by Lia Slater
He’d allowed this to happen. Never trust a goddamn witch. He knew better. Their good deeds never came free. There was always a price to pay, always a fucking hidden fee. He only hoped he wouldn’t have to give up Nayla. One way or the other.
The door sprang open again and four chattering young witches glided in. They laughed and went on with their idiotic conversation as if there weren’t a dying woman spread out on the bed before them.
“I can’t believe we’ll be invited to the balls,” one of them said. She appeared to be in her early twenties, pretty, blonde and incredibly annoying. Her voice screeched as she spoke.
“I know!” A second one, a redhead, sat on the mattress beside Nayla, holding a pan of steaming water. “I’m going to have to sew a new dress. That green fabric we just bought will be perfect.”
They were talking about going to a goddamn ball? His mate could die any moment and they were discussing ball attire. “Leave the water,” he barked out, attempting to scare them away. “I’ll clean her. Just get the hell out of here.”
The third witch, a raven-haired beauty with enormous brown eyes curved her lips into a condescending smile. “’Fraid not. We have our orders from Lorze.” “I don’t give a damn about Lorze or your orders.” “You don’t want us to get in trouble, do you?” She batted her thick eyelashes at him
and Mace thought if he were any other man he’d be down on his knees. Instead, he wanted to rage. He wanted them gone.
But he held his tongue and watched as patiently as possible as the witches ran damp cloths over Nayla’s limp body. She didn’t stir. Her chest barely rose with her breaths. But at least the extreme pain hadn’t begun. Not like it had with Elizabeth.
Mace remembered trying to ease some of Elizabeth’s agony, but his own suffering had taken its toll. He’d been too weak. By the time he’d fully transformed into the immortal Were, she had passed. Her reaction to the plague had killed her. The torturous process had taken her from him, to live eternity on his own.
Oh hell. He couldn’t watch the same tragedy happen to Nayla. He wouldn’t simply stand around to witness her so fragile and helpless. Whether he liked it or not, the witch had been right. He’d need to help his mate through this the only way he knew how.
He had no choice but to clean himself. No way was he letting these hags near him. Before one of them approached, he grabbed a spare cloth from the pan and rubbed it over his face. The cloth covered with blood.
“Let me help you,” the brown-eyed witch said.
“Don’t touch me.”
“Dream on, stud. I’ve no interest in getting my jollies from bathing a Were. Please. I wouldn’t stoop to your level.”
“My level?” A witch was saying he was beneath her? “Ha. Don’t let your knack for witchcraft get to your head. A Were is a powerful being. We’d withstand any of your silly tricks.”
“Really?” She arched her brow slyly. “Silly tricks, you say?”
“Of course. I’ve known witches who’ve tried to use their craft on me.” He shook his head and scrubbed the soiled cloth over his chest. “Never works. Sorry to squash your theory, but my level is beyond your vision.”
“Interesting.” She snapped her fingers. “The witches you’ve met must’ve been humoring you. Take a look at yourself, Were. All clean.”
Mace glanced down at his body. Not a trace of blood or dirt remained on his skin or on the cloth in his hands. And…he brought his forearm up to his nose and sniffed—he smelled of piney soap. Huh. The witch hadn’t touched him or said a single word of a spell. She’d simply snapped her fingers. He’d never seen anything like it.
Maybe he’d underestimated the Paqualette coven. His hopes rose. Could it be Nayla would get through this?
He sat on the mattress next to her as the witches glided back out of the room, taking their incessant chatter with them. Good. They were gone and he was alone with his mate. His Were mate.
God, he hoped she’d forgive him for allowing the transformation to happen. He gritted his jaw and swept his fingers down the curve of her breast. She wouldn’t have a choice. He wouldn’t give her up. Not now. Not ever. Whether she fought him or not, she’d be his for eternity.
He just needed to get her through the night. With that thought, he brought his mouth down to her soft nipple and licked the rosy-scented flesh until it budded under his touch. She stirred and her breath hissed.
“Mace.” Her voice was a rasping whisper. “It hurts. My body hurts.” “I know, love. I’ll make you feel better.”
Chapter Twelve
Nayla’s blood burned as it gushed through her veins and pumped in and out of her rapidly beating heart. Like a river of lava, the intense heat traveled slowly down her body. She took in gasps of air in an attempt to cool herself. But it was no use. What was happening to her? Was she dying? The flames of hell couldn’t be this hot.
She opened her eyes and peered out through tears to see Mace leaning over her, his blue gaze watching her intently, his inky hair tucked behind his ears. He looked like an avenging hero, she thought between intakes of air. She may be dying but having him near eased her frightened sense of terror. If only for a moment.
“I’m here for you, Nayla. Tell me what you need.”
“It…burns.” She spoke through jagged breaths. Her lungs filled with hot tar.
“Mace, I think I’m dying.”
“No. You’ll live.” He sounded so certain, Nayla almost believed him. “I’ll cool you
down.” He gathered her into his strong arms and lifted her off the bed.
Flames lapped at her skin as she cuddled up against him, searching for some
comfort, anything at all to dull the scorching pain. He carried her through a small house
and out its front door. Any confusion about her whereabouts was quickly replaced by
the agonizing heat pouring down her body, reaching her core.
* * * * *
Mace rushed her out of the cottage and over to the cool water of the nearby creek. The members of his pack were nowhere to be seen but he caught their scent. They’d most likely hidden in the shadows of the forest, ready to defend if any of the Paqualette Guard attacked. Once Nayla recovered, he’d have to show the loyal bunch his appreciation somehow.
And she would recover. She’d survive this. She had to. He glanced around for any sight of the witches but they’d disappeared into their
dark bungalows. So he waded into the shallow brook and slowly lowered Nayla into the crisp water. He propped her head on the grassy bank and her body sank into the water, resting on the sandy bed while the stream ran over her naked body. He took in the sight of her slick skin and tight nipples and guiltily hid his burgeoning erection under the running water. “Does this help?” He looped a lock of her golden hair behind her ear and spread out beside her.
“Yes,” she said breathlessly. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me, Nayla. I…” His confession stuck in his throat. Now wasn’t the time to tell her she’d never be human again. “Is there anything else I can do? Do you still burn?”
“Yes, but the cold water is soothing. The burn is dulling and…” She stared up at him and curved her hand over his jaw and slid it down his chest. “I feel strange.”
He held her tiny hand flat against him while guilt besieged him. He could tell by the look in her eyes what she required. A Were female was insatiable. A human woman turning Were was ten times as needy. And with the accelerated version of the plague the witch had administered, there was no telling how Nayla’s body would react.
He couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and a surge of lust. His mate would be Were. She’d be immortal.
If he pleased her, maybe she’d forgive him for not protecting her from this fate. A fate they now shared. Even though this was his fault, he’d never felt so close to her, so bound to her heart.
She moved her hand down to where he ached for her. His cock stiffened, hard as ever as she firmly gripped his shaft.
>
“Ah, Nayla.” He groaned, then kissed her nose, her cheek and her lips. “What do you need, love? Tell me. Anything you want. I’m yours.”
“Oh, God.” Her eyes fluttered and she cupped her mound and squeezed his cock with her fist. “It’s too much, Mace. Please, just help me. Please.”
All the blood in his body rushed to his balls and his dick. He throbbed against her touch. “All right.” He sucked in a breath and clenched his abdomen to keep from ejaculating too soon. This would be a long night. He needed to stay strong and take charge.
Carefully, he peeled her fingers from his shaft. “Spread your legs for me, Nayla.”
She did as he asked and he quickly maneuvered between her thighs, kneeling down as the water’s gentle current coursed against his erection. He reached below the surface and gripped her ass. The soft rounded flesh molded to his palms and she arched up, begging for more. Her pelvis thrusting and her smooth belly constricting. The most beautiful movement he’d ever seen.
He lifted her lower half above the water, making sure her head still rested on the grassy bank.
“Oh, Mace.” She grasped the inside of her thighs and spread them for him. The sight of her rosy folds, the small patch of blonde hair arrowing down her lush mound and the way she spread for him, made his mouth water.
“Love, I want to bite into your flesh, you look so good.”
She squirmed, but he held her still. “Don’t tease me, Mace. I can’t take it. Do you understand that? I need you to help me, to make the pain go away.”
The pain. He’d almost forgotten. “Of course. Forgive me.”
He used his thumbs to separate her pink folds. Her pussy was ripe and swollen and he inhaled the sensual scent before licking her from her anus, to her pussy, to her clit. One long, hard lap had her quivering in his hands.
She covered her face. “Mace. Please don’t stop.”
“I won’t.” More than ready, he dropped his mouth to the heat between her wet thighs and licked her budded clit, hot and smooth against his tongue.
He licked again and she wrapped her legs around his neck. The soft flesh of her thighs caressed the sides of his face. The whimpers she made sent a surge of hunger into his groin. Bottomless hunger.
The wolf in him would’ve shoved her onto her stomach and fucked her from behind, taking her taut ass, showing her he owned her. But the man merely gripped her hips and plunged his tongue into the tight slit of her pussy. His pussy. His mate.
He pointed his tongue and lapped at her slick juice, prodding into her channel and sucking on her flesh. She tasted so ripe, like lust and pure sensual woman. Like a promise of pleasure.
She moaned into the night air, motivating him to do better, to give her his all.
But the sound of footsteps closing in gained his attention.
Mace quickly pushed Nayla from his shoulders and into the water. Then he dropped down to cover and protect her from any harm. Where was his pack and why weren’t they attacking? Senses on high alert, his gaze zeroed in to where a wolf stood some thirty feet away.
Kaige.
He’d returned. Mace didn’t know whether to shake his hand or rip out his throat for leaving the pack. He didn’t have time to decide as Nayla wrapped her moist legs around his hips and entwined her fingers into his hair.
“Fuck me, Mace.” Her voice was raspy and raw as she lifted her hips and ground her pussy against his cock. “I need it hard. Please. Make the wanting stop.”
A switch clicked on inside him, igniting the wolf and forcing the man to the side. He forgot about Kaige’s presence as his mind filled with desire and he focused on the woman beneath him. “Hard?”
“Yes.” She nodded as tears brimmed her eyes. Her cheeks flushed red and her nipples beaded into rigid points against his chest. “Now.”
Mace braced his hands on either side of her and nestled the head of his cock against her entrance. Despite the cold stream they lay in, her pussy was hot and inviting. And as soon as he slid inside, her slick channel hugged him tight.
“Nayla,” he called out as the wolf in him howled and began pumping.
The water splashed with each thrust. And with each thrust, she sobbed and bucked her hips upward, meeting his rapid movements. Her pussy sucked him in as he slid out and cushioned him as he drove in. Sucking and cushioning. His balls tightening, his cock pulsing. The feeling was almost enough to make him shoot his cum into her, but he stayed strong. He didn’t want this to end. Not until she was satisfied and her pain had ended.
She fisted her hands in his hair and drew him down to her lips, where their mouths molded and parted for each other. She lured his tongue into her mouth and he fucked her with it just as he did his cock, with authority and vigor.
When she didn’t come, he deepened his thrusts and maneuvered so his shaft would grind against her G-spot. Swift and hard. Slick and tight. In and out. Pushing. Searing. Conquering.
His muscles strained, his breathing rasped and his blood pounded as it shot down to his groin. He wanted to please her, to stop her pain, to get her through the night. But with each push into her snug pussy, he grew closer to release.
To torture him further, she dragged her fingers down his back and squeezed his ass. She panted and writhed beneath him as the water lapped around them for what seemed like eternity.
Still, she didn’t climax.
Hell. This wasn’t working. Frustrated, he pulled out and broke away from her embrace.
“Wait.” She reached for him with one hand and cupped her mound with the other. “Where are you going? Why did you stop? I need you.”
“Don’t worry, love. I’m not done fucking you.” Not by a long shot.
Mace quickly thought of what he could do to increase her pleasure when out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kaige approach in his human form. His Were brother walked up the stream and stopped beside them. Mace held back a growl and looked up to see a surprising expression on Kaige’s face.
Back and forth, his eyes showed understanding and compassion then lust and heat. “They gave her the plague,” he said, knowingly. “Do you need my help, brother?”
Help. Mace glanced down at his mate, who was suffering, whose body was no doubt aching for release and who might not survive the night. Mace never intended to share Nayla with anyone, but if it were to save her life and to keep her from pain, did he have a choice? The only question was could he trust Kaige? The answer would’ve been a resounding “yes” as of that afternoon. But now…
He peered back at his second-in-command. “You left. How can I believe you’re loyal to me, my mate and this pack?”
Kaige dropped his gaze, then made eye contact again, stronger this time. “I had to take care of some guards camped near here, planning to close in on us. It took longer than I’d expected. But I’m back.”
Mace stifled a chuckle. So his friend hadn’t deceived him. In fact, Kaige had probably saved his pack.
He could be trusted.
* * * * *
Nayla wanted to scream, or cry, or whatever it took to gain back Mace’s attention. She didn’t know what was happening with her body, nor did she care. The only thoughts, the only emotions, she could conjure was the deep-seated need to be fucked. Her body craved Mace’s cock thrusting inside her. Hard and deep and fast. Never ending.
But he’d stopped and left her empty. And he was looking up at Kaige. Where had he come from? It didn’t matter. Her unfathomable yearning held her mind hostage. The heat that had washed through her body had left her cavernous and hungry. Her body, from her womb to her pussy to her trembling thighs, was a pit of pain and need. And if the desperate yearning inside of her wasn’t quenched soon, she feared she might die.
She reached for her lover again. “Mace. Please.”
“I’m here.” He nodded to Kaige and then lifted her into his arms. “We’re going inside. Kaige is going to help me comfort you.”
Comfort. Yes, that’s what she needed. She wrapped her arms around Mace’s nec
k and watched as Kaige walked ahead of them into the small cottage. She surprised herself by not being frightened of what was to come. Instead, her body cheered knowing the two large Weres would share her, make love to her and she intended to take full advantage of the both of them.
Her mouth watered in anticipation. She hugged her thighs together, attempting to dull the pang of longing surging to her pussy. Even her ass cried out for attention. The way Mace had teased her anus before had her curious as to how it would feel to be filled there as well.
God, what was wrong with her? It was if her inhibitions had been cut with a blade instead of her neck. Her neck? She reached for her wound and found it was gone. Not even a scrape.
“Mace,” she whispered. “Am I losing my mind?”
He kissed her cheek as they walked through the bedroom door. “No, love. Your mind is fine and your wound is healed. Just relax.”
“All right.” She drew in a breath to ease her rapid heartbeat.
“There’s something on the bed.” Kaige lifted a wicker basket and picked out a small note card. “It’s from the High Priestess Lorzener.” He cleared his throat and shot Nayla a glance with his sensual smoky eyes. “For assistance in soothing the Queen.”
Nayla let a whimper slip out and pressed her thighs together tighter. Her pussy tingled with a persistent itch that begged to be scratched, to be tamed, to be fucked. “Mace, put me on the bed. I can’t wait any longer. I want you inside me.” With his glorious cock. She wanted every inch of him, stretching her, pleasing her.
He placed her on the mattress and kneeled in between her spread legs. His erection arched toward his abdomen, swelling thicker and longer than she’d ever seen it. Her pussy wept from just the sight. Unable to control herself, she caressed her breasts and lifted her hips.
His crystal blue gaze dropped to her cunt and his expression changed from loving and worried to primitive and lustful. “Come here.” He grabbed her wrists and pulled her onto his lap, lifting her enough so his cock found her wet entrance.