by Tami Lund
He shot question after question at Sander, who tried his best to answer each and every one, but the fact of the matter was, he didn’t know his sister’s mate or family at all. Finn wondered how their small world could only consist of a few thousand Lightbearers, yet they were so distant.
When Sander left the library, Tanner and Finn remained behind. “What are you thinking?” Tanner asked once they were alone.
“That I don’t really want to go back to that house, but I think I might have to.”
“Lightbearers know how to deal with Lightbearers. We have a contingent of guards who can do this job.”
“I hate to even consider the idea that her own family might be attempting to kill her,” Finn admitted.
“You could be wrong.”
He could be. He sure as hell hoped so.
Chapter 16
“What’s he doing here?”
Finn watched Samuel—one of the few Lightbearers with any real warrior-like skills—as he stood on the flagstone patio, fidgeting nervously while he waited for someone to respond to his summons.
“Maybe he wants to practice?” Tanner suggested as he pushed past Finn and went to the open the door.
“Or maybe he wants to drug Cecilia into submission again,” Finn said with a grow in his voice as he followed.
Tanner laughed. “Cecilia and submission just don’t fit in the same sentence.”
Finn knew firsthand how right he was. Even in bed, she was the one in charge, controlling their pace, the location, what they did, when. Finn had quickly learned that he rather liked a woman who preferred to be in control in the bedroom. He was pretty certain that if she asked him to do back flips, he would try to figure out a way to do it.
It wasn’t just about the sex, although that was certainly a highly enjoyable aspect of whatever it was they had going on. No, it was more than that. It was the way she looked at him, the conversations they had, even the arguments. He liked the entire package, even her refusal to kowtow to anyone—especially him. The irony that such character traits had been maddening a few short weeks ago was not lost on him.
Practice, it turned out, was exactly what Samuel wanted. It’s been more than a week, he said. The guards were eager to learn. There were rumblings, he said, and people were getting nervous.
“What sort of rumblings?” Tanner demanded, while Finn stood by his side and silently watched the man as he stood on the threshold of the beach house. Tanner had instituted a strict rule that no one was allowed in or out of the house without either his or Finn’s express permission. Not even the king could allow anyone to cross the threshold at the moment.
“Talk of other shifters. Other ones—not like you. The ones who mean to kill us.”
“We killed that leader, and no others have shown any inclination that they even know where we are or that they have any real interest in what we’re doing,” Tanner pointed out. “We’re watching out for that sort of activity.”
Samuel shook his head. “More and more Lightbearers are going outside the wards during the day now. I’m telling you, there’s talk,” he insisted.
“Rumors,” Tanner insisted. “Hearsay.” And then he sighed. “But nonetheless, we should practice. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.” He glanced at Finn and then said, “This afternoon. Two. Tell anyone who can attend. Those on duty are not excused. We will resume regular sessions.”
After Samuel left, Tanner looked at Finn and waited.
“He was nervous,” Finn finally said. “And scared.”
“You can be pretty damn intimidating, when you stand there all stoic, with your arms crossed over your chest and your eyes glaring down at him.”
Finn rolled those eyes. “He wasn’t nervous because of me, dumbass.” It was nice, really, that he could call his pack master a dumbass and not be afraid of retribution. “There’s something else going on.”
“You think he’s the one trying to kill Cecilia?”
Finn pursed his lips. “Not remotely. He wants to mate with her. It’s too obvious. You can’t hide that shit.” Even though that was exactly what he himself did, every time he was with Cecilia. Especially when they were making love, and his body all but cried out for him to take her like a shifter, to make her his.
“There’s still that unresolved issue with the day we found her at his cottage, and the hole in her memory,” Finn added.
“He swears he was only trying to woo her, that he gave her a sleeping draught and all she did was sleep,” Tanner reminded him.
“None of it adds up,” Finn complained. “Most of the males in this coterie feel the same way Samuel does about her. Everyone likes her. Everyone except her own damn family.”
Finn knew Tanner could relate. His own father hated him so much he’d tried to have both him and Olivia killed.
Finn snagged his coat from where he’d hung it when he and Cecilia arrived at the beach house this morning. “Tell Cecilia I’ll be back in a little while and don’t let her leave this house. I’m going to go pay a visit to Dane.”
* * * *
He returned with barely enough time to change clothes for the practice session Tanner had scheduled. They practiced for more than three hours, until everyone was sweaty, starved, and exhausted. He and Tanner headed back to the beach house while the Lightbearers all went their separate ways. At the top of the staircase, Tanner headed right, to his own suite, while Finn headed left, to the suite of rooms he knew Cecilia normally used when she stayed at the beach house.
He stood in the bathtub, under a spray of water heated to a barely tolerable level, when Cecilia entered the room. She shed her clothing and stepped into the tub. He opened his eyes and gave her a lazy smile.
“Hey, beautiful,” he murmured as he watched her pick up a bar of soap and twist it round and round in her hands.
She began to smooth her soapy hands over his body. “I recall a time when I thought you didn’t find me attractive at all.”
“I always found you attractive,” he said as her hands smoothed over his abdomen and down to stroke over his swollen cock. “I just didn’t want you to know it.”
“As different as we are, we certainly fit together, don’t we?” she murmured as she dropped to her knees before him.
“Oh yeah.” Finn sighed as she took him into her mouth. He flattened his palms against the wall, bracing himself as the onslaught of sensations roiled through his body. He recognized desire, lust…and something else. Something that urged him to lift her to her feet, turn her around, and push into her from behind, sealing his fate to hers. Connecting them forever.
Did she know? He wondered this as she laved at him, licking and suckling, stroking his balls and bringing him closer and closer to the edge.
Did she know what it meant to make love shifter-style? Could he simply do it and not tell her? Would he be willing to deal with her wrath, when she discovered what he’d done?
Was it worth it?
Before he could make up his mind, she took the choice out of his hands—at least for the moment—as she suckled harder, stroked more insistently, and pulled his orgasm out of him. He shuddered through the release, locking his knees and bracing himself against the wall so he wouldn’t fall over, as she nursed him, not stopping until he was limp and as wrung out as a wet rag.
When she climbed to her feet, he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, reveling in the way she made him feel.
“What did I do to deserve you?” he asked, before he grabbed the soap and quickly cleaned them both. By the time the shower was over and they were both toweling off, his body was once again responding to her nearness. So he lifted her onto the vanity, pushed her knees apart, and stepped between them. She rolled her hips in invitation as he sheathed himself with a condom.
Then he pressed into her, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips. He slipped a hand between them, rubbing his thumb against her most sensitive area, and she arched and cried out as her orgasm exploded. She
clung to him as he relentlessly pressed into her, again and again, until he found his release. And then they stayed like that, clinging to each other, for a long time afterward.
* * * *
“He doesn’t want to mate with me.”
“He can barely stand to be away from you, and whenever he is in your vicinity, he watches you like—like a shifter stalking his prey. Except I suspect he is gauging how quickly he can get naked with you again.”
Cecilia rolled her eyes.
“We’ve never done it shifter-style,” she complained. “And you said you and Tanner do it that way all the time.”
“Doing it shifter-style the first time qualifies as a mating ritual to shifters, so it’s a bit of a big deal,” Olivia reminded her. “Wouldn’t you expect he would ask first?”
Cecilia slumped against the back of the chaise lounge. They were seated together on the balcony that jutted from Olivia and Tanner’s bedchamber, enjoying the cool rays of the early winter sun. Both were bundled in downy coats, hats, scarves, and mittens, and the cold still permeated their bodies. But Lightbearers thrived on sunlight, and there was precious little to be had at this time of year. It was worth the discomfort to sit out on the balcony and soak up the rays directly, rather than being inside, where the sunlight was filtered through glass and curtains.
Somehow over the course of the last few weeks, she and Finn had gone from very nearly hating one another to lovers. They hadn’t discussed the shift in their relationship, they hadn’t spoken of their feelings—if feelings were even a factor. They simply had sex, every moment they had alone, it seemed, which she knew was largely her own fault. But damn, she had been going through a long dry spell and Finn was, without question, the best lover she had ever experienced. The man knew exactly what she wanted, every time, and he was more than happy to let her control that aspect of their relationship, which was a heady, sexy feeling. Most of her previous partners had struggled with her need to be dominate in the bedchamber, but not Finn. Definitely not Finn.
They argued far less frequently than they used to, too, but was there anything else? She had no idea, because Finn was not exactly forthcoming with his emotions. She felt his lust, she felt his appreciation, his desire to protect her, but she had no idea if that translated into love—or possibly even something that could grow into it.
“There isn’t even an inkling,” she complained. “No hints, no suggestions, nothing. Just fabulous sex.”
“All the time,” Olivia drawled. “You are never allowed to complain about Tanner and me again.”
Cecilia’s cheeks pinked as a smile lifted the corners of her mouth. “I didn’t think we were being so loud,” she said as she tried to suppress a laugh.
“Obviously you thought wrong.” Olivia’s tone turned thoughtful. “Maybe you should ask him.”
Cecilia gave her a look of horror. “I admit, I don’t hold to very many of our traditions, but asking the man I’m sleeping with if he’s interested in being my mate is too much, even for me.”
“Then I’ll ask him. Or better yet, I’ll have Tanner ask.”
Cecilia was working out an indignant response when the sound of her name being shouted had her pushing out of the chaise lounge and peering over the side of the balcony. The wards Tanner insisted upon encompassed the balcony as well as the rest of the house, so Cecilia made sure not to lean too far out.
“Samuel? What are you doing?”
Samuel’s gaze darted from side to side before lifting to look up at her. “Trying to find a moment to speak to you without your guard dog around.”
Cecilia’s brow furrowed in distaste. “Really, Samuel, that was uncalled for. Finn isn’t my guard dog.” No, he was much, much more than that.
Samuel snorted in disbelief. “If you saw the way he punishes me out on the practice field, you wouldn’t say that.”
“He is a tad upset over the fact that you drugged me,” she reminded him.
Samuel had the grace to flush as he dropped his gaze to the snow-covered deck. “I didn’t mean you any harm,” he said with a touch of defensiveness in his voice.
“You deliberately added a sleeping draught to my wine. There are four hours of time that I cannot recall. Alexa says it is likely I will never remember.”
“I swear, I meant you no harm. You must believe me, Cecilia.”
Olivia stepped up to the railing and peered down at Samuel. He blanched when he saw her there.
“As romantic serenades go, this one is a bit lacking,” Olivia remarked low enough that only Cecilia could hear.
Cecilia struggled to hide the smile tugging at her lips.
“I had not realized we were not alone,” Samuel called up to them. “Cecilia, I would really like a word with you. It’s important. May I come inside?”
Cecilia glanced at Olivia. Olivia shook her head. “Tanner would be upset. And Finn would likely strangle Samuel if he knew.”
“We aren’t allowed to let you inside,” Cecilia called down to him.
“Who says? The king?”
“Tanner,” Cecilia responded without thinking. “And Finn.”
“You let them tell you what to do? That’s not the Cecilia I have always known.”
“Don’t listen to him, Cici,” Olivia whispered.
“It’s for my own safety,” Cecilia replied, even as she winced inwardly at how cowardly she sounded. Samuel was right. When had she ever let someone else dictate her life? Even if it was for her own safety.
“You know I would never knowingly cause you harm. Please, Cecilia. I really must speak to you.” Samuel glanced from side to side again before lifting his gaze up to the balcony. “It’s regarding your parents.”
“My parents?” Cecilia glanced at Olivia.
“It’s really quite urgent,” Samuel added.
“We should go find Tanner or Finn first,” Olivia said, but Cecilia was already inside, walking through the chamber, out into the hall, down the stairs, and to the front door.
She opened the door and hesitated on the threshold, uncharacteristically concerned about going against Finn’s explicit instructions, but also curious enough to hear what Samuel had to say about her parents that she was willing to take the chance.
To a point, anyway.
When Samuel stepped forward, Cecilia stepped back, into the foyer. He paused. “There are wards around the king’s home.” His gaze swept over the beach house as he lifted his hand and smoothed it across the invisible barrier.
“Olivia and I were attacked recently. The king is taking precautions to ensure his daughter is not injured.”
Samuel looked truly shocked. “Cecilia, please,” he begged, reaching out but unable to touch her through the magical wards. “Please, you must come with me. You have no idea how much danger you are in.”
“What do you know of it?” she asked suspiciously. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.
“I can protect you. I can save you. But you must come with me.”
“The last time I did anything with you I was drugged and ended up waking up in your bed.”
“Would that really be so bad?”
Cecilia blinked in astonishment. Surely he was not implying… “What are you suggesting?”
Samuel reached out again and gave her an earnest look as he said, “Mate with me, Cecilia. Make me the happiest man in the world.”
“How can you even ask me that, Samuel? How many times must we have this same conversation? I assure you, the outcome is not going to change.”
“I can protect you,” he insisted again. “But you must mate with me. You must turn your back on the shifters. I cannot protect you if you do not—”
“Are you implying that I can’t protect her?”
The voice was deep and deadly low, so low as to almost be without inflection. But the meaning was clear, as was the threat.
The door was suddenly jerked wide, and Finn stood next to her, a furious look on his face. Cecilia could tell he was barely managing to
keep himself in check. He wanted to lash out, and if Samuel wasn’t careful, he would find himself on the receiving end of Finn’s fist. Or worse.
“It’s you she needs protecting from,” Samuel said. Whether brave or stupid, he pressed on. “Your presence here. If not for you, she wouldn’t be in danger at all.”
Finn was out the door in an instant. Samuel tried to bolt, but Finn caught him easily, grabbed the front of his coat and flung him around, slamming him against one of the porch pillars. Samuel grabbed Finn’s arm with both hands, but his strength was no match against an angry shifter.
“She doesn’t need your protection,” Finn said with a growl. His eyes were glowing.
“Yes, she does.” Samuel gasped as he struggled against Finn’s grasp. “You’re the one putting her into danger.”
Finn snorted. “Why? Because I’m the one warming her bed, instead of you?”
Samuel’s eyes widened as his gaze darted from Finn to Cecilia and back again. He lifted one arm and magic shimmered in the air, but before he could conjure a sword, Finn shifted his hold, moving his hand to Samuel’s neck. He squeezed, his hand momentarily shimmering between human and animal form, until Samuel dropped his arm and released the magic.
“Let me go,” he croaked. After a moment, Finn released him, and Samuel sagged against the pillar as he lifted his hand and cupped his throat. When he pulled his hand away, there was blood on it, his own blood, from five short scratches.
“Lights above,” he cried out. “Am I—am I going to turn into one of you now?”
Finn reached out and hauled Cecilia close to his side, as he rolled his eyes. “Stupid human fairy tale,” he muttered. “Getting scratched by a shifter does not turn you into one, dumbass. You wouldn’t be so lucky. Now get the hell out of here.”
Samuel obviously learned his lesson. He stumbled away, tripping down the steps, and then ran through the snow, heading toward the stone steps that would take him down to the village below.
