by Celeste Raye
He settled into bed next to her and got underneath the covers. Broch did not want to make her more uncomfortable than she already was, so he kept a good distance.
“Are you going to sleep in that tonight?”
Cira still had the towel wrapped around her tightly, and then there was one on her hair. He helped tug the one from her hair and started to run his fingers through it.
“You have beautiful hair, Cira. I didn't really play with it in the shower. My mind was focused on other things. That is not how I usually am.”
Cira sort of nodded her head, but then said nothing else. The more he played with her hair, the more relaxed she became. All of the worry and fear that had been mucking her mind was gone. It was quite obvious what she was worried about, but it just happened in the shower. His body was raging for more, but he wasn’t going to be able to have any. Once she went to sleep, Broch went out of the room to track down the witches that came to his aid. He wanted to thank them properly, as well as get as much information as he could. He needed to know more about what happened to his clan, and they would know. Cira would know as well, but she was down for the night.
The last thought made him smile as he got up, got dressed, and left the room. Broch was on a fact-finding mission. He was also trying to give himself some time and space. If he was lying next to Cira right now, there was only one thing that was going to be on his mind—and Cira wasn’t ready.
“Connie, right?”
Connie looked up from an old book that she was reading. When Broch asked her what she was doing, she informed him that she was looking for a spell to bind the four women’s power.
“We’re going to make our own coven.”
“Don’t you need a lot more witches to do something like that?”
“Most witches do, but not us four. We have enough power to carry it ourselves, so we don’t need to borrow power from lesser witches to get our way.”
“I am not going to pretend to know what any of that means.”
“Good, come sit down and I will explain it all to you. I imagine you have questions about your clan. Who made it out and who’s here. You can see them in the morning. Cira told me everything though; has she told you?”
“She is sleeping right now.”
“I bet.”
Broch looked at her, and it made her smile guiltily. “Sorry. I just meant she is probably tired from the day’s events.”
Broch could see her face getting red and knew that their love session was heard by many. Were they that loud? Hell, he didn’t remember. Broch had a lot going on at that moment.
“What was it that you were wondering if she had told me?”
Connie didn’t want to say. It was bad news, and Broch’s mind went back to his clan. He knew that there were going to be some casualties. Since Cira had lived, he had pretended for a while that others had as well.
“You know, what happened that day, when they went up there and found out you were underneath Marl’s spell.”
“Ah, yes. I don’t like to think about it, but I guess it is something that I need to do.”
“Well, tell me what you remember, and we can start after that. I don't want you to have to rehash anything you don't want to.”
“Thank you for that, but I don't remember much. I just remember Cira going down. I think Fred was next to her.”
“Yes. Fred did not make it.”
“Since Cira did, I guess I was hoping that some other people had fared better.”
“She survived because of how powerful she is. No one else was lucky enough. Cira comes from a very old line of witches, older than we first anticipated. That is probably the only thing that kept her life from Marl’s attack. Trust me when I say that not many other people have survived an attack from a Stein witch.”
Broch didn’t want to think about that eventuality. It was hard for him to think that it was so close to her being dead. When he finally asked Connie for the full tally, he had to sit down. He had lost seven in his clan altogether. That was more than he had anticipated.
“I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this. Cira wanted to tell you, but I guess she got sidetracked earlier.”
“Yeah, that was my fault. She tried to tell me something earlier, but that wasn’t what I wanted to hear.”
“I wouldn't say it is anybody's fault. I am glad that the two of you found each other. She has been quite worried about you for the last two weeks. I thought you guys were actually together, married even. She tells me that you're not, though.”
“This is all new, but call me crazy, it feels like this is exactly what is supposed to happen. Me, her, all of this.”
“I want to believe that too. Not too long ago, I found my soulmate, and I felt the same way. Time isn’t always needed to love somebody deeply.”
Broch wasn't saying anything about love, not out loud anyway. He could imagine that maybe what he was feeling could possibly be that. It certainly felt like something.
But love?
Chapter Eighteen
Cira felt him getting back into bed and heard a sound come from between his lips. She knew that he was bothered by something and wanted to ask him what was going on.
She didn't know if she should, though. Cira knew that if she asked such a question, even though it was innocent, it would turn into so much more.
Instead, she let him flip and flop next to her for a while. Finally, she moved towards him like she was drawn to him in her sleep, and he seemed to settle down some. All that Broch needed, was her light touch.
She laid on his chest, her ear up against the strong beating sound of his heart. It relaxed her, save for the stray hand that started rubbing up and down her back. The fingertips were soft and light, making her skin fill with goosebumps as he tantalized her senses.
It was turning Cira on. She knew that it was the worst time to be feeling that way. Cira wasn't ready for more, but the way his hand curled around her upper thigh and then lined her bra underneath made her shiver inside in more ways than one.
“Are you awake?”
His hands were rubbing more and more on her, and they were getting closer to the bottom of her breast. It was driving her crazy, and finally his hand closed over her, and she moaned. It was hard to pretend she was asleep when Cira couldn't even hold herself together. She tried to stop it, but it just kept coming forth. There was no stopping it now.
“We shouldn't be doing this.”
“Who says?”
Cira's hand started to move absently on his chest. She could feel the softly curled hair underneath her fingertips, contrasting against the hard nipples she flicked with her nail. Before she could say anything else, her tongue swirled around the nipple, and there was a little bite with her teeth. It was just like how he had done it in the shower to her. She was still replaying the scene in her mind, and it made it a lot easier to let go of her worries. Broch started to pull her in, and she wasn’t able to resist him—she didn’t want to.
She could feel his hard length underneath her body. She tried to think of something else, anything really, but Broch was too busy trying to make her forget. All she could focus on was how hot and hard his member was. Cira was thinking about how it would feel inside her again.
She closed her eyes, feeling the need that came over her in waves, just like the pleasure that he would give her. Cira wasn’t able to stop what was happening. Her body and hips were moving of their own accord. All Cira could do, was grind on him, pushing herself closer to her end. Cira didn’t even need all of him. Just rubbing on his hard body was going to be enough.
Then, Broch was moving his hand to rub on her center, making her jerk and then calling out his name. It was sweet to hear it on her lips, knowing that there was a good reason for it. She was exploding so quickly it took her breath away.
He had to pull her down and cover her mouth with his hand. It was that loud, and Cira knew that she was supposed to keep it down. This wasn’t her house, there were people all around them, but she co
uldn’t help it. The sun wasn’t even up yet, but Cira was losing herself again.
Broch didn’t stop until she pushed his hand away and got off of him so that she could breathe. He chuckled, getting on top of her, but Cira made it clear she wasn’t ready for more.
“I am sorry. I didn’t mean to make you sore.”
“I don’t know if that is normal.”
“The first time it is normal for that.”
“How long until it doesn’t hurt at all?”
“I am not sure. I think it would be fine now. I would have to push in to see.”
Cira was nervous about that, remembering the last time. She remembered the searing pain, but also the pleasure that followed afterward. It was the same pleasure that she wanted now.
“Just a little, just to see?”
He grinned through gritted teeth. “That’s a hard bargain, Cira. You don’t know how hard that would be. Once I am inside of you, I won’t be able to leave.”
Cira could see that he was thinking about it. She looked between their bodies; his flat stomach and hard knot occupied most of her thoughts. She watched with fascination while he lifted just enough to pull her panties down. She helped kick them off and waited for what was going to happen next.
Cira still had not moved her gaze from below his waist. She wanted to see every inch of him in the light. Everything seemed to have gone so fast in the bathroom. She did not get to take him all in, and she wanted to now. Cira wanted to know and remember every detail.
Now he was out and starting to push forward. She could see herself opening up to him, and Cira gasped. Her head went back, and her eyes closed. There was no way that she could watch. It was far too real, even more so, than the feel of him pushing deep. Cira was sure that he was all the way in until she looked down and saw that he was not. Half of him was still waiting for her approval.
There was no pain this time, nothing even close. She realized rather quickly, that if there was more to be taken, she wanted it.
Constricting around him, she tested her inner walls and found them not at all sore. They felt stretched, but Cira didn’t dislike the feeling at all. It was a little overwhelming, much like Broch was in general, but then she was craving more.
“How’s that?”
Her eyes opened to his looking down at her. He looked like he was straining far more than he should have been. It wasn’t like she was hurting him, but the amount of concentration on his face would have made that seem likely.
“Good.”
“Do you want more?”
She bit her lip and nodded.
“Are you sure?”
Finally, she looked at him. “Yes, I’m sure.”
He moved slowly, and Cira watched him disappear inside of her. It was intentional, asked for. The shower scene had been all on the fly. She had not had time to think about and anticipate it all that much.
Now though, his dark green eyes were staring down at hers, holding her in place. Cira was finding it even harder to hold it together. She exploded, cried out, and then Cira was given a kiss. She suspected it was to shut her up, but she didn’t care.
Her body was coming to life as before, and Cira couldn’t hold it in. She didn’t want to. She wanted to scream it from the rooftops, and almost did. It was just that intense, and Broch was the one that had to pull out and finish her off another way. He told her that she was being too loud.
Instead of sliding back inside of her, he rolled her over, kissing her neck and back. Then he slid back inside and Cira knew what she was supposed to be doing. She was able to bury her head into the mattress. It was all she could do at the moment anyway. He had her pinned, and Cira just had to do her best to take the onslaught coming to her. She had released too many times to count and felt her whole body was turning into a puddle.
Finally, he finished her off and they laid entwined in bed while the sun came up. Cira could barely move, but thankfully, she didn’t have to. All she needed in the world was right there with her.
Chapter Nineteen
Broch was pulled from bed not too long after he finally went to sleep. He could have laid next to Cira forever. Her body was curled up next to his, and he had to disentangle himself before he was able to get to the door. When he opened it, Dennis was standing there. He asked Broch what it was he was doing.
“Not much at the moment.” Broch didn’t want to be rude, but a it was obvious he’d been sleeping.
“Why don't you come with me and we can start making a plan? The rest of the Clendon clan is already downstairs waiting for you. They are anxious to make sure that their Alpha is okay.”
Broch’s mind had been on Cira and what they had done the night before. But when he was reminded of his clan and what Connie had told him the night before about who had died and who hadn’t, Broch knew that it was time for him to get up and start his day.
“Are you going to get Cira up?”
Broch did not like the fact that anybody was asking about her.
“No, I think she needs to sleep.”
“Yeah, I think we all need a little bit more sleep this morning. Not many people slept last night.”
Broch instantly thought it was because of the two of them having sex the night before, and when he apologized, he was waved off and told that it was nothing like that.
“No, I mean, you guys were loud, but it wasn't that at all. Since you were taken from Marl Stein, I think half of us were expecting her to come attack us right after. She really is crazy, and she likes to burn shit. We need to get a plan in place because she will be here soon enough, and we don’t want to get caught unaware.”
Broch agreed. “I was stuck in her head for a little while, or she was stuck in mine. I'm not really sure how it works. All I know is that there was more anger flowing out of her than I think I've ever felt in my whole life. She is never going to stop until she gets what she wants. It is not in that woman to give up or to give in.”
Dennis nodded his head, but he did not look happy about the answer.
“That is exactly how she is. She is not going to stop unless we stop her. I wish we would have been able to before. We barely got out with our lives the last time. I actually died; don’t know if you knew it. Jazz brought me back. Some of the clans I have gone up against Marl Stein with, almost every single one of them have lost people. This is going to keep happening until somebody finally ends her. It has to be us.”
“I don't know how I got pulled into this, but I am glad that you guys are here to help back me up.”
“It is strange to have so many alphas all in one spot. Everybody wants to have control of everything, but if we are ever going to come together for anything as a race, getting rid of this single witch is the reason to do it.”
“Yeah, I don't think I have seen this many shifters all in one place in a very long time. My clan is a lot smaller now. We weren't very big to begin with. We were more traditional, kept to ourselves. We went to a few of the meetings, but nothing like this.”
Dennis smiled. “Just wait until you see how many people are coming here. This place is going to be packed, and since you haven't seen the rest of your pack yet, why don't we find them? We're going to have a meeting in a little bit, but it would be good to get your perspective on things as well. I think you were around her longer than anybody else, except Justin. He was raised by her if you can believe it.”
Broch told him that he couldn't believe it. He had only been controlled by her for a little under two weeks, and there would be lasting effects—that he was quite sure about.
“I have always thought evil was subjective, but she fits the bill to a T.”
“They used to be way worse to deal with. There were actually seven or eight Stein witches at one point. We're not really sure how many there were. We burnt down their orphanage that they were using to get potential human victims. She specialized in children because they were what was easiest. Marl Stein will be the last one, and then we can finally put her reign of terror behind u
s, once and for all.”
“How did you guys manage to walk away from a fight with so many of them?”
“I'm not sure, if I'm going to be completely honest. Justin told us about it. He and Dahlia dealt with them. They have a lot of power in them, these witches. My mate is a Stein as well. She is Marl’s niece. Connie is as well.”
That broke Broch’s mind. He would have never imagined the two women were related Marl. He couldn't imagine her being an aunt to anything. It was hard to give Marl any real sort of emotions. She didn’t have any humanity left, and it showed.
“And she tried to kill her nieces?”
“Oh yeah. Both of them. Trust me when I say that there is no family bond or loyalties. There is only more Marl Stein and what she wants. She killed her own sister, their mother, so no one is out of her line of fire.”
Marl Stein was obviously a problem, but Broch wasn't as confident as everybody else about the fact that they were going to be able to take her down. He had been intimately involved with her after all, and he had felt a hatred that spurred her on stronger than anything that he’d ever experienced before.
“I hope that we can figure something out. Sounds like she's a cancer to the world and needs to be cut out. I didn’t spend much time with her, but I never thought about taking her down. If I’m honest, I didn’t expect to survive that.”
Dennis agreed. “You do not know how happy I am to hear that you want to help with her. We're going to need all the help we can get.”
Broch spent the rest of the day in and out of meetings. Everybody had an opinion on how to kill Marl Stein, but it finally came out that the four witches in the house had their own plan in place.
Justin was the first to announce that Dahlia, Connie, Jazz, and Cira were going to basically pool their powers and connect. They were going to take out Marl Stein.
They're going to make their own coven of just them, and with that, they should be able to increase their powers dramatically.
