The Raven's Kill

by Ella Grey

  Her head spun. "You know what I am?"

  Patrick nodded as they hit the bottom step and ended up in a dimly lit room the residences of the church used for storage. She scanned the room for weapons, but the boxes wouldn't make much of an impact. A quick tug and she spun across the room and hit the wall with a thud. All she saw were stars as her head connected with the solid brick wall. "Your mother was one as well; a seer, but even she didn't know what would happen to them or their precious daughter. A seer can't see their death."

  Cassandra blinked away the tears and caught sight of Patrick reaching into his jacket and pulling out a gun. Something moved behind him. "No, wait...please Patrick. You don't have to do this."

  He laughed. "Do you honestly think I believe you won't go to the police? Now that you know I'm the one behind your parent’s little accident?"

  She shook her head. She raised her hands and backed away. "Lock me up down here. You said it yourself; the church is empty for the next few days. By the time they find me, you'll be long gone. You don't need more blood on your hands."

  For a second it looked like he was considering it, the gun wavered slightly, but Cassandra's heart dropped as it steadied and a look of steel determination entered his eyes. "No, you're a freak of nature, Cassandra. I'd be doing the world a favour by taking you out of it."

  He raised the gun and Raven moved out from the shadows behind him. Cassandra's eyes widened in surprise, she'd seen movement but hadn't thought it was him.

  "I don't know, I like her uniqueness."

  Patrick jumped as Raven stepped towards him. Her ex-fiancé darted forward and grabbed her roughly around the shoulders, using her as a shield. The steel barrel of the gun cold against her skin and pressed hard enough against her skull that if he fired, she wouldn't feel it. The man who decided to spare her life instead of taking it looked ready to kill Patrick.

  "Let her go."

  She yelped as Patrick dug his fingers hard into her skin. If she survived, she'd have bruises in the morning. She was close enough she felt the faint tremble in Patrick's body. He was scared and he had every right to be. A hired killer over a lawyer, no doubt who would win a fight between them. "Why couldn't you just finish the job?" He yelled the words. "This is entirely your fault, you're all freaks. You all deserve to die."

  As he ranted and raved behind her, Cassandra whispered a silent prayer, closed her eyes, and stamped down hard on Patrick's foot. His grip on her loosened enough for her to tear herself free and dart forward, not thinking about the gun. Raven moved in a blur of shadow. There were a muffled sound and an audible snap that echoed around the tiny room.

  She closed her eyes, her head resting in her hands, curled up in a ball. If she hadn't left Raven a message, she would be dead right now. There was a gentle hand on her shoulder and her dark protector knelt in front of her, she threw her arms over his shoulders and held him tight. Her tears soaked his shirt as he gently rubbed her back, whispering words that made little sense but brought her comfort none the less.

  Chapter Six

  As soon as they were back at the clock tower, Raven called Nicolai to sort out the remains. The man was good enough at his job that no one would find Patrick's body. He'd carried Cassandra upstairs and laid her down on the couch. She stopped crying, but the look on her face was still heartbreaking to see. Did she hate him for killing Patrick? It hadn't been a hard decision to make, as soon as he saw the gun, he knew the man's days were numbered. Nobody threatened his life-mate and lived to walk away.

  It was the only explanation that made sense. The reason he couldn't kill her and why the thought of losing her, even if he didn't know her, made him feel physically ill. Most ravens never found their mate and never wished to. Their lives were dangerous at the best of times. It wasn't a world safe for a mate or any children.

  Raven busied himself in the kitchen, unsure about how to comfort her. Apart of him wanted to go to the couch, to pull her into his arms and kiss away her fears. Instead of doing all of that, he made coffee and brought it to her.

  "Are you okay? Do you want to see a doctor?"

  She shook her head and looked up at him, that stare held him still. "Thank you, for saving my life. When did you find out it was Patrick?"

  He quickly explained he'd found a picture when looking through her file. "You don't have to worry anymore. I heard Patrick tell you about being a seer and he was right. It's even in your notes when your birthday comes next month, you'll gain more control over them."

  "So I can have a normal life?"

  "Yes." Without me, he added silently. There was no way her life would be normal with him. He might resemble a human man, but he wasn't, he wasn't even close as a creature of magic.

  As if she read his thoughts, she picked up his hand, lacing her fingers through his. "And what about you, what will you do now?"

  The warmth from her fingers slowly travelled through him. "I don't know," he answered honestly, his breath caught as she brought his hand to her lips and kissed the knuckles. "What are you doing?"

  "I always knew something was wrong with Patrick. I didn't know what precisely, but he offered me something I thought I needed at the time, stability. Then there was you. My reaction to you, I've never felt anything like it before. What is it called? It must have a word."

  Awareness swept over him, he grew hard as her lips trailed across his skin. "Ravens call it Life-mate. The person I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with. The other half that makes me complete. I feel it too. I've never wanted anyone as much as I want you."

  "Raven..." The words left her in a whisper and he captured her lips in a searing kiss that shook his very soul. A moan escaped her as she dropped his hand and scooted into his lap. They had never been that close before. He knew she felt every part of him, that there was no way she could miss the fact, he was painfully hard for her. Her hands were at the bottom of his T-shirt pulling it up and over his head. Cool air caressed his hot body and he broke the kiss, long enough to pull her top off and kiss her breast over the white lace.

  He trailed his hands up and down her back, before pulling her closer. It wasn't enough. He needed to be inside of her, that warm wetness that meant he'd finally found a home. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he guided them to his bedroom, not breaking the kiss as he lowered them both on the soft mattress.

  Working his way down the line of her body, kissing the soft round curve of her belly, he unbuttoned her jeans and tugged them and her pants off with one swift motion. Cassandra watched him with dark eyes. Raven had never thought he'd be blessed with finding his life-mate. Even if those feelings were mixed.

  Slowly he unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them off, kicking them aside. Thankful, he was free of the confining material. He lay on the bed next to her tracing a path from her hip to her breast and laced his fingers through her hair. "There will be no one else, but you, Cassandra." He pulled her leg over his hip and brushed his fingers against the wetness between her legs. He bit back a groan.

  ***

  He was the most beautiful man Cassandra had ever met and even if her life was complicated and always would be, the fact she had him, brought her peace. She rolled until she was on top and reached down between them, with one hand she brushed his hardness, against her and rolled her hips, giving him the briefest access, but refusing him complete entry. His eyes flickered shut under her sweet teasing, letting her torment him. She jerked forward as he hit the cluster of nerves that had her crying out.

  With the gentle press of his hands on her back, she brought her breasts close enough to his lips that he could taste her; a swirl of his tongue left her nipples red, puckered, and wet. She nearly collapsed the rest of the way, only her hands stopped her.

  "You don't control this, my little seer. I do." She snapped her eyes open as Raven grabbed her hips and slammed the rest of the way inside of her. It felt so good as he worked her body up and down his hard length, stretching her inner walls until it was a snug fit. It should have h
urt, but it didn't, the sharp edge of pain blossoming into something warmer, hotter, and wetter in an instance. "Sit up, I want to see myself disappearing into you."

  Cassandra felt boneless, but followed his instructions, his husky voice turned her on and she leaned back holding onto his thighs. A quick push had her spiralling out of control, stars swam in front of her eyes as she cried out, riding him into oblivion. The thrusts became frantic, prolonging her orgasm until tears streaked her cheeks. She didn't know it could feel like this. That she would enjoy losing control.

  ***

  She was driving him mad. The way her breasts moved as he pushed his hard length into her, his hands on her hips. The sweetest cries of pleasure came from her. All of them had him hovering over the brink of insanity. It was insanity and one that he would gladly endure for one more moment in her arms.

  He didn't worry about the future. There was no point; being in love with a seer meant soon she would know what their future held. Maybe that would be enough to keep them safe. He gently moved her onto her back, still buried deep inside of her before he pulled out, slipped a condom on and pushed back home. There was no way he'd be able to hold off for much longer, but they had a lifetime ahead of them to dance more than once.

  Her eyes flickered open and a smile played across her lips as if she'd read his thoughts. Raven drew out only to thrust back into her, hard enough to steal her breath and for the desire to come to life in her eyes again, the awareness that they were far from over.

  "Oh, Raven."

  The way she cried out his name was all he needed to fall over the edge with her. The pressure built inside of him and he cried out her name. Cassandra fell against him and he ran his fingers through her blonde curls as he caught his breath. A part of him realized it should have been awkward, only a few short hours ago she'd been engaged even if it had been a plot on Patrick's side to get close to her and closer to the whatever treasure he thought was under the mansion.

  Everything had changed though. Their lives wouldn't be simple, but nothing worth it was. He moved onto his side with her still pressed against him. "Are you okay?" He whispered the words against the crook of her neck.

  "I don't regret it if that's your roundabout way of asking me?"

  A laugh escaped him. "You've been through a lot. I guess I was worried that finding out that you're my life-mate might be too much. The straw that broke the camel's back so to speak."

  Cassandra moved away from him, his beautiful seer. "I'm a lot stronger than I look, but it's you. It's like I can feel your strength and I don't feel afraid."

  Her words touched him like fingers, gentle, soft, and beautiful. Raven had never thought himself worthy of such love, especially since his life was so ugly. He didn't want to taint her with his darkness but there was a give and take, maybe he would gain some of her light? He would have to protect her from the darkness in the world. It was a task he'd do gladly.

  He swallowed around the lump in his throat. "We’ll face it together.”