“I-I don’t know what you mean? You know my magic is useless in this place,” she was right, it was, so if she wasn’t using magic then what was it?
I had no clue, but right now I didn’t care. I lowered my lips to hers.
“Major…” she whispered, and I felt the need to correct her, here and now, I was a man without status. I was no Major and I was no Prince. We were two separate forces of nature about to collide and there was no stopping that fact.
“Edmund,” my lips brushed the corner of her mouth, “call me Edmund.”
Whether she wanted to say my name or not, it was too late, I already tasted her lips; it was sweet with a hint of lemon and peach. Like some aphrodisiac yet to be discovered, I lost nearly all control.
Her lips parted willingly and I explored the confines of her mouth with my tongue, and she met me all the same. Raising my leg between hers, I backed her up against the nearest wall. Her breathing was getting heavier and her body responded to my touch as I ran my hands down over her sides. I wanted to pull this dress off and admire her body more than anything, but I had to hold back. The last thing I wanted was to scare her. As it was, my inner beast was starting to surface, and I had no idea how long I would be able to control him.
The space between our bodies was still, like chasm we needed to cross over, it felt like my soul wanted to merge with hers. What was going on? Why was I feeling this strong attraction towards a woman I should have no feelings or desires for? The questions were endless, but my beast was determined.
I dragged my lips away from hers and she tilted her head to the side, her hands were resting just over my heart, and if I didn’t know better I would have thought to be bewitched.
“Edmund, what’s happening…?” I heard her whisper breathlessly, but even that did not quite register. All I wanted was this. Sliding my lips along her neck to the hollow at the base of her throat and I felt her pulse quicken. The rush of her blood and the beating of her heart drowned out any other sounds. I tried to fight it, but the urge to taste her was slowly overpowering my common sense. And before I could stop myself, my canines extended and sliced into her skin. It was a mere scratch, but the moment I did that, she shoved at my chest and pushed me away from her.
“No! What are you doing?” she whispered huskily as she covered the slight scar on her neck.
But the taste of her blood was already on my tongue, and realization swept over me like an avalanche. She was more than just a witch, she was my mate.
“You’re blood…” without giving her a chance to escape I spun her around and pressed her up against the wall and roughly pulled her dress up.
“What the hell! Get away from me!” she shouted and struggled against my grip, but I had to see it for myself. And as I dragged the dress up and over her ass, my suspicions were confirmed, the royal birthmark was imprinted like a tattoo on her lower back.
Without a word I stormed out of her room, I had to consult with the elders and get their take on this, if she was even partly bear, it would mean that I finally found my mate. And that would mean I would take my rightful place on the thrown as the ruler of my kind.
Chapter 5
Arabella
A week has gone by with no word from Edmond. The scar on my neck was still raw. I tilted my head as I looked in the mirror and gently trailed my finger over the small cut. It wasn’t painful at all, but it wasn’t going away either. Whatever possessed him to do such a thing?
I walked over to the bed and knelt down pulling out the box he sent me shortly after our incident. It contained all the tools I needed to lift this binding spell, I still had no idea why it was cast in the first place, and what my purpose would be once I’ve completed this. The question that begged to be asked was, would I be cast out into the wilderness again, left to fend for myself like I did before? A few days ago all I wanted was to leave this place, regardless of the luxuries and easy access to food, or the magnificent library I visited every day since. But the longer I pondered over what happened between Edmund and I, the more determined I was to stay and figure out what was going on. I had the right to know. Plus, my attraction to him was making me second guess myself.
Still on my knees I glanced towards the window at the waning moon. I could delay the inevitable and wait for the moon phase to pass, but eventually I was going to have to do it anyway. Might as well get it over and done with.
I started to lay out all the items I needed to do the spell, and cast my circle. It was a ritual as second nature as breathing. Once done, I positioned my candles at each of the four corners representing the elements, fire, air, earth and water. It was no surprise that all the ingredients for the spell were neatly set in a small wooden box.
With my eyes closed I centred my spirit and focused as I started my cleansing chant, it was a simple meditative practice to chase away all conflict and dark spirits that may try and break my concentration. Finally, I started to feel the weightlessness as gravity released its hold on me and the floor below started to feel like a soft cloud. With the candles in place, I lit each one and then sprinkled the myrrh, patchouli and sandalwood incense in the fire bowl. I pricked my finger and squeezed a few drops of blood into the burning incense.
“Sileneous Imurinio, expegris,” I chanted.
“Sileneous Imurinio, expegris.” the candle’s flames started to grow taller and stronger, and as I continued the chant, I felt a surge of power stream from the crown of my head to the base of my spine. My palms were on fire and as I swirled my hands over the incense smoke that rose from the fire bowl, I chanted louder. Whoever cast the binding spell on this place was no rookie. I could feel my energy drain by the second. The sensation of strands that wrapped around me became stronger and I fought harder.
“Sileneous Imurinio, expegris!” I cried out louder this time, forcing the entity that haunted this place to another dimension. The door swung like a pendulum and so did the wardrobe doors. I could feel the warm trickle of liquid running from my nose over my lips, but I refused to give up.
“Ejecucio purifuro, sileneous imurinio, expergris!” the magical storm magnified as the blood magic of the unbinding spell started to gain power, and just as I thought I was going to collapse with my face in the burning incense there was a great explosion, shattering the windows. Then everything went dark.
I sat slumped forward for a few seconds, waiting in anticipation, and when the candles lit up on their own one by one, relief flooded me. The binding spell was finally broken. Exhaustion consumed me and I toppled over unto my side. I drifted in and out of consciousness, while visions of me wearing a fur coat and a bear’s head as a headpiece ransacked the little coherency I had left until my mind went completely blank.
Eventually I came to, only to see Edmund hovering over me. There was a hint of concern in those whiskey coloured eyes, and when he reached out to brush a strand of hair from my face I quickly shifted away.
“You’re free of the binding spell now, so what happens next?” I had no time for small talk.
“Yes, we are free now, how are you feeling?”
“Don’t concern yourself over my wellbeing, I want to know what happens now.”
What was it with him and his half arsed information he was feeding me? I knew he was hiding something. I was tired of the games he played, and after what happened between us earlier in the week, I was angry.
“Arabella, rest for now, we’ll talk once you have your strength back.”
I stood up and unable to catch my balance I nearly toppled over, but Edmund was quick to steady me. I pulled away from him and used the windowsill as to lean on instead.
“Why do you refuse to tell me what’s going on? Every time, ever since you brought me to this place, you avoid answering my questions. I think I deserve some answers after saving your arse! You can’t just keep me a prisoner here and treat me like an object! I am NOT having it. Just who do you think you are?”
Yes I was a persistent bitch, and no I refused to give up and be made a
fool of. I wanted answers and I wanted them now.
Chapter 6
Edmund
I knew she had the right to know what’s going on, now even more than ever. I had an obligation to lay my cards open to her, as well as to my Clan. I just didn’t know exactly how to explain the part where she was part shifter and part witch. Throughout the existence of our kind, hybrids only existed between shifters and vampires. And the worst part was that hybrids were shunned from both sides. Neither bear nor Vampire wanted a half breed in their midst. I wasn’t quite sure what the outcome would be in this case.
“Sit down at least, I can’t have you falling and getting hurt.”
“I’m not made of porcelain, if you haven’t noticed. I’ve managed to survive out there for the past decade without your help.”
I patted the bed beside me, and despite her stubbornness she sat down, surprisingly not moving away from me. I had to shift my focus to the situation at hand to prevent my inner beast from coming to the forefront. Her scent was simply intoxicating, and the tiny wound on her neck expelled a fresh scent of her blood. I took a deep steady breath and rubbed my hand over my face to relieve some of the tension.
“After the decimation of the planet, and the fall of man, Lucifer’s Hordes went on a rampage, killing most if not all humans. This you already know. What you may not have realised was that with their food source almost depleted, their attention turned to our kind.”
I glanced over at her, she simply sat with her hands folded in her lap and her eyes focused no me. Her unyielding stare as making me anxious again, so I blundered on.
“At first it was difficult for us to detect them. Their physical composition is not easily detectible by our species, as it is in detecting humans. Those bastards are walking corpses.”
I felt her shift and when I looked at her I could see the small crease on her forehead.
“Long story short, we started to call in the help of witches like you to cloak our Clans and also cast locator spells in order for us to find them before they find us.”
“The binding spell, how would that have helped you?”
She was as sharp as a dagger, nothing slipped past her.
“Well the witch before you, Maura, cast the binding spell out of spite or call it revenge. It’s a long story…”
“It’s not like I’m going anywhere,” she said and her voice was laced with sarcasm.
“Maura was in love, and because her love was unrequited…”
“She was in love with you?” she asked, this time looking straight at me.
Instead of answering her questions, I continued, “her personal feelings of hurt and rejection finally drove her insane, and before she plummeted to her death, she cast this binding spell. It didn’t only affect magic, but also our ability to fully shift into our bear forms which left us vulnerable.”
The mattress shifted and she stood up, “Wait, so you’re not a werewolf?”
I chuckled and shook my head, “No, we’re a Clan of bear shifters, generally at peace with all living creatures unless threatened. Contrary to the belief that we’re carnivorous hunters and savage beasts, we much more prefer what nature provides.”
“So that’s why you have an entire greenhouse where you grow hydroponic vegetables. But why did you, you know?” she pointed to her neck.
Here was the tricky part, and I had no idea how to explain it to her other than to put it out there for the dogs to rip apart. I stood up and as I stepped closer it looked as if she wanted to move away, but she didn’t.
“Maura was in love with me, but it was a one sided love,” grasping for straws I tried to find the right words to explain the situation.
“Well the feeling wasn’t mutual, because she was not a shifter. All her attempts to seduce me failed, and with each passing moment she became more desperate, but my bear was silent.”
She tilted her head to the side and frowned, I knew the cogs in her head were turning like there was no tomorrow and I couldn’t help but smile. She was clever, and I was sure that the puzzle pieces will soon start falling into place.
She folded one hand under her arm, then ran her tongue over her lips and then sucked it into her mouth. That action was enough to make my cock stand at attention.
“So then, but, I don’t understand, if you can only share mutual feelings with another bear shifter, what happened between…oh my god! You’ve got to be kidding me,” and so the chips fell. She finally realized exactly what was going on, now it was up to her to make sense of this.
“It’s not possible, I cannot possibly be a shifter,” she protested, “Do you have any idea what they do to hybrids out there?”
I nodded solemnly, but I also knew she was no ordinary shifter, or witch for that matter. Very few witches can unbind a spell of a dead witch, especially one of Maura’s skill. It takes more than just mediocre magic.
“I was just as surprised as you were. Trust me, when I kissed you and my bear growled with pleasure, I had to see it for myself. The only way I was able to ascertain the fact that you are part shifter, was to taste your blood.”
“I need a drink, a strong drink,” she flopped back down on the bed and lay back stretching her arms out on either side of her and my blood rushed south.
Chapter 7
Arabella
So I’m a shifter, what a twist of fate. I opened my eyes and saw Edmund standing above me, the hunger in his eyes sending a shiver of pleasure down my spine. There was no denying that I too, was attracted to him. From day one I couldn’t get him out of my mind although I tried.
I hitched myself up on my elbows and looked into his eyes, those large golden orbs, set so perfectly in his skull, it seemed he could see straight into my soul.
No invitation was needed. As I bent my knees and brought my feet up on the edge of the bed my dress rode down over my thighs and that was all it took. Edmund was out of his clothes in an instant. I revelled in the fact that I held such power over him. To tame him was an easy task but to tame his beast was impossible. What the bear wants, the bear shall have.
He pulled my dress off, the look of surprise on his face when he noticed that I wasn’t wearing any underwear was priceless. It wasn’t planned like that, I just didn’t have any. In a compound with mainly men, and women who clearly had no love for me, that was one detail they missed when they gave me a new wardrobe.
He moved over me and I pulled his mouth to mine, kissing him. He groaned into the kiss as our hour tongues collided, fighting for dominance in a confined space. I was throbbing with a need I’ve never experienced before. I was a virgin in body but in mind I was long lost.
He finally broke the kiss and his lips moved down, paying special attention to the tiny scar against my neck. It was a soothing sensation that made me melt on the inside. He descended further down and flicked his tongue over one of my nipples while he rolled the other between his fingers.
“Oh gods,” I whimpered, it was almost too much to bear.
His mouth moved to the other nipple and I arched my back, he was kissing all the right places, but there was a need much greater. I tugged at his hair with one hand to pull him up while I slid the other one under his arm, digging my fingers into his skin and wrapping my legs around his.
“Arabella, are you sure?”
“Now is not the time to ask that question,” hardly able to contain myself, I ground my hips against him.
“You are still a virgin,” he said gruffly, as he tried to keep himself elevated. How the did he know that I was a virgin, and why would that be any concern of his anyway?
He must have read my mind, and as he planted soft kisses along the side of my face to my ear, he said, “I’m the Prince of my Clan, my bear would not have considered you as his mate if it was otherwise.”
Oh well bloody hell, so he’s a bear shifter, a Prince, I’m a shifter and a witch, our concoction spelled disaster but I didn’t care, right now all I wanted was him.
“Edmund, please… just please don
’t make me beg.” I had already reached a point of no return and if he didn’t make love to me now, I was going to have to use my magic to pin him down and take him instead.
Luckily it didn’t come down to that, the moment I pleaded with him, he dipped his head into the juncture between my shoulder and neck. I could feel his intake of breath as his rock hard length pressed against my clit.
“Oh my god…” I started to say, but I was soon silenced when he raised his hips and drove himself deep into my core. He took me slowly at first, and between his laborious breaths and groans, his pace picked up. With each thrust my body adjusted to his size until I was meeting him thrust for thrust.
Our bodies entwined like vines. Not knowing what exactly to expect, I braced myself as my body started to tingle all over, and before I knew it, I felt singed with fire. We both reached the summit of sexual pleasure, where ice and fire combined into an unstoppable storm. Bound together in body, mind and soul, I knew that there was nothing other than death itself that could separate us.
Chapter 8
Arabella
With the binding spell broken and the compound exposed, I had to work hard at getting a powerful protection spell. This wasn’t anything like I’ve ever had to do before. This was a spell to protect an entire Clan of bear shifters. I spent most of the day in the Alexandria room, where I researched relentlessly. Arcane records and spell books that dated back to the early sixteenth century lay open before me and yet, there was no spell in them that I could cast. Most of them required blood magic, which I was not a great fan of. The worst part was that the spells I cast as a Strega witch required herbs, and it wasn’t as if I could go to the nearest grocer. Edmund had their greenery but it was mostly for food, there were no magical herbs to be harvested and time was ticking.
I stood up and stretched my arms and legs to get my blood circulation flowing again. Surely Maura must have had access to such a spell. Why else would they have acquired her services?
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