by Emma Dean
Maybe Piper would help him calm the fuck down.
Slowly Xavier started massaging her calf, keeping his eyes on the TV. He should probably keep his hands to himself with her father in the same room, but Richard had taken the whole ‘there’s a secret paranormal world’ thing surprisingly well.
After he’d calmed him down and Caleb had shifted he’d taken it all in stride. The man was a cop for fuck’s sake. There was plenty he’d seen on the streets without realizing it. Most cops took it better than the other normals.
The show ended and the only one who moved was Richard. He turned off the TV and went to see what Caleb was doing. The shiny guns and various different weapons had caught the cop’s attention of course.
“Don’t worry, sir. I have permits for everything,” Caleb said, always the Boy Scout.
Xavier on the other hand didn’t always like following the rules. His hand traveled up Piper’s calf toward her thigh and with his supernatural hearing he could pick up her tiny gasp and the acceleration of her heart beat.
Niko glanced over at the two of them, picking up on the sounds as well. His grin matched Xavier’s own and Niko casually placed his arm over Xavier’s lap to hide his hard on. Piper’s lips parted when she noticed it as well, and then realized Niko was touching it.
She jumped off the couch like she’d been burned and her cheeks were red. “I need to finish getting ready.” Piper disappeared back into her room and Caleb glared at the both of them.
Xavier shrugged, not giving a fuck what Caleb thought.
“Damn, you smell that?” he asked Niko, keeping his voice low enough Richard couldn’t hear it.
Niko got up with a lazy stretch. “She definitely wants us,” he murmured. “The scent of her arousal is enough to drive me mad.”
It was difficult to get comfortable with how hard his dick was. Xavier went into the guest room to grab his boots and jacket. Piper was definitely interested. Maybe they’d be able to make their claim by the time the demon business was sorted out.
Niko grabbed his own shit and started getting dressed. “You need me to take care of that?” he asked, nodding at the giant bulge in Xavier’s pants.
It was a tempting offer, but now that they had a mate… “I’d rather wait for her,” he admitted. “We never thought we’d get a mate after everything, but we knew the two of us would be paired together if we did find her.” Xavier adjusted his dick and sat down to pull on his boots. “I think we should wait until we can have her together, and talk to her about it. Piper isn’t a shifter. Her culture is completely different from ours, but I’d still rather have her permission first.”
Niko nodded. “Sounds like a plan. It’ll be interesting to have Caleb as our third. I had no idea we’d end up with him.”
Xavier snorted, annoyed all over again. “Me neither.” Sometimes he thought he should have ended up Alpha of the pride, but Caleb had taken over young and managed to keep what was left of them alive for the most part. He respected that.
Caleb was the one who’d saved the orphan leopard in Tahoe. That little girl had the entire pride falling all over themselves to take care of her. Xavier knew Caleb was the best Alpha for the pride, but that didn’t mean he had to like him. The guy needed a good hard fuck so he could relax and stop riding Niko and Xavier like they were green soldiers who knew nothing about their jobs.
“We should go before we make Piper late,” Xavier muttered, hoping the witches had some answers in their library. If they didn’t they’d have to deal with Jessica James, and he’d rather not if at all possible. That girl was crazy.
“There are only a few people here on Saturdays,” Piper explained.
Xavier was on one side of her and Niko the other while Caleb brought up the rear and watched their backs. Richard had followed them to the university and then headed to the police station to start his shift. The man kept almost the same hours Piper did.
It was smart and Xavier was impressed at Richard’s dedication to his daughter. He didn’t know what had happened to Piper’s mother, but he assumed that was why Richard was so close to his daughter. It reminded him of his own broken family and how he wished just one of his dads had reacted like that. It would have made his life a thousand times easier.
But that wasn’t life in the Klamath Mountain Pride. Xavier knew that. Nothing was ever easy.
“If you need me you can text me,” Piper told Niko. “But most of the students don’t need anything on Saturdays.”
Piper was in her element. The way she walked with her shoulders back and her spine straight…Xavier licked his lips. She looked fine as hell in those obscenely tight jeans too – like she knew exactly what she was doing wearing them.
And that ass…fuck she was tempting him.
“I’ll check the campus,” Caleb said. “We can’t ward off the demon here on public property, but I’ll do what I can.”
Piper threw a dazzling smile at Caleb over her shoulder and the Alpha blinked, completely dazed by her beauty and the infectious energy she radiated. Well, maybe there was hope for their Alpha after all. It was the first time Xavier had ever seen Caleb affected by anyone after what had happened to his family.
Something about being back at the university had Piper looking and sounding more confident. Out of all of them she wasn’t worried about the demon, since apparently they were best buds now. No, she was practically skipping through the building because she wanted to see books.
It was fucking adorable and Xavier wanted to give her every book in the world if that’s what would make her smile like that all the fucking time.
Piper threw open the doors to the library and searched for their witch contact – someone named Oscar that Morgan had arranged for them. Xavier had to pick up his pace to keep up with her, that’s how excited she was. It was the first time since he’d spotted her through the library stacks the day before that he felt his heart lurch and stutter.
She was breathtaking.
Xavier felt himself falling for her. He was desperate to know her mind as well as her desires. Piper captivated him then and there and that rope that connected them tied around his heart and the bond strengthened. There was no going back for him now. She was it.
“Piper Kostopoulos?” someone asked.
Instantly Xavier was on alert and moved closer to her.
Piper’s face lit up. “Oscar?”
God, what he would give for her to look at him like that. One glance at Niko, and Xavier knew he wasn’t the only one to feel that way.
“I was told by Morgan to allow you into the library,” Oscar stated. The witch didn’t seem happy about the command.
Who the hell was this Morgan that a coven in another state and city did what she asked? Xavier shook his head. He stayed the hell out of witch business. That was Niko’s specialty.
“I’ll stay up here,” Niko promised, brushing his hand against Piper’s. Then his best friend caught his eyes over the top of her head. “Keep an eye on her at all times.”
He nodded. Xavier refused to let her out of his sight. He’d never trusted witches and didn’t plan to now. They had way too much power for him to ever feel truly comfortable around them. The witch who’d said Niko and Xavier would be mated to the same female all those years ago had been enough to keep him away for most of his life.
Until her.
Caleb gave them a nod and went back outside. Oscar inclined his head and led them through the library. Xavier placed his hand on Niko’s shoulder as they passed. “Stay safe,” he muttered. Niko was one of the nicest guys in the pride, but that didn’t mean he was soft. After his sister, there was a dangerous edge to the male.
Whoever tried to come at them wouldn’t leave in one piece.
Oscar took them through the massive library to the library’s gallery where various sculptures and art were displayed. Then he led them to the darkest corner of that gallery. The witch sketched a design on the wall and when the last rune was inscribed the pentagram flared to life right bef
ore the edges of the door appeared. Oscar opened it and stepped aside.
Piper was in complete awe. She stared at the door and then took a tentative step forward. Xavier wanted to go first, but witches were neutral. It was more likely an attack would come at his back. He waved the witch in next, glancing over his shoulder, and then followed them both inside.
The door disappeared into a wall behind them and witchlight lit up the hall. Oscar led them down, and it was definitely down, for a good few minutes. The hall turned into a spiral and suddenly at the bottom it opened up into a massive space. The walls were stone and felt ancient. Xavier didn’t want to look too closely at the runes and carvings on the pillars.
Tables were scattered about and stacks and stacks of books covered the three stories. The witch library went on forever and Piper looked like she might cry. The space felt loved and lived in which relieved him.
It was hard to tell sometimes how witches felt about anything.
“Morgan told me to gather some books regarding demons which are over there on that table. It’s in the back near the section on demonology. You’re a librarian and a scholar from what I know of the university staff. I’m sure you’ll be able to figure it out. Need anything else and I’ll be over there,” Oscar said, pointing to an office off the main space.
Piper wasn’t even listening. She was already walking toward the table Oscar had pointed out and she walked fast when she wanted to. Xavier cursed and jogged to catch up. The power in the library was palpable and he could taste it, like chewing on aluminum.
His mate’s fingers trailed the wooden shelves and Xavier wished she’d touch him like that. The thought was all it took for his dick to harden again. Christ it was going to be difficult to concentrate around this woman.
No one in his generation had found their mate yet, so this was all new territory. Xavier didn’t know what new mates were like and had no idea what to expect. But if this was it, fuck. They were in trouble, because all he could think about was grabbing that ass of hers and bending her over one of these tables so he could take her – mark her with his scent.
“Wow, this place is amazing,” she whispered – most likely feeling the weight of the place as well. “There are so many books.”
Xavier stopped and checked the books waiting on the table. He ran his hands over all of them to be sure, and then handed her one. Piper frowned and sat down with a shrug. “Some witch books aren’t friendly,” he explained. “And others are cursed. I wanted to make sure there was no funny business before you touched one.”
Her look of surprise turned into a smile. “That was sweet of you,” she murmured in that husky voice that only made his dick harder. “You’re so nice to me.”
Xavier sat down beside her, feeling flustered and pleased all at the same time. That she even noticed made him giddy. “Well, you are my mate and you deserve to have someone care about you.” He cracked open a book to hide the way he watched her. At least it was in English and wouldn’t make him look like an absolute idiot.
“What’s it like to have one mother and three fathers?” she asked, opening her own. “This is normal right, part of your culture?”
God, her question was so innocent, but it hurt like hell. “I don’t remember,” he told her honestly. “The crocs killed one of my fathers and took my mother when I was only a kid. Nearly tore me in two when I tried to get her back. I don’t know what happened to her after that.”
Piper stopped what she was doing and turned to face him fully, even moving one leg over the bench so she straddled it. It distracted him from the pain and the memories and he turned to face her the same way so that their knees touched.
“I had no idea it was that bad. Caleb told me what happened to his family, but I didn’t realize…” she trailed off and bit her lip.
Xavier reached out and gently pulled it free from her teeth. “It was a long time ago, but I still have my other two fathers. It’s mostly not knowing what happened to her, but I assume I wouldn’t want to know.”
Piper licked her lips and then looked up into his eyes. Xavier wanted to stare into the sea-green depths forever. Just being near her eased some of the pain he’d carried around for years. Then she surprised him. Piper threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight.
He stiffened at first, and then relaxed in her arms, pulling her onto his lap and just holding her. This peace he felt – this was what having a mate was about and he felt it click into place deep in his soul.
Piper was his.
Chapter Eight
Piper
Geez, these men – they carried around so much pain and heartache. She was just beginning to understand the world they came from. The blood feud with the crocs had literally torn their pride to pieces and now they were trying to kill the next generation of leopard shifters.
Even if she didn’t like her part in it, and wasn’t sure how she felt about being a mate – Piper wanted to help Xavier, Caleb, and Niko. There was no reason she couldn’t let this thing between them pan out. Because if she were honest with herself she’d never felt quite as content as she did with the three of them around.
And watching the way Xavier and Niko cuddled on the couch together…it was the cutest thing she’d ever seen and had turned her on in ways she’d never expected. Piper had no idea that just the idea of Niko and Xavier kissing would make her so wet she literally had to change her panties.
These guys were teaching her things about herself even she hadn’t been aware of. Somehow, it felt like fate.
When she pulled back Piper stared into Xavier’s eyes and felt that heat between her legs again. His lips were full and he looked at her like she was some kind of goddess. Her heart beat wildly in her chest and for a moment Piper wanted nothing more than to kiss him.
Having the three of them around had been hard on her emotions, but they also wound her to the point her skin felt tight and there was that heartbeat between her legs pushing her to make a move – to see if it would be as good to kiss Xavier as she thought it might be.
Tentatively Piper leaned forward and Xavier’s eyes widened, but he didn’t move. He let her take the reins and lead them. Between him and Niko, Piper felt cared for and precious and she wanted that desperately – even if a week ago she didn’t care one bit if a man never looked at her again.
She placed her hands on his shoulders for balance and then gently pressed her lips to his.
Instantly Xavier scooped her up, pulling her all the way onto his lap until she straddled him, his hard length pressing against her. Piper couldn’t help the moan as he crushed her to his chest. The ache between her legs begged for her to do something about it, but she was lost in the taste of him – that scent of night air on fur. It was wild and intoxicating and she wanted more.
Piper wrapped her arms around his neck and slipped her tongue into Xavier’s mouth, desperate for all he had to give – needing to be as close to him as physically possible. Clothes, they were wearing too many clothes.
Xavier’s hands went under her shirt, gripping onto her sides like he needed her just as badly as she did him. The feel of his hardness against her had her losing her mind. Piper wanted him now, and she didn’t give a shit they were in a library.
“Well, isn’t this adorable.”
“For fuck sake, demon!” Xavier cursed. But he didn’t let her go; instead he wrapped his arms around her and held her even tighter.
Eisheth just chuckled. “Have you called Jess yet, my little queen?”
Piper couldn’t help but laugh. It was the most awkward and embarrassing situation she’d ever been in, but it was also hilarious. Eisheth didn’t care one bit that he’d popped in and interrupted them. Thank goodness or Piper might have stripped then and there.
She slipped off Xavier’s lap and straightened her shirt. Piper had to cross her legs and clench her thighs together to help ease some of that ache. Lord, that boy knew how to kiss. “I haven’t yet. Morgan suggested we come here first and Xavier doesn’t li
ke the demon hunter.”
Eisheth lounged against the table and pulled one of the books closer to him. “I suppose doing some research couldn’t hurt, but Jess already knows everything in these books. Why don’t you like her, kitty cat?”
It was difficult not to smile at the nickname.
Xavier glared at the demon and crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s nothing personal. I don’t like witches and I don’t like demons. She’s something in between. So I’d prefer if she stayed as far away from me as possible.”
“Ah, yes, well…” Eisheth inspected Xavier from head to toe and then leaned in to whisper in Piper’s ear. “He is very well endowed, my little queen. I’d put a ring on it asap.”
She burst out laughing despite the blush she could feel burning her cheeks. “I will take that under advisement. Do you have any books you’d personally recommend? I promise to call Jess myself.”
“Good, and I rather like this one. Talks about us demons like we aren’t all the same monster.” Eisheth handed her a book and winked. “Enjoying your mates?”
Piper cleared her throat and opened the book. “It’s really none of your business, perv.”
The demon laughed hard at that. “I am kind of a perv. Also I wanted to make sure you had this if you ever needed it.” Eisheth leaned forward again and then whispered three words into her ear before he popped out of existence.
“I wonder if the witches know demons can just come and go as they please,” Xavier grumbled.
Piper felt her blood cool as she memorized those three words, but she took Xavier’s hand in hers and held it like they’d been girlfriend and boyfriend forever. “He gave me his true name,” she told him. “So I can summon him if I need to.”
