Without stopping his hard thrusts, he sat up and grabbed hold of her legs, stretching them out like a V. He fucked her hard, staring down at her the entire time, his fingers tight around her ankles, most likely leaving bruises.
She didn’t care. She loved all of it. Emma gave herself up to the sensations, loving the feel of Kyle’s cock powering into her again and again.
Not knowing what else to do, Emma again grabbed the headboard and, unconsciously, licked her lips.
Something inside Kyle must have clicked with that one little move, and she saw his eyes change from human to cat in a split second. She also saw fangs when his lips pulled back over his teeth. And she could feel the tips of claws against her ankles where his fingers kept their tight grip.
Emma didn’t care. Not at all. So she smiled and then she came. Hard. Kyle right behind her. The two of them cried out as the sensations pounded through them, passing from one to the other.
Kyle arched over her, his satisfied groans almost making her come again. Knowing she had the power to give him that kind of satisfaction the greatest aphrodisiac she’d ever known.
This time, instead of dropping on top of her, he dropped off to the side. Immediately his arm went around Emma and pulled her close.
It took them a while to get their breath back, but once they did Kyle asked, “How’s your headache now, darlin’?”
Emma smiled, her lips dragging across his chest where he’d placed her head so she could rest. “Gone.”
“Well, you just let me know anytime you need help with a headache. I’ll be more than happy to help you out.”
“Your selflessness knows no bounds, Deputy.”
“This is very true. I’m all about the giving.”
She snorted into his neck and ignored his mock gasp of indignation, deciding instead to go back to sleep.
Fifteen
“Guys?”
“Back here.”
Emma walked through the living room and dining room of the cabin, into the kitchen, and right out the back door to the porch. Her Coven stood at the railing, staring out at the ocean and the waning moon above it.
Jamie glanced at her briefly before turning back. “Beautiful, huh?”
“Gorgeous.”
“So?” Jamie smirked. “Have a good night?”
“Yup.”
“Where is the fine deputy, anyway?”
“Out front. Talking to Tully. I guess Tully’s here for our answer?”
“Probably.”
Seneca grinned. “Did you guys spend all day together?”
“Yup.”
“You guys have to see this man,” Jamie informed them. “He’s gorgeous.”
Emma stood next to her high priestess. “Do you really think so?”
“Oh, yeah. I mean…gorgeous.”
“I’m so glad you think he’s gorgeous, Jamie. That means so much to me.”
Jamie frowned. “Are you being sarcastic?”
“Very.” Emma grabbed Jamie’s upper arm, yanked her down, and proceeded to slap the back of her head.
“Hey! Hey!” Jamie pulled away and when Emma advanced on her, she grabbed hold of Seneca and held the much smaller woman up in front of her. “You wouldn’t hit me while I’m holding Sen, would you?”
“Wait a second! How did I get in the middle of this?”
“Mac’s way too big to grab.”
“How could you leave me like that?” Emma demanded. “You got me drunk and you left me with a complete stranger.”
“What are you talking about?” Jamie peeked around a struggling Sen. “You’re crazy about the guy.”
“I know that. But you don’t know him. You’re not supposed to get your friends drunk and leave them to the mercy of guys you don’t know. Didn’t you learn anything in college?”
“Look, I was just trying to help a sista out. If we left it up to you, you would have run back to Long Island. Besides, I gave him the Meacham once-over,” she laughed.
Emma stalked toward her, but Jamie kept a tight grip on poor Seneca. As it was, Emma was only sort of angry to begin with, but when Jamie started imitating Sen’s voice and begged, “Please, don’t hurt Jamie. She’s weak and fragile,” all Emma could do was laugh with the rest of her Coven.
“You’re an idiot.”
“I thought we established this long ago?” Jamie placed Sen on her feet.
“Never do that to me again,” Emma warned as she leaned against the rail.
Mac turned to her cousin. “So what’s the plan, cuz? Are we staying or going?”
“I don’t want to live in the South,” Kenny argued.
Jamie patted her shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll get used to phrases like ‘Down the road a piece’ and ‘What are y’all up to?’”
Kenny’s head fell forward in defeat.
Putting her arm around her shoulders, Mac gave the woman a brief hug. “Come on, sweetie. It won’t be that bad.”
“All I’m saying is—Jews in the South. Bad idea, in my opinion.”
Mac chuckled. “And when was the last time you were in a synagogue?”
“The day the rabbi told me to get out because I was pure evil. I swear, you ask one little question. But that’s not the point. I don’t think we belong here.”
Jamie gave a harsh laugh. “Sweetie, I don’t think we belong anywhere else. There’s nowhere else in the world where we fit. And for once, we’re not the biggest freaks, which is a nice change of pace.”
Mac nodded. “Now there’s a goal.”
Kenny gave one last-ditch effort. “But our lives are in New York.”
“This is true,” Jamie agreed. “And what lives we have, huh? I could go back and be shot at some more, ’cause that’s always fun. Mac can go back to risking her life dancing with flame, because I hope to bury my cousin before I’m forty. And, of course, we both get paid so well as civil servants. Sen can go back to her fun-filled waitress job and get her ass pinched by strange old men with Mafia connections. Emma could give up the prime bit of meat I dropped her off with last night to return to her exciting life as an accountant for divorce lawyers in Merrick. And, of course, there’s you, who never leaves your house anyway.”
“But I don’t leave my house in New York.”
Mac rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. “In or out, Ken? In or out? Make up your mind.”
Kenny started to say something when she caught sight of Seneca grinning up at her. Her eyes narrowed.
“And,” Jamie quickly added, “don’t not do it to get even.”
Ken gritted her teeth. “Fine. I’m in.” Seneca squealed and threw her arms around Kenny’s shoulders. “Hugging! I thought we discussed the hugging?”
Emma gently pulled Sen off Kendall and allowed her to put her arm around her shoulders instead.
Jamie nodded. “Then it’s decided. We’re in.”
They fell silent and stared out at the beach, each lost in her own thought or worry or daydream. They remained silent and unmoving for so long, a small family of deer wandered by.
Mac sighed in wonder. “My God, guys. Look at the beauty of this place.”
“The beauty of nature, ladies,” Jamie added. “Enjoy the wonder that is the power of the gods.”
They did. Until the deer suddenly scampered off and a zebra came charging out of the woods, three female lions hot on its hooves. Unfortunately for the zebra, it didn’t realize they’d herded it right toward three other female lions. These were bigger and appeared more powerful. They came tearing out of trees on the opposite end of the beach and closed in on the defenseless animal. The Coven watched as the zebra made a wild turn, trying to outrun the lions, but it didn’t stand a chance. One of the bigger ones slammed her paws into its rear flank, sending it tumbling forward. Another large one tackled the zebra, rolling with the white and black striped animal until she could get her maw around its throat. She turned over again and held the zebra in her jaws while hooves kicked out and the poor thing made pained whimpering s
ounds. Eventually its movements slowed down. It wasn’t quite dead, though, when the lions took hold and started tearing it open so they could get to the good stuff inside.
The Coven watched in horror while the lions ate and fought over the carcass right in front of their porch. They watched until the big cats suddenly became aware of them, stopping their feeding frenzy to look up at the women, their gold fur–covered faces soaked in blood. The two groups stared at each other for nearly a minute.
Then one of the lions roared.
As one, Emma and her sisters screamed and charged back into the cabin, Mac and Jamie slamming the door behind them.
Panting and trying not to run back to New York in her bare feet, Emma glanced up and found Kyle and Tully leaning against the counter. The men had discovered the leftovers from Mac’s meal the night before and had plates piled high with food they were busily devouring.
With those eyes only the residents of Smithville seemed to have, they stared at Emma’s Coven, and the Coven stared back.
“I tell ya, little brother,” Tully finally said as he headed off to the dining room with his food, “I’m feelin’ safer already.”
Emma only had a second to catch Kyle’s wink before she had to slap her hand over Jamie’s mouth to prevent the woman from finishing the spell that would turn Tully Smith into a poodle.
Epilogue
Five months later…
Shaking her head, Emma walked out of the inn and onto the porch. She couldn’t take it anymore. The incessant fighting. The constant complaining. It was making her nuts.
“Couldn’t take it anymore, huh?”
Emma glanced over at her Coven. They sat on the porch of the main building, Jamie and Kendall in chairs, Mac on the porch rail. Only Seneca remained inside, busy checking in a couple of good old boys who had Jamie practically squirming. Emma had to admit, she’d never—ever—seen so many hot guys in one place. Shifters were literally and figuratively a breed unto themselves.
Still, she knew she had the best of the bunch…even when he was being irritating.
Emma rolled her eyes as the snarling in the house became louder.
“You sure they aren’t related?” Kendall asked. She motioned to Jamie and Mac. “They fight like these two.”
“Some days I wonder.” Bodies hit the screen door and Emma stepped aside seconds before a giant ball of snarling, snapping fur bounced out onto the porch and rolled down the steps.
Impassively, they all watched as Kyle and Tully tore into each other. Emma didn’t even wince anymore. Their constant arguing, which led to bloodletting, had become as common to her as having a warm body next to her every night. Of course, she enjoyed one way more than the other.
When the pair disappeared into the woods, Emma let out a sigh. “I’m going home.”
“Any plans for the night?” Jamie asked.
“Long hot shower and television. Kyle’s huntin’ tonight.”
“Bet you never thought you’d hear yourself say that about a boyfriend, huh?”
Emma laughed. “I never thought I’d say anything about a boyfriend, period. Oh, by the way, there’s a barbecue this weekend at Kyle’s mother’s house if you guys want to—”
As usual, they couldn’t say no fast enough. They were never mean about it—even Kenny—they simply hadn’t found their place in Smithville yet. Emma, knowing exactly how it felt not to belong, didn’t push. She knew in their own time, these women would find their place. Besides, Seneca made up for the rest of them. Especially with the Smithville males. They absolutely adored her. In fact, Sen knew about the weekend barbecue before Kyle did.
Emma turned to go, but Sen’s startled squeal from inside the inn had the women quickly moving toward the front door. Sen stumbled out, pushing the Coven back. A moment later, two enormous tigers—at least five hundred pounds each—came tearing out of the inn, down the porch stairs, and into the woods.
Emma put her arm around Sen’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“I just have to get used to them…changing in the middle of the inn like that.”
“They call it shifting,” Jamie said with a smile, straddling the porch rail with her long legs.
“Well, whatever.” Sen gave a brave smile. “I’ll be fine. I just find all this so exciting!”
Kenny, her feet up on the porch rail as she relaxed back against the lounger, waited until Sen was stepping back into the inn. Then, an evil grin on her face, she tossed out, “That shipment of gazelles came in earlier. Lots of little baby ones. Real ripe…and juicy.”
Sen’s hand slapped against the door frame. “I hate you,” she hissed before storming back into the front lobby.
Jamie shook her head. “You’re going back to hell, Ken. And this time…they’ll keep you.”
Laughing, Emma walked down the steps. “See you guys later.”
“Night, Em,” they called after her.
Heading toward her new car—a cherry red Jeep Cherokee Kyle fucked her in the night she bought it—Emma passed a male lion ambling out of the woods.
“Hi, Dr. Sahara!” she called out cheerfully.
He roared back in greeting and kept going. She’d stopped screaming and running at the sight of him nearly two months ago, which made her very proud.
Yeah, life in Smithville wasn’t exactly normal, but she couldn’t say it wasn’t fun, either.
After beating Tully into the ground, Kyle made it home in record time. He’d planned to go hunting with Tully and his Pack, but he realized he’d rather go home and see his Emma. But she hadn’t gotten back yet from the inn, so he climbed his favorite tree and lay out on one of the lower branches so he could lick the wounds Tully gave him.
That didn’t take long and he was just drifting off to sleep when the shades in his bedroom opened up. It was dark now, and he could easily see inside his well-lit house. And he got the feeling Emma knew that.
Especially when she started to take her clothes off…slowly.
Lord, he absolutely loved that woman. True, all that witch stuff took some getting used to. Especially when she came home the last full moon bruised like she’d been in a fight. She wouldn’t tell him what had happened and then never gave him a chance to force the issue. Instead she practically threw him on the dining-room table and had her dirty, horny way with him. She was always so horny after “spellcasting,” as she called it. Hungry and horny.
Whatever. It didn’t matter. He loved it. Besides, Emma didn’t flaunt that side of her life. It was simply part of her, and he loved it like he loved her. Of course, Kyle was on his own for Sunday church, but his momma had learned to let that go.
Funny thing was, Emma still hadn’t “officially” moved in. She’d taken one of the houses on the resort property, yet she hadn’t even unpacked the boxes she brought back from New York, where Kyle had met her less-than-friendly family. Instead she spent every night in his house and called it “home.”
Must be some human thing. She kept saying they had to get to know each other better before moving in together. But Kyle knew all he needed to know. She smelled good. She tasted even better. And she made him laugh. The cat was content, and that’s all the cat needed to know.
What he hadn’t mentioned to her was that he’d slowly started moving her stuff into his house. She wanted to read the newspaper, and it took her a second to realize she’d turned on her own lamp on his end table by the couch. The drawers he gave her for clothes kept getting fuller. Same thing with her closet. And if she grabbed another book off the bookshelf and exclaimed, “Hey! I have this book,” one more time…he was gonna laugh at her. And she really hated when he laughed at her.
Kyle watched as she worked her way down to her white lace bra and matching panties that hugged her ass like a tight pair of boy’s shorts. He loved when she wore those. She turned her back to him and unlatched the front clasp, slowly pulling the bra off. My shy little Emma, he thought with a laugh that came out as a bark.
Her thumbs hooked into the top of h
er panties and she bent over to slowly lower them. Kyle groaned, enjoying every second of it. Then, without even glancing out the window, she headed off to the bathroom.
Kyle stood up and made a wild leap from the tree branch. He slammed against the side of his house, his claws digging into the wood. Reaching out, he latched hold of the windowsill, pulling himself over. Pushing his paw through the small opening between the window and the sill, Kyle forced the window open enough so he could wiggle his big body through it. Landing silently on the floor, he walked to the bathroom. He could hear the water running and smell Emma’s scent mingling with the steam. Purring low, he nudged the door open with his muzzle and entered. He could see her on the other side of the glass door as she soaped her gorgeous little body, and his mouth watered.
The shower door opened out, and as leopard he had no thumbs, so he stood on his hind legs and slapped his front paws against the glass. She turned and looked at him.
“You want something, pretty kitty?”
He roared impatiently and scratched at the glass, leaving marks.
“Okay. Okay. Calm yourself.” She laughed as she opened the door and he leaped inside. She stood directly under the spray while he wound his long body around her legs. He licked the back of her knees, and she giggled. “Stop that!”
With one last nuzzle against her thigh, Kyle shifted from cat to man.
She smiled up at him, and his hard cat heart melted while his hard-on doubled in size.
“I’m glad you’re home,” she said softly.
He pushed her hair out of her face. “Me, too, darlin’.”
With a bar of soap and her soft hands, she started to clean him off. He closed his eyes and let her have her dirty way with him, enjoying it all. Until she took firm hold of his cock, and his knees almost gave out.
“Did that hurt?”
“What?” he gasped out as her hand ran down the length of him.
“Those rips you have on your arm from fighting with Tully.”
Kyle glanced down and saw the scratches on his forearm. He wouldn’t exactly call them “rips,” but he liked that she worried about him. Especially when stroking his cock while she worried.
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