Checkmate

by Elyce de Reefe

  Fine. This was as good a place as any. He could smell her anger. And her anticipation. Two emotions that matched his own. He dropped to his haunches and opened his mouth in a grin. This should be good. His tail wagged lightly against the soft ground. She stood poised for a battle, fists clenched and shoulders tight. He was once again struck by her perfection. The way her long limbs and slim curves matched the delicate beauty of her face. Her dark hair was lit by slanting rays of sunlight, turning it a deep, burnished red. Illuminating her fire.

  “Really, Dean?” She put one hand on her hip, and Dean was reminded of the first time he’d taken notice of her, so many years ago. “You’re just going to sit there?”

  Her steely determination had caught his attention right from the get-go. This one, a little voice had proclaimed.

  Her other hand came down on her other hip, and Dean’s grin widened. “Where do you get off— Telling me to run? A mating challenge? What are we, medieval?

  “Oh, for the love of—” She stomped her foot in frustration. “Would you just shift already, so we can have a conversation?”

  Fine with him. He rose to his feet and let the magic flow through him, shifting. Standing before her, naked, he stated the obvious. “This isn’t a game, Aster. I fought a mating challenge. I won.” He held her gaze, daring her to deny it. “That means you run. End of story.”

  “What? With that big brain of yours, you couldn’t think of anything else?” Her gaze dropped away from his, sliding down his body before jerking back up. A slight blush crept across her cheekbones.

  “You kind of forced my hand.” Dean felt his fists clench and forcibly relaxed them. “He had you cornered. Pinned.”

  Anger spiked through him at just how close that had been. It was an image he wished he could wipe from his mind forever. If it had taken him just a little longer to locate her—

  “I don’t know what else you expected me to do.”

  She waved a hand, dismissively. “How should I know? You’re the Lore Master.”

  “That’s right. I am.” He drew in a breath, trying for calm. “And in that situation, a mating challenge was my only option. Or I could have just stood by and did nothing. You would have preferred that maybe?”

  “Don’t be stupid, Dean. Of course not.” Aster glared at him, arms crossed over her chest.

  “He’s still officially my Alpha, Aster. And it’s not like I could challenge him for the pack.”

  “I don’t see why not. You defeated him easily enough.”

  “Only because he underestimated me. He didn’t shift, and I caught him by surprise. Believe me, that little trick will never work again. Anyway, challenging for the pack was not on the table. It hasn’t been six months yet. Not that it would have solved your… predicament. He must have hunted you all through the city, Aster. I could smell the hunt all over him. How the hell did he find you, anyway?”

  Aster dropped her gaze and stared off at the stream where it gurgled around a small bend. He could tell she didn’t want to answer that. “I, uh, ran into him by accident. And he…” She closed her eyes briefly. When she spoke again, her voice was almost a whisper. “…chased me.” All of a sudden, she looked exhausted. Whatever adrenaline had kept her going this far must have quit on her.

  Dean felt the fight drain out of him as well. He stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms. She didn’t resist. She let out a long breath and leaned against him.

  “It’s okay. It’s over now. You’re safe.” He glanced around, then led her to a fallen log lying by the edge of the shady green embankment. “Here, sit down. Tell me all about it.” He rubbed her back in soothing circles.

  “I’d rather not talk about it right now.” She sounded sad and tired. Defeated. He didn’t like it.

  “That’s okay, honey. We don’t need to talk about it now. The main thing is keeping you safe. Which is exactly what I intend to do.” He lifted her chin with one hand, tilting her face up so he could meet her eyes. “Okay?”

  She sighed and glanced away. She did not look happy. Dean felt a little of his satisfaction slide away. She didn’t want him. Had never wanted him.

  “Aster,” he said gently. “You need a mate. You won’t be safe without one.”

  “That’s just so— stupid. I should not need a mate to be safe. It’s ridiculous.”

  “I know.” He sighed. “It’s archaic. But we are ancient creatures. And we are bound by our nature. The bond is meant to protect us. When we are unmated, we are vulnerable. And Aster, you ran.”

  “That’s it?” She leaned away from him and crossed her arms over her chest. “You told me to run, and I did it so now—”

  “Aster, I am not going to force the bond. I think you know me better than that. But evidence would suggest that you haven’t been making the best decisions lately. This is really the best way to keep you safe. The best way to keep the pack safe. But if you don’t want to…” He trailed off, hoping the pain he felt hadn’t made it into his voice.

  “You know, Dean,” she retorted hotly, “some people actually do things that aren’t one hundred percent logical. They don’t spend ten years working out an elaborate equation waiting for just the right circumstances to come along to make it the logical thing to do. Some people want to be wanted for who they are, not because it’s good for the pack. And not because it’s the only way to keep them safe! Maybe I don’t want to be safe!”

  Dean sat back, surprised at her outburst. She smelled… hurt. “Aster, if all I cared about was your safety, I would have done this years ago.” What right did she have to be hurt? He hadn’t rejected her. “You wouldn’t be out here traipsing through the countryside, nearly bonded to that freak of nature. You wouldn’t be giving your brother anxiety attacks and grey hair and driving me out of my mind! You would be home with me, where you belong!”

  “Where I belong? Where I belong? You have some kind of nerve—”

  “Yes. Where you belong.” Dean couldn’t hold back any longer. “With me, Aster. It has always been me.” Why couldn’t she see that? “You and I make a great team. We always have. I am a way better choice than that lame-brained human, Peter, for example.”

  “Peter? You’re bringing Peter into this?”

  “I’m not bringing Peter into this. You did that.” Just the thought of that human had him seething inside.

  “I… You… What? That’s ancient history! I can’t believe you’re even mentioning him. I haven’t seen Peter in over eight years. What the hell does he have to do with anything?”

  Dean leaned in, his face a dark angry mask. “Peter has everything to do with this, Aster. Don’t pretend he doesn’t.”

  “He’s human, Dean. He has nothing to do with this.” But she squirmed a little. As a female, she’d been able to have a human boyfriend, experiment a little, and know it meant nothing. Could never mean anything.

  “Then why did you choose him over me? It is possible to have a human mate, you know.”

  Aster opened her mouth and then closed it. Maybe for a male, but for her?

  “What?”

  It wasn’t like she could accidentally bond him. Right? “What are you talking about?”

  “You flaunted him right under my nose.”

  “Because you refused to even notice me!” Okay, she hadn’t meant to say that.

  “Notice you? You were all I saw. You were everything. And then you—” His voice actually broke.

  Aster felt a sudden constriction in her throat. Heat rushed up her neck to her face.

  “But, Dean… you never…” Aster felt like she was stepping into quicksand, all her previous precepts crumbling. “You weren’t interested in me like that,” she finished lamely.

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Aster. Why do you think I stayed on at Binghamton to do my grad work?”

  “Because… we were friends. And Pack.” Her voice sounded small and unsure even to her. Had he really wanted her, even back then? He’d sure been good at hiding it. “I thought you were looking out for
me for the pack.”

  “No, Aster. I was looking out for you— for you.” Dean looked so serious. And a little sad. Like she was a particularly disappointing student.

  “But— you never even tried to kiss me. How was I supposed to know?”

  “Aster, you weren’t even fertile yet. What do you take me for, some kind of barbarian?”

  She stared at him. Fertile? “Dean, what are you talking about? Of course I wasn’t ready for children back then. But we could have had… puppy love.” Even though the People didn’t become fertile until sometime in their twenties, they were sexually mature by around eighteen or so. She certainly had been.

  Dean rubbed a hand over his face. “Yeah, well, I was trying to be noble. Fat lot of good it did me.” He sighed and drew in a breath. “The truth is, Aster, I’ve always wanted you. For as long as I can remember. From the moment I looked up from my book to see you standing there, hip thrust out, chess board under one arm, challenging me to a game.”

  “Dean, you were like sixteen. There is no way you were thinking about— taking a mate.”

  “Wrong. I was. I did. I saw you there and it just hit me. Her. This is the one. But you were twelve. So I waited. I wanted it to be perfect for you. I thought if we waited for our Moonrise Ceremony…”

  Chapter 15

  King’s Gambit is one of the oldest openings in chess. White opens with a challenge to the center and an attack on Black’s kingside. If the gambit is accepted, Black takes the pawn and keeps it. This is not without its perils. The results are very unpredictable. The opening is favored by those who appreciate exotic combinations and wild sacrifices.

  — From the Journals of Aster Ardennes

  Aster shook her head, trying to wrap her mind around this new reality. With a blinding flash of clarity, the pieces rearranged themselves in her mind. She’d actually started up with Peter thinking that might spark some jealousy in Dean. Make him finally see her as a female. But it hadn’t worked. At least, not that she’d noticed.

  She’d just been starting her senior year, and she figured enough was enough, already. So when Peter asked her out for the third time, she’d accepted. Beer and pizza. And darts. A typical college date. But it had actually been a nice time. So they’d started dating, and fooling around… and suddenly Dean had a fabulous opportunity at a prestigious university on the other side of the country and was moving to California.

  After that, he’d started his Lore Master training, spending much of his time away from the pack, visiting the ancient archives in Europe and studying under various Lore Masters across North America.

  And on those few occasions that he did come home—always so perfectly friendly, and unfailingly polite—it made her ache inside… Those were the times she sought out human companionship. She rubbed her forehead. Oh, Aster…

  The realization hit her— he would have smelled them and thought she was otherwise involved. Not interested.

  But why hadn’t he told her? Why didn’t you tell him? All this time wasted on foolish pride.

  She bit her lip nervously, peeking up at him. “So… um…” She glanced around, feeling awkward. “You want to…”

  Dean smiled down at her. It was a warm, friendly, familiar smile. “Yes, Aster,” he said, reaching out to stroke her cheek, “I do.”

  His hand slid around to cradle the back of her head, his thumb stroking over her cheekbone, and he leaned down slowly to touch his lips to hers. Gently. They were soft and silky against hers, and so perfect she felt almost dizzy. His lips moved over hers, carefully exploring, parting her lips and then his tongue slipped inside, gentle and inquisitive, and she just about melted in his arms.

  This was what she’d been longing for all these years. This was exactly the touch she’d needed. The taste of him, the feel of his tongue sliding against hers. Perfect. She leaned closer, absorbing the smell of him, slipping an arm around his bare back, feeling the satiny warmth of his skin and breathing in his wonderful, familiar, perfect scent. Spring rain, and wet grass, and damp, fertile earth, all overlaid with just the right slash of juniper. Dean had a scent like no other. Welcoming, and comforting, with just that tiny hint of bite. Of power.

  She shivered, and he pulled her closer, sliding a hand down her leg, closing it around the back of her knee and pulling until she slipped off the log and onto his lap, straddling him. His hands came down to cup around her hips, pulling her flush against him. She sucked in a breath as they teetered dangerously, almost falling backwards off the log. Dean laughed and stood, lifting her easily, as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

  “Aster,” he said in that sexy deep voice of his. “I’m going to take you now. Make you mine. Is that what you want?”

  She nodded against his neck, feeling shy and uncertain. Since Peter, there really hadn’t been many others. Some quick fumbling in the dark, but nothing like this deliberate seduction in the last golden light of the day. And never once had she been with one of the People. She’d always been too concerned they would want more from her. Something she wasn’t willing to commit. Something she had been careful to save. For this man.

  “Say it. Tell me you want me. For your mate.”

  She looked up into his beautiful jade-green eyes, his handsome, dear face, and felt her heart do a funny little flip in her chest. “I want you, Dean.” Her mouth went dry and she had to whisper the rest. “For my mate.”

  A slow smile spread across his face. “Good. In that case, let’s get you out of these clothes.”

  Aster’s own smile felt tremulous and her heart gave another little flutter. She had just about given up hope, but this was really happening. After all this time, Dean was claiming her. This wasn’t the way she’d always imagined it—still slightly hung over, sweaty and weak after running through the city for hours, and next to the muddy banks of an unknown tributary of the Mohawk River—but it was still perfect.

  Dean wanted her. Had always wanted her. And now he was going to be hers for the rest of her life. She felt her smile grow as she stared into his beautiful green eyes.

  He set her on her feet, and even with her legs trembling from exhaustion, she moved her hands from around his shoulders to touch the broad planes of his chest. Dean had a beautiful body, sculpted and lean, his skin a smooth golden tan.

  She continued her exploration, running her hands down his sides, marveling at the way his muscles rippled under her touch. She couldn’t resist teasing him even as she reveled in the ability to run her hands all over him. “So how is it a book-boy like you has such a beautiful all-over tan?” She glanced up into his soft green eyes and saw a warm blush creep across his cheeks.

  “I, uh… like to feel the sun on my skin.”

  “Dean Rolland, are you telling me you sunbathe in the nude?” She ran a hand over the soft hair dusting the valley between his pecs, then glanced up at him between her lashes, hoping she didn’t look ridiculous.

  “Yeah. Pretty much.” He smiled back sheepishly. Her heart gave a little squeeze.

  His grin widened. “Maybe next time you’ll join me.” The look in his eye turned mischievous. He grabbed the hem of her shirt and began slowly pulling it up and over her head. “You could use a little sun,” he said, and dropped it to the ground.

  And then there she was in her plain cotton bra and jeans, feeling unaccountably shy. She wasn’t necessarily the type of girl men went tongue-tied for. It wasn’t like her B-cups and slim hips did anything to qualify her for the curvy-girl club.

  The light was turning from amber to dusky blue as the sun sank lower, but it was still much too bright for her peace of mind. But Dean didn’t seem deterred. Or disappointed. He stared down at her thin cotton bra with rapt attention as her nipples tightened in the cool evening air.

  “Aster, you’re so beautiful,” he said, his large, warm hands reaching out to cup her waist. She shivered at the contact, and he glanced back up into her eyes.

  “Hmmm.” He cast a quick glance around the riverbank. “This is not
quite what I had in mind. I don’t even have a blanket.” His eyes sparkled with mischief. “I guess we’ll just have to get creative.”

  His hands reached around and undid the clasp of her bra, pulling it down and off her arms—no wait—only off one arm.

  Before she realized what he was doing, he had both her arms tied behind her back with her own bra.

  “Dean! What are you doing?”

  “Shhh. Let me just admire you.” He stood back for a moment, taking in his handiwork. “That is truly a beautiful sight.”

  She felt unbearably exposed like that, her shoulders pulled back and her breasts thrust out. Then those warm hands skated up her torso to wrap around her exquisitely sensitive flesh, his palms rough against her nipples as he squeezed gently and then chafed his palms gently across the tight peaks. It was like nothing she’d ever experienced before, as if her sensitivity level had ratcheted up by like a million, little explosions of sensation shooting through her in tiny invisible spikes and awakening other, deeper parts of her body.

  She groaned as his mouth came down to suck hard on the back of her neck, the slight pull of pain adding to and intensifying the other sensations. And then his mouth left her, and he glanced into her eyes with an almost silly smile, so happy, and her heart did another slow roll. This was Dean. Her Dean, and he was—

  Dropping to his knees, popping the snap, and peeling her wet jeans and underwear down her body?

  “Wait, Dean,” she lurched precariously to one side, and he wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her. Which was a good thing because her legs were pretty shaky as it was, and now with her hands tied behind her—

  “Step out,” he said, popping her sneaker off one foot and pulling her jeans off that leg. He repeated the process as soon as she switched her weight to the other foot.

  And then she was completely nude and he was nudging her legs apart. “A little wider,” he said, nudging her thigh with his shoulder, and it was comply or fall over, so she complied.