by Hickory Mack
She nodded and changed how she was sitting on him, bringing her hips even closer to his. Elsie ground against him, and after just a few strokes, the hair on her entire body stood on end. This was something she hadn’t known she was missing from her life. Their pace became frantic as their bond opened wide, letting each of them feel how close the other was to tipping over the edge.
“Fuck, Saint!” Elsie cried. Radiating from her core and touching every last nerve in her body, the orgasm rolled over her in a wave of satisfaction. Her pussy gripped his cock hard, and he let go, releasing inside of her, their lust spilling out onto the covers.
They clung to each other, panting and petting each other’s skin. The kisses kept coming, and the heat started to build between them again. It just made sense to continue. This was what they needed, and she would happily never leave this bed again. Elsie started rocking against him as he hardened once more, but before they went too far, a heavy vision clapped over her mind.
Frost could hear Cross coming down the hall, but that alone wasn’t enough to make her stop what she was doing. It was the splitting headache that accompanied the vision that stopped her.
“Mistress?” Saint asked as she clutched her head miserably. “What happened to you?”
“Frost says our dinner is here,” she groaned.
“Is he always so brutal with his messages?” Saint growled.
“He’s always overbearing, but this is a first,” she said. Frost sent her another vision, this one more gently. In it, Elsie and Saint were inside a circle, a huge brick wall surrounding them. Frost hadn’t been able to speak to her through it, so he’d broken through their mental block to warn them.
“I think that asshole actually likes me,” she chuckled darkly after explaining what she’d seen to Saint. Holding her head, she groaned, but when she heard the wolf sneeze, Elsie silently gloated. He’d basically confirmed it. She’d managed to win over one of the scariest demons she’d ever known.
“He’s got a funny way of showing it,” Saint grumbled.
“He’s alright,” Elsie admitted. “I mean, he can be a total pain in the ass, but no worse than some other demons I’ve known.”
He gave her a suspicious look, but she slipped out of his lap to gather her clothes, not giving him time to question her meaning. Saint watched her for a moment before doing the same, pulling his shirt on backward without realizing it.
“I’m going to clean up real quick before Cross comes in,” she said, dashing out the door and into the bathroom. Saint frowned, torn between following her and staying where he was to finish getting dressed. Hearing the keypad beep to let the brujo in, he yanked his pants on.
He walked into the living room as Cross brought in a cart full of food. Elsie’s cat finally came around, chirping at the brujo, looking for her dinner. Saint watched Frida flirt and flick her tail, purring when Cross set a plate on the floor for her. Pressing his lips together, he vowed to win the animal over. Soon, that cat would adore him even more than she was fawning over Cross.
He stared at the native man, wondering what it was Elsie saw in him. The guy was a brujo, and he had a decent amount of magic, but it was nothing compared to his own. Cross glanced up and caught him staring, but Saint didn’t shy away; he just kept staring.
“I hope you don’t resent me too much,” Cross said, clearing his throat. “Bonding with Chantraine wasn’t intentional, but I don’t regret it. I’ll never do anything to hurt her. I can promise you that.”
Saint stifled the growl that wanted to tear its way from his throat. He wouldn’t threaten his mistress’ other mate. She wouldn’t like that very much. Besides, this guy didn’t look like much of a threat to him.
He thought about Elsie on the other side of that bathroom door, feeling how content she was. For a fraction of a second, he wondered if she’d miss Cross if he were to take the guy out. His ears pinned back against his head, then perked up in surprise. He could typically pass as human fairly easily.
Glaring at the brujo, he tucked his hound ears away. Something about Cross had unsettled him enough to lose his hold on his human form. He made a rude noise, surprised yet again when Frost came to stand at his side. The wolf grumbled at Cross, and the brujo immediately set a mat on the floor and then a big pot of something sloppy.
“Are you hungry?” Cross asked. “I managed to convince the cooks to give up an extra serving of everything for you. Chantraine will have to get you your own ration card if you’re intending to stay here. Speaking of that, I thought she was terrified of the idea of you getting caught by the hunters. How the hell did you convince her it was a good idea to let you sneak your way in?”
Saying nothing, Saint walked over and sat on the couch, waiting for his mistress to come out. Cross didn’t seem to know what to make of him or his refusal to speak. He stood there awkwardly for a moment, then poured glasses of water from a pitcher, setting them on the coffee table.
Elsie exited the bathroom like a whirlwind. She skipped over and hugged Cross’ arm with a big smile on her face. “Thank you for bringing food! I’m starving!”
“I’ve started to figure out the signs. We wouldn’t want to let you go without food for too long, or you’ll become a whole different woman,” the brujo joked.
Watching their interactions, Saint’s lip involuntarily curled. He didn’t like that this guy was acting so familiar with his mate, but when Elsie picked up the plates and turned toward him, his irritation faded. He couldn’t be an angry beast when that smile was aimed at him. She brought the food to him, setting the plates on the coffee table and sitting closely enough to him that she may as well sit in his lap.
“Come sit down and tell me what you learned about the mages,” she said, handing Saint a fork.
‘Eat,’ Elsie instructed. ‘And stop looking at Cross like you’re going to attack him.’
‘Yes, Mistress.’
Cross sat on her opposite side after giving Saint a wary look. It was clear he wasn’t entirely comfortable with the idea of getting too close to her while the wolfhound had practically marked her as his territory. It wasn’t typically recommended to come between a newly mated couple, not even if the offending party was another one of the female’s mates.
“The first one is named Lawrence Hill—an air mage. It sounds like each of the mages they had were all different elements. I haven’t found out which seven they were, but I’m not sure it’s particularly important,” Cross said.
“Wren killed the earth mage. I’m not sure which magic the one Frost killed had, I wasn’t paying close enough attention. Who is the second one?” Elsie asked.
“I only got a first name for the second, Franchesca. She is a light mage,” Cross told her. Elsie slowly chewed a baby potato, considering what he’d said. She hadn’t known mages could use light magic. They always seemed like such shady fuckers to her. “They’re both from the West Coast, and Franchesca has a small familiar. A squirrel or something similar.”
It wouldn’t be easy to find a familiar that small. The creature could hide anywhere, even in the mage’s pocket. “We can’t count on that as a means of identifying her. Anything else?” Elsie sighed, stuffing another bite of potatoes in her mouth, surprised when Saint took her fork away and started eating with it. He was there when she was ready for more, spearing one of her carrots and feeding it to her. Elsie licked her lips and smirked at him, finding his effort to keep her attention adorable.
Cross very purposely averted his eyes before continuing. “Lawrence was a big man. The soldiers I talked to described him as being bigger than me.” Frost rumbled, and Cross squinted at him. “What did he say?”
“I don’t speak wolf,” Elsie said, shrugging innocently. Truthfully, she was getting pretty good at understanding what Frost was saying in his wolfie language. She didn’t know exactly what he’d said, but the wolf had definitely been talking shit. “Ignore him. Did you get any more details? Any leads on who might know where to find the other three?”
&nb
sp; “Details are that Lawrence has short dark hair and is afraid of snakes, so he tends to stay in the North,” Cross said. That narrowed things down a bit.
“So we’re looking for a large, dark-haired air mage in the Northwest, and we have his name. That’s a good start.”
“Franchesca has light brown hair that she keeps about shoulder length. She’s very opinionated and loud, and she likes to wear bright colors. I couldn’t get any more information on her location. The whole West Coast is a possibility. Luckily, light mages aren’t all that common, so it should make our job a little easier,” Cross told them.
I knew it, Elsie thought to herself. Saint handed her a water cup, and she took a long drink, hooking her knee over his. Her brain was having a really difficult time separating her body from her mate’s.
“I’ve been asking around about the other three, and so far I’ve run into nothing but dead ends. Nobody can even agree whether the remaining mages were male or female.”
Saint handfed Elsie her last Brussels sprout, and she tapped her fingers on her knee, watching him consider what to give her next as she thought it over. They didn’t have a lot to go on, but it was a hell of a lot better than nothing. “Even if you can’t get anything else out of the soldiers, what you already found helps a lot. We’ll be able to get more information out of whichever mage we come across first. They’re bound to know one another.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Cross confirmed.
Elsie looked down at her plate and smiled. Saint had discreetly pushed his Brussels sprouts onto her plate. He’d always hated them, which was fortunate for her, because she loved them when they were cooked right, and these ones had a pretty decent amount of seasoning with a wonderfully crispy outside. She picked one up with her fingers and gave her demon a serious look.
‘At least eat one,’ she tried to convince him. He made a face at her. ‘They’re so good for you!’
‘Then you eat them,’ he insisted.
‘Tomorrow, I’ll ask for squash,’ she promised, and his lips twitched in the shadow of a smile. She’d remembered his favorite vegetable. It was a small detail to remember, but it made him happy that she did.
“What did you find out when you were in the Collective?” Cross asked, shifting uncomfortably in his seat as he tried not to observe the intense eye contact between his mate and her bonded. He’d never thought he’d feel like such a third wheel with his own mate.
“Actually, we got a bit of hopeful news,” Elsie said, beaming at him. “We may have found the witches that can break the curse. They were both incredibly powerful. We’ll be spending as much time in the Collective as we can, trying to get the chance to meet with them.”
“That’s great news!” Cross laughed in surprise. “The sooner the better. The atmosphere here is even more uncomfortable than usual. It’s like this place is getting ready to explode.”
Elsie shared a look with the brujo, nearly melting when Saint set his hand on her thigh. If anything was going to explode around here, it was her. The demon had her so hot she felt likely to spontaneously combust at any moment. She leaned forward, catching Saint’s hand in hers to keep him still, while catching Cross’ eye. “I wonder how the hunters would react if I took you into the Collective with us?”
Chapter 40
“I don’t think that’s the best idea,” Cross said nervously. “If they don’t see me around, they’ll assume something’s going on.”
“Then tell them something’s going on. Tell Rand you think I’m up to something and are trying to convince me to take you with me. He’ll think you’re being a good boy and doing what they want you to do, and you won’t get into any trouble for disappearing for the next three days,” Elsie instructed.
“Three days?” Cross echoed. “We’re going to spend an entire day in the demon town?”
“It’ll give us a better chance to meet those witches. Besides, I want to spend as much time there as possible in case Wren comes back,” she said. Saint shivered involuntarily. In his opinion, Wren could stay away as long as she wanted.
‘Do we have to bring him with us?’
Elsie squeezed Saint’s hand and leaned into him until he put an arm around her shoulder, his mood lightening. Cross weighed her idea in his mind, and Elsie could see him wavering back and forth on an answer. He kept looking over at Saint in particular as though wondering if the demon would be okay with his presence.
“I think it’s best if I stay and continue trying to get information on the mages. The sooner we know where to find them, the sooner we can release you and the wolf from each other,” Cross said eventually. His words sounded more sure than what his body language conveyed. It would be three full days of separation for him.
“What?” Elsie yelped in surprise. Saint gave her a considering look and sighed. His mistress wanted the stupid witch to come along. He glared at Cross, then frowned when he thought of how pisssed he’d be if the witch were trying to come between him and Elsie.
‘If you want him to come, then he should come. Open the door. I’ll drag him through for you,’ Saint offered. She squeezed his hand again, then reached out to Cross.
“I want you to come with us. You shouldn’t be alone for all that time. Wouldn’t it be nice to get a little sunshine? You haven’t left the compound since we brought the fox back here,” she reminded him.
“Who’s going to take care of Frida while you’re gone?” Cross asked, making her feel guilty. She’d forgotten all about the cat when she’d seen Saint again.
“Frida will be coming with us. She likes going outside too, and taking her with us will go a long way toward making her feel better. She’ll be a lot less moody.”
“Is this the same tactic you used to convince her to bring you here?” Cross asked Saint, still slightly confused when the demon didn’t respond. He turned to Elsie. “I would do anything to make you happy.”
“Perfect, so you’re coming with us,” Elsie chirped. She stood and picked up their plates, but Saint took them away from her, gently pushing her back onto the couch. He cleaned up and brought the used dishes and cups back to the cart. His mistress wouldn’t have to do such mundane chores while he was around. He’d take care of her himself.
“I guess that’s true,” Cross responded. “Give me an hour. I’ll talk with Rand and get it sorted out.”
‘Is he a good enough actor to pull this off?’ Saint questioned, and Elsie shrugged in reply.
‘There’s only one way to find out.’
“We’ll be waiting for you here. Don’t let them say no to you.” Elsie stood when he did, following him to the door. She stopped him before he opened it to push the cart out, grabbing his arm. “I am sorry. I didn’t intend to hurt you.”
Cross set a hand on her shoulder and offered her a wink. “You owe me a favor, Chantraine. I won’t forget to collect.”
Elsie’s eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t expected him to take advantage of the fae inside her that demanded all debts be paid. She’d felt so comfortable saying things like thank you around him, but now she’d have to watch her mouth. Instead of being pissed, she gave him a flirty smile. “Whatever will you ask of me?”
“I haven’t decided yet, but I’ll let you know when I have,” he answered. Elsie stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. He always looked so damned serious, and she liked his playful side. It was nice to see he could relax a little, even if it was just to tease her. Giving her the tiniest smirk, he opened the door and rolled the cart out. “I’ll be back soon.”
Elsie turned on her heels and went into the bedroom, unsurprised to be followed closely by her mate. She opened the small closet containing her wardrobe and peered inside as he hugged her from behind, gently touching his chin to the top of her head. He was quiet for a moment, but she could feel his suspicion at what he was seeing.
“You didn’t make any of those,” he said, and she snickered. Saint knew her way too well.
“Wren picked them out. I haven’t had eno
ugh time to do more than one outfit,” she explained. “She got me a bunch of stuff I wouldn’t have chosen myself, but I’ve liked everything I’ve worn so far.”
She picked out a pair of soft pink shorts and a low-cut linen top that would accentuate how perfectly tan her skin was. Saint bit his lower lip as she showed him what she’d chosen. She could almost feel the complaints trying to come out of his mouth, but he stopped the words from coming.
“I know you’re used to seeing me in more utilitarian clothes, but I guess Wren likes me to look a bit more feminine.” Elsie shrugged. “I don’t mind it. Actually, it’s been a confidence booster. I feel sexy.”
Saint pressed his lips together and shook his head. “You don’t have to explain your reasons for changing your style to me. So long as you’re happy with it, I’m happy with it. Mistress, you could wear rags, and I’d still be pleased to stare at you. I was just imagining how amazing your legs will look in those tiny shorts.”
“Tobias Saint,” she laughed. “Keep it up, and I’ll find a flour sack just to see if you’re true to your word.”
“You could always wear my clothes,” he said, reminding her of all the times she’d done just that—using his shirts as pajamas long before their bond had formed. Saint had claimed to hate it back then, but she’d caught him lifting the collar of a shirt to his nose the next day to breathe in her scent. The sneak.
“I’m going to remember that. All of your future hoodies belong to me,” she warned, but he just nodded. Opening her pocket dimension, she pulled out the clothes they’d bought for him. “I almost feel like we should start keeping all of our stuff in there. My nerves feel kinda staticky, like something big is going to happen soon. We need to be ready to go at a moment’s notice.”
“Isn’t your go-bag packed?” Saint asked curiously, openly watching her undress.
