Hannah (The Coven's Grove Chronicles #2)

by Virginia Hunter

  He reached out to take hold of her arm, and his hand passed right through it.

  Shock rattled Dominic to the core, and he came to a juddering halt. What the hell? he thought, spinning in place. There was no sign of Hannah, only dark shadows and the rhythmic sway of woodland leaves. He stood in the middle of a small, moss-covered glade, exposed to the moon’s light. The ground felt like plush carpet against his bare feet as he continued to search for the elusive woman he so urgently needed to find.

  Dominic chuckled uneasily. Naked in the woods, by himself and totally aroused, didn’t really fit the evening he had pictured. He was about to call out for Hannah when something touched him. It was soft and billowy, and traced it’s way up from his calf to the rounded muscles of his ass.

  He turned, expecting to find Hannah, but, instead, found a tree that had bent down, the very tip of one of its limbs tickling his skin.

  “Holy shit!” Dominic leaped away from the probing branch. More tendrils snaked out from the forest and wrapped themselves around his wrists, chest, and ankles. He struggled against the entangling vines to no avail. For a moment during their chase, he had foolishly believed himself to be the hunter. Now, with sudden clarity, he knew he had been the prey from the very start.

  Fear gripped his heart as the disturbing posture of the gnarled trees summoned terrible images of the events from earlier that evening—gunmen torn limb from limb by Hannah’s will.

  He went flaccid.

  “Oh, no,” Hannah’s voice echoed through the clearing with a musical giggle. “That’s not what I wanted.” She stepped from the darkened shadows of the forest, her skin glowing in the pale moonlight. Full breasts and lascivious hips beckoned as she drew near.

  Dominic couldn’t control the blood that rushed downward, thickening his desire. Fear and lust fought for command of his body, tearing his rational mind to shreds.

  “How I love to watch you run,” Hannah purred in his ear once she was next to him. Her delicate fingers glided across his now pimpled skin, lingering on his flexed ass. She touched her warm tongue to his neck and licked up to his jawline.

  He hardened completely and instantly.

  “That’s better,” she whispered. Her hand lowered to caress his thickness.

  Dominic moaned with pleasure. Oh, yes. He closed his eyes to make the feeling of her stroking hand that much more acute. Her warm, charged touch sent tingles through him as it always had.

  Slowly, she kissed her way down. “I think you’re going to like this.” And then her mouth was around him.

  His eyes snapped open, and he looked down. Hannah’s eager gaze met his as her head smoothly bobbed forward and back. The rhythm of his dark flesh disappearing into her pink lips quickened as they continued to stare at one another. The tickling itch of his orgasm surged, forcing him to grit his teeth against an early release.

  Hannah must have sensed his distress as she slowed her pace and pulled away. “Easy, boy.” She patted his thigh. “We’ve still got a ways to go.”

  Dominic could only breath heavily in reply. He’d never been so turned on and yet fearful at the same time. Hannah was showing a side of herself he’d never seen before, and, to be honest, a side of her he didn’t even think existed. Just roll with it, was all he could manage.

  Hannah sat on the mossy ground, admiring her catch. Her eyes lingered on his shoulders, and then down to his hardened manhood.

  Without warning, Dominic was forced to his knees by the branches that imprisoned him. The living bonds tightened, holding him rigidly in place. Surprisingly, he found himself to be further aroused by the powerlessness of his situation. It appeared that Hannah’s experimentation was opening new doors not only for her, but for Dominic as well.

  Hannah rolled over onto her hands and knees, her backside facing him. Her inner thighs glistened with anticipation as she edged ever closer. She continued her crawl backward, but stopped just out of reach. Dominic could only move his hips and lower torso, which he stretched to their limits, yearning for penetration.

  She teasingly rotated her hips in front of him. “You want this?”

  “God, yes,” Dominic growled. He strained against his bonds, and managed to brush his tip against her wet softness. “For god sake, Hannah. You’re killing me.”

  Hannah smiled over her shoulder at him. “I know.” Then, finally, she eased closer to him.

  Dominic slid inside her. Another moan tore from his throat. Hannah joined his call as she started to grind against him. He thrust his hips as fast as he could, driving into her with everything he had.

  “Oh, god,” Hannah wailed. She suddenly tightened around Dominic, and, as she did so, the vines and branches holding him fast began to loosen. The bonds continued to relax as her wails escalated into a climax.

  Dominic fought against his bonds, continuing to thrust into Hannah. He tore free of the grappling branches to finally lay hands on the woman that had tortured him so. His fingers dug into her trembling hips as he hammered into her still-climaxing softness.

  Hannah writhed beneath him in ecstasy. He loved the way her back arched, and the fullness of her gyrating ass. She pulled away suddenly, spinning over onto her back with her legs spread. “I want to see you come.”

  Dominic laid into her. She was so hot and wet, and he was so hard he was about to explode. Their hips rotated in sync with each other—a perfect match of sexual pleasure. Hannah’s nails clawed his arms while his fingers sank deeply into her breasts. Her intense gaze devoured every thrust of his hips and flexing abs. She called out, heralding another climax.

  Then, it was upon him. His orgasm hit strong, and was beyond his ability to control. Caught up in the bliss of it, he bellowed, raising his head to the heavens.

  As Dominic released, something passed back into him. Something shockingly familiar. It was akin to the electrical pulse that tickled his skin when he and Hannah always touched. The tingling sensation rushed through his entire body like a bolt of lightning. He went rigid, every muscle contracting as energy pulsed within, infusing his body with power. He tried to wail in ecstasy, but couldn’t. His throat had ceased up from the strain. His eyes fluttered, and he collapsed on top of Hannah, blacking out.

  The early morning sun broke through the trees, throwing its warm, golden rays across Hannah’s supple skin. The scent of redwood trees and forest moss permeated the air, while the distant chirping of purple martins, thrushes, and a myriad of other avian species filled her ears.

  Hannah stretched on the moss covered earth, and belted out a yawn that was far from ladylike. God, that feels good, she thought, as her overworked muscles loosened. She reached back to run a hand over Dominic’s delectably hard body as her thoughts drifting to last night.

  After Dominic had lost consciousness, Hannah had collapsed next to him, exhausted. The guardian bond had passed between them; she’d actually felt it through her raging orgasms. Not that she knew what the whole bond experience felt like, but there had been descriptions in the old tomes in Miranda’s library. Again, she found their accounts to fall well short of what she’d actually experienced. The passing of the bond felt similar to Atingere, though about ten million times more intense.

  Thanks for the heads up, ladies, she thought sardonically. Perhaps the vague narrative within the history books was a byproduct of the times in which they had been written. Varying ages of puritanical repression could easily have influenced their writing. Whatever the case, the books needed updating.

  Dominic would be different now, if the entries were the least bit accurate. He would be stronger, tougher, and more agile than a normal man. There were others abilities attained as well. An account entered by Belladonna Loghain in the 16th century, stated that a guardian could find his witch wherever she might be. Her guardian, Brutal, described his tracking of her to be akin to being pulled by the nose until he stood in front of the cage that her captors had placed her in.

  Useful abilities to be sure, but a bit unnerving given that Hannah’s only
exposure to the whole process of guardianship consisted of a handful of nights immersed in mind-altering sex. Yep, I’m a real expert. At least, she had prior knowledge of the supernatural. Poor Dominic was stepping into the unknown like a child fresh from the womb.

  Hannah’s fingers touched the mossy ground instead of her lover’s muscled torso. She rolled over. “Dominic?” The fluffy moss was still mashed down where he had been laying beside her, but Dominic was nowhere to be seen. Hannah sat up, looking around the empty glade in alarm. “Dominic?” she called louder.

  “Here,” he replied. Dominic jogged out of the woods into the clearing. The sun’s rays shined down on his ebony skin, casting tantalizing shadows across his chiseled body. He was still naked, but had a bundle of clothes in his hands, which he held aloft as he approached. “I thought we might need these.”

  Hannah breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled, “Yeah. Could be awkward otherwise.” She leaned back on her elbows, admiring Dominic’s broad shoulders and muscled legs... and a few other parts as well.

  Dominic took a knee beside her and set her shorts, t-shirt, and panties on the ground. His gaze rolled over her body hungrily, and finally settled on her eyes. He frowned and asked, “You okay?”

  Obviously, she wasn’t good at hiding her worry. “Yeah. Just concerned about you. A lot of things have happened. Things that can’t really be explained to a sane person.”

  “So, I’m crazy now?”

  “No.” She laughed. “You know what I mean.”

  Dominic flashed his glorious smile. “Yes, I know what you mean. Don’t worry about me. I’m figuring it out.”

  “Well, that’s good,” Hannah playfully scoffed. “Tell me when you’ve got some answers because I feel like I’m wandering around in the dark here.”

  Dominic sat down and crossed his legs. He placed a hand on her thigh, and softly stroked her skin. “You’re suppose to be the one with the answers.”

  “I know. I’m sorry,” she said, somewhat crestfallen. “I should have been more prepared for all of this.”

  “Hey, I’m just giving you a hard time. I don’t expect you to carry the burden of our situation alone. I’m here, too.”

  Hannah leaned over and kissed his knee. “I love you.”

  Dominic’s brows raised. “Seriously?”

  She gave him the most genuine smile she could. “Seriously.”

  A devious grin crawled across his face. “Good, cuz you got me into a world of shit, woman.”

  Both of them burst into laughter.

  Hannah couldn’t express how good it felt to cut loose and enjoy the moment. She had always been a determined person, focused on what needed to be done to accomplish her goals. Never had she taken the time to look at what the world, or the people in it had to offer.

  That had been a lonely way to live.

  Not anymore, Hannah thought as she rolled onto her knees and tackled Dominic. Her playful advance incited another round of sexual bliss. She knew, without a doubt, Atingere had chosen the right man for her. She knew it would last for as long as they lived. She knew she wouldn’t be alone any longer.

  Once they both caught their breath, and lay peacefully beside one another, looking up into the clear blue sky, Dominic said, “I do have some questions about the... magic between us.”

  Hannah laughed.

  “I know,” he said quickly. “That sounded kind of corny.”

  “Kind of?!”

  Dominic chuckled in defeat. “Okay, I’m just gonna ask, then. What’s with the electric charge everytime we touch? It turns me into a sex-crazed maniac.”

  “Huh? I thought it was just me doing that to you,” Hannah accused, jokingly.

  Dominic gave her a flat look. “You know what I mean.”

  Hannah smiled. She just couldn’t help herself. “Yeah, I suppose I do.”

  “You‘re a test of my patience, woman,” Dominic replied.

  “Fine, I’ll tell you,” Hannah said. “We call it Atingere. It’s the signal, or sign, a witch receives and projects when she’s found a suitable mate.”

  Dominic lay quietly in thought for a few moments. He seemed to contemplate her words with the utmost seriousness. “No wonder you were all over me,” he finally snarked.

  Hannah smacked his thigh. “Yeah, and for other reasons.”

  “Me too.” He glanced at her naked body.

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re such a dog.”

  Dominic conceded to the comment with a nod. “So, we were fated to be together?”

  Hannah frowned. “Sort of. Some witches have resisted the bonding.”

  “Bonding?” Dominic sat up. “What bonding? You didn’t say anything about bonding.”

  “Afraid of a little commitment, are we?” Hannah teased.

  “No,” Dominic started, “I just... well, I... you caught me by surprise is all.”

  Hannah gave him a skeptical look. “So much for smooth.”

  “C’mon,” Dominic retorted. “I’m totally in love with you, and ready to move in together right now. The magic bond thing just seems...weird. Maybe even a little creepy.”

  “I’ll give you that,” Hannah agreed. She wasn’t completely hip on the whole bond thing either, but it wasn’t enough to stop her from committing to Dominic with everything she had. Reluctantly, she asked, “Is it going to be a problem?”

  “Not for me,” Dominic said, matter-of-factly. “I just want to know what’s up. Full transparency between us from now on.”

  She sighed in relief. “Me too.”

  He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. “Sounds like I need a drawer at your place.”

  Hannah giggled. “You can have some closet space, too.”

  “Ooh,”—his eyes got big—“You do like me.” He kissed her again, this time more deeply.

  Hannah lost herself in his lips. She could have stayed in that moment forever, but Dominic pulled away.

  “So, what does this ‘bond’ mean for us?” he asked.

  Oh, boy. Here we go, Hannah thought. “Well, all I have to go by is what’s been written in our history books. None of us have actually bonded before, with the exception of Alix, but she’s not part of our coven. Yet, anyway.”

  Dominic rubbed his chin. “What does history have to say?”

  “You should start feeling different. Stronger maybe, or faster, or both.”

  He nodded, his dreads brushed against his well-formed shoulders. “I was going to ask about that. I noticed when I went to get our clothes. I moved faster than I ever have before.”

  “You’ll also be able to find me,” Hannah continued. “Without a map or device. You need to only trust your instincts.”

  “Kinda cool.” Dominic smiled. “You can’t get away from me now.” He wrapped his arms around her.

  “Like I’d want to,” Hannah replied into his chest. She took a deep breath, filling her nose with his woodland scent. “We should go.”

  “I know, but I don’t want to.”

  She smiled. “Good answer.”

  Hannah settled into one of the padded lawn chairs off the back patio of Coven’s Grove. The others had already taken their seats, and were fidgeting restlessly.

  The two lovebirds had arrived late. After leaving the glade, Hannah and Dominic had enjoyed a pleasant walk down to her cottage where they had showered. Unfortunately, scrubbing each other’s naked bodies led to another bout of sex, which then led to another shower. Once they had finished, they had made their way up to the manor where they were greeted with a mixture of sour looks and knowing snickers.

  We’re as bad as Alix and Troy, she thought with a slight smile.

  Miranda currently wore her usual expression of composed calm, but Hannah could sense irritation in the matriarch’s steady gaze. Rhea stood to Miranda’s side, stoic as always, but there was a hint of resentment as her eyes passed over Hannah and Dominic.

  A stab of guilt pierced Hannah’s heart. Not long ago, she and Rhea shared a sisterhood of solid
arity—together in their loneliness. That was shattered now, and there was no going back. I’m so sorry, my friend, she thought with no small amount of self-loathing.

  Nathan and Monica sat together, as did Alix and Troy. Both couples seemed enough at ease, though their awkward silence set Hannah’s already shaken nerves on edge. Perhaps words had been exchanged before she and Dominic had arrived. We shouldn’t have been so caught up in ourselves.

  The last of them, Nancy, sat away from the others. Her demeanor had changed considerably since last night. She was no longer the brokenhearted, weepy girl who had lost a lover. Now, her intense gaze and rigid posture spoke of rage. She was going to be trouble.

  “I’m glad you saw fit to join us this morning,” Miranda said, with a touch of contempt.

  “Please, forgive us,” Hannah blurted as she looked around at everyone. “We just...well we, we bonded last night.”

  Nathan and Monica’s brows came down in puzzlement. Nathan leaned forward and said, “Never heard it called that before.” His mouth twitched with amusement as he looked Dominic up and down. Obviously, the ex-marine had no idea what Hannah was talking about, or at least the whole of what she was talking about. That fact didn’t make his comment any less embarrassing as Hannah took in everyone’s reaction.

  Broad smiles stretched across Alix and Troy’s faces. Alix snickered, but quickly smothered it with the back of her hand. Rhea’s already present frown deepened; her suspicions concerning Hannah and Dominic’s relationship, if she truly had any, were just confirmed. Nancy’s expression didn’t change in the slightest, but that didn’t come as a surprise. Miranda’s reaction, however, was truly unexpected.

  The biggest smile crept across the matriarch’s face. Hannah had assumed that Miranda would be irked about Dominic becoming her guardian given the current situation, but that was far from the case apparently—the woman seemed downright elated.

  “Tell me, Dominic,” Miranda said, getting to her feet. “Will you vouch for your friends? Can you promise me that they will keep our secret?”

  “I will,” Dominic said without hesitation.