“Yes… please?” Her fingers brought her close, pleasure reaching engulfing her like waves, but not yet crashing over her.
“How about I pin you down, my hand in your hair? How about I show you how sharp my teeth are while I explore your skin? I want to feel one of your nipples in my mouth. I could show you what my teeth and tongue can do for you.”
Her breath came fast. She turned her head into the pillow, her back arching. The waves crashed faster and faster now.
“Then, when I’m done with your breasts, I’m going to mark you as mine. Do you hear me? I’m going to sink my teeth into your skin so that when any other male looks at you he’ll know you belong to me.” His voice was a growl now. He twisted toward her astral form, crawling toward her as his eyes burned.
The wave rose and slammed into her. Ashe cried out, unable to hold it back. Pleasure rippled through her body. It crashed through her, from her toes to her fingertips.
“I can hear you,” Cohen growled, ending with a chuckle. “Did my words get you off?”
Ashe fought for her breath. It was unlike anything she’d ever felt before. Sure, she’d served herself before, but the image that Cohen and his beast had painted for her had made it… different. She didn’t know how to explain it. All Ashe knew was the furious beat of her heart and the way her breath came fast.
It all died into an ache. Her skin longed for the feeling of his hands. She yearned for the sensation of his arms around her, but the image he’d painted had not included any kind of tenderness. It had been about ownership. It should have scared her, the way his beast had pulled forward and taken control.
Thinking back, she saw the transition. She’d egged Cohen to reveal what the beast wanted and so the beast had crawled forward, eager to share. Even now, the beast smiled wide. It was pleased with itself. He leaned back and scented the air as if he could smell her desire. A look of disappointment crossed his face.
“I’m not really there. Remember?”
His lips curled with anger. “I’ll find you, my little bird. I’ll find you and mark you.”
Ashe should have pulled back. She should have given Cohen the solitude he needed to wrestle his beast. Instead, she leaned forward. She reached to touch Cohen’s face with her astral hand and searched his eyes.
“Give me the man,” she demanded.
Cohen rose over her with a growl. “The man is weak. He isn’t what you need, little bird. Tell me you want me.”
She shook her head. “You aren’t going to bully me. Give me the man or I will take him from you.”
The beast watched her with a wary gaze. He knew she could do it. It was part of the power she’d inherited from her mother, the power her mother had abused. Ashe was not about to let Cohen’s beast be a brat.
The thing was, the beast didn’t know she couldn’t do it from a distance. She’d have to be in the same room as him, but she hoped her bluff was good enough as she held his gaze.
“You’re too good for him, little bird.”
The glow in his eyes dimmed until the shadows swept over them again. They pulled over his face like a curtain. Ashe realized they were of his own creation. Whatever power Cohen had, he’d twisted it into a shield between him and those around him. It hid the struggle between him and his beast, and at the same time it frightened away those who might get too close.
Cohen let out a long sigh and collapsed onto the bed, weakened. Silence filled the space between them. Back at her body, her cheeks warmed. She couldn’t believe what she’d just done. It was not so revealing as other things, but it was enough to embarrass her. She’d never opened up like that to anyone.
“Did you have fun with the beast, at least?”
“I have thoughts about his tastes, but he acts like a brat.”
Cohen snorted. She watched the shadows writhe around his eyes and wondered what she might have to do to make them disappear completely. It wasn’t enough to pull them back from time to time. She wanted to see them forever gone.
He rubbed his face. “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t think I would lose my control so easily.”
“No need to apologize,” Ashe assured him. “He might be a thug, but he didn’t do anything wrong.”
She should get back to her own body. Her need to alleviate her own loneliness had lasted too long, as much as she’d had fun. The sun would soon breach the horizon and she’d had little sleep. In the morning, Cohen would tell the Pack about Sampson’s death. The loss of the Alpha left a vacuum of power. Sampson’s illness had already left them too weak, they would have to declare a new Alpha.
That meant there would be fighting. It was the only way shifters knew how to choose. More often than not, the positions went to family members of the previous Alpha if only because that was where the flow of power resided. If an Alpha was strong, his offspring would be, too.
She glanced at Cohen. He was the strongest of them all, but his own existence scared him. Would he fight for power? Absolutely not. He was already looking for a way out of the bond he had with his brother and Kaylee. He was already looking for ways to escape this place.
What could Ashe do to make him stay? She knew her mother had an arsenal of tools that would force Cohen to stay, but it broke her heart to think about using them. She would not be the monster that woman had been. It would only prove the Pack right about her. She needed to find another way to make Cohen want to stay.
“You called me Little Bird,” Ashe mentioned.
“I did?” Cohen held his arm over his eyes, as if he could shut out the entire world.
Chapter Six
Ashe moved about the house with her head down. It seemed as if the entire Pack had gathered under one roof. It was smothering. She lurched for the door and burst into the open air, gulping down breaths. It was too much. There were too many accusing eyes on her already, no matter how she tried to hide herself. She could never hide from them.
“Are you alright?” Cohen asked, his fingertip grazing her arm.
She sidestepped him and nodded.
“You don’t look alright.”
“I’ll be fine. This is nothing new,” Ashe assured him. She’d lived with this far longer than he had.
All he did was nod and take a step closer. As people filtered in and out of Vancourt house, Cohen stayed beside her. He glowered at those who dared look in her direction for too long. It was almost like the days before he’d left.
Almost.
“Look,” she began without looking at him. “I can take care of myself now. I don’t need your help.”
“Just because you don’t need it doesn’t mean I don’t feel the need to give it.”
“Be careful. That’s something an Alpha might say.”
She could feel the heat of his glare across her cheek. He didn’t like her words, but cowards rarely ever enjoyed the truth.
Nancy and Grover stepped out the door, both holding plastic cups of beer in their hands. They spoke about Sampson and his death, throwing pointed glances at Ashe. Nancy said she wouldn’t be surprised if someone finally succeeded in putting Sampson out of his misery while Grover commented that it would have to have been done quietly to happen under the boys’ noses.
Their eyes bored into her, accusingly. They knew she had had access to Sampson and that no one questioned the remedies she brought him. Her throat began to close, rendering her unable to breathe. How long would it be before they treated her like she was her mother? How long would it be before they burned her, too?
There was a gentle tug at her arm. Her eyes snapped up to meet Cohen’s gaze. The shadows had peeled back, and she found a softness in his eyes that made her follow. Glares burned her back as more people spilled out into the lawn, but she paid them no attention. Cohen’s gentle touch on her arm was nearly overwhelming.
She found herself craving more. She wanted to lean into him and absorb his warmth. It took her several moments to realize he’d led her to the shed they once used as a fort. He pushed the door open, dust raini
ng down from the lack of use.
Inside sat a pair of lawn chairs and an overturned milk crate, all much smaller than she remembered. Beside an unravelling lawn chair sat a musty copy of an old fantasy novel. She knelt to pick it up, a small pang of regret thrumming through her heart.
Cohen moved to drop into one of the lawn chairs. It groaned unhappily beneath him, making Ashe laugh. He scrubbed at his face, an overgrown five o’clock shadow overtaking his cheeks. When his gaze dropped from the ceiling to her, she felt her cheeks warm.
“They all want to place blame because it seems all they know is murder now.”
“I was a bit of a raging bitch the other day,” Ashe began. “Why are you trying to play the knight in shining armor?”
“I don’t know about shining armor, but I think I’ve always been your knight. Maybe it’s because my monster recognizes yours. Monsters need to stick together, right?”
Ashe stiffened. Her heart threatened to burst. Just as she’d let her guard down, she was reminded how completely unlovable she was.
“Just because you see yourself as a monster, does not mean you are one. And, it certainly doesn’t mean that I am one.” Her voice was quiet, easily missed.
She wasn’t a monster. Right?
Ashe had worked hard to make sure she did no evil all throughout her life, to the point of catching spiders and releasing them outside rather than squishing the small beasts on sight. On the outside, Ashe tried to be an example of soft and good. But, down to her bones she feared Cohen was right. There was a monster inside her, just waiting to get out.
The force rose. It shook through her. It regarded her with wide eyes, but shared no words with her. She cursed the silent beast. Could she keep living like this? A half life torn between two worlds, neither of which she belonged to? She thought she’d been coping, she’d found a balance that had kept her sane, but it was all smashed and broken now.
“Hey,” Cohen’s voice rumbled through her. She realized he was pressed against her now. His arm wrapped around her, gentle as it held her close. His other hand wiped at her cheek, coming away wet with tears she hadn’t realized she’d shed.
As he looked down at her, she registered the war of confusion that he fought. Concern and wariness pushed and pulled inside him. Sampson had taught them that she was the monster, warned them to never go near her. It seemed those were the only words that stuck with them. She thought she would save him the trouble and shoved away from him.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Cohen growled and tugged her closer. His arm around her tightening and dropping down her back.
“I’m going back outside. If I’m going to be called a monster no matter where I am, I might as well step into the light.”
He let out a breath, a regretful sigh. “I’m… sorry for my words. I’m a recluse who doesn’t know how to handle people anymore.”
That wasn’t any kind of forgivable excuse. Ashe still wanted to smack him upside the head. She wanted to turn him into a toad, if that was at all possible.
“Cohen,” she whispered. He was close enough now that if she raised her head, her lips might touch his. In that moment, she realized she wanted to. How many times had she dreamed of just this as a teenager?
“What is it?” his lips brushed against her skin, close but not quite enough.
In the darkness of the shed, they were alone. It was only the two of them, no prying eyes or accusing words. They could be themselves. The thought allowed Ashe to breathe easier. She dragged in a long breath, as if breathing for the first time.
Could she be just a little bit of a monster? Just for a moment? Would it be all that bad if she showed him a small glimpse of what she kept hidden inside? Her whole life was a game of building walls so that no one could see the truth and it was tiring.
Just this once, she thought…
She grabbed Cohen and pulled his mouth to hers. Surprise caught him off guard, but he responded with a growl. His hands tightened on her as she nibbled his lower lip. He pressed against her, as if he could not get close enough until he was inside her. They stumbled back until her back hit a wall.
His teeth scraped against her lips, hungry, greedy. She leaned her head back, so he could push deeper. She wanted to devour him. He tasted like blood and pine. It was intoxicating. Her nails bit into his skin and he groaned into her mouth.
One arm lifted her off the ground, a hand cupping her ass to hold her in place. The other slammed against the shed wall as if he could barely hold himself back from destroying the place around them. A small thrill raced through her and crashed into her core.
It made her feel alive. The walls she erected between the beast inside her and the world came tumbling down. Something inside her stretched and yawned, the sensation of feathers grazing her skin. It was followed by a blast of power, dark like the night. Panic slammed into her. She shoved Cohen back and her feet hit the ground. They both fumbled, struggling to catch their breath in the dark.
Slowly, almost inevitably, their hands searched for one another again. She listened to Cohen’s heavy breathing in the dark as his hands wrapped around her again.
She was the witch of the Vancourt Pack. Cohen was the monster who wanted to throw away his own pack.
What a broken match they made.
“We need to leave,” Cohen suggested, his forehead pressed against hers.
Their breath mingled in the darkness, their lips brushing against one another. If they opened the door, if they stepped outside the shed, it would all be over. The spell would be broken, and Ashe would have to go back to the girl she’d been before.
She found that she didn’t want it to end. Her fingers tightened on the front of Cohen’s shirt. The thing inside her growled for more. The sound echoed through her until she rubbed against the front of him. His hands gently touched her shoulders and pushed her back.
“I would say let’s not mention this, but I’m sure everyone outside heard us.”
Ashe let out a nervous laugh. Her control was gone and the walls she’d built were nothing more than a memory. She knew, if she stepped into the light, the Pack would see something inhuman in her eyes. It happened once or twice before, but always when she was alone. A cool silver would be swirling in them.
“I’m just going to wait here for a while,” she said, falling into one of the lawn chairs.
Cohen watched her, but she let her hair fall between them. She needed to get control of this. Magic burned through her veins, cold and ancient. It stirred the thing inside if her, making her bones ache. No matter how hard it fought, it couldn’t come out. Her body refused to change. All it could do was burn and ache.
Cohen hesitated, like he wanted to say something, but he didn’t move closer. Instead, he shook his head and left. She wanted to call out and beg him to stay while she hurt, but her voice was trapped inside her.
It was better this way, she reminded herself. Cohen would leave. If he wanted to run and hide again, who was she to stop him? Ashe had lived her life alone and she would continue to hold herself together. Ashe would have to be a monster by herself.
***
Cohen’s head spun. He could barely wrap his mind around what he’d just done. What he’d meant to be an act of trust, to get the witch on his side, had become an act of lust. The moment he stepped into her space, he’d lost control. The bear inside him demanded he take her, rough and wild.
Cohen had held on, but only barely. When she kissed him, it had all flown out the window. He’d slammed her against the wall, ready to bring the world crashing down around their ears if only to get deeper inside her.
What was it about the witch that drew him in? Perhaps it was the fact that he didn’t fear hurting her. She was a power he didn’t understand. Even though she feared him, he knew she would hold her own. She’d proven already that she was not going to let him walk over her. She wouldn’t let him hurt her either.
Cohen found himself replaying the moment over and over as he walked back toward his
brothers. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t register their conversation until Gage punched him in the shoulder.
He snarled, surprised. Gage didn’t show fear, but Cohen saw him take a small step back.
“Fuck off, Pussy Waffle.”
Cohen arched a brow at his brother’s new nickname. Each time they got worse and worse. Not demeaning, but… dumb.
“Did you hear a thing we said or are you still mentally sticking it in Ashe?” Archer challenged.
Cohen growled. Hearing her name come from his brother’s mouth enraged him. The bear howled, and heat flooded his limbs. It was one thing for Gage, his packmate, to say things, but Archer was not under his protection. He took one step toward his brother. He would smash the man’s jaw so that he couldn’t say anything else. His hands trembled with the need to hit something. The bear growled for retribution. No one would say anything about what belonged to them.
The urge to hit his brother was overwhelming and it scared him. He fisted his hand in his hair and pulled, hoping the pain would center him. If not, he was going to have a shiny, bald patch. He wished he’d never come back. He wished he was still somewhere no one would get hurt.
He spun away from his brother and stomped back toward the house. He couldn’t deal with this many people today. It was too much for the already uncontrollable bear. Not even Gage and Kaylee could keep him steady today.
“Didn’t you hear me?” Archer shouted after him. “You have a challenge!”
Cohen came to a halt. Electricity shot through his body. Slowly, he turned toward the crowd behind him. Grover detached himself from the Pack and rolled his shoulders, wordlessly indicating who’d issued the challenge.
“Are you dumb?” Cohen snapped. “I’m Alpha of no one and nothing. What do you think to gain by challenging me?”
Gage cleared his throat. Cohen glanced at his brother, reminding Cohen that he was an Alpha. Still, Grover’s challenge earned him nothing. What did he hope to win by challenging Cohen?
“But, you’re the one who stands to inherit it all. If you were still Pack, you’d be in line for the position.”
Cohen Page 5
