by Tay LaRoi
“How about we’re both in charge tonight? We take care of each other?” Bella suggested, sliding her hand up to find Cassie’s breast and running her fingers over the lace cup until she found Cassie’s nipple, which she stroked and applied pressure to. She felt Cassie squirm against her.
“Yes, I like the idea of us taking turns. Do you want to go to my hotel?” Cassie asked, her hands on Bella’s ass, pulling them closer together while getting a feel of Bella’s flesh. When Cassie growled slightly, Bella found herself thankful for her rounded ass. “How far is it?” Bella asked.
“About a five-minute walk from here.” Cassie grinned.
Bella’s apartment was a twenty-minute drive; she knew which choice appealed more.
“Let’s go to your hotel,” Bella agreed, and she tried not to whimper when they had to move apart so they could start walking. Cassie took her hand again, which was nice.
It wasn’t the worst neighborhood, but Bella didn’t usually walk around it in the dark. She wasn’t afraid. She could see Cassie subtly breathing in the scents on the air, and she seemed so aware of her surroundings. No one was going to surprise them, and if they did, they’d get a shock. Bella had a feeling Cassie could beat a grown man in a fight, and Bella herself was pretty handy at defensive magic.
Nothing happened, though, and Bella relaxed again when they reached the motel. Cassie got out her key and opened the door, all but dragging Bella in and kicking the door shut behind them.
“Let me turn on some lights,” Cassie said, but Bella stopped her with a hand to the waist.
“Allow me,” Bella said. Using the opportunity to show off a little, she said a prayer to the goddess and a small incantation, and every light bulb in the room began to glow.
“That’s pretty impressive.” Cassie grinned.
“A party trick, really. I can show you some much more creative magic, if you like.” Bella smirked and wrapped her arms around Cassie’s waist again, pulling her close.
“That sounds interesting; I’ll try to be good, too. Have you been with a werewolf before?”
“No.”
“We tend to scratch and bite, to leave marks. It’s an instinct thing.” Cassie shrugged.
“If it feels good, why not?” Bella said, feeling a little breathless at the thought of Cassie marking her.
Cassie carefully pushed Bella’s red hair off her shoulder, leaning in to nuzzle her neck. Bella could tell Cassie was breathing in her scent. From what she’d heard, liking the way a person smelled was very important to a were. They had sensitive noses and wouldn’t take someone to bed if they didn’t like the aroma of that person.
“You smell amazing, some kind of subtle perfume over your natural scent.” Cassie spoke against Bella’s neck, trailing her nose from collarbone to behind Bella’s ear. It felt so intimate.
“I make my own perfume oil and all the soaps I use. I don’t like the way chemicals make my skin feel. Witches, we like our connection to nature. Chemicals can block it,” Bella explained.
“You should sell this stuff. You smell edible. I’d buy it. Chemical smells hurt my nose,” Cassie said before trailing her lips over Bella’s jugular. Her lips were soft, the pressure firm but almost ticklish. If Bella had gone home with a vampire, she would have been worried about the attention paid to her neck, but werewolves weren’t a danger unless you made an enemy of them. They weren’t man-eaters.
“I could. I have the place to sell them from, but I really can’t concentrate on business ideas with your lips on my skin,” Bella admitted.
“I can always stop touching you, if you like, and we can talk about work,” Cassie teased, her hands on Bella’s waist, sliding just beneath her blouse, clever fingers stroking the soft, vulnerable skin of her belly. The skin there was so sensitive. Each touch to the soft flesh made her ache.
“Don’t you dare,” Bella groaned.
“You have to go home in these clothes, so I won’t tear them off you.” Cassie grinned and started unbuttoning Bella’s blouse from the bottom, working her way up. Bella said a silent thanks to the goddess that she wore a nice bra, fancier, underwire and black lace instead of one of her old white T-shirt bras or sports bras.
“Maybe some other time,” Bella joked nervously as her blouse fell open, revealing her pale skin and her lace-covered breasts, her pink nipples pressing hard against the material.
“You’re so beautiful.” Cassie lightly touched two fingers to the hollow of Bella’s throat and then made a path straight down with them, between her breasts and down to her stomach.
“You think so?” Bella asked, feeling a little insecure. Cassie was so wild and gorgeous: curves, tattoos, the smudged eyeliner making her eyes pop.
“I know so. I could stare at you forever, but I want to do so much more than stare.” As if to prove her point, she leaned in and claimed a quick but passionate kiss that made Bella’s lower lips dampen in her panties. She felt a little bit more sure of herself, not exactly confident, but horny enough that she could fake it.
Bella shrugged her blouse off her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor, and then reached out to strip Cassie of her tank top. Cassie lifted her arms to help Bella, which left her standing in jeans and a dark-blue bra. She put one arm across her stomach, covering something up.
“Are you okay?” Bella asked, not wanting to be pushy, but wanting Cassie to be comfortable. Cassie watched her lips as Bella talked. Bella had almost forgotten that Cassie might not always be able to hear her and vowed to be more careful.
“I have scars, even though we heal well. I’ve fought other werewolves, ones that were hurting people or the pack. I don’t want you to think I’m ugly. Other wolves are used to them. It’s common enough for us to have scars, but you’re a witch.” Cassie sighed.
Bella took Cassie’s hand with one of hers and moved Cassie’s arm away from her stomach, revealing the two long scars. They looked like claw marks, and Bella supposed that’s probably what they were. Bella ran her fingers over them, and Cassie shivered.
“They don’t make you ugly. It would take a lot more than a few scars to do that, and I don’t think scars are ugly. They’re just history on your skin: a story, and proof you lived through something.” Bella ran her fingertips up and down each of the two scars in turn, over and over. She could see Cassie’s nipples peaked against her bra.
“Well, then why don’t you look for some more scars?” Cassie suggested.
“I’ll kiss each one I find.” Bella kept her word by bending down to press her lips to the scarring on Cassie’s stomach. Bella couldn’t help wondering how those scars happened, how badly Cassie was hurt, how long it took her to heal.
“Suddenly I wish I had more scars,” Cassie joked, her breath hitching when Bella flicked her tongue out to taste the scar.
They both removed their own shoes, lending each other a steadying hand in turn. Then hands were on belt buckles and buttons, and denim was being pushed down thighs, revealing more skin, more tattoos and scars.
Bella couldn’t help it. As soon as they were in their underwear, she all but launched herself at Cassie, wrapping herself around the werewolf and kissing her as soundly as she knew how.
Bella caused them to stagger back toward the bed. With a flick of her wrist, the covers were pulled back, and they fell together onto the mattress, bodies tangled and trading kisses.
“You feel amazing,” Bella said, holding herself above Cassie, who reached up, tracing the shape of Bella’s lips, her slightly rough fingertip making the soft skin hum.
Bella slid her hand up Cassie’s back, finding the clasp of her bra and undoing it carefully. She found more skin to kiss and lick, hard nipples to run her tongue over, with just a hint of teeth, and Cassie cursed like a sailor. Cassie rolled Bella over, removing her bra and lavishing the same attention on Bella’s breasts as Bella had Cassie’s.
Fingernails trailed over her stomach, scratching lightly, panties slipped down thighs, fingers finding wet heat. They playfully
fought over dominance. As a werewolf, Cassie could win easily, but she let Bella pin her arms and explore with her lips and tongue. She drank in every gasp, every little sound Bella made, tasted her over and over, penetrating her welcoming body with fingers and stiff tongue. Cassie called her name when she came, almost growling out the B. Bella was normally limp for a second after she came, but Cassie seemed energized, flipping Bella over once again and spreading her thighs, trailing biting kisses up Bella’s thigh.
Cassie’s touches were firm and a little rough. She didn’t tease, driving Bella up to the peak over and over, only stopping when Bella begged, weak, her body shaking with pleasure. Cassie moved back up the bed, sliding under Bella’s arm, pulling a blanket over both of them.
“You don’t have to rush away, but you don’t have to stay, either,” Cassie said softly, fiddling with Bella’s hair.
“I have to get home and get changed by morning, and I need to feed my cat.” Bella would have liked to stay, to get to know Cassie better, to maybe hear her name growled out a few more times.
“You have a cat?” Cassie asked.
“Clichéd for a witch, I know, but we do have a connection with animals, especially cats.” Bella smiled, snuggling close to Cassie, enjoying the feel of her naked body against hers.
Eventually Bella had to get out of bed, and Cassie helped her dress, trading a few touches and kisses as they did up buttons and zips. Cassie stayed wrapped in a sheet as they traded cell numbers and kissed goodbye at the door.
Bella went back to her apartment above her shop, texted Cassie to let her know she got home safe, as requested, and then fed Mr. Socks, the cat, and Pebbles, the fish.
She showered and then got into bed with still-damp hair. She fell asleep stroking the slight marks on her hip, thinking of Cassie, hoping she’d see her again.
“We need you for something else today,” one of the elders said, stopping Bella as she went to gather her things. She’d been listening to warlocks witter on about petty things for hours. She was ready to go get lunch.
“What am I needed for?” Bella pretended not to be annoyed because he was an important man and sent a fair bit of customers her way.
“The werewolf council has requested you for a project,” he told her, and Bella tried not to react. Under her sensible clothes, she still had scratches and love bites from her last encounter with a werewolf, and she had a feeling this was connected.
“What kind of project?” Bella kept her expression guarded.
“There have been some attacks on werewolves; they believe witchcraft is involved. Could you go to the meeting down the hall?” He sounded like he was asking, but Bella knew she’d be blacklisted if she refused.
“I’ll go right away.” Bella wanted to know what was going on; she hoped Cassie hadn’t been hurt at some point.
Bella took her laptop and her bag and headed for the other meeting room filled with several werewolf enforcers and council members.
“Take a seat and allow us to explain,” a male werewolf said, and Bella spotted Cassie at the back of the room as she sat down.
“I was told there have been some attacks, local. I haven’t heard of any,” Bella said nervously. If a witch had been attacking werewolves, it needed to be addressed as soon as possible before it caused all-out war between werewolves and witches.
“We’ve kept them out of the news, but five male werewolves have been attacked and robbed. They have no memory of how they got hurt or how their things were taken,” the man explained, and Bella was relieved. If only male werewolves had been attacked, then Cassie was fine.
“The memory loss is why you think it’s a witch? They haven’t been drugged?”
“Blood tests haven’t revealed anything. We’d like you to examine the victims and their homes, and I’ve been assured you’re very capable. We request that you find out the identity of the attacker and allow us to proceed.” The wolf said “proceed” in a way that made Bella shiver, but she knew this was for the best. Someone had to be punished or things would escalate. Life would be lost on a grand scale.
“Just give me the information you have, and I’ll do my best,” Bella agreed.
“The enforcer we wish you to work with has all the names and addresses you’ll need, and she can tell you anything you need to know. If you need any resources, just ask.” The man nodded, and Cassie stood up and came to stand beside Bella.
“Thank you. I’ll work as quickly as I can.” Bella stood up, and she and Cassie left the room together. Cassie caught her eye and did the hand sign for wait, so Bella followed her without speaking till they were outside the building.
“I hope this is okay. I know we just met, but we mentioned seeing each other again. I’m a take it slow kind of girl, but I got assigned this case, and I thought if I need to work with a witch, it might as well be one I trust,” Cassie said in a rush.
“You trust me?” Bella asked, surprised.
“I don’t sleep with untrustworthy people. There’s something about you that tells me I can trust you, and that works for this case. Even if it’s a witch, you won’t let them get away with it out of blind loyalty to other witches. I know in my heart you believe all people are accountable for their actions,” Cassie said firmly.
“I won’t help any witch or warlock get away with this, and I know it’s most likely one or the other. There are few other creatures with the ability to manipulate memory. Come to think of it, I don’t know many magic users who can do it, let alone would, because it’s seriously frowned upon to use this kind of magic on others,” Bella said while trying to think of anyone she knew locally who would cast this kind of spell on just werewolves.
“I don’t know any witches with grudges against werewolves, but I know someone who might. He knows all the dirt on the magic world,” Bella added.
“That sounds like a good place to start. It’d be good to have some suspects when we go see the victims to see if they have any connection to the people we find,” Cassie agreed.
“How do you want to travel, together or separately?” Bella asked.
“Together makes more sense. You know the way to our first stop, right?”
“I do, and I have my car. Follow me.” Bella had to resist taking Cassie’s hand. This wasn’t a date. They were working together.
They walked to where Bella had parked that morning, and soon they were locked in the cocoon of the car. When Bella turned the engine on, the radio came on with it.
“Do you mind turning it off? Background noise makes it harder for me to hear you.” Cassie gestured to the radio.
“No problem,” Bella said, turning the radio off instantly, wondering if the music in the bar had bothered Cassie, or if the fact that they were face-to-face instead of beside each other helped.
“Thank you.” Cassie smiled, and Bella pulled out of the parking spot and headed toward her destination.
“So, where are we going?” Cassie asked.
“It’s a little cafe a lot of witches hang out at. Has the best coffee of anywhere I’ve ever been. Do you drink coffee? It’ll start things out better if we go in and order,” Bella explained.
“I drink coffee, nothing fancy, just black coffee.” Cassie shrugged.
“Oh, you’re going to hate me and my order,” Bella laughed.
“What do you drink?”
“A hazelnut mochaccino with extra syrup and whipped cream.” Bella wanted to hide her face.
“How do you drink that and not be more hyperactive than a five-year-old on a sugar high?” Cassie laughed but not in a cruel way. Bella had heard her share of cruel laughter, and Cassie’s laugh was so warm, her smile beautifully kind.
“I don’t drink a lot of them. I drink more tea than coffee. Plain coffee is too bitter for me. I could never drink it black. No milk or sugar?” Bella shuddered.
“Well, if I ever bring you coffee, I’ll have to remember your order,” Cassie said casually, adjusting her blazer slightly. She was in a matching blazer and slacks,
with a dark-red shirt underneath, less casual than in the bar, but still just as hot.
“Well, yours will be easy to get right.” Bella smiled. She liked that Cassie was showing interest. She’d been thinking about Cassie since she’d left her bed the night before.
They talked about simple things and were soon parking on a street Bella knew well. It looked unremarkable, a little run-down with most the shops closed.
“Are you sure you want to leave your car here?” Cassie asked as they got out, looking around the street.
“It’s not as rough as it looks. Besides, they’ll never steal my car.” Bella shrugged, closing it up and tugging down her knee-length skirt.
“Why not?” Cassie frowned, clearly confused.
“I have a spell on it. If anyone but me starts the engine, the engine dies, and the car won’t move,” Bella explained as she walked toward a nearby alleyway.
“I didn’t know witches could do that,” Cassie admitted.
“Witches tend to keep things secret. We only talk to each other about magic, so humans don’t find out about us,” Bella said simply, and she could see Cassie scanning every inch of the alleyway, looking for any danger, and keeping close to Bella. Bella sensed it was to protect her. She’d never felt unsafe here, and she could protect herself, but she felt even more secure with Cassie at her back.
Turning a corner, the coffee shop appeared at the end, a neon pentagram on the wall above the door instead of a name. The place didn’t actually have a name. On its cards, it just had a pentagram. People who knew it, knew what it meant. Most humans were put off by the alleyway and the lack of a name, but thanks to a few key spells, if they did reach the door, they got a feeling they’d forgotten something and had to leave.
“So this place, werewolves are welcome?” Cassie asked.
“As far as I’ve ever seen. I’ve never brought one, but accompanied by a witch, you’ll be fine. It’s only designed to put off humans. Come on. I wouldn’t take you anywhere you’d get hurt.” Bella offered her hand to Cassie, thinking ‘screw keeping things overly professional’, and was pleased when Cassie took her hand and let Bella lead the way into the coffee shop.