“Thank you,” she whispered. “Is it over now?”
“No, I’m sorry, but this is just a short reprieve.”
“But Cretia said something about me being your mate, so it wouldn’t be so bad.”
“She said if I mated you, completely, then it would drastically lessen the wine’s effects, but I won’t do that without your consent. Ashe, that’s something there’s no coming back from. We’d be tied together for life, our souls bound together in a bond so strong only death can sever it.”
Her gorgeous eyes met his and Luke held his breath. “Benson told me about mates, Luke. He explained it to me, and it sounds like we’re going to be mated soon anyway, so why not now?”
“Because I don’t want you to feel rushed, Ashe. I don’t want you to regret this once the wine wears off.” It was his ultimate fear. If she felt trapped with him, she might come to resent him for it, and he couldn’t live with the idea of her hating him.
“Luke, I’ve been falling for you these last few weeks. There’s a pull, almost like gravity, that has had me feeling drawn to you like nothing I’ve ever known. Maybe this is Fate’s way of giving us a kick in the ass,” she laughed, then groaned. “but if you don’t want to be mated to me, I’ll understand.”
“Shit! There’s nothing I want more than to claim you, Ashe, but I hate that it has to be like this. I wanted it to be special, romantic even. Not fucking each other’s brains out in my friends basement like a couple of horny teenagers.”
“Well, we can look at it as going through all the insane hookups normal couples have, only in one binge session.” She was trying to joke with him, but the perspiration dotting her brow told him how much she was hurting. “Luke, I’m telling you, if we come out of this night mated, I won’t consider that a bad thing. Okay?”
Even though she was battling the effects of the wine, Luke could still see the clarity in her eyes. It was like waving a red cape in front of a bull as far as his wolf was concerned. He could feel the beast rising to the surface, knew his eyes must be glowing, and hoped he didn’t frighten Ashe.
She shocked him once more by reaching up and grasping the back of his neck to pull him down for another kiss. “I need you, Luke. Please.”
“I’m here, Ashe. I’ll always be here for you,” he vowed. Shifting until his body was poised above hers. “I’ve been dreaming about claiming you, baby. Dreaming of marking you as mine so that everyone knows you’re off the market forever.”
“I want to be yours,” she gasped when his dick nudged her wet slit.
Her hips angled up, aligning him perfectly, and Luke slowly entered her body, making sure to take his time. “Fuck you’re tight,” he growled. “So hot too. Perfection. Mine!”
And she was too, she was burning up for him, her core hugging his cock and fluttering as her body struggled to accept his girth.
“Luke! Yes, oh yes. More, Luke, I need more.”
“I’ll give you more, baby.” Luke gave a hard thrust, seating himself completely inside her and stilled when she cried out, allowing her to adjust once more. “We’re a perfect fit, sweetheart.”
Her hands came up to frame his face, and to his utter shock, she squeezed his cheeks and pulled him down until their foreheads were touching. She looked deep into his eyes, and he was expecting her to kiss him, to say anything other than what came out of her pretty little mouth. “As happy as I am to hear that, I need you to move your ass wolf-boy. Don’t make me put you in a spiked collar.” And she said it with the sweetest fucking smile on her face, causing him to laugh.
It seemed his new mate had a bit of a naughty streak hidden inside, and he couldn’t wait to bring it out, but first, he needed to give her his mark. “Hold on tight.”
There’s would be a quick mating, with the rest of the evening spent making love at their own pace, where the urgency wouldn’t be ruling them any longer.
Bracing his weight on his forearms, Luke slid his arms under Ashe’s shoulders and held her in place as he pulled out and slammed back home with enough force to scoot them up in the bed. Her hissed, “Yes!” spurred him on and he hammered her into the mattress with every thrust, her cries and moans music to his ears.
It wasn’t long before he felt her nails digging into his sides as her climax drew closer. Her legs were shaking against his hips, and he intended to plow her straight through her orgasm in hopes she would be so focused on it she wouldn’t feel too much pain from his bite.
“Luke, it’s too much. I can’t, oh…” She was panting, writhing, and so damn beautiful.
“You can, baby. It’s going to be amazing, Ashe, just let go. I’ve got you. I’ll always catch you.”
And she did, she exploded, her body clenching and gripping his dick with such force he couldn’t keep his rhythm. Luke faltered, his balls drawing tight as he plowed on towards his own release, leaning forward and dragging his tongue along the side of her neck, down the where it met her shoulder.
She was at the height of her release when his own seized him and Luke sank his teeth into her tender flesh, his wolf emitting a triumphant howl in his head as he sealed the wound with his tongue.
Spent, Luke pulled her close and rolled to his back, bringing her to rest on his chest. He was still hard, still ready to go again, and he wasn’t sure if it was an effect of the wine, or if it was the amazing woman currently tracing her dainty fingers over his ribs.
“Are you all right, Ashe? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
She hummed against his skin before tipping her head up to regard him with a sleepy smile. “That was unbelievable. I can’t recall ever feeling like that before.”
The color in her cheeks and the way her damp hair clung to the edges of her face was something Luke would never forget. He wanted to remember this moment forever.
Their first night together as a mated couple would be a memory to savor.
“It’s partly the bond forming between us, and might even be residual effects from what the witch gave us, but you won’t hear me complaining,” he smiled back at her.
“Definitely not,” she agreed, snuggling into his vhest and planting a kiss to the side of his neck. “Would it be terribly greedy of me if I wanted to do that again already?”
“Once again, you won’t hear me complaining. After all, I’m still up for the challenge.” He was teasing her, and felt his ego swell when she gasped as he thrust up. He was still inside her, having not wanted to separate their bodies, so the party was all set to continue as far as he was concerned.
To his utter delight she sat up, straddling him, and gave her hips a seductive swivel that left his eyes rolling back in his head.
Hell, yeah, he thought. This is going to be an awesome night.
Chapter Ten
Ashe
It was about nine in the morning when Ashe awoke. She was deliciously sore and felt so light and carefree. Luke had spent most of the night making love to her, and she had enjoyed being able to cut loose and be herself.
He’d enjoyed her more adventurous side, and she was happy to be able to let her inner vixen out without her partner being put off. Luke had encouraged her, almost begging her to do her worst. She’d bitten and scratched him at the height of ecstasy and he hadn’t batted an eye.
She’d also discovered just how sensitive her mating mark was. All he had to do was trace his tongue along the place he’d bitten and she was reduced to a shuddering mass of need.
Now it was morning, and it had been a long time since her day started so late. Sure, nine o’clock didn’t seem late to most people, but with a baby, it was damn near unheard of to get up this late unless you and the baby were up all night.
Ashe knew Lilly would have been up for a little while by now, so she slipped from the bed, careful not to wake Luke, though she should have known better. He was up by the time she’d finished utilizing the bathroom, and had her clothes lying on the bed for her to slip on.
“Ready to go see what princess Lilly is up to? I imagine Benson
is enjoying playing with her. I only hope he’s keeping his mother at bay.” Luke dropped a kiss on her lips before stepping into the bathroom while she dressed.
It was nice the way they were able to move around each other with a familiarity that most couples didn’t manage for years. No, she wasn’t about to leave the bathroom door open or anything, but being able to be naked without feeling awkward was a major plus in her book.
“I hope I had enough formula in the diaper bag,” she replied, knowing he could hear her. “I’ll need to get more before long though, so we’ll have to go back to the house. I can breastfeed for now, but she needs more than I have lately.”
“Twist my arm why don’t ya,” he drawled. “Getting out of here and away from Cretia happens to be my number one priority this morning.” Stepping out, he was looking so handsome she couldn’t help but check him out.
Looking at this man for the rest of my life won’t be a hardship in the least, she thought.
They made their way upstairs and found Benson seated at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee as he fed Lilly a bottle. “How did you two fair last night?” he asked. “I cannot apologize enough for what happened.”
While it all had worked out in the end, Ashe wasn’t about to let the woman off the hook anytime soon. “Benson, I have to admit, I was really liking your mother up until that point in the night. It’s not going to be easy to trust her again after this.”
Luke nodded his agreement. “I was brought up in a pack that didn’t have a very good relationship with the coven nearby, so I didn’t have much trust to begin with, but the fact that she was your mother had me letting my guard down just enough for her to pull that mess.”
“Again, I’m so sorry. She left out at dawn, or so her note says. She still believes something is going to happen. At least that’s what the spirits are telling her. I’m pretty sure she’ll be around, but I made it clear to not bother you two unless it was absolutely necessary,” Benson explained, passing Lilly off to Ashe. “She’s already bombed her diaper this morning.”
Ashe giggled. “How did that go?”
If she wasn’t mistaken, Benson turned slightly green before answering. “I’m not sure what she’s eating, but it’s absolutely horrible once it reaches the other end.”
Luke barked out a laugh, covered his mouth when Lilly startled, then continued to snicker behind his hand. “You can take dead bodies and severed limbs, but a baby’s diaper will make you puke?”
“Have you changed one of those yet? You just wait buddy. That kid is going to wreck your nose once you get a whiff.”
“He’s probably right,” Ashe put in. “I’m not sure what goes on in that little body, but what comes out is pretty foul.”
“Eh, I’ll handle it. So what’s on the agenda for today?” Luke inquired.
Before anyone could answer, there was a voice from the hall. “Calling all units, we have reports of smoke seen just outside of town. Possible house fire at 584 Oak Terrace…”
“Sorry, that’s my police scanner. I have it on usually all the time. Not like it goes off often around these parts.”
Ashe felt the blood drain from her face as she looked to Luke. “That’s my house,” she whispered.
“Fuck! You stay here, where it’s safe and watch after Lilly. Benson and I will go straight over and see what we can do,” Luke promised. He gave her a tight hug, whispering more reassurances in her ear before kissing both her and Lilly and racing out the door with Benson on his heels.
Left alone in the house, Ashe wasn’t sure what to do. Honey Hollow was a very small town, so it wasn’t like there would be news crews out or social media posts on the situation. All she could hope for was to hear an update over the scanner in Benson’s spare room or for someone to call her.
It had been an hour before she heard anything, and even then it was just the same voice over the scanner. “Please be advised, there were no tenants found inside the home.”
Well, no shit, but what’s left of my home? She wondered, pacing into the living room again.
The house phone began to ring, but Ashe was hesitant to answer it. After all, she was a guest in the house, and didn’t want any small town gossip started from her answering calls at Benson’s home.
His answering machine clicked on and she nearly fainted when she heard Luke’s frantic voice come over the line. “Ashe! Ashe, please be there. Listen, lock all the doors and then lock yourself in the basement. Lock every door between you and the bedroom in the basement! If you can here me, go now! We’re coming, but your uncle is coming too. He set the fire. Hurry!”
She could actually feel the blood in her veins turning to ice at the chilling tone of his voice. Luke sounded utterly terrified, and that same feeling took hold in her. She darted from door to door, making sure they were secured, then placed Lilly in her car seat and grabbed her diaper bag before heading for the basement stairs. Just as she reached the doorway, there was a crash in the living room, the sound of a window shattering, and Ashe ran.
She did as Luke said, bolting every door between her and whoever happened to be in the house now. In a full-blown panic, she knew she had to hide Lilly somewhere that she would be safe. Somewhere she might have a chance if things got bad.
There was a closet door and she pulled it open to find a large walk-in with a chest of drawers and an old hope chest inside, along with dozens of quilts and other linens. Tugging the dresser out, she carefully placed Lilly’s carrier behind it, covering her with a blanket, and giving her a pacifier, she could only pray that her baby girl would be quiet.
Stepping back out into the bedroom, she looked everywhere for something she could use as a weapon. There were crashes and bangs sounding from the floor above, and she knew the place was being trashed.
It wasn’t until she searched the bathroom that she found something she could use. Benson had mentioned how shifters had heightened senses, so she pulled out two bottles of cleaning solutions and began spraying all over the basement. With any luck it would throw her uncle off his game, and maybe he wouldn’t be able to pinpoint where Lilly was hidden.
Another crash as the basement door splintered, and Ashe looked up to see her uncle lumbering down the stairs. “I figured I’d find you here,” he sneered right before he sneezed. “Fuck! What did you do down here?” He coughed and cursed as he stomped over to her side of the room.
She did her best to stay away from him, but the only other place to go was the bedroom, and that was too close to Lilly, so she tried to remain across from him. “I don’t know what you want, James, but I don’t have it.”
“But you know. You know about me, and what I am, and that presents a problem for me.”
“How’s that? It’s not like anyone would believe me if I told them my uncle could change into a badger.”
“Yes, well, honey badgers aren’t from this part of the world. Our species are usually located in Africa, you see. There’s more hunting game there, but my parents decided to move to the states for some sort of business venture my dad had found out about. It turned out his new associates didn’t take kindly to our badger ways.”
“Gee, I wonder why,” she sassed.
“Well, we do tend to be rather vicious when backed into a corner.” His smile sent chills down her spine, and she was glad for the space between them. “He killed several of the men sent to dispatch him, and in turn, they shot both him and my mother, then set our home on fire in an attempt to destroy the bodies.”
Ashe wasn’t sure why he was giving her his own little life history, and she didn’t particularly give a shit about his past. All she cared about right now was keeping him in his chatty mood until Luke and Benson could get their furry asses there to help her.
“That’s when you were brought to the shelter as a badger?”
“Yes, very good Ashe. Someone gets a gold star for doing her research.” His tone was condescending and she couldn’t help but flip him the bird. Childish, but it still felt good. “I’ll ver
y much enjoy snapping that finger off shortly,” he promised.
“Good luck with that.”
“Oh, I won’t need luck. No, I’ll just need a little incentive for you to do as your told. Speaking of, where is sweet little Lilly? Hmmm?”
“I sent her somewhere safe you fuckwitted fleabag.” Ashe’s head jerked to the stairs only to find Benson’s mother standing there, hands on her hips, her damn cat rubbing against her leg. “Are you going to get your ass upstairs and clean up that mess or do I need to turn your furry ass into the ugliest set of slippers anyone’s ever seen,” she demanded.
“Bitch, I don’t know who you think you are…”
“Not a bitch, furball, a witch. And a very pissed off one, I might add.”
“Like I give a ripe shit. Get the fuck out of here, this is family business.”
“You’re damn right it is. You trashed my son’s home, and Ashe is a guest here, therefore she is under our protection. Come to me, Ashe. I won’t allow him to harm you.”
It was as she crossed the room to Cretia’s side that the unthinkable happened, and all so fast if she would’ve blinked she’d have missed it. Lilly cried from the other room and both Cretia and Ashe were distracted just long enough for James to strike.
He dove, an arm wrapping around her throat and pinning her to the front of him. His own personal human shield, and she couldn’t break his hold. Something sharp cut into her side and she immediately halted her struggles to get free.
“Listen badger, you don’t want to be hurting her. There’s a very angry wolf and a grizzly heading this way. Now, while you’re holding the only human in the room, you’ve got three other beings ready to drop you like a stone if anything happens to her,” Cretia warned, edging to the bottom of the stairs.
Ashe watched, mesmerized as her red curls began to lift and float about her head, like there was some unseen air currents swirling around her body. Magic. So much power was building up around Benson’s mother, and while fascinated, Ashe didn’t know what to expect.
Sassy Ever After: Kiss My Sass (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 11
