by Edith DuBois
“You didn’t use a condom.” Jeremiah’s eyes opened wide in shock. Fuck. He had forgotten to use a condom. “You want to trick me,” she said. “I know you want me to stay with you, to be glued to you, like my sister and her fucking bear mates or whatever the fuck y’all are.”
“No, Marina. That was an accident. I swear. I was caught up in everything. I didn’t think about it. I swear. Shit. I would never do that on purpose.”
“What’s going on?” James asked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
“I heard you. I heard everything you said, you bastards.” She gasped, fighting back a sob. “I trusted you. Oh god, I fucking trusted you.” She covered her face with her hands and cried.
Jeremiah was frozen. “Marina, I think you may have misunderstood. I was joking. It was a stupid, idiotic, inappropriate joke. I would never tie you to a tree, Marina.”
She took her hands away from her face. “Just because you were joking doesn’t mean it isn’t true, Jeremiah. Y’all want me to stay here. You don’t care that doing so would mean leaving my whole life behind, leaving everything I’ve made of my career and of myself. I will never do that. I will never fucking do that.”
“No one has asked you to.”
“Good. Because I won’t.”
“And it was a joke! You think I’d want to be mated to a woman who felt trapped here? Hell no! That would make for a miserable life. Shit.”
Marina narrowed her eyes at him.
“I didn’t know you were awake, and I shouldn’t have even said it in the first place. I’m sorry, Marina,” he said. “I promise it was just a joke.”
Marina looked at him for a long moment, but then her face crumpled, and she ran. She ran straight out the bedroom door.
“Where’s she going?” James asked.
The screen door at the front of the house slammed closed.
“Jeremiah, get your ass out of bed,” James shouted, leaping from beneath the covers and scrambling to pull on a jacket and boots.
“It’s okay, she won’t get far in the snow. I think she’ll be fine. She probably just needs to cool off for a minute. Regain her composure.”
James continued his frantic dressing. “No, it’s Johnny.”
“Johnny?”
“Johnny!” James threw a jacket at Jeremiah. “He’s—he went—Johnny’s—”
“Where is Johnny?” Jeremiah looked around the room with surprise, not having noticed that Johnny wasn’t back.
“He’s out in the goddamn snow,” James said, “in bear form.”
Jeremiah felt a chill drip through his spine that had nothing to do with the weather, and he stood up and glanced out the window. The jacket in his hand fell to the floor. “Oh shit,” he said.
“What?” James asked, running to the window.
Marina had her head down and was marching out into the snow with a shovel. He could see her gesticulating to herself and shaking her head. Although the snow had stopped falling, the wind whipped through her long raven locks.
Twenty feet away from her a bear emerged from the woods. It was Johnny. Jeremiah knew it. He knew by the deep-brown color and an odd patch of black fur across the bear’s chest, and he felt a heaviness settle in his stomach. After how Marina had just reacted and after what he’d said to her, this was not going to end well.
Johnny would catch Marina’s scent. He was too close not to.
He would form the mating bond.
And then Marina would mate him or she wouldn’t.
But no matter what happened, nothing would be okay.
“Marina!” Jeremiah shouted as he and James started beating on the window, trying to get her to look up, trying to get her to run inside. She couldn’t hear them over the wind. She didn’t look up. James ran out of the room toward the front of the house, and Jeremiah kept yelling for Marina, pounding his fist against the glass in desperation.
Instead of catching Marina’s attention, though, it was Johnny who lifted his head. He peered at the window for a moment. Then his head snapped toward Marina.
“Damn,” Jeremiah whispered, his hand falling away from the glass.
The bear’s nostrils twitched for a moment, and then it sucked in a deep breath.
Chapter Ten
The screen door flew open, slamming loud enough to make her jump, and Marina paused in her angry shoveling to look up. James stood in the doorway, panting. He mouthed her name, but she couldn’t hear him over the wind. He had the strangest look on his face, and she squinted. In fact, he wasn’t even looking at her. He was looking past her.
She turned to see what it was and screamed.
A huge black bear was running right at her.
“What the fuck? What the fuck?” She stumbled backward. The bear’s eyes had her in their grip, and she tripped, fear taking over every sense she possessed.
Instead of leaping at her, though, the bear slowed. As it did, Marina noticed its muscles quivering. There was a shimmer of fur, and then Johnny stood in front of her. His muscles were covered in sweat, the snow’s whiteness gleaming brilliantly off his skin. The sun had risen now, and it shone down on him. He didn’t stop his momentum. He stalked right for her, a wild, burning look lighting up his eyes.
He crashed into her, pulling her into his arms and lifting her body up at the same time. He kept walking, kissing and carrying her.
In a small part of her mind she knew what was happening. She knew she shouldn’t want this, that being with Johnny now meant something bad, something she shouldn’t want, but her body had taken over. She couldn’t feel the cold or the snow. Johnny was a source of brilliant, blazing heat, and her body wanted nothing more than to drink him in. It wanted only the fire.
His lips pushed hard against hers. He didn’t question, didn’t wait for her acquiescence. He took and he demanded. And she wanted it. Something was awakening in her body. His relentless force called to something inside her that she’d never known existed. She could feel its power curling through her muscles and lighting up her insides with a bright, harsh fire.
“Johnny,” she whispered, unable to breathe.
As he carried her up the steps of the porch, she put her face against his neck and breathed in deep. His scent left her gasping. His heat burned through her mind and her body. Her cunt was throbbing more powerfully than she’d ever felt it, and she growled. She needed to fuck him. She needed to feel his strength and his power moving through her body.
He set her abruptly on her feet and ripped her jacket off, throwing it down on the porch.
“I’m going to take you. I’m going to possess you. Do you understand? Do you understand what this means?”
She smiled at him.
“Answer me, damn it,” he said, his voice harsh. He grabbed her arms and shook her. She heard something—someone maybe from far away—calling her name. But she blocked that out. All she could think about was Johnny. She needed him. She’d never needed anyone.
Not really.
Nothing compared to this need, to what she felt now. It was a strange power lurking in her blood, the power waiting for Johnny to claim it and help it break free, that was true need. It was magic.
“I understand, Johnny. Take me.” Their lips collided, and as they fell onto the rough wood of the porch, she whispered, “I’m yours.”
Then he was above her, and his cock was inside her, and they were moving. He was pounding into her. She was digging her nails into the flesh and muscle of his back. Her pussy was pulling at him, demanding his cock’s return each time he pulled out and shuddering each time he pushed in. A frightening power snarled and lashed out inside her.
Somewhere in her mind, she knew that the wood porch was cold. She knew that the air biting at her exposed flesh should hurt. But she couldn’t hold on to those thoughts. All she could feel was Johnny. He was everything now.
He grasped her chin. His eyes fiercely held hers. “I’m going to own you, Marina.”
She clung to everything he was.
�
��I know you want this. I know it. You can’t fight it. You’re our mate. Marina, you’re ours!”
She was panting. She grunted with each hard thrust of his cock. “Yes,” she whispered. Deep down she believed his words. She wanted them. They were right. “Yes,” she said again.
They kept moving. He dug at her. He dug deep. She pulled him in. She could feel hard lashes of pleasure snapping through her body, whipping and stinging, drawing up her orgasm. Her hip bones slammed up against Johnny, and her ass dug into the rough wood of the porch.
The harshness of his motion made her strive harder, made her want the orgasm more. “Come on,” she pleaded. They both grunted as he thrust into her with violent force. “Yes,” she said. “I need it hard, Johnny.”
Their bodies were battling. She bit him. She cried out. She needed more. She took it from him. He growled as her body started to shake uncontrollably. There was a fierce light of victory burning in his black orbs.
“Oh my god,” she choked out, and then she was gasping. The orgasm hit her with brunt physical force. It rocked through her whole body, slamming into every nerve, every vein, every inch of flesh. Her body flew. Johnny continued to pump inside her, but a few strokes later he exploded.
As he whispered her name, she breathed him in.
Her arms fell. Her head hit the porch. This was euphoria. His scent carried her away. She flew through the sky. She was free. He held her up. His scent was heaven. It wrapped around her, so gentle and loving after their harsh joining.
She could let her own breath out. She could disintegrate. She could fall.
She opened her eyes.
Johnny was there. He was everywhere. He was inside her.
She was his.
* * * *
“Marina!” James bellowed. “Open the door!”
“Go away,” she sobbed.
“Open the door now, Marina!” Her crying was killing him. He just wanted to get to her and hold her. He needed to make her feel better. Johnny was on the bed, running his hands through his hair, and Jeremiah was pacing next to the window.
She was in the bathroom. Again.
They were going on half an hour now.
“Marina, we understand you’re upset, but you being in the bathroom isn’t helping anything.”
She didn’t respond, only continued to cry.
“Goddamn it, Marina, open this door!”
“No!”
“I’m going to count to three. If this door isn’t opened by then, I’m gonna break it down, and then I’m going to spank your ass.”
“Leave me alone!” she screamed.
“Why did you get that close to the house?” Jeremiah asked Johnny.
“One…” James counted out for Marina to hear.
“I didn’t think anyone was going to be awake when I got back, much less traipsing around in the fucking snow wearing nothing more than a pair of boots and a jacket. What the hell? Why was she out there?”
“Two…”
“We had an argument. Right before she ran out she said she would never mate us.”
“Shit,” Johnny whispered.
“Marina, this is your last warning.”
James waited for her to reply. When she didn’t give him one, he took a step back. “Damn it, Marina,” he whispered. “Three.”
Before he could get a kick in, though, the doorknob turned. Marina stood there, her eyes and nose splotchy and dripping.
Then, with a loud sob, she ran across the bedroom and tore the door open. “Roy,” she shouted. A few moments later, the dog came bounding up. “Stay with me, Roy. If anyone tries to touch me, you bite him in the ass.” She rubbed his ears and then shot them each a glare.
After walking to their dresser, she rummaged around until she found a couple old items that looked smaller than the rest. She began tugging them onto her slender frame.
“What are you doing?” Jeremiah asked.
“Don’t talk to me.”
“You’re going to have to talk to us eventually,” Johnny said. “It’s not like you can go that far.” For having just accidentally mated himself to someone, Johnny was taking everything rather well. James was kind of proud of him, truth be told.
After she was dressed, she went to the kitchen, calling for Roy to follow her. She picked up their phone and punched a number in.
“What do you think you’re doing?” James asked, letting out an annoyed sigh.
A few moments passed, and then she said, “Bohagande Young.” She spoke in clear, distinct syllables. Then she said, “Just put me straight through, please.” A few seconds passed while Marina waited for the call to connect. “Hi, is this Bo?”
James crossed his arms over his chest, wondering what the hell she was up to. They’d already explained what would happen once they smelled her in bear form and then consummated the bond. Even if he was the shaman, Bo wasn’t going to tell her any differently.
“Bo, this is Marina Andrews. We met a couple weeks ago at Savage Convenience. Yes, good, thank you for asking. Bo, I was wondering if I could have your address.”
James strode across the kitchen to take the phone from her, knowing whatever she was planning couldn’t be good, but as soon as he got within three feet of her, she whipped around and covered the mouthpiece with her hand.
“Don’t take another fucking step, James Greenwood.”
“Or what?” he asked, amused at her threat.
Her attention returned to the phone call. “Yes, please, right now. I’d like to come visit you.”
James lunged for the phone, but Marina twisted. Her elbow caught him in the neck. Cursing, he wrapped an arm around her and then used his free hand to grab the phone and yank it out of her grip. She flailed and fought against him, and Roy was barking, not sure if he should join the melee or attack. James nodded at Jeremiah and Johnny to come grab her.
Then he put the phone to his ear. “Hey, Bo, it’s James.”
“Everything all right? Sounds like a bit of a scuffle over there.”
“Well…”
“What’s up?”
“Johnny kinda accidentally mated Marina Andrews.” He figured it was better to just spit it out.
“Accidentally mated?”
“Yep.
“Hmm.”
“You don’t sound surprised.”
“Well, there’s a first time for everything, I guess.”
“I guess.” James glanced over at his brothers. Marina was still putting up a damn good fight.
“Now,” Bo said, “I don’t imagine she’s too happy about this. I mean, assuming it was accidental for her as well.” Marina’s hand flailed out from the mass of bodies and backhanded Johnny.
“Damn it, Marina,” his brother muttered, grabbing her hand.
“It was accidental for her, yes.”
“All right,” Bo said, letting out a long breath. “Why don’t you and Jeremiah come on over and we’ll talk about this. Leave Johnny there with the girl, and I’ll talk to her after I’ve spoken with you two.”
“There’s nothing you can do, right?” James was surprised at the question and at the nervous way he’d asked it. Of course, he would never intentionally mate Marina against her will, but now that it had happened, he couldn’t deny that a small part of him was relieved. She’d be with them forever now. He suddenly realized that he was angered at the idea of anything messing that up.
Eventually, she’d fall in love with them. She had to. She was Johnny’s mate.
“Why don’t you two just head on over,” Bo said.
“Sure, sure. See you in a few.”
James shook his head, dispelling his thoughts. He needed to focus on Marina. He needed to make sure she was going to be okay through this. It was a huge shock for her. He and his brothers would have to tread carefully.
But no matter how much he tried to squash it down, the happiness he felt from Marina’s mating with Johnny persisted.
* * * *
Marina took another step toward the
bedroom door, and the board beneath her foot let out a loud, indignant creak. She paused and whipped her head around to see if Johnny was going to run through the door yelling accusations. No sound came from the animal preserve where Johnny had gone to check up on the animals.
James and Jeremiah had left for Bo’s two days ago. She’d talked to them on the phone once, but they’d been so vague about everything, telling her to just enjoy her time alone with Johnny. She and Johnny hadn’t said much to each other, mostly because she refused to talk to him. He’d tried to start a conversation, but she ignored him. He’d thrown a tantrum of course, dropped a few expletives, but then just went about his own business. The first day she’d gone outside to get some fresh air, and he came running out to her. He’d picked her up and carried her back inside while she’d thrashed and screamed at him.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” she’d yelled, trying to get a good hit in, but his body was rock hard, and he had her arms pinned up against her body anyway. “Put me down!” she screeched right in his ear. He didn’t budge.
When they got back inside, she was shaking. “You have absolutely no right to keep me locked up in here. I just needed some goddamn air.”
She ranted and yelled at him for a while until finally he turned to her, glaring, and said, “James and Jeremiah could come back any minute, and they could very well be in bear form. I didn’t think you’d want to be out there when they did.”
“Oh,” she said, her anger fizzling out.
He turned away and stomped out to where they kept the animals. When he came back an hour or so later, she had some dinner cooking in the oven as a sort of peace offering.
“That was nice, Johnny, what you did.”
He’d mumbled some gruff response and then asked what was in the oven. They’d had a sort of shaky peace since then, but she demanded he sleep on the couch. She knew he felt bad about what had happened, but she just couldn’t face going to bed with him.
She was scared of what would happen. When they’d come together on the porch, he’d awoken some sort of animal inside her, and she knew if she let herself give into him, that animal would grow stronger and stronger until it completely took over. Then she’d never get away. And that brought her back to her problem now.