“One close by.” Caspian gestured flippantly to the east. Allegra frowned. She was certain there wasn’t another village for miles.
“Are you alone?”
“For now.” Caspian didn’t meet her gaze. “What’s with all the questions anyway? I thought you were a witch not an interrogator?”
“I just want to know where you’re from,” Allegra answered sheepishly, unsure why she was asking so many questions.
“So you’re interested in me?” Caspian’s devilish grin returned, and Allegra felt her knees tremble slightly, threatening to send her crashing to the forest floor.
“No!” she hurriedly responded, wishing her voice contained more conviction.
“That’s a shame.” Caspian looked down at the ground and absently kicked some dirt around.
“It is?”
“Yeah, because I’m interested in you. I’d like to meet you here again.”
The directness of his admission blindsided Allegra, and she was lost for words. Dating was strictly prohibited within the coven. No man had ever been so bold as to tell her that he was interested in her. She’d had men leave her coy notes or stare after her in the main yard but never tell her directly to her face of their interest. She both feared and admired Caspian’s tenacity.
“You seem interesting,” Caspian added, his confident demeanor faltering as he became nervous. “You’re not like other girls I know.”
“Maybe I’ll meet you here again,” Allegra finally responded, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously.
“Maybe?” Caspian raised his eyebrows and smiled.
“Maybe,” Allegra repeated coyly.
“Are you saying that you need some convincing to meet me here again?” Caspian asked, drawing closer to her.
“Maybe,” Allegra hedged.
“Well then, I’d best give you a reason to come back.” Caspian approached her and wrapped her strong arms around the small of her back, pulling her against him. Then he leaned down and placed his lips upon hers.
Allegra tilted her head and accepted the kiss. At first it was tender but then she parted her lips and allowed Caspian’s tongue to enter her mouth.
The kiss was deep and intense, yet passionate. Caspian’s hands moved up from her waist and became entangled in her fiery red curls.
Allegra felt the heat from the kiss travel down the length of her body. She was certain that when they parted the land beneath them would be scorched. She placed her hands upon the back of his head, drawing him to her.
Time seemed to lose all meaning as they embraced. All that mattered was that moment, that kiss.
When they finally parted, Allegra could barely stand, as her legs had become like jelly. They managed to hold her up, but she feared they would give way at any moment.
“So will you meet me here again?” Caspian asked, his voice just above a whisper as he continued to hold Allegra in his arms.
“Maybe.” She smiled cheekily at him.
Caspian grinned, a perfect grin, which left Allegra feeling grateful that she had his arms for support.
“I guess I’ll have to be satisfied with maybe,” Caspian said, removing one hand from her back to tenderly stroke her cheek.
“For now,” Allegra teased.
“You really are like fire.” Caspian looked first at her hair and then at her exquisite face. “I need to be careful I don’t get burned.”
Allegra blushed and looked away. She noticed that the intensity of the light was waning. How long had she been out in the woods? Night time was fast approaching, which meant that the woods would be a most dangerous place for a mortal.
“It will be dark soon,” she noted nervously. “You should get back to your village. It’s not safe here.”
“I’ll be fine,” Caspian replied confidently.
“Please, I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Can’t you protect me with a spell or something?” Caspian teased, a smile on his lips.
“No.” Allegra shook her curls. “That would be black magic. I’m a pure witch. I can’t do that.”
“You don’t seem that pure to me,” Caspian whispered flirtatiously in her ear.
“You need to go!” Allegra pushed him away, blushing.
“There’s too much fire in you for you to be a pure witch,” Caspian commented.
Allegra rolled her eyes, certain that he was just trying to provoke a reaction from her. “You need to get back home,” she told him, her tone serious. “There’s monsters in these woods.”
Caspian shrugged nonchalantly but looked away to the east as if preparing to leave.
“You’ll meet me again?” he asked her, his eyes boring into hers.
Allegra nodded. There was no way she wouldn’t meet him again. That kiss had been the most intense moment of her life so far. There was something about Caspian. He had a sexy, dangerous allure that she desperately wanted to explore further.
“Meet me here tomorrow?”
Allegra nodded again.
“Okay then, Allegra the Witch, I shall leave.” He turned to walk away and then paused as if some invisible rope was pulling him back.
“Is everything okay?” Allegra had barely completed the question when Caspian drew her back in for a passionate kiss. She loved the sensation of his tongue playing with her, dancing an exotic dance within her mouth. She wanted the kiss to last forever, for them to never have to part.
But when they did come up for air, daylight was waning fast and dusk was almost upon them.
“The day grows short!” Allegra fretted.
“Indeed,” Caspian agreed, glancing up at the sky. His cheerful demeanor had gone, and his jaw was set in a tight line.
“You need to get back to your coven,” he told her sternly.
“I’m a witch, I’ll—”
“Like you said, these woods aren’t safe,” he interrupted. “I’ll meet you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow,” Allegra agreed, though tomorrow felt impossibly far away. Why couldn’t they just stay locked in their moment, in their kiss, forever?
Caspian gave her one last longing look before turning and running away to the east, leaving the scent of fresh earth and sweat in his wake. Allegra stared numbly after him, not sure exactly what had just happened. She’d come out to the woods to practice magic and instead she had met the most amazing man she’d ever laid eyes on.
That morning, Allegra had left the safety of her coven as a disillusioned young woman. She missed Uma daily and felt lost beneath the rules of the witch elders. Now, she felt full of purpose. Her heart told her that Caspian was the key to unlocking her true self, to finding her real destiny. There was one way she could be certain. She could cast a heart’s desire spell, which would tell her if he was her soul mate, but that sort of magic was reserved only for the elders. It was a spell they used as part of the choosing ritual. But Allegra didn’t need a spell to tell her that Caspian was her fate. She couldn’t wait to meet him again the following day. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to sleep at all, as the excitement would overwhelm her.
That night, she lay awake, listening to eerie howls echoing from the woods beyond the coven. In a few short hours, she’d be reunited with Caspian. Nothing else mattered but him.
***
“It’s not long until the choosing,” Iris said excitedly the following morning out by the well. “Mother said it might be as soon as the next full moon!”
“What’s the rush?” Allegra sighed. “I’m in no hurry to be paired up with one the warlocks here.”
“The choosing is everything!” Iris declared, her tone insistent. “It’s when we can become fully fledged witches and start practicing magic.”
“I don’t know,” Allegra mused doubtfully. “I kind of feel like we should be able to choose our own partners, not have them selected for us.”
“Shhh,” Iris ordered, placing a hand firmly over her friend’s mouth. “Don’t talk like that.”
Allegra pushed off Iris’ hand and
scowled at her friend. “I was only making a point,” she noted defensively.
“You can’t talk like that,” Iris told her, looking fearful. “If one of the elders heard you…” Her voice trailed off. She didn’t want to contemplate what sort of punishment the elders would enact for such outspoken opinions, especially someone like Allegra, whose family had a history of turning to dark magic.
“I’m just talking to you,” Allegra reassured her. “Don’t worry, I’m not about to run to the elders and insist I not partake in the choosing!”
“Good.” Iris breathed a sigh of relief. “Because if you don’t go through the choosing ritual—”
“You get cast out and have to turn to dark magic, I know,” Allegra interrupted. “My mother has told me like a thousand times.”
When Uma had defected, the coven had been in an uproar, but now no one spoke about it, as if her very name was forbidden.
“All I’m saying is, don’t you ever wonder what it would be like to choose your husband yourself? To meet someone and fall in love?” Allegra wondered romantically.
“No.” Iris’s reply was short and contrite. She regarded her friend with worried eyes. “Love isn’t for witches, you know that. Love is for other magical creatures, but not us.”
“But why not?” Allegra implored.
“Love clouds judgment,” Iris said sagely. “Witches cannot risk being influenced like that.”
“But our parents love us, so how come they can love us but not their partners?”
“Parental love is different.” Iris had her reply ready, having been trained in the mind-set of the coven since birth. “But love between a woman and a man is dangerous. It can incite jealously and darkness.” Iris had always heeded the warnings when it came to love. It was certainly not something she secretly coveted. Love seemed to only lead to trouble.
“Yes, but love always makes people amazingly happy.” Allegra’s lips tingled as she recalled the heated kiss with Caspian.
“How would you know?” Iris’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.
“Or so I’ve heard,” Allegra quickly added.
“From who?” Iris asked sharply as the girls wandered back toward their homes with their now full buckets of water.
“Has Uma contacted you?” Iris’ voice lowered as she spoke the name of Allegra’s exiled sister. “Is she the one filling your head with all this love nonsense?”
“No!” Allegra declared. “I’ve not heard from Uma since…since she left.” Since she left without as much as a goodbye. The pain of her departure still retained its potency to sting.
“Then I don’t understand why you aren’t more excited about the choosing?” Iris was now outside her home, studying Allegra with concerned eyes.
Briefly, Allegra’s mouth fell open as she considered telling her friend about her stolen kiss out in the woods. She was about to reveal the delicious secret when the door to Iris’ home opened and her mother ushered her inside, muttering something about needed to create a spell to slow dementia.
Allegra rolled her eyes and continued on her way to her own home. Many of the grand elders suffered with dementia but the symptoms were held at bay through spells. It seemed hypocritical to Allegra, as spells weren’t supposed to be cast for personal gain. People had been accused of practicing dark magic for doing a lot less. But because it was to aid the elders, it was done without question. All of the coven followed them blindly, like lambs being led to the slaughter and it drove Allegra mad. More and more frequently, she wished she’d hear word from Uma. She wondered what her sister’s life was like, now that she was free of the oppression of the coven.
***
The water spilled slightly over the sides as Allegra dropped the bucket on the hard floor of her home. Her mother looked up from her cauldron at the sound.
“Be careful with that!” she said sternly. “We don’t have much water left as it is!”
“I’m sure the elders will just magic up some more when it suits them,” Allegra snapped.
“You need to stop talking like that,” her mother warned. “You’re starting to sound like—” Her mother stopped herself. She refused to be the woman who lost both her daughters to dark magic. It was hard enough having lost one. She already felt like a pariah. If Allegra lost her way, she risked being cast out with her.
“Uma, Mother, her name is Uma!” Allegra cried angrily.
“Don’t speak that name in this house!” her mother replied tersely. “She’s dead here, do you hear me?”
Allegra pinched back tears. Uma wasn’t dead. Far from it. Uma was off somewhere living her life, casting spells and becoming a great witch while Allegra was left in the coven to be married to some warlock and rot away.
“She’s out there somewhere!” Allegra pointed vaguely in the direction of the woods. “One day I’ll find her!”
“No, you won’t,” her mother said warningly. “She’s changed, Allegra. Trust me. She’s not your sister anymore.”
Allegra shook her head. Her mother was wrong. She had to be. Glancing out the window, Allegra noticed that the sun was already high in the sky. She didn’t want to keep Caspian waiting. Thinking about him made her heart beat double time.
“I’m going to the woods for a bit,” Allegra said, instantly the image of the perfect daughter, smiling with her hands folding before her, a submissive tilt to her head.
“Again?” her mother sighed. “What for? Any magic you want to practice you can do so within the village. It’s safer here.”
“I like being with nature.” Allegra chose the one response that no one could argue. Witches were encouraged to commune with nature. It was supposed to help keep them and their magic pure.
“Be back in time for supper,” her mother called as Allegra dashed out of the door.
She couldn’t wait to see Caspian again.
***
He was already waiting for her in the spot where they’d first met. She saw his tall outline as she approached, his dark hair dancing faintly in the wind. She paused briefly, unsure how to greet him.
“Thought I heard you.” He turned and faced her.
Allegra instantly felt flustered. “I…” She didn’t know what to say. He was more handsome than she’d remembered.
“I knew you’d come.” He strode confidently over to her and cupped her cheek with his hand. He was so impossibly hot to the touch it intoxicated her.
“I had to see you,” Allegra admitted. Caspian smiled before leaning down and kissing her. The kiss was tender yet passionate, filled with an intensity that hadn’t been there the day before. When they parted, Caspian was breathing hard.
“You’re so beautiful,” he admitted. “I struggle to control myself around you.”
Allegra blushed.
“Tell me you feel it, too, that we’re meant to be together.” He looked deep in to her eyes.
Allegra found herself nodding in agreement. She did feel it. Every inch of her body felt it. She was drawn to his heat like a moth to a flame. If she was fire, then he was the spark that would ignite them both eternally.
“Our meeting was more than coincidence, it was fate,” Caspian said sincerely, still holding her face in his hands.
All Allegra could do was nod. It was as if he’d stolen her ability to speak in that initial kiss.
“I couldn’t wait to see you,” Caspian continued.
“I thought about you,” Allegra finally found her voice. “I thought about you all night as I lay awake in my bed.”
Caspian began to run his hands down her body. She was wearing a thin dress covered only by a shawl, which he quickly discarded upon the ground. In the cool wind, she might have shivered, but the heat from his body kept her warm. He kissed her again, a deep, urgent kiss and Allegra felt him free her of her dress, exposing her bare flesh to the open air. She shivered with delight.
Hurriedly, Caspian removed his own simple clothes, dropping them to the forest floor. He pushed Allegra up against a tree and continued to
kiss her. She gasped as his hands explored her body and found her most intimate area. When he entered her with his finger, her entire body felt as though it were engulfed in amazing, intoxicating flames. She cried out in ecstasy. Caspian continued to explore her as he became hard. Allegra could feel the hardness against her leg.
She’d heard tales of what happened between a man and woman when they were together, but none of them had been anything like this. This was wild and passionate and alive.
“Take me,” Allegra ordered breathlessly as her body began to shudder with glee. Caspian looked in to her eyes and let out what sounded almost like a growl of animal pleasure. He lifted Allegra up, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around him. His body was taut and toned.
With her hands, Allegra pulled Caspian to her, guiding him inside her. She was already wet and so he entered her with ease. When she felt the full length of him within her, she let out a gasp of shocked delight. He felt amazing.
As he made love to her, Allegra didn’t notice the bark brushing harshly up against her back or the coolness of the air that danced around her bare flesh. All she could think about was Caspian’s perfect body and how amazing it felt to have him in her.
She kissed his neck, savoring how he tasted like salted earth. She kissed him softly then more intensely as the movements between them became more frenzied. Inside her body, a storm swelled. Allegra cried out as it overwhelmed her, and she experienced her first orgasm. For a blissful moment, the world stilled and they were the only two people in it, there against a tree enjoying one another.
Caspian ran his heated hands over her exposed breasts, relishing the sensation. He continued to grunt and growl slightly as he reached climax. He leaned into her and clenched his buttocks as he finished, filling her with his essence.
For a moment, neither of them moved. They remained entwined against the tree.
“That was…” Caspian was panting, barely able to speak.
Wolf Tainted Union: The Complete Collection - 6-Book Bundle (Books 1-6) - A Paranormal Werewolf Shifter Romance Page 2
