason freezes, and I almost hear his mind whirring.
Bob huffs and shrinks back down to his normal size but still holds the rolling pin like a weapon. He sticks his tongue out at Nev, then turns to me. “Silly witch, silly witch.”
At his laugh, my eyes narrow, and I hold my hand up, conjuring a fireball.
He points the rolling pin at me, his skin shifting as if to expand again. “Don’t do it, silly witch.”
“Try me, gremlin,” I growl, and he starts to mutter.
I don’t even see Nev move. One second, he’s sitting with his tongue lolling out, and the next, he appears mid-air, snatching the rolling pin from Bob and throwing it to the other side of the kitchen.
When Nev turns to me, I choke out a breath. The puppy I saved and the dog I love looks nothing like the beast that stares at me right now.
His eyes glow, I mean actually glow, bright-blue with a ring of purple in his left eye and a ring of black in his right. He’s huge, double his normal size, and seems to dwarf my kitchen as he looks at me.
Bob moves, and Nev growls, opening his mouth to reveal sharp fangs I’ve never seen before. They hang down over his bottom lip and his tail swishes forward, drawing my gaze. It’s as bushy as normal, but where it was hair before, it now has spikes coming from it. At the end, a giant one hangs off, sweeping along the floor as he growls. Even his fur is darker, almost midnight black; the same kind of darkness my magic has when I let it out.
Nev turns back to me, watching me with way too intelligent eyes.
“What is he?” I step back into Jason, who wraps his arms around me and plops his head on my shoulder.
Nev whines sadly and sits as he watches me. The sound goes straight through to my heart, and I have to remind myself not to run to him.
“I did wonder if there was something different about him,” Jason murmurs, almost talking to himself.
Bob huffs and disappears, only to reappear on top of my counter with my bag of cookies in his hand.
“Silly witch, he’s a bonded hound.” He munches on my cookies, and it’s a testament to how freaked out I am that I don’t flame ball his ass.
“What does that mean?” I shout, freaking out.
Still watching me sadly, Nev lays down and puts his head on his enormous paws, which have also grown curved, lethal-looking claws.
“I toldss Perses you were stupid,” Bob starts, and I glare at him. “Finness, silly witch. A bonded hound is a magical creature. They only appear to people they think are deserving; it’s like a soul matess. They feel that person when they are born, and they appear when they need them the mosts.”
With that, he shoves a cookie into his mouth and watches me like he explained everything.
Jason hums, and I slip out of his arms and turn to keep everyone in my line of sight. Jason looks like he’s thinking hard, his focus on Nev before his eyes clear and a smile forms. “Yes! I remember reading about them now.”
“Care to enlighten me?” I ask shrilly, but what else is a girl to do when she finds out the dog she rescued is some sort of magical being who selected her at birth?
Jason smiles at me and it calms me down a bit. “They’re said to be extinct many years ago. Right before the coven lines started dying and losing power.”
“Silly man witch. Not extinct. They tooks themselves from thiss world because of the taint to your magic. It tainted them as wells, so they hides away,” Bob interrupts before going back to his cookies.
Jason inclines his head, but I see he wants to ask questions. Luckily, he keeps his train of thought. “Of course. They were said to only appear to the strongest of our kind, men and women destined to be leaders and saviors. Only three were ever recorded. It’s like Bob—” he stumbles over the name, and I snort, “pointed out. They pick someone at a young age, and one day they appear.” He stares at Nev. “Though I’ve never heard of them camouflaging like a dog before.”
“Silly man witch. It’s called glamour. He knowss his witch was hiding, so he hid, too. But once the glamour is on, it iss hard to get off. Especially for a young one.”
I rub my head, a migraine starting. “Okay, so Nev is some mythical being who picked me at birth because I’m destined to be powerful and all that shit. We’re bound for life, and he protects me and boosts my magic, blah blah blah. Am I right?”
Bob nods. “Pretty much, silly witch.”
Groaning, I lean back against the wall. “That doesn’t explain why you two were attacking each other.”
Bob shoves the bag in his mouth and chews, and I wince. “I wass trying to help the silly doggie’s glamour come off. He didnt’s like it. Thoughts Bob was trying to hurts him. Misunderstanding.”
With that, he hops down again.
“Right, of course. So, is there anything
I should know about bonded hounds?” I trip over the words.
Bob sighs again. That popping noise comes, and he’s gone.
When he doesn’t reappear straight away, I swear. “That mother fucking gremlin.”
He appears right before me, kicking my shin, and I scream.
Hopping on one leg, clutching my throbbing one, I glare at him.
“Silly witch should be nicer. Here!” He thrusts a book at me and throws me a wounded glare.
Looking down at the book, I groan. Great, more reading.
Jason comes to my side and holds his hand out with a soft expression. “Here. I’ll find the right parts and give you two some time.” He gives me a meaningful look, and I follow his gaze to a sad looking Nev. I nod, and Jason takes the book and shuts the kitchen door after him.
I stare at Nev and he stares back. I don’t really know what to say.
He whines again, like his heart is breaking, and it sends a sharp pain through mine.
Shaking my head, I walk toward him and plop my ass down into a crossed legged position. I take in his changes and decide what the hell. “Look, buddy, I was surprised, okay? I mean, I knew you were smarter than a normal dog, but I never expected this. I guess we’re both full of surprises, huh?”
He tilts his head, and I take that as a good sign.
“I’m sorry for freaking out, I really am. You know I love you. You’re the only reason I survived this long without going crazy. So what? You have a barbed tail and cool glowing eyes.”
He crawls closer and stops when his head rests on my legs.
I automatically reach down and stroke his coarse fur. “Baby, it only means I love you more. I can’t believe you picked me out of all the witches and magics in this world. You came for me.” I start to choke up, so I clear my throat nervously. “I guess your name makes more sense now, anyway. Neville was always looking after everyone, and he was a magical being so...”
Nev’s tongue rolls out and licks my other hand, making me grin.
“I’ll take that as you accept my apology.”
