by Kim Loraine
“Beauty,” I whisper, tenderly running my fingers over her cheek.
“Mmm, leave me be, you beast. I’m sleeping.”
She’s teasing, I can tell by the smile on her lips. “I need you.”
A laugh fills the room as she rolls to her side and slides her fingers down my chest. “How is that new?”
“It’s not. It’s never going to change, you know. I’ll always need to love you this way. It’s part of our bond. My body responds to your scent completely on its own. I’m fucking hard as a rock the moment you walk into a room.”
“Grant, you say such romantic things.” The sarcasm in her voice is unmistakable.
“Don’t you understand? Before you, I could release some tension with a lackluster fuck, but never truly be satisfied.”
“Not helping your case.”
I’m mucking this all up. “No. Fuck, that’s not what I meant. I’m trying to tell you how special you are.”
“I get it. We’re mates. It’s destiny, etcetera. We’ve no choice in the matter and our connection makes the sex great to make up for taking our free will.”
“Dammit, woman. No. That’s not at all how this is.” Frustration colors my tone and I drag my hand through my hair, averting my gaze from her copper irises to try and find some kind of clarity. “I mean, it is…to a point. Our mate bond is there, but even if you weren’t bound to me by fate, I’d feel this way.”
“You can’t know that.”
I roll so I’m on top of her slight frame and fit myself between her legs. “I bloody well can. I know my own heart.” The blunt head of my erection slides over her center, causing her to let out a soft whimper. “My body will always want you, so will my heart.”
Her moan sends a shock of undiluted desire through me and it’s all I can do to hold my beast at bay. He wants me to claim her in every way. A zing of fear hits me at the thought of letting my wild side free.
“Stop teasing me and take me,” she sighs, squirming under me and spreading her thighs wider, welcoming me.
I can’t stop now, and I don’t want to. Thrusting forward, I push inside, the unity of our bodies further etching her into my heart. This woman doesn’t realize how ruined she’s made me for any other woman. I’ll never want another. Mated or not.
Our breaths and sighs fill the air of the quiet room, and before long, our tender and gentle lovemaking has shifted into something wild and passionate. Her legs wrap around my hips, pulling me into her over and over. It’s so fucking good, but I need more. I need to be closer to her. My arms wrap around her and tug her close, lifting her as I move to my knees. She’s clinging to me, moving over my cock in long rolls of her hips. Still, I need more. I need her scent covering me, her heart beating against mine, and her nails scoring my back. I drop my lips to hers and cup her face between my hands, not letting her back away from the deep intimacy between us.
A loud buzzing breaks our moment and we both turn toward the sound. My phone. My damn phone. Lachlan’s name flashes on the screen, sending a chill through me before a wave of primal protectiveness takes hold.
“Don’t,” Izzy breathes against my neck.
If she thinks for one second I’m going to take my cock from where it belongs to answer the phone, she’s delusional. Instead of answering, I stare into her eyes and growl, “Get on all fours.” My voice is deeper, rough with need, and something else.
She does what I say, presenting her gorgeous arse and spreading her legs. With one finger, I press into her slick pussy, knowing there’s no way I’ll keep this going much longer. I’m already on the edge of climax. I just have to give her the pleasure she wants before she makes me go. Coating my fingers in her wetness, I tease the tight pucker of her arse while at the same time, lining my cock up against her sex. I grip her hips and thrust…hard before pressing my thumb past the tight ring of muscle in her arse. She cries out, and I worry I’ve hurt her until she starts moaning my name.
My fucking phone starts buzzing again as I’m driving inside her. No. Lachlan doesn’t get to interrupt this. I’m claiming my mate. She is mine. This is mine. My heart lurches when the need to change takes hold. Shit. I can’t shift while I’m here with her. But it’s too late. My blood hums with magic and Izzy cries in pleasure as I grow even larger inside her. Fuck.
The beast takes charge, the urge to solve all our problems taking control. Claim. Mate. Mark.
“Grant! Oh, fucking hell.” Her walls clench around me, spurring on my own release. At the same time, I strike. My beast’s teeth sinking into her shoulder and I know instantly what I’ve done. She’ll never forgive me, but at least she’ll be safe.
Lying with her pulled tight to my chest, I breathe in her scent and commit every curve of her to memory. We’re bonded now. I can feel it, her soul linked with mine. I press a kiss to her hair and close my eyes, but the restless push of my beast insists on something other than sleep. I have to leave, to change and run. I can’t keep my wolf chained any longer now that he’s been let so close to the surface. Sliding my arm out from under her, I get out of bed and dress in a T-shirt and sweats. If her sisters weren’t here, I’d be naked and heading outside without a second thought, but I don’t want to give them a show.
“Where are you off to?” Her raspy, groggy voice sends a rush of desire through me.
“I need to shift.”
Her eyes are heavy with the need for sleep. “Don’t be gone long.”
I nod, not allowing myself to go back to her. A short run and I’ll be back. I don’t want to ruin this moment by sharing the depth of what just happened between us. Not yet.
I return to the most breathtaking sight I’ve ever seen. Izzy sleeps, her hair splayed across the pillow like a spun gold curtain. My God but she’s beautiful and right now, I’m not worried about anything other than us. I just want to admire what destiny has given me.
Pulling my shirt over my head, I toss it in the corner and strip down to my boxer briefs. The mess of my clothes on the floor will drive me mad sooner rather than later, but I can’t wait to be near her. If she’s going to sleep in my bed, I’ll not feel one ounce of guilt about climbing in beside her. Careful not to touch her, I tug back the covers and slide in next to her warm body. I ache to sate my lust, but the gentle sweetness on her face stops me from waking her. She’s mine. That’s all that matters at the moment.
A soft sigh escapes her lips as she rolls onto her side facing me. I can’t help myself, I have to touch her. Reaching out, I brush a lock of hair out of her eyes and tuck it behind her ear. She lets out a little moan and snuggles deeper into the pillow. It’s not what I want, but it’s enough.
“Beast?” she whispers.
The sound of her voice makes my heart clench. “Aye, my beauty.”
“Thank you for keeping me safe.”
She rolls over, turning her face from me, and for a moment, I think I’ve lost her. Then she reaches back and grasps my forearm, tugging until I scoot closer and wrap her in my embrace. Her round arse is pressed against my hardness but now isn’t the time. Now I’ll hold her, savor her, and bide my time until she understands the depth of a mate bond.
Izzy
My shoulder aches in the most delicious way where Grant bit me. I have to admit, I’m not opposed to a wild night between the sheets. He’s still sound asleep next to me, his usual scowl gone, replaced by a content expression. He looks younger like this, more vulnerable. Unable to resist the urge, I push his dark hair away from his forehead and trail the pad of my thumb over his strong brow. A full body shiver runs through me at the memory of his rough commands and forceful thrusts into me. It was the hottest moment I’ve experienced in my many lives. I could stay here all day, wrapped up in him, but I’ve got to eat. Then maybe we can go for round two.
I dress quickly, choosing clothes that I know Grant will appreciate when he comes downstairs in search of food. The sweater I’m wearing is big and slides off one shoulder, showing off his mark. The thought of driving him mad with lu
st by displaying the evidence of what we did last night makes my belly flip.
There must be breakfast on because the scent of sausage and toast hits my nose before I start down the stairs. No doubt, Gwen is cooking. Thank God for her. I’m crap in the kitchen and just the short time we’ve been reunited has spoiled me for all prepackaged foods from now on.
She’s there, standing at the stove with her hair braided to one side and an adorable apron covering her clothes. She looks every inch the little homemaker. “Morning, Betty Crocker,” I say, grinning as she narrows her eyes at me.
“Well, don’t you look like the cat who ate the cream?”
I flounce across the kitchen floor and settle myself on a stool at the bar. “That’s what happens when you’re pleasured to within an inch of your life.”
“I heard. In fact, I think the entire countryside heard you.”
I’m not embarrassed. Not even a little. “You’re welcome,” I say, giving a little bow with my head.
Helena strides into the room with an eyebrow cocked and a smirk on her red lips. “Where’s the dog?”
“Sleeping.” My annoyance has to be obvious, but she barrels right along.
“Good. I don’t need him sticking his nose in this conversation.”
She closes her eyes and murmurs before raising her hands in a slow, deliberate arch over her head. The spell will hold all sound from our conversation inside the bubble she just set around us, which means she’s ready to talk serious business.
“Hel, that spell won’t work on Grant,” I remind her.
“It’s not for him. There’s another mangy beast sniffing around the perimeter. I sensed him this morning.”
My skin crawls at that revelation. “What? Grant didn’t say anything. Why didn’t our spell alert us all?”
“Because he hasn’t come close enough.” She has the grace to look abashed before continuing. “I might have added some extended protection without telling you.”
Gwen’s gaze swings from me to Helena. “You didn’t?”
“I did. It’s for our own good. Someone hired the beasts to kill us. I’m going to take every precaution I can.”
A frustrated groan leaves my lips. “High-handed, as usual.”
“I’m not high-handed. I’m cautious.” She points a finger at me. “You’re so wrapped up in your mate you can’t be bothered to actually do any work. Need I remind you, if we don’t find Calista, we’ll all be dead sooner rather than later.”
My stomach curls. She’s right. “Fine, I’m sorry. I’ve been…distracted.” The thought of the way Grant distracted me last night brings a hot flush to my cheeks. I graze his mark with my fingertips, fighting a surge of arousal.
“What the bloody hell is that?” Helena charges forward, gripping the collar of my sweater and pulling it aside. “He marked you. Izzy, he fucking bit you.”
Cheeks burning, I flinch away from her. “It was just a love bite.”
“No. That’s not a love bite. He broke the skin. He practically mauled you.”
“I guess we got a little carried away. To tell you the truth, he was kind of wild. Animalistic.”
Her face pales. “Did he shift? At all.”
Fear races up my spine. “What?”
“You said he was animalistic. Did he shift before he bit you?”
“No. Of course not.” Even to my own ears, my voice sounds hollow.
She grabs my palm and flips it, running her fingers over the skin in a star-shaped pattern. “Do you see? Fuck, Izzy. You’ve been bitten. You’ve got the mark.”
“No. He wouldn’t do that to me. Grant would never…” I trail off, unable to finish that sentence. Would he do that?
“Izzy,” Gwen says, pity in her tone. “I’m so sorry.”
Panic bubbles in my chest. “But, I’m not going to change. I’m a witch. Witches can’t be turned.”
“I’ve never heard that.” Gwen’s sweet voice grates on my nerves. That’s not what I want to hear.
“Surely it’s got to be true. Have you ever heard of a witch/shifter? Never. That’s because it doesn’t happen.”
Heavy footfalls on the stairs make my breath catch. Grant comes into view and instead of the excitement I’ve grown accustomed to, I feel betrayal and heartbreak.
He glances from me to Gwen, and finally Helena. “What’s with all the doom and gloom in here?”
“You bit me,” I say. It’s nearly impossible to keep the acid from my voice.
“Aye, I was there.”
“Answer me one question, Grant. Did you shift before you bit me?”
Gaze trained on me, he doesn’t look away as he says, “I did.”
Goddammit. He just ruined everything. “On purpose?”
“I don’t know.”
“What the bloody hell do you mean, you don’t know?” Helena screeches, her eyes blazing copper. The air around us is crackling with energy and if I don’t get her under control, there’s going to be damage done to Grant’s house.
“My pack leader, Lachlan is coming here. He wants to meet my mate. He’ll know something is wrong the minute he catches your scent. He’s already suspicious because I haven’t brought you into the pack.”
Anger boils my blood. I don’t give a toss about his pack. They want to kill me. “You’re not bringing me anywhere near your pack.”
“But I can now. You already smell like a shifter. He won’t have any reason to think you’re not.”
“What do you mean, I smell like a shifter?”
“You bear my mark. You’ll change at the next moon.”
“No, Grant!”
“Yes, my beauty. Don’t you want to be like me? Shifters are near to immortal. The only thing that kills us is silver through the heart. Your curse can’t take you as long as we keep silver from you.”
My eyes fill with tears for the hope in his voice and for the desperation clawing at me because I want this to work. “It’ll find me. That’s how this magic works. I could spend all my life locked in a padded cell and something would bring about my end by the time my birthday rolls around.”
“It’s true,” Gwen offers. “I tried that once.”
My heart aches for Gwen. “Oh, Gwen. You did?”
She nods. “It wasn’t a good decade.” Gwen sighs as she pours herself a cup of tea. Her eyes go cloudy and her hands shake, spilling the hot tea across the counter.
“Bloody hell, woman. What are you doing?” Grant shouts.
“She’s having a vision.” I rush to her, taking the kettle from her hands and setting it aside.
Her eyes return to their normal copper color and she turns her focus on me. “Izzy. The moon will be your end.”
Dread fills my stomach. My beast thought he was saving me. Instead he’s the one who will cause my end.
“What does she mean?” Grant’s voice is a harsh growl as he reaches for me.
“Move aside, beast.” Helena grabs my hand and then takes Gwen’s. “We’re done here. You’ve as good as killed Izzy. Are you happy?”
With a tickling sensation in my belly, the room swirls around me and everything goes gray. I close my eyes against the sensation, confused by how much this magic is affecting me. It’s never made me feel so strange. I’m made for this. When I open my eyes, I’m greeted with the salty air of the sea and a sweeping view of green land and tall cliffs.
“You brought us to Ireland?” I ask.
Helena squeezes my hand. “I brought you home so we can find a way to stop this change from happening and break your mate bond.” She lets go of me and raises her arms to the sky. “Now it’s time to call in our debts owed. Sariel. We call upon you for your promised protection.”
The sound of a throat clearing behind us has the three of us spinning around on the defensive. A tall man with rugged good looks and shining platinum irises stands before us, his arms crossed over his broad chest, but this is not the fallen angel we made a bargain with. “What can I do for you, witches?”
Helen
a gives a little gasp of surprise. “You…you’re not Sariel. What are you doing here?”
18
Izzy
“I’m certainly not. For one thing, I’m much better looking.” The angel grins and cocks one eyebrow. “I’m Tamiel. I’ve…taken on Sariel’s responsibilities, so to speak.”
Helena frowns and her hands ball into tight fists. “Not an option. I made a deal with Sariel, not you.”
“I can collect him if you’d like. I’ll warn you, he’s not going to be of much use to you now that he’s human. I’m assuming you’re in need of protection.”
“What can you offer? You’ve not a single reason to protect us.”
Gwen takes a sharp breath and opens her mouth as if to speak, but Tamiel shakes his head and she stops. That’s odd. Why would she do what he wants?
“Consider it my way of earning forgiveness. Now that Sariel’s found his soul mate, I’m the archangels’ weapon of choice.” He holds his hand out at his side and a broadsword, glowing and brilliant appears in his palm.
“Again I’ll ask, why would you help us?” Helena isn’t going to let this go. I don’t blame her. The fallen aren’t to be trusted.
“So hostile. You’d be much prettier if you weren’t so sour.”
“Don’t make me hurt you, fallen.”
He laughs. “You could try. Gabriel and Michael have given me enough power to wield Michael’s sword, and do all but return to Heaven. I can stop any spell you might throw at me. Besides, I think you rather like what you see. By the change in your pulse and the scent of your want, you definitely do.”
She scoffs, but a hint of pink rushes to her cheeks.
The beautiful blue sky seems such a strange contrast to this moment. And that’s when it hits me, it’s the middle of the day. How can he be here? “Wait. Aren’t you a vampire? The fallen can only exist in the bodies of vampires.”
