by M. L. Briers
“I won’t bite.” He teased and she swallowed down the dryness within her mouth and throat. She shook her head again and he gave her a good natured frown.
“Then we might have a little problem, because as you know, Lycan’s come with fangs…”
“I’m not two Joshua. I know that…” She didn’t appreciate his teasing. It wasn’t her fault she didn’t like fangs. She found it strange that some people would. Just because he had them, he was kind of biased. If he wasn’t a Lycan he might be able to see her point of view.
“Well I don’t walk around with my fangs out all the time…”
“No but when you… If we were too…”He grinned at her again and she felt the desire to both smack him on the nose and reach up and pull his lips down to hers. He was maddeningly sexy and she was insanely needy right now. But that push and pull on her psyche made her want to scream in frustration.
So as not to scare her, he slowly lowered his head towards hers, his lips brushed over hers and she sighed, her traitorous body getting what it wanted, him.
“Yes, I will mark you…” He claimed her lips only briefly, “And yes, when we bond I will bite you…” He went to brush his lips over hers again but she managed to regain enough of her faculties, with her brain ringing alarm bells, to pull back from him.
“See, it’s that second one that I have a problem with…” She tried for sarcasm and wasn’t sure if she hit the mark. Although when he beamed down a killer smile at her, his dark eyes glinting with a devilish look, she didn’t much care.
“By the time we get to the second one, you won’t.” It sounded like a promise coming from his lips, but she still wasn’t so sure. How could she not give a damn about the one thing that actually gave her nightmares and had ever since she was little?
“Maybe…” Was all she was going to give him, a general nod in the direction of, we-shall-see-land.
“I’m hungry…” He growled down at her and she tried to take another step back.
“Then back off, because I’m not supper.”
Joshua couldn’t help the rumble of laughter that came from his chest and reached out to her, the deep tone lulling her into a state of ease.
Isabel shot a quick look over her shoulder as she pulled open the front door. She didn’t want Elijah to think she hadn’t listened to him droning on about her leaving the house alone, and yet she desperately wanted to see if Emily had healed yet.
Sticking her head out of the door first to make sure the coast was clear, she saw Todd’s wolf raise his snout in what she assumed was either a greeting to her, or an acknowledgement of her presence, as Emily’s head came up from the paw she had been resting her chin on and scented the air.
Emily was getting old, but she certainly wasn’t deaf. There probably wasn’t a pack wolf that had not heard the Bonding roar her son had made when he took Isabel as his mate, and the thought of little pups sometime in the near future, filled Emily with new vigour in her recovery from her wounds.
She wished she could change into her human form to greet her new daughter as she walked towards her. But with Todd standing guard next to her, she felt that Isabel might be uncomfortable with her nakedness. Pack members were used to seeing each other shift into human form, to the point where it was basically ignored, but her daughter was Fae, and having her mother naked in front of a man might not go down too well.
“Hi, Emily. I came to check on your wounds.” Isabel knelt down next to Emily and waited while the wolf gently ran her snout against the back of her hand in greeting, before she reached down and carefully checked over the healing scars that ran in clear lines through the blood matted fur.
“Wow, that’s fast.” She felt a push against her mind, as if something was trying to gain access behind her shields, and yet Isabel knew that she didn’t have her shields up.
‘Can you hear me daughter?’
Isabel grinned from ear to ear when the sound of Emily’s voice floated within her mind.
“Now that’s kind of cool.” Isabel chuckled and she heard Emily’s laugh roll back to her. “Kind of like a mobile phone without the hassle of the handset.” She chuckled as Emily brushed her snout down her hand again.
‘Your magic is strong, Isabel, if you have become part of the link. I wasn’t sure if you would, but I did have my suspicions.’
“So I can do this with Elijah too right?”
‘If you use your mind and not your words, yes.’
Isabel could have slapped her own forehead. She used the same power she would to put up her shields to push her mind out there towards Emily. Testing and feeling for the connection that the older woman had used to speak to her.
‘…Me. Can you hear me…?’
‘Yes. I can…’ Emily’s voice came back to her and she grinned wildly.
‘Me too, and didn’t I say not to go out of the house alone?’ Elijah’s deep tones echoed through her mind and she caught her breath. Not just because she had been busted, but because even hearing his voice within her mind did something to her that only her mate could do.
‘Elijah, I’m not alone, and no listening in.’
His warm hands reached down and rested on her bare shoulders as he crouched behind her and she jumped in place. His gentle chuckle of amusement washed over her like a caress.
“I should tell you sweetheart that everyone in the pack can hear you when you connect with your mind.”Her cheeks reddened and her eyes flicked over to Todd’s wolf accusingly, and she was sure she heard him whine as he turned his head to look the other way.
“Nice to know, thanks.”
“So, you two bonded then!” Joshua’s voice boomed out as he stepped out onto the porch, Cynthia followed behind him, like she was hiding in his shadow until he reached round, put a thick muscled arm around her waist and pulled her towards him, anchoring her to his hip.
“I liked him better when he was asleep…” Isabel mumbled, her cheeks reddening with the blush that his words had caused. Elijah spat out a laugh as Joshua eyed her from a distance.
“Is that so Sister? Well you’re stuck with me now, for better or worse…”
“I get the feeling worse is the prime suspect here…” Isabel mumbled again in Elijah’s direction. She never let her eyes meet Joshua’s. He had a big old dumb grin on his face as he walked towards her across the decking, his mate still strapped to his side.
He let go of Cynthia long enough to reach down with two giant hands and lift Isabel up from the floor. Wrapping his arms around her in what she assumed was his version of a hug that physically squeezed her bones, as she dangled helplessly, her arms strapped down at her sides.
“Welcome to the pack Sister…”
“Bear-hug-bad…” She managed between gritted teeth. Somewhat relieved when he dropped her back onto her feet on the floor and threw his arm back around Cynthia again.
“And thanks for scraping me up from the road and saving my life.” He grinned down at her. She nodded her acknowledgment of his words, just as Elijah reached up, wrapped his fingers around her wrist and pulled her down into the relative safety of his lap.
“I don’t usually take in strays…” She heard Cynthia’s gasp of disbelief and bit her tongue.
Elijah and Joshua looked at each other for a long moment before the pair of them erupted into laughter.
“I suppose we’ll have to get used to the mutt jokes with two Fae in the house.” Joshua’s eyes fell on his mate and she swallowed down the rush of adrenalin that even the thought of bonding with him provoked inside her.
“Cynthia, I wanted to ask you about the circle, now you’ve finished your little tryst with Joshua.” Elijah gave her a knowing look and she balked at his words.
“We were not having a tryst… we were…” She started off hotly denying it and when Joshua gave her a gentle squeeze she gave up and rolled her eyes.
“What did you want to know?” Cynthia ignored the chuckles and rose above it. Her cheeks were hotter than the sun and probably twice as bright, she thoug
ht, so what was the point in denying anything?
“Would the circle have cause to work with a vampire?”
“For protection, sure. And if someone was ailing, like when Judith’s daughter was sick…” Isabel nodded her agreement.
“I remember that, she was dying, the doctors all but gave up on her and miraculously she went into remission…”
“Not so miraculous, the circle used vampire blood to cure her. As far as I know it was a blood for blood deal. I’ve not heard of anything recently though.”
“Maybe you could do a little digging to find out more. Is there anyone within the circle you trust completely?”
“Morag.” Both of the mates said at once and Joshua winced as Elijah growled a groan.
“I take it you’ve had a run in with Morag in the past?” Isabel snorted. The look that past between Joshua and Elijah was unmistakable.
“You know there is bad blood between the circle and the Pack. That’s one of the reasons that we don’t mix. The woman’s abilities created a problem for us and the last Alpha decided to banish the Fae from our land, just so there were no misunderstandings in the future. Morag agreed that Fae and Lycan would have nothing to do with each other.”
Elijah looked to Joshua. He couldn’t understand what could possibly have happened that the circle would break the peace that had existed between them for the last two decades.
“It seemed a better choice than going to war with each other. We agreed to disagree.” Joshua added as Elijah fell silent, trying to sort things out within his own mind, looking for a reason that the Fae would choose now to make a move against his Pack.
“Cynthia, can you call Morag tomorrow and see if you can get anything out of her. Find out if the circle is working with this vampire to make a move against the pack?” Elijah wondered if Cynthia was the best choice for the job. She was Joshua’s mate, but she wasn’t exactly the type to be able to be subtle. But then his own mate would probably go in with all guns blazing and that wouldn’t be helpful either.
“Morag doesn’t have a phone. She doesn’t believe in technology. I’d have to go and see her…” Cynthia offered and felt Joshua tighten his hold around her waist.
“No.” He growled down at her, she wasn’t entirely sure if it was possessively or protectively. But when she raised her eyes to look up at him she saw the hard knot of his jaw working overtime as he ground his teeth.
“Joshua’s right. If something is happening between the circle and the Pack, then it isn’t safe for you…”
“I’ll go…” Isabel put in and Elijah had the exact same reaction as Joshua, pulling her tighter against his chest, as if he would never let her leave his side again.
“No…” Elijah got one word out before his little Fae squirmed on his lap to turn towards him, her eyes seeking his and a million questions on her lips.
“Elijah, it’s the only way to find out what you want to know. If you assume that the Circle and the Vampire are working together, then you will go to war with the Fae over this. But what if they aren’t? Or what if…” Elijah gave a low growl of annoyance. She was his mate and he loved her above everything else, but he knew that she was going to make his life as difficult as possible from here on in, and he wasn’t entirely looking forward to it.
“What if you are walking into trouble?”
“I can handle Morag…” Isabel snorted and Elijah growled again.
“Yes, I believe you probably can…” Elijah gave his mate that much. She certainly was a powerful witch. He had experienced that power first hand and he was more than grateful that she hadn’t put any real menace behind it.
“Well then. It’s settled. We shall go and see Morag at first light, when the vampire is not a threat and see if we can worm anything out of the woman.” Isabel made a move to get off his lap but Elijah’s arm held firm.
He was thinking, and while he was thinking he wanted her where he could feel that she was safe.
“We’ll go with you…” Joshua put in and both his mate and Isabel balked at the idea.
“Morag doesn’t like visitors.” Cynthia put in tactfully and Isabel grinned.
“Morag doesn’t like men.” She corrected and Joshua narrowed his eyes at his new sister in disbelief.
“Is there anything that the witch does like?”
“Chocolate.” Both Fae answered together and then grinned at each other. It was the trading currency for herbs and spices that every Fae knew to use with the old woman. If there was something they wanted from her, they could always entice her help with as much chocolate as they could carry.
“What is it with females and chocolate?” Joshua groaned.
“Chocolate’s better than sex…” Cynthia blurted out and then snapped her jaws shut as she looked at her prospective mate, whose eyes darkened immediately as they swept over her body with desire.
“Then you haven’t been doing it right sweetheart.” Elijah chuckled and Cynthia felt the prickle of want for the man she was pressed against run over her skin.
“It lasts longer…” Cynthia muttered in a hushed whisper and Joshua beamed down at her.
“I can assure you little Fae, you are very, very mistaken.” There was a feral growl to his voice that had her toes curling within her shoes as she stared up at him and swallowed hard.
Isabel couldn’t help the snigger that escaped her lips and Elijah stroked down over the bare skin of her arm. His movement caused her hair to fall away from her shoulder and expose the angry red bite mark that he had left in her flesh.
Cynthia dragged her eyes away from Joshua and turned to look at her grinning friend. Her eyes immediately locked on the wound where her shoulder met her neck and she gasped in horror.
“Oh my god…” The words fell from her lips as her brain registered what Elijah had done to Isabel. What Joshua wanted to do to her, and she felt the rise of panic rush through her body.
Isabel saw the fear in her friends face and it took her a long moment to realise what had happened. It took Cynthia that long for her fight or flight gene to kick in and she caught Joshua off guard. Instantly squirming from within his grip as she pulled away from him, her eyes fixed on the mark as she backed away.
“Cyn, calm down…” Isabel tried to scoot from Elijah’s lap but he held her firmly against him. He had noticed Cynthia’s reaction and his eyes were scanning the woods behind his mate, looking for trouble, not realising that it was his mate that had caused the reaction in Cynthia.
“Cynthia…” Joshua took a step towards her and she backed away from him. She tried to drag her eyes from the wound, but her brain wouldn’t let her as her fear echoed the chaos within her mind.
“Elijah, let me go…” Isabel tried to pull away from him again as he turned his head back towards his brother’s worried voice.
“I… Can’t… “ Cynthia took off the moment that Joshua took another step towards her. Turning on her heels she ran back into the house as a deep growl emanated from Joshua. His beast had pushed to the forefront, taking his mates reaction as a challenge of the chase and he set off after her.
CHAPTER NINE
Elijah started to release Isabel and then stopped, holding onto her as Joshua took off after his mate.
“Let me go…” Isabel squirmed in his lap again.
“Isabel, you can’t get involved. It’s too late. You have to let the mates sort this…” Elijah cautioned, but she pushed and tugged against him anyway.
“She ran from him Elijah, he’s going to…” Isabel stilled when Elijah’s arms tightened around her and his breath fell across her ear.
“It’s just a little chase. Cynthia will be fine. I promise. But you can’t get in the way. It would only make it worse.” Elijah’s word soothed and calmed her to the point where she stopped trying to get away.
“But…”
“Trust me. Joshua is a lot more placid than I am. He will rein in his beast when the time comes. I promise.”
Cynthia’s feet pounded against the st
airs as she took them at record speed, a record for her, she wasn’t exactly the athletic type. Blind fear propelled her on and her legs chewed up the distance between the downstairs and her bedroom.
Joshua was hot on her heels. Even though she’d had a head start she was no match for his speed as he took the stairs three at a time. Catching her just as she passed his bedroom door, his arm came about her waist and she found herself lifted through the air. Her back hit his chest as he spun her into his room, back kicking the door closed and forcing her against the wall as his whole body pressed into hers.
“Let go of me…” Cynthia was in a blind panic. Her hands palmed the wall and she tried to use it to push off, but Joshua held her in place. She could hear the low, deep growl against her ear that came out on panted breaths against her cheek and closed her eyes against the onslaught of having him all around her.
“You ran from me…” Joshua’s voice was so deep and gravelly that it cut through the panic within her mind and stilled her movements.
Joshua was grateful that his mate had quietened against him. He was having a hard time keeping his beast at bay. His mate had run from them, a challenge to dominate her, to make her submit to their will was running through him like wildfire and he was barely holding onto the need to drag her down onto the floor and take her. Claim her before she tried to run again.
“Joshua…” The sound of fear in her voice helped him more than anything else he could have imagined. She felt tiny against his body. The way her heart was racing within her chest and the quivering of every inch of her called to his human mind to take care of her, protect her. But he was protecting her from him, not an outside challenge.
She fears us.
He growled at his own beast. Trying with almost sheer desperation to push the wolf back.
“Don’t move…” Joshua warned against her neck as he nuzzled into her scent. His own body was her enemy right now and he knew he needed to fight his own basic instincts.
Joshua’s ran his hands down over her hips. With his chest pressed against her back she was trapped against the wall with nowhere to go. There was no danger of her fleeing him again. He pressed that thought to his beast, but he wouldn’t relinquish the hold he had on Joshua’s body.