by Kim Schubert
“Oh,” Sonny said, clearing his throat.
“I—I don’t know—“ said Caleb. “He’s pretty out of control. He’d hate himself if he hurt you.”
“He won’t hurt me,” I assured him.
Bear’s beast charged and this time, I let him take me to the ground, his heavy weight supported by his arms.
“Either go or stay, but either way, this is happening,” I warned.
I needed to get over Blake, and a distraction of mind-blowing sex was going to do the trick. At least that’s what I was telling myself.
This will work. My eyes roved over him, appreciating his broad shoulders and thick arms.
His nostrils flared. He nuzzled the side of my neck. Dimly I heard the doors closing after Sonny and Caleb.
Bear’s eyes traveled slowly over my face, taking in my elevated breathing and scenting my arousal.
“Olivia,” his voice was lower, gravelly, and all animal.
“Bear,” I answered.
Bear smiled, leaning down to my ear and licking the shell before he whispered, “I can smell you.” Slipping a hand under his shirt, I pressed my fingers lightly against his abs, enjoying the feeling of his ragged breath.
I let my desire seep out, my raw need slipping down my arms into him. Bear closed his eyes, moving between my legs, pressing my hand flat against his stomach. “Can you feel me?” I whispered.
Bear’s eyes opened and I watched his beast in control. I couldn’t help leaning forward, my grin spreading as I tugged on the hair peeking above his waistband.
Bear wrapped his large hand around the soft flesh on the back of my neck. I was impressed by his control as he forced my head to tilt up. Slowly, he lowered his mouth to my own. Heat blasted through my veins and I pushed closer to him. My hand wrapped around his back to pull him near. His free hand pressed against my shoulder as he pulled away.
“Are you sure?” he whispered close to my ear, my body pressing against his massive erection.
“Yes,” I whispered.
“You are done being in control, darling,” he warned me, nipping at my neck. I lifted my chin, giving him access to the delicate skin there. He growled, biting down harder, and reached up to lock my hands above my head. Inhaling sharply, I arched my body against his, moaning.
“You want it, you have to take it,” I warned him, my eyes darkening in lust.
Slowly, with a degree of control that surprised me, he removed my wraps, then began lifting up my black tank top, pressing kisses to my naked flesh, inch by slow inch.
I growled, thrusting my hips at him. He looked up at me, his tongue working small circles under my rib cage, my hands securely in his own above my head.
Another inch and he was wonderfully close to my bra. Releasing my hands, he removed the offending tank top, his warm hands sliding over my sides. Gently, he lowered the straps of my bra before unclipping the back and setting it to the side. With a slow kiss to my lips, he had my hands secure again. The cool air of the gym pebbled my nipples as a chill had me shivering.
Bear’s warm lips enveloped my right nipple, drawing it into his soft mouth before his teeth rolled the delicate flesh painfully around. I wanted to run my hands into his scalp and draw him closer, but he wasn’t letting them go. Instead, I cried out, arching my shoulders back.
He was an expert torturer, and I was a willing subject.
“I want to touch you,” I whispered as his attention shifted to my other nipple.
“Mmmuhuh,” he sounded, the vibrations sending painful tendrils of need straight to my groin.
“Bear,” I warned as he continued his assault.
Moving my leg around his hip, I pressed my heated core against his growing length, desperate for a touch.
He growled lowly. “I didn’t give you permission to do that.”
I laughed softly, thrusting my hips before questioning, “Does that make you want to punish me?” My hips refused to stop.
He growled again, releasing my hands to forcefully grab handfuls of my ass, pressing me painfully against him. Lowering his face in my breasts, he nipped the tender flesh on each before rising to his knees, removing his weight. I pushed up on an elbow, wondering if he had come around and changed his mind.
Our clothing being torn off had me clamping my mouth closed with a smile.
He leaned back over me, beast and man breathing heavily as his gaze roved over my body. His fingers trailed a scorching path from my calf up my inner thigh before he pinned my hands above my head again.
Flesh on flesh contact had me widening my legs, hooking one around his hip in raw need.
“About time,” I whispered, using my heel to push his hips down closer to me.
Tattoos swirled around his impressive muscles, flexing and bunching as he refused to release my hands. I had the distinct feeling he had an impressive bondage collection.
He shifted his hips up and I whimpered to his knowing smile.
I grunted my disapproval, wiggling to get free. Slowly, he used his free hand to toy with the folds between my legs.
“Bear,” I groaned, fighting the restraint, which only made what he was doing that much hotter.
My head rolled on my shoulders as he tormented my clit with his thumb before sliding a finger into my waiting warmth.
I bucked, trying to press into his hand harder. His breathing was ragged as he pulled his hand out of me. “Do you need a safe word?” he asked seriously.
I shook my head, my hips still pushing for him. The mammoth covered my body with his own, forcing the air from my lungs as he pushed himself roughly inside of me.
I sucked in a deep breath, eyes closed as the room began to move. Bear moved us against the ropes. The cold material was a stark contrast to his warmth and I flinched closer to him. His hands supported my hips, his fingers digging in, creating a sweet combination of pain and pleasure. My head rocked back but I couldn’t bring myself to care as he moved roughly inside of me, pushing out all traces of Blake and the gentleness we once had. I gave in to the force and the beautiful joining of pain and pleasure.
Bear’s large member hit ever nerve in my body perfectly, driving me towards an explosive orgasm that rocked the very walls inside my body. He wouldn’t relent, his speed increasing as I attempted to recover from my first orgasm, only to have my second thrust upon me as I cried out again, his speed increasing still.
Just when I thought I might have made a mistake about the safe word, as my third leg-numbing orgasm pummeled through me, he also roared out, stilling as he emptied into my body. Bowing my head onto his shoulder, I sucked air into my overheated body.
“Bear, are you alright?” I asked softly.
Slowly he lifted my face to his, in perfect control. “Olivia.” My name was a strain on his lips and I struggled to get away from him.
“It was the easiest way to get you back.”
“I could have hurt you.” His eyes were angry, but he wasn’t releasing me.
Reaching a hand to caress the stubble on his cheek, I shook my head. “But you didn’t.”
“Olivia,” he marveled as I pulled my gaze back to his eyes, “you saved me.”
“Aw, I bet you say that to all the girls.”
A sudden pounding on the gym doors had Bear setting me down and pushing me behind him. I peeked around his broad shoulder when the doors burst open.
“Mark is looking for you, he said Jerry was kidnapped,” yelled Caleb across the gym, averting his gaze from our naked forms.
“Fucker,” I hissed, throwing on my shorts and tying the ruined sides together.
“Did he say where?” I asked, sorting through the clothing for my shirt. Bear handed it to me, slipping back into his unharmed jeans. My shirt wasn’t so fortunate. I wrapped it under my arms before tying it behind me.
The young shifter looked at me with a glazed look in his eyes as I finished tying.
“Wow,” he mouthed, impressed.
Slinging myself out of the ring, I closed the distance
between us aggressively, slapping him sharply across the face. “What else did Mark say?” I demanded, forcing myself not to shake him.
He swallowed, blinking his intelligence back.
“Uh, that he thought they were going to succeed this time,” he muttered.
My face paled with horror.
Bear was now paying attention, having leaped out of the ring to stand next to me. “What does that mean, Olivia?”
I shook my head, running to my bag and pulling my phone out. “If they succeed in reaching the Fae, we are all fucked,” I whispered, true terror stealing my breath.
Six missed calls—dammit, I am a horrible friend and asshole. My phone couldn’t respond fast enough as I called Mark back.
“Olie,” Mark rasped.
“Where are you?”
“At home.”
“I’m on my way. Mark, I will find him, I swear it.”
“I—it’s—just hurry.” He ended the call, his voice broken and hopeless.
I turned to leave, only to be stopped by Bear’s hand on my arm. “Call the Alpha and let him know where we are,” he commanded Caleb.
Turning his attention to me, he paused, his eyes widening slightly before narrowing. “I can feel you.”
“Good, then you know I am leaving.” I pulled out of his grasp forcefully.
He was hot on my heels trotting down the hallway. “What does this mean, Olivia?”
“That we had consensual sex.” I stomped down the stairs, the noise ending our conversation until we hit the parking garage.
Taking a look at Bear’s worried face, I stopped to assure him, “Don’t worry. It will fade and distance will eliminate it entirely, if it’s too much for you.”
My SUV blocked my view of him as I jumped around to the driver’s side. I threw myself into the seat, smashing the gas pedal and roaring out of the parking lot. He hardly had time to close his door.
I couldn’t help but feel this was all my fault. If I hadn’t told Sonny to call Jerry, would I still be rushing over to Mark to figure out what the hell happened?
I remembered little of the drive as I swerved between cars, using the large size of my SUV to force others out of my way.
Squealing into Mark and Jerry’s driveway I jolted to a stop, fear icing my stomach, my fingers tightening on the steering wheel.
Bear reached over, resting his fingertips on my forearm, my fear and worry clouding his face.
“I’m sorry, Bear. I should have warned you.”
He squeezed my arm trying to reassure me. I looked over at him with tears in my eyes before I clamped down on my emotions, hissing out a breath.
I nodded my thanks before opening the car door.
Bear fell into step beside me as I strode with my hands flexed against my ruined clothing. I probably should have changed, but it was too late now. I pushed open the door, already ajar.
Mark sat wringing his hands together. He wanted to do something, anything, but he didn’t know what the next step was. “Olie,” he exhaled, standing as we entered. The loss in his eyes killed me. He was trying to keep it together. His jaw clenched, he was battling anger, at war with panic, his beast wanting to rip open everything around him.
I embraced him, holding him close. Pulling back, I gingerly touched the ghost of a blade mark on his neck. “Silver. They used you to get him quietly.”
He nodded and I shifted my gaze to his brown eyes. “Tell me everything.”
Mark blew out a breath, moving to sit again. Bear stayed by the door, watching outside to give us the illusion of privacy.
“It was that witch again and her flunkies, but they had help, they had shifters.”
Bear turned from the door, eyebrows drawn tightly over his darkening eyes. The news of a shifter working with the witches was a personal betrayal to all shifters.
“How did they leave?” I whispered the question, afraid of the answer.
Mark’s eyes darkened, his hopelessness echoing in me. “A portal.”
I hung my head, wrenching my hands.
“They’re gone, aren’t they?” Mark whispered.
Determination steeled my spine as I drew my green-eyed gaze to him. “I will find him.”
“How, Olivia? How can you track a portal?” Mark wailed. “I’ve lost him. I’ve failed him.”
I moved without thinking, framing Mark’s head with my hands, kneeling in front of him.
“I will find him. I’m going to see The Oracle.”
“You will?” his beast backed down from pushing him into shifting, relief relaxing his shoulders.
I nodded solemnly, moving my hands to his shoulders, standing.
“Yes, I’m going to The Oracle.”
Bear moved to my side, “The Alpha and Darren are here.”
I nodded as I watched Mark’s control solidify, hope giving him strength. A car door slamming had me turning to the front door, watching Logan and Darren run into the room with hurried movements. My gaze met Logan’s.
“Olivia,” Logan tried, casting a glance at Mark. Then both he and Darren scented the air, their eyes widening as they looked first to me, then Bear. Logan’s neck reddened and his corded muscles flexed in his t-shirt with restrained power.
“Yeah,” Bear said, rubbing the back of his grizzled neck, “it happened.” He smiled, meeting my gaze.
I couldn’t help answering the smile before I snapped back to the situation at hand. I didn’t need to explain my actions to them, well, I guess I kind of did since it involved Bear being drugged. Whatever. This was not the place for it.
“I’m going,” I announced to the room, making my way outside.
Logan and Darren shared a look before Darren nodded, moving to sit with Mark.
Bear looked at his Alpha and Logan shook his head ever so slightly. His irritation surprised me. Why did Logan care who I slept with?
“I can see you, fuckers. I’m doing this alone,” I grunted, clearing the door and the porch steps and quickly heading to my SUV. I didn’t typically feel awkward being half naked, but for some reason Logan was unnerving me. I refused to look too closely at that.
Before I managed to shut my door, Logan was putting on his seatbelt in the passenger seat. Fucker moved fast when pissed, good to remember.
I grunted, starting the vehicle and staring at him.
He shrugged, “You are not going to listen to me about not going. I need you alive for several reasons, and Bear would make my life difficult if something happened to you.”
I broke my glare off to check traffic backing out of the driveway.
We drove in silence for a while before Logan finally asked, and I knew it was coming, “So Bear, huh?” Who I fucked was none of his business.
If I had to go meet with the banshee from hell, it wasn’t a bad way to power up.
“Demon whore, Logan, don’t tell me you forgot already.”
Logan shifted in his seat, apparently not enjoying the reminder of how he had referred to me.
“That was before.”
“Before what?” I asked, worry gnawing at me. Finding no use in this conversation, I took out my frustrations on my fingernail.
“Before you fought for a place by my side.”
I laughed, I couldn’t help it.
“Logan you do realize my help is temporary, right? That once you and Lorraine are married I will never sit beside you again in that capacity?”
He fidgeted again. “Yeah, about the wedding—Hey, do you know where you are going?” he asked as I made a sharp turn.
“Yes.”
“You’ve been here before?” he asked, shocked.
I cast him a sidelong glance before flexing my shoulders back. “Yeah, part of being named lead Executioner is meeting and surviving The Oracle.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“I’m not surprised,” I snipped back. Shit, I didn’t need to take my irritation out on Logan. I needed to get Jerry back to be sure he and Mark had a chance at happiness. My thoughts flit
tered to Blake and pain constricted my chest. Someone should get to be happy. I stomped the accelerator. They would be happy.
“We’ll find him, although I think being drained by a vampire would be a safer alternative.”
“It would be,” I agreed, “but it won’t work. I’m not connected to Jerry in the same way I was to your grandfather.”
He nodded, digesting that as he turned to look out the window.
…
Old magic coated the small clearing in front of the sheer rock wall. Logan pulled off his shirt, tucking it into his waistband. I had my bag open, pulling on jeans and a teal shirt.
“You can’t come with me,” I announced, closing the back doors firmly.
“Bullshit.”
“No, I’m serious, Logan.” My gaze remained riveted to the gray rock laced with ribbons of pale purples and subtle blues.
He moved in front of me, clamping my forearms in his oversized paws. I forced my gaze to his caramel depths.
“Make me,” the fucker taunted me.
I blinked at him. “Who are you, and what have you done with Logan the asshole?”
He shrugged, turning back to the wall.
“Change is in the air, Olie.”
I eyed him warily as I shook out my arms. Sonny’s advice about not pushing my body too hard was well warranted now. Blowing out a breath, I focused on the handholds in front of us, and began the long and painful ascent.
Logan grunted, his foot slipping. “I’m surprised this place isn’t coveted by rock climbers.”
“It’s the magic. It hides itself from anyone who hasn’t been here before.”
“That’s different.”
“It’s old, The Oracle is old magic.”
“Unstable magic.”
“That too,” I agreed, “but for a price you can have all the answers you seek.”
“What is the price?”
“Last time it was a memory.”
“Of what?”
“I don’t know anymore.”
“Oh.”
Surprisingly, I felt I should elaborate, should try to communicate with him. Maybe this really was a shifting in our relationship. “The Oracle is bound to the stone. Legend claims it was an Indian mystic who overstepped her power; others claim the stone came from overseas until it grew to this. Whatever the origins, it bores easily so with the memories it takes as payment, it finds entertainment. If you give too many of your memories, you never remember how to leave, until you are just a voice in the stone.”