“Really?”
“Yes, really,” I insisted before pressing a kiss against her forehead.
“Huh. I never thought I’d say this, but I kinda like when you kiss me there. It’s sweet.” She sounded surprised and was just so fucking adorable that I just had to brush my lips over the same spot again.
“Sweet, huh?”
Her long lashes fluttered as she blinked up at me. “Yeah, but in a sexy way because it’s you.”
“Fuck,” I groaned, resting my head against hers and trying to ignore how badly I wanted to devour her with my mouth, fingers, and dick.
“That might be taking it a little too far for today, but how about you give me a kiss on the lips, and we’ll see if I like it just as much.”
It was all of the encouragement I needed to slam my mouth down over hers. Twining her arms around my neck, she melted against me. When she let out a little sigh of approval, I took advantage of the opportunity to sweep my tongue into her mouth and tangle it with hers. A deep moan rumbled up my chest in reaction to how perfectly our mouths fit together, like we were made for each other.
I kissed her until her lips were red and swollen, but I still didn’t want the moment to end. After I tore my mouth away from hers, I nibbled on her pouty bottom lip and placed wet, open-mouthed kisses along her jaw. “How’d I do?” I whispered into her ear.
“That was way better than when you kissed me on the forehead.”
Damn straight it was, but I planned to give her plenty of both kind of kisses from now on.
Chapter Ten
Opal
Warren had been true to his promise for the past week, spending all of his free time with me. And some of his work time, too. When he first asked me to join him at a business meeting, I’d told him that he didn’t need to go that far and I’d be okay on my own while he was busy. But he’d surprised me by insisting that he hadn’t made the offer just because he didn’t want me to be bored. It turned out that he actually needed the help since he and his mom owned quite a bit of real estate in Ashburn and the surrounding area.
Everyone in town seemed to have taken my presence at Warren’s side in stride, so I hadn’t been worried about being formally introduced to the Ainsley coven as his consort tonight. I expected the people who were closest to him to treat me at least as well as those he did business with, and I’d been right—with one exception.
“So this is the little witch I’ve been hearing so much about since I got back into town yesterday.” The tall woman with long blond hair and ice-blue eyes had just approached Warren and me and barely spared a glance in my direction as she talked about me like I wasn’t standing there.
“Hello, Victoria.” Warren’s tone was a bit cool as he introduced me. “Yes, this is Opal, my consort.”
“Congratulations on finding her. What a lucky coincidence it is that her car broke down in Ashburn so you two could meet.”
Judging by how Warren tensed next to me, he believed she was happy for us about as much as I did. Then again, it was hard to miss the way her upper lip curled when she mentioned the car troubles that had brought me here.
“What can I say?” Warren brushed his lips against the side of my head. “Fate has been good to me.”
“Fate. Coincidence.” Victoria slashed her hand through the air. “Same thing.”
“Not according to everything we’re taught about the Goddess as children,” someone muttered behind me.
Victoria shot a glare over my shoulder before offering me an insincere smile. “Well, I’m sure she’ll make a...lovely addition to our coven.”
I didn’t like how this woman was staring down her nose at me, both literally and figuratively. She was taller than me, but so were most of the people Warren had just introduced me to. None of them had looked at me with the same air of condescension, though.
I couldn’t figure out why she seemed to dislike me on sight. I didn’t get a scorned ex vibe from her, and she wasn’t looking at Warren like she wanted to rip his clothes off. I’d come into this gathering tonight not wanting to make waves since I was the new kid on the block, but that didn’t mean I was going to let her make me feel uncomfortable without calling her on it.
I learned early on in life not to take shit from anyone, and I wasn’t going to start now just because I was new to the Ainsley coven. “Do you have a problem with me, or are you always this bitchy to people you’ve just met?”
Any concern I might’ve had about pissing Warren off by being confrontational to a member of his coven disappeared when he slid his arm around my back and chuckled softly.
“I’m not trying to be a bitch,” she protested.
When Victoria looked at Warren as though she expected him to agree with her, it pissed me off more. “Yeah, you are.”
“Fine, maybe I am. But I can’t possibly be the only person who wants to know if you’re qualified to help lead our coven,” Victoria argued, her gaze scanning the crowd in search of support but finding none.
“Tsk tsk, Victoria. I never thought I’d see the day when you’d let petty jealousies get the better of you,” one of the younger witches I’d met earlier admonished.
“I’m not jealous of her!” Victoria practically shrieked.
“Sure you are,” Mabel chimed in. Her husband, Lou, nodded in agreement.
“Why in the world would I be jealous of an untrained witch? I’m the coven’s maiden and the third most powerful witch in this coven, for Goddess’s sake!” Victoria argued.
Rowenna moved to my side, her hand wrapping around mine in a gesture of support. “Which is why you feel threatened by Opal. Because you can sense how powerful she’ll be once she’s finished her training, and you’re worried that she’ll be more than the high priest’s consort. That she’ll take your place as the coven’s maiden, too.”
“I—I—” Victoria sputtered. “It’s not that! I swear!”
Rowenna shook her head sadly. “I’m disappointed in you, Victoria. When you took on the role of my second in command almost a decade ago, I thought you understood that there was no guarantee that you’d keep it forever. The coven’s maiden role belongs to the next strongest witch after the high priest, and I have a feeling that’ll be Opal someday soon.”
Murmurs of agreement echoed around us, and I started to feel a little bad for Victoria. I didn’t fully understand how coven politics worked, but I never wanted to make someone feel like they were unwanted. “Things are new between Warren and me, and I’m totally new to the world of witches, magic, and covens. I’m in no rush to take on anything new at the moment.”
Victoria shifted her attention back to me and held my gaze as she said, “I get why everyone might think that I’m worried about losing the maiden position to you. I’ve had it for so long, and I love giving back to the coven in my current role. But I’ll be happy to hand the torch off to you when the time comes.”
There was no mistaking the sincerity in her blue eyes, and I softened further towards her. “Maybe it would help if you explained what’s bothering you.”
“I’ve searched the world over, but I haven’t been able to find my consort,” she admitted softly, a lone tear spilling down her cheek. “I shouldn’t have taken my frustration out on you just because you were lucky enough to stumble across Warren before you knew what a consort was. I’m sorry.”
It had to be incredibly difficult to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was a person out there fated to be yours, but also to understand that no matter how powerful your magic was you still might never find them. “You never know; maybe the way Warren and I met is a sign that the rest of the unmatched witches in the coven will find their consorts sooner rather than later.”
It must’ve been the right thing to say because Victoria’s lips tilted up, and her eyes filled with hope. “Maybe. Stranger things have happened, that’s for sure.”
“Tell me about it,” I chuckled.
The tension in the room broke, and everyone went back to their own conv
ersations.
“You handled that beautifully,” Rowenna complimented before wandering off and leaving Warren and I standing alone.
“You’re amazing. You know that, right?”
I tilted my head back and found Warren’s bright green eyes locked on my face, filled with something I’d never really seen before when anyone else looked at me—pride. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
That was an understatement. A major one since he’d just given me his unconditional support. It was a heady feeling, having someone in my life who truly cared about me and wasn’t afraid to show it...even more so than being able to work magic.
Chapter Eleven
Warren
I quickly discovered that my mom hadn’t been exaggerating the degree of Opal’s powers. I was in awe of how swiftly she moved through each of the lessons my mom arranged for her. We’d also started working on one of the more complicated fire spells in the book my mom had given her, just the two of us. Or really, it was more a case of me watching her work through it because the skill level needed to complete that particular spell was well past what I could do with fire magic.
It’d only taken her two nights to master it, and she was already showing off for my mom.
“Oh, my goddess.” My mom’s eyes were riveted on the ceiling, where Opal’s fire danced in the shape of a dragon—weaving left to right in an intricate pattern, without leaving a mark on the pristine white paint. “How are you doing this already? It shouldn’t be possible yet.”
Opal ended the spell, and the flames disappeared. She grinned at my mom as she explained, “It’s the last spell in the book. I probably shouldn’t have skipped ahead like that, but I couldn’t get it out of my head ever since I first skimmed the book when you gave it to me.”
“If you can figure out a spell like this one all on your own with only that book to guide you, then there isn’t much else I can teach you about fire magic. And you’ve already mastered all of the basics that witches learn before they discover their affinity.” My mom looked at me with a question in her eyes. “Maybe we should ask Damien to come help with her training. I’m sure he has time since things have been fairly calm with the Council of Four. And it’s not like he has a mate keeping him at home, right? Plus, I think he and Opal would get along great.”
My head jerked back at her suggestion, and I was glaring at her when Opal asked, “Who’s Damien? Is he a super-powerful fire warlock from another coven?”
“He’s a dragon shifter,” my mom answered with a sly grin in my direction. Opal might not have noticed my scowl, but my mom hadn’t missed it. She knew exactly what kind of reaction her idea had sparked in me.
“A dragon shifter?” Opal exclaimed, her blue eyes widening in delight. “Like the one from when the prophecy started?”
“Yes, he was Damien’s great-uncle,” my mom added.
“Ooh, that’s pretty cool! I’ve never met anyone connected to a prophecy before.” Opal clapped her hands together in excitement. “Is asking him for help really an option? If so, I vote yes.”
I wanted to bang my head against a wall when my mom agreed. “Me, too.”
Opal finally noticed the irritated expression on my face and backtracked a little. “I don’t know. Maybe it isn’t the best idea. What kind of help can a dragon shifter give me, anyway? It’s not like the guy is a powerful fire warlock. Maybe we could just find one of those to help out instead.”
“The dragons were the only shifters who kept a foot in both worlds before the prophecy was fulfilled. They couldn’t deny either half of their nature. They’re shifters, but they also have magic of their own,” I begrudgingly explained.
“Let me guess.” Opal conjured up a flame in the palm of her hand. “They have fire magic.”
“Yes, indeed,” my mom confirmed with a grin. “Well, I just stopped in so you could show me your newest spell, and now I must be off. I’ll let you two decide if we should give Damien a call.”
“Gee. Thanks, Mom,” I drawled sarcastically.
I wasn’t sure what she had been thinking, pushing my buttons like that. Not until she rose up on her toes and whispered, “There’s slow, and then there’s molasses. I figured a little nudge from some good, old-fashioned jealousy might be the trick to getting grandbabies sometime this century.”
By bringing up an unmated dragon shifter and talking about how well he’d get along with my consort—who I’d only kissed so far—it hadn’t just given me a nudge. It’d lit a possessive fire in me that only one thing would put out...making Opal mine. If I didn’t get her in my bed soon, I swore I was going to lose my mind.
“So, what’s the beef between you and the dragon shifter?” Opal asked as my mom shut the front door behind her as she left. “He must’ve done something horrible for you to dislike him so much.”
“It’s not that I dislike him as a person.” I prowled towards her and yanked her against my body. “I just don’t want him around my woman.”
“Your woman, huh?” Opal quirked a brow as she grinned up at me. “Do you consider me yours because I’m your consort?”
“No, I consider you mine because that’s exactly what you are,” I growled. “And I don’t like the thought of you spending hours alone with another man, even if it’s so he can teach you more fire magic.”
“I should probably yell at you for being too possessive, but it kind of gets me hot when you go all caveman on me.” She twined her arms around my neck, pressing her body closer to mine. “And since I’m a fire witch, I really like the heat.”
“Then how about I give you as much heat as you can handle?” I suggested, sweeping her into my arms and carrying her up the stairs to my bedroom. After tossing her onto the mattress, I started to strip out of my clothes. When I heard a loud whoosh noise, my head jerked up. Opal was already naked; without a stitch of the clothing she’d been wearing in sight. “How in the hell did you manage that?”
She mumbled a spell under her breath, her blue eyes glowing bright as she stared at my unbuttoned shirt and pants. Then she waved her hand in my direction, and everything I was wearing went up in flames. None of the fire touched my skin, and I had no idea how she’d managed it. But that was a question for another day since Opal and I were naked in my bedroom. I had more important things to focus on—like how many times I could make her scream my name.
I couldn’t wait to sink my cock into her tight hole, but I wanted to taste her sweet pussy first. Crawling towards her on the bed, I wrapped my palms around her ankles and spread her legs. Then I nibbled my way up her inner thighs until I wedged my shoulders between them.
“You’re so fucking beautiful, baby,” I whispered as I looked up at her face from my position between her legs. With my eyes locked on hers, I lowered my head and licked her pussy from bottom to top. “And you taste even sweeter than I expected.”
I nibbled and sucked at her pussy, working her over until she was begging me to let her come. “Warren, please. Oh, fuck! I’m so close!”
Deciding I’d teased her enough, I sunk two of my fingers in her tight little hole. Her walls clenched around them, and I whispered, “That’s right, baby. I want to hear every single sound you make as you fly apart for me.”
Her hips jerked up to meet the thrust of my fingers, and her eyes went hazy with need. “Yes! I’ m—oh, fuck! I’m going to come, Warren!”
I curled my fingers up to reach her G-spot and wrapped my lips around her clit. Her entire body tightened before she screamed my name again as she flew over the edge.
“You’re mine, Opal. Always and forever,” I swore as I drove into her with one powerful thrust. “Do you feel it, too? How perfect we are for each other?”
“Yes,” she gasped.
“Tell me you’re mine,” I demanded. “I need to hear it.”
Her hands drifted up my back, coming to a rest at my shoulders. Her nails dug into my skin as she said, “I’m yours.”
I went wild, slamming my cock into her, over and over again.
Driven by a need to go even deeper, I lifted her hips and wrapped her legs around my waist. But I never stopped pounding into her. Not until I felt her pussy flutter around my cock, and I knew she was close again. Only then did I plant myself deep and grunt, “Give it to me, baby. Come for me before I fill your pussy so full of my come, it’ll spill out.”
My command threw her over the edge, and I pulled out one last time before driving back in and exploding inside her. Only when my balls were empty did I roll to the side and pull her body on top of me.
The goddess had always intended for Opal to be mine. She was finally right where she was supposed to be...and we might’ve even given my mom that grandbaby she’d always wanted.
Chapter Twelve
Opal
“Are you sure you want to go into town?” Warren snuggled against my back and trailed his lips down my neck. “Before you go to the diner for a slice of pie, maybe I should get my fill of your—”
I reached back and slapped my hand over his mouth before he could finish that sentence. I knew exactly where he was going with the pie reference, and it didn’t need to be said. “You already got a taste of it last night. And again this morning.”
He playfully nipped at my fingers until I lifted my hand. Giving me a puppy-dog look, he complained, “But that was hours ago.”
“Stop,” I giggled, shaking my head. “I’ve been in the mood for apple pie for days now, and we both know it won’t take much for you to keep me here. By the time I finally make it to the diner, I’ll want the whole damn pie.”
Warren wagged his brows. “Yeah, but by then you’ll have burned off so many calories with me that you won’t even care.”
The Empress: A Cards of Love Story Page 5
