Warlords, Witches and Wolves: A Fantasy Realms Anthology

by Michelle Diener

  Her hand joined her mouth, working his base as her mouth devoured the head. His fingers tightened in her hair, guiding her in a frenzied pace that had her reaching between her legs.

  “Stop,” he growled, when he noticed the movement of her hand. “Mine.” His fangs shone wickedly in the moonlight, eyes glowing like twin suns. He fought against his bonds, desperate now to get to her.

  Spreading her knees, Tabitha looked in his eyes, then deliberately reached between her legs, trailing her fingers back and forth between her saturated folds. Goddess, how she wanted him! He snarled; eyes glowing brighter as he watched.

  “Want this?” she taunted, as he threw himself against his bonds in a frenzy.

  This. This was what she wanted. Needed.

  Now.

  With a thought from Tabitha, Jarrad’s bonds disappeared, and he pounced, taking her to the ground and thrusting her legs in the air. There was no warning, no foreplay as his mouth fastened onto her aching clit. Feasted on her cream. The man was a beast, but the beast knew what it wanted—her passion.

  And he got it.

  Tabitha flew over the edge when his fang grazed her clit. She screamed her pleasure to the stars when he continued to feast through her orgasm. When his first two fingers entered her, stretched her, she almost came again.

  “Please, Jarrad,” she begged. It didn’t matter that the tables were turned now. She just wanted him, inside her, whichever way he’d have her.

  In what seemed like seconds, she was up and in his arms, then spread like a feast on the stone altar. New energy thrummed through her, coming from the stone, but Jarrad didn’t give her time to analyse it. Nor did she want to in this instant. His cock nudged at her folds, teasing her, even as his mouth latched onto her nipple, circling the peaked tip.

  The man continued to tease her, leashing his beast, never penetrating fully when she wanted him savage. Tabitha grabbed his hair, fastening her mouth to his. It wasn’t enough, not nearly. She wrapped her legs tightly behind his arse and slammed his full length into her.

  Her eyes just about rolled into her head. He was longer than she’d thought, and a little wider. This first time, there would be a little pain, but he was perfect. Made for her. She looked up into his concerned face and smiled in smug satisfaction. A feral glint lit his eye. Finally, his wolf was shining through.

  He grabbed her hips and thrust again, the force of it pushing her up the smooth altar. Then back down again as he pounded into her, again and again. A relentless rhythm that left her breathless, her pleasure beating at her as he ground his pelvis into her clit on each thrust.

  She clutched at his arse, his hair, anything to spur him to greater heights. He didn’t disappoint. Jarrad’s fangs flashed and fastened on her throat. Power ripped through her, filled her to the brim. Both hers and the earthier magic of the wolves.

  Tabitha screamed out her orgasm as the bond wove itself between them, burning through them both. With a triumphant howl, Jarrad came, continuing to thrust into her as they rode out their pleasure. The bond settled as an enormous wave of power rolled out from between them both, settling over the pack lands as Tabitha wove her spell.

  Her magic made itself at home inside him. She could feel it knit tightly around his heart as his wolf now lay curled around hers. She was boneless, bodiless. A soul now merged with its other half.

  Tabitha wanted to lay there forever.

  The first thing that intruded was the cold of the stone beneath her bare body. The second was the wet glide of his cum as it slid out of her and onto the altar. Sealing the magic further.

  She smiled. Sex magic was even better than blood magic, an added bonus of their union. It would protect the whole property for many years. Long after the Inquisition lost interest in her and Luna, his whole pack would be safe.

  “That was some pretty powerful magic.”

  Jarrad echoed her thought, although hurt and suspicion tinged his words. She felt it radiating along their newly forged bond. That would take some getting used to.

  “Did you know that would happen?”

  Tabitha looked at him in surprise. Why was he hurt? “Of course,” she said. “Magic always comes with sex. Why not use our energy to our advantage? Luna needs to be protected at any cost. And this place is ripe with magic.” After all, the Goddess had led her there.

  He shook his head, the hurt snaking through the bond becoming stronger, laced with disgust.

  “This is a sacred site, Tabitha. It’s where Alphas from my pack come to claim their mate. I thought you understood. That you were—”

  That she was what? What was she supposed to understand when she barely knew anything about him?

  Just that they were made for each other.

  Jarrad shook his head, stalking back towards the woods without even a glance over his shoulder.

  “That I was what, Jarrad?”

  He didn’t look back, just kept walking as though he didn’t hear her. Or wouldn’t.

  Confusion and anger chased themselves in circles inside Tabitha. What had she done wrong? She’d given herself to him, and there he was, walking away from her without a backwards glance.

  Is that how mates were supposed to behave?

  With a heavy heart, she drew herself up and trudged behind him towards the house. Trying not to let the hurt fester.

  Now that the magic was done, she needed to rest. Maybe everything would look better in the morning.

  If it didn’t… well, she had faith. Didn’t she? Somehow, the Goddess would provide. She trudged through the house and flopped into the bed in the empty guest room, battling hurt again because she’d hoped to fall asleep next to Jarrad.

  All night Nathan’s mutilated body haunted her. Only this time it wasn’t his face she identified. No. The face flicked between that of Luna, then Jarrad. Sometimes it was her own.

  Dread followed her to sleep.

  Chapter 9

  Jarrad didn’t want to open his eyes. He couldn’t believe his mate had used him to work a spell. That she’d taken something so primal and sacred, then tainted it with cool calculation. The clearing and its altar were sacred to the Moon and used for Alpha matings and fertility rites for the women of the pack. He was terrified she’d warped his people’s magic somehow, twisted it for her own purposes.

  In the heat of finding his mate, he hadn’t even paused a moment to think it might all be a lie.

  After all, wasn’t that what witches did? Used the magic of nature for their own purposes? His people asked, and the Moon provided. It was as natural as breathing—you sent a prayer and the Moon either granted your request or you weren’t meant to have what you desired.

  For Jarrad, all he’d ever asked of the Moon was to keep his pack safe. And, when his loneliness smothered him, to bring him his mate. Now he’d finally found her, but his mate had endangered his pack, bringing the Inquisition and their madness to his town.

  And what had she done with the magic of his people?

  He didn’t know what to do. And the Moon gave no answers.

  Everything within him burned to protect Tabitha and their pup, but she was a stranger. And a witch. What if she’d done something to him to mimic a mating bond? Deep in his soul, he knew that wasn’t possible. That their bond was soul-deep and true. However, logic told him something different. That he didn’t know if he could trust her.

  Did he stand by his mate, who possibly was manipulating him to protect her, or protect his pack, who could suffer if the Inquisition realised the wolves were in league with their target?

  Jarrad knew he had to get out of bed, to ask questions and get answers, but he didn’t want to face her. Her hurt had woven with his own in the bond until he didn’t know whose was whose. There was also her anger to contend with.

  Steeling himself, Jarrad rolled out of bed, showered and, when he could avoid it no longer, went to confront his mate. The scent of her pup hung thick behind one of guest room doors, so he’d have at least some chance of a conversation with
her before Luna woke.

  Tabitha sat in the kitchen with her brother, talking to him in such low tones even Jarrad’s wolf’s ears couldn’t pick up the meaning. Immediate suspicion roared to life inside him. What did she have to hide from him? A low growl escaped him.

  Perhaps misinterpreting the reason for his ire, Ryan moved a little further away from his sister. Tabitha just stared at him, a frown creasing her forehead. She knew there was no jealousy in the bond.

  “We have to talk,” he stated, taking a seat and giving Ryan a pointed glare.

  “You say that a lot,” Tabitha snarked.

  Moon help him, even that was sexy coming from her mouth.

  “But I don’t think it means the same thing for you. You see, last night, when I wanted to talk, you—”

  “Privacy, please,” he ground out between gritted teeth as Ryan crossed his arms and straightened to his full height at the door. Not even a brother should know what occurs between mates.

  “I don’t go anywhere when she’s in danger, fur-face.”

  Jarrad growled his annoyance. Ryan drew himself up, preparing for a fight.

  Tabitha gave her brother a nod, indicating everything was all right. It irritated him as much as her apparent trust soothed. Surely everyone knew a wolf would never hurt his mate.

  But was she his mate?

  “Go upstairs, Ryan. Entertain Luna when she wakes up. Give me a chance to talk to this idiot.”

  Her words sent fire racing through him. He growled, and once again, Tabitha had to shoo her brother from the room.

  “Don’t forget to tell him about—”

  “I will, don’t worry. Now scram.”

  She smiled at her brother, but both men knew it was forced. It never lit her eyes. With a warning look at Jarrad, Ryan trudged upstairs to his niece.

  Tabitha turned to him. Her blue eyes were icy cold. Where yesterday they’d burned with fire for him, today they were dead as charcoal in a cold fireplace. It hurt more than he wanted to admit. Still, he had his pack to think about.

  And when dealing with trouble, it was better to go on the offensive.

  “What selfish spell did you work with pack magic?”

  Shocked, Tabitha’s mouth worked, but no sound came out.

  “I’ve heard about how witches work. Last night you started with a simple warding spell, but that last bit… it was different. You pulled magic through me and my people when we fucked.”

  She flinched at the word, and he told himself to ignore it. He needed to know what she’d done, and he didn’t need her feelings as a distraction.

  “You didn’t ask, just took, and obviously you had something you wanted. Tell me.” He forced a sneer to his face, though it hurt to look at her like that. “What. Have. You. Done?”

  It was only then he felt the anger flooding the bond. Tearing through him with the force of a tidal wave. Only then he acknowledged the depth of her hurt as she hurtled everything across the bond towards him. It sent him to his knees, but that wasn’t the worst of it.

  Tabitha’s blonde hair swirled around her in an invisible wind, sparks flying from her fingertips as though desperate to devour something. Anything. She stared at him with death in her eyes, even as his own heart was thumping in his chest. She kept her power leashed, but the threat of it hung in the air. Heavy and thick, her magic appeared fathomless.

  He’d severely underestimated his mate.

  “Selfish spell?”

  Her voice echoed oddly in the room, deeper and more ominous than he’d heard from her before. Her feet no longer touched the floor.

  “How witches work?”

  Her heartache flooded him. As did her feelings of betrayal. They swamped his own, making him feel small, ashamed. Yet she was the one who’d used him. That thought steadied him. He steeled himself with his righteous anger, then sealed his own fate.

  “Yes. I’ll ask again. What. Did. You. Do?”

  Her only reply was an explosion of air that screamed through the kitchen into the lounge room, shattering anything breakable in its wake. Jarrad, though… Jarrad was left unharmed, encased in a bubble of ice.

  Water.

  The element of her heart.

  Fuck. If she wasn’t his mate, Tabitha would have destroyed him with the strength of her emotions. Instead, she’d saved him from herself. Only now his mate slumped, exhausted, on the floor. And he was stuck inside this ice.

  “Tabitha?” She didn’t acknowledge him as she struggled to sit. “Tabitha, Love, I’m so—”

  “Bitty,” Ryan said cautiously as he and Luna inched into the room. “We going to be okay in here now?”

  She nodded wearily at him, though she still didn’t acknowledge Jarrad. Could she even hear him through this cage? He slammed himself against the icy prison keeping him from his mate, but it was too solid.

  Ryan sat down and wrapped an arm around her, while Luna crawled into her lap. Tabitha wrapped her arms around her daughter as Jarrad continued to slam into the ice, desperate to get to her. Ryan’s eyes flicked to him, then back to Tabitha. That just infuriated Jarrad. His wolf crawled under the surface of his skin, howling inside him. He knew they’d lost their mate with their own stupidity, just as Jarrad’s human side did.

  And that witch was touching his mate while he couldn’t.

  “I need to be alone.”

  Tabitha’s voice was a leaf in the wind, so fragile he was terrified she’d broken.

  “Mummy?”

  The scent of Luna’s fear saturated the air, as did Ryan’s concern and anger. But from Tabitha… nothing. She was a blank slate. Nothing came to him through their link either. It was as though she’d ceased to exist. His skin rolled as his wolf beat frantically against his self-control.

  Tabitha’s hand smoothed Luna’s hair from her forehead. “Mummy just needs a bit of alone time, sweetheart.”

  And that was his mate. The woman who spoke gently to soothe others, even when her heart broke. Jarrad’s own heart stuttered in his chest. She was shutting herself off from him.

  “Want me to take care of her here while you go for a walk in the forest?”

  Jarrad could almost hear her thoughts. Not the forest.

  She hesitated. “Thanks, I won’t be too long.” Her eyes flicked towards her car keys on the table.

  Surely her brother didn’t believe her?

  Jarrad thumped his fists against the ice. “No!” he growled, but his mate didn’t even acknowledge him. Ryan frowned at him though, before turning back to Tabitha. That settled it—they were both ignoring him. Jarrad snarled in frustration.

  “I need this, Ryan.” She said it to her brother, but she fixed her eyes on him. “I can’t be around here right now. I just can’t.”

  “Not for long, all right? No getting lost in the bush just to avoid this place. We’ll go back to Carnarben as soon as we get this Inquisitor.”

  She gave a small nod, though Jarrad sensed it was more to placate Ryan than out of any real agreement. He didn’t know for sure though. Tabitha’s emotions were Fort Knox.

  She kissed her daughter on the forehead and slipped the keys into her pocket as she walked out the door. Without a single glance at him.

  “What’s Jarrad doing in an ice block, Uncle Ryan?” Luna asked, ever curious.

  “Cooling down,” Ryan replied.

  Jarrad wanted to snarl at him, but the man was right. The ice had effectively cooled his temper and given him a rude awakening.

  “He’s been a bit of an idiot.”

  Tabitha was his mate, and he’d accused her of manipulating him and his pack.

  He was an idiot.

  “That’s not very nice. Mummy says you shouldn’t call people names.” She looked at his cage in awe. “Shouldn’t we get him out? He looks sorry now.”

  Ryan stared at him, face stony. He gave a quick nod. “I think you’re right, pumpkin. Want to help?”

  At Luna’s eager nod, Ryan talked her through melting the ice. The girl had an affinity for
fire, like her uncle, but who knew? With Tabitha for a mother, the little witch could probably do plenty more than that.

  The rev of an engine startled Ryan and Luna from their task. Ryan rushed to the door and cursed as the sounds of a car rumbled into the distance. The man turned furious eyes towards Jarrad. Then his shoulders slumped in resignation.

  “Where’s Mummy going, Uncle Ryan?” The girl nibbled her lower lip, brow furrowed in concern.

  “Not sure, Pumpkin, but she needs some time to calm down,” Ryan replied, but both he and Jarrad knew she’d be at the Hippie House. It was her space. “We should finish getting this idiot out.”

  Luna didn’t correct him this time. Perhaps she sensed this was all his doing, though Ryan was the one who couldn’t see through Tabitha’s obvious lie.

  Almost an hour passed before the ice was finally thin enough for Jarrad to break free. When he did, it was to find Ryan’s fist connecting with his jaw. He didn’t retaliate.

  “I guess I deserve that.”

  Ryan’s eyes flickered with flames. “And more, you arsehole! You can’t just—”

  “That’s it, I’m telling Mummy, Uncle Ryan. You can’t just hit people and call them names. Mum’s going to ban you from tech for a week!”

  Both men let out an incredulous guffaw, their anger melted for the moment by a little miracle.

  “Can you pop upstairs for a bit so I can apologise without you interfering, Luna?” Ryan asked affectionately.

  She eyed him suspiciously. “Okay. But just remember, I’m telling Mum. So don’t do anything else bad.” She trotted upstairs as Ryan rounded on Jarrad, anger cooled but not gone.

  “I heard your conversation,” Ryan said without preamble. “You must be the biggest idiot who ever walked the planet.”

  Jarrad opened his mouth to argue but was cut off before he could start. Besides, he agreed with Ryan anyway. Even if he had cause for suspicion.