“Wait, what? No fucking way will that ever happen,” I growl out. “That’s not our purpose here on earth. Geralynn had indicated that they were going to out us to the humans or something along those lines.”
“I think that was the original plan, yes, but you know how stuff grows. People get greedy and Boatwright feels that having the humans under our thumb will ensure that the top of the food chain is taken care of.” That doesn’t sit well with me; every animal in the animal kingdom has a shifter form; some are more docile in nature while others are predators through and through. I don’t foresee this so-called plan working all that well for many of my shifter brethren.
“Burt, we appreciate you being willing to talk to us,” Esmerelda interjects, shaking her head at me to calm down. My bear is so close to the surface I can feel the fur sprouting on my back. Burt must realize it as well, because he shrinks further into his chair.
“He’s not going to eat me, is he?” he asks, pointing at me with a shaky hand.
“What? For fuck’s sake, no I’m not going to eat you. Where would you get that idea from?” I grumble as Esmerelda laughs.
“You look like you’re about to shift, man, it’s an honest question,” Burt replies.
“Well, I’m not. Do you think those people saw you that night?” I ask, now worried about this timid raccoon shifter. He doesn’t look like he has the ability to fight off a flea let alone any other predator that might try to attack him.
“No, I was by the garbage cans. They weren’t really close, but you know how much better we can hear than normal humans,” he states. “I listened until they left then made my way back home.”
“How’d you know to call Colton?” Esmerelda inquires, pouring more lemonade into her glass.
“Everyone knows who Colton is,” Burt says. “Plus, I’m not noticed all that much, so I hear a lot of stuff. After hearing that he was looking for information, I figured this was something he’d be interested in. Was I right?”
“Yeah, you were. Listen, if you feel like you’re in danger here, we’ve got a compound you’re more than welcome to come to,” I say. Why the hell I’m offering him refuge is beyond me. I suspect having a mate may be softening me up or something, but I enjoy her so I’ll let it go for now.
“Do you think I am?” Burt asks, looking around.
“No clue, man, just throwing the offer out is all,” I admit. “We’ve got an eclectic group of shifters there, not gonna lie, but you’d fit in.”
“Here,” Esmerelda interjects, handing him a small card. “This is Maverick’s information. He’s our alpha for lack of a better term. Fair man, but tough. Should you think you need to, we’ll find room for you. I promise.”
Burt slowly takes the card and slips it into his overall pocket. “Appreciate that. Now, not that I’ve minded the company, but do you think you can leave now?”
I drain the rest of my lemonade and stand, holding my hand out for Esmerelda to take so I can help her up. “We’ll get out of your hair, Burt. Thanks again for the information. Be sure to call Maverick if you feel you need to do so.” He nods but doesn’t say anything else, merely stands as we walk down the steps and back over to the truck. I help her into the passenger seat then trod over to the driver’s side, climbing in then closing and locking the door.
“Well, that was interesting,” Esmerelda remarks as I start the truck. “What an odd little man.”
Esmerelda
As Beast points the truck toward home, I listen with half an ear to his discussion with Colton, then Maverick and Paxton, and finally, his brother, Baldwin, who is apparently enroute to our location. Now that I have a better idea of where Ice and Leigh are being held, I’ve been fine-tuning my location spell. I refuse to let the worry that Burt’s words spiked in me creep in. If necessary, I will reach out to every one of my witch sisters to draw on their power to save my family. I know that the shifters in my world are more concerned with the humans finding out about their existence. Since witches have been known about for centuries now, my focus is ensuring that Leigh and Ice remain alive until the rest of us arrive to rescue them. Incantations flit through my mind as I search for the best one to protect them from afar. “I hope Colton got in touch with Tabatha,” I mumble, watching my scrying bowl change colors once again. “Between the two of us, at least, everyone should be safe.”
“She’ll be coming with us,” Beast says, startling me. I’ve been so focused on my tasks that I didn’t realize he was no longer on the phone. “Were you paying attention at all while I was on the phone, Esme?” he asks.
“Not really. I know you talked to pretty much everyone, even that vamp I call my best friend, although why she felt the need to talk is beyond me,” I reply, grinning at him.
“She wanted to let you know that she rescued the herbs that were almost lost in a rainstorm. She thought she remembered you telling her that they were important,” he says, chuckling.
“They are so I’m glad to hear she pays attention to me every once in a blue moon. What’s the plan?” I question, fully focusing on him now that I’ve done all I can for the time being.
“Colton’s getting a plane for us to get down there.”
“Who all is going?” I inquire, mentally thinking of everything I’ll need to add so I’m prepared for every eventuality.
“Us of course, Mav, Connelly, Paxton, Landry, Tabatha and I think Charisma. Rowina and Kash will stay behind to oversee the compound,” he replies.
“Why is Charisma going?” I ponder out loud. I mean, she’s a rather powerful vampire in her own right, but other than that, I don’t understand why she’d want to put herself on the front line like that.
“Because she can compel those we come into contact with to assist us.”
“I can do that as well,” I remind him. “Besides, she has those new vamps she’s working with, remember?”
“Colton wants you and Tabatha focusing on the magic. I told him what you felt and saw in your bowl,” he advises. “About how there was darkness attached, you know, magical shit. But maybe I can talk to him since she definitely doesn’t want to leave them on their own for however long we might be gone.”
His words make me giggle and soon, we’re both laughing so hard, tears are falling. I think the stress and strain of the situation has gotten to us and wish we didn’t have this current threat hanging over our heads. “One of the things that really bothers me, Beast, is that Ennis is also a shifter. What kind of individual turns on their own kind like that?”
“Someone who is full of greed, who doesn’t care about anyone but themselves.”
“How soon before we leave for Brazil?” I ask.
“You and I will be home at some point tomorrow, likely late of course. Colton wants us to take off the following day.”
“So not much time at all. I wonder if I need to reach out to Rowina or Charisma to see if they can gather some items for me. I know they can’t go into my magic room, but there are herbs and plants I’m going to need,” I muse.
“Esme, we’ll get it together, you and me, okay? Don’t worry, I’ve got you,” he soothes, reaching out to take my hand in his.
“The goddess was surely shining down on me the day you pulled into our campsite,” I murmur, glancing over at him.
“I totally agree with you, sweetheart. Do you need a break? Or can we keep going a little longer?” he asks.
“Let’s go as long as possible providing you’re okay to drive,” I suggest.
Other than stops for gas as well as bathroom breaks, I drive until the road starts to blur, then find a small hotel for us to check into for the night. Our last stop, I grabbed some sub sandwiches so once I have the room squared away, I carry Esmerelda in, then go back and grab all of our stuff. “Esme? Let’s grab a shower then eat something before we sleep.” I know we don’t tire the way humans do, but the past few days have been hard on my sorceress as she tries to find the right spells to ensure our family will be okay.
“M’kay,
sugar bear,” she mumbles, sitting up. I watch as she runs her hands across her face as if to revitalize herself, then she stands and heads to her duffel bag, grabbing out her toiletry bag as well as a filmy nightgown, which has my dick perking up. Of course, he doesn’t need a lot of stimulation where she’s concerned.
I let her take the first shower while I sit, enjoying the fact that I’m no longer driving even though physically, it feels as if my body is still moving. I’ll never understand why that happens on long road trips. As I stretch to work out the kinks, my mind works through the logistics of the plan that we formulated. Colton plans to reach out to some shifters in the area so they can get eyes on the location where not only Leigh and Ice are being held, but also some other shifters he’s been made aware of that were kidnapped. I’ve never worked with caimans, but Colton said they’re in the same family as crocodiles, just not as big. I’m worried about the heat there; I know that I don’t tolerate extremes in temperatures so I’m concerned that may be impacting Ice as well. I wonder if the kidnappers know what kind of shifters they have but doubt that would make any difference to them in the long run. Not based on the nefarious plans we know of thanks to Burt.
Thinking of Burt has me chuckling. He was definitely an odd little man; not very tall at all, he was a bit of a loner based on his actions while we were there. Yet, despite his reticence over our visit, he still displayed a sense of hospitality. “What has you laughing, sugar bear?” Esmerelda asks as she comes back into the bedroom. My mouth dries up seeing her move toward me; her black nightgown swirling around her calves has me wanting to rip it off her then bend her over. “Ah ah ah,” she chides, waving her index finger at me. “Not until you get the road grime off you, mister.”
“You could wave your finger,” I remind her, standing and stalking in her direction. “Cut out the middle so we can get to the good stuff.”
“Normally I would, Beast, but the water pressure in this shower will feel good on your back and shoulders. Plus, we both need to eat since gas station snacks only go so far.” My stomach rumbles at her words, which makes her giggle. “See what I mean? Let’s take care of one appetite before we enjoy the other.” Her wink as she takes her sandwich over to the small table has me salivating. How I got so fucking lucky is beyond me, but I definitely thank Fate that she brought Esmerelda to me. She puts up with my morning surliness, overbearing protective attitude and does it all with a smile.
I reach her side, lean in and kiss her head then whisper, “Love you, my sassy sorceress. I won’t be long.”
“Take as long as you need, Beast. I know we’re closer to home than we planned so it’s not as if we have to get on the road at the crack of dawn.”
“That was partially why I did that, Esme. I know once we get home, we’re going to be busy as hell getting ready to head back out. Even if we do a late check-out, we’ll still be home mid-afternoon,” I advise, grabbing my own toiletry bag as I head into the bathroom. She may have her fancy nightgown on, but I’ve always slept nude and don’t plan to stop at this stage of my life.
My mate was right about the fucking shower. Holy fuck, the water pressure worked the knots and kinks out of my upper back and shoulders which is surprising because typically, hotels aren’t known for their awesome showers. As I dry off, I decide to trim my beard so I don’t abrade her skin too much. Grinning, I tie the towel around my waist then quickly take care of my face. Once done, I stride back into the bedroom to see her propped against the pillows, the remote in her hand. She has my sandwich as well as a drink on the nightstand where my phone sits. “Your phone has been blowing up,” she says, smiling at me. “Come, sit down and eat while you figure out what the emergency is this late at night.”
I sit down on the bed, get comfortable then lean in and kiss her until we’re both breathless. “Okay, now I’ll eat,” I say when I pull back, grinning at her slightly dazed look. When I see what she’s watching, I groan. “This again?” I ask.
“It’s a good show,” she defends, lightly pushing on my shoulder. “I mean, it’s not like there are a lot of other choices.”
“Let me see,” I demand, holding my hand out for the remote. Once she gives it to me, I start scrolling. A lot of channels with shopping, which is a huge no from me, a fishing show, two game shows, some sappy chick movie. “Fine, we’ll watch fucking zombies,” I finally grumble, putting the remote on my nightstand. “This is so fake; they don’t move like that.”
“You know humans have no clue, honey. They’re using their imagination. It’s kind of like how they portray all witches as ugly, bent over crones.” I give her a side look and grin. My mate is as far from a crone as someone could possibly get. High, perky breasts that are just right for my hands, a trim waist that flares out into grippable hips, plus legs long enough to wrap around me when I’m pounding in and out of her. “I see you’re getting a different appetite now,” she teases, her hand reaching out to fondle my hardening dick.
“Mmhm,” I mumble around the last mouthful of my sandwich which I quickly chew then swallow, my mind on other pursuits. Without warning, I swing her so that she’s straddling me, her heated core resting on my dick. “Think it’s time for dessert,” I state, leaning down to nip the curve of her neck before I pepper her jaw and finally her lips with kisses. Before her, I didn’t much care for kissing. Now, though, I think it was because I was waiting for her. Her unique flavor, her touch, her essence. My hand goes into her hair, shifting the angle of her head so I can deepen the kiss. As our tongues duel, she begins undulating against my dick, which has pre-cum steadily dripping. “Keep that up and things will be over before they start,” I warn, which causes her to laugh as her hands roam my chest.
Despite being a polar bear shifter, I’m not particularly hairy in my human form, but what I’ve got seems to turn Esmerelda on as she rubs her chest against mine. The softness of her gown reminds me that at least one of us is overdressed so I reach for her hem and slide it up her body, forcing her to raise her arms. Once she’s naked, I pull her close, loving the feel of her hardened nipples against me. I can feel her arousal against my dick and while part of me wants to prolong things, I also know we need rest. Reaching down, I swipe my fingers through her folds before inserting one into her hot sheath. “I’d prefer something else,” she huskily pronounces as I thrust my finger in and out before rubbing against her clit.
“And you’ll have that, just want to make sure you’re ready,” I promise, continuing my ministrations. Already the magic that occurs whenever we’re making love is swirling around the room, lending an otherworldly feel to our encounter. “You want to ride, my sexy sorceress?” I ask.
“Absolutely,” she breathes out on a sigh before raising up. I notch the head of my dick at her entrance then watch her expression as she lowers herself until she’s fully seated. “Perfection,” she purrs, licking her lips.
“You planning to move or are you going to sit there all night?” I inquire, my hands now gripping her hips. If she doesn’t move soon, the flutters I can feel surrounding my dick will have me coming like a teenager who discovered how good touching himself feels.
She starts lazily raising and lowering herself, her hands on my shoulders to help her. Each time she comes down, she swivels against my pelvis and I feel her pussy clench. “Like this?” she teases.
“A little faster works for me too,” I advise through gritted teeth. If she doesn’t speed things up, I’m going to take over, which she must see in my eyes, because she lowers her face to mine and kisses me.
Soon, the only sound in the room over the long-forgotten television show is our skin slapping. When she throws her head back, I lean in and capture one of her turgid nipples between my lips and begin sucking while one of my hands reaches up to roll the other nipple between my fingers. Neither of us are into pain per se, but my mate has sensitive nipples as we’ve found out. “Oh goddess, Beast,” she moans, moving so fast she’s almost a blur. “So close. Please,” she keens out.
E
smerelda
“What do you need, sweetheart?” he asks as his tongue continues to flick my nipples. He’s been alternating back and forth, something that drives me wild, but I’m ready to explode. Instead of answering, I reach between us and gather some of my juices then begin circling my clit. His eyes darken and the hold on my hips strengthens which ramps me up further. I love when he loses control like he is right now. For whatever reason, this position seems to do the trick. “Ah, it’s like that hmm?” He adds his thumb to where I’m rubbing, the added pressure causing me to detonate, screaming his name as I continue to move up and down on him.
“Sugar bear,” I cry out. I feel as though I’ve fragmented into a million pieces, the sensations coursing through me shooting sparks throughout the room. Now putty in his capable hands, I hold on as he thrusts upward chasing his own release. Four thrusts later, I feel him swell inside as he bellows out my name. As I collapse on his chest, he pulls me close, so close I can feel our hearts racing while we both take deep breaths. “Magical,” I murmur, kissing his pec.
“Breathtaking,” he counters as he kisses my temple. “How it gets better each time is beyond me. Hell, we didn’t really have any foreplay,” he grumbles which makes me giggle. My bear likes to play, that’s for damn sure, and I’ve no doubt in my mind how much he enjoys our alone time. I’m one sated, happy witch.
Over and over throughout the night, we reach for one another. I don’t know if it’s because we’re both so worried about what is happening with Leigh and Ice that we’re seeking solace in each other’s bodies, but I’ll never turn my sugar bear down.
Never.
Arriving back home, we quickly unload the truck. Rather, Beast unloads the truck; when I tried to grab my magic bag, he growled something unintelligible to me, so I went inside and started gathering more things I think I’ll need for our trip to Brazil. Worried about how Ice might be handling the climate, I start searching my spell books to see if I can find one that will allow me to help him despite the distance between us right now.
Esmerelda: A Rogue Enforcers Novel Page 4
