by E A Price
His dark brown eyes shone with wildness and watched her constantly. Watched and flashed every time she bit her lip, every time she let out a squeak, a cry, a moan.
She tried to meet his thrusts, tilting her hips to him, trying to mold her body to his, to take him even deeper, and oh, at this angle, he rubbed against her clit, sending delicious bolts through her body.
Her body curled, tightened and shook around him as another release, even more heavenly than the first, stole through her.
Zara breathed his name as she clasped him to her. His eyes met hers, and they flared with emotion. His thrusts became shorter, more urgent. His hands clamped on her hips, stopping her from moving, keeping her in place while he pistoned in and out relentlessly.
Holt tensed and roared, making the entire bed rattle as he swelled, expanding almost painfully big and he poured his release inside her. Zara wrapped her arms around him, seeking his lips as she felt him pulsing and trembling inside.
Exhausted and satisfied she welcomed sleep as her lover growled in her arms.
Chapter Twelve
Zara awoke to one of the goons peering at her with an insufferable leer on his round face.
“Good time?” he oozed. “Heh heh heh.”
She lashed out instinctively and poked him in the eyes. He howled and stumbled back, the tray of food he had been carrying flew through the air. The noise awoke the sleeping giant next to her and Holt was immediately on his feet and body slamming the other male.
Zara scrambled out of bed, grasping the first item of clothing she found and tugging it on. It happened to be Holt’s t-shirt and was plenty big enough to cover all her bits and pieces. Heart racing, she started running.
“C’mon!”
They barreled through the open door, and Zara ducked as a huge fist came her way. Holt grabbed it and sent the male attached to it flying. There were no windows in the room, and they had taken her phone, but she had to guess it was now the middle of the night; most of the goons were sleeping or dozing or at least not on alert for a rampaging witch and an overly large gorilla shifter.
They must have thought the overly athletic sex would leave her exhausted, leave her too tired for an escape attempt. They were wrong. If anything, it invigorated her. This is just what she wanted these past six months. Sex.
Lord if she’d known it would have this affect, she had trawled random bars for someone to take home. Or would she? It wasn’t just the sex - it was being with him.
That lumbering, irritating, sexy-as-hell oaf. It was him she wanted with every fiber of her being. And him that drove her nigh on insane with his smirk and ability to keep secrets from her.
They made it to the exit and Zara halted. Holt crashed into her, his warm arms circling her to steady her.
“My purse – it has my car keys in it,” she whispered.
“I grabbed your purse,” he rumbled, pushing it into her hands.
“Yet didn’t manage clothes?” she asked as something large and unfettered poked her in the back.
“You’re in my shirt.”
“Not your pants though!”
“Argue later, now move, cookie.”
She ran barefoot, leading the way to the car. She was mightily relieved about him grabbing the keys over his clothes and not just because she was enjoying the view of him naked.
After hers was totaled, she borrowed the sporty little car from her cousin, Leah – it was a gift from her latest, now ex, boyfriend. A gift Leah would probably have to give back. Though given the wobbling of Leah’s bottom lip when she handed over the key, it didn’t look like the break up had sunk in. Zara needed to speak to her about that and would have were it not for more pressing matters. Later, she promised herself.
She dove in the driver's seat and squeaked as she found herself being lifted along to the passenger seat.
“I was driving!”
Holt ignored her, clambered in and tore away, ignoring her frustrated exclamations. Finally, after a few tense moments and constant flicking his head to make sure no one was following him, Holt relaxed a little.
“You okay, sweetheart?”
“Am I okay? Of course, I’m not freaking okay!”
*
Holt winced at her tone. Yeah, he wasn’t surprised. What woman would be okay with a guy drugging her into having sex with his nephew?
Ugh, it sounded terrible. Yet, it was wonderful crooned his soppy gorilla.
Better than he remembered, and he had spent a lot of long lonely nights remembering their first night together.
“After what just happened, you owe me some answers,” she said folding her arms.
He couldn’t help the smile as he caught sight of her. She looked good in his shirt. With a scowl on her face, hair stuck up from their vigorous activities, arms tensed and squishing her pert breasts, she’d never looked more beautiful.
“I’m sick of your evasiveness,” she continued remorselessly.
“Okay, just, let me answer when I have some pants on.” Some kind of barrier was needed if he was going to be able to concentrate.
“Or could you leave them off,” she suggested.
His eyes darted to her in alarm. Zara licked her lips, and he swerved, almost getting two pedestrians. They dutifully shook their fists at him.
“Don’t do that to me while I’m driving… wait until we stop, and I can enjoy it.”
Zara put her hands over her face. “I’m sorry,” she said, muffled, “it must be the pheromones. I’m still a little, you know…”
His gorilla virtually purred. The pheromones were well and truly gone from his system, but then, he didn’t really need them. His lust was never particularly well contained to begin with.
“I can pull over,” he rushed to say. Seriously, if she needed some extra loving…
“No, keep driving. I don’t want your supremely pervy uncle catching up with me.”
Zara stared out the window, and Holt tried his best to concentrate on the road, rather than the enticingly curvy sight of Zara’s legs curled beneath her.
“Where are we going, by the way?”
Holt gripped the wheel as his beast roared. As much as he had enjoyed what they did, he couldn’t ignore the fact that he had failed to keep Zara safe. He had failed his mate, and his bastard of an uncle had taken advantage of her. He wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to forgive him for what happened. But he could start making it up to her by really getting her out of harm's way.
“Somewhere safe… I hope.”
*
They came to a small house, and Zara frowned at the white picket fence and flowers in the garden. Did her big, burly Holt have a twee side she didn’t know about? Well, there was his unforgivably frilly bedroom – she couldn’t forget about that monstrosity. Perhaps he really did do his own decorating.
“Where’s your brother in all this?” she asked suddenly.
With all the things that had been happening she had almost completely forgotten about him – again. The whole reason she was there in the first place!
“I’m not sure,” Holt admitted tightly. “My uncle has him.”
“Oh.”
Not a good thing. Their uncle was clearly a loon. Zara hesitated for a second before putting a hand on Holt’s arm. He looked at her in surprise before softening slightly and reaching out to squeeze it. See - they could play nice. Well, given last night, it was clear that they could play very nice.
“And where are we now?”
Despite the late hour, a light turned on in the house.
“C’mon,” he murmured, jumping out the car and running around to open her door.
He pulled her out and placed a hand on her back, leading her to the door. It was opened before they got to it by a heavily pregnant young woman with black hair.
“Her!” gasped Zara.
It was the young woman she had seen at Holt’s apartment. He had brought her to his pregnant girlfriend’s house?! After everything that happened between them, he thought thi
s would be appropriate?
“Holt, what the hell?” she whispered furiously.
He ignored her and all but dragged her into the house; he flicked a finger between the two women. “Rachel – Zara. Zara – Rachel.”
Rachel gave her a wan smile, which Zara tried and failed to return. Hey, she was mad, but she wasn’t about to yell at a pregnant woman. Besides, it was Holt’s balls she needed to fry.
“Rach, I need to use your guest room,” he said while rubbing Zara’s taut shoulders. The idiot seemed not to notice how irritated she was.
Rachel nodded and smoothed a hand over her bump.
Zara pursed her lips. Oh right, was he dumping her in the guest room while he was in the master bedroom making babies with his girlfriend? Well, she already had a baby… not the point!
Rachel bit a lip. “Is it my dad?”
Holt nodded shortly.
Her big brown eyes widened even more in worry. “Eric?”
“He’s fine.”
Rachel sagged slightly. Zara tugged on Holt’s arm. She would have tugged on his shirt, but he was still distractingly naked – something that didn’t bother Rachel in the least and made Zara even more irritated. Rachel also didn’t seem perturbed by the fact that Zara was only clad in Holt’s shirt – didn’t faze her in the least.
“Who’s Eric?” she murmured out the side of her mouth.
“Where’s Sean?” asked Rachel.
“I don’t know,” growled Holt, dragging Zara a little closer to him.
“Crap,” exclaimed Rachel before casting a look down. “Oops, sorry baby.”
What on earth was going on? It was like listening to one side of a phone conversation – pointless if you actually wanted to know what was happening. “I, ah…”
“C’mon.” Holt pressed a kiss to her temple and grasped her hand.
“Wait, what…”
Her stomach rumbled.
“You’re hungry,” he pointed out as he dragged her through the house.
“I have leftovers in the fridge,” said Rachel.
“Rach, you don’t have to do that.”
She already started pulling out takeaway boxes and the remnants of a cherry pie.
Holt stilled. “Rach you ordered takeout?” he thundered, almost deafening Zara, whose hand he didn’t seem to want to relinquish.
The young woman looked sheepish for a moment before taking on a steely look. “The baby wanted Chinese.”
“Rach!”
“I ordered it from two towns over – I was careful!” she snapped.
Holt huffed and puffed and looked like he was going to blow the whole house down until he settled on a groan. “Okay, whatever, just go to bed.”
“But I…”
“Seriously, go to bed,” he insisted. “We’ll keep it down.”
“Please, I’m going to watch TV in bed and eat pie. Junior here barely sleeps. But, maybe you should put some pants on, I’m losing my appetite here.”
Rachel waggled her eyebrows, and Holt narrowed his eyes.
“Brat.”
She giggled and grabbed the pie and a bag of chips before waddling away.
Zara waited with foot-tapping impatience until she heard the door close and in the loudest whisper she would risk, she exploded.
“Seriously, you brought me to your pregnant girlfriend’s house?!”
Chapter Thirteen
Zara had remained surprisingly quiet, he’d give her that, and he was pleased she didn’t rile up Rachel. With only a month to go, the last thing she needed was to be upset.
Holt flipped on the radio and smiled as 4 Non Blondes came on.
“Rachel’s not my girlfriend.”
Zara looked at him expectantly for a moment before sighing.
“You’re such a liar; you really expect me to believe you’re not attracted to her? That it’s not your baby – even huge as a house, she’s gorgeous!”
He stepped towards her. “Not compared to you,” he said with feeling. His gorilla beat his chest in agreement.
Zara shook her head.
“I’m not kidding,” he murmured as he cupped her chin and forced her to meet his eyes. “You are stubborn and aggravating and grumpy and absolutely sexy as hell. I was a goner from the moment I saw you. I want to skin any other male who dares look at you. I want to bury myself inside you for days. I want to make you scream and beg me for more as you come around my cock.”
Zara blushed. “I already have,” she muttered.
His beast crooned in smug joy.
“If I act like an ass towards you, it’s because I want to keep you safe.”
“You keep saying that…”
A thought struck him. “Cactus flower.”
Her brow wrinkled. “What? Don’t change the subject again.”
“The perfect name for you. You’re as beautiful as a flower and prickly as a cactus. My perfect cactus flower.”
He had been trying for six months to find the perfect endearment for her, and this was it. She was nobody’s sweetheart, definitely not a babe, and could not be any kind of pie – but she was definitely a cactus flower. His cactus flower. Mine, cooed his gorilla.
Her rigid shoulders might have become a little more flexible. “I don’t hate it.”
“I would burn the whole world just to keep you safe.”
She rolled her eyes. “Spare me. Maybe you should put some pants on.”
Holt chuckled and pressed another kiss to her temple before stepping away and grabbing a carton of noodles. At least Rachel had ordered a lot – plenty for them to choose from. Though, he still wished she had not taken the risk.
“Rachel’s my cousin,” he said unconcernedly.
Zara slumped against the fridge with a dazed look for a moment. Woozy from our kiss rumbled his beast. Probably still woozy from the pheromones added the more cynical human part of him. After a few seconds, she snapped to attention.
“What?”
He peered into another carton and whooped as he found kung pow chicken. “She’s my cousin. My Uncle Aleck – he’s her dad.”
Zara’s mouth dropped open. “All this time, you’ve had me thinking that the two of you…”
“I never told you that,” he said with a frown, realizing what she meant. “I never wanted you to think that.”
He certainly hadn’t said that, though, maybe he could understand why she would think it. In the absence of no explanation, Zara had made one up. His gorilla huffed at him for that – no wonder she was mightily peeved all these months.
Zara finally sat down and opened up a takeout carton, gingerly picking at the meat inside. “So why is she here?”
“My uncle’s a dick,” Holt huffed.
“I know; I’ve met him,” she deadpanned.
Zara gave him a significant look and Holt tried not to sigh. Yep, his mate now had first-hand experience of the dickishness of his uncle.
“About three years ago a vampire attacked him.”
“A vampire?”
Zara sucked down some noodles, and Holt took a moment to watch. The sauce seeped over her lips, and one of the noodles slapped her chin. She was too seductive for her own good sometimes. Perhaps he should have grabbed a pair of pants. Lucky the kitchen table was hiding what has happening downstairs.
She gave him a look, prompting him to continue.
“Yes, but my uncle had ripped him off and stole from him – so the attack wasn’t that unexpected. All I knew at the time was that he was dying and then miraculously, he recovered, I didn’t realize the reason until later.
“After that, he was kind of on Rachel all the time to find her mate and have kids. It was strange – she was only just nineteen. But you see, he made this deal with a witch. She saved his life in exchange for…”
Zara held up a finger. “Don’t tell me – the life of his first born son?”
Holt looked at her in surprise. “Yeah, that and a million dollars. You’ve heard of witches doing that?”
“Sor
t of – we were told about it in Magical Sunday school.”
“Magical Sunday school?”
Zara sighed. “My mom wanted me well versed in witchcraft and witch history and well, playing hooky was not an option for her, so I went for about ten years, and I’m pretty knowledgeable on everything witchy. It’s an old, old, old spell. If your uncle was really dying, no witch or warlock could just bring him back from the brink. But some powerful practitioners can swap one life for another.” She took on a moue of distaste. “Used to happen more often that you’d think. But back then, shifters were pretty predatory, and some alphas were willing to give up their sons for saving their own necks.”
His gorilla howled in disgust. The idea of giving up his and Zara’s offspring disgusted him. But even as he thought that, he softened, wondering how many they would have – six sounded like a nice round number. She looked at him curiously, and he quickly banished those thoughts – he’d spring the six babies on her later… after a glass or four of wine. Back to more worrying matters.
“I didn’t know about it at the time, but I accidentally found out when the witch came looking for him. I was at his club, covering for a bartender who called in sick – back when I, you know, loved him like an uncle instead of hating him like an earworm. She was yelling at him - said she was sick of waiting.”
Zara chewed on a piece of chicken. “I take it your uncle only has Rachel.”
Holt nodded his head. “His true mate died about ten years back, he never mated again or had any more kids... as far as I know.” He wasn’t going to pretend that he really knew his uncle at all at this point.
“If I remember my magical lessons correctly, the spell needs the baby to be both male and the product of a union between true mates. Another good thing about being female.”
Holt gave her a look.
“Sorry. So, there’s no way he could give her his own son – so why would she make a deal with him? Why perform the spell at all?”
His beast snarled. “At the club, she was demanding more money and the baby to complete the spell; she said it was taking too long. He said,” Holt swallowed back the vile, “he said he was planning on selling off some assets so he could pay for some mate finder spell for Rachel, Sean and…”
