by Isa Fae
“Is that how you really see me, Eric? As a friend?” Her voice was low and shaky, but there was no other sign besides those that she was on edge.
Friend. The word did seem to bother her, but why? “How would you like me to see you, Miranda?” He didn’t ask that question to be cold and harsh. He asked it because he needed her to tell him the truth. She had to tell him what she wanted in order for him to give it to her. All the women from his past knew what they wanted. And they made it clear. But he had never had feelings for any of them.
Miranda’s gaze dropped to his lips again. She’d done this more than once, and it never went unnoticed. “I…I’m not sure, Eric,” she hesitated.
Say it. She clearly knew. He knew. But he wouldn’t make the first move. It could scare her away after what the Lord did to her. Besides, if he happened to be wrong, it would crush him. And he didn’t think he could handle that.
She turned onto her back and let out a deep sigh. “Never mind.” Her tone fell into a deep dark place. “Just forget I said anything.”
No, he wouldn’t forget she’d asked that question. And, clearly, now he knew what was bothering her. At the time, it felt like the right thing to say. He had no intentions of hurting her in any way. But yet, he did. And now he had no idea how to reverse it. It wasn’t like someone could take words away once they said them.
“Goodnight, Eric,” she said softly, closing her eyes and taking another deep breath.
Lord, how he wanted to reach over and pull her to him. But, no. He couldn’t make the first move without actually hearing how she felt from her own lips. “Night, Miranda,” he answered her, keeping his tone even and controlled.
Eric closed his eyes and found comfort in her slow and steady breathing. He still had no idea how she had caused this change to happen in him. When he arrived here, he hated witches, but now, he wanted nothing more than to have a certain one in his arms.
He was almost asleep when she popped up into a sitting position. “They’re coming.”
Eric propped himself up on his elbow, thinking she may have had a bad dream. Her eyes were wide and filled with fear as she looked at him. Her body trembling.
“Miranda, who is coming?”
Instead of answering him, she sprang from the bed and pulled on a pair of pants. Before Eric could get out of bed, she was already out the door.
“Shit!” He yanked on his jeans and went after her.
Rushing down the hall and through the kitchen, he located her in front of the door. She stood there, unmoving and eyes focused on the door.
“There’s more than one.” Her voice shook. “Three. Maybe, four. I can feel them.” She swung around and faced him, sucking in a big breath of air. “Eric, you need to hide.”
He stepped in front of her and took her by her shoulders. “Miranda, who is coming?” Eric still had no idea what was going on. This couldn’t possibly be from a dream now. She would have shaken it off. “Tell me.”
“Renegades, Eric.” She took a step back and grabbed his hand, attempting to pull him away from the door. “Please, you have to hide. I can take care of them. I’m sure they don’t know I betrayed them yet. But if they see you, they’ll kill you.” She tugged harder but he wouldn’t budge. “Please, Eric!” Desperation rang in her voice.
Eric couldn’t keep up with her. Renegades. Betrayed. He knew who the Renegades were. They were a very hostile group of witches. Their goal was to take down the Fae. A few hunters have been assigned to seek them out, but they never returned.
Eric pulled Miranda to him and leaned down, picking her up and tossing her over his shoulder. All he could think about was protecting her. If she had been a Renegade and indeed betrayed them, they’d take her out without a second thought. His magic was slightly stronger than hers. And he’d use every bit of it if he had to in order to keep Miranda safe.
“Eric, no! What the fuck are you doing?” Miranda kicked her legs as Eric rushed her down the hallway. “Put me down!”
When he reached the bedroom, he placed her feet on the floor and pushed her inside. Miranda came at him, desperate to get to the door, but he slammed it shut and held onto the knob with one hand, and placed his other on the wood.
Closing his eyes, he pushed as much of his Fae magic out from his palm as he could, sealing the door shut. “I’m sorry, Miranda,” he whispered as he turned around and rushed through the hallway, more than ready to slay some witches.
26
Miranda
Miranda slammed her fists into the door. “Eric, no! Please don’t do this,” she screamed as rain fell from her eyes. Yes, his magic was stronger than hers, but he’d never be able to take on that many witches by himself. It was suicide. She had no idea what he was thinking. She needed to get out of this room. Now!
She kicked at the door, desperate to bring it down, but she knew it would take time because he probably used Fae magic on it. “You fucking bastard!”
She placed her palms on the door, shoulder heaving sobs causing her to shake. But she could do it. She freed herself from his magic and she could do it again. Miranda pushed out hard, willing her powers to the surface. She felt the burn of her magic colliding with his, but she refused to give up.
Noises sounded in the far side of the cabin. Voices. And then shouting. The energy was overwhelming, almost causing her to be sick. She had been right. Four of them. Things crashed. Glass shattered. Screaming and crying and shouting.
“No, Eric! No, no, no!” She now pressed her entire body against the door. Willing and demanding for it to open for her.
Laughing and laughing and laughing. “Some hunter you are,” a female voice said.
Miranda’s head and heart were about to explode. Anger and heat and flames twisted and twirled through her body. They had Eric. He was down. “I will kill a bloody witch,” she growled, shoving her hands into the door once more.
The door shattered, splinters of wood flying in every direction as Miranda stepped out of the room. She rushed down the hall and through the kitchen. When she got to the entranceway of the living room she stopped, went down to her knees and screamed as the tears gushed out of her.
The four witches surrounding Eric’s lifeless body snapped their heads in her direction. “What did you fucking do?” All thoughts disappeared from her mind. Red. All she saw was red as the fire inside consumed her.
All four witches stepped away from Eric. His eyes were closed. His chest unmoving. She narrowed her eyes at his bracelet, his lifeline, which was nearly drained. She was losing the only man she ever cared for. The man she loved with all her heart.
The witches snickered at Miranda as they walked toward her. “A Renegade and a Fae. How convenient, Miranda. The Lord has a hefty price on your head. I’m sure Millenia will be quite pleased if we brought her a trader,” a red-haired witch said with a smirk on her face.
Miranda clenched her jaw and slowly rose from the floor, her hands balled into fists at her side. “Fuck you and fuck Millenia!”
The witch clicked her tongue. “Now, now, now. That’s no way to speak of the witch who saved you. She brought you in, Miranda, gave you food and shelter when you had no other place to go. And you thank her by shacking up with not only a Fae, but a hunter. She’s going to love this.”
All four witches put their hands in the air, but Miranda was faster. She pushed her arms out, palms in front of her, and forced the inferno that had been building and building inside of her out. Colors. Blue and greens streaked through the air, the pressure of her release knocked her back, and Miranda lost her footing and fell to the floor.
Blue and green streaks wrapped around the four witches, as if a serpent had intertwined around them, and began closing in. The witches’ eyes became wide as they screamed out in agony, all four reaching and clawing for each other to pull themselves out of the light.
Miranda’s body became weak, her arms and legs turning wobbly and unsteady. Fatigue pressed down on her, but she fought it. Glancing at her bracelet, she�
��d used more magic than she intended to.
In front of her, the blue and green streaks completely closed in and disappeared, the four witches becoming a pile of ash on the floor. She’d never seen anything like it. Her power had changed, she had somehow become much stronger and she had no idea why or how.
Unable to stand up, Miranda crawled over the wooden floor until she reached Eric’s lifeless body. Something had to be done. It couldn’t be too late. She pulled herself up with her arms and straddled his body, tears now consuming her entire face. “I can’t lose you, Eric. Not now,” she choked out the words.
Miranda leaned down, checking for any sign of life. There was something. A pulse, but it was faint. “Please, please, let this work. Please come back to me.” She opened his mouth with her hands and leaned further down, placing her lips over his.
She’d seen this done numerous of times. The transfer of magic. But she’d only witnessed magic being taken away, like the Lord did to Sarah. She had never seen the process reversed. But she needed to try.
Miranda drew in a deep breath and willed her energy to the surface, and then she placed her hands on either side of his face, exhaling into his mouth. She fought to hold her body to Eric’s as the magic drained from her. But she was slipping. Unable to hold on much longer. She wasn’t sure how much of her magic she was using and she didn’t care. If Eric died, so would she.
Then Eric’s mouth closed around hers, his tongue parting her lips and slipping in, the warmth of him waking up her insides. She was weak, but fully aware of what was happening. Kissing. Eric was kissing her.
He gripped her waist and turned over, his body hovering over hers as he completely took over her mouth. He teased and tasted, the urgency to have her, to own her, apparent in the way he moved.
Alive. But not only alive. Eric Winters was kissing her. That was the only thing flashing in her mind. And it was just as she expected. Simply amazing. She fell into the same rhythm, her own tongue just as urgent to have him.
He bit her lip and then pulled away, holding her head in his hands and gazing into her eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
“You’re a fucking asshole.” Yes, he deserved that for sealing her in the room, thinking he could fight the Renegade witches by himself. She rolled over, pushing his back to the floor and standing up while he laughed. Her legs were still unsteady, her body weak, causing her to sway. She’d lost a lot of magic taking down the witches and saving Eric’s life. It would take time for her to recharge. For once, she was lucky she had the ability to do that. And for once, she was beyond happy that Eric had finally kissed her. It was about time.
27
Eric
A fucking asshole.
Eric stood up, taking her face in his hands again, unwilling to let her run away. “I guess I’m moving up in the world.” He looked down at her red, tear stained eyes. Moisture still slipping down her cheek. Miranda Sage was crying. Not just crying, but crying for him. And she was even more beautiful now than when she was throwing one of her tantrums.
“I guess you are.” She sniffed, placing her hands on his hips to steady herself.
He knew this was his one chance. He’d been waiting for her to tell him what she wanted. But she had already expressed it in her actions. Miranda could have killed the witches and escaped, leaving him to die. But she didn’t. Not only did she stay, but she used her magic to bring him back. He remembered every word she’d said. She couldn’t lose him. And she’d begged him to come back to her. All of that was still clear in his head. She had made the first move. Now, it was time for him to make his second. Kissing her was only the beginning.
He focused on her green eyes. The tears still spilling from the corners of her lids. “I want you.” And he did. He wanted Miranda more than anything. Just looking at her sheer beauty caused him to ache inside. Eric Winters had never needed anything. Until now. And she was standing right in front of him.
Her bottom lip trembled, the tips of her fingers pressing into his flesh. She moved her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but no words came out.
Say it, Miranda. Dammit, just say it.
Eric could see the fear consuming her eyes. And it worried him like hell. He knew he wasn’t wrong. He’d seen the way she’d looked at him on several occasions. The way she looked at him now. With want and desire. Lust and need. She mirrored his own feelings.
“I…I want you, too.”
Her words were shaky, and she loosened her grip on his hips and moved her hands down, fingers unbuttoning his jeans. Eric sucked in his breath as her watery-green eyes penetrated deep into his soul. Her fingers fumbled with his zipper, tugging it down.
No. As much as he wanted to take her here, he wouldn’t. She deserved much better than that.
Before she could go any further, he reached down, grasping her by the hips and hoisting her up. Her legs wrapped around his waist without hesitating, and he carried her effortlessly through the cabin as he claimed her mouth, teasing and tasting her all over again until he reached the bedroom. He didn’t think he could ever get enough of her, and he wanted more. Much more.
He set her on the floor, lifting her arms and slipping off her shirt. Tracing his fingers back down her arms, he moved over her chest and outlined the curves of her breast, taking special notice to her rosy pink nipples which waited to be captured in between his lips.
Eric leaned down, taking the left one in his mouth, flicking his tongue around her marvelous peak while his hand massaged her right one. The woman was a goddess. A magical and fucking beautiful entity not from this world. That was the only way he could describe her as the soft moans vibrated through her body.
Releasing her, he slowly backed her up until she had no choice but to sit on the bed. “You’re going to drive me insane,” he growled at her, causing the edges of her lips to lift into a smile. He gently pushed her back on the mattress and slid his hands up her legs, fingers hooking into her waistband and sliding his hands back down, peeling off her pants.
He stepped back, admiring the witch in front of him as she sat up and supported the upper half of her body with her elbows, loving the way her green eyes roamed up and down his body. “I love the way you look at me.” He dropped his jeans and his boxers to the floor in one fluid motion. He took his length in his hand, stroking it up and down in lazy motions.
Miranda licked her lips as her gaze rose from the erection in his hand to his eyes. “And how is that?”
Eric placed one knee on the mattress and brought his other one up, nudging her thighs apart and resting it in between her legs. “Like you want to own me.”
The corner of her mouth came up. “Maybe, I want you to own me,” she whispered softly.
Wow. This woman pushed all his right buttons, making him crazy for wanting her. Eric leaned down, hovering over her body as his hand slipped in between her folds, finger seeking her sweet spot. Her head tilted back as he circled her essence and brought his mouth to her neck, nipping her flesh. “Don’t worry,” he mumbled into her skin. “I will own you.” He slipped his finger into her wetness, both of them letting out deep sighs as her walls tightened around him. Miranda was ready for him, there was no denying it. And he would not keep her waiting any longer.
Eric withdrew his finger and settled in between her thighs, his lips kissing her shoulder softly as he slid into her. At first, he kept it easy, slow. Letting her walls adjust to him as he pushed deeper and deeper inside of her. Miranda gasped and a moan rumbled up through her and into him. She wrapped her arms around him and dug her nails into his back. Her legs came up, allowing him to reach her core, his name a sigh of ecstasy escaping through her parted lips.
Eric had sex on many occasions in the past. But this wasn’t sex. This was the claiming of Miranda’s soul. The claiming of his own soul. His own magic merged with hers as her core tightened and then released around him, her warm moisture a ray of sunshine on a dark, cloudy day.
He drove into her deeper, harder this time, biting into her
as the intensity of her magic collided against his. The feeling overwhelming him and making him want more and more of her. Miranda Sage had not only claimed his soul, but she had also claimed his heart. The woman was more than he’d ever expected. Much, much more.
28
Miranda
Mine. She’d never thought she would ever think those words about a man before. But, yet, that was the only way she could explain it as Eric’s teeth grazed her skin and he slid in and out of her. Once she got past the burn and the short burst of pain, he became a burning desire. She wanted more of him. All of him. Everything she could possibly get.
As she prepared to give him another wave of moisture, he flipped her over to her stomach, moving one hand under her hips to lift her ass in the air and the other to grasp her hair, pulling her head back as he took her from behind.
“You’re beyond fucking amazing,” he growled, sending shivers coursing through her, as he moved in and out of her.
She’d never been amazing. Let alone fucking amazing to anyone before. And she’d never thought she’d fall in love with the enemy. A hunter no less. But he was no longer an enemy now. With him leaning over, penetrating her so deeply, feeling so hard and thick, there was no doubt he owned her. Owned every damn part of her. Including parts she’d never knew existed.
“Eric…I.” She couldn’t get the words out as some sort of pressure began building. The feeling was foreign to her as it bubbled up inside of her stomach and caused her body to shake. It expanded into every cell, every muscle, demanding to find an escape.
He let go of her hair and stretched his body over hers, weaving his fingers in between her own. “Fuck, Miranda. You’re killing me.” His speed increased, the magic inside of her building even more and more as he pushed deeper and deeper into her chamber. So deep it felt as though he were going to split her in half.
She adjusted a bit as she groaned, lifting her hips higher and opening her thighs wider, until she could feel his flesh slapping against hers.