“Like a Band-Aid, huh?” I’d expected him to dance around the subject, not to blurt it out.
“I figured as much.” Willow kept her gaze on the mug she’d wrapped her fingers around. “So if that’s your big secret, I already know.”
He nodded, accepting her words. “I’m not surprised you figured it out, but I wanted to tell you myself when the time was right. And now, you need to know about the other side of your family.”
“Are you talking about my father’s side? I never met anyone from his side. He never spoke much about his parents. I don’t even know if he had any brothers or sisters.” She took a sip. “The only person he ever mentioned was his grandmother. Dad always had plenty to say about her.”
“Yes,” he said. “Your grandmother’s name is Jacinta Mills.”
I already knew the woman Willow thought was her father’s grandmother was actually her grandmother. But I hadn’t said anything. This was Oren’s story to tell.
She shook her head, sending her long hair over her shoulder. “You mean she was my great-grandmother? Jacinta was my father’s granny. She’s the one he wouldn’t shut up about because she could raise corpses.”
Yeah, Eli Moss had a lot to answer for. Because of his obsession with necromancy, and his allowing a Lamia to seduce him, Willow had run away from home earlier in the year. It was how we’d met, and also how Eli sealed his own death at the hands of Maya. The man’s power-hungry ambitions nearly helped summon Legion into this patch, but at least he’d kept his only daughter out of Jacinta’s clutches. She sounded like a real bitch, that one.
“Willow, Jacinta is your grandmother.”
“But that would make her Dad’s mother…why would he lie to me about that?”
“Because he didn’t know,” I answered.
Willow opened her mouth to reply, but shook her head. “Does everything have to be so weird all the time? Don’t answer that.” She rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee, for what I thought might be an attempt at distraction.
“Your other grandfather is a man called Duff Moss,” Oren said with a sigh. “And I’m afraid they’re both alive and kicking.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” Her blue eyes glistened in the sun, and for the first time since I’d met her, I realized they were very similar to Oren’s.
“It would be, if they weren’t both so dangerous.”
“So why are you telling me this, then?”
I put a hand over hers. “He’s telling you because it could end up being a matter of life and death. Tell her about the order.”
Oren sat forward. “Before I do that, she needs to know about my brother, Duff—you both do.”
“Your brother?” I echoed.
The man who happened to be a member of both the Obscurus and the Alliance was not only Willow’s grandfather but was also Oren’s brother? What the hell kind of messed-up circle did these guys travel in? I knew a bit about Oren’s and Grandma’s turbulent past—jealousy and desire played a big part. But I hadn’t known—or expected—this.
“Hold on a sec!” Willow placed her mug in front of her and raised both hands, shaking them. “You said Duff is my grandfather, and you’re now claiming he’s also your brother. Are you telling me my parents were cousins? This is so messed up.”
She was right about that.
Oren shook his head. “No, no, sorry, let me explain. Duff and I were very close and although we weren’t related by blood, we called ourselves brothers. Actually, most people didn’t know the truth and just assumed it to be true, which is what your grandmother believed. Jacinta thought we were real brothers, and when I denied her what she wanted, she went to him instead. The result was your father. They were never married, but their alliance is a strong one and to this day they serve each other.”
“Okay, so my father was born out of wedlock and she’s the one I get my necromantic powers from…but what’s this man called Duff have to do with anything?”
“He’s part of the Obscurus,” he said.
Willow’s eyes widened and she glanced at me. “The idiots that want to kill Sierra?”
Oren nodded.
“Shit,” she said. “Can I ever meet my grandmother?”
“No way, she wants us dead too.” I blurted. I hadn’t meant for that to slip out, but Willow needed to realize her grandparents posed a deadly threat to us both.
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s true,” Oren said, steering the conversation back to him. “Jacinta is the leader of the Alliance—a group meant to protect humans from supernatural threats—and she placed an order on both of your lives. It’s a sad and very long tale of betrayal and jealousy, so I won’t go into it. I just wanted to make sure that you know who I am and who they are. If you’re ever approached, make sure you don’t make the mistake of putting your trust in either of them. Emotional ties are something neither would hesitate to use if the rest of us refuse to accept the order.”
“Wait a sec. What does this order have to do with you, Oren?” She appeared to be confused now.
“I’m part of the Alliance. I—”
“What?” Willow cut him off. “No, don’t tell me any more. I need some time to get the gist of everything else you just told me.”
“Fair enough,” Oren said with a nod.
My mind was filled with a new danger, one I hadn’t even contemplated until Oren mentioned emotional ties. “You really think they would try to grab Will by telling her who they are?”
“I wouldn’t discount it.” He shook his head. “The fact Duff is part of the Obscurus confirms Jacinta has an ulterior motive. There is no way he would join with such a group without her approval, or suggestion. I’m starting to think she might be a part of it too.”
“It makes a sick sort of sense.” The thought made my insides quiver. Duff was responsible for helping Papan’s brother establish the situation he’d tried to force on his pack. These two oldies sounded like a formidable force. When—no, if—my plate ever cleared up, I would deal with Duff and Jacinta myself. I refused to have them pose a threat to my little sister.
Willow swallowed the rest of her coffee. When she stood and placed her mug in the sink, I thought she might march back to her room. She surprised me by saying, “Oren, I need you to teach me that incantation Sierra uses so well.”
“I plan to teach you every protection spell and incantation I know.” He swiveled around to look at her. “But which one in particular are you referring to?”
“The protection shrouding one,” she said sternly.
I wondered if she knew they were two different incantations.
“You’ve got it,” Oren said.
“Good, let’s go.”
Oren straightened. “You want to learn them now?”
“I’ve got exams coming and will have to devote every bit of brain power to studying, how about I learn some magic now so I can actually use it if I become someone’s target?”
Oren nodded and stood. “Fine, that sounds like a great plan. Besides, I’ve got just the place for you to record everything I’ve taught you so far. Let me just get it from my jacket. I’ll meet you in your room.”
Willow leaned over and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. “Don’t worry, big sis. No one’s going to kill us. I’ll make sure of it.”
I squeezed her tight, glad to see the herbs were obviously already working. She wouldn’t sound so positive if she was still wallowing in grief. Not after the bombshells Oren had just dropped. The sneaky man probably chose this precise moment to come clean.
She headed for the stairs and descended back to her room.
“Are you okay?” Oren made his way around the table and sat on the chair next to mine.
“I don’t know.” I wanted to be okay, to stay strong for Willow, Lavie, Papan, and even Oren. But so much had happened that I felt
like I was falling down an endless pit.
He grabbed my hand. “I can see the change in your aura.”
“I’ve probably got too many black stains to count.” My joke fell flat.
“No, that’s not what I’m talking about.” Oren squeezed my fingers. “I wish you could see how beautiful your aura is, and how much heavier it feels. It’s almost solid.”
“Is it pink?” I whispered.
“How did you know?” His eyes lit up, flashing pink quickly.
I shrugged. “It seems to be Hecate’s color.”
“Yes, your aura is neon pink and serves as a protection barrier. I doubt you’ll need to use the spell Willow wants to learn any longer.” He sighed. “I can’t believe how much she’s like you—so beautiful, determined, brave and headstrong.”
“Don’t forget troublemaker.”
He chuckled and said, “Yes.”
“Can I ask you something?”
He nodded, his cool fingers gripping mine.
“Is the color pink related to witches?”
“Ah, I wondered when you’d ask. Yes, it is.” He sighed. “Hecate is the goddess of many, many things and witches is one of them.”
So it was true, my grandmother had known exactly what she was doing when she bedded Oren. “Being part witch is my strongest connection to her, isn’t it? Well, aside from Saul.”
“Yes, the demon.” A faraway expression crossed his face.
I steered the conversation away from this topic, in case he brought up Grandma. “If Mace doesn’t know I’ve already got the power he wants, the others probably don’t either. Oren, I think I’ve finally got an advantage over those freaks.”
He frowned. “I wouldn’t be so sure.”
“I don’t know why, but I assumed an alarm would go off and every member of the Obscurus would know exactly when it happened.”
“Surprise is always a good thing.” Oren let go of my hand and looked thoughtful for a silent moment. “But I don’t want you to find comfort in their ignorance.”
“I won’t,” I said with a nod. “Did you find a way to separate the stolen souls from the Lamia?” I hated to ask the question, but wasn’t going to give up on this quest.
“Not yet,” he said. “But I won’t yield until I do.”
“You better get to Willow.”
He nodded, stood and disappeared down the stairs.
I let all my thoughts intermingle until they became one hot mess, before heading back upstairs to check on my sleeping beauty.
Chapter Five
“Where have you been?” Papan said as soon as I entered the bedroom. “I missed you.”
“I couldn’t sleep, so I went downstairs to have a cup of coffee.” I shut the door behind me, then pulled my pajama pants and underwear off in one swift motion and tossed them aside.
Papan’s green eyes were twinkling as he watched my slow approach. He propped his head up with one arm, the other rested on his exposed abdomen. “Did you also have a family meeting?”
I narrowed my eyes, trying not to get distracted. “I hope we didn’t wake you.” Of course his werewolf hearing allowed him to hear the murmur of our conversation.
“You didn’t, but I did hear every word.” He whistled. “I thought my family had issues.”
“I didn’t realize you could hear from that distance.” It was one thing to hear a conversation from the next room, but the kitchen was downstairs.
“Yeah, looks like Saul’s blood has affected me more than expected.”
I stopped my approach so I could look him in the eye. “Are you sure you’re okay with me agreeing to his offer of blood?”
Papan stared at his covered legs for so long I started to worry about his response.
“Of course I’m okay with it, you both saved my life.” Papan exhaled. “Saul told me how hesitant you were about the blood transfusion, and how you postponed it for as long as you could. I can’t be angry with you for making a hard decision that meant the difference between life and death. I hope you’d feel the same way if it was the other way around.”
I nodded. “You’ve saved my life enough times to know when it needs saving.”
“I do have one question for you, though.”
“What’s that?”
“Why are you so far away?” He licked his lips. “I need you to be a lot closer. I’ve missed you. Besides, I can see right through that T-shirt and it’s driving me nuts.”
The thought of wearing this tee while I’d been with Gareth in my dreamscape made me wonder if the constable had noticed. Oh well. As far as I was concerned, Gareth and I had finally cleared the air and any uncomfortable notions between us were gone. We knew where our friendship stood, and that made me happy.
“Hey, Foxy, are you with me?” Papan’s voice pulled me out of my reverie.
“I’m always with you.” His smile widened, causing my pulse to quicken. I’d been worried about him for so long it was time to make the most of our privacy. When he raised the sheets, I slipped under with him.
He groaned as he wrapped his arm around me and rested a hand on my bare ass cheek. He lowered his mouth to mine and I opened up to him, letting my hand drift over his lower abdomen to discover he wasn’t wearing any underwear either.
“When did you take them off?”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
“I’m surprised.” I pressed my mouth harder against his and let my fingers roam. I teased him with my fingertips, matching the rhythm with my kisses.
Papan growled into my mouth, dipping his tongue between my lips and sweeping it against mine. The tiny shocks intensified when his hand slid between my legs and his fingers delved inside. He pulled away from our kiss long enough to say, “I’ve missed your softness most of all. Mmmm.”
As his fingers teased an orgasm out of me, I wrapped my hand tighter around his erection. I struggled to catch my breath and my body twitched as the throbbing between my legs sent tiny bouts of pleasure all over. Wow. I’d really missed his touch, and hadn’t realized how tightly wound I’d been until this release.
Papan kissed me softly, still cupping my mound. When I could move my limbs again, I climbed to my knees and straddled him, pulling the T-shirt over my head and throwing it on the floor. His hands instantly went to my breasts, his fingers toying with my nipples.
“You’re driving me fucking nuts,” he whispered. “I need to fuck you. Now.”
“Are you sure you’re okay for this? I don’t want to hurt you.” But I rubbed myself against him anyway.
His eyes rolled back and he pulled a shiny packet from under the pillow, tore it open and handed it to me. “I’m always ready for this, with you.”
Even though protection was important, I resented the condom in my hand. I was starting to hate the barrier. I didn’t want anything between us, ever. Still, I rolled the condom over his erection as smoothly as I could. He closed his eyes and groaned, so at least he was enjoying the process. As soon as it was on, I repositioned my hips and he slid inside.
Papan’s eyes snapped open, and they were amber. He angled his hips, pushing inside me. “Yeah, I’ve definitely missed this,” he said, thrusting against me.
I pressed a palm to his chest. “Hey, you just lie there. I’ve got this.” I rubbed myself against him, enticing my already engorged clitoris. One orgasm was never enough with Papan, and I was ready for more. Having him inside and providing the perfect angle for my stimulation was an amazing sensation, but I craved the surge of excitement I felt when he first entered me. So I raised my hips until he slid out, before dropping so fast he slipped right back in. I did the same thing several times, enjoying the look on his face when he was lodged in deep. When I made a move to rise, he pressed his fingers into my hips to keep me in place.
“No more, I can’t take the delicious teasing.” He held onto m
y hips while devouring my mouth. “I never want this to end.” He sat up, and dragged us back until his spine was pressed against the headboard.
I curved my fingers over the top of the headboard, gripping the leather as I rode him as slowly as I could, while he kept my hips steady and his face on my chest. His tongue flicked out, catching a nipple. I never wanted this to end either. His fingers tightened, keeping me in place so that as I rode him I felt a new wave of mounting pressure.
“Foxy Lady, you sure know how to cheer a man up.”
“I don’t know about a man, but I know what gets my man going.” The pressure slowly coiled inside me. With every movement of my hips, the rubbing motion drove me crazy.
“What’s wrong, Fox? Can’t you take it?”
I shook my head and moaned because this felt divine.
“Neither can I,” he murmured in my ear, and it pushed me over the edge.
An orgasm tore through my body like an electrical charge running beneath my skin. Papan raised his hips and his eyes rolled into his head as he came.
“Fucking hell…”
I collapsed onto the mattress, letting my heart settle back into some sort of peaceful rhythm. Papan left the bed and disappeared into the adjoining bathroom. When I opened my eyes again, he was lying beside me. I was so happy to have him back, I was going to burst.
He pressed his body snug against mine and kissed my cheek. “You’re amazing.”
“Wait until you see what I’ve got planned for your belated birthday present.”
“What?” He was quiet for a moment, caressing my hair. “Oh shit, that’s right. It was my birthday the other day!”
“Happy Birthday, Papan.”
He kissed my lips quickly. “Being back from the brink of death and getting the chance to do this with you is a powerful gift. I don’t need anything else.”
“Oh, I think you need what I have in mind.”
“What is it?”
“I can’t tell you, it’s a surprise.”
He smacked my butt lightly. “And when will I get this surprise?”
I thought about it for a moment. “When are you going back to the office?”
A Stitch on Time: Sierra Fox, Book 5 Page 9