Wolf Quest

by Bianca D'Arc

  Jesse held tight to Maria’s hand while he issued orders to his men. Marco himself took possession of the witch when they got her down from the tree. He wasn’t taking any chances with her in particular, and he bound her with rune-studded cloths he had secreted in his pockets. Bespelled, no doubt, so that she couldn’t use her magic to get away or to cause further harm to anyone.

  Jesse’s men processed through the prisoners quickly enough. There weren’t that many when push came to shove. Many of the outliers had fled early on in the action. The only ones who had stuck around until the end were the diehards. Maria noticed that almost all of them had the tattoos on their wrists and elsewhere. Some even had tattoos on their foreheads.

  “You can see those markings, right?” she asked Jesse, remembering his earlier claims about how the tattoos weren’t visible to everyone.

  “What markings?”

  “That guy over there with the bald head, for example. Do you see the band of runes that are tattooed around the perimeter of his head?” She pointed to the man and jumped a bit when he stared directly at her. He knew she was talking about him.

  He’d been standing with the other prisoners but moved quickly when Jesse gazed at him thoughtfully and then turned to get one of his men to deal with it. Before Maria knew what was happening, the man with the circle of runes on his head had formed a malevolent yellow fireball in his hands and lobbed it at Jesse’s back.

  Maria didn’t think, she just acted. She held up her hands, palms outward and threw herself in front of Jesse’s back, shielding him, though she’d never done such a thing before. The fireball hit her palms and reflected back out, amplified, reacting to anything—or anyone—magical left in the room.

  Several of the prisoners dropped where they stood, including the guy with the runes on his head. Maria looked around and realized that everyone who’d fallen unconscious had a mark on his forehead of one kind or another. She tried to tell Jesse as he hugged her close to him in reaction.

  He’d been pretty good all night about letting her do her thing, but he’d turned around in the nick of time to see the fireball coming for them, and judging by his reaction, it had worried him.

  “You took ten years off my life just then, Maria. Don’t do that again!” He shook her once, but not hard, and then hugged her again. “Wolves are resilient. I can take a hit of magic and the majority of it will bounce off. Most of the time,” he added grudgingly. “How did you deflect that much power?”

  “I don’t know. Still running on instinct here,” she reminded him, pushing back away from him, needing some space to breathe. “But I’m glad I did it now, considering the results. All the ones who fell are tattooed on their heads. And did you notice that none of our people were affected? Only the bad guys.”

  She smiled brightly at him, trying to make him see the good points of what she’d done instead of the danger that had him so worked up. He rolled his shoulders once, as if trying to get rid of muscle tension, and started barking orders to his men. Two heavily armed soldier-types rushed over.

  “This is Maria,” he explained succinctly. “She is my mate. Her life is more important to me than any other.” Maria tried her best not to blush at his statement or the way his men looked at her, but she was sure she failed. “She sees the Venifucus markings. I want you to go with her and examine each of the fallen prisoners. One of you will write down her observations and keep good notes on each prisoner who has the markings while the other stands guard. No harm is to come to her, or it will mean your lives. Do you understand?”

  Maria thought that last bit was a little harsh, but she didn’t dare interfere with the way Jesse ran his group. He was the Alpha here, not her.

  Jesse hugged her again and gave her some instructions as well. He really seemed to like giving orders, which was fine with her in this situation, but they’d probably butt heads a bit when the situation wasn’t so dire. She looked forward to it.

  “Go with them, but stay alert,” he counseled. “There could still be danger here. Tell them what you see in as much detail as you can manage. Draw pictures if you can. Every little bit of information we can get on these people could help our cause.”

  “I understand,” she replied just as seriously. If she really was the only one who could see the marks, she had better record them as faithfully as possible for those who couldn’t.

  “Work fast. I’m going to help the bears and arrange transport. I want to get them to Wyoming as soon as possible.”

  Chapter Eleven

  In the end, it didn’t take too long to catalog all the markings each of the prisoners were adorned with. Jesse arranged escort vehicles for the trip back to Pack territory. Rocky insisted on driving Zach and his parents in his own large luxury SUV. Jesse and Maria would be in front of them with escort vehicles loaded with his men, front and back. A little convoy of four vehicles to drive through the night and get them back to the safest place he knew.

  They got underway in the wee small hours of the night and made good time traveling steadily west. The storm was beginning to dissipate and move off to the east. Some of the cities along the east coast would get clobbered by rain, but eventually the magically induced storm would blow itself out naturally. Thank goodness.

  They drove out of the worst of the residual rain bands by daybreak and started to make even better time. The winds continued to gust at high rates of speed, so flying was still not an option. By the time the storm conditions lessened to where they’d be able to travel normally again, they’d be almost to their destination, so the decision was made to continue over land.

  Maria was exhausted by the ordeal of using so much magic in ways she’d never done before. She also hadn’t slept in quite a while, so when she started to yawn, Jesse scooted the seat back a little more and encouraged her to lie down, using him as a pillow if she wanted.

  Jesse reflected on the outcome of events. They’d done well in rescuing the bears, though both of Zach’s parents seemed traumatized by their ordeal. They’d need a lot of time to heal, but Zach was a good kid and he’d protect them—as would Rocky and the Lords. They would spend a little time as guests of Jason and their Pack, but they’d be moving on to the north and Rocky’s territory as soon as was practical.

  For one thing, the priestesses were there and might be able to do something to heal them of their magical and spiritual wounds. And the Lords had to know everything they could tell them about their abductors and what had been done to them.

  That process was going to be emotionally painful for them, Jesse had no doubt. He was glad in a way that he didn’t have to be part of that. Better the bears talk to Rocky and the Lords—the former a member of their family and the latter the highest authority over all shifters in this land. They loved Rocky and they respected the Lords. Both would help them through the trauma in ways others simply could not.

  Then there was the matter of the prisoners Marco had kept. Jesse wasn’t altogether comfortable with the idea of handing over such valuable intel opportunities to the vampire, but the situation had political overtones he preferred not to entangle himself in. Better to leave that stuff to his brother. Jay was better suited to that kind of thing. Jesse was better at fighting and ordering soldiers around. Jason was the negotiator. He would do what was best for the Pack in any political situation. Let him deal with the vampire on the subject of the prisoners.

  All Jesse wanted for the next few weeks was his mate and his bed.

  They stopped a few times for gas, food and to use rest rooms, but Jesse and Rocky both wanted to get to Pack lands as quickly as possible. The bear family stayed in the SUV for the most part, only getting out to stretch and use the facilities. The glimpses Jesse got of Zach’s parents told him they were weak but recovering. They could both walk and tend to their own bodily functions, which was good.

  Rocky told him during one of their breaks that they’d been sleeping for most of the journey. Both of them were exhausted. Zach sat vigil from the front seat while his p
arents slept in the back.

  Rocky had even put down the seats at one stop to create a much larger bed area, combining the back seats with the extra-large cargo compartment. He had a sleeping bag and a couple of pillows with him, which they used as bedding. From that point on, the bear couple slept even more comfortably the rest of the way to Wyoming.

  When Jesse mentioned this to Maria, he was relieved to hear her opinion that sleep was probably best for the couple after the ordeal they’d been through. Sleep, she assured him, was nature’s healer and would help restore the energy that witch had stolen from them.

  They drove all day, trading off driving duties occasionally. Rocky allowed one of Jesse’s men to drive his SUV while he caught some sleep in the passenger seat. Zach opted to ride with Jesse and Maria during those hours, keeping the car behind them in his sight most of the way. It was a tense convoy, trying to cover ground as quickly as possible and being extra vigilant should their enemies try something.

  The grizzlies were vulnerable while their energy was so low. They were being guarded as closely as possible, but they wouldn’t be truly safe until they were behind the protections of Pack land. At least not to Jesse’s mind. He’d tried to explain it to Maria, but he wasn’t sure she really understood his feelings on the subject.

  Jesse had fought in a half dozen foreign lands, and those experiences had given him a new appreciation for the mountaintop and surroundings he called home. In all his travels, he’d never found a place he felt safer or more secure. It wasn’t just the place. It was the people too. His family, his friends, his men. All combined, it spelled home and it was the safest place he knew.

  That protection would extend to their guests. Rocky and his family would be made to feel just as welcome and just as protected. Once the Pack extended its hospitality, they would fight to the last wolf, tooth and claw, to protect their invited guests.

  They stopped again around dinner time, and Zach went back to Rocky’s SUV. They got food to go and ate on the road, not wanting to stop too long. They were safer on the move should anyone be after them. And after the ruckus they’d caused in that pavilion, Jesse was pretty sure someone would be after retribution.

  If they moved quickly enough, the pursuit would never catch up to them.

  When Maria started yawning again soon after dinner, Jesse scooted back the seat again and invited her to sleep. She started out resting her head against his shoulder, but sometime during the long drive her head wound up in his lap.

  They were much closer to Pack lands—perhaps an hour away—when Maria woke up and seemed to realize where she was resting her cheek. And what her presence in his lap had done to him over the past half hour or so. Jesse was hard as a rock.

  Maria had no idea how she’d ended up with her cheek pressed up against a ridge of hard flesh covered by only a couple of thin layers of fabric. The last thing she remembered, she’d been leaning against Jesse’s shoulder… Although there was some vague recollection of sliding into a more stretched-out position at one point.

  Damn. She’d slept herself right under the steering wheel—which he must’ve adjusted upward somehow—and into his lap. All in all, it wasn’t a bad place to be. She was as comfortable as she could be sleeping in such a cramped space, and she liked the scent of him. The faint trace of gun oil and cordite only added to the danger of his allure.

  She had it bad. There was no doubt. She’d missed him in the hours since they’d last made love. If that was what you’d call being banged up against a tree. She wouldn’t have believed it only a few days ago, but something sacred and special had happened at that rest stop in that leafy circle of trees.

  Her soul had joined to his, never to be parted. And part of that joining was the shared need they had for each other. His was evident—pressing up against her cheek, seeking her touch. Hers was ever present and always ready. She wanted him, no matter what the circumstances.

  While she’d bet he was probably going to be the dominant partner in this relationship when it came to sexual matters, she knew in this situation she definitely had the upper hand. Wouldn’t it be fun, she thought with an exceedingly naughty impulse, to give him a ride he’d always remember?

  They hadn’t been able to fuck each other’s brains out for hours and hours while they helped Zach and his family. They were alone now and on their way to somewhere they’d most likely have to answer a lot of questions before they could sneak off and be on their own. Jesse probably needed her as much as she needed him, and she could give him this little gift so easily.

  As long as he didn’t run them off the road.

  She thought about it for a split second and then realized she trusted him to keep them safe even while she blew his mind…and other parts of him. With a wicked grin, she turned her head and lifted one hand to his fly.

  “What are you doing, babe?” Jesse sounded a little nervous and her smile widened.

  “You mean you don’t know?” She couldn’t resist teasing him.

  “Uh…” He cleared his throat as she released his cock from the confines of his pants. Poor baby had probably been hard for a while, judging by the state of him as he strained against her fingers.

  “You just keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. Let me take care of the rest.” Even to her own ears, her voice sounded kind of sultry. She was amazed by the way Jesse affected her. She’d never even known she had a sex-kitten side before.

  She took him into her mouth after a few preliminary strokes with her hand. He was so hard she didn’t want to prolong his agony…too much. Licking him like a lollipop, she savored the taste and texture of him, learning him as she’d wanted to since almost the first moment they’d met. Certainly from the first time they’d made love.

  She wanted to know everything about him. What made him want. What made him come. What touches he liked best. Everything there was to know about him sexually.

  Maria already had a good concept of his character and would get to know more of his thoughts the longer they were together, but the forbidden knowledge of his sexual appetites were on her mind now. She wanted to drive him wild and make him come so hard he’d forget all the other women he had to have known and focus on her alone.

  She didn’t know much about were mating except what she’d heard from Jesse already and what the cougar woman had told her. It was a mixed picture at best. What she wanted was to have Jesse’s undivided sexual attention if they were going to make a go of this relationship. She’d already committed to him, but she knew relationships took work to make them thrive. She was willing to put in that work…especially the most pleasurable kind she was doing now.

  She felt his excitement rise as she went down on him. The steering wheel was gripped with white-knuckled intensity and she wondered if he could break the thing if he held it too hard. Smiling, she returned to her work, sliding down and up on him repeatedly, using her hands and mouth to create a rhythm that seemed to drive him wild.

  Jesse was growling deep in his chest and the sound really turned her on. He let go his death grip on the wheel and slid one hand down her back, over the curve of her buttocks and up under the hem of her shorts. She was kneeling on the length of the bench seat, her ass in the air. She kept low so she wasn’t visible through the windshield.

  Jesse’s talented fingers found her core, and suddenly the stakes of her little game changed dramatically. He slid two thick fingers up her channel as his cock went down her throat. She moaned and felt him shudder as her body responded to the harsh rhythm he set up in her channel.

  At that point it became a bit of a race to see who could get the other off first. They both won, coming together as the car rocked and rolled down the highway. Jesse’s steering was a little iffy for a few moments as the climax hit, but as she’d known he would, he kept them safely on the road.

  She swallowed his salty come as his fingers continued a slow pulse inside her, basking in the afterglow of the hardest, quickest orgasm yet. If he was this good in a pinch, she wo
ndered how she would survive when they finally had the leisure to spend all night in bed together without anywhere to be the next day.

  Maria couldn’t wait to find out.

  When they finally stopped sometime later in front of a beautifully crafted, giant house set in the woods, Maria was relieved. Her whole body vibrated with the rhythm of the wheels and she thought it might take some time before she didn’t feel as if she was still moving down the highway at illegal speeds instead of standing still on terra firma.

  A man who looked a lot like Jesse came out to meet them. On closer inspection, he was a younger version of her guy. Younger both in years and in mileage, judging by his open expression and calm eyes. A tall woman followed him down the steps of the house. Sally.

  Maria had seen them both before, of course, on the video link, but they looked slightly different in person. Bigger, for one thing. Jason was as broad shouldered as Jesse and just as tall. His wife was tall for a woman, though she looked downright petite standing next to the oversized men.

  Sally came right over to Maria and smiled brightly, offering a tentative hug. It was a little awkward, but Maria was glad to meet her supposed cousin. The more she had done with magic over the past few days, the more she believed there was some truth to the whole dryad story.

  “Can you hear it?” Sally asked her as they walked slowly together toward the big house. “The trees are singing. Welcoming you.”

  “Um…” Maria stretched out her newly honed senses and she felt the welcome, but she didn’t hear anything. “I think maybe I perceive things a little differently than you do. Do you actually hear a song?”

  Sally looked at her, surprised. “Yeah. I hear the song of the leaves and branches. Don’t you?”

  “Not really.” Maria felt a little defective—and defensive. Her magic wasn’t trained. It was all instinct on her part. Sally’s expression dropped and Maria felt bad. “I feel the welcome though. The woods are happy.”