Sally’s spell was similar, with water magic that englobed and soaked through it. Diluted the earth magic and washed it away.
Vera was strong enough to defend one on one against another powerful witch, but not against two. Her shields went down, and a witch without protections is as helpless as a human without time to cast a spell. John caught her easily with his vampire speed, and he had her enthralled in an eyeblink.
Vera was smart, powerful, and clever, she’d rolled well with our shock and awe opening, enough so that I was even kind of impressed. We’d have been screwed if we hadn’t invited the other groups, which was a comfort. It’d been a hard fight, but thanks to our numbers and teamwork we’d all survived it. Which in the end, is all that counted.
I was even glad Kevin was alive, despite the fact he shifted right in front of me and then strutted like a rooster in front of his chickens. Idiot. The only thing I was tempted to do was knock him out with a dart.
Vera didn’t last long. Once she verified no one else would come looking for her, or to investigate Adele’s death, he snapped her neck. We buried the four of them in her own spell pit, no one dug twelve feet down when looking for the bodies. My own magic wasn’t up to the task, but a quick water spell from Sally turned the dirt to mud, and buried them, another quick spell leached the water out and turned it to solid dirt. The slight dip in the land almost looked natural.
The finishing touch of Stan covering the bare dirt in grass, like the surrounding ground, removed that last small flaw, and it looked completely natural. Another advanced fae magic ability I didn’t have, but I squashed the small surge of envy.
We didn’t linger long, with the mansion fully ablaze and lighting the sky, the human authorities were bound to hear from someone. The neighbors weren’t close, but a fire that fierce could be seen from miles away at night.
Abby said, “Thanks for coming, we couldn’t have done it without you.”
Sally said, “No problem, she was as crazy as her sister.”
Stan replied, “I think we can trust each other, it’s my hope our joint coordination continues.”
We all left, and then headed to our own homes.
Chapter Eighteen
I shamelessly purred sultrily, “Did you want something?” as my arms went around his neck and my legs went around his middle.
The drive home as he’d petted me and I’d done the same to him had redirected all that adrenaline, not to mention the thrill of being alive and ending another enemy who thought to attack and kill us. The intense look in his eyes had my heart pounding and my body tingling in anticipation of his hands on me, his lips on me, and his body in mine.
I couldn’t help myself as my head dipped down and started to nibble his neck as he carried me up the stairs. The little growl he let out at that sent delicious tingles down my spine and flooded my body with heat. My sexy shifter drove me crazy with need, and I loved the way he gently but firmly held me as he walked, his hands kneading my ass with authority.
He carried me into his bedroom, and straight into the bathroom. He turned the water on to heat it up, before putting me down and pulling my shirt off over my head. My jeans went next, and he looked me up and down as he stripped his clothes off, both enjoying the view, and making sure I wasn’t too badly hurt.
I enjoyed the view as well, he was already rock hard for me, and I couldn’t help but give him a couple of teasing strokes as I bit my lip and gave him one of my best come fuck me looks. I giggled naughtily as he spun me around, growled again as he spanked my ass, and gently but firmly pushed me under the hot spray.
We were covered by blood, dirt, and sweat after all, so a shower before giving in to our molten desires seemed reasonable. The standup shower was very cozy, but just big enough for two. It even had two shower nozzles, one direct attached and a massaging wand with a long tube.
He kissed my shoulder from behind as he reached past me for the soap and loofah, “You’re back is healing well, the skin’s closed, just some nasty bruises and fading white lines.”
“You won’t even be able to tell that I was injured in another hour.”
I bit my lip to stop a moan as he gently traced his fingers down my back, then soaped up the loofah. As he started to soap up my neck, shoulders, and back, I reached behind me and stroked him again, I couldn’t help it.
He spanked me and growled, “Wicked woman.”
I laughed throatily, and did it again, then gasped in delight as he spun me around, pushed me against the tile wall, and lifted me by my ass as his strong body pinned me there. The loofah was on the floor of the shower, forgotten, as he thrust up into me.
I cried out, “Vic! So good.”
The animalistic look of lust in his eyes just thrilled me, and of course this was exactly what I’d wanted, what I’d needed, what I’d hoped for when I’d been teasing him. I bore down and squeezed around him as he slid in deeper, drawing a gasp from his lips. There was something so freeing, so elemental, so powerful in being taken by my Vic, a man I trusted to take care of me, to keep me safe, and to ravish me wildly when I needed it.
To possess me.
My soaped up back kept it from sticking to the tile, as he started to slam himself up into me, bouncing me on his hard-thrusting cock. I was hardly idle, as I squeezed, moved my hips subtly, and rocked my body in opposition to his.
He started to stroke in me even faster and harder, a low growl on his lips as he claimed my body as his, and I gave it to him shamelessly with wanton need and abandon.
Breathy little gasps of pleasure escaped my lips, and my heart pounded as a potent euphoria flooded and built up in my body. I felt out of control, and I gave myself to that, gave myself to him, and the tightening coil in my center radiating euphoria broke. I was swept away by the torrent and drowned in bliss.
“Give it to me, your cum, I need it, yes!” I murmured in shocked breaths as he released his own deep need, lust, and desire into my body.
The two of us shared far more than just lust, there was genuine affection and caring between us, an intimate bond that was growing deeper, but in that moment, it was all about the lust. The chemical romance between our bodies, and in giving each other the ultimate pleasure. My body trembled under the waves of ecstasy, and there was a warm satisfaction deep inside of me as he filled me.
His lips claimed mine as we started to come down, and then he murmured into my mouth as he teased my lips with his.
“That what you wanted, Kyra.”
“Gods yes.”
He laughed, a rumbling one, then gently set me down as we kissed languidly. He had me breathy and I was complete putty in his hands as he continued to wash me, and I washed him. The edge taken off both of us, so we could get clean, and make it to the bed for round two. I loved being taken, but I also loved riding him.
At least, that’d been my plan, but it was then when my awake potion finally gave out, and a sweeping lethargy came over my body. The rest is a little fuzzy. I know we finished cleaning up, and I have fuzzy memories of him drying me off and cradling me gently while doing so. I don’t actually remember making it to the bed.
The next morning I woke up with his arms wrapped around me like a vise. He wasn’t crushing me, I just wasn’t going anywhere, and I smirked as I wiggled lower to escape and take care of my morning needs. He was even possessive in his sleep.
I was confident enough walking naked the few feet down the hall to my room to brush my hair and teeth and get dressed. John wasn’t in the house and Abby was in the kitchen, I could sense it. I pulled on some black leggings, and I wore a long dark blue shirt that hung just below my ass to give me a modicum of decency and maintain my modesty. Sure, I was a complete hussy for Vic, but only for Vic, I liked showing off my legs and the comfort of the skintight leggings, but I wasn’t going to put my ass on display for the world.
I slipped on my favorite black boots, and then ran into Vic on my way down for coffee. I smiled teasingly, when he pulled me into his arms for a lingering
morning kiss.
“Good morning.”
He grumbled a good morning back, then said, “You look fantastic.”
I bit my lip to keep my smile warm and not blinding, it wasn’t often a spontaneously heartfelt and simple compliment fell from his lips.
“Thanks, coffee?”
He nodded and we headed down, though part of me regretted he hadn’t dragged me back to his bed, I really wanted coffee. Plus, after our morning workout the sex would be better, when our blood was pumping, and we were wide awake.
It was just after five and I wanted to sneak a first mug in before we started sparring. Though, after last night’s fight we could probably skip it. We headed down and poured a couple of cups, and I was feeling pretty good. Got a solid seven hours or so of sleep, after almost none for forty-eight hours.
The intimate look we shared over the rims of our mugs warmed me to my toes. I wasn’t sure where this was going, but I felt swept away, safe, and cared for by him. Part of that was the new and shiny, but I’d also never met a shifter or man like him before. He gave me what I needed, and thought I might wish he’d talk more, he said what was important.
Life was pretty awesome for me then. I’d been wandering for four years, ever since Manhattan, and while I’d tried to fit into groups before I’d never truly succeeded. Not before now. I felt comfortable, at home, and with all the Adele related crap finally behind us, I felt free and optimistic. Life was good, and outside of my small doubt of Abby fully accepting me, it was all good.
Of course, I should’ve seen it coming then, life was random and cruel at times, but as they say in that moment, I was fat, dumb, and happy. Naïve even. I loved alchemy, and I was starting to love horses and the land around the ranch, and dare I say I was starting to deeply care about Vic. It seemed at the time that life, for once, had handed me everything I’d wanted.
Sure, I’d fought for it hard over the last twelve days, almost died for it. I’d also worked for it, so it hadn’t just been handed to me. But it was still too good to be true, wasn’t it? I didn’t think so at the time, but in hindsight I’d been foolishly optimistic that morning.
It was all about to change, again. Story of my life, given what I was. But that time I was just too stupid to see it coming.
Abby said, “Safe to talk yet?”
Vic grunted.
I laughed, “I’m not that bad, before I finish the first mug, am I?”
Abby grinned, “I wouldn’t say bad, maybe less than optimal.”
I snorted, and then took another sip.
“What’s up?”
Abby replied, “Our hijinks last night is a major local story this morning on the news. So we can expect to be questioned again today, after Katrina reads the earth at Adele’s house and sees what happened.”
I nodded, “I kind of expected that, and just for the record, I don’t participate in hijinks. Perhaps mischief or shenanigans, but never hijinks.”
Vic snickered.
Abby laughed and nodded, “Except it will look to her like we were the aggressors, blowing up Adele’s house, and running down her sister to put her down in cold blood. It’ll be harder to prove self-defense, though the fact a demon was on scene will be to our benefit that way.”
I shrugged, “We can have her read the ranch too, she should pick up the strange visit, and the fact Vera tried to knock down and burn the stables. That should do it, shouldn’t it? That and our testimony.”
She replied, “Eventually, but they might be a little… forceful, until they make that determination. The basic story doesn’t look good. I just wanted to say don’t react when they come if they’re a little aggressive. The truth will out, but we have to dig our way out of a hole with that truth. I’ve been there before, a few times over the last ten years, it won’t be pleasant.”
Yeah, despite America’s laws, supernaturals weren’t innocent until proven guilty, often it was the other way around, despite the supposed integration after exposure. In truth we still ran ourselves, and merely gave a head nod toward human government and allowed them a minimum of oversight.
Despite being outed, the councils still hid most things, in an effort to make us look less violent. The supernatural world could be a very violent place, after all.
To be fair to the councils, which I really didn’t want to do, sending our kind into the human court and prison system would never work.
“I’ll behave.”
I finished the coffee, and we headed out to join John for our pre-dawn workout and spar. I don’t know about Vic, but for the last few days our morning spar sessions felt more like foreplay before our shower and morning quickie than anything else, but it was what it was.
Chapter Nineteen
The sky was clear and sunny that day, with a cool breeze as Vic and I walked toward the stable and shop. I was full, pleasantly sore from our post workout tryst, and ready to start the day brewing some potions. Potion making always centered me, it was a subtle art, and given my small amount of witch magic I was very good at it.
Vic stopped and growled, and sniffed the air, and I faltered beside him.
“What is it?”
Then I felt it, a Nephilim, Serin to be exact. My first thought was what the hell was he doing here, and alone. He had no more authority under the council. Then of course, it hit me, he wasn’t here on behalf of the council. I realized then what an idiot I was, to trust he’d take his lumps, take responsibility for his actions, and leave us be merely because the council ordered it.
Nephilim were arrogant self-righteous assholes, and I’d made a stupid mistake in my thinking. To be fair, I was only twenty, and I’d never dealt with a Nephilim that had fallen from a council’s grace before.
Just because the council had stripped him of his authority didn’t mean he didn’t want revenge. After all, we hadn’t laid down and died for his convenience, we’d escaped and managed to outmaneuver him politically. It was all him of course, it was his own actions that got him into the mess he was in, but what was the chance I could convince him of that?
A million thoughts and worries passed through my mind in that moment. John was in the rejuvenating sleep with the sunup, and Abby was in her office, though her outer entrance wards to the property would’ve told her when he walked onto her land. Even if they were both right next to us, a Nephilim would still win. My weak magic couldn’t challenge his when Abby’s wouldn’t faze him, and my darts were useless against his shields. He was stronger than Vic as well, especially with his magic.
Nephilim magic required no words, and it was limited in what it could do, but it was strong. Stronger than the other races, half an angel was still much more than a full-blooded supernatural of any other race.
Well, almost any other race.
“Serin, what do you want?” I asked cautiously when he was still about twenty feet away.
He looked murderous, so it wasn’t hard to guess, but it did get him to stop and talk. Not that time for Abby to come out would help, he’d kill the three of us, then dig out John and kill him too.
I already knew what I had to do, I couldn’t watch Vic die, but I really didn’t want to, enough that a false hope that I could talk Serin out of it rose in my chest.
Serin scowled, “I’m disgraced, because of you. My authority and standing stripped, I’m a damned laughingstock.”
Vic growled, but I grabbed his hand. I wasn’t so eager to start the fight, because to fight meant to lose what I had, to lose everything, again.
“It was your actions that did it, we just defended ourselves. We didn’t make you accept bribes. Why didn’t you just take the fucking money, nothing would’ve changed with Adele’s death, not for you anyway.”
Serin frowned, “Any death triggers an investigation. It was just a matter of priorities and time before someone found the warehouse and read it. I needed to burn it down, and the only way to do that and maintain control of the investigation was with a bust. Nephilim do not go out on low priority investigations.
”
“Arrogant ass, so killing to cover things up is the kind of man you are? You planned a slaughter, and it failed. Now you what, want petty revenge as you leave town in disgrace? I’ve never met an outsider Nephilim before now.”
Serin growled, “I am no outsider.”
I smirked, he’d walked right into it, as I’d hoped.
“But you will be, if you do this. Without the cloak of authority you used to have, you can’t just kill us with impunity. You will be a wanted man, for murder, as soon as Katrina gets here and reads the truth from the ground. Right now, you can go back to your cushy surroundings, and earn your way back to good graces, but not if you do this.”
I sensed Abby approaching, but didn’t turn, I wasn’t going to take my eyes off this bastard. I also thought I was getting through to him, but false hope was just making a fool out of me, I was deceiving myself.
The bastard was merely enjoying drawing out the moment, savoring his revenge and the kills he anticipated. Nephilim were just men and women, with inherited power, they were not righteous or faithful to an ideal, like their angelic parents.
He smirked, “Perhaps, but it will be very satisfying. You ended my life, and now I’m going to end yours.”
As if to stress that point, he slowly pulled his sword as his power surged, shielded his body and covered his sword in a bright light. Damned showoff, I was so screwed.
Vic had been trembling with anger, and protectiveness, but at that statement he started to shift. It was a damned good thing we weren’t open yet, at least there were no humans around.
I sighed, and sidestepped, then slowly started to circle keeping an equal distance between us.
“You know, Serin. When I was sixteen my mother was killed by one of your kind, for demon summoning. Crazy bitch probably deserved it, but I hadn’t done anything.”
Hexes and Hellfire: Kyra Bell: Book One Page 16