by Bella Devine
He hesitated."It's not what I've done to you, but what we can do together."
She caressed the glow of the imprint pulsating crescent moon and smiled. The new couple's bond must be getting close to being complete. But this power from Mansfield was unexpected. She couldn't explain her body's reaction to him.
She would think of that later. Right now, she needed to help the new couple. She needed to escape and find them before Gabriel did. The power of the mated couple and herself could surely overtake his.
"Cassiel, I meant what I said earlier. Don't poison your blood anymore. I can't continue to dilute it with a commoner's. Master will grow suspicious." Mansfield's calm cool demeanor changed. His confidence faded, replaced with that of a fearful servant.
"Bastard!" She stomped her foot. No wonder Gabriel was still strong, seeking power instead of drowning in the poison.
Why? Why would Mansfield cherish her one moment then confess to destroying her plan the next? Her lips still tingled from the memory of the kiss she had bestowed on his cheek moments ago.
Did she believe in him like she believed in the imprint and soulbonds? Could she?
Fate had been cruel to her — to pair a white witch with someone so evil. One full of hate. One so power driven. Magic was supposed to be pure, cleansing, helpful. It wasn't supposed to be dark and forbidden. But it could be. Every white witch was bound by an oath to do no evil, yet she had learned that even a white witch needed to act with dark magic sometimes.
Gabriel became what he was today, because she loved him. Because they were soulbonded. Because her power now resided in him. His need consumed him and strengthened each time he received a minute taste of her blood. She had created Master. Bile rose in her throat. She needed to escape and kill him.
Chapter Nine
Bryn
Meet Aylin in the backyard for your training session.
"I'm not your damn dog, Liam!"I jerked the covers over the mattress, trying to straighten the evidence of my sleepless night. When his borrowed sweats fell to the floor, I wanted to stomp on them; instead, I kicked them for good measure.
This ordering about needed to be fixed. Now! I stormed from the room. On a mission. A hunt. For an alpha.
"Liam!" I headed down the hallway to the stairs. "Liam."
Drew climbed the steps. "Hmmm... He was headed to the library."
"Where is the library?"
"Past the family room. First door on the left."
"Thanks." I gritted the pleasantry between clinched teeth. I am done with the sexy leader of the pack! Done, Liam.
I stalked toward my prey, wanting to strangle him, to show him that I wasn't an animal to be bossed around. But the way his name rolled off my tongue sent heat waves through my body that settled in the pit of my stomach. Power surged within me. My skin heated. Not the rapid, hot, I'll-torch-everything-in-sight fire. No, this smooth, sexy fire curled my toes. I trembled.
No, no, no! I am sooooo mad at him. Liam cannot treat me like a command dog. I am not his. To own, to have, to control.
My emotions whirled like a maelstrom, anger clashing with desire. My blood boiled. The imprint glowed. Our connection overwhelmed me.
I fumed. This was not a tug of war. This was a war of survival, independence, self-reliance. But a tantalizing thread of a deeper emotion infringed on my anger. A foreign one. One I wholeheartedly wanted to avoid.
Understanding that anger would achieve nothing, I took a deep calming breath and knocked.
The door opened and there he was. Liam. Standing before me. I looked into his blue eyes. The smell of pine and man overwhelmed me. Aroused me. I was... Mad, but the word didn't hold as much conviction as it had moments ago.
My body must have missed my earlier animosity because I stepped closer, instead of shoving him away. Mad, I reminded myself.
A slow sexy smile spread across his face. Damn.
Mad. But nope, I took another step closer and licked my lips. Argh!
I longed for his strong hands to pull me flush against his body. For his lips to touch mine. Did he know how I felt? How my skin burned for his touch? My breath hitched. I just stood there as if in a trance. I wanted to yell and scream, but all I managed was a husky, "Hello."
"Hello," Liam's gravelly voice responded in kind. He opened the door wider. "Please, sit."
Sit. Sit. Are you freaking kidding me? A dog. I slammed past him into the library. "We need to talk."
At another time, I would have swooned over the hundreds of books lining the walls. Some appeared to be extremely old and leather bound; others were newer, but showed signs of being well read.
"Okay." Liam spoke as if everything was fine, as if my heart didn't race for him, as if my anger didn't flow off me in waves. He shut the door with a final click. My fingertips sparked with angry little flames.
"I'm not your servant, your charge, or your goddamn dog. I am a person. An equal. If we're going to overcome these threats, we're going to have to work together."
He combed his fingers through his hair and released a breath. "Bryn, emotions are high. I get that. But this time we got lucky. For whatever reason, Aylin seems to have an understanding of what's going on. Through her, I was able to pull you back. But what about next time, or the time after that?" He reached for my hand.
I jerked away. In person, he was cold, withdrawn, commanding. Get dressed. Get rest. Go practice. In the trance, he had been nice, compassionate, loving. Where was the understanding from last night in the bedroom? "Liam, you can't do this to me. Be hot one second and cold the next."
"I'm sorry. I'm trying to figure this out too. Our pack has survived for decades. Now, we face a battle I don't know how to win."
I was drowning in the depths of sorrow swarming in his dilated pupils. I understood what it meant to lose everything.
I brushed his cheek. Our connection intensified and my knees weakened. I sank into the chair beside his oak desk. I sensed my own desire, need, and hunger, but was overwhelmed when his needs mingled with mine. Our connection grew. The bond strengthened.
Vena amoris. The words echoed in my head.
Complete the bond. The solution was simple, but it was one that would change everything.
Could I? Bond for life to an alpha? I rubbed the back of my neck. It meant being tied down to someone physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
"What happens if we complete the bond?" I asked.
He kneeled on the floor beside me. "I don't know. Legend says you... we will be more powerful than ever before. But I'm concerned that this will draw too much attention to the pack. We would become targets."
"But we could also have the power to win." I hated abuse of power. The thought of my mother and the years of being alone. Power could destroy lives. But it might also save them.
He placed his hands on my knees. Electricity sizzled in the room. Slowly, I twined my fingers in his hair. Locking them behind his neck, I pulled him closer, my mouth inches from his, but paused before our lips met. The heat of his breath intertwined with mine. Like our imprints. It was torture to hover so close to his lips, but I wanted to look into his eyes as we finally came together.
I kissed him. Softly. If I hadn't already believed in magic, I did now. His need, love, fear, attraction — all of it interlaced with my own until the threads twisted and pulled into an intricate knot. That came to rest just above my heart. Connecting our souls.
I needed more. More of him. More of this. I tilted my head and delved deeper. The new angle sparked a fervor in us both. He wrapped his hands around my lower back and pulled me to the edge of the chair. I sensed he held back, letting me lead, and I relished the power he gave me in this moment.
I needed to explore. To discover our connection. And although he was definitely alpha, he let me. My hands roamed in his hair. My body pulsated with the hottest kiss I had ever experienced.
Braver now, I needed to touch bare skin. I stood and pulled him to his feet. My hands drifted under his shirt, feeling
his taut abs and smooth chest. I whispered, "Promise me, we won't ever use our powers for evil."
"Never." Backing me against the wall, he caressed the side of my face before grabbing my chin and leaning in for a delicate kiss.
Such a contrast to the rapid fire burning within me. My desire grew. I needed more.
"I would rather die than have my power associated with evil."
My words were no guarantee that our power wouldn't be used against us, yet I couldn't stop. His taste was intoxicating. Forcing the kiss deeper, I pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor.
"We'll control it. Maybe we're the answer." He leaned his forehead against mine.
The smell of pine and man overwhelmed me. With the tip of my finger, I traced a line down his hard chest, circled his navel, and hesitated at the clasp of his jeans. A groan of pleasure escaped his lips.
"Maybe." I fought for breath, drowning in the painful yearning to be his. To be claimed by him.
"You sure? You don't know what you're about to do. Once we consummate the bond, it's eternal." He turned my wrist until I saw the blazing moon that matched his. "You don't have control over your powers now and if they are enhanced, you may not be able to control them at all."
A faint light twirled from his wrist to mine. Fascinated, I stared at the twined light linking our joined hands.
"I'm positive."
When he kissed the inside of my wrist, my muscles quivered. God, I wanted this man with a primordial need never experienced before. I needed him like I needed to breathe.
He slipped his hand under my baggy sweatshirt and kissed the side of my neck, suckling the sensitive skin before returning to my mouth. This time, he took control. Slow and rhythmic.
I became lost in Liam. I couldn't think of any other way to describe it. It felt as though his soul flowed through mine. Each strand twisted and melded until his and mine became ours.
Our love.
Our need.
Our desire.
Our fear.
Our power.
He relieved me of my clothes and sank deep inside me.
A damn broke free. Walls tumbled. Our power surged.
When he bit the side of my neck, the pain amplified the pleasure. "Liam!"
"Bryn." He licked my neck. The pain subsided.
"Did you just bite me?" I asked, coming down from the most mind-blowing orgasm of my life.
"I couldn't help myself." He chuckled and wiped a strand of hair from my face. "That was amazing."
The bastard actually bit me and looked proud of it. I could almost see his back straighten and his chest expand as if preening like a peacock. I rubbed the sore flesh and took note of our disarray. We looked like ravished teenagers. His pants were down around his ankles. My bra hung carelessly over one of my shoulders and my clothes were strewn... well, I wasn't exactly sure where. Or if they were still in one piece or torn to shreds.
"My love." Liam lifted my chin and gently kissed me.
I cupped his face, watching as our imprints linked. If our souls had a presence, it would be this. The lights danced along and around the crescent moon, joining and coupling together.
I felt loved. Safe. Powerful. But I couldn't tell Liam. I wasn't ready to admit that I could be in love. Lust? Absolutely. Nor was I ready to let go either. My hand moved from his face and stopped over his heart, which beat in rhythm with mine. I closed my eyes and let the emotions swim through me.
I don't know how to do this. Us. Be in a relationship. It's not something I do.
"We'll figure it out together."
"What?" How did he know what I was thinking?
It's the bond. We are connected fully, which means telepathic communication. His voice sounded in my head.
"Oh." Crap.
He placed his hand over mine and spoke softly. "This is right. This is us."
I wish I could've been as sure, but I wasn't. I broke a long time ago and wasn't sure if I could ever be truly fixed. Be whole again. "I hope so."
"I know so." He stepped away and began to dress.
The loss of his touch chilled me. Goosebumps ran up my arms and down my back.
Liam handed me my sweatshirt. I hooked my bra in place before slipping it over my cooled skin. I felt the need to explain. I wanted to tell him that I wasn't not the type of girl to swoon over a man. I didn't fall at anyone's feet. Ever. I managed a feeble, "I don't do relationships." Liar.
Liam chuckled. "I get it. It's a clusterfuck. Just give it some time. Give us some time. We'll see where this leads." He smiled and chastely kissed me. "I won't take more than you're willing to give."
"I've never felt anything so right in my entire life. And that scares me to the core. I don't know how to be a girlfriend, mate, or whatever you call it." And I don't do relationships. But Liam was right. This was us and it felt right. That realization just left me more confused.
"But you felt the soulbond?" He stood there tall and sure.
"Of course, I felt it. I still feel it coursing through me like my own blood. It's captivating." Fighting embarrassment, I looked into his eyes. "I need you like I've never needed anyone in my life." I wasn't sure if I would ever be whole again, but I felt as if I was being pieced back together like a puzzle. The outer frame was connected, but the inner hole remained, changing me by the second. Each piece sliding together becoming complete.
"We'll figure this out, Bryn." Liam reached for my hands. "I promise it'll be okay. We'll be okay."
His honesty called to me, telling me I could trust him and with him, we would be all right.
"Sure." Dressed now, I wanted space to think. I opened the door to leave, but remembered why I had sought him out in the first place. I turned and smiled my sexiest smile. "And Liam?"
"Yes?" He moved forward, lowering his head for a kiss.
I placed a finger against his lips. "Don't ever assume I'm your puppy. I don't like to be bossed around." I sashayed from the room.
His laughter echoed down the hall. "Work with Aylin on containing your power, then we'll see how much you like being bossed around."
I did need to work on controlling my power and since Aylin was the only one in the house with power, she was my best bet.
I looked over my shoulder and caught Liam's heated gaze. He winked at me. Very quickly, I went in search of Aylin. We would practice, but not here. Not in this testosterone-filled cabin.
Chapter Ten
Bryn
Alive!
I had never felt anything so powerful before. My neck ached from Liam's love bite and my imprint glowed. I caressed it and smiled. The light was just a minuscule reminder of the power simmering underneath my skin.
Liam. The thought of him had my crazy world tilting upright. The chaos and pain faded into something lighter, more freeing. It was as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, and I could finally breath again.
In my heart, I knew Liam was my soul, filling a void within me.
My brain considered that pathetic.
Corny.
Sappy.
Romantic.
And completely not me. I looked at my wrist again. I wanted to hate the imprint, to curse its existence.
But I didn't. For the first time since leaving that one-bedroom trailer so many years ago, I felt alive. I loved the way the crescent moon connected me to something more. Something powerful and beautiful. Liam, I thought again. It was as if my heart had opened and all these bottled up emotions began to flow freely.
Walking into the living room, I scowled. Would our union ever help the pack's case? Or would their threats become worse?
Yes, I was more powerful. But I was also more scattered. More confused. More lost. How could I focus on saving their race if I was sex driven one minute and scowling the next?
Which emotion would pour from this roller coaster next?
"Whoa!" Aylin jumped up from the couch and moved closer. Her eyes widened. "You really did it. Sealed the deal."
"Grrr.
.." Damn if I wanted to talk about this right now. Especially with the pack's enforcer. A pack that I was now a part of.
She laughed, and I growled.
"You're getting the hang of the wolf thing." Aylin edged closer to my neck and grinned like a Cheshire cat. "I lost the pool. I pegged you would holdout until tomorrow. Freaking Connor — the bastard won the jackpot."
I ignored her comments and pulled the neck of my sweater over the love bite. I didn't want to discuss Liam with anyone but Liam. Our relationship, physical or mental, felt too precious to share. Or maybe it's just me. I was never good at having friends or intimate discussions with anyone. I like being alone. No, that isn't right. I loved being alone until Liam.