Ceva's Chance

by Lilli Carlisle

  She landed beside Lothar, who was still in his wolf form. “We have eight more coming this way.”

  Just as she said the words, eight ogres cleared the tree line. Something was different about these creatures. They were bigger; she hadn’t imagined it. Typically, ogres stood eight feet tall. These eight had to be well over ten feet. She took to the sky once again and charged the ogres alongside the wolves, sword held high.

  The battle waged for what felt like hours, but in actuality had only been twenty minutes. Between Ceva’s sword and magic, the wolves’ strength, and Karli’s lightning bolts, they had reduced the number to two. There were wolves on the ground unmoving, and Ceva quickly searched for Lothar and found him attached to one of the remaining ogre’s legs. The other ogre was getting close to the town and Karli. The wolves backed off as the young woman shot a lightning bolt on the one stalking her. It burst into flames, the smell of burning flesh filling the air. But the ogre just kept going, headed straight for Karli and the Alpha’s house.

  Ceva raced to get to Karli first; she had to get her off the roof. Ceva felt something pierce her leg but didn’t have the time to worry about it as she just barely reached the young woman in time, lifting her into the air. The ogre fell on the Alpha’s house, the flames on his body transferring to the timbers of the roof. Ceva knew she had to stop him before he set the whole town on fire.

  She flew to the ground and handed Karli over to a waiting Joseph, the pain in her leg getting substantially worse. She looked down and wished she hadn’t. Stuck in her leg was a six-inch knife buried to the hilt, which came out the other side. She sheathed her sword then wrapped her hands around the hilt of the weapon impaling her leg and pulled. The pain was excruciating, but she couldn’t fight with a knife stuck in her body.

  As soon as it was pulled free, she turned to Karli. “We need rain, sheets of rain to put the fire out.”

  Karli nodded and raised her hands. Ceva left the Omega with Joseph and headed back into the fray. The ogre that was on fire was now rolling on the ground to put itself out. With it distracted, Ceva got within a few feet of it and drew her sword. She could feel the heat of the fire, but the rain was quickly putting it out. One clean slice later and they were down to one. She turned to find the final beast already on the ground with his head torn off by the wolves. Lothar was standing by the creature’s head.

  The team had done away with eleven ogres, but they’d suffered; members of their team were wounded. Two wolves lay on the ground unmoving. She ran over to the first one. He was already gone; she couldn’t save him. At least three houses were destroyed, but the rain prevented the fire from spreading and brought down the flames.

  The second man moaned, and Ceva was by his side in an instant. There was a deep knife wound to his stomach and blood was pouring out. He’d be dead in a few minutes if she didn’t save him. She laid her hands over the wound and began chanting. She pushed her healing power into the wound and felt the tissues reconnecting and healing. Within moments, the wound was knitting itself back together and her team member’s painful moans ceased.

  She removed her hands to reveal a tiny scar but no open wound. She breathed a sigh of relief as the man opened his eyes and stared at her.

  “You saved my life. Thank you, Ceva. I don’t know how to repay such a debt.”

  “Just don’t make me have to do it again,” she answered with a smile. Then she remembered the one wolf that didn’t make it, and her smile vanished.

  She was about to get up when she was lifted into Lothar’s arms. “Are you hurt?” he asked.

  “I’ll be fine. My leg is already healing, but we’ve lost a man today. He was already gone when I reached him. There was nothing I could do for him.” Knowing that truth didn’t assuage her guilt in the least.

  “Yes, Lorreck has made the ultimate sacrifice. He will be honored by the pack and our people.” As Lothar spoke, Ceva could tell how deeply this was affecting him, to lose someone he worked with every day, a man he himself trained… This shit sucked.

  The team gathered around as the rain slowly let up. The town had been mostly saved and the ogres were dead, giving the townspeople the chance they needed to get to safety. The Alpha’s home was destroyed, as well as one house on either side.

  “They were bigger than average ogres,” Ceva said.

  “I noticed. How is that even possible?” Lothar asked. “I’ve never seen one over eight feet.”

  “We need to find out where they’re coming from and stop this before they become more powerful.” Ceva had no idea why they were larger, but she thought of someone who might. “We have to find Penrod.”

  Chapter Four

  They’d been on the road for two days, and Ceva was wound tight. The last thing she wanted to do was see her brother again, but she had no choice. He was involved in this, and she wasn’t going to let another pack lose their homeland and their lives. Alpha Dedric had fought with their team and watched his house burn to the ground. He’d lost everything, but his people were safe. The sacrifices were too much for her to bear. So seeking out Penrod it was.

  Ramsha was still over two days away, but they were making good time. The team could have chartered a plane, but she wouldn’t have been able to sense any changes in the areas as they passed through them. So far they’d come across another band of ogres and another empty town. More people missing confirmed that Penrod was involved somehow; it was his specialty.

  Since the battle on Dedric’s pack lands, Ceva had slept in the same bed as Lothar. Typically they spent half the night talking or sometimes they’d lie quietly in each other’s arms. They hadn’t made love yet, but Ceva knew that was only a matter of time. In truth, she was frightened about becoming more intimate in case her mating fangs decided to lower again.

  What if she bit him in the heat of passion? He’d be tied to her for eternity, and she didn’t want to take that chance. It was his decision to make, and she would never take that away from him. She knew that wolves bit during their mating, but that still didn’t help her fear.

  “What are you thinking about so deeply, beautiful?” Lothar asked from the other side of their bed. Tonight they were staying in a motel that was set on a long, lonely stretch of highway outside another desolate town. The motel had been empty, so the team took up most of the rooms, for which the proprietor was grateful.

  Never one to hide from difficulty, Ceva didn’t wonder long whether she should tell Lothar about her mating fangs and the consequences. It was best to warn him so he could at least have the time to consider the repercussions if she slipped up and bit him. “We should talk.”

  “Well, that’s kind of ominous,” he teased, but she could see the apprehension in his eyes.

  They moved to their sides, facing each other, and Lothar wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. Ceva buried her head in his chest and took a deep breath, taking in his scent and savoring it. This might be the last time he held her so closely, afraid that she might bite him and bind them together. He might keep his distance now. How will I handle that?

  “There something you should be aware of,” Ceva spoke softly.

  “It’ll be okay, beautiful. We can deal with whatever it is together.” She knew he was trying to reassure her, but it wasn’t working.

  She wished it were that easy. “The other night when we kissed, you noticed my fangs had lengthened. You need to know why that happens.”

  “All ears, beautiful.” Lothar kissed her nose.

  “They were my…mating fangs. My fangs grow longer in preparation for the mating bite.” He lay silent, and Ceva was having a mini heart attack. “It’s never happened before, and I don’t know how to stop it. If I were to bite you, we would be mated for eternity, and I can’t risk taking that chance. I know we’re just at the beginning of this relationship, and it’s not time to discuss mating, but I had to warn you.”

  Lothar still hadn’t said anything, and Ceva was getting more nervous by the second. Would this be a deal breaker
? Her throat had dried up and she could swear she felt like she was choking. Suddenly he began to smile, and not just any smile, but a big, self-satisfied smile. “You’ve never had this happen before?”

  “Not in all of my thousands of years. Oh shit, that’s another thing you need to know. Once mated, we’re bound together for all eternity, and I mean an eternity because you will become as immortal as I am and gain a few powers. But on the opposite end, if I were to be killed, you would die shortly after and vice versa. Mating with me is a melding of souls. One of us cannot live without the other. In essence, one person wouldn’t be able to go on for all eternity without the other.”

  His eyes widened, his brows went up, and his lips parted. Yeah, this was a lot to take in. It wasn’t an easy thing to mate with a white witch, and now he was beginning to understand that. This was probably why witches and wizards hardly ever mated outside their own people. At least magic wielders understood what mating involved.

  Ceva waited for the inevitable rejection. What man would want to risk eternity with her?

  “Do you have to bite me? Can you bite something else, like a pillow?” Her heart began to beat again. He hadn’t rejected her outright.

  “Conceptually, I can bite a pillow, but there’s always a chance I won’t be able to catch myself in time. I’ve never dealt with this before.” Even though she could have candy-coated it, she’d rather be truthful.

  The fact that he was still holding her was a good sign.

  “Is there anything else I need to know?” he asked.

  “If we bit each other and mated, our children could be wolf, witch, or a mix of the two.” If he wanted to have wolves only, then they could not continue the way things were going. It was never a guarantee she would have shifters.

  “So let’s recap. The reason your fangs grew was because your body wanted to mate with me, but what about the woman? Does she want to mate with me?”

  There it was. The real question. Did she want to mate him? She looked deep into his eyes and saw the love starting to bloom between them, but it was too early for a lifetime commitment. “I believe I want to mate you, but not so soon in our relationship. We need to grow to know each other. You need to make sure. Eternity is a long time.”

  Lothar smiled and kissed the top of her head. “I agree it’s a bit soon to talk about mating for eternity, but I want to explore these feelings with you. I’m not walking away from you, Ceva.”

  “But what are we going to do about the biting?”

  “I’m going to help you try to stay in control, and if all else fails, you can bite the pillow. I’ll make sure I’m fast enough to get out of the way. Don’t think for one moment I wouldn’t spend eternity with you, but you’re right, we need to grow together first.”

  She was so relieved, a telltale tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. She’d told him everything about her parents, her brother, and her mating bite, and he hadn’t walked out the door. All her anxiety slipped away and she melted deeper into her wolf’s embrace.

  She’d never been one to seek safety and protection, mainly because she was the one always providing it to others. But in Lothar’s arms, she felt both safe and protected, definitely a new sensation, and she welcomed it with open arms.

  Lothar lay awake; another sleepless night. He knew now more than ever he was falling in love with the woman in his arms. It wasn’t hard to imagine forever with her. He didn’t care if his children turned out to be white witches or wolves. He just wanted a family to love and protect. He’d raise his children in the beautiful Black Ridge countryside just as he’d dreamed all these years. They’d know their daddy loved and cherished them no matter what magic they held.

  He began to think about his deceased father. Lothar held dear his memories of when he’d come home from his training. He was never too tired to play. His dad had given him a little wooden sword, and they’d pretend to spar every night. He had been an amazing father, and to this day, Lothar still missed him.

  As Ceva began to stir, Lothar pulled her close and tried to calm her back to sleep, but her beautiful golden eyes opened and she smiled at him. Gods, I’m a lucky man.

  “Hi,” she said in a sleepy, husky voice that did all kinds of things to his body.

  “Hi, beautiful,” he replied. “You should be sleeping.”

  “So should you. What time is it?”

  “Almost two in the morning.”

  “Hmmm, so what can we do in the middle of the night all by our lonesome?”

  “Well, I’m sure there are lots of things we could do. What do you have in mind?” he asked, his body already on board with its best idea.

  She seemed to consider her response before saying, “I’m not ready to risk making love and biting you, but we could always test the water a little.”

  “Oh, I’m all for testing the water.” He chuckled as she crawled on top of him, her toned legs straddling his waist. They were both wearing underwear, but he could still feel her heat through the thin fabric. He caressed her breasts, lavishing them with attention, but it wasn’t enough. He needed skin. Slowly, he raised the hem of her shirt, giving her plenty of time to stop him as he skimmed his hands up her sides. Her tanned skin shone in the moonlight, and his hands shook slightly as he tossed her shirt across the room. He leaned forward and captured one pink nipple in his lips. It felt so right having this with Ceva. His swollen cock jutted out of his boxers, desperate for her attention.

  Lothar released her hard, peaked nipple and dove in for a kiss. Lips and tongues tangled as they mapped each other’s bodies with their hands. Ceva moaned when he reached down, cupping her mound with one hand, and nuzzled her neck with his lips. Her hand slid down his chest and abdomen to his hardened cock. She wrapped her long fingers around his length and began pumping him slowly, making him climb even higher.

  He moved the tiny scrap of fabric she called underwear out of the way to feel her desire for him, his fingers exploring the warm, wet folds of her most sacred of places. A swift intake of breath confirmed she was enjoying his attention to her tight bud. She stroked him even faster, driving his need further until he was ready to explode. With one swift move, he entered her with his finger and pushed deep. Her moans rose in volume as he sent her soaring with her release. Her fangs extended, but she didn’t try to bite him. Seconds later, he took his release and exploded through her hand all over his belly.

  Ceva dropped down on top of his body as they both gasped for air, their hearts racing. She hadn’t bit him, yet they’d both found their pleasure. They’d proven they could do it. He wasn’t letting her go.

  Bite or no bite, Ceva was his. There was no question in his mind. Now he just had to keep her alive.

  Ceva sensed magic long before he arrived, giving her a chance to dress before he popped in. She unsheathed her sword and took one final look at Lothar lying frozen in bed. It would be safer for him to remain there, so she didn’t retract the invader’s spell. She walked out the front door of her motel room and into the cool night to face her exact opposite, her brother, Penrod.

  He stood well over six feet tall. His hair was as black as Ceva’s, but his eyes were black and soulless. His pale skin looked translucent in the moonlight while hers glowed golden. No one but their parents would guess they were fraternal twins.

  “Good evening, sister,” he hissed.

  She’d told him long ago not to call her that; no doubt he used the term simply to annoy her. She wouldn’t allow him to affect her. Penrod liked to play dirty; she’d have to keep her senses sharp.

  “What do you want, Penrod?”

  “I want you to keep your nose out of my affairs.” His voice dripped with disdain.

  “If your ‘affairs’ have anything to do with the missing wolf shifters, then you’re too late. I’m already involved.”

  “Still working for the dogs,” he sneered.

  “They are my friends and family. You would know nothing of this,” she said, but deep down she wasn’t one hundred percent sur
e she had that many friends to speak of.

  “I have family. I still have Mom and Dad. Can you say the same?” Penrod tried to lord the familial connection over her.

  “I have people who care about me. Our parents couldn’t care less about either of us.” She knew neither Adela or Koen felt a parental bond for Penrod.

  “Oh, they care about me. They came to me for help. They need me now.” Penrod smiled cruelly; it wasn’t a good look on him.

  “Having to tolerate someone because they’re needed and actually wanting them around because you care are two different things.” Ceva wondered what they were working together on. The three of them anywhere near each other could only mean trouble.

  “Don’t blame me when your entire team is destroyed on this silly misadventure.” Penrod smiled again, his black, rotted teeth turning Ceva’s stomach.

  “This isn’t some sort of adventure. You’re messing with people’s lives. People are dying.” Of course he would view this as a game, heartless bastard.

  “Only the dirty fleabags. Not much of a loss.”

  So this is all directed at the wolves for some reason. Good to know, but why?

  “Enough of the small talk.” Penrod lifted his sword and pointed it at Ceva. “Let’s see if you’ve learned anything new, little sister.”

  Penrod stormed forward, slicing his blade through the air. Ceva immediately went on the defensive, blocking blow after blow. This continued until eventually Penrod left himself open in his exuberance and she sliced his right shoulder blade wide open. He howled in anger and doubled his efforts. She stayed calm, waiting for an opening, and that was about when Karli came out of her room. Karli wasn’t frozen; she was immune to her brother’s spell. But how?

  Karli stopped when she saw the fight before her, but the distraction had proved to be Ceva’s undoing. Penrod’s sword came down on her leg, leaving a good five-inch gash. Now she was furious. She let her anger drive her forward even though she could barely stand on her leg. She had to protect her team. She jabbed and sliced until she had him pinned against a tree, but before she could land another blow, Penrod teleported away. She stood still for a moment, but she didn’t sense him any longer. He was gone.