by Brenda Trim
He had come to them asking for a way to win Claire’s heart back. It would be smokin’ hot sex between them, nothing serious. Nothing serious was what she did, and she wanted this more than was good for her.
Her reasoning took that moment to return, and she panicked. He couldn’t be a one-time kind of guy, given that he had been with someone for two hundred years. She refused to get involved in a relationship of any kind. She wanted him, but…
“I can see the wheels turning in that pretty little head of yours. Don’t overthink this. Kiss me.” He interrupted her internal debate and caressed her cheek, sending shivers down her spine.
“I’m not over thinking this. It’s just that I’m seeing someone,” she lied as she looked up into his handsome face. His eyes flashed to black with his anger and he grabbed her by the arms. She was in trouble now…the kind of trouble she loved.
* * *
CHAPTER THREE
Ronan felt like a volcano ready to erupt, but he didn’t give a shit at the moment. If he were being honest with himself, he hadn’t been in control from the moment he had walked into the store hours ago. For some reason, Pema made all of his senses fire into overdrive, which drove him mad. He had been heading home with no intention of returning to the store, yet here he was, in the backroom alone with her, asking for a kiss and hoping for more.
His plan for weeks had been to find a way to win Claire back, and now he was insane with jealousy over Pema. At the moment, Claire was a distant memory.
The thought of Pema bedding another male made his mind snap. Not going to fucking happen. She was his to pleasure, and he needed to show her what no one else was capable of giving her. He tried to rein in his ardor, but rational thought was beyond him. He roughly shoved her against the wall and growled at her, his grizzly wanting to sink his teeth into the delicate skin of her neck and hold her in place while he took her body. He was too caught up in the moment to be disturbed by the fact that his grizzly had never wanted to be involved with Claire, the only woman he had ever loved.
He paused scant millimeters from her mouth and took her panting breaths as his own. “Liar,” he accused, closing the gap.
She moaned and mumbled, “You caught me, there’s no one else.” He smiled and claimed her mouth for the first time.
Her lips were soft and succulent and tasted of ripe strawberries. Ronan had never felt anything like her drugging kiss. A growl worked its way up his throat. He was going to have her, and nothing else mattered. He wanted her mindless and writhing against him from the passion he invoked.
He licked and nipped at her until she parted her lips for him. When she opened her mouth, he took full advantage, delving deep. An electrical spark zapped his tongue when it touched hers, making his cock hard as stone. He had never really cared for kissing, not wanting the intimacy, and in fact, had rarely indulged with Claire. What a fool he had been, but then, it had certainly never felt like this for him.
His mind blanked as his lust took the wheel. He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her head back, more roughly than he intended, but by her sounds of pleasure and the scent of her arousal, she didn’t mind. She was no wilting flower, and he almost came in his pants when she tried to climb his body. He loved how aggressive she was.
He gave into the sensations, praying she made him climax a hundred times. He thanked the Goddess that he was a powerful ursine shifter and had little to no refractory period, which meant he could go all fucking night if she’d let him. His free hand snaked down her side, his thumb brushing the outer curve of her breast.
He needed to feel her skin before he went insane, and slid a hand under the edge of her top. She was soft as rose petals and he almost fell on her like the raving beast he was. He wanted to shout his triumph as she lifted her leg and wrapped it around his hip. The action brought his hard and erect shaft in direct contact with her molten core and she muttered, “Someone’s peeking out, wanting to play. Mmmm, I like it.” He glanced down and saw that his rampant cock had snuck past the waist band of his jeans. They definitely had too many clothes on.
“Then you’re gonna love what’s next,” he replied, claiming her mouth once again.
He luxuriated in the feel of her soft skin as his hand roamed up her soft belly to her breasts, their lips never parting. Finally, he had one of her breasts gripped in his hand, her pert nipple pressing through the silk of her bra into his palm. She was so responsive, grinding against him, moaning and grabbing at his shirt. Quick as a flash, she had the material over his head.
He pushed her hands away when she went for his pants next. He planned to explore her fully, and if she managed to get him naked, he wouldn’t be able to stop. “Not right now, love. I am going to devour you first. I’m a bear, baby, and I need your honey.”
“Oh, Goddess in Annwyn. We shouldn’t…but, damn,” she mumbled against his mouth.
“We’re not going to think right now, just feel. Let me fuck you,” he demanded. He had to sink into her tight, hot little sheath or surely he would go up in flames. He was too far gone, and thankfully, so was she.
“Sex. Just sex,” she mumbled against his lips. Her words caused an ache in his chest. He briefly wondered if the ache was caused by unquenched desire, disappointment, or the fact that he was going to have sex with someone other than Claire. He had spent four hundred years living as a bear before she found him and coaxed him back to his human form. Claire was the only female he’d ever had sex with, but when Pema bit his ear and kissed her way to his neck, his thoughts dissolved in the blink of an eye.
He let go of her hair and had her shirt over her head before she took another breath. He took a moment to appreciate the sight of her breasts swelling with her desire against the scant fabric. Her nipples were pearled like the ripe berries he used to find in the woods, and damn, did he love those berries.
He leaned down and sucked a nipple into his mouth, biting it through the cloth. He relished her cry of pleasure. He pulled back and the sight of the wet fabric and straining flesh had him hardening more than he thought possible.
Ronan turned her around and pushed her up against the wall, reveling in her gasp as he unhinged her bra. She needed to know from the start who was in charge. She dropped her arms and the silk dropped to the floor. She glanced back at him over her shoulder and he nearly died at the look on her face. Her eyes were glazed with her desire and her lips were red and swollen from his kisses. If he had his way, she would always look like this.
“Put your hands on the wall and don’t move them,” he ordered. She gave him the sexiest smile he had ever seen, full of promise and intrigue.
“Yes, sir,” she sassed. He swatted her magnificent ass, eliciting a moan. He knew that if he kept that up, she’d orgasm from his spanking alone.
“You like that,” he murmured close to her ear, swatting her ass again. She moaned in response and he chuckled at her fervent nodding. Being with her was so natural that is scared him for a moment. The questions and concerns that bubbled up were quickly forgotten as she rubbed her ass against his groin.
Ronan growled and leaned his full weight against her back, kissing her neck and biting her ear lobe, reaching around to the front of her skinny jeans while he did. The button gave way and he had the zipper down before he gave in and tore the material from her body.
He kissed his way down her spine, loving how she squirmed and complained about him teasing her too much. He stood when her pants were pooled on the floor next to them and cupped her backside, giving it a firm squeeze. “This sweet ass is mine.” He wasn’t sure where the declaration came from, but had no desire to take the words back.
She twisted around and stood on tiptoe. “My ass belongs to no one,” she breathed against his ear. He felt her bite down where his shoulder met his neck and then lick the sting. So damn good. He’d never had shivers from sexual play, but hell if they didn’t travel throughout his body at that moment.
He pulled her flush against his body. He groaned at the feel of
her moist feminine flesh touching the head of his shaft where it had escaped its confines. It almost brought him to his knees. It was better than he’d ever thought possible with so little contact.
He was both excited and full of trepidation at the thought of actually having sex with her. He hoped he didn’t embarrass himself and lose his seed at the first stroke. “Your body tells a different story, little witch.”
He rotated his hips and swallowed her gasp. “How would you know?” she moaned against his mouth, “You haven’t learned the language my body speaks.”
He wrapped one arm under her pert backside, holding her up while he slid the fingers of his free hand between their bodies. He easily found her little bundle of nerves. It throbbed, begging him for attention. He pinched and teased her clit and soon she was riding his hand with abandon. He watched as her head thrashed from side to side, sending her long, blonde curls dancing across his naked chest and arms.
“I was wrong,” she panted. “Holy shit…I’ve never been happier to be wrong.” His fingers paused at her entrance, the heat scalding him. He slowly sank one finger in, then another and pressed his thumb against her clit. She went wild, bucking and rubbing against him. Her muscles clamped down on his fingers, she was close.
“Mine,” he growled, shock widening his eyes. He had no idea where the assertion came from, him or his bear. If he didn’t get inside her soon he would go insane. He withdrew his fingers from her and put them to his mouth. Her taste was like ambrosia.
“Can’t,” she muttered shaking her head. “Want you so much…shouldn’t do this…don’t stop.”
Stop? He’d never stop. “Pema,” he said her name, a promise and entreaty.
She placed her hands on his chest, digging her nails in while pushing against him, pushing him away. “We have to stop…this is too much.” She was stopping now? When she was so close? He was barely coherent and didn’t want to stop. That fact frightened him because, after all, he wanted to win Claire back. Right?
She took several deep breaths, causing her pearled nipples to brush against his skin. He closed his eyes, gathering his patience. He was going to die from unspent lust. After several silent moments, he opened his eyes and looked into her glazed sea-green eyes.
“Shit…you’re right,” he panted, gathering what wits he could and pulling his shirt back on. He held her gaze for what seemed an eternity, waiting for her to say something, before he forced himself to leave.
*****
Cele watched her daughter pace her kitchen, arms flailing as she ranted. “I can’t believe Ronan was pining over a Rowan. Kenny told me he overheard Ronan talking about her with Killian. He said it was more than obvious that he was interested in Pema. Why was it so important for me to end my relationship with him? I told you I loved him, and now weeks later, he has forgotten about me and moved on with a Rowan!”
Cele was stunned by her daughter’s statements. She had taught her better. A Wells never allowed herself to become this distraught over a male. Males were to be used for pleasure and discarded, never kept and never fought over. Not to mention that the male her daughter coveted was a puny shifter. Males should be chosen for their power and what one could garner from them. Cele didn’t regret that she had forced her daughter to end the relationship with Ronan. This little display of Claire’s proved that it had gone too far.
Cele had chosen Claire’s father with great care from a selection of the most powerful witches. When Cele had taken the High Priestess position, she had used dark magic to learn of her Fated Mate. When she discovered he was a weak shifter, she had been forced to eliminate him. It took Cele centuries and the use of that same dark magic to become pregnant with Claire. She had hand-selected a powerful witch to be the father.
Cele had hoped to bear the prophesized Adorned triplets. When that didn’t happen, she became determined that her heir would be the most powerful witch in the realm, and she would do anything to ensure it. That was the reason she was going to force the prophesized Rowan triplets to cede their power to her.
Cele had been researching methods to siphon and utilize the triplets’ power since their birth twenty-seven years ago and she was closer than ever. She needed all three witches alive for them to concede their magic to her. She already had a diamond pure enough to harness their power. With the power bound to the diamond, Cele would finally be able to take over the realm and subjugate that meddlesome council once and for all. She wasn’t about to let Claire’s infatuation interfere.
She would be unstoppable, and her daughter would take her place as High Priestess when she passed, ensuring her reign continued. In this, she wouldn’t fail. She couldn’t fail or she and her daughter would suffer the consequences. She recalled the oracle’s prophecy to the High council hundreds of years ago.
When the earth devours the moon thrice, fate delivers her price. Those not meant to be carry three and the birth of the Adorned hold the key. Fate plus three power grew, malevolence demolished and balance found anew.
The enigmatic prophecy had troubled Cele, and she’d questioned the oracle after the meeting had ended. The hag had informed Cele that she was the malevolence that was going to be demolished. Enraged, Cele had told the oracle her prophecy about triplets being her downfall would never come to fruition…right before she slit her throat. She vowed then that nothing would stop her bid for power, and she wasn’t about to give up now because her daughter wanted some flea-ridden animal.
“Mother, are you listening to me?” Claire demanded.
“I’m wondering why you are so upset over this male. You need to forget this weak bear and calm down. You are a Wells, start acting like one.”
“I haven’t lost my composure. I’m venting and planning the best ways to eliminate Pema, if you had been listening. I was asking how I should kill her,” Claire huffed and placed her hands on her hips, the quintessential picture of outrage.
Oh, if it were only that easy, Cele thought bitterly. Claire had no idea the hornet’s nest she was poking. Pema and her sisters had the power to bring harm to her daughter, and she needed to think fast to protect her baby girl.
“I told you to calm down,” she barked and slid the pocket door to the kitchen closed. She needed to teach her daughter more discretion. There were too many ears about. “You cannot go around threatening these witches so openly.”
She grabbed two wine glasses and opened a bottle of merlot, then guided Claire to a barstool. “This matter hardly warrants your attention. There are plenty of other males with whom you can amuse yourself. I understand you don’t care for the triplets, but they are the key to our ruling the realm.”
Claire accepted her glass of wine with a pout. “I don’t want another male. I love Ronan and I miss being with him. I don’t expect you to understand. Do you even remember what pleasure is? How long has it been?” Claire sneered.
Cele hated how immature her daughter was at times and wanted to strangle her. She was a centuries old witch, yet was sitting there obsessing about this situation, and it was driving Cele insane. Claire had always been like that though. She’d want something and whine about it until Cele used whatever means necessary to make sure she had it.
“Stop and think, daughter. Ronan doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of life. Find another male and move on.” Claire had better follow her advice or she’d regret it. The truth was Cele would kill Ronan before she allowed Claire to harm Pema. She needed the power of all three sisters combined, and having one of them dead defeated her purpose. Nothing, not even Claire, would interfere with her obtaining the power of three.
* * *
CHAPTER FOUR
Pema cursed her stupidity. She was aching and still humming from Ronan’s touch. It had taken all of her willpower to push him away and put a stop to what had promised to be the best sex she’d ever had.
As close as she was to climaxing, calling a halt to their amorous play had been one of her dumber decisions. She had locked herself in place and refused to stop him when
he had stomped out of the room. Remembering his sexy growls, hard, muscular chest and the sight of his long, thick shaft climbing out of his jeans wasn’t helping her to calm down. She blanked her mind and took several deep breaths before she finally gathered her wits enough to exit the office.
It was a relief to escape the smell of his male musk and their combined arousal, which had only served to keep her on edge. Sure, she missed the male behind the scent and wanted him with a desperation that was unhealthy, but she refused to give into her desires. She had liked his claim on her way too much, and her mind had responded with a claim of its own. It made her question what was between them, so she had to stop him.
She didn’t want a relationship. She never wanted to develop something that could be torn asunder. Watching her mother give in to her Fated Mate and crush her father’s heart had torn their family apart. It devastated Pema to watch her father these past few months, and she had vowed that would never be her.
Everyone in the realm had been excited and was celebrating the return of Fated Mate blessings after seven long centuries. Everyone except her and her father. When Pema added her father’s situation to the stories of how her grandmother had withered away within days of her grandfather’s death, anything to do with mating was to be avoided in her book. Pema stalked down the hall, searching for her sisters. Being near them would balance her and bring back her reason.
She overheard Isis talking to Suvi. “I can’t believe Pema got down and dirty with Claire’s shifter. What the hell is she thinking?” Pema scowled at the conversation between her sisters. “This could cause a shit-storm of problems for us with Cele. Dammit, like we needed to give her another reason to target us!”