Shards of Sass

by Robbie Cox

  She took a deep breath and began. This would take a couple of hours and drain her of most of her energy, but it would be worth it, as long as the wards functioned as they should. They had to work. Too many depended on the wards. On her. Dimitri depended on her. She closed her eyes and called on the power within, using it to reach out to the natural energy of the forest, the streams, the very earth around her, drawing it into herself, adding it to her power, and pushing it into the stones, each and every one of them.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Three hours passed before Adira could sit in her rocking chair on her front porch, a cup of hot orange spice tea between her hands, as she stared out into the afternoon sun. Exhaustion pulled at her, her energy depleted from the spell she cast over the stones. She would recover, but it took time. She’d need her power back when she set the stones, tuning them to the area where they placed them. Later tonight. Not now. Now, she just needed to sit.

  “Now that looks cozy,” Alanna said, as she turned off the main road and started walking down Adira’s drive. “I wish I had time to just laze around.”

  Adira was too tired to laugh at her friend. Instead, she just shook her head. “I wish I was just being lazy.” She gestured back inside the cabin. “There’s about a hundred stones we can place around Bull Creek to help warn us if Bane or his men come sniffing around.”

  “Oh, so a busy lady, huh?” Alanna stepped up the first two steps to the porch and then slid herself onto the railing, gripping it with her hands. “Not a fun way to spend the morning. I thought for sure you’d be doing a certain resident panther.”

  Adira grinned, not embarrassed at all. “That was last night.”

  “Nice,” Alanna giggled. “I’m sure you were already tired then, before the spell. I’m sure Dimitri appreciates your hard work, though.”

  Adira cocked her head to the side a bit, looking at her friend, curious, but worried she might be crossing a line. Still, she was curious enough to ask. “So far, I’ve met panther shifters, a bear, and I know you’re a wolf. Are there other shifters here? Other wolves?”

  Alanna shook her head. “I’m the only wolf in Bull Creek. There’s an assortment of others here, even a couple of vampires at the edges of the community. It’s a hodge podge little family.”

  “Don’t wolves stay in packs, though? Hell, I thought most shifters stayed in packs.”

  Alanna nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line. “They do for the most part, but what do you do when your pack no longer seems like a family to you?” She gestured to the area around her, indicating all of Bull Creek. “Everyone here is here because they feel like they have nowhere else to go for one reason or another. They’ve wound up here and this is their home, their pack, if you will. Dimitri is Alpha. He takes care of everyone, protecting us all. We’re his family and he’s our leader. The great thing about Bull Creek is that it’s truly a community of diversity. That’s also what scares some people, like Bane and his coyotes. They don’t like change or shifters coming together, crossing packs and intermingling. They want pure bloodlines. Separation. Segregation, even.” She shrugged. “It’s a constant battle, but one we’re not walking away from.”

  “What drew Dimitri here?” He didn’t act like a man who was missing family or an outcast. He seemed quite content in his role as Alpha of Bull Creek.

  “For that story, you would need to ask him. Bull Creek is full of tales, but not full of gossip. I won’t be the first. What I told you about Eve was more than I normally share.” Then she grinned at her friend. “You’re here. Something drove you to our little community. You wouldn’t want me to share that story with everyone, right?”

  Adira sipped her tea. Alanna was right. She didn’t want her story to get out? She took a deep breath, reconsidering. Yet, did it really matter? “While it’s true I needed to get away from Jensen and that Dimitri needs my skill to help protect Bull Creek, it wouldn’t surprise me if matchmaking wasn’t Barbara’s real goal in sending me here.”

  “Well, every Alpha needs a strong woman at his side. I think Barbara’s choice was pretty on target. And it seemed to work.”

  Adira felt the flush of heat warm her cheeks at her friend’s words. “It definitely has its perks, that’s for sure.” She felt the passion between her legs stir, as she thought of Dimitri’s naked body pressed against hers, his cock buried deep between her legs. Perk wasn’t a strong enough word.

  She found herself looking toward the road, wishing Dimitri was returning from the sheriff’s office. She could use his body to help regain her strength. Of course, he’d probably deplete her energy a little more first… She couldn’t hide the grin that sent shivers down to her pussy, clenching her legs together. Damn, Dimitri, where are you?

  Eleven

  The evening sun dipped in the west, barely visible through the trees surrounding the small community of Bull Creek. A cool breeze whispered through the branches, rustling the leaves, as Adira eased her way along the trail following the panther, as he led her to where he knew the wards needed to be placed. It was hard not to be mesmerized by the feline’s lithe body, as he meandered through the woods, keeping his gaze bouncing around their surroundings. A smile spread across her face, knowing he protected her, keeping an eye out for Bane and his coyotes. After her run-in with Bane’s thugs last night, Dimitri would not take any chances. She couldn’t say that his over-protectiveness upset her. Not this time, anyway. In fact, if she was to say anything at all, it would be that his protective nature made her sex throb. If they didn’t have to get the wards up so quickly, she would have loved for him to take her right there in the woods, driving his cock into her, spreading her open before him.

  Adira took a deep breath, shaking the distracting thoughts out of her mind. It didn’t work.

  She watched as the tawny panther sniffed the ground in front of him, his padded feet soft as they made their way through the woods, stepping over fallen logs and through bushes. She placed a couple of wards, as Dimitri led her around the perimeter, setting the spell into motion as she did, her eyes closed, her power radiating from her hand, pulsing into the stone she positioned on the ground. They appeared natural, the stones she used. No one who saw them would think them anything other than normal rocks found in the woods. They would go unnoticed, another aspect she added to her spell. They didn’t need children picking up her wards and using them as skipping stones in the nearby creek. No, the wards would go unnoticed until she needed to recharge them. At that time, a simple location spell would show her where they had placed them, and she could reapply the spell.

  She placed another one on the soil around a giant oak, squatting as she did, one hand on her knee, as the other placed her ward in place. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and setting the spell. When she opened her eyes, Dimitri’s panther sat beside her, his head cocked to the side, as he stared at her with his deep green-gold eyes. Adira reached out and stroked behind his ears, loving the way he pushed into her hand, as if begging for her to scratch harder, the panther’s purrs melting her heart. “I see you’re greedy in both of your forms,” she said with a giggle, giving him the scratching he wanted. She looked down at the bag at her feet. “Five more stones and then we’re all set. Shall we get this over with?”

  Dimitri pushed at her hand, then leaned his head back and licked the back of her hand, bringing images of the places where his human tongue had been. Forcing herself back into a standing position, she took a deep breath. She didn’t need to get distracted with what his tongue could be doing to her pussy right then, or his cock pounding into her, his hands digging into her flesh. No, she needed to get the rest of the stones set. Then she could think about his hardness claiming her.

  However, as she took a few steps, she heard rustling coming from up ahead. The panther’s ears flipped back as he hunched down, ready to spring. Adira stopped walking, dropping the bag near her feet, as she allowed her arms to go straight down, her fingers flared outward, ready to summon her power if needed. She only hop
ed the shards of her power would be enough. The way Dimitri acted, she assumed it would be necessary.

  From out of the woods in front of them stepped Bane with two of his thugs. Augur, from last night at Everglades, was one of them. Adira spread her legs slightly, bracing herself for what was sure to be a scuffle of some sort. She glanced down at the panther, but Dimitri showed no sign of shifting back to his human form. Probably better for fighting. Fangs. Claws. Definitely better than fisticuffs.

  Bane grinned at them, as his thugs stepped to either side of him, yet still slightly behind their leader. They were ready to spring to his defense, but Adira doubted the gray-haired man needed anyone standing up for him. “My, my, look what we have here, boys,” Bane said, his head cocked to the side. “Our neighborhood witch is out walking her kitty cat.”

  “Do you have to pick up after a cat like you do a dog when you take them for a walk?” Augur asked.

  “I don’t think so,” the unknown guy answered. “Don’t cats usually cover their shit with dirt when they’re done? I think I heard that somewhere.”

  Adira didn’t smile. “Your bitches seem to have an odd obsession with animal feces. Don’t take them out much, do you?”

  Bane’s smile disappeared. “Be careful how you talk about coyotes, witch.”

  “I wasn’t talking about coyotes,” she said. “I was talking about your little bitches there. You know, the ones who like to get rough with women in bars. Pretty sad, really. I guess their normal pickup lines just weren’t successful, so they resorted to bullying. Over-compensating? Pitiful.”

  Bane narrowed his eyes at her, his voice low, threatening. She could hear the growl of his coyote underneath. “Just because you have powers, doesn’t make you any better than any other human. You all need to go. Will go. This is shifter land, no matter how hard your little pet there tries to make it more…”

  “Diverse?” Adira filled in for him.

  “Polluted,” Bane said with a sneer. “You need to get the rest of your vagabonds and move to the city. I’m sure your kind will appreciate the comforts of tourist town more than Bull Creek. These woods are off limits to your ilk.”

  “Haven’t you made that threat already?” she asked. “And yet, we’re still here.”

  “Not for long, I assure you.”

  The panther let out a hiss, as he stepped toward Bane. Augur stepped toward the panther, his gray eyes narrowing, as he let out a growl of his own. “Panthers can’t even growl or roar like a real animal,” Bane sneered. “They only hiss like pussies.”

  The other man with them started to shift, his bones popping, twisting, shrinking as gray fur oozed from his body, his fingers stretching into paws, his fingernails into claws. Adira lived around shifters most of her adult life, but she would never get used to seeing them transform from human to animal and back again.

  As soon as the coyote finished shifting, he pounced, his claws aiming for the panther’s neck. Dimitri lunged at him, his scream filling the woods around them. Augur reached for Adira, his massive hands going for her arms. Obviously, he learned nothing from Everglades. She was sure he believed all women to be inferior and, therefore, an easy target. She relished disappointing him. He gripped her arm, expecting to jerk her to him, she was sure. With her other hand, she reached out, her fingers flared. Power lashed out, shards of blue sparks ripped from her fingers and into the thug’s body, sending him backward, his arms flailing in the air.

  She turned to see Dimitri, but before she could focus, Bane gripped her arms, pinning them to her side. She stared into his face, his gray eyes burning into her with his intense hatred. “I told you to leave,” he snarled. “You really should have listened.” She saw his teeth shift, fangs forming. He planned to bite her! She tried to twist out of his grip, tried to use her power, but it only sputtered. Fear gripped her, blocking her magic. She didn’t need to be bitten by a coyote.

  Then Bane screamed, his grip on her arms loosening enough for her to jerk free. Dimitri pinned Bane’s leg in his jaws, clamping down, sinking his teeth into the man’s flesh. Adira stretched her arm out, her fingers wide, as she shoved her power at Bane. No shards this time. A steady stream of blue flame shot from her fingers, hitting the larger man in the chest and hurling him up into the air and backward. He flew back ten feet before his body slammed into the ground, driving his breath from his lungs.

  Adira took a deep breath, readying her power again. A quick glance to the side revealed the coyote who sprang at Dimitri was dead, blood oozing from his throat. Augur started to climb back to his feet, but a quick burst from Adira sent him sprawling back on the ground, unconscious. Bane started to move, but Adira sent a blast of power to the ground beside him. “I wouldn’t, if I were you,” Adira threatened. “Someone of my ilk might just take it the wrong way. I mean, it’s not like you didn’t just attack us or anything.”

  The panther stepped to her side, his head low, as he hissed at the man on the ground. Blood dripped from his muzzle.

  “Now, just in case you forgot what I said the other night, I’m staying,” Adira said, her eyes narrow slits, as she glared at the bully. “As are the humans who live here. As are any others who wish to remain in Bull Creek. And there isn’t a damn thing you or anyone else can do about it. If you can’t handle our kind being here, then I suggest you pack your shit and get out yourselves. You’re the ones not wanted here. I don’t care for bullies. Come at me, or anyone else here, again, and I’ll shoot a blue spark right up your ass.”

  Bane stared at her, his menace glowering on his face. “You haven’t seen bullying yet,” he spat. “If you won’t leave voluntarily, I’ll drive you out.”

  The panther hissed, taking a step forward, but Adira placed her hand on his back, halting him. “You’ll try, you mean,” she said. “And I dare you to try. However, I promise you, you’ll lose. And I don’t mean just this battle.” She made sure her voice said everything her words didn’t.

  She stroked Dimitri’s head as he nuzzled into her leg. Every stroke of his muzzle sent shivers through her body. She wasn’t sure if it was just his touch, the fact that her power didn’t fail her for once, or that together they just whipped Bane’s ass, but she needed to get back to her cabin and feel Dimitri’s cock spearing into her. Or perhaps it was everything combined. She pulled on the panther’s fur, tugging him back and away from the three on the ground. There were still five more wards to place, but they would have to wait. She needed Dimitri to fuck her. Now.

  Twelve

  Dimitri craved her. As soon as they were back to the cabin, he shifted again, taking her in his arms as soon as he possessed arms again. The entire time he stood by her, as they took on Bane and his henchmen, it drove him crazy. Her strength, the passion in her voice, as she stood up for herself, the way she defended the others in Bull Creek, it came as no surprise to him that his cock was rock hard when he shifted back.

  He didn’t wait for her to strip. He didn’t even wait for her to be in the cabin. He ripped her clothes from her body, tossing the shreds to the ground, as he devoured her mouth with his, using his hands to explore her body. He cupped her breasts in his hands, his fingers grazing across her swollen nipples, teasing them. A hum of satisfaction slipped from her lips, her gasps at his touch spurring him to a hotter fire. He felt her hand grip his cock, stroking him, as she begged him to take her, pleaded with him to fuck her.

  Adira gripped his shoulders, yanking him toward the front door and through it, their lips never parting. With his foot, he kicked the door shut, the air switching from the hot Florida afternoon to the air conditioned coolness of her cabin, chills racing up their bodies at the temperature change. Dimitri swept her into his arms and carried her to the couch, where he dropped her, and then spun her, pulling her ass into the air. “God, you were so hot out there,” he said, his voice a growl, as he ran a hand over her ass. “My woman taking on the coyotes.” He dragged his hand up her back, his nails leaving white lines along her flesh. “Mine!” he roared, as he
thrust into her, riding her with the hunger of his beast.

  Adira’s cry of pleasure tore from her lips, and it was music to his ears, to the panther within him, driving him to thrust harder, pound into her with an animalistic hunger. He clawed her ass, his nails leaving blood lines on her flesh, as his panther’s claws darted out, puncturing her as he fucked her. She screamed, but begged for more. He kept driving into her, leaning down until he could place a hand on each side of her, his mouth so close to her shoulder it drove him crazy. The scent of her filled his nostrils, urging his panther to bite her, mark her, and claim her as his, as theirs. He felt his teeth shift into fangs as he took a deep breath, her pussy clamped around his cock.

  “Do it,” she hissed, her voice a throaty whisper. “Mark me. Make me yours.”

  He couldn’t hold back any longer, his panther craving to fulfill her cries. He sank his teeth into her shoulder, puncturing her flesh, tasting her. She screamed, pushing back onto him, her ass pressing into him, as he lost himself in her wet warmth.

  With his teeth embedded into her flesh, he felt his body shudder, his cock twitch and throb as his storm of lust exploded inside of her. Her body tensed at the same time, as her muscles spasmed around his cock, her body shivering as her own orgasm ripped through her, bringing a scream of ecstasy from her lips. He reached around, tweaking her nipples, as he pulled the pearled tips downward. She moaned, shoving herself back onto his cock, her back arching as she finished her orgasm. He lifted his head, the taste of her on his lips, his tongue. He would never be able to get enough of her. Never.