Enspelled

by Samantha Stone

  “How’d you do that?” she whispered, fully aware her mouth was hanging open. This was a skill she’d never heard of any werewolf having. Then again, his penchant for electricity and conduits wasn’t normal, either.

  “I don’t know.” He sounded surprised, as if he’d never done that trick before. “I’m not a water elemental, so I shouldn’t be able to work with snow.”

  “Right now, I don’t really care.” Briony slipped through the doorway and walked backward down the hall. When Sebastian followed, hunger shining bright in his eyes, she grinned. “There’s only one thing I want to do right now, and I can’t do it out here.”

  Sebastian ran for her.

  Squealing, feeling as light as air, she let him chase her up the stairs to his bedroom, where he finally caught her around the waist. “Mine,” he whispered against her lips before taking them in a deep kiss.

  She unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off him. “I thought redheads didn’t tan,” she teased, running her hands over his golden skin. Every inch of him was smooth, lean muscle. His suits hid much of the strength that was so apparent now, his muscles tensing underneath her fingertips.

  When she reached for his belt, he stopped her, lifting her hands over her head.

  Slowly, methodically, he pulled away her shirt and tank top, freeing her breasts, which puckered instantly from both the heat in his expression and the slight chill of the room.

  “Your breasts are perfect.” He cupped them, gently running his thumbs over her nipples. They were slightly larger than his big hands, making her blush. She’d never liked the saying, anything over a handful is a waste, and had always been slightly self-conscious about her breast size.

  “Perfect.” He kissed her before taking one nipple in his mouth, and then the other. Briony gasped, the sensation making her jerk, her toes curling.

  It was all she could do to keep her head long enough to undo his belt, an almost impossible feat given his unhindered ministrations. She pulled his pants and silk boxers down in one move, releasing his manhood.

  And she knew he was perfectly serious about her breasts. He was utterly rigid, and every bit as large as she’d heard werewolves could be. It wasn’t a trait all creatures shared—she was surprised the firehouse wasn’t constantly overrun with women throwing themselves at the pack.

  Tentatively, she touched him. He groaned, closing his eyes. “Please, don’t stop,” he his voice pleading, full of gravel.

  She stroked him from root to tip, her touch feather-light. He jerked in response, growling low in his throat, bucking his hips.

  When she wrapped her hand around him, squeezing firmly, he hissed and took her hand away, his eyes dark. “Do that much longer, and I’m going to embarrass myself.”

  Imagining Sebastian coming from only a few strategic moves of her hand, Briony smiled wickedly.

  “Someday you’ll have to let me try it.”

  He nipped her chin with his teeth. “Not today.” He pushed her skirts up, his fingers trailing up her thighs to the heat between her legs. She blushed, fully aware of how wet she’d become.

  When he plunged two fingers into her unexpectedly she gasped, her orgasm rising from only a few rapid, deliberate movements.

  “Are you sure you want this?” he asked, taking his hand away from where she wanted it—on her, building her up to fall apart all over again.

  “Yes.”

  In her entire immortal life, she’d never been more sure of any decision. Every psychic ability she used to possess had told her they belonged together, and she never ignored her magic. Even without it now, she could see who he was meant to be. Her gut reached out for him, yearning to touch him, to simply be near him.

  She couldn’t reject this man.

  Standing, Sebastian pulled her up to straddle his waist. They groaned together as she slid down onto him, hooking one leg around his hips. Her layered lace skirt became twisted, but Sebastian ripped it away with a single jerk of his wrist.

  She met him for each of his slow thrusts, matching his speed when he began to move faster, his mouth leaving a hot line from her breasts to her ears and lips. Crying out his name, she came in a rush.

  He followed suit, shuddering in her arms, rubbing his cheek against hers as he guided them onto the bed. “Right when I thought you couldn’t become more beautiful.” He touched her temple. “You’re glowing.”

  She wished. If she hadn’t lost her magic she would’ve actually been glowing, a witch’s way of telling a man just how much he’d pleasured her. Undoubtedly, there would always be moments where she missed her powers, but this wasn’t one of them.

  Even without a true glow, she could let Sebastian know how he made her feel.

  “Thank you,” she murmured against his chest, her hands playing in his hair, “for making me yours.”

  Her betrothal to Radburn was broken, snapped in two like a thin stick of wood. Briony wasn’t at all surprised find the warlock’s spell feeble compared to the connection that now bonded her to Sebastian.

  Between a one-sided spell and the unity of a mated pair, there was no comparison. She should have known mating with Sebastian would break her betrothal. The magic of werewolves was completely different than that of witches and warlocks: unpredictable and uncontrollable, with no subtleties. Radburn’s magic never stood a chance.

  He nuzzled the crook of her neck. “I belong to you now too.”

  Their limbs tangled, his head on her chest, Briony began to drift off, the exhaustion of the night before had finally caught up with her.

  “I love you,” she thought she heard him say softly, but it may have been her voice.

  It didn’t matter who said it, because she knew they loved each other. They were mates now, and even though she couldn’t physically sense the magic tying them together, she knew it was there, linking them on every feasible level.

  Chapter 15

  BRIONY awoke to Sebastian gently caressing her face.

  “Briony,” he whispered, his voice tender. It was the note of urgency underneath his affection that made her sit up quickly.

  “Good morning,” she said on a yawn, rubbing her eyes with the backs of her hands. As soon as she could see, she leaned in for a kiss.

  I’m mated. I’m a werewolf now, and I’m mated to Sebastian.

  He pulled back, his lips tipping down. “It’s not morning anymore—we slept through the afternoon.” The curtains were pulled aside, revealing dusk’s waning light. He glanced at his watch. “The full moon will be up in twenty minutes, and that’s when we’ll change forms.”

  She smiled, excited for everything that came with her first transformation. “I wonder what element I’ll have. I’m almost sure I’ll be an earth elemental, but I wouldn’t mind any of the others—”

  Sebastian cut her off with a sharp shake of his head. “You’ll get your powers tonight, but it’s going to be painful. We’ll become mated, and you will probably gain a portion of my fire abilities.” He scowled. “You’re going to hurt, and there’s nothing I’ll be able to do about it.”

  There was self-hatred in his tone, as if he was ashamed of something. It made no sense; from what Briony had seen, Sebastian had nothing to be ashamed for, including the reasoning behind why he’d been sentenced to a clan prohibitum for one hundred years.

  “We’ll be together, right?” She didn’t want to be alone when she changed forms. The concept of becoming a wolf was one she wouldn’t allow herself to think about yet.

  It’ll just…happen, and I’ll deal with it then.

  Even with her magic, she hadn’t messed with becoming different creatures entirely. That was something witches rarely did to begin with, preferring to use illusions and glamours only when they were absolutely necessary.

  Warlocks loved glamours, which was one of the reasons witches avoided the spells. They wanted as little in common with their fallen brothers and sisters as possible.

  “No.” Sebastian’s fe
atures were schooled into a mask, keeping her from understanding anything beyond his words. “You’ll stay here. I’m going to a room downstairs where I’ll be chained, keeping me from hurting anyone.”

  This makes no sense. “If you need to be chained, why shouldn’t I be, too?”

  He smiled bitterly. “We’re mated, which should make us safe when we’re in wolf form. At least, it’s that way for Sophia, Heath, Mary and Raphael.”

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  He looked out the window, undoubtedly looking for the rising moon. “I’ve always been more dangerous, more uncontrollable than most. I doubt that’s going to change, mated or not.”

  She took his hand. “Then let’s see what happens. Together.”

  Shadows played off the angles of his face as he kissed her palm. His frown didn’t relax, his eyes remaining as burdened as they’d been when he woke her. “I’m not risking your safety. Gris-Gris can be here with you, but I want you nowhere near me until sun-up. If you don’t want to be alone, Aiyanna can come stay with you.”

  But she didn’t want the shapeshifter…she wanted her mate, a man she knew wouldn’t hurt a single part of her.

  “Damn.” His skin paling, Sebastian raced away from the window and out the door.

  Briony followed, unwilling to be alone but more importantly, unable to leave Sebastian in this state. He was scared, an emotion she rarely saw in him. He moved more quickly than her, beating her to the pole and sliding down so quickly she didn’t know which direction he’d taken once he made it to the first floor.

  If I were an anxious werewolf, where would I chain myself?

  She passed the kitchen and living room, knowing Sebastian wouldn’t let himself near expensive appliances and electronics if he could break them. She was about to walk down the hall that led to their gym when she heard shouted curses and a beating sound, as if Sebastian had punched a wall.

  When she rounded the corner, an enormous steel door stood before her. It had massive amounts of fortifications, and from Sebastian’s desperate attempts to open it, locks strong enough to keep werewolves in…and out.

  “I’m so sorry,” Sebastian panted, pulling a shaking hand through his hair. “I’m so sorry. Gris-Gris!”

  It only took a moment for Briony’s familiar to approach. She had made herself scarce that morning, likely able to tell what Sebastian and Briony were up to.

  “I need you to chain me up,” he commanded the conduit. “I don’t want anyone to be able to free me, no matter what happens.”

  Heavy-looking black shackles appeared around his ankles, the chains disappearing into the hardwood floor to give him only a foot or two of room to move.

  “Chain me to him.” If he needed bindings, so did she. Besides, she needed to prove to him that he wasn’t dangerous—at least not anymore. It was a risk, but she knew with certainty that even the canine side of him loved her, wouldn’t make any moves to do her any harm.

  A single binding appeared around her ankle, running about two feet of chain connecting her to Sebastian.

  “Take that away now. I might kill her.”

  There was a moment of silence before rage flashed in his eyes. “What do you mean, you can’t take the binding away? You have to get her—oh, no.”

  He groaned low, abject fear radiating from him. Bones shifted under his skin, which was thickening, becoming auburn like his hair until it was a thick coat covering a wolf with the same eyes as Sebastian’s.

  He shrank away from her, putting as much distance between them as he could.

  “You’re okay,” Briony whispered, reaching out to him. “See, you won’t hurt me.”

  Sebastian growled, but it wasn’t a threat. It was a warning, accompanied by swift movements to avoid her outstretched hands.

  Her fingers turned dark before her eyes, reminding her of her fate had he not made her were. Then her body shifted involuntarily, jerking her forward onto her knees.

  He’d been right. It hurt.

  Her body burned as it shifted and contorted, muscles stretching in unnatural directions while bones ground against one another, unable to lock into the right pattern.

  When she realized her hands were paws and her body was covered in light brown fur, she discovered the agony had lessened slightly. She was settling into her new form, though her muscles protested enough for her to lie down, hoping to appease the ache coursing through her limbs.

  Sebastian lie a few feet away, watching her with curious eyes.

  It was strange, being unable to speak. She couldn’t even sign like Leila could, limiting her ability to communicate to whatever gestures she could come up with in this bizarre new body.

  I’m sorry.

  Sebastian’s voice sounded inside her head, shocking her.

  Sebastian? How did you do that?

  As a general rule, werewolves weren’t telepathic. Some witches and warlocks were, but that was from a genetic fluke or a seriously powerful conduit. For Sebastian to speak to her this was way unheard of.

  And in her relatively long life, she thought she’d uncovered much of every type of creatures’ secrets. Apparently not.

  I don’t know, but I wanted to talk you through this…and now I can.

  In an attempt to move closer to him, she extended her front legs, then her back ones. She felt like the streetcar hit her, then came back to run over any bits it missed the first time.

  A low whine escaped her throat, making her sound like a dying animal. Well, half of that statement is true. She hoped Sebastian couldn’t hear the inner workings of her mind when she didn’t project to him.

  When he didn’t address the issue, she felt it was safe to assume her thoughts were private.

  Moving slowly, carefully, Sebastian sidled next to her, pressing his furry side into hers. How much does it hurt? he asked, briefly touching his nose into hers.

  It’s about even with the time I accidentally drank a potion that made me grow a foot in twenty minutes.

  There was nothing more painful than bone reworking itself, morphing into something larger, smaller, different from the way it was before. A human turning into a brown wolf definitely fit into that particular category of pain.

  His ears moved back, his blue eyes shining in sympathy. I’m so sorry, Bree. I knew this would happen, but I never wanted to cause you pain.

  She pushed his shoulder with hers. I have no regrets; I’m just happy to be alive. Is it always like this, every month?

  If it was, she’d have to come up with a concoction to dull the pain that wouldn’t hurt her human or wolf bodies. Some herbs were deadly to one creature and not the other, making it especially tricky to make this potion. Still, it would be worth the effort to avoid twelve hours of discomfort.

  It gets better every month, but for the first year or so you’re probably going to dread the full moon. At least you don’t have to be chained up.

  She jangled her bindings, snorting derisively.

  He raised his chin. I wasn’t sure whether this change would make me into a danger to you. Before we mated…I would kill anything that crossed my path, save my packmates, and that was only because I changed with them every month for a century.

  Does this mean we won’t have any chains tomorrow night? she asked.

  He inclined his head. If he weren’t in this form, she was sure he would’ve been smiling.

  Then the moment passed, and his relaxed, content expression turned to one of agony. Standing, he whimpered quietly, but his legs couldn’t hold him. He collapsed next to Briony, his legs curling up to his belly.

  What’s happening to you? She felt helpless—what could she do for him? Why was he writhing in agony so suddenly, when he’d been perfectly fine a second before?

  Elemental powers, he answered, his voice strained. They’re changing. It’s going to hit you too.

  Briony braced herself as she curled up behind him, hoping touch could serve as his anchor. As quickly as
it had come over Sebastian, she felt whatever this was hit her.

  Because it certainly didn’t feel like any element she’d ever heard of.

  She felt electrified, as if a working television had been dropped into her bathtub. That was the most obvious feeling, but there was something else there too, something more subtle hiding underneath the tingling that had her shaking so hard she jarred Sebastian with her every movement.

  Magic. This wasn’t were magic, but the magic of witches, and it was sneaking into her cells, the electricity paving its way.

  My magic might be back!

  Sebastian didn’t respond. His eyes were closed, his head resting on his paws even while he twitched and jerked painfully. For a split second he disappeared and came back, blinking in and out of existence.

  The only evidence of his ever leaving was the lingering chill against her side from the moment without his soft red fur rubbing against her.

  After what seemed like half an hour, she felt as normal as could be expected given her canine state. Sebastian, however, hadn’t yet recovered. He was unconscious, and she hoped to keep it that way. If he was asleep, he wasn’t feeling pain.

  Footsteps sounded, causing her ears to perk reflexively. She saw no shadows nor any other signs of anyone walking, making her sure she couldn’t have heard the sound were she not a werewolf. Cool.

  Murmurs soon shaped themselves from abstract whispers into words. “They’re werewolves; they’ve chained themselves up. It’s the perfect time to kill them.”

  “How? Their kind is extremely hard to kill. And why can’t we do this from the outside, with normal lighter fluid or a combustion spell?”

  A snort before the voice became louder. The two men were coming closer to her and Sebastian. Briony shifted herself to block him from view in case they took this corridor. They must be warlocks.

  “First, have you heard of any creature you can burn to death without killing? Also, to address your even stupider concern, we’re using this,” a liquid was audibly shaken, “because it will burn anything within a three-foot radius, no matter what it is. So it doesn’t spread like typical fire because it doesn’t expand past that radius, but it’ll burn everything in that space until there’s nothing left.