by M. L. Briers
“You know I don’t do Christmas.” Chloe offered him a look of pure contempt.
“No — I know you didn’t do Christmas when you were a witch — but things change.” Monty grinned at her.
“I’ll get you a twig and some fairy lights,” Chloe snorted back.
“There now — you’re getting into the Christmas spirit already.” Monty chuckled to himself as he shoveled some more earth for the dead man’s grave.
“The only spirit I want at Christmas is a bottle of Scotch,” Chloe said as she inspected her fingernails.
“Sourpuss.”
“Butthead.”
“I’ll get you in the Christmas spirit if it’s the last thing I do,” Monty assured her.
“Then you’d better dig two graves.”
“Oh, how you jest. But tell me, what are you going to do now that you’re back in the inn?”
“Enjoy it.”
“You know you have to be good or Sarah will just turn the deeds over to one of the other witches, and you will be back to square one,” he berated her.
“You’re assuming that she is smarter than she looks.”
“You’ll be sorry.” Monty singsong voice annoyed her.
“Not in this lifetime — and it’s a very, very long lifetime.” Chloe started to sing to herself. “Deck the halls with lots of bodies…”
Monty groaned.
~
~
~
“What’s on your mind?” Quinn asked his mate as he walked towards the bed that she was sitting up in, and wished that he could lie down beside her.
“You.”
Valerie watched as Quinn almost fell over his own feet, but the man recovered well.
“I’m not surprised. I am a unique specimen of…”
“Hot air?” Valerie’s tone said unimpressed, but her eyes flashed with amusement.
“You mean like a spectacular balloon floating through cloudless summer sky?” Quinn didn’t mind playing along.
“Like a fart.” Valerie didn’t mind it either.
“Good to know.” Quinn started to lower his backside down towards the seat beside the bed, but he only got so far.
“And what do you think you’re doing?” Valerie asked. Quinn hovered in midair.
“They called it sitting when I was a pup,” Quinn offered back. But he neither made a move to stand back up or to sit down.
“Looks to me like you don’t know if you need a poop or not.” Valerie gave a small shrug.
“There are things that I need, but I can assure you that is not one of them.”
“Sure?”
“Certain.”
“In that case — why don’t you climb in here with me?” Valerie asked, and Quinn almost choked on his own tongue. “Unless, of course, you’ve changed your mind.”
“Oh, no, no, no, no, definitely no.” The hungry growl that rolled through his chest amused her.
Valerie liked the fact that she had the power to make the man sound like his beast. It has been many years since she’d had that effect on anybody, least of all a man like Quinn.
It was a heady rush of empowerment. Fuelled by vampire blood, her body had never felt more alive.
~
~
~
Nathan noted the way that Elizabeth stomped and stalked every step of the way across pack land towards Rick’s cabin. He kind of pitied the man for what he thought was about to come.
“So Rick killed Robert.” Nathan nodded to himself as all of his questions were answered.
It was little wonder that the enforcer was acting in the way that he had been. The unwritten law that was handed down to all shifters that forbid taking a human life unless it was absolutely necessary.
Although, from what Nathan had heard, it might not have been entirely necessary to kill the human, but in his book, it was justified. He didn’t believe there was a shifter out there that would have condemned Rick for his actions and most would have acted in the same way.
But the enforcer probably thought that his mate would see things differently. Only time would tell.
“Well, there it is. Rick’s cabin. Have at it, or him – probably him from the look on your face.” Nathan pointed the way to the large wooden structure that had every window illuminated from inside.
Elizabeth snorted in annoyance. She didn’t say anything to the alpha as she stalked towards the cabin.
“Good luck with that, Rick,” Nathan chuckled to himself as he turned and walked away.
~
~
~
Rick wasn’t packing. He wasn’t taking a damned thing with him when he left. He knew that walking away from his mate would end badly — probably turn his beast rogue — but he guessed that he deserved it.
The sudden sound of his front door crashing open made his beast roar within him, and it bayed to be set free. The wolf was still sitting just under the surface of his skin after the kill, probably waiting for the moment when it could turn tail and run back to Elizabeth to claim her as their mate.
Rick’s eyes narrowed in confusion as he whirled around to find Elizabeth standing in the open doorway glaring at him as if she thought he was Satan personified. Rick grunted in annoyance — he’d left because he didn’t want a confrontation with her.
“Make me walk all the way out here, why don’t you?” Elizabeth hissed.
“I hear exercise is good for your health,” Rick tossed back. “You weren’t invited.”
“Oh, was I not?” Elizabeth’s hands went to her hips, and she offered him a death glare.
“No,” Rick growled back.
“Screw you,” Elizabeth tossed back.
“If that’s what you want,” Rick growled.
He knew he couldn’t do it. No matter what his words were, there was no way in hell that he could take his mate to bed and then walk away from her.
“It seems to be about what you want.” Her tone was accusing.
“Does it now?”
“Looks that way to me.”
“Then I’m guessing you have your eyes closed,” Rick growled back.
He wanted nothing more than to take her as his mate. That wouldn’t work for her.
Every time that she looked at him, she would remember what he did to the human. He didn’t want that.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
~
“I see you just fine.”
“And let me guess — you don’t like what you see,” Rick growled out again.
“I see an idiot.”
“Yep, kick a man when he’s down…”
“You put yourself in that position, not me.” Elizabeth’s tone was still accusing, and Rick didn’t like it.
“So I did.” He knew that he’d regret it for however many days on earth he had left.
“Like I said, idiot.”
“Like I said, you weren’t invited.”
“That’s all you have to say to me?”
“Sorry, I don’t do flowers and hearts.” Rick’s wolf growled long and hard at him. The beast thought he was an idiot as well.
“I noticed,” Elizabeth said.
She folded her arms and tipped her head to one side, raising her eyebrows at him, and questioning his sanity with just a look.
“You’re already standing in the doorway — just turn around and walk.” Rick didn’t want to see her walk away from him, but he knew that there was no other way.
Elizabeth dropped her hands to her sides and her gaze to the threshold at her feet. Then she lifted one foot and stepped over that small piece of wood.
Rick growled long and hard. Her other foot followed.
“I’m not good at following orders,” Elizabeth questioned him with her eyes. There was more than a hint of a challenge in the way that she looked at him.
“What witch is?” Rick offered back, feeling the need to head-butt the nearest wall.
“You’d better get used to it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Rick growled.
If his wolf had been a cartoon dog, then the sound that it made was definitely a Scooby Doo moment.
“Like I said — idiot.” She tossed up a hand in his direction.
“I killed a human,” Rick offered back to her as if she was insane.
“Well done. Am I supposed to supply the bunting and the cake?” Elizabeth asked.
“Huh?” Rick couldn’t quite get his head around what she was saying, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying.
“If you hadn’t of killed him then I would have. Do I look like a monster to you now?” She demanded.
“What? No!” Rick growled again.
“Idiot!” She tossed up a hand once more.
“Wait — what?” the man was still trying to wrap his head around her words.
“Double idiot.”
“We established that. What the hell are you saying?” Rick demanded.
“Do you want me as a mate or not?”
“Yes!”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Rick held in place just staring back at her. His mind was tossing questions and not a lot of answers – except — she was looking at him. Right at him. Not anywhere but at him, and she didn’t look at him like he was a monster.
“I killed a human,” Rick said again.
“I was there.” She shrugged.
“A — h-u-m-a-n.”
“I — was — t-h-e-r-e.”
“Oh hell, I’m confused.” Rick tossed up his hands in frustration.
Elizabeth started a slow walk towards him. Rick’s whole body snapped to attention.
Her scent was thick in the air, and her presence was sending him entirely the wrong signals. Or maybe they were the right ones – he didn’t have a damn clue.
“I’m your mate,” Elizabeth said.
“I know.”
“I still want to be your mate.”
“I didn’t know that you did.”
“See, idiot.” A small smile tugged at the corners of Elizabeth's lips, and he watched transfixed as it became a full-blown grin.
“I am.”
“You are. But the question is; are you going to continue to be an idiot, or are we going to mate?”
Elizabeth watched as the man chewed on his own tongue. Then she almost jumped in her skin as he growled hard and rushed toward her. He snatched her up from the ground and against his hard body before she had a chance to think.
Then he brought his lips down on hers.
Elizabeth wrapped her body around his like a vine. She’d never been so bold in her life before, but there was just something about Rick that made her throw caution to the wind and act on instinct alone.
She felt her back hit the wall and his hard length pressed against her sex, and she embraced the freedom that she felt just to be herself. She let her body do the talking as she kissed him right back and her hands sought the muscles of his back beneath his shirt.
Elizabeth’s fingernails raked over his flesh, and his cock twitched against the confines of his jeans. He couldn’t help but move his hips, and when he did, the sound that caught in her throat was worth more than gold.
He broke free from her lips and dipped his head to take her scent at the source. He wanted to bite — his beast wanted him to bite.
Not yet, he wanted to be buried deep within her, feel her come undone around his cock, and then he could bite — claim — be bonded to her – with her forever.
He ran his tongue against her neck and felt her hips move against his. Her sex rubbed against his hard length, and she made that sound again.
Rick tore her away from the wall, moving fast across the room and into the bedroom. He had to make her his.
He needed to taste her — to know her — to connect with her in a way that neither of them had ever felt before.
“Hurry…” Elizabeth bit out.
“Too fast?”
“No. Hurry up,” Elizabeth demanded.
“Be careful what you wish for,” he grinned as he took her down to the bed and started to strip the clothes from her body.
“No, I’m damned sure this is what I want.”
Rick didn’t need to hear any more. He had her totally naked in front of him a few moments later, and as his hungry eyes took in her body, he growled like a man possessed.
“I’m guessing that’s you and not your beast talking.” Elizabeth chuckled.
“I — that’s…” Rick gave a small shake of his head. “Don’t even go there.” He growled.
The sound of giggles echoed within his ears, and he would have answered her, but he had other things on his mind. His large hands pressed her inner thighs open, and he was determined to have the taste of her on his tongue.
“That’s not necessary…” Elizabeth started to protest, but the feel of his tongue against her sex silenced her to nothing more than a moan.
Rick reveled in the taste of his mate. Her body was ripe for him, and it didn’t take him long to bring her the satisfaction that she needed.
Elizabeth had to wonder why she hadn’t tried that years ago. But then — she hadn’t met him.
Rick climbed up and over her body. His long, thick cock was hanging low away from his stomach and pointing to where he needed to be.
“That’s…” Elizabeth’s eyes widened at the sight of his hard length.
“It’ll fit…”
“I’m not so…” She chuckled.
“Trust me. It will fit,” he growled just at the thought of it.
A heartbeat later and he was pushing inside the tight, warm, wet heat of her channel, opening her, still throbbing, satin walls, and he gave a long, deep, hungry growl of pleasure and pure satisfaction that swallowed up the sound of her moan.
Elizabeth fingernails were practically piercing the skin on his back. He reached for her wrists and pushed her hands back against the mattress.
She liked the feeling of being trapped, caged, and held to his whim and passion. Not that she was — her magic could see to that.
Rick took her down his length until he was buried to the hilt. Her inner muscles tightened around his hard cock, and he almost lost his mind and his self-control.
He grunted and pulled back, almost completely out of her, before thrusting back to the hilt once more.
Elizabeth’s body tried to arch beneath him as her head went back against the mattress. Her mouth opened and she made that sound once more. It was the sound that, this time, he couldn’t deny.
He had to have her melting around him. He had to feel the tight throbbing of her muscles around his cock as she came undone once more.
He needed to know her. To taste her. To bite.
Just the thought of it sent his beast wild. His fangs elongated as he pressed his hand against her back and brought her body up from the bed, and she wrapped her body tighter around his and held on for the ride.
It was going to be one hell of a humdinger.
Rick fisted her hair and dragged her head to one side, opening her neck and shoulder to his hungry gaze. His hips moved faster. He was taking her so damn deep on every thrust.
He could feel her body tightening around him. Not just her arms and legs, but the inner muscles of her channel had started to clamp up so tightly that it made him have to work harder with every thrust.
Elizabeth was on a roll, and she didn’t want to tempt fate in hoping that she would get a second bite of the cherry, but it was looking good so far.
Every inch of her body was begging for release, and one more deep thrust of his cock took her right over the edge.
She cried out once with the explosion of the orgasm that ripped through every inch of her body, and again when he bit down into her flesh with his fangs.
Marked, claimed, and as she reached out for his soul and connected with him on a deeper level, they were bonded.
Rick released his fangs from her flesh and tasted the last of her blood on his tongue as he cleaned and sealed the wound. His beast was sated, but his body ha
d started to burn with a fever — his need to complete the bond clawed within him.
Rick lifted her away from him, turned her onto her knees on the bed, and thrust back inside of her. One large hand clamped against her hip, and the other ran up the curve of her back to her shoulder, locking her body in place, as his hips slapped, skin against skin, against her backside, and he sought his own release.
The way her back was arched, the way her breasts moved freely transfixed him, empowered him and made him crave the moment that she would come undone around him once more.
She was already making those sounds again. Her inner muscles were already tightening around him again.
He grunted with each deep thrust and growled as he pulled back through her tightening muscles.
Rick’s heart was thumping against his ribs. His muscles were on fire and straining with each thrust.
The blood might have been rushing in his ears, but he still heard her cry the moment that she found that sweet release. The hard clenching of her inner muscles sucked at his cock, demanded his seed, and brought him the heady rush of the orgasm that he’d craved.
The mating howl started deep within his chest and burst from within him. The cabin shook around them.
Over and over, he buried his cock to the hilt and gave her his seed until he had nothing left to give. His muscles quivered as he collected his mate against his body and pulled them both down to the bed.
As Elizabeth lay there within the safety of her mate’s arms, trying to remember how to breathe, the sound of a howl went up in the distance.
“Way to go, mum.”
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
~
“Oh, that looks good,” Hank said as he eyed the extra large platter that Sarah placed in the middle of the dinner table among all the other offerings that had been coming out of the kitchen like a conveyor belt. “Beef. I like beef.” He growled.
“I like beef as well,” Dorothy said. “Unfortunately at my age beef doesn’t like me.”
“It’s dead. Tell it to get over itself and enjoy,” Lark frowned.