Ceva's Chance

by Lilli Carlisle

  The weather turned and the sky opened up. Rain poured down in sheets and the team had to pull over in the next town they came to. Thankfully, the Alpha was more than happy to take them in for the evening. The town was a fair size, with over six hundred shifters in the pack. The storefronts were intricately designed with wood carvings and boasted their wares in bright, bold, colored signage. The Alpha had given them a vacant but furnished house to stay in until the weather cleared, but that wasn’t likely to happen soon if the sounds from outside were anything to go by. Lothar had asked Karli if she had the power to change this weather back to sunny. She tried, but the rain kept pouring down. Obviously, this wasn’t a natural occurrence.

  Food had been stocked in the fridge and cupboards as if they had been expected. When Ceva asked why everything was ready for them, the Alpha simply smiled down at his Omega and said, “My mate had a dream that you would come and that most of you would be staying with us for a couple days.”

  Lothar was about to ask why only most of them, but Ceva stopped him with a touch of her hand. “If she had a dream, then we stay. The reason will be made clear in time.”

  The team had spread out over the large house and were now relaxing while they had the chance. After everything they’d already had to fight through, they needed the break. Lothar watched as Joseph and Rowl cuddled Karli on the couch. It was obvious they were still in love after so many years, and it was also evident they hadn’t mated, because none of them had their mating tattoos yet. Omegas tended to wait until they had their mating ceremony first before taking their relationships to an intimate level. He also knew the little Omega should have a chaperone at all times, but this wasn’t normal circumstances and the rules didn’t apply as they tried to stop a genocide.

  The tattoos appeared on a person’s left arm once they were mated. They could be as simple as a few vines or as extravagant as a complete sleeve; either way, they were sent by the gods. No mortal machine could place these marks on their skin because a wolf would just heal and the ink would bleed out.

  He and Ceva would each have their own if they went through with the mating bite, and only those mating a wolf received the mark. The thought alone made him smile, although he didn’t know what form they would take. Alphas also had tattoos on their right arms proclaiming their position. Omegas had jewels in their foreheads, and witches had either gold or black eyes depending on which side they fell. Unlike witches, wolves could survive if their mate died, and if they mated again, the tattoo would change to incorporate their new mate. The only way out of a mating was death.

  The house was comfortable and inviting. He and Ceva had already taken their bags up to their room and were now wrapped around each other on the loveseat. They had to figure out a game plan because Ramsha Mountain was coming up fast. But for the moment all he wanted to do was hold Ceva in his arms and decompress for a while.

  She was lost in thought again, and he wished he knew what to say to make this more bearable for her. She’d have to kill her own family to stop this genocide against the wolf shifters. Even if her family was on opposite sides and on opposite ends of the spectrum of witches, there had to be pain on some level. Lothar swore he’d be there for her when the time came.

  Quietly, Ceva said, “I think I should go alone to Ramsha. He could easily kill you or any of our team members. Penrod can’t use his power against me.”

  “Not a chance. If nothing else, I’m coming with you. We can leave the team behind here to wait for us.” There was no way he was sitting back while she risked her life.

  “Lothar, what I’m saying makes sense. He’d use his powers to destroy anyone who comes near him. You can’t come.”

  The other team members overheard their conversation and began to chime in. “We’re going. You can’t go alone,” Joseph said, and there were murmured agreements from the group in the room.

  Ceva untangled herself from Lothar and sat up, leaving him bereft of her warmth. He wanted her back in his arms. All this talk of fighting and death was doing nothing to calm him. But the one thing he was certain of was that Ceva would not be facing Penrod alone.

  “You’re not going alone. I’m coming with you,” Lothar announced in a firm voice, hoping she understood how important this was to him.

  “I can’t protect everyone from his magic,” Ceva explained. “It would drain me too quickly.”

  “Can you shield one person and still be able to fight at full strength?” Lothar asked.

  Ceva got a look on her face that said she loathed having to answer him. “Yes.”

  “Then I’m going. The rest of the team can stay here and help protect the town. Who knows what Penrod has planned, and this town is way too close to Ramsha Mountain if he decides to send out his ogres.”

  The men and Karli grumbled but eventually accepted the fact that they were staying right where they were. Lothar and Ceva said their good nights and retreated to their private bedroom. The day had been long and all he wanted to do was hold the woman he loved safe in his arms.

  As soon as the door was shut behind them, Lothar wrapped his strong arms around her. Ceva knew this might be their last night together; they both knew that.

  “I want you to make love to me,” she said as she nuzzled the side of his neck with her warm lips and fangs. She wouldn’t bite him, but the need was strong.

  “And I want to make love to you, beautiful.” His gaze was smoldering as he cupped her cheek with a shaky hand. “I love you, Ceva.”

  Three words and her heart beat so fast she felt dizzy, but she needed to tell him how she felt. “I love you too, Lothar. I never imagined I’d have someone so wonderful in my life. I’ve been alive a long time and have been waiting to have someone to share my life with.”

  He leaned down and took her lips in a possessive kiss. Lips and tongues tangled, leaving her breathless. Quickly they began to undress each other between kisses, alternating between grasping at clothes and clinging to each other. Her body hummed with excitement, and she soon found herself rubbing her now naked body against an equally naked Lothar. His hard cock jutted out from his body and poked her in the stomach.

  He walked her backward toward the bed, guiding her so she wouldn’t fall. Her body burned with need; it felt like flames were licking through her veins. Lothar’s muscled arms easily lifted her and laid her on the bed before he followed her down and blanketed her with his hard, gorgeous body. His warm lips nibbled her ear and then down her chest as his large hand cupped and kneaded her breast. His calloused fingers made her skin burn even hotter as his warm, wet lips sucked one nipple into his mouth then his tongue flicked rapidly over the nub, torturing it into a peak.

  He continued with his leisurely exploration of her body, licking her belly as he ventured lower. Ceva shocked herself by whimpering when his tongue delved into her folds. She never whimpered. Her nails dug into his hard biceps when he found her clit, sucking and licking it mercilessly. Her body sizzled with pleasure as he lavished her with such intimate attention. He pushed her closer to the edge with every lick.

  “Lothar, I want to feel you inside me.”

  His head came up and he looked at her with hungry, glowing eyes. His wolf was close to the surface. With one final flick, he slowly crawled up her body, placing random kisses as he went. He reclaimed her lips, and she lost herself in the kiss as waves of hunger washed over her.

  She felt the crown of his hard cock probing her core, setting the flames of her desire higher. There was no need for protection with werecreatures; they didn’t carry diseases like the Elfin people, and Ceva had the power to release an egg to become pregnant at will, so no risk of pregnancy.

  In one slow thrust, he buried himself deep inside her, and pure pleasure flooded her. She could feel her body stretching to accommodate him and rippling around his thick cock. Each stroke sent her closer to her release as the friction against her walls intensified. He made love to her, first fast and wild, then slower and more intimately once his initial lust was sati
sfied. Each thrust sent waves of pleasure soaring through her body.

  She wrapped her legs around his hips, allowing him to pump even deeper. She was lost in a sea of sensations, and couldn’t hold back any longer as she screamed her release to the ceiling. Her body was trembling as Lothar thrust into her ferociously over and over then growled long and low in his throat as he came. Both her fangs and his canines had lengthened, but they had managed to hold back from giving each other the mating bite. It was too soon for that. Wasn’t it?

  He rolled to his back and gathered her into his arms. Her body was still trembling as she came down from her high. This was the man that she wanted to spend all eternity with. Lothar was her future.

  They woke the next morning to more rain, thunder, and lightning filling the sky. It seemed right that the weather reflected her emotions so well. She was about to take the man she loved into the belly of the beast. There was no guarantee either of them would make it out alive. She had thought about sneaking out in the middle of the night, but Lothar had made her swear she wouldn’t go without him. She never broke her word. Besides, he’d just follow her anyway.

  Neither of them could eat breakfast and decided to get on the road early instead. Before they left, they had to speak with the Alpha and prepare him for the just in case scenario. If Penrod released ogres onto the town, they needed to be ready. The Alpha took in the information and began to plan with the team to protect his pack, almost immediately calling in his beta and warriors. They left him to his plans and went to say good-bye to their team. The rest of their group knew if they didn’t return within three days, it was likely they wouldn’t be returning. If that was the case, the team had to head back to Black Ridge.

  Karli was in tears and hugged Ceva close, but she had to make sure the young woman knew what to expect when she arrived at Black Ridge. “Listen to me, Karli, I’ve contacted Princess Helena; she’s my goddaughter. You will go back to Black Ridge with Joseph and Rowl, and she will make sure you get your choice.”

  “Thank you, Ceva, but you’ll be doing that for me when you two return,” Karli stated confidently.

  Ceva didn’t want to know if Karli was providing insight into the future or her assertion was just wishful thinking. Ceva hugged the young woman close before turning and walking out the front door. By the time she reached the truck, Lothar was at her side, wrapping his arm around her waist and nuzzling her neck. He gave her such joy after millennia of being alone, she couldn’t help but smile.

  “Come on, Wolfie, let’s get this over with.” She turned toward their truck and the hell that they would soon be engulfed in.

  Ramsha Mountain was still over five hours away, and they expected to reach it by midday. The two sat hand in hand as Lothar drove to his possible death. She desperately wanted to make him turn around. That thought alone kept her vigilant; she wouldn’t lose the man she loved. The weather continued to worsen as they drove closer. It was as if the elements were fighting against them. Ceva knew this wasn’t natural and that her brother had something to do with it. She had no doubt Penrod knew they were close.

  She’s been blocking spells all day. Penrod was trying to slow them down or stop them completely. He might not be able to use his powers directly against her, but the truck and Lothar were fair game. Not wanting to worry him, she hadn’t told Lothar.

  But with a prescience she found eerie, he asked, “Are you shielding me?” She should have known he’d figure it out.

  “Yes.”

  “How bad is it?”

  “Well, he’s thrown everything at us, including the kitchen sink. I don’t think there’s a spell he hasn’t tried. But I’m more powerful than he is and can shield you and the vehicle fairly easily.”

  Lothar squeezed her hand tighter. “As long as it’s not hurting you.”

  “No, I’m fine. He can’t hurt me in this way.”

  “So he’s after me, the weak link.”

  “You’re not a weak link. It will take both of us to kill him. If I could have done it alone, I would have. You’re the person who’s going to tip this in our favor.”

  “How are you feeling about all this?”

  “Penrod must be stopped. I will do what is needed to save innocent lives.”

  “That’s not what I asked. I asked you how you are feeling.”

  Ceva let out the deep breath she’d been holding. “Resigned to the fact that even though he’s my brother, he’s evil and he needs to be stopped. I knew this day would come. I can’t say that I don’t feel some remorse, but it’s more about the situation. Had I been born into a family of white witches, how different would my life be now? But I wouldn’t have met you, and you wouldn’t be in a situation like this.”

  “I still believe we would have met. I believe it was fate that brought us together and not luck. I love you, and I know we are meant to be.”

  She liked the sound of that. Fate had given her the other half of her soul, and fate wouldn’t be malicious enough to rip it away from her so soon. Would it?

  Golf-ball-size hailstones began to fall but not one icy sphere touched the truck, Ceva ensured it. If he wasn’t going to fight her, Penrod could pop away from Ramsha to protect himself, but Ceva knew he would never leave the beloved cave that held his home, especially to his sister. He would fight to the death to ensure it never fell into her hands. That was one of the reasons they were going to Ramsha. He would never leave his belongings and spells for her to destroy.

  At around two hours in to their drive, the weather cleared up; obviously Penrod realized it had no effect on them and was attempting to conserve his energy. The landscape had changed drastically from lush pine trees to barren grasslands dotted with outcroppings of rocks. The sun was now directly overhead, pouring sunlight through the sunroof.

  Once they arrived at Ramsha, they’d have to walk up its sloping sides to reach the entrance to the cave. The closer they got to the entrance the more dangerous it would become. Just one more thing to look forward to.

  Ceva’s mind drifted to the past, as it often did. It had been more than a millennium ago when she’d visited with the High Priestess Juliel. Her home was deep in the forest away from the rest of the coven; she was a bit of a recluse. As a child, Ceva would often sneak out to spend time with her. Juliel was a powerful witch who didn’t tolerate many people, but she’d accepted Ceva and began teaching her.

  The priestess often remarked that she was the only one with enough power to train Ceva properly. Ceva never understood that; she seemed to be the same as all the other witches. But Juliel said over and over again that the day would come when Ceva’s strength would be tested and her life would be forfeit if she failed to control her powers; that they would be the only thing between herself and oblivion.

  Other than that one morbid premonition, Ceva enjoyed her time with the priestess and learned much more than she ever imagined existed. There had been a bit of jealousy throughout the coven that the orphaned witch with the dark parents was held in such high regard by the high priestess. Ceva didn’t care. Juliel had turned out to be the closest thing she had to a mother, and she refused to stop her visits.

  The day Juliel died in the battle of Senfora, Ceva had been fighting alongside her. In her last few moments of life, she whispered, “Ut quod sponte reddere—take what I freely give,” and then touched Ceva’s forehead before dying. A warm, all-encompassing joy filled her body, and she felt as if a part of her had been freed. She had no idea what Juliel meant and wondered why she was thinking about it now of all times. That had been almost a century ago and nothing had changed about her in body or spirit. If it had been a spell, it had failed, or perhaps Juliel had been too weak to complete it properly. Either way, Ceva had lost the only mother figure in her life that day, spell or no spell.

  She looked over at Lothar, the handsome, caring man who had stolen her heart, and prayed she didn’t lose him as well. She wasn’t entirely certain she’d be able to go on without him, or if she even wanted to.


  The terrain started to change to larger rocky patches with outcroppings of evergreen trees as they followed the slope of the mountain. Eventually they’d have to abandon the truck and travel the rest of the way on foot. Lothar released her hand and was carefully navigating the steep roads until they reached the last available flat spot to park.

  They both sat in the truck staring at one another. This was it. There would be no turning back. He reached out and pulled her close. “I love you, Ceva. I want you to know that you’ve brought so much joy into my life. There’s no place I’d rather be than by your side.”

  Her eyes misted over and she found it hard to speak. This was new; she was never overcome with emotion, at least not until Lothar. “I love you too. This won’t be our last time together. I plan on getting my forever.” She tried to sound confident, but a single tear gave her away.

  Lothar cupped her cheek and brought their lips together in a turbulent kiss that left them both wanting. She took a deep breath to clear her thoughts before saying, “Let’s go.”

  Luckily, the ground wasn’t so steep that they couldn’t walk, but the air was definitely thinner the farther up they went. Ceva had been expecting more of a resistance to their being on Penrod’s mountain, but as of yet, nothing had happened. They continued on for another couple miles before the ground began to move violently. Boulders that were shaken loose by the earthquake hurtled toward them. Ceva released her wings, grabbed Lothar, and took to the sky seconds before they would have been crushed. The ground was no longer safe. Penrod could control the earth around his cave without using a spell directly against them.

  “We’ll search out the entrance from the sky,” she said.

  “I agree,” Lothar yelled in her ear, “the sky will be safer.”