by Celeste Raye
He growled at her, and Isabo could see the darkening of his eyes. The ring was glowing, and he was ready to eat her up. She worried that it was more literal than what she was thinking at the moment. Isabo was shaking, even as she was lying down and gesturing to him to come closer.
His body was warm on top of hers. Fred had taken off his shirt before he went to her. The skin on hers was scorching, and it felt like he was literally on fire. Her body screamed for more, and when he started to touch her again, she didn’t resist the speed at which they got to her core again. His hand was resting on her, twitching like it was going to do more.
“I need you, Isabo.”
She smiled and then gasped as his hand moved up further. Comments were made about her readiness, and it just made her face turn red. It was explicit, and before long, Isabo was sure that she was going to lose it.
Fred was on her and then gone, leaving her cool in the night air. She watched his pants drop, and the rest of his physique came into focus. It was more than her eyes could take in, and she had to look away. Fred was ready as well, and when she felt it sliding against her leg, Isabo wasn’t so sure anymore. While Fred was rather wiry, he was certainly stout in other areas. It looked larger than life, and she whimpered as it pressed close to her.
It was positioned against her. Both of their eyes were on the meeting of their two bodies. Isabo tried not to move. She was afraid that the long length would disappear into her. It was what was supposed to happen, Isabo wasn’t stupid, but she was nervous as well.
He kissed her lips softly, like he knew that she needed a little bit more time to pull herself together. Isabo was shaking inside, and the kiss was nice. It gave her the opportunity to calm herself even though his need was throbbing against her. She could feel it, and it made her electrify with desire. So close…
Then he was pressing in, and all of the air in her lungs was being pushed out of her. Isabo was holding back a scream, and his lips took in the bit of sound that she wasn’t able to hold back. Fred made her feel like she was going to explode, and Isabo wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not.
At first, it wasn’t a good feeling. It was crisp pain and an overwhelming fullness that took some time to get used to. Isabo was squirming after a few moments, though, getting impatient. He was stuck inside of her, and she wanted more. She knew that there was more to it; there had to be. It wouldn’t dominate people’s thoughts so much if that were it.
When Fred started moving inside of her, everything started to make a whole lot more sense. She was calling out his name, a wave of bliss spreading over her heated body. Every inch of her was just as full, but she was getting used to the feeling. Then it was too much, and she was desperately clinging to Fred. It was that feeling, that feeling that she was going to lose it right then and there. That made more sense. Isabo could see how people would do anything to feel like that.
He brought her to several more peaks before settling down for the night, finishing off inside of her. As soon as he was done, she was ready for more, but he looked drained. When he pulled her in against his chest, Isabo sighed in a new kind of relief. She’d found out more about her body in those moments with him than she’d known about it her whole life.
“That was…”
He chuckled. “It was better than I thought anything could ever be.”
Isabo smiled to herself.
“Yeah, that sounds about right.”
Chapter Fourteen
They were lying in the grass, and even though his body had long since been cold, Fred was ignoring it all. He was still marveling at how it felt with Isabo. It was his first time, and it was perfect. It was far better than he thought it would be. It was something that had been on his mind a lot. She was ‘the one’ as far as he was concerned.
He held her against his chest and listened to her breathe. It was even, and it was comforting to him. He knew that he had to get back home, and they still hadn't even talked about if he could get her help or not. He hadn't even been there to talk about it. Fred had been there to see Isabo. Case closed.
Now that he had had her, he hoped that she would help him. If she was on board, it would make things easier for everyone involved. How was he supposed to bring that up, though? How would she take it?
It would be a lot, to ask her to go against her own family, but if he could guarantee that he would keep them alive and not kill them, he was hopeful that she would consider it. The other option was that they were going to go in there guns blazing, and it didn’t take much to realize where that was going to go.
He was much like Isabo in that he didn’t want any more violence. Enough had died, and Fred wanted a way for all of them to walk away, though he had to get his brother out of Jasper’s grip. He was a mad man, and Fred couldn’t even think about what was going on with them right now. He knew that Jake was being hurt.
“You look very serious, Fred. Do you always wake up so disgruntled after a long night of lovemaking?”
He startled a little bit because he had not realized that he was being watched. She had a grin on her face, and her lips were begging for a kiss. Who was he to say no?
Fred bent down and pressed his lips against hers. Isabo’s eyes were alight, and he could tell that she was a morning person.
“I didn't know that you were awake.”
“I think it was your brooding that woke me up. I could actually sense it from even my dream world. I was having dreams about what we did last night, and you are mean-mugging me while I sleep. What’s going on in that head of yours that has you looking that way?”
Fred tried to play it off, but she knew better. Fred was sure that she knew him better than he knew himself. It was hard to fathom such a thing.
“You know I had a good time last night, but it wasn't the whole reason I was here. I have to talk to you about something. It just slipped my mind before.”
Isabo smiled and agreed. “I didn't think it was the only reason. I was waiting for you to ask me last night, but then I think we both got a little sidetracked. I can’t say that I minded too much.”
“Sidetracked huh?”
Isabo agreed. “I really don't know what we're supposed to call this. Probably would be safe to say that this is all a veer off of the normal path.”
“Is that how you see me? A veer?”
“I am not saying that at all.” He sighed loudly. He was frustrated that his words weren’t coming out the way he wanted them to. That didn’t seem possible when he was so close.
“Then what are you saying?”
Isabo sat up, and Fred tried to pull her back. Something had happened, something misconstrued, and he refused to let it happen.
“I actually haven't said anything at all. You were the one saying that I was brooding. I have another reason for seeing you, but I am not brooding.”
“You are, but whatever. What’s going on?”
“I guess I am brooding a little bit. I am worried about my brother. I don't think you quite realize what your cousins are capable of. I hate to think that Jake is going through that right now. I healed up pretty good, but that isn’t something that I would wish on my enemy.”
She looked like she did have an idea of what they were doing to him and what they were capable of. He kept forgetting that Isabo was probably afraid of them. Even if they were family, it didn't mean that she was like them. He certainly didn't like to think that way. Fred couldn’t imagine sweet, innocent Isabo, doing some of the things that the others were capable of.
“I know, Fred. That’s why I couldn’t let them do that to you.”
“I didn't come here to make love to you, Isabo.”
“As you keep saying. Just spit it out already.”
“Truthfully, I came here because I was supposed to ask for your help. I know that you don't want anything to happen to your kin, and really, I don’t either. So, I am wondering if you will help us get Jake back. There would be no more trades. We will overpower and take them out if we have to, but I wan
t to do it a better way, and you can make that happen. Nothing will happen to them. They will be safe. You have my word.”
“You know that it’s the last of my family, Fred, right? I mean, the last. This is a betrayal.”
“No, it’s you helping them, even if they can’t appreciate it at first.”
She laughed, but it sounded bitter.
“I have already betrayed them by getting you out. I betrayed them when I tried to keep you from this all. I don’t know how much more of it I can take. None of it has worked out well.”
“Is that how they see it, that you betrayed them?”
“They saw it as betraying them when I didn't slip a pill in your drink the first time we met at the bar. They're not going to take kindly to this either. I don’t know if they will ever talk to me again.”
“I know what we're asking you is hard, but I don't know how else to save Jake without killing both of them. There are certain things that I can do, and I can guarantee Jake can live through it, but I can also guarantee you that your cousins will not. I don't want to have to do that to you. It’s your family, and I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
Isabo was quiet for a moment. She made it clear that she didn't want to lose her family. Fred knew that she didn’t have much left, so he wanted to make sure that he did everything he could to make sure that she had hers a little bit longer.
“You know, Fred, I will admit that you are a great lover, but you really are shit with pillow talk.”
He looked at her a little strangely and then watched her go out. “Where are you going?”
“I guess it's time to go since you wanted to get right to business without even a good morning, grumpy.”
She looked frustrated, and Fred asked her what was the matter. He wasn’t sure if all women were as hard to read as Isabo, but he had no clue what she was thinking. He wouldn’t have minded some of that telepathy that he heard so much about. It certainly would have helped.
“I’m sorry.”
“Didn’t you think that maybe I wanted to wake up a different way? I could have thought of one, in particular, that would have been far better.”
It was then that he realized what she was talking about, and he was suddenly the one that felt like an idiot. What a waste of a good morning. She was right. He was being an idiot. All of that could have waited, and now she was getting dressed, and the naked body that had given him so much pleasure the night before was now out of his view.
He sat up and looked at her, asking if there was any way that they could start over. He wanted those soft curves back underneath him, her wet insides wrapped around him…
“Are you seriously asking me for a do-over? Like, you think that’s a thing?”
He shook his head quickly. Instead of getting up and going along with her plans to start the day, Fred tried hard to get her to make a change of heart. He slid his pants back off, letting her see how ready he was, while he patted the spot next to him. The grass was soft, and he hoped that it would be inviting enough for her to not be able to say no.
“Why don’t you get back over here and we can start this day all over again. I promise less talking and more screaming.”
Before she answered, he knew what it was going to be. That need was back in her eyes, and she started to pull off the clothes that she’d just put on. He wanted to slow her down, but her eyes were on the prize.
“That sounds like a much better way to wake up. A re-do is sounding better by the minute.”
Chapter Fifteen
Jake was finding it harder to keep a grip on reality. He knew what he was doing with the last living Bennigans, he knew why he was there, what they thought of him. He also knew that some of it was true, their sins against them. Jake had been a part of it. Whether they started out wanting to kill them all or not, most of them were still dead. Jake felt a big sense of responsibility because of it. He knew that this was his punishment.
When it was all going down with the Bennigans months back, Jake had tried to keep Charlie’s new witch girlfriend out of it. She had been told to stay back, and if Celeste had listened, they would have been the ones that were killed. Jake was not under any misconceptions about that.
Jake was supposed to feel ashamed of what happened. Had been told for hours by Jasper to feel that way, but it just wasn’t sticking.
Jake was trying to keep his mouth shut, but he kept talking back and pissing Jasper off even more. Having and sharing his unpopular opinion was making his life harder by the second.
“Did you just say what I think you said?”
“I am only speaking the truth, Jasper. If you guys wouldn't have surrounded us at those docks, then none of this would have happened. We did not want to kill all of you, or any of you. The attacks were getting old, so we were there to send a message.”
Jasper was so upset that his face was literally turning red.
“I don't believe what you say.”
“How were you not hit by the barrage of bullets? Were you even there? Everyone that was anywhere close got hit. If you’d been there, you’d know that what I say is true.”
“Oh, I was there, all right. I saw it all happen, and that is why I do not feel an ounce of pity for you. You did not feel any pity for my people.” Jake knew what was going to happen next, so he just closed his eyes to it.
In some ways, it made the pain even worse because he was able to focus solely on it and had no disruptions from his other senses. But he had learned quickly that seeing the look of joy on Jasper's face was far worse than any increase in pain could be. It was one thing to get hurt, and another to know that the person doing it was taking a massive amount of pleasure from it.
When it was over, Jake was breathing hard. The guys weren’t even asking him questions; it was just to alight their own evil desires.
Jake knew then that he wasn’t going to get out of there anytime soon. He started to question the idea of giving himself up to begin with. It was for his brother, but there's only so much a person can take. Jake felt like he was reaching his limits.
Fred could feel that there was a difference in the clubhouse when he got back with Isabo. Charlie had arrived, and since it was his wife that needed to go in with Donovan, things had gotten a bit more heated. Charlie was refusing to let her go, but Celeste was interested in getting Jake back.
“I don't think you quite understand what I am capable of now. They don't know that what happened at the docks was only the beginning of my power. I didn't even know how to control it or tap into it until recently, so the best thing we can do is just go there. Donovan and I can take care of it. There are still the ancients to worry about. They are not the type of people to mess with, and we need to figure out how we're going to handle this. Have you guys even thought about that?”
Celeste looked more worried than anybody else, and Fred remembered what was said to him by one of the elders. If they didn't get it from the Bennigans, then they were going to get it from the ancients.
Fred could only work on one crisis at a time, so he had to choose the one that was happening at that very moment, and that meant getting his brother back. Then, he could focus on the ancients.
Donovan shrugged and said that they couldn't think about that right now.
“We need to focus on getting Jake back and taking care of this issue first. Then we can worry about the rest of it.”
Fred had to say something. He knew from the way that Isabo was being so deathly still and quiet that she was worried about her cousins. It wasn't like they were close, but they were literally the last remaining bit of her family, and she wasn't prepared to lose them.
When he said as much to the people congregating, they all kind of looked at him a little crazy. Fred was always the one trying to listen to everyone, but no one wanted to hear him this time.
“You get that they're torturing our brother right now, right?”
Fred pressed his lips together and agreed. He had been in that position not even twelve hours before. It
was not something he was ever going to forget.
“I know, but I don't want them to all die. If we can extricate Jake out of there without having to kill them, that would be the best plan. I'm not going to lose him, but if there is a way to get Jake out and not kill those two, I think we should do it.”
He looked over at Isabo. Everyone did, but Isabo was still upset. Fred could see it clear as day, and he knew that everyone else could as well. Jake’s wife also was looking a little different because they, too, had been in that position before, on the other side of enemy lines.
Fred tried to make sense of it all, but in the end, all he could do was go with it. The plan used Isabo to get her cousins to come out, but he worried about her being in the midst of it. Whether she felt loyalty to them or not, it didn't seem to be the same for her cousins. They already shot her with a tranquilizer gun, tied her up, and threw her into a basement. What was to say they wouldn't do worse?
Fred didn’t like the odds. He didn’t like the worry, and he wanted it all done and over with. There were too many ways that it could all go wrong.
Chapter Sixteen
Isabo was nervous. The plan was too vague, and it was relying too much on her being able to get in the door, and not just that—get them out. In the house, there was a higher chance of the two of them getting killed, so Isabo's job was to get them out in the open so they could take a page from her cousin's book and use a tranquilizer gun to put them down. By the time they woke up, they would be long gone with Jake in tow.
That was the plan.
She stood there in front of the door, doing her best not to twitch. However, Isabo was playing out every bad scenario her brain could come up with.
What if they didn't want to come out? What if they knew that she was working with the enemy and tried to do something to her? Isabo didn't worry about the second one as much as she did the first. If she couldn't get them out of the house, she knew that the Rebel Bears weren't going to let their leader be stuck there getting tortured in the basement. Things would move fast, and if Brick and Jasper got in the way, then they would be dealt with.