Romance in Moonspell

by Jesica Coulter Smith

  Suddenly, he sat up and pulled her away. “Stop!”

  She looked at him with wide eyes. “Did I do something wrong?”

  “Hell no. You did everything right. Too right. I was about to come in your mouth, and I’d rather be buried in your sweet pussy when that happens.”

  She gave him a shy smile and ran her hand up his chest and curled it around the back of his neck. “Then I guess we better switch places.”

  Before she had time to blink, she found herself on her back with her legs around Seaton’s waist and his cock buried inside of her. She gripped his biceps, her nails digging into his flesh, as he flexed his hips. He withdrew until just the head of his cock was inside of her, then plunged back in, filling her completely. He did it again, this time leaning down to capture her lips in a kiss. His tongue mimicked the thrust and retreat motion of his cock as he kissed her senseless.

  Bellamy wished her legs were stronger. She’d love to grip him tight, hold him to her as he sank into her again and again. She felt her orgasm building, her body tightening, and just as he entered her for the last time, she felt her body shatter, splintering into a thousand shards of light. She felt euphoric, complete, and… loved? They hadn’t said the words, but she didn’t doubt that he felt something for her.

  Instead of withdrawing from her, he pulled her tight against him and rolled to his side, leaving them joined. She kissed his chest and snuggled close. Tracing the pattern of the tattoo on his arm, she chose her words wisely.

  “Seaton, I want you to know that this is more to me than just a mating.”

  He tipped her chin so that she was looking him in the eye. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that I have feelings for you. I know that we’ve known each other a short time, but something happened our first time together, other than a baby. I gave a part of myself to you that I’d always held back before.” She slid her hand down his arm and laced her fingers with his. “I gave you my heart.”

  “Are you trying to say that you love me?”

  “Yes. I am.”

  He gave her that slow sexy smile that always made her insides melt, right before kissing her breathless.

  “Good. Because I love you, too.”

  “I know you care for me, but…”

  “No buts. I love you. When I thought I’d lost you, I didn’t know how I was going to go on. Just the thought of not having you by my side for the rest of my life nearly tore me apart. Don’t ever do that to me again.”

  A smile curved her lips. “I won’t. Promise.”

  He sighed. “I guess I need to get you back home.”

  “Actually, Papa was going to leave a bag on the porch. I’m here to stay, if you want me.”

  “You know I do.”

  “Then I’m yours, for now and always,” she said softly.

  “I promise you won’t be sorry, Bellamy. I’ll love you and cherish you with my last breath.”

  Pressing her lips to his, she sealed their bargain -- to love each other forever. If someone had told her plain Bellamy Crawford, common house cat, could land a hunk like Seaton, she would’ve laughed. And she would’ve been wrong. Because there was no one more perfect for her in all the world.

  Fire Within

  Jessica Coulter Smith

  Reika Woods is everything a fairy should be -- on the outside. But when it comes to magick, things tend to go a little bit wrong. Okay, more than a little. That doesn’t stop her from wishing the man of her dreams would take notice of her without running in the other direction.

  After a bit of friendly mischief calls the fire department to her home, she has her wish. Her very hunky fireman is at her beck and call. But Jax Donohue is more than just a fireman, he’s a werewolf, and what Reika doesn’t realize is that she’s his mate, and he will do anything to protect her.

  Chapter One

  “Truth or dare?” Maya said.

  Reika narrowed her eyes and bit her lip. “Dare, I think.” She took a sip of her margarita. “Yes, definitely a dare.”

  Maya gave her a Cheshire grin, her eyes glinting in a mischievous manner. “I dare you to set off the fire alarm.”

  Reika nearly choked on her drink. She knew exactly what her friend was up to. Why had she confided in Maya about the super hot fireman? Reika had seen him outside of the fire station just last week and had all but wrecked her car as her head had swiveled in a near 180-degree turn to get a better look. With his navy blue M.F.D. tee fitting so snugly, every muscle in his arms and chest had been clearly outlined. She’d wanted to reach out and touch him to see if he was as strong as he looked. It had taken everything in her to keep driving and not turn around and go introduce herself.

  She’d driven past the fire station more than once since then, in hopes of seeing him again. She’d only seen him one time, and only at a distance. Since then, he’d been scarce, or maybe he just hadn’t been at work. Whatever the case, she hadn’t seen him, and oh how she’d wanted to!

  “All right, but it has to look like an accident.”

  Maya gave her a gleeful look. “What do you suggest?”

  “Well, you know how horrible I am with potions. Who’s to say I don’t accidentally mix the wrong things and KABLOOM! Instant fire starter. Or maybe just create a lot of smoke. I don’t care to actually set fire to my home.”

  “I should make you set if off without props,” Maya said. “It’s kind of like cheating, doing it your way.”

  Reika wrinkled her nose. “I want the guy to actually speak to me. If he finds out I set off the alarm on a dare, he’ll never talk to me. I’ll just be another flighty fairy to him.”

  “All right, fair enough. We do it your way.” Maya rubbed her hands together. “So, what are we going to mix?”

  Reika tucked her wings away, the green and violet shimmering appendages folding away neatly, and stared at the different vials out on the counter. Some were blue, some green, a few were purple or pink. Only one was yellow and she had yet to figure out what it did. She’d mixed it quite by mistake the other day. No time like the present, she supposed.

  Grabbing the yellow vial, she paused. She could barely remember the ingredients in the tube. How was she going to pick something that would react with it? Preferably without blowing her up. With a hesitant hand, she selected a blue vial and a green one. Mixing the three together in an empty test tube, she watched the mixture roiling, with bubbles foaming up the sides of the glass. The liquid turned colors, from yellow, to green, to pink, to orange. Smoke started pouring from the tube and billowing up toward the ceiling. An acrid stench filled the room, causing Reika to cover her nose and bat at the air.

  A loud beeping began as her fire alarm sounded, one she knew had a direct link to the fire department courtesy of a local security company. She knew it could take the Moonspell Fire Department anywhere from three minutes to thirteen minutes to respond. It just depended on how busy they were, or how prepared. She imagined they spent a great deal of time sitting around playing cards while they waited on the alarms to go off around town. With Moonspell being so small, they probably responded to more calls about cats in trees than actual fires.

  Maya tugged her out of the kitchen and out the back door. They stepped through the gate and walked around to the front yard to await Reika’s hunky fireman. Oh God! She hadn’t even thought about it, but what if he wasn’t working tonight? She would be so embarrassed if all of this was for naught.

  A minute or two later, she heard the sirens coming, and soon the street was bathed in the red glow of the flashing lights of the fire truck. The first man to jump off the truck and head their way was tall with a lean build. The greenish tinge to his skin told of his elven heritage. His dark hair spiked about his head and he wore a concerned expression on his rather handsome face. If she hadn’t already set her sights on the other fireman, she might’ve been tempted.

  “Are you both okay?” he asked.

  “We’re fine,” Reika said. “It’s just a lot of smoke, no fire.”
<
br />   “My name’s Elm. Bevin Elm. Me and the guys are going to just take a sweep through the house and make sure everything’s okay before we let you go back in, okay?”

  She nodded and watched as he and the others went through the front door. It seemed like they were gone forever, but several minutes later, they returned, smoke drifting out through the front door on their heels. A certain set of broad shoulders in the group caught her eye and her breath caught in her throat as she realized he was here. The man in question turned her way, his gaze capturing hers. From a distance, she could tell his eyes were light, but not the color. He lingered a moment, as if he wanted to come to her side, she willed him to move toward her. Her blood sizzled in her veins under that intense stare and she even took a step forward, more than happy to make the first move. But one of the men slapped him on the back and broke the spell. With a shake of his head, he followed his men to the truck, but not before glancing over his shoulder one last time.

  The elf returned to her side.

  “Miss?”

  “Woods. Reika Woods.”

  He smiled. “Miss Woods, everything looks safe now. Might I suggest in future turning on the vent over the stove before working with potions? Or better yet, bringing them outside?”

  “Yes, of course, Mr. Elm.”

  The elf tipped his head to them and walked off. Maya, still at her side, snickered.

  “What’s so funny?” Reika demanded. “I still don’t know who that scrumptious fireman is. Or what he is.”

  “Elm and Wood.” She snorted.

  “Only you could find something humorous about this situation. Mr. Tall, Dark and Gorgeous was right there, mere feet away from me, and I still don’t know anything about him, other than the fact that he makes my heart race. But I knew that before he got here. So much for your great plan, oh devious one.”

  Maya’s lips tipped up in a smile. “Who said we’re finished? Just because you didn’t get to talk to him this time doesn’t mean --”

  “This time?” Reika interrupted. “What do you mean, this time? I’m not setting off my alarm again.”

  “How else are you going to get to know him?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m not going to keep triggering my alarm just for a glimpse of the man. Besides, they’re going to think I’m some whack job if they have to run out here every night to rescue me from potions gone bad. That isn’t exactly the reputation I want.”

  “Oh, please. Everyone in the fae community knows how wretched you are at potions, or spells, or magick in general. You’re like the anti-fairy fairy. I’ve never seen someone so bad at being fae as you are.”

  Reika stuck out her tongue. “Not all of us can be as gifted as you.”

  “Come on, let’s see what we can do about the smoke, then let’s order a pizza or something. All of this excitement, or near excitement, has made me hungry.”

  Reika sighed. “He was rather dreamy, wasn’t he?”

  Maya snickered. “Yes, sunshine, he was. And if that look he gave you was anything to go by, I think he was rather taken with you, as well. Now we just have to get him to act on it.”

  “You don’t think he will?”

  “He didn’t bother to introduce himself. My guess is that he’s going to go back to the station and completely forget about you. We have to come up with a plan for you to stay on his mind.”

  “You mean like a spell?” Reika asked.

  “Nooo… Not like a spell. More like you dressing sexy and stalking him.”

  Now it was Reika’s turn to snort. She’d never done the whole sexy thing a day in her life. She had limited experience with men, and if she were honest, she wasn’t sure she’d know what to do with the hunky fireman once she had him. Her previous encounters with men hadn’t ended so well. Okay, so she’d accidentally turned that one guy purple for a few days, it wasn’t like she’d done it on purpose. And there was the incident with the oozing green sores, and the time where she’d sort of made her date’s hair fall out. But she couldn’t be held responsible for things that were beyond her control. It wasn’t like she did any of those things with malicious intent, she was just very accident-prone. It wasn’t like her magick chose the exact moment she was on a date to go wonky, it did it on a regular basis, but it just seemed amplified whenever she was interested in someone.

  Who was she kidding? She had limited experience with men because the word was out that she was the one woman in town to avoid at all costs, if you wanted to remain in one piece, anyway. At least, she thought it was. She’d like to think they were avoiding her because of that and not because they didn’t find her attractive. Once her hunkalicious fireman heard her name and figured out who she was, he’d go running for the hills, not to her door. That was her theory anyway.

  Back in the house, Maya was waving a magazine around the kitchen and had turned on the vent over the stove, in an attempt to clear the air. She made quite a picture, hopping around the way she was, and Reika couldn’t stifle the laugh that bubbled up.

  Maya narrowed her eyes. “Oh, so this is funny, is it?”

  “Just a bit.”

  Maya’s lips twitched. “All right, maybe it is a little funny.”

  Grabbing a dishtowel, Reika began fanning the air, hoping to clear the smoke from the room. She’d left the back door open in hopes some of it would migrate outside, but it didn’t seem to want to go anywhere anytime soon. This would be the last time Reika listened to Maya. All right, so she’d probably do it again. Maya was her best friend, and while a little misguided at times, would never do anything to hurt her.

  Once the smoke was cleared, they closed the door and Reika picked up the phone. She didn’t even have to ask what Maya wanted on her pizza, having been friends since they were infants, so she placed the order and then they went into the living room to wait.

  “I know!” Maya said, sitting up suddenly.

  “You know what exactly?”

  “You can bake some cookies as a thank you to the guys for coming out tonight and deliver them tomorrow. It will give you the perfect opportunity to meet your fireman.”

  “Bake?” Reika smiled. “Now that’s something I can do without injuring anyone.”

  Maya gave a throaty laugh. “Yes, darling, we know. You’re like the Martha Stewart of fairies. Now if we could just channel that into your magick, we’d be golden.”

  Reika stuck out her tongue.

  “I’ll leave you to it, after the pizza, of course.”

  Reika rolled her eyes. “Of course. We have to feed that bottomless pit of yours.”

  “Wear that denim sundress you have, with the spaghetti straps that crisscross in back.”

  “It bothers my wings,” she whined. “Why can’t I just wear my normal clothes?”

  Maya gave her tee and cropped leggings a pointed look. “Because you look like you’ve been cleaning house or something, not going to see the man of your dreams. And don’t hide your wings tomorrow! I’m sure the wood elf knew you were fae, but I doubt pretty boy could tell from where he was standing. Everyone knows fairies are incredible in the sack, might as well use it to your advantage.”

  A blush suffused Reika’s face. Incredible would be stretching it -- a lot. She’d had exactly one encounter, with another fae, and it hadn’t ended well. He’d turned cold and distant afterward, turning something precious to her into something cheap and dirty. It hadn’t been long after that that he’d quit calling her and she’d moved on, as best she could. She’d never gotten over it and had a hard time with intimacy, hence her issues with her dates. Every time someone started to get a little too close, her magick went haywire in an effort to protect her, or that’s how she saw it. But she knew there was a guy out there who would break through her barrier, someone perfect for her in every way. She just had to find him. She hoped she already had.

  Thankfully, the doorbell rang, saving her from any further embarrassing conversation. After paying for the pizza, she carried the hot box into the kitchen. If they’d bee
n at Maya’s, it would’ve gone on the coffee table or the floor, but Reika wasn’t about to mess up her living room with pizza grease. She had everything just the way she wanted it and took care of her things, when she wasn’t blowing them up or setting them on fire, that is.

  Maya came in behind her and reached for the cupboard over her head. Pulling down two plates, she handed one to Reika.

  “I know the sex thing is a touchy subject with you, but you have to get over it sometime. That was over a year ago. You can’t let that asshole rule your life like that.”

  Reika sighed. “I know. My brain knows that, but it isn’t spreading the message to the rest of me. I still go on the defensive whenever someone gets close to me.”

  After filling their plates, they sat at the table. Reika picked at her food.

  “I’m going to do something I should’ve done a long time ago,” Maya said.

  “What’s that?”

  “I’m going to give you a good luck charm.”

  “Do you really think it would work? I thought those were only for humans and other paranormals.”

  “Wouldn’t hurt to try.” Maya polished off her pizza and rubbed her hands on her denim-clad legs.

  Reika cringed and cleansed her hands with magick. Rising from the table, she looked at Maya expectantly.

  “Did you mean tonight?” Reika asked.

  Maya smiled. “No time like the present.”

  Crossing the kitchen to Reika’s workstation, she rummaged through the various crystals and stones. After selecting a shard of danburite, a pretty white stone known for its stress-relieving abilities, Maya turned to face her. Holding the shard in the palm of her hand, Maya gently blew on the gem and whispered words in fae. It glowed brilliantly, and when the incantation was finished, the light dimmed to a soft shimmer.