Indignation shone on her face. She made another move to punch him but he was prepared this time, catching her hand gently. He planted a series of kisses on her knuckles, pissing her off more.
He chuckled, touching her chin. “Keep that jaw open like that and I’m gonna stick my dick right in your mouth.”
She snapped her mouth shut, making him laugh deep and from the gut. Before long, Molly’s lips twitched and she too began to laugh. It was a sight he’d never forget. It made him feel all funny on the insides. Like mush. It was embarrassing to say the least.
Molly touched his jaw where she’d decked him a good one. “Sorry.”
“No, you’re not, but thanks for makin’ the effort to say it,” he said.
She laughed more. “You’re right. I’m not sorry.”
He tugged her against him, his cock pressing against her bare stomach. “Molls, tell me you’re okay with this, with what happened and with us.”
She pressed her lips to his and kissed him so thoroughly that he actually got dizzy. Damn, the woman was going to be the death of him. He was sure of it.
“Jonathan, trouble’s coming!” Eli shouted, ending the jovial mood instantly.
He grabbed Molly’s arm. “I get you don’t like answering to a man but, Molly, you are my wife now. Give me the peace of mind of knowing you’ll be there come morning and not dead in a pine box.”
He thought she’d argue. When she lowered her lids and nodded, he felt as if he’d just won a major victory.
Chapter Nine
Molly huffed as she put on the slipper-like shoes that went with the white dress she now wore. Jonathan had refused to tell her where her clothes were and Cole had been equally as stubborn about agreeing to retrieve her saddlebags.
She peered out the window, wondering what the trouble he had mentioned was. When she spotted a team of men on horseback, she leaned. Gerald was there, dismounting, his gaze hard.
Her stomach twisted in a knot.
Eli was nowhere to be seen.
Schooling her breathing, Molly bent, listening harder. She should have shot the slime ball on sight but she didn’t. Sure, she was a trained marshal—a woman known for tracking down the worst of the worst—but she couldn’t seem to find that nerve with Gerald so close.
“I’ve come to collect my soon-to-be bride,” Gerald said. “My attorney—” He motioned to one of the men with him. “—has all the documents, signed and notarized. Sheriff, you’ll see her father agreed to all the terms I set forth.” He put his shoulders back and pulled his watch from his breast pocket.
Molly could still remember hearing it near her head as he’d forced himself on her all those years ago. It had fallen free of his pocket then, ticking nonstop in her ear, reminding her of the time she spent with him.
Cole took the papers from a skinny guy with glasses. He read them over and proceeded to laugh. “This is all well and good but her father has no authority to sign for her.”
“He most certainly does,” the man replied. “The law states—”
Cole leaned in, towering over the man. “The law states that pack law regarding mating supersedes any human written law.”
The man drew back, appearing confused. “Mr. Wilson,” the man said, pushing his tiny wire frame glasses up his nose. “You never mentioned we’d be entering pack law issues with this.”
“We’re not,” Gerald said harshly. “There is no shifter involved in this and it would do good for Molly to just come on out here and face up to her future.” He mumbled something under his breath about her probably looking like a man now, leather skin and the works.
Molly knew that both Jonathan and Cole were hanging on by a thread. The last thing she wanted was for them to be on trial for murder. She ran her fingers through her long hair, pulling the tangles free of it. She righted herself, adjusted her cleavage just so and took a deep breath, preparing to face her demons head-on.
Jonathan’s hands itched with the need to rip Gerald’s head clean from his shoulders. From the agitation showing in Cole, he had the same idea.
“Molly isn’t going anywhere,” Jonathan ground out between gritted teeth.
“Sheriff, this is preposterous,” Gerald replied, an air of superiority in his voice. “Who is this supposed shifter mate of hers?” He pointed to Cole. “Him? Make him prove it. Make him shift here and now.”
Cole lifted his hand and flashed a feral look before claws emerged from his fingertips. He drew them in quickly. “Want anything else, asshole?”
Jonathan knew the consequences of the territory learning who and what he really was. He didn’t care. All that mattered was Molly. “The fact he’s a shifter doesn’t mean shit here.”
An alligator grin spread over Gerald as if he thought Jonathan was helping to make his case. “Sheriff, you have no idea how happy I am that you see reason here.”
Letting the beast up a tiny bit, Jonathan’s face changed. His nose widened and his teeth grew jagged. He growled and raised his hands, allowing his claws to show as hair coated his lower arms. He knew his eyes had intensified, going from golden to an even brighter gold, one that mixed amber in as well.
All the men in Gerald’s posse backed up rapidly, including Gerald.
Jonathan’s features returned to normal so he could talk without issue. “Molly is my wife,” he said with grave deliberation. He didn’t want a single word to be missed or forgotten. He’d not spend his life worried about Gerald getting signals mixed. “And no one is going to come out here and question it. Understood?”
Gerald’s eyes widened. “You’re a…? You’re an animal?”
“My husband is not an animal.”
Stunned, Jonathan glanced over his shoulder to find Molly there. She looked like a goddess, her long hair flowing free to her waist, the swells of her creamy breasts showing and her narrow waist accentuated in the white dress he’d had made for her years ago. She even wore the shoes he’d had done for her. He’d thought of her often after she’d gone. Each time he went in to the main city some sixty miles south, he got something special for when she returned to him. And return she had. She was breathtaking. Even Cole did a double-take.
Molly slid up next to Jonathan, looping her arm partially in his but giving him plenty of play should he need to strike out at the men. His woman had gone off in the world and found herself. In addition to that, she’d seemed to learn a thing or ten about the rules of engagement and what might need to be done. It was damn hard not to admire that quality in her.
Jonathan caught several of the men with Gerald gawking at Molly, staring at her breasts. He growled a warning and they averted their gazes quickly. All but Gerald, that is. He stared at her as if remembering what it was like to touch them.
Unable to take it, Jonathan made a move to attack the bastard. Cole was the one to stop him. He grabbed Jonathan and thrust him back. “No killing him. Not yet anyways.”
Molly was left standing face-to-face with the man who had terrorized her.
Jonathan was about to rush back to her side when she did the unthinkable. She started laughing directly in Gerald’s face. “Look at you,” she said. “You’re smaller than I remember you being. Much smaller. And older. Much older. The years haven’t been kind to you. Not in the least.”
Anger lit in Gerald’s gaze. “Is that any way to speak to your soon-to-be husband?”
“Sir,” the glasses guy chirped, coming off more bird like than not. “He’s got the law on his side.”
“Only if both parties in the arrangement are supernatural,” Gerald said, shocking Jonathan by knowing the law at all. “Molly is not one.”
Molly clenched her fists. The next thing Jonathan knew, Gerald’s pocketwatch was ripped free of his hand by an unseen force. Molly glared at Gerald as the watch hovered high in the air. “You’re awfully sure of yourself.”
All men present looked up at the watch in stunned awe.
“Maybe you should learn a little bit more about a woman before you try to b
uy her from her father.” With that, the watch was propelled into a tree some twenty yards away. It broke into pieces and scattered to the ground.
Jonathan was at a loss for words.
Cole wasn’t. “Now that we’ve cleared up that matter and they’re both obviously supernatural, you really should be on your way. There is a rowdy crowd runnin’ about. I’d really hate to see anything bad happen to any of you.” The way he said it left no room for doubt. He was threatening them.
“Y-You’re a witch?” Gerald asked, shaking his head.
As the word rolled from his tongue, Jonathan knew problems would occur. He stormed toward the man and seized hold of his collar. “My wife is no witch.”
“On the contrary,” Judge William said, dismounting from his horse. Eli and Parker were there as well, each glaring at Gerald and his men. The girl who had tried to portray herself as Molly moved up from behind Parker. “My niece is most certainly what you would call a witch. Though your ability to think outside the box is limited. You wouldn’t understand the term Fae so we’ll do our best to keep it simple.”
Gerald huffed. “Judge?”
With a wave of his hand, the papers that had been in the hands of the glasses guy burst into flames. The Judge smiled and wiped his hands as if he’d actually touched them. “Well, now that we have that out of the way, what do you say we assure there can be no question as the two of you being married legally or not?”
Jonathan blinked and then nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“Take Molly’s hands in yours and repeat after me,” he said. “I, say your name, do take, say her name, to be my lawfully wedded wife.”
Swept up in the moment, Jonathan repeated what the Judge had said verbatim. When his cousin and brother snickered, he realized his mistake. “Erm, I mean. I, Jonathan Thomas MacSweeny, do take Molly Cogan to be my lawfully wedded wife.”
“Til death we do part,” the Judge continued.
Jonathan echoed his words.
Molly stared up at him, biting at her lower lip to the point Jonathan thought she might put a hole clean through it. When she hesitated, he assumed it was because she didn’t really want to be his wife. She met his gaze and he saw the raw emotion in her eyes and she was trying not to cry. His gut told him they were happy tears so he didn’t take offense.
“I, Molly Cogan, take you, Jonathan Thomas MacSweeny, to be my lawfully wedded husband. Til death us do part.”
“By the power vested in me,” the Judge said, “I hereby pronounce you man and wife. Kiss the bride and then take her in that house and fill her up with my grandnephews and nieces.”
“Already started working on those,” Jonathan said as he dipped his head, going for Molly’s lips.
She wept openly as she cupped his face, returning his kiss.
“Don’t cry, sweetheart,” he whispered, understanding others could hear him.
“I do not cry.” She sniffled and then hiccupped before crying more, still clinging to him.
“Shh, beautiful,” he said against her temple. “I love you and no one can take you from me ever again.”
The Judge turned and patted Eli’s shoulder. “Son, phone my wife. Tell her we’ve a wedding to celebrate. Let the town know. They’ll be wanting to share this with Jonathan and Molly. They’re town sweethearts who go way back and nothing makes the people happier than a wedding.”
“They won’t be town sweethearts once everyone learns he’s an animal and she’s a witch!” Gerald shouted. “They’ll hunt him like the animal he is and they’ll burn her at the stake.”
Jonathan made a move to go at him. Molly pressed herself to him, holding him in place.
“Gerald,” the Judge said calmly. “You’re a very ignorant man. Do you really think the MacSweeny boys are the only supernaturals living in Prospect Springs? Wouldn’t it be something if it was you who were the minority and by kicking up dust on this, you’d be painting a target on your back, just begging for us all to band together and handle the situation?”
Tugging at his shirt collar, Gerald cast a worried look around and backed up, inclining his head. “This isn’t over.”
“That’s what you think, you piece of…” Jonathan went at him and found himself being tackled to the ground by his brother, cousin and Cole.
“Brother,” Parker said gruffly. “Get a hold of yourself.”
Wisely, Gerald and his men disbanded, riding out quickly. They were well and gone before the men let Jonathan up. He pushed to his feet and wiped the dust from himself, his mood sour. “Give me one good reason why I couldn’t kill that no good piece of horse dung?”
“Because it’s your wedding day,” the Judge said evenly. His words stopped Jonathan’s tirade almost instantly. The Judge smiled. “It’ll take the wife and I a bit to rustle up a party but with the help of this lot—” He motioned to everyone around them. “—we’ll make it so. In the meantime, take your new bride in that house of yours and get to work on them little ones.”
“Uncle William!”
He put his hand out to Molly. “Sweeting, there isn’t a man alive I’d rather see you with than Jonathan. He’ll do right by you.”
“Damn straight,” Jonathan added. He waited until William was done hugging Molly before easing his wife from the judge’s embrace. He kissed her temple. “Well, Mrs. MacSweeny, what do you say to a shindig in our honor?”
Molly gifted him a smile. “I say that you better have your dancin’ shoes on, husband.”
Epilogue
Jonathan entered the cabin and tossed his hat and badge on the side table. His day had been long and hard. The whole cabin smelled delicious and he wondered what his wife had cooked up for them tonight. He still couldn’t believe Molly was finally his. It didn’t matter that they’d been man and wife for nearly two years now.
She entered the living area, a toddler in her arms and jelly smeared on her face. She sighed. “Can you keep an eye on him? He’s into everything.”
Laughing, Jonathan took their son in his arms. He snaked his free arm around his wife’s waist and dragged her against him. He kissed her lips passionately and then wagged his brows. “How much longer will I be able to do this before your big ole belly is in the way?”
She swatted his arm playfully. “It was your idea to have another baby. Now you have to live with it.”
He eyed his woman. She was even more beautiful pregnant. Little did she know the sight of her that way made him want to assure she remained in that state for as long as possible. With one boy here and another on the way, Jonathan was the happiest man in the territory.
“I love you,” he said to his wife as their son smeared his jelly-covered hand over Jonathan’s cheek. “Love you too, kiddo.”
Molly laughed and shook her head as she went for the kitchen. “I can’t believe I gave up hunting outlaws for this. It’s damn hard work.”
Jonathan followed her, still holding their child. “Do you really miss it, Molls?”
“No, but I enjoy razzin’ you,” she offered with a wink. “I’ve given up my Marshal Molly days and there is no place I’d rather be than here with you two.”
About the Author, Mandy M. Roth
Mandy M. Roth grew up fascinated by creatures that go bump in the night. From the very beginning, she showed signs of creativity. At age five, she had her first piece of artwork published. Writing came into play early in her life as well. Over the years, the two mediums merged and led her to work in marketing. Combining her creativity with her passion for horror has left her banging on the keyboard into the wee hours of the night. Mandy lives with her husband and three children on the shores of Lake Erie, where she is currently starting work on her Master’s Degree.
To learn more about Mandy, please visit www.mandyroth.com or send an email to [email protected].
For latest news about Mandy’s newest releases subscribe to her announcement list in Yahoo! groups. http://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/Mandy_M_Roth
About the Author, Rory Michaels
To learn more about Rory, please visit www.rorymichaels.com.
Also from The Raven Books
STRATEGIC VULNERABILITY
by Mandy M. Roth
Prologue
Kim pushed through the dense jungle vines, surprised she’d run into yet another thick cluster of them. They cut at her skin, digging deep in some places and breaking open cuts she’d sustained only the morning before. A branch shot back and caught her cheek. The sting told her it too had drawn blood. The tour guide in front of her paused and glanced back at her, having the decency to appear apologetic. She gave a tiny wave indicating she’d be fine and wondered if the man was qualified to be leading the way. He’d told her the day before that the trails they’d be taking today were fairly clear.
Guess we have different views on clear paths, she thought as she glanced down at the shallow lacerations covering her hands and forearms. They would heal over relatively quickly, within a day or two, but that wasn’t the point.
Face it. You just might not be cut out for a life of this.
She trudged along, wishing she’d brought more bug spray. So far, she was averaging a bite a minute.
At least it felt that way.
A prickly vine dug into her lower legs and she was thankful she’d at least thought to wear long pants. One of the other students on the trip had suggested she put the bottoms of her pant legs into the tops of her socks. Wisely, she’d listened.
When her professor had asked her, along with several other students, to go on a trip to South America for a few weeks, she’d thought it was the opportunity of a lifetime. She wasn’t so sure now. They were there to study plants native to the area. Kim had an interest in studies reporting amazing results with the fungi in soil and leaf litter samples. She also had a curiosity about the antibacterial qualities associated with several of the plant extracts she recently began studying. The news was making its way through the scientific community, not quite at the rate she’d like but moving all the same. It wasn’t something that fascinated most people but Kim enjoyed the work. She’d also enjoyed the chance to study in the Brazilian Rainforest or at least she had until recently.
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