by Anya Nowlan
She couldn’t help but buck her hips against his face, her hands moving to tangle in his hair. Everything inside her throbbed as he continued to lavish attention on her clit, alternating between his fingers and his tongue.
Lust bubbled up inside her as her thighs clamped around Wes, her hips now grinding along to his movements. It wouldn’t be long until she couldn’t take it anymore, until he pushed her over the edge.
But before that could happen, Wes suddenly pulled away, getting to his feet and whirling her around. Dakota’s hands were now splayed on the bathroom counter, her hips pressed against its edge and her bare ass up in the air.
Behind her, she could hear Wes unbuckling his belt, and the sound made a shiver run up her spine. Was it possible to want someone more than she wanted him at that moment? She wasn’t sure, but it seemed unlikely.
Wes’ growl filled the small room as his body pushed up against her, his hard cock pressing against her wet slit. Dakota leaned forward on the counter and spread her legs for him, backing her hips up against his.
“Fuck,” Wes groaned, grabbing onto her waist. “You’re driving me insane.”
“That’s only fair,” she sighed in response, as the head of his cock slowly pushed inside of her.
The marble countertop was smooth and cool against her bare arms, and she rested her cheek against it, trying to anchor herself to reality as everything solid started to slip away, pushed aside by their shared passion.
Sweat broke out on her lower back as Wes sank deeper inside her, until he was buried to the hilt. Dakota gasped in a breath, adjusting to his size. The mix of pain and pleasure felt familiar, yet brand new as he started to move, teasing her with long, deep strokes.
Dakota struggled to hold on to something, but her hands went sliding on the marble, her nipples rubbing against the hard surface. Pushing herself up on her tiptoes, she rolled her hips in rhythm with Wes’ thrusts, moaning each time his cock buried deep inside her, hitting just the right spot.
Wes’ hold on her hips tightened, his control fraying, which was just what Dakota wanted. He wanted for the both of them to let go, to be as wild as they wanted. Sure, the walls of the hotel were pretty thin, and her moans and his grunts were getting louder and louder, but she couldn’t bring herself to care about that for even a second.
All she cared about was Wes’ cock spreading her thin and filling her up, until all she could do was whimper under the barrage of sensations ripping through her body. Coiled tight inside her was a ball of electricity, and all she could think about was unleashing it and letting it flood her every cell.
Wes picked up the pace, slamming into her relentlessly as her ass bounced against his hips. This time, Dakota didn’t try to hold back the screams tearing out of her throat as he fucked her until she couldn’t even think straight.
Lights startled sparkling inside her eyelids as Wes pushed and pulled her body, impaling her on his cock. When his hand slid up her spine, gathering up her wild hair and gently tugging at it as his other hand pressed down on her lower back, something inside her broke into a thousand shards, spreading an unbelievable release all throughout her body. Her limbs jerked, only a choked sound making it past her throat, as she was pushed over that edge into frantic bliss.
Wes’ cock still worked her pussy, rocking her with aftershocks. His growl sounded more like a snarl now, and she smiled to herself, even as her knees buckled. Grabbing her around the waist, he held her steady on her feet as he pulled out, shooting his hot seed over her ass.
Overwhelmed, Dakota let herself go limp, sure that he would not let her fall. He didn’t, his hands firm around her as he slowly turned her around, pulling her against his chest. She let her head fall against him, listening to his heartbeat. A warm daze settled all around her, all the adrenaline from the fundraiser and then her conversation with Wes fading away, replaced with a profound sense of contentment.
Wes gathered her up, hooking his arm beneath her knees and carrying her back into the bedroom.
“That was better than a dance,” she grinned, as Wes set her down on the bed and settled in beside her.
“And you don’t even need an orchestra or anything,” he replied, pulling her in for a tender kiss.
And for the first time in a long time, Dakota considered that maybe she could have it all – that she could take over her father’s mantle and be good at it, and have a man that drove her absolutely crazy by her side while she did it.
Now is that really too much to ask for?
Thirty-Two
Wes
Wes watched Dakota move around the room, naked, illuminated by the early morning sun streaming through the windows, and all he could think was, how did I get so lucky?
There were still things he and Dakota had to talk about and work through, but saying his piece last night had gone a long way in clearing the air and letting each other know where they stood. One thing couldn’t be argued, though – he and Dakota made a hell of a team.
And I don’t want it to end with Elias, Wes found himself thinking.
And once his mind went down that path, the gears started turning, and he got up from the bed, sighing to himself. He would much rather spend a lazy day in bed with Dakota, but that really wasn’t an option at the moment.
Not when Elias was still busy using spells he had no business using.
Wrapping herself in a robe, Dakota turned on her laptop and sat down at the table, smiling to Wes when she noticed him climbing out of bed.
“So, research time?” Wes asked.
“No time like the present,” she shrugged. “I only brought one computer, though.”
“Then I’ll help by getting you some coffee and maybe a donut or two?” Wes arched a brow at her while looking around for his jeans.
The tux Dakota had gotten him was very nice, but he couldn’t wait to get back into his regular clothes. He wouldn’t have minded if Dakota kept wearing that green dress every day, though.
“Make it three,” she grinned.
Walking over, Wes placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned down to plant a quick kiss on her cheek. She leaned into it, covering his hands with hers, and let out a soft sigh.
“I could get used to waking up with you, you know,” she smiled.
“Go right ahead,” he grinned. “I can’t promise donuts every time, though.”
“Hmm,” she murmured. “Then I might have to reconsider.”
Chuckling to himself, Wes kissed the top of her head before going over to his bag and pulling on a fresh shirt. Standing near the doorway, he looked over at Dakota before leaving, her focus already fully on the screen in front of her.
With a crease between her brows and her damp curls falling down her back, just the sight of her was so familiar to him now, it was like he had known her for years instead of days.
Nothing had really changed between them since last night, yet everything was different. She knew how he felt, and vice versa. All the rest was just details. Now that he had found his mate, Wes was going to hold on to her at all costs.
Come what may, the thought to himself as he closed the door behind him.
Down in the lobby of the hotel, Wes set two coffees and a box of donuts down on the small table in the sitting area and sank into a velvet armchair, his lips pursed. After a couple of seconds, he got out his phone, and dialed Tate’s number.
Talking to his Alpha had been long overdue, and now that he and Dakota were getting so close to Elias, Wes felt Tate deserved an explanation. It was time to put the pack’s mind fully at ease – Dakota was one of the good guys.
And then there was the other thing Wes needed to discuss with Tate…
“Wes, finally,” Tate’s voice came through the speaker after only a couple of rings. “You are really bad at checking in, you know that?”
“I know,” Wes sighed.
“Last I heard, you were attacked by a demon. You can’t leave us hanging like that,” Tate carried on, but his tone was more relieved than a
nything. “How are things?”
“We’re close to getting this Elias guy,” Wes replied. “Once we get a location, we’re going to put a stop to his little extracurricular activities.”
“We as in you and Dakota?”
“Who else?” Wes asked.
“I just mean, are you absolutely sure she has your back?” Tate questioned.
“I’m sure,” Wes replied, working hard to keep his irritation from coloring his tone.
It wasn’t surprising Tate would still be somewhat suspicious. He didn’t know Dakota like Wes did, after all. Still, it was hard to have someone question her motives when he knew with everything in his being he could trust her with his life.
There was a long pause before Tate said anything else.
“And once you get the books back?” he finally asked.
“We destroy them,” Wes answered, shrugging to himself.
“And Dakota doesn’t want to preserve her father’s collection?”
“She knows they are too dangerous to keep around. This whole thing has proven that,” Wes replied steadily, even as his grip around his phone tightened.
“You’re awfully sure of that,” Tate remarked.
“And I have good reason,” Wes replied, taking a breath before carrying on. “Dakota is my mate.”
That statement was followed by an even longer pause. A big part of Wes didn’t really care what anyone thought of his relationship with Dakota, but the wolf inside him still craved his Alpha’s approval. And he definitely didn’t want to leave things on a bad note with his pack. He owed them everything.
“And before you ask anything else, yes, I’m sure. As sure as you are about Tessa,” Wes said, as the silence stretched on.
“Damn,” Tate said, letting out a low whistle. “Then I guess congratulations are in order,” he added with a small laugh. “It’s a wild ride, brother.”
“Yeah, tell me about it,” Wes chuckled. “But that’s why I can tell you she is exactly who she said she was. I know it. My wolf knows it. And we make a great team, Tate.”
“Hey, the less demons there are out there, the better,” Tate replied. “You two just keep up the good work and I’ll see you when you get back to Pinedale.”
“And that’s something I also wanted to talk to you about,” Wes quickly chimed in, his insides churning with both apprehension and excitement. “I don’t think I am coming back to Pinedale.”
The words were surprisingly tough to say out loud, especially to Tate. It was Tate’s father who let Wes even stay with the pack in the first place, and Tate himself had been nothing but a friend.
“Ah,” Tate replied. “Dakota’s got you appreciating a life of adventure, huh?” he asked, his tone more cheerful than Wes would have expected.
“I feel like maybe this is what I was always meant to do,” he admitted. “I never did feel like I was… you know, at the right place.”
“Well, meeting your mate does tend to put things into different perspective,” Tate said. “Just don’t rush into anything. And know that whatever you end up doing, you’ll still have a home in Pinedale. I know your story, kid, and I get it, but you’ll always have us.”
“Thank you, brother,” Wes replied, feeling like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, the horizon opening up to him with each breath he took now. “I’ll let you know once we retrieve the books.”
“All right. Take care,” Tate said before hanging up.
Wes sat in the lobby for another minute, letting it all settle in. This was a big decision he was making, with far-reaching consequences, not to mention the danger that came along with messing with the supernatural.
But in the end, it wasn’t a tough call. All he had to do was listen to his intuition to know he was taking the right path. Gathering up the coffee and donuts, he entered the elevator and rode up to his floor. Strolling to the end of the hallway, he opened the door to find Dakota pretty much as he had left her.
She glanced up when he walked inside, her frown deeper than before and her lips in a grim line.
“You found something?” Wes immediately asked, walking over to her.
“Yes,” she replied. “More than I bargained for.”
Thirty-Three
Dakota
“What’s going on?” Wes asked, sitting down opposite her and pushing a paper cup of coffee her way.
Dakota didn’t know where to start. She had fallen down a hole digging up anything and everything she could find about Elias, and there was something she had stumbled upon that she found deeply troubling.
It could be she was seeing connections where there were none, so she had been looking forward to seeing what Wes thought of it all. She would have to start from the beginning, though.
“So, remember what I said about spells always having a cost?” she asked, leaning back in her chair and pulling the plastic lid off her coffee.
Wes nodded, resting his elbow on the table.
“I just assumed he was using animal sacrifice, or maybe even gambling away bits of his soul, but I should have known better…” she trailed off, running a hand through her hair. “Animals would have been enough to summon an echo but not a full-on demon. And of course that goddamn asshole wouldn’t sacrifice his own soul…”
Dakota couldn’t help but get worked up, her grip around the coffee cup tightening to the point it was crumpling in the middle. Wes reached out, gently touching her shoulder.
“Hey, slow down,” he said quietly. “It’s okay. Just tell me what you found out.”
Taking a deep breath, Dakota turned her laptop around, the screen now facing Wes. Her browser was opened to a news story, a picture of a lean, dark-haired man next to it.
“This is Timothy Rivers,” she explained. “He used to work at Elias Industries as a nighttime security guard. Except he went missing soon after Elias got his hands on my dad’s books.”
“Missing?” Wes asked, arching a brow at her. “Missing how?”
“Just vanished,” she threw her hands up. “Nothing was taken from his apartment, his car was still in the company parking lot… The case didn’t get a ton of news coverage, but his family has set up a webpage for tips, and to keep things relevant. They insist Timothy would never just leave, and on top of that, none of his credit cards have been used since he went missing in the middle of his shift.”
“He couldn’t have just dropped off the face of the Earth,” Wes remarked.
“Certainly seems like it,” Dakota waved a hand in the air. “There were no signs of foul play found, and his body hasn’t turned up, so it’s all just a mystery.”
“But you don’t think it’s actually that mysterious,” Wes chimed in. “You think Elias had something to do with it.”
“You have to admit, it’s freaky,” she replied. “Elias needs to kick his magic up a notch, and this man just happens to go missing?”
“You know more about how all this works than I do,” Wes said. “Is killing a man really the only way he could have gotten what he wanted?”
“It’s not the only way…” Dakota trailed off, going through the options in her mind. “He could have access to some artifact I don’t know about, or he could actually be selling off his soul, but the timing of it all… It just feels off, Wes,” she said, rubbing the back of her neck. “And Elias certainly has the means to make someone disappear.”
“He doesn’t strike me as the kind of man who did his own dirty work, though,” Wes commented.
“That’s probably what his own personal goon squad is for,” Dakota huffed.
“You think his security guards are committing murder for him?” Wes arched a brow at her.
“You think I’m crazy, don’t you?” she sighed.
Maybe she was seeing ghosts where there were none. Maybe she was letting her personal opinion about a man messing with forces he should never have messed with color her conclusions.
But if I’m right…
“I do not think you’re crazy,” Wes shook his h
ead. “You could very well be right about Elias having something to do with Timothy’s disappearance. But we don’t have any proof.”
“Then why don’t we go get some?” Dakota replied. “Because I think I know where we can find him.”
That certainly got Wes’ attention.
“You found his secret lair?” he asked, eyes widening. “Is it a castle with creepy gargoyles and a permanent storm cloud floating above it?”
Dakota couldn’t help but let out a low chuckle.
“Not quite,” she replied, opening up another tab on her laptop. “Elias has many properties in New York, probably a lot more than is public record, and a good few of them have construction going on in or around them. But there was only one place I found that was out of the way enough for someone to say… practice black arts in?”
“Wouldn’t want the neighbors to see him in his black robe and goat mask,” Wes nodded, earning an eye-roll from Dakota.
“Right,” she said. “There’s an old factory building outside the city limits that has fallen into disuse. I found an article about how it has fallen into disrepair. Some kid playing there fell through a staircase or something, and the parents made a big deal about it being a deathtrap. Elias’ response was to put up a fence around the place, and make sure all the doors and windows were boarded up nice and tight.”
“I’m guessing this is all recent?” Wes asked.
“Yup,” Dakota nodded. “Campbell Industries announced the issue has been resolved just today,” she said, a grin spreading on her face.
“A spooky old factory with a fence around it, all entrances and exits sealed tight,” Wes nodded. “Sounds like it’s pretty much made for summoning demons.”
Leaning forward, Dakota looked right into Wes’ eyes.
“We have to stop him,” she said. “The sooner the better.”
This game they and Elias had been playing had to come to an end, before more people got hurt. And if it turned out Elias had done something to Timothy, Dakota knew that would be on her. If she had been home when her dad passed, instead of trekking around, collecting things that were better off destroyed anyway, none of this would have been put into motion.
