by M L Briers
“Don’t say a word.” Jethro growled at his friend. The sound of Dexter’s deep laughter drifted towards him and rolled over his last nerve.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Dexter turned on his heels and strolled away. The sound of his merry whistling was like sandpaper inside Jethro as he asked the spirits what he’d done to deserve this.
“Another witch?” Eloise was wide eyed with surprise as she stared back at Wendy.
“Another mate.” Annabeth chuckled at the thought of the Alpha with a Fae mate and how that must have rubbed the man up the wrong way. He’d been nothing but cordial towards her and yet she could sense that he still wasn’t best pleased about the fact that they had two witches inside the pack.
“Another member of our… group.” Wendy added as she reached for her cup and pondered that thought. She didn’t want to call it a Coven yet, even if they had joined their powers together to slay the vampire, they were still a long way off from establishing themselves in the rituals, practices and responsibilities of Coven life.
“Four witches…” Annabeth snorted a laugh at the Alpha’s expense.
“I bet that made the Alpha’s head hurt.” Eloise pointed out and Wendy nodded.
“And then he realised that she was his mate and I thought he might go into a fit of the vapours… but he handled it quite well, considering.” Wendy informed them. Eloise and Annabeth gave each other a knowing grin.
“So what’s she like?” Annabeth turned her attention back to Wendy and the older witch just gave her that serene smile.
“Like a witch.” She offered.
“Does she have a story?” Eloise tried to pry even a small nugget of information from the woman.
“Doesn’t everyone have a little…baggage?” Wendy offered.
“Witches more than most.” Eloise snorted her contempt for the now dead vampire and his lasting legacy of pain that he’d caused her. She wished that her mother could see how happy she was now in person, but she was comforted in knowing that she would know from the other side, from being part of the spirit world that watched over all witches.
Wendy could feel Eloise’s pain as the emotions churned inside her; sadness mostly. She seemed to have put her devils to rest on the night the vampire had been slayed by her hand but that didn’t mean that she still didn’t have some healing to do. Annabeth reached out and covered her other hand. Eloise couldn’t help but smile.
“No pity party for me. I’m done with that.” She assured her friends. She was stronger now, in her mind she felt as though she could cope with anything that the world wanted to throw at her, and they had a new witch to worry about.
Jethro had allowed his mate to explore the house. Curiosity was a trait of the Fae and he wanted her to get it out of her system early. He had nothing to hide, and he found that he enjoyed watching her reaction as she walked from room to room taking in the scenery. He found himself somewhat contented that she appeared to like what she saw.
“So tell me about your past.” Jethro wanted to know everything about her. Not wanting to hear about his mate’s life would have been strange, but he also knew that there would be a part of him that resented it, not being there to share it with her.
“What would you like to know, how many boyfriends I’ve had?” Deborah smiled at the sound of the growl that rolled through his chest. Possessiveness was a Lycan trait and he had that in spades.
“Only if you want me to go and rip their heads off.” Jethro growled out before he’d even filtered that thought. His eyes snapped to hers and the amusement that resigned there made him want to growl again.
“Irrational.” She teased and watched him shift his stance as if he was carrying a heavy load.
“Get used to it.” He offered back with a grunt of annoyance.
“I didn’t say it was a bad thing.” She teased him again with a playful look that made his hard length twitch against the fabric of his jeans.
“You’re not running away from any vengeful vampires are you?” He needed to take his mind off his needs and the thought of hunting a vampire down did that nicely. For a long moment she looked cagey and then it was gone.
“Nope.” She turned and eyed the large picture window in the bedroom as if she was in two minds about taking in the view. Then she moved towards it.
“But there’s something?” Jethro could sense her unease.
“I didn’t say that…” She shrugged just one shoulder as she scooped back the curtain and took in the scenery. He saw the tension within her shoulders and wanted to get to the root of it.
“You didn’t have too. It’s in your body language.” Jethro offered and waited to see what she would do… He watched as she physically tried to relax her stance.
“I didn’t know I was to be mated to a behaviourist…” She offered back over her shoulder. She’d turned her head but she didn’t meet his eyes.
“I’m an Alpha; I’m good at reading people.” Jethro offered and she in turn offered him the middle finger of contempt.
“Read this, can you?” She didn’t like to air her dirty laundry in public. She’d spent a long time perfecting the air of carefree abandon that went with hiding from the outside world and prying eyes, that having someone lift the curtain and take a look inside made her feel more than exposed. The grunt of annoyance that came back at her made her drop her hand and wrap her arms around her body.
“Now you’re deflecting and you’re body tells me that you’re trying to keep your secrets close…”
“I have secrets now?” She wanted to cut this conversation short by closing it down, but it didn’t seem to work with her Alpha.
“Deflecting.” He growled and watched her roll her eyes to the ceiling and down towards the view as she returned her attention back outside. He doubted that she was even taking in the scenery anymore. She stayed silent. “So what do I need to know about your past?” He tried again.
“That it’s behind me.” She didn’t turn towards him this time. She kept her gaze firmly on the outside world where she could stay distant from him.
“Deborah…” He started towards her and she felt the irrational urge to crawl under a rock and stay there. She felt him gain ground on her and spun towards him, bringing him to a halt just in front of her.
CHAPTER THREE
“You’re like a dog with a bone…” Deborah accused him with her eyes as her words made him flinch.
“You’d better get used to that too.” He growled out. He could tell by her actions that she wasn’t yet ready to give up her secrets, and by continuing to push her he would only alienate her and make her dig in her heels. “Is the pack in any danger?” He needed to know that much and he saw her stance ease slightly.
“I very much doubt it.” She informed him. He took a long moment to consider her words. He couldn’t sense any deceit from her and the way her eyes softened; he found himself believing her. He nodded.
“Good. Then I’ll let you get settled in.” He took a long step back and she eased some more. She did take a moment to look around at her surroundings again. “This is our bedroom.” He informed her and noted the way she softened still. She nodded.
“Good to know.” She was back to being playful and he was back to trying to still his beast and the raging desire that was building inside him to have her in his arms. Fae or not, she was his mate.
“I’ll let you get some rest. I have some work to do.” He turned on his heels and strolled towards the bedroom door, even with every instinct telling him he was heading the wrong way.
“All work and no play, makes the Alpha a very frustrated man.” She chuckled as he almost tripped over his own feet. He kept going; not daring to look back at her for fear his needs might get the better of him.
Eloise turned the corner and there he was in front of her, larger than life as most vampires tended to be. How they managed to stay under the wire for so many years was a mystery to her, she could spot one from a mile away. But then she guessed that most people didn’t g
o through their everyday lives on the lookout for the supernatural.
“Vampire…” She tried to calm her pulse just so that he didn’t get the satisfaction of listening to it, but it didn’t work well. Caleb tilted his head to one side and regarded her with curious eyes.
“I thought we might at least have progressed to a first name basis, E-l-o-i-s-e.” He teased her and watched her prickle.
“Perhaps one day…” She offered him that morsel and he gladly took it.
“Well, that’s a start.” Caleb took a step to the left and motioned for her to proceed around him. The look that she gave him said that she didn’t trust him as far as she could throw him, maybe less with her witching abilities… “Would you like me to just vanish in a poof of air?” He grinned as her eyes filled with mischief. “Oh, there’s an evil thought if ever I encountered one.”
“So damn tempting…” She offered back to him. The fact that he raised just one dark eyebrow and stared back at her with a knowing look made her want to chuckle, but she held it at bay.
“Now-now, be nice and remember that I’m a walking medicine sack for your kind and this pack.” She turned her nose up at the thought of ingesting his blood.
“I’ll pass.” Eloise thumbed her nose at his suggestion and started to move on around him. The fact that she’d already pulled her magic into a tightly controlled ball within her made her feel more secure. Just as she got past him he leaned in and whispered against her ear.
“Trust will be earned, little witch.” She turned her head to look at him but he was already gone.
“Tell me something that I don’t know.” Deborah chuckled as she sat back against the chair and regarded her two new sisters.
“He’s sexy…” Annabeth offered and she waved her hand in the air dismissively.
“That’s a given, he is Lycan and an alpha.” Her eyes sparkled with the knowledge that she had found herself one hell of a gorgeous sexy hunk to spend the rest of her days with. Fate had been kind.
“He broods…” Eloise offered.
“Broody-moody to say the very least.” Annabeth added.
“Yeah, I’ve had a taste of that already.” Deborah chuckled again at the thought of their first encounter, and their second…
“He’s firm…” Eloise offered and leant in over the table top. “But fair.” She added and Deborah nodded as she considered it.
“He growls a lot at us witches.” Annabeth pointed out as she reached into the glass bowl in the centre of the table to retrieve a grape. She rolled it in between her finger and thumb. “Doesn’t like us at all.” She added just before she popped the sweet fruit into her mouth.
“Not one bit.” Eloise agreed as she shook her head. “We would have all been run out of town if it wasn’t for our mates, him included.”
“And now he has a witch for a mate…” Deborah’s grin stretched from ear to ear like the Cheshire Cat. The irony amused her far more than it should.
“Fitting.” Eloise grinned.
“Serves him right.” Annabeth completed the grinning triangle.
“Think he’s ever going to try mating with me?” Deborah giggled.
“Testosterone.” Eloise offered and Annabeth snorted her amusement.
“Lycan gene’s…” She gave a half shrug. “Guarantee that’s all he’s been thinking about since he met you.”
“Probably in his office right now choking the chicken…” Eloise giggled and Annabeth practically choked on the grape that she’d just popped into her mouth. Deborah slapped her hard on the back until she held up her hand and her eyes widened.
“Kill me, why don’t you.” Annabeth groaned towards Eloise who gave her an innocent smile.
“I just said what we were all thinking.” Eloise shrugged.
“Only those of us with a dirty mind.” Annabeth berated her. Deborah held up her hand.
“Me.” She admitted.
“Ditto.” Eloise gave another shrug. Annabeth rolled her eyes and sighed.
“Ok, me too.” She groaned as they all burst into fits of laughter.
“Please tell me you don’t have your dick in your hand right now.” Caleb whispered as he came up behind the alpha and the man growled in annoyance. He’d been so caught up with listening to the three witches that it was probably the first time in his life that he hadn’t sensed Caleb approaching.
“ I’m guessing swallowing your fangs doesn’t bother you…”
“Repressed sexual tension manifesting in violence. Classic symptoms of a Lycan meeting, but not yet mating with his soul mate.” Caleb took a long step back just in case the Alpha was planning to make good on his threat. When Jethro managed to turn his eyes away from his mate and lock them onto the vampire the warning for Caleb to behave himself was unmistakeable.
“When I say bite me you’ll understand that’s not an invitation.” Jethro growled out. He found no humour in any of this, least of all where the vampire was concerned.
“Lighten up, Jethro. You’ve found your mate.” Caleb offered as his eyes flicked over Jethro’s shoulder towards the new witch at the kitchen table. She reminded him of a woman he’d known rather well in the sixties, but then he had been around and most women would have to remind him of someone he’d known over his lifespan.
“Tell me what I’ve done to deserve this…” Jethro was muttering to himself as he turned back to look at his mate.
“Maybe you ate a witch in a different life…” Caleb offered unhelpfully and was rewarded with a long, low growl of annoyance in return. “Maybe a whole Coven.” Caleb added. Jethro snapped his head around towards the vampire and Caleb was quick to hold his hands up in surrender in front of him. He knew Jethro’s temper better than anyone and when the Alpha let loose, he really let loose.
“This is not a joke and I would appreciate…”
“It’s not a joke. You’ve found your mate, Alpha. Witch or not, she’s yours, your soul mate. Stop whining that she’s a witch and woo her into your bed.” Caleb was always sound council for the Alpha. There was something to be said for living hundreds of years, a man would see and do most everything with his life, and Jethro usually appreciated his guidance, until now.
“My pack will…”
“Be more accepting of your queen than you give them credit for. There’s already a buzz of excitement out there that you’re soon to be mated…” Caleb assured him.
“But she’s a witch…” Jethro growled at the notion.
“And it seems you have more of a problem with that than ninety nine per cent of your damn pack.” Caleb berated him. Jethro grunted a response and it was the only response that he was going to give as he strolled off towards his office.
“You should leave now. I’ve seen your future and it’s not bright.” Wendy stood by the entrance to the bed and breakfast with her back to the wall and her eyes fixed on the broad shoulders of the newcomer. By the time that his back had snapped straight she was already experiencing the hard push of his magic against her shields.
The spirits had warned her that he was coming and it wasn’t hard to guess where to find him with the town’s one and only bed and breakfast being the only place for him to base himself. He took a slow turn towards her. Bright blue eyes the colour of a good Jasper Agate stared back at her, the flecks of black informing her that this Warlock liked to draw on dark magic as his guide.
“So she ran to a witch…” Devlin wasn’t the least bit impressed with the woman in front of him. He’d tasted her magic as he bounced his own off of her shields and she was powerful, but there was no darkness within her magic to match his own.
“Hmm, that’s one way of putting it.” Wendy mused. She liked to keep a smile on her face so her adversaries and her friends were left guessing as to her true emotions. Those she kept hidden behind the cloak of her shields and she wasn’t about to share them with this creature unless she needed to.
“It’s a small town, tell her I will be expecting her to make herself known to me or there will be con
sequences if I have to trouble myself more than I have already by coming here to get her.” Devlin offered the warning and he expected it to be delivered. Deborah was his property, he’d owned her for as long as she was useful to him and she’d decided to run at an inopportune moment when he needed to draw on her magic and join it with his own. Time was of the essence and he wasn’t going to wait around while she played coy.
Wendy considered his words. She liked to think before she acted; as she’d learned long ago that acting out of pure emotion was a sure fire way to lose a battle. But this man was testing her patience, he wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that he was a complete bastard and that was more worrying than his dark practices.
“There are forces working here that you couldn’t even begin to comprehend. I’d be inclined to make certain that I knew the lay of the land before stepping over a line that can’t be uncrossed.” Wendy offered back to him slowly and with a precision that she knew wouldn’t be misunderstood.
“You’re threatening me?” Devlin’s lips drew back into a cruel smile of amusement, although the only thing showing in his eyes was darkness.
“I’m warning you.” Wendy offered, not wanting to draw battle lines in the middle of the town where anyone could see them. “Re-evaluate just how much you are willing to lose by being here.” She pushed away from the wall and turned towards him as she started to back away down the street. She would no more turn her back on him than she would a hungry lion in its feeding ground. She could sense the evil within the man and it didn’t bode well for the Coven’s security should he chose to use it on them.
Devlin reached out his hand and his magic towards her. A sharp twist of his wrist brought the kind of slashing pain over her skin that made her bite down on any outward signs that it was reaching her. She forced her magic back at his, reinforcing her shields and finding a semblance of relief against his dark touch. Sweat broke out over her body as she tried to still the pain.
