by M. L. Briers
His arm circled her waist and he pulled her back against his chest, unwilling for there to be even a breath of air between them. He heard her struggle for breath as he steadied his own breathing, and ran his hand down over her shoulder, soothing her back to him.
“When we get back, I’m going to show you exactly what a ten entails.” He growled against her ear and she tried not to laugh, because it was so damn hard to breathe as it was, but she couldn’t help it.
“If I keep claiming- you’re- an eight, will you- keep doing that?” She was still struggling for breath as he nuzzled against his mark on her neck, and felt her shiver against him.
“Tell the truth sweetheart, because I’m going to keep doing that to you for the rest of our lives.”He growled against her ear and she felt the kick of her heart within her chest at his words.
She was caught now. She was his, and she knew she couldn’t deny it any longer, but then she really didn’t want too.
“That’s if the vampire doesn’t get to us first.” She felt his fingertips run down the bare skin of her arm.
“I will die to protect you…” His whole body seemed to converge around her as he wrapped her in his arms and held her protectively to him.
“I don’t want you to die for me Elijah. I need you to live for me.”
“I’m not going anywhere, but we are, your coming home and you need to pack your things.” He felt her tense for just a moment and wondered at it.
When Elijah said home, she suddenly realised that it was her future. This little cottage on the edge of the woods was no longer the place she would call home. If she were to be bonded with him… when… she was bonded with him, she would live on pack land, and she wasn’t entirely prepared for the trepidation that washed through her.
“If you want me to pack, you need to let me go.” She kept the tension from her voice, but she guessed that he had heard it within her anyway, maybe even felt it.
“I will never let you go sweetheart.” He breathed gently against her ear. His words caused her to close her eyes just long enough to revel in the feel of his arms about her, the way his body moulder around hers and the steady beat of his heart that she could feel throbbing against her back.
It felt good lying with him like this. It felt right, and that kind of scared her more than anything else. She had fallen under his mating spell so quickly and so completely that she didn’t even see a way back, not that she wanted one at that moment.
Cynthia huffed again from the back seat of the pickup truck and eyeballed the back of the Lycan’s head. They had been sitting there for ten minutes and he had actually growled at her when she went to open the door to go and knock at Isabel’s door.
“Look, they obviously don’t know we’re back, why don’t I just go and…?”
“They’re busy.” His quick off the mark answer had her huffing again, until her brain turned a light bulb on in the back of her mind somewhere and she frowned.
“Wait. They’re busy?”
“Very.”
“Doing?” She shot back and when he turned his head and flicked his eyes back to her with just a look that said ‘really?’ she almost slapped her own forehead with her stupidity. “Busy? Busy?”
“Very.” He shot her another look, this one had the corners of his lips turning up in a smirk as his eyes glinted mischief and she couldn’t help the smirk that turned her own lips upwards.
“Well, well, point to the Lycan…” She chuckled, trying not to dance a victory dance within her seat. It was about time her friend rejoined the world, and at least now, she wouldn’t be going anywhere.
It had worried Cynthia all the way to her place, all the time she was packing and all the back, to think that Isabel was going to leave. Now that she had mated with the Lycan, that wasn’t in her future anymore.
“You’re next then…” The deep tone chuckled from the front seat and she chuckled back, until his words sunk into her, flooding her with awareness.
“Wait… What?”
“You being Joshua’s mate…”
“Joshua’s…? What…?” Cynthia felt the rise of panic within her. Her Joshua? She mentally slapped her forehead, not her Joshua, but the Joshua that she had helped- that Joshua?
“Once he’s healed up after tonight’s moon…” The Lycan was crowing in the front seat, but Cynthia wasn’t paying attention, she already had the back door open and was running off down the road.
CHAPTER SIX
‘Elijah, the Fae just took off- I’m going to get her.’
‘Don’t hurt her or you’ll have Joshua to deal with.’ Elijah had been watching his mate get dressed, now he was off the bed and pulling on his jeans and jumper in haste.
“What’s wrong?” Isabel demanded as he stomped into his trainers, one foot at a time.
“Cynthia just ran off outside…”His tone was as dark as the look he gave her, before he stormed out of the bedroom and down the hallway, yanking open the front door to the cottage with Isabel closely in tow.
“Stay here, we don’t have much time…” He growled back at her over his shoulder and she caught the door as he tried to slam it shut behind him.
“Elijah…”
“Just pack your things Isabel, I’ll find her, and it’ll be easier to track her without your scent confusing me.” She watched him stalk down to the end of her pathway and lift his face to the wind, trying to catch a scent on the air, just as Cynthia’s squealing tones echoed down the road.
“I said let me go you overgrown mutt!” She shrieked out and Isabel winced inside, as her eyes followed the shrill voice.
The Lycan had his arm around her waist and her butt lodged against his hip as he carried her back up the road towards them. Cynthia was squirming and kicking her legs, her hands trying to prise his arm from around her waist. The lycan looked none too pleased with her or her insult, as he stalked back towards them, stone faced.
“Easy, Todd.” Elijah cautioned. Todd walked her up to Elijah, kicking and squirming, and he practically dropped her down onto her feet in front of him.
“She kicks like a mule…” He ground out between clenched teeth, his dark eyes narrowing on Elijah as the Alpha smirked.
“Good to know, I’ll pass that information on.” He chuckled, his eyes flicked between an annoyed Cynthia who was still huffing and puffing and squirming within Todd’s grasp, and his mate who was coming up the pathway looking bemused and worried.
“Cyn, what’s wrong?” Isabel looked past the annoyance and saw the underlying worry in her friend.
“Did you know about this?” She demanded, torn between trying to get Todd’s hand from her waist and pointing an accusing finger at her friend.
“Be helpful if I knew about what?” Isabel stopped in front of Cynthia and slapped at Todd’s hand. His eyes went to his Alpha for confirmation, an instant before he let her go and she propelled herself away from Todd. Turning on her heels and kicking him in the shin in one fail swoop that none of them had seen coming.
The Lycan growled low and deep as he dragged the air into his lungs in large quantities trying to keep his temper in check. Isabel noted the way that Elijah took just one step forward that put him between Cynthia and Todd, as if he were protecting her.
“Let’s go inside, before you really piss him off.”Isabel grabbed Cynthia’s arm and dragged her down the path with her until they were inside the cottage. Just inside the front door Cynthia seemed to put on the brakes and yanked Isabel to a dead stop.
“Did you know that Joshua is my mate…?” She demanded, just as Isabel was turning back towards her to see what the heck she was playing at. The look of pure shock on Isabel’s face told Cynthia all she needed to know.
“I swear I had no…”
“Yeah. I can see that. Damn it, Isa…” Cynthia threw up her hands in frustration and turned away from her friend towards the open front door. When she saw Elijah coming up the path she gave a small groan and slammed the door shut to keep him out.
; “Well you were curious about Lycan men…” Isabel couldn’t hide the amusement from her face or her voice as Cynthia whirled back towards her.
“It’s not funny…”
“It was funny when it was me…”
“Yeah, well that’s you and this is me, and I can’t be…”Cynthia stopped at the thought of doing anything with Joshua, and balked at the very idea, her eyes wide.
“Sure you can. They do it much the same way we do, only better.” Isabel giggled, knowing that Elijah would be standing on the other side of that door listening to every word, and the thought of him swelling with pride had her fluttering inside.
“Better…?” Cynthia seemed distracted by that thought, and Isabel gave her a long slow nod of her head as she pretended to fan her face with her hand.
“How much better?” Isabel let a long, slow smile spread across her face until she was beaming as Cynthia’s eyebrows seemed to climb up her forehead with every second that past.
“I heard that they were… Big…” She narrowed her eyes on Isabel and pinned her with a look that said ‘tell me right now or I will kill you.’ And Isabel reached out her hand, wrapped her fingers around her forearm and yanked her towards her, whispering in her ear.
“Huge.” When she pulled back Cynthia was open mouthed and failing like a fish out of water. Isabel gave her a long moment to take it all in, and suddenly she was all in a panic and pacing the hallway.
“I can’t…”
“Can’t what?”
“Can’t be a having sex with a Lycan male…” Cynthia balked at the very thought and Isabel sighed.
“And why not?”
“Because…” Cynthia shot back, turning her head to give her a half crazed look over her shoulder as she continued pacing.
“Cyn, you’re not making any sense…”
“Look at you Isa, you’re fearless. The way you stood up to the Alpha, going onto pack land, helping Joshua, not giving a damn about the circle…” She checked them off on her fingers one by one as she paced. Then she came to a complete stop in front of Isabel and turned to look at her.
“But that’s not me, Isa. I jump at my own shadow, those Lycan’s…” She pointed towards the front door, took a long deep breath and sighed it back out, “God, they scare me to death. I can’t…” She lifted her shoulders and dropped them again. Helplessness at her situation ran through her, and Isabel saw the sadness within her eyes and rushed to give her a hug.
“Sure you can. I’m going to be there with you…” Isabel pulled back and frowned, “Well, not in the room with you…” She scoffed and Cynthia giggled.
“I don’t want to be mated…” Cynthia frowned on a little shake of her head and Isabel gave her a little smile of encouragement.
“Neither did I Cyn, but it happens anyway. It’s like a pull that you can’t get away from…”
“Like a twister?”
“Kind of. Listen, help me to pack, because it’s getting dark, and we can talk when we get back to pack land ok?”
Cynthia nodded, not happy with her new lot in life, but the thought of the vampire showing up made her even less happy.
“I’m not going in there to see him.” Cynthia stood outside Joshua’s bedroom door and pressed her lips together in determination.
Isabel took a long breath and mentally counted to ten. All they were supposed to be doing was delivering his food. That was it. Now her friend was getting cold feet, and Isabel knew that Joshua would to be able to hear her from inside his room.
“He can hear you.” Isabel reminded her and Cynthia shrugged her shoulders, a small shake of her head to show that she was adamant.
“Well he shouldn’t have such big ears then…” Cynthia hissed back and Isabel grinned.
“Well he’s got something else that’s big, and I bet you won’t be complaining about that when the time comes.” Isabel shot back and watched her friend’s nose crinkle as she shot her a look of disbelief.
“Oh my god, Isa. Seriously?”
“Look just go and give him his dinner…”
“I don’t want too…” Cynthia shot back through gritted teeth and Isabel wanted to drag her friend into the room, but she was already trying to balance his food tray in her hand.
“What’s wrong with you, he’s not going to bite you…yet.” Isabel added and saw Cynthia’s top lip twitch with disbelief.
“I feel like the proverbial lamb to the slaughter.” She hissed back and heard the deep male chuckle come from inside the room. She scooted away from the door as if he might jump out at her.
“Well let me go fetch the mint sauce, because you’re going to say hi…” Isabel hissed back and Cynthia sneered back at her.
“No!” Cynthia’s hands were suddenly full of his food tray and she had the urge to drop it and run.
“Are you going to let an injured man go hungry?” Isabel accused, playing on the sympathy gene that she knew Cynthia had in abundance and saw her friend take those words on board. Then she hesitated, not knowing quite what to do next.
“You take it in…” Cynthia went to pass the tray back, but Isabel folded her arms across her chest and shrugged.
“He’s not my mate.”
“Isa…” The small whine that came out of Cynthia was pitiful as Isabel lifted her index finger and pointed to the bedroom door.
“We talked about this. Just go in and say hi, give him his food and leave. Simple.”
Cynthia looked at the closed bedroom door and swallowed hard. She could do this. She could. Just walk in the door, not look at him. Not trip over her feet and cover him in his dinner. Place the tray down, say hi without biting her tongue off and leave again, without tripping and head butting the door. It was simple. But what if he spoke to her?
“I really don’t think…” Cynthia started, but Isabel’s hand reached for the door knob and she propelled the door open.
“Good. Don’t think, just do.” She would have launched her inside, but she knew that wouldn’t end well. Instead she motioned with her head for her to go in and for one long moment, Cynthia reminded her of a condemned prisoner walking to the gallows.
“Isa…”
“Go- In.” Isabel motioned again and Cynthia took a long steadying breath and the first step into Joshua’s bedroom.
Isabel estimated the clearance needed to be able to shut the door and as soon as Cynthia had reached it she slammed the door shut behind her with a large satisfied grin on her face.
“Payback’s a bitch.” She chuckled as she walked away.
Cynthia kept her eyes down and her mind on her task. She could do this. She would do this. It wasn’t like she hadn’t already met him before, she had, but she didn’t know she was supposed to be his mate then.
“We meet again.” Joshua’s deep tones held the amusement that everyone else seemed to find in this situation, except for her. Mind you, she didn’t have much sympathy for Isabel when she found out that she was Elijah’s mate, so she guessed it was only fair.
Cynthia raised her eyes far enough from the floor to see his bed. The large bulk of his body beneath the sheets kept her gaze for a long moment and when he moved, she hesitated in her step.
“Yep.” She answered blandly. She really didn’t want to enter into a conversation with him, not here and now. Hell, she’d been forced into this by Isabel and she wasn’t too happy about it.
She went to bend with the tray and then seemed to be unsure what to do with it. He took up so much space in the bed that there didn’t seem to be any room left.
“I did say I would bite you when I was feeling better.” He teased and she nearly dropped the damn thing on the floor. His hand shot out to steady the tray.
“Ok, so here’s your dinner. Gotta go and… be somewhere else.” Cynthia went to let go of her end of the tray and he deliberately let it tip down so she was forced to grab it again.
“I’m still a little weak…” Joshua offered and she managed to snort her disbelief.
“You could
probably still juggle most of the furniture in this room.” She bit out sarcastically on a mumble and he couldn’t help but grin.
“Not quite, Cynthia. Why don’t you sit down?”
“No thanks I like… to stand…” Cynthia was still wondering what the hell to do with the tray he seemed to be refusing to take.
“Do I scare you?” Joshua just threw it out there and she didn’t know how to answer that question.
“Define scare?” Sarcasm worked for Isabel, she told herself.
“Frighten, intimidate, terrify… make you nervous…” Joshua rolled the words of his tongue.
“Not at the moment, yes, not at the moment, and most definitely.” Well at least she was being honest, he told himself.
“Hey, look at me…” He used his tone to call to her senses and it might have taken a moment, but she responded to that call. Her eyes lifted to look back at his. “I’m just a man.”
“No you’re a Lycan…” She corrected him and he got a little crocked grin on his face that she found appealed to her feminine senses.
“Who’s still just a man.” Joshua offered.
“Who turns into a wolf…” Cynthia didn’t think she needed to draw him a picture, he knew what she meant damn it.
“But, I’m still a man.” Joshua was trying to get it through to her, but she couldn’t seem to see the woods for the trees.
“And a wolf…”
“You’re really hung up on my wolf aren’t you?” Joshua offered playfully and she screwed up her nose at him.
“Yeah.” She looked at him like he was touched by insanity. Why the hell wouldn’t she be? She questioned herself. He was a wolf-man.
“Are you going to help me with this or am I going to have to struggle by myself?” His eyes motioned towards the food on the tray and she took a long moment to consider his question.