by Marie Mason
“I was until Trixie.”
The other woman patted Autumn on her shoulder. “There, there now dear, don’t let her get the best of you.”
Thankfully, Poppy wasn’t overly found of Trixie either. What was the saying—you couldn’t choose your family?
“Do you like your dress?”
“The dress is gorgeous, Poppy. As always.” Autumn smiled, smoothing her hands down the sides of her emerald green dress. It was a much brighter green than she would have chosen for herself but it matched her coloring beautifully. Her skin held a naturally olive hue—another reason her cousin didn’t like her since a full-blooded pixie couldn’t tan. Trixie called Autumn’s hair brown, but it was more than that. It was brown, and gold, and red, a mixture of colors that made her hair seem alive.
The dress and matching shoes had been delivered to Autumn’s house the night before. All of her fancy dresses had come from Poppy over the years. One for her eighth grade graduation, her junior and senior high school proms and a cotillion she’d attended when she was in college.
Every time she received a dress, it made Autumn feel desirable and beautiful. This dress had too—until she’d started comparing herself to Trixie and her two sisters.
“Such negative thoughts, dear,” Poppy scolded her gently, “Are not good for you or those around you.”
“I know.” Autumn grimaced and leaned over for another kiss. “I need to mingle. Do you see anyone that needs anything?” Fairy godmothers were assigned to more than one person at a time. They were, however, limited to helping females. Again, Autumn’s attention turned to the wolf in the shadows. Was it his dark, brooding aura that was drawing her to him? Knowing she might be able to help him if she got close enough? Autumn was certain it couldn’t be anything else. There was no way someone like him would ever look at someone like her. Definitely no way fate would make such a mismatched pair.
Autumn didn’t notice the other woman looking in the same direction, a soft, secretive smile on her happy face. “No, dear. Not yet. Soon though. Very soon.”
“What?” When Autumn turned back around, her fairy godmother was gone, disappearing in a burst of red sparkles. Autumn frowned. She’d never seen red sparkles before.
It was an annoying habit the way her godmother would simply vanish into thin air, but Autumn had gotten use to it over the years. Just like in the Cinderella stories, fairy godmothers performed their magic and disappeared without another mention in the story.
The question was what had Poppy been doing here in the first place?
“Well, hello there.”
Autumn let out a small squeak of surprise as a deep, masculine voice sounded behind her. Sparkles of pink flew from her fingertips. The sparkles were harmless—this time. Last year one of her male cousins had tried to frighten her and she’d turned him into a dragonfly—and he’d been stuck that way for the whole day. It wasn’t wise to sneak up on a pixie. Especially one who was part witch and had not quite gained full control of her witchy powers.
“Don’t do that!” she ordered, turning around to see a tall, dark wolf looking down at her. He raised one hand and casually brushed the pink flecks from his black tuxedo jacket. Sweet heavens, was the room filled with wolves who had been touched with the pretty wand?
“I beg your pardon. I did not mean to frighten you.”
“Well, what did you mean to do?”
He grinned. “Just trying to make the night more interesting.” His smile faded as he looked over her shoulder. “And to repay a debt,” he murmured quietly.
Autumn blinked in confusion. Was he flirting with her? Or trying to make another woman jealous? She smothered a snort. If that had been his intention, he should have picked someone besides Autumn. He should have picked someone pretty. And thin.
Dang it, why was she letting her cousin’s comments get to her tonight? Yeah, she was different from almost every other female supernatural at the party. She was curvy, voluptuous, a big girl. Whatever you wanted to call it, she had more stuffing than most. And most days she was quite alright with the way she looked. But some days…she refused to allow her attention to wander back to the wolf tucked away in the shadows. Some days it really bothered her.
“Look, if you’re hiding from someone I’m not sure I’m the best person to help you.” Sometimes other supernaturals sensed her witch blood more than others. And assumed she was indeed a practicing witch. There was little she could do to help this man. She didn’t know any invisibility spells or how to make cloaking potions. Because of her mixed heritage, her abilities from both sides of her family were watered down. And sometimes dangerous.
Again, he looked over her shoulder. She turned her head, trying to figure out what was going on. Maybe she could help him. If he’d pissed off someone’s boyfriend or flirted with a potential mate, she could no doubt alleviate some of the, umm, testosterone that had been fired up. Hadn’t she been hired to diffuse arrogant wolves?
“Don’t,” he ordered, refusing to allow her to turn around completely. His hand cupped her shoulder and for a moment, she felt something stir inside her. Maybe her witchy side did have a connection with wolves.
Or at least she thought he was a wolf. Her eyes narrowed trying to take a read on the big man. As he stepped closer, she realized he reminded her of a cat.
“What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?”
“Are you a cat shifter?”
“What? No, what gave you that idea?”
She almost laughed at his affronted expression. “The way you moved.”
“Well, darling, I don’t know if I should be insulted or not. I am very much a wolf. Would you care to take a closer look to confirm that?” He licked his lips and suddenly Autumn felt like the Little Red Riding Hood character come to life. He looked like he wanted to eat her up.
“No, that won’t be necessary.” She used the prim and proper voice her godmother had taught her to ward off unwanted advances. To date, she hadn’t had much opportunity to try it out and seeing the flare of appreciation in the wolf’s eyes, she wondered if she should be using it now. When was the last time she’d been the object of a man’s desire?
“Shall we dance?”
While they had been talking, the big wolf had steered her onto the dance floor. Before she could protest or agree, he swept her into his arms, one of her small hands held gently in his while the other provided rigid support across her back. The pose was technically perfect for a waltz—if their lower bodies hadn’t been so close together. With each step, she felt his powerful thighs brushing against hers.
“So, why is such a beautiful woman still unattached and attending this ball?”
Autumn sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. His posture and manner just seemed to invite it. Disappointingly, his presence didn’t elicit any other feelings except what one might feel for a mischievous best friend.
Feeling the brush of his hard thigh against her again, she amended the thought to friends with benefits. There was something innately sensuous about the man. Still feeling the hard press of his cock against her belly, she pushed at his shoulders until he eased his hold.
He looked down at her, his brown eyes regarding her green ones. “Perhaps another wolf shifter has caught your eye?”
Thinking of the wolf who had captured her interest, her pussy flooded with arousal and she hoped he couldn’t tell. Wolves had a keen sense of smell. To be on the safe side, she mumbled a few words, hoping that little touch of magic didn’t back fire on her.
“Maybe.” She shrugged and the movement caused the neckline of her dress to slip to the side just a little, revealing the rounded smoothness of her shoulder. The hand holding hers moved until he could brush his fingertips across the exposed skin.
Her head popped up. “What was that for?”
“Oh, just a little teasing.”
“Well, don’t.” She gave him her fiercest glare, and then lowered her head again. For some reason, it now seemed wrong to have t
his man—wolf—touch her.
They danced for a few minutes without talking. “Your fairy godmother would be very disappointed in you.”
Autumn resisted the urge to roll her eyes. No doubt, he was referring to her refusal to take him up on his unspoken offer. Well, not completely unspoken. He was still partially aroused. Did all men picture themselves as a shiny Christmas present a woman couldn’t wait to unwrap?
He twirled her around, making her dizzy. As the song the small orchestra was playing came to an end, he dipped her over his arm as she’d seen other men do during the night. “Remember little pixie, some men refuse to see what’s right under their noses. They refuse to see until it’s nearly taken away.”
“What?” Her head was spinning rapidly right along with the skirt of her dress. The fabric swirled around her legs and she prayed it would land in a modest way.
“Tell me your name.”
“Why?”
“Because I’d like to know the name of the woman I’m about to get slammed in the face for.”
He straightened abruptly, guiding their steps into the flow of the music with effortless form and style until they reached the edge of the dance floor. Her hands clenched at the lapels of his tuxedo jacket at the dizzying moves.
“That’s enough, Townsend.”
Autumn gasped as the rough voice sounded behind her. That was twice in one night a wolf had managed to sneak up on her. This time every nerve in her body snapped to attention. Excitement pumped through her, followed by a bolt of desire that gripped every inch of her body and stalled the air in her lungs.
Her diluted witchy radar tried to warn her. Warn her who stood behind her. Her wolf. This was her wolf.
“Enough what, Barringer?” Her dance partner nudged her to the side, pushing her slightly behind him.
“Let her go.”
The wolf holding her laughed. The sudden change in his demeanor frightened her. The almost sinister sound of his laughter traveled down Autumn’s spine causing her to step away. His arm tightened around her and all she managed to do was put a small amount of room between them. Her startled gaze flew to his and he gave her a barely perceptible wink.
“Oh, but she is just such a delicious little morsel. I can’t wait to gobble her up.”
Autumn squeaked for the second time that night as rough hands took her away from her dance partner. She wasn’t certain how he did it, but her dark wolf jerked her from the man’s arms with so much powerful grace that it didn’t hurt. Those same hands crushed her against a hot body, held rigid by anger. Immediately, her natural instincts kicked into high gear and she started sending out soothing thoughts.
“Not this time, Townsend.” The words were ground out, as sharp as razor blades.
Her hand flattened on the chest of the new wolf as she allowed her energy to flow through her into him. She wasn’t surprised when sparkles of pink filled the air where they touched. She started at the feelings of hurt and confusion racing through him. And so much anguish that Autumn’s knees almost buckled. For a moment, she thought she felt the brush of fur beneath her palms, as if his animal had rubbed itself up against her.
“What the fuck?” he cursed and took a step back.
She kept touching him, her hands smoothing across the wide expanse of his chest, even running her hand beneath the dark blue jacket. Accidently, her fingers found the hard point of his nipple. Instead of pulling away, she drew a small circle around it.
He didn’t acknowledge the arousing power of her touch except for the bruising force on her wrist as he hugged her to him. As if she was his.
Her body felt strange, as it had from the moment she’d seen this wolf across the room. Languid and pliant. Disregarding the voice of common sense that told her not to do it again, she traced another small circle around his nipple. His chest stopped moving as if in anticipation of her next touch. Not one to disappoint, she pinched the jutted bud between her thumb and forefinger. All thoughts of calming this big, bad wolf were instantly erased by the low, succulent curse that burst forth from his please-kiss-me-all-over lips.
“Fuck.”
The wolf growled, a sound so earthy and sexy that she’d never heard it from a man or beast. He swept her up in his arms before she knew what was happening.
Kade Townsend signaled a passing waiter and asked for a double shot of bourbon. As he waited for his drink, he thought what lucky bastards Gunner and his brother were for finding their mates tonight.
Just his luck they’d paired with two of the most gorgeous women there. Gorgeous, curvy women whose hips and breasts just begged a wolf to fuck them. Hard. He rubbed his hand down the front of his pants, readjusting his cock. It had been months since he’d felt even the slightest stirring of sexual interest and wouldn’t you know he’d been excited by two women he’d never touch in a million years.
He owed the Barringer pack more than he could ever repay and hoped that he’d done at least a little tonight to start to repay that debt.
He smiled and took another sip of bourbon as he remembered the expression on Gunner’s face as he’d stolen the woman away. The other looked as if he’d been sideswiped by a Mack truck.
“My name is Gunner. Gunner Barringer.”
The man’s fluid movements as he moved them across the marble floor were more than surprising. One would never have thought such a hard, unbending man could move so gracefully. Yet, he was so thoroughly mesmerizing that Autumn followed him without question, watching him in silent awe. His face was strong-featured and handsome. His eyes were amazing, such a dark brown they made her shiver at the mysteries hiding in their dark depths.
His hair was dark, almost black. It was long enough in back to brush the tops of his broad shoulders. If they lived in another time, she could imagine it drawn back, caught by a string of rawhide. Autumn wanted nothing more than to slide her fingers up his neck and wind them in his hair.
While most couples on the floor merely swayed back and forth to the music, using it as a cover to cop a feel or grope a body part, Gunner danced with her. He swept her across the marble expanse in a flurry of intricate steps that she somehow managed to match, if just barely. She’d spent many a teenaged year helping her male cousins learn to dance.
The Christmas lights whirled around her as he moved her expertly around the floor. The decorations of silver and blue melded together until it was just a sense of beauty and peace. Christmas.
Before she could stop herself, she melted against him. His arms tightened around her, pulling her close. Chest to chest, hip to hip. She felt every incredible inch of him flush against her. Every incredible—incredibly hard—inch of him. Mmm, maybe this attraction wasn’t as one sided as she’d thought.
She gave into temptation and moved the hand resting so formerly on his shoulder. She stroked the skin at the nape of his neck, trying to ease some of the pain and anger she still felt pulsing around them. “Tell me what happened.”
His eyes met hers briefly before flickering away. “Why do you think something happened?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe because it looked as if the two of you were about to shift and go after each other’s throats.”
“If we were, that had nothing to do with you.”
Well, that put her in her place, she thought with a hint of hurt as she returned her hand to his shoulder. But it didn’t explain the unwarranted attack on the other wolf. “What did he do to you?”
“He tried to steal my brother’s mate.”
Even though his earlier comment had hurt, she couldn’t help but rub the palm of her hand across his shoulder again. “Tried? That means he didn’t. Is your brother and his mate happy?”
“Yeah.” For the first time a smile tugged at the corner of the man’s mouth. Immediately, her eyes were drawn to the thin sliver of scar that ran from the corner of his brow to the top of his mouth, barely cutting into the fullness of his upper lip. It looked old, but somehow she knew it wasn’t. She tightened her hand into a fist to prevent he
rself from reaching out and touching the puckered skin, running her finger along the rough ridge. She was a peace pixie. Others found comfort in her presence. She wanted to take away the pain she saw radiating from this wolf.
“See? Everything’s okay then.” She smiled and again she felt the brush of an animal against her.
“What are you?” he asked, his eyes narrowing. Had he felt that odd sensation?
“I’m a peace pixie.” Autumn braced herself for his disdain.
“Never heard of them.” Another complicated whirl left Autumn breathless and clinging to his shoulders for support.
“We’re, umm, kind of rare.” As in she was a fluke of nature. Instead of being mischievous and promiscuous like ninety-nine percent of all the other pixies, she spread happiness and cheer wherever she went.
Whatever. At times like this she really wanted to be more like her cousin Trixie. Would a little sprinkle of the sex-filled blue pixie dust bring this man to his knees? Have his hands gripping the soft roundness of her thighs, the low, husky voice ordering her to spread her legs as his fingers slipped through the wetness she felt clinging to her pussy lips? His tongue licking away her wetness?
“You will taste like the wind and the rain.”
“Oh, fuck,” she whispered when she realized the wolf had stopped dancing and was looking at her with raw desire. Had she somehow projected her thoughts?
“Such dirty language from such a prim and pretty mouth.” He gave her a another semblance of a smile. His scar would prevent him from ever having a true smile again. His lips pulled back to reveal his white teeth. His slightly elongated teeth as if his wolf was riding the surface.
In the next moment, his strong purposeful mouth claimed hers. His tongue swept across her bottom lip, licking and nibbling before pushing inside. It tangled with hers. He tasted so damn good. He tasted of whiskey and—darkness.
Her pixie senses started to buzz. She arched against him with aroused abandon. An all-encompassing heat consumed her and her body yielded completely to his.
