“Heard that. Felt that here.” He placed a hand over his heart. “You’re mine now.”
She nodded as she studied his fierce gaze and strong jaw. Could he really be hers? Could he fill those empty spaces in her heart?
“Yes,” he whispered as he lowered his mouth to hers and held her tightly against his strong body.
The fire around them intensified, mirroring what she experienced inside.
Do or die, this would happen.
“That’s what I’ve been saying all along,” he murmured against her lips.
She drew her fingertips over his muscled back, reveling in the hard curves, before drawing them down to his trim waist.
He pulled back, watching her with lust-filled eyes. “Damn, woman. These are some badass flames. I could have used you throughout the ages, fighting by my side.”
“I wish I hadn’t gone this long without you, either.” She drew a finger along his moistened bottom lip and then touched hers.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said. “I love your flames, but I wouldn’t want you to forget yourself in the throes of passion and set my balls on fire.”
She laughed and mentally lowered the fire around them until nothing but ash remained. Together, they glanced over the devastating carnage.
“I didn’t want to hurt them. I gave them a chance to leave, but they refused.”
He placed a finger against her lips. “Shh… This tragedy lies at their feet. They made their choices. I know it’s hard to see such devastation. Believe me, gruesome doesn’t come close to describing my first battle and many after that. It is what it is. Death and his reapers might be pissed because they’ll be working overtime to catch up.”
His attempt to soothe her didn’t help.
“You did what you had to do.” He held her close to him, shielding her from much of the horrific sight as he led her up Artillery Hill.
“I need to get my broom if the witch hunters didn’t already take it. Also, I have this.” She held up the ash wood wand that had arrived in her hand after Kenna departed. “I’m not quite sure what to do with it.”
He laughed. “I guess that’s something you’ll have to figure out with your sisters. You’ve been crowned as well.”
She lifted surprised brows as she placed both hands atop her head. Her fingers met with metal. “With everything that happened, I didn’t realize it was there.” She slid it from her hair as she slowed her steps and then stopped.
The sight of her crown stole her breath. Large rubies glowed in the dark night, set deeply into intricate swirls of gold that simulated flames. So pretty. Too pretty to be hers. “How can I accept this? It’s so beautiful, and the power radiating from it is incredibly old. It’s too much.”
Dru took the crown from her and placed it back on her head. “Looks good on you. If I had any doubts you were the one who’d end my life as I’ve known it, I no longer do. This is meant for you and you alone. You can no longer deny who and what you are.”
Her insides trembled. “The fire witch prophesied to help end the world.”
He smiled. “My fire witch, and we’ll see about ending the world. One solid Seal remains in place, and we’re going to keep it that way.”
They walked through the silent night, the atmosphere a complete contrast to what she’d experienced. “Did I kill them all?” she asked quietly.
“I took out my fair share, but plenty of them got away. No doubt they’ll regroup and try again.”
“We’ve got to stop them, Dru, before they succeed in killing one of us.”
“Agreed. I’ll talk with my brothers. It’s better if we take them out. It will prevent you from accidently opening a Seal, and I know Julian wouldn’t mind sharing his secret handshake with them.”
She rolled her eyes, but he did manage to coax a smile from her.
He drew her along until she reached her broom which remained safely stowed where she’d left it.
“Do you want to ride it or bring it in my SUV? We could meet at the house or the castle. Your call.”
She hesitated. “Do we have to leave? I don’t want to go home just yet.” She was excited to show her sisters the intricate crown and wand, but explaining how she’d come by them would require some precise verbal maneuvering.
He pulled her close, his warm breath tickling her ear. “We can go wherever you want. I’m not concerned about the witch hunters attacking again. What remains of them have scurried into hiding. How about we walk instead?”
She nodded, loving the idea. She held his hand, strolling as though they were a normal couple out for a romantic midnight date. They kept going until they reached a second battery, remnants of a cement barracks surrounded by soft grass.
A hush fell over them, as though they’d entered another realm, one devoid from hate and anger and filled with only loving nature. They crossed a broken fence with a dangling sign that read, “Falling can be Deadly”, and continued until they reached the edge of a grassy cliff. The beach stretched out below them, a barrier between them and waves that softly lapped at the shore. With the exception of the red moon, this might be any average night in Port Townsend.
Except he was War and she was a witch.
She stowed her items in the tall grass along the edge of their outcropping and stepped into his open arms. “Look at that,” she whispered as he cradled her against him. “So beautiful.”
“A lot of falling stars,” he responded.
“If we pretend they aren’t a sign of the times, they’re stunning.”
“Mmm…” He kissed the top of her head, and she closed her eyes for a long moment. The heat from his body called to her, and she ran her hands up and down his back, memorizing the feel of him and how her body responded to his presence.
She opened her eyes and lifted her gaze to meet his. “Make love to me, Dru.”
He growled his approval and captured her mouth in a heated kiss. She wrapped her arms about his neck as he lowered them both to the ground.
“I knew you’d see things my way.” He kissed along the curve of her neck.
She punched him, but he grabbed both hands and held them above her head. His power and virility shocked her. “I should light your ass on fire right now.”
“But you won’t,” he taunted.
“How do you know?” She squirmed beneath him.
“Because you want this as much as I do.” He released her hands and buried them in her hair, providing a cushion for her head. He lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her softly at first until their kisses grew much stronger.
She tugged at his shirt. He’d conjured a fantasy once where he’d allowed her free access to his body. She wanted that again. “I’ve ached to touch you for so long. Your fantasy wasn’t nearly enough.”
He sat back on his haunches, straddling her with powerful thighs, and jerked the t-shirt over his head in one swift move. She hissed in a breath as he towered over her all ripped muscle and tight abs, drawing every bit of heat to her core. “Come to me.”
He grinned and shook his head. “Not until I have that leather off you.” With careful movements, he slid down the zipper on her jacket exposing her wispy black lace bra. “Is that all you have on underneath?”
“What else do I need?” she teased.
“Nothing.” His smile grew wider as he scooted back enough that he could reach the button on her black jeans. “No leather pants?”
“Ruined them in my crash.” She was still pissed about that.
“Serves you right then.” He unzipped her pants and slid his hand down the opening.
She tensed as his fingers reached her panties.
“Damn if you’re not the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“I’m a fire witch, honey. What did you expect?”
He moved to the side and pulled off her jeans, dragging her panties halfway down her legs as he did. “Fuck,” he whispered as he cupped her mound, drawing another gasp from her as shivers erupted from her head to her toes. “I had h
igh expectations, but you’ve exceeded them all.”
He finished removing her panties and then ran his palms up her thighs, retracing the path to the aching, hot moisture pooling at her core. When he dipped his fingers inside her, her hips came off the ground, far too eager for his touch.
“Take off your pants,” she said, her words barely more than breaths.
He did as she ordered, revealing a body that could only be described as utter chiseled perfection. He’d taken down countries with that massive chest and incredible arms. Now, he would love her with the same.
He slid her jacket from her shoulders before popping the clasp at the front of her bra. “Goddess, I want you.”
She laughed. “You said Goddess.”
“I’ll fucking thank everyone I can just to have the privilege of being with you.”
She opened her arms to him. “I never knew you were such a charmer, Dru. I thought you were all manly beast.”
He growled. “I’ll show you manly beast.” He sucked a hardened nipple into his mouth, and her eyes rolled back as exquisite pleasure washed through her.
She slid her fingers through his hair as he loved one breast and then the other.
“Dru,” she whispered when she found her voice. “I think we can do away with all the foreplay. If I don’t have you inside me right now…” She caught his lower lip between her teeth and nipped.
“Fuck foreplay.” He caught her gaze as he situated himself between her parted thighs, his gaze feverish with desire. “Claire,” he whispered as he slid into her.
She cried out in pleasure as he filled her. Not only did his body bond with hers, but some part of him coiled tightly around her heart and soul.
Dru thrust over and over, filling her until she feared she’d explode. Desire flowed like molten lava through her veins, singeing her in a most delicious way. She worked to control the heat building inside her, wanting it to last as long as possible, but Dru surged forward in relentless passion until she experienced only the feel of him, the incredible taste of his mouth on hers, the way his body had become one with hers.
“I promised you once that I would fuck you until you couldn’t remember your name.” His rough voice drew her like a flame in the night. “Do you remember that, Claire?”
“Yes,” she whispered, ready to come apart at the seams.
“I promised I’d take you until you wanted nothing more than to make love and make peace for the rest of your life.”
“Yes,” she gasped as he hit a particularly sensitive spot.
“Say you take me, Claire,” he whispered against her ear as he repeatedly filled her and then retreated.
“Take you?” she asked breathlessly, remembering the words Tierra had spoken that had bonded her forever to Killian.
“Take me, Claire. Take me forever. I cannot live without you.”
Her heart crashed in on itself. This man would forever own her, and she couldn’t survive without him, either. Not now that she’d known him inside and out.
Her breaths came fast as she tried to hold onto sanity long enough to answer him. “I take you, Drustan Geddes. All of you. Forever.”
“And I take you, Claire de Moray to be mine for eternity.”
Something hot and electric exploded inside her, and she clung to him as wave after wave of passion broke over her.
“Yes,” he hissed as he whisked her from one climax directly into another.
“Dru,” she gasped.
His chest heaved with exertion as he caught her gaze and smiled at her.
He believed he’d been cursed with the power to destroy through war, but she could no longer buy into that. He might be a master in the arts of battle, but he had the capacity to love far more than that.
She’d believed no man alive could love her like this without her stealing the life from him. She’d been wrong.
The power generated by their lovemaking was bigger than the both of them.
“Claire,” he groaned as he thrust into her at a frenzied pace. She held him tightly to her as he sought for what he’d given her so many times.
He released a passionate curse in a language she didn’t understand and then stiffened as he buried himself deep inside her. The great immortal brought to his knees by love.
By slow degrees, reality snuck inside their precious bubble as crisp night air filtered around them, cooling their bodies. Dru stayed where he was, planted inside her, breathing heavily. Claire wrapped her arms and legs around him and held him close.
“You pledged yourself to me, Claire. It can’t be broken.”
“I know,” she whispered in return. “I don’t regret it.” She paused for a long moment. “Do you?”
“Nay. I’ll never regret loving you.” He moved his hips, his cock hard once again.
“Already?” she asked with a laugh.
“I’ll stop if you want,” he mumbled against the side of her neck where he nuzzled.
“No.” Her words had grown breathless. “Love me for as long as we have, Dru.”
When he’d taken her again and she’d shattered more times than she could count, he took his pleasure once more. The feel of him shuddering against her brought almost as much gratification as when she’d done the same. He exhaled a deep sigh of satisfaction and rolled from her, pulling her on top of him where he cradled her against his thundering chest.
“I never knew Horsemen could be so…virile.” She laughed at her choice of words.
His laughter rumbled from deep in his chest. “Trust me. There are a lot of things you’ve yet to learn about immortals.”
“No wonder my sisters have kept your brothers close.” She closed her eyes on a groan. “Damn. How am I going to explain us, let alone my crown and wand?”
He squeezed. “You’ll figure it out. I’m just glad it’s you and not me. Those sisters of yours could bring legions to their knees.”
“They might do much worse to me. Maybe I shouldn’t tell them.”
He turned her face toward him and placed a soft kiss on her nose. “No more secrets, Claire, between any of us. If we’re going to stop the Apocalypse, we need to work together.”
She stewed on that for a moment and then released a long sigh. “Better now than never then. I have something I need to tell you, too. Julian and Nick were already at the house when I left. Call Killian and see if he can join us there. I know it’s late, but I don’t think we should wait.”
Chapter Thirteen
Claire’s sisters sat around the kitchen table watching her with bleary eyes. Julian and Nick hovered in the background along with Dru. “Killian should be here any minute,” Claire promised.
“Is his presence really necessary?” Tierra shot Claire a secretive look.
“We’re all necessary,” Dru answered.
Tierra grumbled and then stood. “Fine. I’ll brew some tea.”
“Too early in the morning for that weak-ass weed water. Y’all need coffee.”
“I’ll make it.” Aerin jumped to her feet.
Claire shot a nervous glance at Dru. The thought of coming clean to her sisters twisted every fiber inside her into a never-ending Celtic knot.
It’ll be fine. Trust them. Dru’s thoughts crossed the distance and strengthened her resolve. She was his and he was hers, and nothing could change that. Their pledges had shattered her spell and brought them even closer than they’d been before. Together, they would battle whatever hovered on the horizon.
The sound of something landing hard on the porch drew their attention, and a second later, Killian walked through the door. Claire watched as Tierra’s face lit up, but then Tierra quickly busied herself at the teapot.
“I got here as quick as I could,” Death said. “I’m almost certain I’ve tracked down our target. I haven’t been able to catch up with her, but I believe she’s taken up residence in the catacombs below town. I lost track of her right before you called, Drustan.”
“Speaking of Lucy,” Claire said.
“S
hh…” Dru cut her off. “Do not speak her name. She may hear you.”
Claire threw up her hands in defeat. “Fine. Speaking of La Reina de demons…can I call her that?”
Julian nodded his approval.
“She’s one of a few things I need to tell you about.” Claire glanced at each of the occupants in the room, hoping she wasn’t making a huge mistake. “First, I should probably start with this.”
She lifted the red silk tote bag she’d rummaged from her room, inhaling deeply as a frisson of energy filtered through her. “I encountered a small skirmish tonight while I was in town.”
Moira lowered her brows. “I thought you’d gone to bed.”
“I did.” She drew out the last word. “But I couldn’t sleep. I get restless sometimes, and the only thing that settles my soul is a ride on my bike. Since I couldn’t very well do that, I took to the skies on my broom.”
“How was it?” Aerin asked, her eyes lighting up at the topic of flying. She was still rough around the edges after her possession but getting better every day.
“I loved it. So beautiful at night, even with the red moon.”
“Skirmish,” Tierra reminded her.
“Yes.” She exhaled. “I came across the witch hunters. Found their base camp, really.”
“What?” Aerin and Moira exclaimed in unison.
“And they found me,” Claire added before they could get too excited.
Julian glanced at Nick and then back to Claire. “And yet here you are.”
She swallowed. “I’m lucky to be here.”
“Bastards held her with the same type of amulet that they’d used on Aerin,” Dru said.
“They thought I was Tierra. They wanted to burn you at the stake.” The thought of that bruised her heart.
“No.” Tierra wrapped protective hands across her body. “What happened?”
Claire dropped her face into her hands for a brief moment. She was terrible at giving detailed explanations. “I’m just going to spit this out.”
“Please do,” Aerin said.
“They tried to burn me. I gave them a chance to retreat. They refused and lit the pyre. Big mistake.”
Which Witch is Wild? (The Witches of Port Townsend Book 3) Page 31
