by E. J. Powell
Daniel shook his head. Gareth had about the same chance of getting with Helena as Daniel did at having rainbows shoot out of his ass.
“Graham is a stupid name for a bear,” Daniel said.
“Nah, it’s like Teddy Grahams. You know the cookies.”
“Whatever,” Daniel said, rolling his eyes. “I’m going to take a shower. Don’t be in here when I get out.”
“Fine. I need to go help Ash anyways. We’re going to try to catch Rocco tonight.”
“Let me change and I’ll go with you.”
“Like hell you are,” Gareth said. “You just woke up from a major accident.”
“That’s never stopped me before.”
“We got this, bro. Besides, someone has to stay here with Jessie.”
Now that Daniel could do.
Daniel watched his little brother shut off the game and leave. Daniel looked back to Jessie. She was still sleeping. He looked down at his body. Dried blood and dirt was caked to his skin, and he smelled like a tar pit mixed with an old gym sock.
He checked once more to make sure Jessie was still sleeping before he grabbed his towel off the bed post and headed to the bathroom.
Daniel let the water heat up as he peeled out of his clothes. He looked down at his left leg. It was completely healed. Helena fixed him up pretty good. Not even a hint of a bruise on him. He stepped into the shower and let the water run over him. His muscles relaxed in the steam. That was better. He watched his dried blood run off his skin and down the drain before he grabbed his bar of soap and began lathering up.
He still didn’t understand how he got back to the bar. There’s no way Baxter would have just let Ethon come and get him. Maybe they got tired when they couldn’t find Jessie. Although, how they didn’t find her was another question. Even a wolf as dumb as Baxter should have caught her scent. Daniel was trying to remember what he could in between black outs. He knew that they were after Jessie. Maybe to get to Rickon? That would make sense. And then he remembered Baxter flying back from him. That was the last thing before he had blacked out and then woken at the bar. Maybe he didn’t remember that right. There was no way Baxter just flew off of him.
Daniel let out a laugh as he rinsed off. He must have hit his head harder than he thought.
He shut off the water and stepped out. The bathroom was foggy as he wrapped his towel around his waist. Steam rolled around him, sticking to his skin. He walked out and paused as Jessie lay in his bed, looking up at him with those light brown eyes. Every question swirling in his head vanished at the sight of her. She looked so good in his bed.
“I was wondering why you always smell like maple.” Jessie sat up, tucking her legs under her.
“I get the soap from Agnes. If it bothers you I can get something else.”
“No,” she said a little too quickly. She cleared her throat before she added, “I like it.”
Jessie bit her lip as Daniel moved farther into the room. The towel sat low on his hips as the water dripped down the length of his body. Oh man, what she would give to be that towel. He stepped to her, his scent sending her hormones into overdrive. His eyes darkened as they ran over her body. She felt her breath quicken as they found their way back to hers.
“How are you feeling?” she asked, hoping to get her heart rate back under control.
“Better. How about you? Are you hurt?”
“No.”
He stepped closer, the towel flapping open briefly. Jessie sucked in her breath.
If he came any closer she was going to lose all control. The woman inside was howling louder than a new wolf on a full moon.
Please don’t sit on the bed. Please don’t sit on the bed.
The bed moved as he sat down. Crap.
The towel parted and she could see the delicious skin of his inner thigh. Muscles wrapped up and down his long legs as they stretched out in front of him. Jessie bit her lip harder as every muscle in her body tightened.
“If you don’t stop biting that lip,” he said. “I’m going to take you right here and now.”
Jessie looked up at him as his brown eyes pierced right through her.
“I was beginning to think you didn’t want me at all,” Jessie said, looking away.
His hand lifted her chin, pulling her gaze back to him.
“Why would you think that?”
“Because we haven’t…” Her voice trailed off.
Daniel cocked his head to the side as he studied her face. She thought he didn’t want her? All he wanted was her. He just wanted it to be special. Romantic. Everything she deserved and nothing less. He lifted her chin back up. She bit down on her bottom lip again and his towel twitched at the sight. He wanted to bite that lip so bad. It was calling to him. Begging him. Pleading with him.
“Fuck romance,” he whispered.
He leaned in and consumed her mouth. She let out a cry as he sucked on her bottom lip. It was sweeter than honey.
Jessie felt her body come to life as Daniel kissed her. His tongue lashed out, parting her lips. His hands trailed up her sides, her skin craving for more of his touch. They disappeared under her shirt as they trailed up to her breasts, cupping each one. His thumb rolled over her nipple and it hardened to the near point of pain. She needed to be closer to him. She needed to feel him.
His hands moved back down and she felt the hem of her shirt tug. She lifted her arms as he peeled it off her. Daniel tossed it to the floor before he grabbed her legs and pulled her down. She slid down the bed, her legs falling to either side of him. His hands tickled as they brushed against her stomach, trailing their way down to the waistline of her pants. He undid the button to her jeans before unzipping them. Slowly, he peeled back her jeans, taking her panties with them. His index fingers trailed down the skin of her legs as he slid them off, her nerves feeling every soft touch. Then his hands slid back up her bare legs. She sucked in her breath as he parted her legs. His fingers slid down her cleft, and her body purred at his touch. He slowly stroked her, sending shivers through her down to her toes.
He crawled on top of her, centering his weight between her legs. His lips kissed their way up her chest and neck. She closed her eyes as his lips continued to tease the sensitive skin of her neck while his fingers continued to stroke her. Each stroke lit her body up. Each kiss. Each lick. She could feel her body on the brink, and when he inserted two fingers into her, her body came instantly.
She gasped for breath and she could feel his lips smiling against her neck.
“Never think I don’t want you,” he whispered in her ear. She looked up at him as he leaned back on his knees, ripping his towel off. Jessie’s jaw dropped at the sight of him. He was even bigger than she had imagined. He fell back to her, parting her legs with his hips. He led her hand to his penis, stroking her hand against his erection. “Only you can make me this hard.”
Her hand wrapped around his cock as far as it would go as he pressed into her. She felt it grow even more before he took her hand from his penis and placed it on his back. She traced her fingers down the hard muscles that strapped his broad frame, while his mouth found its way to her breasts.
She could feel him sitting at her edge, the tip of his cock pressing against her.
“Please, Daniel,” she gasped. “I can’t wait any longer.”
With one thrust, he was inside her. She felt pain shoot through her stomach before it left just as quickly. And then nothing but pleasure followed. Pure pleasure. He rocked in and out of her, each stroke deeper than the last. She gripped his back as her stomach tightened. The feel of him inside her was consuming. All of her senses were in overdrive. His hand brushing her thigh. His breath against her neck. She could smell his sent rolling off of him, surrounding her in a cloud of maple and testosterone.
It drove her senses wild. She could feel the animal inside her coming out. The raw need to have more of him. She reached out and licked his neck. Her nails dug into his back. Her teeth sunk into his shoulder. His eyes rolled back as he continued to po
und into her. Faster and deeper he went. She reached for each breath as he thrust in her, deeper and deeper. Wave after wave of pleasure built as he picked up the pace. He grabbed her thigh, lifting her leg to his side. He went even deeper as his lips trailed up her neck to her mouth. He licked her lip, nipping and sucking on it. She grabbed his back tighter as she felt herself reaching her peak. She moaned as her back arched, her orgasm breaking against her.
With one more thrust he released. Jessie gasped for breath as he lay between her legs. She looked up at him, the sweat dripping down his hair and forehead. She brushed his hair back and looked into his warm brown eyes. He smiled at her and she smiled back.
Daniel was in pure bliss. Never had he been with a woman like Jessie. The way she cradled his head, the way she skimmed her fingertips along his back. Each touch full of care and love. It was an intimacy he never thought he would need. But he did need it. He craved her soft touch. He craved her soft body under his hard and rough one. He looked down at her underneath him. He wanted to stay inside her forever.
“All I’ve ever wanted was you, Jessie,” he whispered. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Daniel.”
Daniel lowered his head down, nuzzling her neck. He breathed in her scent of sweat, lilies, and woman. Her arms wrapped around him, her fingers running through his hair.
Jessie soaked up the feel of his weight on top of her. His hands stroked her side and thighs as his head rested on her shoulder. She let her fingers trail down his back and then up again, circling around his shoulders. Everywhere she touched was hardened muscles. She could feel him still inside her. She had never been so close to anyone in her life. It was as if they were one person. One heart.
After a few minutes, Daniel pulled out and rolled to the side. He reached up to the bite mark she had left.
“Sorry about that,” she said. “I got a little carried away.”
“You can get carried away anytime.”
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back to his chest. She nuzzled her bottom into the crook of his hips. His hands ran down her arms and then back up to her shoulder. His fingers circled around her Cambion mark, a mark similar to a tattoo of a wolf head, but looked more like a brand. All Cambions had one, although they varied between the wolves, witches and vampires.
Jessie closed her eyes as he put his arm back around her. She could feel his breath against her shoulder as he slowly drifted off to sleep. She wanted to stay like this forever. Safe and warm in Daniel’s arms. But she knew she couldn’t.
Jessie closed her eyes as reality came crashing back into her. She finally had what she wanted, and soon the disease spreading in her body would take her from it. Take her from Daniel. She had to tell him, but not now. Right now, she was his and he was hers. Right now, she was still alive. She was happy.
CHAPTER 13
Jessie sat straight up in the bed as she gasped for air. She pressed her hand to her chest as it tightened with each breath. Her heart was racing and her blood turned cold. Dread washed over her as the hair on the back of her neck stood up. The room was dark and still as the panic echoed through her body.
“What’s wrong?” Jessie felt Daniel’s hands on her shoulders.
“I’m not sure,” she said as she swallowed.
“You’re freezing.” Daniel rubbed her arms, but it provided little warmth. Something was definitely wrong. Jessie couldn’t explain how she knew, but she knew. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind. She took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly. She did it again, and this time she caught something. A scent.
A scent she was very familiar with.
It was musky and damp like the smell of trees and moss. She inhaled and slowly exhaled. Her heart slowed as she breathed in again. Sounds. Frogs chirping. The rustle of leaves. A sight of the old barn in the bayou flashed in her mind. And then a flash of red raced across her vision and the panic set back in.
“I have to go.” She jumped from the bed and started looking for her clothes.
“What are you talking about?”
“I have to get to the bayou.”
“Jessie, it’s not safe for you there.”
“I have to go there. Something is wrong, and I have to go to my pack.”
“Did your father call for you?” Jessie knew he was talking about the Alpha Call. A power only an alpha had. It was a way to summon the pack no matter where they were or vice versa. A beta could also make the call, but only to summon the alpha.
But this wasn’t that.
This was something dark and cold.
Jessie found her shirt and threw it on over her head. Her pants and panties were in a heap on the floor near the foot of the bed and she quickly pulled them on.
“Jessie, wait.” Daniel sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed. She looked up at him and could see the worry in his eyes. “If this is something I did-”
“No. No, Daniel. This isn’t about you. I think my pack is in danger. I have to get to the bayou.”
“I’ll take you.” Daniel shot from the bed and grabbed his jeans in one swoop.
“No. Stay here. It might not be anything.”
“Then we will find out together. It will be faster to get there on a motorcycle, anyways.” Daniel pulled his jeans on and zipped them up.
“You don’t have a motorcycle anymore.”
“No, but Torrick does, and his is built for speed.”
Daniel pulled his T-shirt on and stepped into his boots as Jessie pulled her shoes on. She wanted to say she was overreacting, that there was nothing to worry about, but the pulling in her chest urged her to move faster. If Daniel could get her to the bayou quicker, then she had to take it.
She ran down the stairs with Daniel on her heels as they made their way through the bar to the kitchen, and then out the back door where the vehicles were parked. The night air was cold and Jessie could feel the moon above her. It was probably close to two a.m. She followed Daniel to Torrick’s bike and jumped on behind him.
“Do you know where the pack relocated?” Daniel asked her.
“Yes, but I need to go to my house.”
“No one will be there.”
She knew her pack was relocated to farther in the bayou. She knew they were protected with spells. But she also couldn’t shake her fears.
“I don’t know how I know, but I need to go to my house.”
“Then we will go to your house.”
Daniel started the bike and peeled out of the alley.
The wind whipped past her ears as she held on to Daniel’s back. He weaved his way through the Quarter and towards the bayou at full speed. Her heart was racing in her chest as she urged Daniel to go faster. She knew something was wrong. Very wrong. Her worry only grew the closer they got.
It only took ten minutes for them to get to the bayou on Torrick’s bike. Daniel didn’t let up as they entered the forest and he weaved through the trees and around fallen branches with ease. It was pitch dark as they drove farther into the bayou. The smell of the swamp grew stronger as they neared her house.
Jessie jumped off the bike before it came to a complete stop in front of her little shack. She burst through the front door. The door hit the wall, putting a hole in the drywall. She looked around the quiet house, but there were no signs of movement. She moved through the house checking every room. There was nothing.
“I don’t think anyone’s here, Jessie.” Jesse looked to Daniel as he stood in the kitchen. No one was here, but she still couldn’t shake this feeling. She walked past him and out the back door. She looked around the grounds, but there was nothing. It was still and quiet. Not even an owl hooting.
And then the smell of blood hit her.
It was strong as it consumed the air around her. She looked up to the red barn, and her heart dropped in her chest.
“Is that blood?” Daniel was beside her as he held his nose up and sniffed the air.
“The barn,” she managed to say. Her voice was dr
y and distant as she looked at the broken building.
Her feet moved on their own as they inched towards the barn. She already knew what she would find, but she wasn’t ready for it. She would never be ready for it. She walked to the front where the double doors were closed. The lock had been broken. She pulled them open and the smell of blood hit her, making her take a step back. She looked around the barn as her pack lay ripped apart.
“No, Jessie!” Daniel said, wrapping his arms around her. “Don’t look.”
Jessie sank in his arms, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the massacre. She pushed him back as she stepped in the barn.
The three werewolf families lay dead on the floor. She searched for her brothers and father, and a small bit of her fear alleviated when she didn’t see them. They were still alive. And then her heart dropped in her chest.
A small braid stuck out from under a board. She dropped to her knees in front of it and pulled the board back. Karen. Her mother lay dead next to her, her belly still swollen as her other daughters were scattered around her feet.
“Care bear?” Jessie whispered as she held the little girls hand. It was cold and covered in blood. She wiped at the girl’s face, powdered sugar still coating her lips.
“I did this,” Jessie whispered.
“No, Jessie.” Daniel knelt down beside her. “This isn’t your fault.”
But it was. Rocco was after her. Her problems had found the pack, and Karen paid for it. The pain was too much. Jessie thought her powers would unleash, but instead they seemed to recede into her. They sank to bottom of her mind, and her body went numb. As if all the warmth and happiness of the world sank with them. She was hollow. An empty shell. She looked at Daniel, but she couldn’t hear him. She couldn’t smell him. She was no longer there. Her body was shutting down, her mind turning off.
Daniel looked around at the bloodshed. He had never seen such cruelty. This wasn’t done by demons. He looked at the claw marks down the bodies. This was done by another pack. He pulled out his phone and dialed Rickon’s number.
“Hello.”
“It’s Daniel. You need to get to the bayou.”