Pure Blooded

by Amanda Carlson

  Marcy slid over on the sofa to give me some space. “Well,” she answered, setting a throw pillow into her lap, curling her legs under her, “it wasn’t easy, I can tell you that much. I had to spell him and the boys had to manhandle him out of here. He’s heavy, not to mention he’s one tough son-of-a-biggen, and when he’s pissed off he puts everyone in jeopardy. Once they got him out the door, Ray flew him someplace so he could… cool off. Like, literally cool down.”

  “Where exactly did Ray fly him?” I arched a look at her. She was evading me on purpose, but at least she had the decency not to smile.

  “I believe he dropped him in the middle of the lake.” She glanced away from my penetrating stare to gaze at her fingernails. “But, honestly, we had no other choice.” She began to fidget with the corner of the pillow. “I begged him not to break down the door and come in here. James tried to hold him back. Once we were in, I told him what was going on with you, since Juanita left a huge imprint of her spell for me to find, like a big ol’ witchy flare. I knew you were fine. But he kept pressuring me to wake you up. And if I’d tried to do that, it could’ve left your mind damaged, or worse, which is why Juanita had warned us away.” She blew out a frustrated breath. “I wasn’t willing to risk it, and everyone else agreed—except for him. So we did the only thing left to us. We dropped him in the lake.”

  I wasn’t going to laugh or smile. What they did was harsh. “I heard him roar at one point during the astral trip,” I said. “But, honestly, you can’t blame him for being worried about me. The man loves me, and it’s, what, the millionth time he’s seen me near death?”

  “The roaring part was tame, believe me,” she said, meeting my gaze for the first time. “It was the claws that were the problem. I mean, look at this place. It’s holding on by a thread!”

  I glanced around. She was right. It was completely damaged. Not much was left that wasn’t shredded to bits and pieces. “You can fix this, right?” I asked.

  “Well, yes,” she answered. “But that’s not the point! He was endangering you.”

  I nodded to her while I called out to him in my mind. Rourke, are you there? I walked to the front window and opened the shade. I couldn’t see him. I’m back safe and sound. Where are you?

  Swimming, he said curtly. And when I get back, I will annihilate anyone who gets in my way. He was furious and I couldn’t really blame him.

  I’ll be here waiting.

  He growled his response.

  Tyler, I said, switching channels. I’m back, and if you know what’s good for you, stay out of Rourke’s way. Tell everyone to head back into the main house. We leave tomorrow to find Kayla’s brother at dawn, not a minute later. Find out as much as you can about where we’re going, what kind of a supe he is, and formulate a workable plan with everyone else. We’ll see you in the morning. Rourke wasn’t going to let me out of his sight, and once he got back, he wasn’t going to be fit for company. We all needed some downtime and Juanita was warding this place until sun up.

  Got it, Tyler said. Jess, we had no choice but to intervene. He paused in mid-thought. I’m not sure dumping him in the lake was the best plan we’ve ever come up with, but it seemed like the only option at the time. Marcy was panicked about hurting you and he was forcing her to wake you up.

  I’ll handle it from here, I replied. Just make sure to give him some space once he’s out. We’ve been on the road a long time, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop anytime soon. Let’s use this break to our advantage.

  I hear you, sis. A break, even for a night, is a gift at this point.

  Juanita has this entire place warded until dawn. Tell everyone. And make sure you tell Kayla we will help her. She won’t be happy we’re bunking here for the rest of the day and night. We’ll meet you outside just before dawn. I clicked off and turned to Marcy, who was waiting patiently for me to finish. “How come you stayed with me? Did you draw the short straw for babysitting duty?” I joked, settling myself on the couch across from her.

  “Nope, I picked it willingly,” she answered smugly. “And babysitting, my aunt Betty’s ass. Being with you is like trying to keep track of a whirling dervish hell-bent on injuring herself. It takes all my considerable skill and talent to keep you alive and functioning. And what if that astral spell had backfired and you went into convulsions? What then, huh? You should be grateful I was here.”

  “I am grateful,” I said as I lay my head back, trying to enjoy these two minutes alone with my friend, especially since we weren’t in any danger. “Your considerable talents have kept me alive. And I haven’t had a chance to say thank you properly for what you did for me back in the swamp. Without you, I wouldn’t have made it out alive. Juanita hinted that there were several outcomes that could’ve happened, but they didn’t. I’m crediting you for your spells and quick thinking.”

  “Phish.” Marcy flipped her wrist at me like I was a silly person. “You had that entire thing covered from the moment we arrived. For the most part I was just in the way, bumbling along like your inefficient, but incredibly clever, sidekick.”

  “No way.” I shook my head adamantly. “If it wasn’t for the dark spells you brewed, we would’ve been overpowered in minutes. The potions gave us precious moments to get ahead. We wouldn’t have made it otherwise. That’s why Juanita sent you with me, like a barnacle clinging to a ship. Without you, I would’ve died.” I raised a single eyebrow to dare her to contradict me. “I’m not invincible and never have been. This is a team effort, and I’m so thankful I have you—you and your cleverness—clinging to my boat like a moochy crustacean, so thank you.”

  Marcy picked up her throw pillow and tossed it at my head. I ducked, laughing. “I’m hardly a mooch, and let’s face it, you’re the one who clings to my boat by the tips of your claws hoping I’ll toss you a life preserver. Face it, without me you’d be bored out of your gourd, dragging yourself from one dangerous escapade to the next with no joy, only sadness.”

  “You’re right, you do brighten my day, and honestly, I’m glad you’re so humble about it. Always makes for such a self-effacing conversation—” Another throw pillow smacked me in the face. When I was done laughing, Marcy’s demeanor had shifted. Her face had become serious. “Okay, now what?” I asked.

  “There’s one thing I have to know before your mate gets back. I have to ask, since you haven’t had a chance to explain exactly what went down with Marinette after I was knocked out.” Marcy leaned forward. “Is she part of you or what? I know she didn’t come out. I saw you lying there, looking dead, and I’m sure she was inside. And then—presto—you woke up and she was gone. Nowhere to be found.”

  I closed my eyes, remembering. “I’m not sure I can put what happened into perfect words,” I began, opening my eyes and leveling them on my friend, “but I’ll give you my best interpretation of what happened.”

  “That’s good enough for a barnacle.”

  “Marinette split her soul in two to create the first female werewolf on earth. My predecessor. She went against edict to do it, because she wanted her supernatural race—the race of shifters—to be the most powerful, and to have control over the supernatural race through her new toy. At least that’s how she explained it to me. But when she possessed me, hoping to claim my body for herself, she presented my wolf with the other half of her soul. Once we stopped fighting the possession, thanks to Juanita, my wolf sort of… claimed the rest of the soul for herself. No power went with it. It’s sort of creepy to say out loud, but I assure you, Marinette is nowhere inside me. The only thing left is my happy, complete wolf.” My wolf barked her agreement.

  “That is strange and creepy,” Marcy remarked, “but totally cool. You Ghostbustered her. I’ve never heard of someone swallowing up a soul like that, but I’ve also never heard of a supe splitting their soul in the first place. If Marinette was only made up of half a soul, I can see why she didn’t have any power. She could be strong for a moment or two, when she used the bokor, but she would
never have been a contender.”

  I chuckled. “You make the ordeal sound easy.”

  “Of course I do, I’m good like that. I like to take the fried and make it chicken fried,” Marcy agreed. “Much more flavor that way. And now I can see by the bags under your eyes you need some time to recover. It looks like a truck with big, fat tires rolled over you and left you for dead. Get some sleep if you can. Your beast is getting out of the water as we speak.” She stood. “If I’m here when he comes back, things will get ugly.”

  I stood along with her and gave her a hug. “Thank you, Marcy,” I whispered in her ear. “For not only being my friend, but becoming a powerful ally.”

  She hugged me back fiercely. “I’m your Pack sister-in-law and don’t you forget it. I’ll always volunteer to babysit you, Wonder Wolf. We’re in this together. All of us.”

  We stepped apart, both of us smiling and a little teary-eyed, even though neither of us would ever admit it. “Marcy, when you get back to the house, tell everyone we’re leaving just before dawn. I already told Tyler, but our next step is to find Kayla’s brother. Juanita told me the path I need to take right now, so we’re taking it. She said once we find Ajax, my destiny will be clear—and I’m praying that will be true.”

  “Wait a minute, did you say Ajax?” she asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

  “Yeah, why?”

  “Because Kayla called her kid brother Jax, not Ajax.”

  “Jax must be short for Ajax.” I shrugged. “That’s not a huge stretch.”

  “No, but in mythology Ajax is a mighty warrior known for his strength, little missy.” She shook her head. “He’s not known for raising the dead, so that means her brother is not a necromancer.”

  “I guess we’ll find out tomorrow, won’t we?” I said. “I doubt she’ll tell ahead of time, even if we beg.”

  “She’s a little slippery, that one.” Marcy walked to the door. “We’ll have to keep a close eye on her. I don’t intend to wake up with ghouls eating me as a midnight snack. I’m outta here. I hear splashing.”

  The door burst open minutes after Marcy left. My mate walked in looking fierce and sopping wet. He shook his hair out and ripped off his T-shirt while he paced toward me.

  I met him halfway.

  My mouth covered his before he could verbalize what seeing me out cold had done to him. I’d been incapacitated too many times, and instead of talking about it, I was going to show him I was okay the best way I knew how.

  The electricity of our connection was immediate.

  His hands clutched me from behind, pulling me roughly toward him so all our parts were touching. His lips were hot and firm, and a loud rumble issued out of his chest as his tongue lashed over mine again and again.

  I angled my head to take him more fully and ran my hands up and down his torso, sliding over the wetness still clinging to him, then gripping his shoulders just as fiercely as he was holding on to me.

  With a snarl he picked me up, our mouths still melded together, and stalked toward the only bedroom in the tiny guesthouse.

  Once we were through, he kicked the door shut. It slammed so hard, it cracked.

  In front of the bed, he broke our kiss, his mouth trailing down my neck and along the column of my throat. He nipped and licked me until I couldn’t take it any longer. Moaning, I rubbed myself up against him. I was too filled with need to do much more. This coupling was going to be what it had to be.

  Hard and thorough.

  Only after we’d had each other would we calm down and talk rationally. My mate was wound past the point of snapping, and I was right there with him. I needed his touch. My body craved it like no other. It had been long enough.

  I squirmed in his arms and he growled, laying me roughly on the bed, neither of us speaking. He stepped back, yanking off his jeans, almost ripping them in his haste, his gaze locked on my mine.

  I stripped off my own clothes as he moved forward. He was glorious. His power jumped out ahead of him, stinging me with its delicious currents. Once I was naked, he covered me, entering me in one hot rush.

  I arched up, taking him, welcoming it, my hands fisted in his hair as I dragged his body closer. As he began a frantic rhythm, I tossed my head back, luxuriating in his fullness and the sensations of our coupling. He roared as I gripped his backside, urging him faster. His hand slid under my neck, angling me up, his mouth slanting over mine, his tongue plunging deeply, ravaging my mouth. I returned his kisses, slash for slash, rocking my pelvis in tandem with his thrusts.

  Breaking the kiss, his lips seared my neck as he inched down my chest. “Jessica”—his voice was full of anguish coupled with pleasure—“I can’t… I need—”

  “Shhh,” I said, guiding him back to me, kissing his face, running my tongue along his beautiful stubble. “It’s okay.”

  Slowing the pace, he rose on his forearms, gazing down on me. I reached up and stroked his face, murmuring loving words to him, wanting to soothe him and comfort him. My toes curled as the pleasure mounted with each thrust.

  Without needing to be asked, he increased his rhythm, not breaking his gaze. “I cannot lose you.” He rocked into me hard, hitting my core. “Ever.”

  “You won’t… I promise.” My voice broke on a moan.

  “Come for me.” He angled himself forward, his forearms bracketing my body, his thrusts coming fast. My hands fisted in the covers as I gave in to my pleasure, crying out his name.

  Before I could recover, he roared his release, his thrusts triggering blissful aftershocks. “Rourke.” I rolled my hips up, savoring the feelings. “You are… an amazing lover.”

  He collapsed on top of me, both of us breathing hard. After a moment he gathered me in his arms and rolled to the side. We lay locked together like that, legs intertwined, under the covers for a long time, neither of us saying a word. His hands continually ran over my body as I burrowed as close to him as I could get.

  We would talk when we were ready, but for now, all we needed was physical contact and nothing else.

  “Jessica,” Rourke whispered.

  “What is it?” I rose immediately on my elbow, blinking. “What’s wrong? Was I asleep?” I glanced around the room. It was pitch black. “What time is it?”

  “Relax, it’s only ten.”

  “Oh,” I said, my brain foggy from sleep. “That’s a relief.” I burrowed back into his warmth as I yawned. His arms braced around me, tugging me close. “I can’t believe I fell asleep. I’ve been out at least eight hours. You should’ve woken me up sooner. We have a lot to talk about.” I slung a lazy arm around his torso and snuggled deeper.

  “You were too cute to wake up.” He pulled the sheet up around us. “You kept making little growling noises and gnashing your teeth. It was like watching a puppy have a nightmare.”

  “Very funny,” I mumbled, smiling into his neck. “You purr like a cat when you’re out cold, so we’re even.” He laughed, whipping me effortlessly onto his chest. I leaned in to kiss him. “Mmm, I love the way you taste.”

  His irises sparked. “You don’t taste half bad yourself.”

  I nipped his bottom lip.

  He groaned, angling his head up to kiss me, but he broke away too soon for my liking, so I protested with a loud growl.

  “Believe me,” he said, “all I want to do is kiss you senseless, but you’re right. We have to talk first. I need to know what happened when you were with Juanita. We can’t put it off any longer.”

  I sighed, resting my cheek against his broad chest. “I know. But first I have to tell you I’m sorry I worried you again. Juanita said it couldn’t be helped. I know seeing me unresponsive is hard for you.”

  “Jessica, I thought I lost you again when I kicked the door down and first saw you in that state.” He cleared his throat. “I’m not sure how many times I can see you like that and keep it together. I thought Enid had taken you. I’m pissed they threw me in the lake, but they probably did the right thing. I pushed Marcy to wake you up even
though she kept telling me she couldn’t do it without hurting you. I wasn’t in my right mind.”

  I caressed his cheek with a thumb. “I know this has been hard on you, but I can’t promise that something like that won’t happen again. If it helps matters at all, I like you vigilant. I love that you have my back. You’re my rock. You were right to think it might have been Enid when everyone else was complacent to believe it was Juanita. In the future, we just have to make sure we work better as a team, and we have to know when to trust the people around us. Each of us has our own skill set. Marcy has to be the one with the last word when it comes to spells. We have to believe Ray when it comes to reaper things. Moving forward, that has to be our mind-set.”

  He shook his head. “I agree with you. But fear made me irrational. Marcy told me the signature was Juanita’s. She’s the professional. But I didn’t listen. I just… couldn’t. Not after everything we’ve been through recently.”

  “It’s okay, I don’t blame you for being fierce,” I said, leaning down to kiss his bottom lip, lingering there for a moment. “It’s not always going to be like this. It can’t be. We won’t survive long living in constant upheaval and danger. You and I are going to just have to keep moving forward. We have no other choice. But we will reach the finish line. Juanita told me something while I was with her, and the way she said it felt like there would be an ending. She said I’d find peace at some point, but in order to get things back on the right track, I did have to sacrifice something, but whatever it was I could handle it.”

  “Tell me everything she said.”

  I recapped the meeting as best I could, leaving nothing out, including the realness of the smells and how everything affected my senses. “The last thing she told me was we needed to find Kayla’s brother, and once I did, I would find my destiny. When she said the words, they filled me with hope. I had the feeling that if I succeeded in this next mission everything would finally come together. At least that’s how I interpreted it. I truly believe she thinks I can succeed and my death isn’t necessary. I have to as well. Being hopeless is not an option.”