Bear My Soul: (Arcane Affairs Agency)

by Sophia Barron

  She moaned and fought the urge to move against his mouth. He had one arm clamped tight around her waist, but the tub was slick. Heat flooded her when he curled his fingers inside her just right, and she couldn’t help but buck against the relentless pressure of his tongue as it swirled over her clit. He slipped a third finger into her, and the hand at the small of her back dipped lower and clenched her ass. Shit, every touch sent her spiraling higher when all she wanted—needed—was to come.

  “So close. Please, Devlin,” she begged.

  He suckled even harder at her urging, and the tension in her center rose even higher, until she was wound so tight she thought she’d break. A low rumble vibrated against her clit and he curled his fingers just right against her inner wall and Michaela’s world exploded.

  She saw stars and her legs buckled, but Devlin caught her, cradled her tight against his chest. He held her close for what felt like forever. No way it could have been that long though, Michaela wasn’t particularly light. The hot water hammered down on them, rinsed away the sweat and sex and leaving her limp and exhausted again. Still, Devlin stood without effort, smooth and steady as he stepped out of the shower with her cradled in his arms.

  Michaela felt damn near weightless as he carried her back to the bed. He planted a gentle kiss on her forehead, then grabbed a towel and dried them both off. The rough terry cloth was harsh against her oversensitive skin, but she loved the feel of his hands on her too much to protest. Her eyes grew heavy, and she cursed her human half. Her heart wanted to continue this night, make it last forever, but her body had other ideas.

  The last words she heard before sleep claimed her echoed through her mind.

  “Rest well, beloved. Tomorrow we hunt.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Devlin woke to the clatter of two boys rustling around in the kitchen. It was obvious the kids had no clue how to cook, or where to even find breakfast in Michaela’s house. He glanced over at his woman and grinned. Last night had been worth it. She’d been a-fucking-mazing, and he couldn’t wait to taste her again, make her tremble and beg and cry out his name as she came.

  That would have to wait, perhaps longer than he’d like. His bear rumbled displeasure and demand they claim her, mixed with regret at the missed opportunity. Devlin couldn’t share that regret.

  He debated waking her, but she looked so damn peaceful. There were still dark circles under her eyes, even in sleep. Nope, she had to get more rest. Placing her in danger was simply unacceptable, and tired people do dumb things. So he got up with a groan, made sure to tuck her in carefully, making sure the blanket rose clear up to her chin when he felt the chill in the air. By the time he made it to the dining room the boys had cereal and juice at the table.

  Jack looked up from a spoonful of something that smelled like sweetened cardboard and glared at Devlin. Hard. If looks could kill, or if the kid had a gun, he’d be dead. Bear wanted to tear the kid apart for daring to challenge him like that. A low growl escaped before Devlin realized, and both boys paled.

  “Shit,” Devlin held his hands up and backed away slowly. “Don’t mind me. Bear, remember? We’re always grumpy when we first wake up.” And when we’re not enjoying sex with our mate, the beast growled in the back of his mind. Devlin didn’t argue the mate issue. Even his human half could feel the pull she exerted on them. The formalities might not be in place, but Michaela was theirs. And the bear was understandably jealous and possessive precisely because they hadn’t marked her. Damn.

  “Daddy used to get like that,” Eli whispered. “We heard Auntie Mike scream last night. You better not have hurt her.” Devlin flushed under the kid’s calm regard.

  “No, son. I didn’t hurt her. Your aunt—” Shit, the boys were shifter enough to hear if he told an outright lie. “Needed a massage. Tense muscles, you know. From gardening.”

  Twin sets of green eyes stared hard at him. Eli’s gaze softened and he nodded after a moment. “I get that way some days.” He shrugged, glanced at Jack in apology. “Mostly when I’ve had to push his chair a lot.”

  Jack frowned, and turned his focus back to breakfast. But his suspicion and disbelief hung heavy and bitter in the air.

  “Jack. Look at me.” Devlin could not allow the boy’s emotions to fester unchallenged.

  The glare Jack leveled at Devlin was filled with betrayal and hurt, and a dark knowledge. Had the kid sensed his half-truth? No matter, what was done was done. “I promise I won’t let your aunt get hurt, Jack. She—” he coughed as his beast demanded they own up to the fact she was their mate. “She means a whole lot to me, kiddo. More than anyone I think.” Devlin didn’t hide the rough burr of emotion in his voice.

  “Good,” Jack said. Devlin blew out a soft breath as tension fled the boy and his natural, almost too relaxed posture reasserted itself. Silence reigned as the boys focused on eating.

  If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, Devlin shrugged. Didn’t take much searching to find a bowl and the too-sweet peanut butter chocolate cereal the boys were devouring. He settled in across from the duo and took a tentative bite. Damn, cereal’s come a long way since childhood, bear. The beast’s rumble of disgust startled a chuckle out of Devlin. Not that he disagreed with the bears assessment that steak was the ideal food. Still, beggars couldn’t be choosers, and he’d yet to spot a real grocery store in this town.

  The soft slide of feet across the hardwood stopped all three of them cold. Devlin glanced at the boys, shocked by their wide-eyed curiosity. He could feel Michaela’s presence behind him, but his beast didn’t sense any anxiety or stress from her. Nope, all she radiated to his heightened senses was contentment mixed with a slight tinge of worry. Which made perfect sense, but did not explain the expressions on the boys’ faces.

  Devlin turned slowly until her gaze locked with his. Damn, she was gorgeous. Her sleepy gaze, half lidded eyes, mussed hair and the way her silk robe hugged her curves had his beast begging for round three right goddamn now. No way that was an option with two almost teenagers up and rattling round the cabin. He’d thought she was stunning before, but somehow this half asleep, bewildered version of Michaela was positively enchanting. Add in the satin nightgown hugging her luscious curves and no wonder the boys were stunned. Hell, he was stunned, and he’d gotten to see those curves naked.

  “Did you forget you had company, babe?” Devlin chuckled when Michaela’s eyes flew wide and her cheeks flushed. Damn, she looked good in pink.

  “Shi—crap. Sorry.” Michaela whirled and bolted back to her room, nightgown swirling around her legs as she half ran.

  At least she’d had clothing on. In her shoes? Devlin would have given the boys an eyeful. Hell, he still might. His pants were getting tight, fast as he watched her vanish through the bedroom door.

  “Now, then. Did you boys have any plans for the day?”

  Twin head-shakes denied the existence of any sort of logic or reason behind Michaela’s search. No matter. Devlin figured it’d be best to start at the beginning anyway. Assuming he could get Michaela to lead him there.

  “When will you find our parents,” Eli asked through a bite of chocolate cereal. “I really miss mom.”

  A dull thud echoed through the room after Jack slammed his fist on the table. “You’ve jinxed us. Now he’ll never find them,” the older boy’s eyes filled with tears, but his voice was steady. Devlin admired the kid for hanging tough, but didn’t want either of them so overwrought that they became even more of a burden. He levered himself to his feet and stalked slowly around the table until he stood between the boys. Then he knelt, with an arm across each set of frail shoulders and hugged them tight.

  “No such thing as jinxes, son,” he squeezed Jack a bit harder in emphasis. The boy sniffled and nodded. Part of Devlin was shocked the boys accepted his comfort so easily, but then they were at least half shifter. No doubt they’d scent any insincerity on his part. Choose your next words carefully, old boy, he cautioned himself. The faint creak of a door opening pulled a
shred of his attention away from the boys. Michaela. And she was dressed to work. Good. “I promise I’ll find them. Can’t promise you’ll like it when I do, but I always—” His gaze flickered back to Michaela as she slipped closer to the table, feet whisper soft on the hardwood. “Always complete my mission.”

  Eli’s head dropped onto Devlin’s shoulder for a moment, and the boy took a ragged, deep breath. He held it, then let it out and nodded solemnly. “Okay. Let’s finish eating so you can find them.”

  Jack’s nod followed a heartbeat later, but he didn’t speak. Devlin could feel his effort to hold back the tears in the shivers that rocked his slight frame. The older boy shoveled cereal into his mouth like his life depended on it. Maybe it did. Long as they ate expediently, without choking, Devlin figured he could let them be. He rose to his feet and sauntered back around the table. The weight of Michaela’s gaze had him shifting his stride a bit to hide his body’s natural reaction to her attention. Shit, at this rate they could spend a month in the bedroom and he’d still not tire of her. Oh well, mission had to come first. Then, if he were lucky, mating.

  “So, hot shot, got a plan?”

  “Actually, yes.” Devlin grinned when Michaela ceased breathing for a long moment. He let the silence linger, and settled back into his seat. “Join us and I’ll fill you in.” He pulled out the chair beside him with a casual motion, then resumed his meal. No sense going hunting on a completely empty tank if he didn’t have to.

  Michaela sat gingerly on the seat, her careful, tense posture keeping her just outside his personal space. That tension had his beast’s hackles up. Fucker wanted to repeat last night until their sweet mate learned to trust them. Instead of giving in to his baser instincts to drag her off to the bedroom, he leaned over and planted a soft kiss on her lips. “Good morning, love. Have some food so your rumbly stomach doesn’t scare away our prey.”

  The boys laughed when a low grumble echoed through the room. Devlin didn’t laugh. His mate was hungrier than she’d let on. Instead he jumped up and grabbed the largest bowl he could find, filled it to the brim with that too sweet cereal and a generous helping of milk and settled the thing gingerly in front of her with a frown. “Eat. We’ll talk after.”

  He couldn’t tear his eyes away from Michaela as she savored every bite of the sweet cereal. That stuff should be a dessert, not a breakfast food. Didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy tracing the curve of her throat as she raised her chin and swallowed. Or the way her luscious lips parted just so, reminding him just how much magic her kisses had. He could feel the curious eyes of the boys watching him; the air vibrated in time with flickering attention. Under less favorable circumstances that sort of focus on his every move would drive him batty. Instead, it became a reminder to leash his beast, and his baser instincts. For now.

  Soon enough breakfast was done and three sets of eyes demanded answers now. “Alright, then. Here’s the plan.” Devlin cleared his throat and ignored the giggling boys. “We find a babysitter and pay a visit to your coven’s Supreme. See if she knows anything. Take any info we get from her and run with it.”

  Michaela’s lips thinned, tightened. Her eyes narrowed until slight crinkles appeared at the corners. “I… don’t think that’s a good idea. Not after your phone call with her.”

  “Got a better one?”

  Silence. Then a round of slow head shakes. The only one brave enough to meet Devlin’s challenging gaze was Eli. Probably because the kid was too young to realize the danger of staring down a semi-irate bear shifter. No matter.

  “I could call Shaundelle, see if she can come stay with the boys.”

  Before Devlin could tell her to make the call, Michaela had her cell phone out. He figured anyone she had on speed dial had to be trustworthy, so he headed out to make sure he had everything he needed on hand to confront a warlock. And then he’d make a few calls to people in high places.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Michaela bustled around the kitchen, cleaning up after breakfast and muttering grateful thanks under her breath that Shaundelle had been free. By her count, the boys hadn’t seen her best friend and their honorary godmother in a couple years or more. That fleeting thought sent her dashing to the living room.

  “Hey, you guys remember Shaundelle, right?”

  Bright eyed nods eased her anxiety a bit. “Of course. She always loses at Uno,” Eli grinned.

  “That’s cuz she likes to let you win, punk.” Jack ruffled his younger brother’s hair with a smirk. “She might not be so nice now that you’re bigger.”

  A knock sounded twice, echoing over the boy’s roughhousing play. It amazed Michaela the two could roughhouse at all considering Jack’s limitations. But they managed, somehow. Must be a boy thing. “Come in Shaun, the boys can’t wait to see you.”

  Shaundelle sauntered through the door with wide eyes and a bright grin plastered on her face. “Who’s up for a game of Uno,” she asked as she shut the door softly behind her.

  Her question sent the boys scrambling to the bookshelves, racing to see who could find the cards first. Shaundelle took the opportunity to wink at Michaela and whisper, “Who’s the hottie? New boy toy you forgot to mention?”

  Michaela’s cheeks heated under Shaundelle’s steady regard. She finally pursed her lips and shrugged. “He’s… something alright,” she sighed.

  The boys made a beeline for the table side by side. Either Eli had let Jack win, or Jack had some fine tricks up his sleeve, since the cards were tucked tightly under one leg so he could wheel fast to the table. Michaela bit back the ‘careful’ she wanted to shout out. He’s been doing this his whole life, worrywart.

  And it showed. The boy took the corner round the couch on two wheels with a squeal of delight. He didn’t manage to beat Eli to the table simply because the younger boy vaulted said couch.

  “No fair, little bro!” Jack’s protest was light, filled with laughter.

  “All’s fair in love and war,” Eli replied soberly. “Mom says…”

  Dark silence descended at the reminder of who was missing.

  “That means cheating is fair play this round, right boys?” Shaundelle winked as she settled in at the table with the now-sober boys. She shooed Michaela out the door with a wave and a wink. “I got this Mikey, go do your thing, girl.”

  The boys giggled at Shaundelle’s faked accent and her blatant use of Michaela’s childhood nickname. Michaela didn’t miss the whispered ‘she lurves him’ and ‘they’re goggle eyed for each other’ as the boys started shuffling cards and passing them out. She nodded once at Shaundelle, made the ‘call me if shit goes sideways’ gesture and slipped out the door without the boys noticing.

  The first thing she saw after making sure the door latched properly behind her was Devlin. He’d planted his elbows firmly on the porch railing, presumably to supprt the phone he held up to his ear. His ass is to die for, those pants don’t hide a damn thing. Michaela licked her lips, almost gave in to the irresistible urge to spank him. The soft rumble of his voice as he repeated the words ‘missing person’ into the speaker slammed Michaela into sensible mode. They had to find Sam, bring her back. Spanking his gorgeous derriere would only delay that primary mission.

  Devlin pulled the phone away from his ear with a curse. “Fucker should have listened when I told him to use the goddamn silver,” he growled as he stabbed a finger at the screen. The light dimmed, and his angry gaze pinned Michaela in place. “Don’t think you snuck up on me, witchy woman. I know just what you’re thinking,” he winked and the anger faded from his face. Even his posture was more relaxed, less tense. “We’ve got a girl to find, and a town to save eh?”

  “Or something,” she smirked. “You got the most important bit right.”

  Devlin mock-bowed at her and gestured regally toward his sedan. “After you, my lady.”

  Michaela headed toward his vehicle in a rush. A quick tug on the passenger door handle had the door open, and she fell into the seat with a sigh. “What’s tak
ing so long, buster?” She twisted around in her seat to peer out the back window. Even though the windows bore extra dark tint, she could see that he’d popped the trunk, could hear him rustling through things. “Hurry up, daylight’s wasting.”

  The trunk slammed shut, and the car vibrated. Michaela slammed her seatbelt into the buckle, sat back, and glared at the empty driver’s seat. Devlin wasn’t phased in the least as he slid into the seat, slipped the key in the ignition and started the car.

  “Don’t you give me that death-glare, Mikey,” her stomach knotted at his growled use of her nickname. How the hell had he heard that from all the way outside, shifter or not? “I had to get some supplies.” He held up a black bag, and rattled it softly before placing it on the console between them. “My partner, Asher, is a damn fine witch. He’s got me carting around this goody bag just in case.”

  “Where did you say he was?” Michaela’s stomach fluttered at the tense, pale cast Devlin’s face took on at her question. “We could use some back up, you know.”

  “I know. That’s why I called HQ.” Devlin shrugged, and Michaela watched the way the movement rippled through the muscles of his shoulders and down his back. Damn, he just kept looking better to her ‘fuck me now’ side. It took a minute for meaning to sink in.

  “You did what? Called the Grand Supreme—shit. I am so screwed.”

  “Later, babe. Absolutely screwed later.” He leaned in and planted a feather-light kiss on her lips, silencing further protest. “Now that I have your attention, may I continue?”

  Michaela nodded slowly, lips tingling with the need for another taste of him. His promise of ‘later’ rang in her ears and made her toes curl with anticipation.

  “I called HQ and spoke to one of the agents who specialize in information acquisition.”

  “A spy. You called a spy because…?”