“Like what you see, sweetheart?” he asked, and even to his own ears the words came out hoarse.
Joanne glanced up at him, an impish smile on her flushed face.
“That why you couldn’t, you know…” She seemed unable to hold his gaze, and dropped it back down to his cock. Removing one hand she tentatively touched his knot, and Henry groaned.
“Sorry, does it hurt?” she asked.
“No, it feels fucking good actually, and yes, if I’m buried in your pussy or your delectable ass, that knot stops me from pulling out. It’s there to ensure the best chance of my seed taking hold, and making more cubs. Not that it’s an issue at the moment. I can smell you’re not fertile, and…” His voice trailed off, as Joanne paled and released him. She scrambled back to her feet, washed her hands at the sink, and then made a big show of getting the pie out of the oven.
Henry couldn’t shake the feeling that he had just upset her, but for the life of him he couldn’t figure out what he had said to change the mood thus. His wolf whined, and he carefully tucked himself back into his jeans, stood up and walked over to her. Joanne tensed, mid getting the ice cream out of the freezer, as he pulled her up against him.
“What have I said, little red. Tell me what’s wrong.”
Chapter Eleven
She would not cry, she would not. Joanne screwed her eyes shut and willed herself to just keep on breathing. What had she been thinking, taking the initiative like that? Of course that would only encourage him, and they just couldn’t be, no matter how right it had felt. How loved she felt even now, with his arms enclosing her in the warm cocoon of his body. His wolf whined, and the vibrations against her back made her feel even more wretched.
When she had seen the massive erection he was sporting, however she had felt compelled to do something. After all, he had given her so much pleasure already, it was the least she could do for him. And his scent and taste had proven addictive. Never in a million years would she have thought she would enjoy going down on a man like that. Men’s bits had always reminded her of the dangly bits on a Turkey’s head, yet with Henry, all that had gone out of the window. It felt right to do this to him, and the way his cock expanded and changed proved utterly fascinating, his taste salty, yet delicious.
“Nothing’s wrong.” She forced the words out past the lump of emotion in her throat. “I just need to get that pie served, and—“
“Joanne, I asked you what’s wrong. Do me the courtesy of not taking me for a fool.”
The use of her given name stung, as did the sudden loss of his strength as he stepped away from her. He’d dropped his voice to that deep growl that sent her hormones into a frenzy and the disapproval written all over his face, when she turned round to face him, ice cream in hand made her feel even more wretched.
“I would never presume you are that, Sir,” she said and he flinched.
“Don’t call me that, if you’re going to lie to me in that same sentence, girl.” Arms crossed over his chest, with the eyes of his wolf looking down on her, Joanne couldn’t move. He looked utterly furious and what was far worse, disappointed.
“If you can’t be honest with me, then there really is no point in continuing this, mating bond be fucked or not. And believe me I’m not saying this lightly. You’re my mate, the woman that I want and need to spend the rest of my life with, but I’ll be fucked if I’ll do this if you can’t tell me the truth. I might condemn myself to a life of no sex, but so be it.”
Her eyes widened at that last statement and the words were out before she could take them back.
“What do you mean, a life without sex, and I’m not a liar… I just, damn it. There’s things about me that you don’t know. Things that mean you won’t want to be with me, claim me, whatever the hell you call it.”
She stormed past him and slapped the ice cream on top of the pie. The way it slowly melted and slid down the side of the slice was a fitting epitaph really to her own emotions. Her life seemed to be going to hell in a hand basket, and fuck it, it hurt. She loved this man with all her heart, after all, and if he thought he needed her, then she needed him much more. Already the thought of not being with him tore her soul in two.
The deep growl of his wolf right behind her made her jump, and then he slapped his hands either side of her on the work top, crowding her against it. His claws screeched across the Formica and the fine hair on her arms stood on end at the sound it made.
“Fucking talk to me, little red, or I mean it I will walk away. I’ll still protect you, that goes without saying, but I can’t do this…us without knowing you’ll be honest. I love you too damn much for that, and I’m not just saying this because my dick won’t ever get hard for anyone but you. I. Love. You.”
He nuzzled into her neck and she could feel his lethal canines scrape along her rapidly beating pulse point there, as though he was on the verge of truly biting her. Excitement rose in the pit of her stomach and spread through her like molten lava, until she couldn’t hold back the words spilling from the depths of very soul.
“I love you two, so very much. I think I loved you from the moment I saw you, but we can’t…you won’t want me after…I’m no good for you.”
Henry swore and before she could blink he’d spun her round and sat her on the worktop. The plates of pie smashed to the floor, and bits of ice cream splashed up against her bare legs, as Henry yanked her to edge of the work top, spread her thighs, and stepped right between them. Her dress rose up, and she gasped as he ground his rock-hard erection into her pussy. Even through their combined clothing she could feel the sheer heat of him branding her. Instantly her already damp knickers were soaked through with her arousal as her body readied itself to be taken by him.
It seemed her body knew what it wanted, even if her mind threw obstacles in the way. Henry wrapped the end of her ponytail in his hand, and pulled her head back, exposing her throat. His heavy breaths ghosted across her skin, and she was dimly aware of the flash of his teeth, before he sunk them into her neck.
Pain shot through her and she yelped in agony. That pain morphed into the most exquisite pleasure as he started to suck, while grinding himself into her pussy. Darts of arousal shot out from his bite and centered in her clit, until the sheer force of her orgasm took her breath away and her vision dimmed. By the time the aftershocks stopped racking her body, she became aware of Henry gently licking his bite. He released the strangle hold he had on her hair and his hoarse words made her blink away tears.
“Does that feel as though I don’t want you, little red? As though you’re not good enough for me. That’s only a fraction of what you’ll experience when I truly make you mine, and by god, you will be mine. Now, tell me who has put that nonsense in your head, and I’ll hunt them down and tear them limb from limb. Was it Salasino? You can’t believe a word that man says. He’s scum, always has been and now in league with whoever keeps producing more vamps. I’m just grateful no locals have been turned. I’m not sure I could bring myself to kill someone I consider a friend.”
He stepped away from her and right into the gooey mess that had been her apple pie. He flinched and ran a hand through his hair.
“Fuck, I’ve ruined your dessert. Let me get a mop and broom and clear this up.”
Before she could stop him, he’d opened the door to the cupboard under the stairs and Joanne watched him in openmouthed amazement as he expertly cleared up the mess they’d made and also cleared the dishes off the table. By the time he’d rinsed them all off in her big stone sink and grasped for the washing up bowl, Joanne finally found her voice.
“You don’t have to do that. I—“
“What?” He snarled the question as his head whipped round, and she gasped. He looked more wolf than human right now.
“Nothing,” she whispered, all too aware of the tenuous hold he seemed to have on his inner beast right now. The mundane tasks he was performing seemed to help him keep control, so she slammed her lips shut and simply watched him.
<
br /> It did nothing to bank down her hormones. Was there anything sexier than a man willing to do housework? Joanne hated tidying with a vengeance and if she thought she’d get away with it she would have put a spell on everything to make it clean itself. However, that would be a complete misuse of her powers, and besides after a disastrous attempt in her teenage years, which had resulted in the broom actually chasing her out of the cottage, Joanne had never dared to attempt that again.
It was only when the last item of cutlery had been dried and put away and Henry had put the wet towel up on the rack above her cooker to dry that he took a deep breath in and looked at her.
“Forgive me that outburst, but just thinking about that fucker’s hands on you makes me want to shift, chase him down and tear the skin from his bones.”
Joanne swallowed hard at the violent images that brought to mind and she shook her head and reached out to him.
“Please don’t. I don’t want you getting hurt. He’s mixed in with something very evil. And besides he’s not the reason for what I said.”
Henry grasped her outstretched hand and kissed it with a grim smile. Instantly her heartbeat increased, and turning over her hand, Henry kissed the pulse in her wrist. It jumped about like a demented flea, and her pussy clenched when he nibbled the fleshy pad of her thumb, and then proceeded to suck that digit into his mouth.
His crystal blue gaze connected with hers, and Joanne couldn’t have looked away if her life depended on it. He smiled and slowly released his hold on her hand.
“So, we’ve established that I love you, and you love me, and that asshole isn’t behind your reluctance, so what is? Tell me, sweetheart. Whatever it is we’ll face it together.”
* * * *
He didn’t think she was going to answer him and the waves of sadness that came off her, made him want to kill someone. When she at last spoke her voice was so quiet that he never would have heard her were it not for his superior hearing.
“How much do you know of witches, and I don’t mean your ordinary Wiccan, but witches like me?” she asked.
Henry thought about this for a minute, choosing his words carefully, as he could sense how fragile she was.
“Is there a difference? I know the Wiccan’s creed is An harm none, and what I’ve observed of you, sweetheart, you live by that, so what is the problem?”
Joanne blinked back tears, and his gut tightened. Something told him he wasn’t going to like her next words.
“The problem is, my powers are far stronger than that of the ordinary witch. Kristin wasn’t my mother. My birth mother placed me with her to keep me safe. When Kristin died, she gave me a letter from my real mother. She was a witch like me, one of the chosen ones. In that letter she explained to me who I was. How my true powers would come into being on my twenty-first birthday, and in particular when I met the one man who I’m destined to be with.”
She faltered again and Henry murmured under his breath.
“That’s me, right? The chosen one? Again, I don’t see the problem, sweetheart.”
Joanne shook her head and his breath near stalled in his lungs. Did that mean he wasn’t the one for her? Was that why she was so insistent she wasn’t right for him?
“Please, let me finish, Sir.” Her voice broke on the last word, and he nodded. “I need to tell you everything, and then you will see why I’m not right for you.”
Henry highly doubted he would ever agree with that assessment of the situation, but mindful of her wishes he kept quiet, leant back against the worktop, and nodded.
“These powers, I have, they are all consuming at times and if I was going to give into the darker side of them… then…” Her voice faltered and he grasped her hand in silent support.
She gave him a watery smile, and continued.
“If I was to give into them then, well it wouldn’t be pretty. It’s why I couldn’t use my powers against Salasino. It’s what he wanted, for me to try, so that he could absorb my powers, too. He’s got evil in him. I don’t know how he got those powers, but—“
“I do.” Henry interrupted her, and her eyes widened. “We found the remains of The Lakes’ witch.”
Joanne gasped and wrenching her hand out of his brought it up to her mouth. Her horror hit him straight in the gut. It mirrored his own feelings when he’d found the burned out cottage Liz had lived in peacefully for years.
“I know, believe me, I know. As far as the authorities are concerned it was a dreadful accident. She fell asleep, left something on the stove and that caused the fire. I know different. His scent was all over the place and the smell of evil. I guess she must have cursed him or somewhat. I know it’s possible for a shifter to absorb a witch’s power if he kills her. It’s been done in the past countless times, but usually those powers just make the recipient stronger. Something went wrong I guess, or like I said she cursed him and the powers turned evil.” He stopped talking when Joanne shook her head.
“No, she wouldn’t have cursed him, not Liz. She never harmed a fly. It wasn’t in her, and contrary to popular myth witches don’t curse people, not even when they’re dying. It doesn’t make sense, unless…”
“Unless what, sweetheart. The whole thing has made the entire shifter community most uneasy. If you know something, share it with me,” Henry said.
“You said something about vamps?” Henry nodded.
“”Yes, they’re swarming all over the fucking countryside. It’s easy enough to kill them, but like I said they keep coming back like vermin.”
Joanne’s brows drew together in a frown.
“There must be a sire here then, and if she-he was there when Salasino killed Liz, then that would explain why her powers turned dark.”
She smiled grimly at Henry’s sharp intake of breath.
“Depending on how old that sire is, and if that stupid man summoned her, which given the strange weather patterns we’ve been experiencing is likely, then…heavens above…that explains everything.”
“It does?” Henry didn’t like sounding so clueless, but he had no idea what she was talking about. While he had suspected the presence of a sire, the thought of Salasino having summoned it gave him the creeps. Surely, the man wouldn’t be that stupid. Everyone knew vamps could not be trusted. Even those turned against their will were nothing more but shells of their former self. Driven by the need to feed alone, they feasted on human or animal blood, consumed by their blood lust. It left no rooms for feelings.
“Yes, it does, don’t you see?” At Henry’s shake of the head she smiled.
“An ordinary vampire would never approach a witch—any witch. If they were to bite us our blood is like poison to them. A sire, however, well, they can feed off a witch, but if that witch dies, then whoever takes in that witch’s power will get a full dose of black magic. It’s the sire’s influence, see. The good news is that that power will eventually turn against its recipient. It’s the ultimate revenge, and judging by the fact that the weather pattern is back to normal, I would say that process has started already. There is no need for you to go after Salasino. He will burn himself out, you’ll see.”
Henry breathed a sigh of relief at that, even so his wolf whined. It still wanted to tear that fucker apart.
“Promise me you’ll stay away from him, Sir. I couldn’t bear if anything happened to you.”
Henry smiled and stepping back up to her, kissed her. Joanne responded with a desperate urgency that made his insides tighten in knots. When they broke apart he could taste the salt of her tears on her tongue, and cupping her face he tilted it up to kiss the remnants of her cheeks.
“None of that explains why you can’t be with me, so, unless you can think of something else that should keep up apart then—“
“I can’t give you children.” She blurted the words out and tried to pull away from him, but he wouldn’t let her. Even though he felt like she’d just torn out his heart, he couldn’t, wouldn’t let her go. Not for that, not ever.
He swal
lowed that pain down and forced her to look at him.
“Even if that were true, and I find that hard to believe, what makes you think that would make me feel any differently about you? I want you. I don’t need a brood mare.”
She blinked at his words.
“But you’re a Protector. I’ve read the ancient texts, I—”
“Ancient texts?” Henry interrupted her, and she nodded. “I thought they were just a myth, not real. You’ve read them?”
“Yes,” Joanne said, looking all sorts of miserable. “My kind is the keeper of them. My birth mother hid them, before she left me. She told me where to find them, and that I would be able to read them when I needed to. It’s all in there. Every Protector, their whereabouts, and their families. So you see, I know you need children to take over from you. It is an honor passed down from the Protector to their offspring, and then there is your pack. They will expect your son to take over as the next Alpha, and even if I was to fall, I could never give you a son. It would only ever be a daughter, one child to pass my powers to, to continue the line of the Guardian witches.”
“So you can have a baby then?” Henry asked and smirked, and Joanne rolled her eyes. “Again, I fail to see the problem, and no, don’t you dare interrupt me, little red, or you will earn another spanking.” Her breath hitched and her eyes clouded over at his growled words, and peace settled over him. This was sorted easily enough.
“My pack isn’t so chauvinistic that they wouldn’t accept a female Alpha, though from what I’m reading between the lines, our daughter would not be a wolf, but a witch like you.” He paused to take in her tight nod, and smiled. “In which case I will choose the next Alpha from the suitable young pups at the time. Trust me the Mongrels are productive enough without adding my genes to the pool. So, if that settles all your objections, it’s time to kick this up a notch.”
The Witch's Protector [The Protectors 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 10
