by M. L. Briers
“If he sucks a human I’m going to stake him myself-” Scarlett scowled back.
“And I’m somehow talking to myself.” He turned to look at Ash. “Is my volume turned down? You can hear me, right?”
“I wish I couldn’t.” Ash growled out.
“See, now you’ve upset the bear.” Connor tossed the accusation into the back.
“Who, Mr Sensitive?” Scarlett snorted her contempt for the pair of them.
“I am sensitive.” Ash offered back.
He didn’t want his mate to think badly of him. It was probably going to come somewhere close to hell on earth just to woo her as it was, without having to fight an uphill battle with her prejudices before they even got started.
“Sure, you are.” She offered back with a small sneer in her tone and a look that could freeze water.
“Are you saying that I don’t have feelings because I’m a shifter?” Ash asked and saw her eyes immediately disconnect from his, watched a thoughtful scowl appear on her brow, and waited…
“That would be species profiling.” Connor offered and her eyes flicked back to Ash’s in the mirror once more.
“I guess you came all this way to get Gracie for your friend…” She shrugged her shoulders – not really committing one way or the other until she knew more about him.
“Yes.” Gracie offered with a brighter disposition, trying to keep everyone from lobbing verbal grenades at each other. She was nervous enough without being able to cut the air with a knife inside the cab of the truck…
“Unless you just didn’t want to face your friend in a fight to the death when he flipped his switch and went psycho.” Scarlett offered back…
Ash’s beast roared within him at the insult. Their mate thought them cowardly – that couldn’t be allowed to stand.
“Oh, did you have to flip his ego switch?” Connor grumbled at the sound of the deep, angry growle that was slowly brewing in the man’s chest.
“What, it’s my fault he can’t control himself for five minutes?” Scarlett snorted again.
“If Ethan needs to be put down I will do my duty to clan and human alike.” Ash’s voice had taken a downward turn. His tone was deep and gravelly, and his mood was dark.
He felt the need to prove himself worthy of his mate.
“Good to know.” Scarlett shot back.
“Yes. Very. Kind of. I mean that is my mate you’re talking about killing.” Gracie offered with a small wince. Then she turned in her seat and whispered to the witch at her side. “Stop poking the bear.”
“He can take care of himself. Just like your mate.” Scarlett shot back, knowing that both men in the front had heard Gracie’s whisper.
“But, he’s your mate – shouldn’t you want to take care of each other?” Gracie asked…
Scarlett didn’t say a word. Her eyes flicked to the mirror for only a second when she caught sight of Ash staring hard at her and she looked away – choosing the outside view of the world over those dark eyes of his any day of the week…
The trouble was; she’d liked looking at those eyes when he’d been driving and not paying much attention towards her. She’d been doing it since they started this journey, and somewhere deep within her – she missed them now.
Damn that mating pull.
CHAPTER EIGHT
~
“The roads getting bad. If this weather stays in or gets worse – I don’t think we’re going to make it back to clan land tonight.” Ash’s voice was low enough for Connor to pick up every word, but not loud enough that the witches could hear him. His eyes flicked to the mirror just to make sure, and the two silent witches sat in the back seat seemed oblivious to his conversation.
“We should push through.” Connor offered. The thought of being away from his mate, especially when he knew that Ethan was locked in his damn dungeon didn’t sit well with him.
The witches had spelled the door and that meant that the man and his bear weren’t going anywhere, but still – he’d rather be on hand to put Ethan down should it be necessary.
Landon would do it, but Connor was old school, and when he wanted to make sure something was done right – he liked to take care of it himself.
“With the females in the truck?” Ash shot him a sideways look and saw the wheels turning in Connor’s mind.
“I’m just thinking that the sooner we get Gracie to Ethan – the less likely he is to flip his lid completely.” Connor mused.
“You’re just being protective of your mate and wanting to get back to her, but I need to consider those two, and if Ethan’s mate doesn’t get there…” Ash frowned.
He’d been battling the weather for a while. The temperature had dropped off and the snow was coming down thick and fast. If it was like this on the mountain road – they didn’t stand much of a chance of getting up there tonight.
“Do you want me to drive?” Connor poked the bear with a smile that was on the inside.
“No, I don’t want you to damn well drive.” Ash gave him a pained look mixed with disbelief.
“Just asking…” Connor grinned on the outside too.
“Well don’t.” Ash grumbled a growl. “I’m gonna pull over in town and call up to the clan – see what the conditions are like before we start out.”
“Otherwise it’s the bed and breakfast at the bar, and I don’t much fancy that with these two.” Connor grumbled.
Even if they made it to the clan, he doubted very much that they’d make it on through to the castle tonight. That road was barely a road at all in the winter months, and if the snow was falling thicker and faster on the mountain – then it would be too dangerous to take the witch across the track.
As much as he wanted to be home. He didn’t think it was going to happen.
Ash pulled the truck into the pub’s parking lot and reached for his mobile. He’d get a signal down there, but if the weather was that bad on the mountain then the lines might already be out of action…
“What’s going on?” Scarlett demanded. She recognised where they were. She’d been there before when they’d gone to rescue Gemma from the clutches of the clan only to find it was all a rouse…
“Weather report. Sit tight, ladies.” Connor offered over his shoulder – knowing that Gracie was fidgeting in the back seat like a cat on a hot tin roof…
“Landon… It’s a bad connection…” Ash growled down the line. “We’re in town… you sure?” Ash nodded as if the alpha was right there in the truck with them. “Ok.”
He ended the call and turned to look at the vampire.
“A small window of opportunity.” Connor had heard every word. They still had time to make it, but they’d need to be fast and careful. “You sure you don’t want me to drive?” He grinned and the shifter growled.
“Not when my mate’s life depends on it.” Ash muttered.
“Should we be going up there if up there is going to be snowed in?” Scarlett didn’t much like the idea of being snowed in with him, and yet, she couldn’t deny that it held an air of excitement about it as well.
“Better get used to it, sweetheart,” Ash offered over his shoulder a he started the truck off again. “We get some mean winters on the mountain. You, me, a cabin in the woods surrounded by snow.”
He deliberately caught her eye in the mirror. His eyes were ablaze with hunger at the thought of having her all to himself like that…
Scarlett’s lips were moving but she wasn’t saying much of anything. She was thinking – at the speed of light – thoughts filled her head of every picture perfect scenario that she’d ever seen in any cheesy movie involving an open fire, a log cabin, and snow…
She snatched her eyes away and shifted around in her seat until she found the comfortable warm spot again. The trouble was, her body had come alive with excitement and anticipation, and there wasn’t a comfortable spot in that whole damn truck left for her.
“Call me sweetheart again and I’ll knock your fangs down the back of your damn
throat.” She muttered as she folded her arms across her chest and huffed out at what little view they had.
Snow. Snow. And more snow.
~
~
~
“Gracie!” Gemma called out as she braved the artic conditions to greet her friend. Landon was away at Connor’s castle watching over Ethan with Ben and Marshall, and she’d worried that they wouldn’t be able to talk Gracie into coming… “Scarlett!”
Gemma was genuinely surprised. She hadn’t expected to see the other witch make the journey back to the clan’s lands so soon, if ever.
“Turns out I’m afflicted.” Scarlett bit out – shooting a dark glare at Ash as the man stalked around the truck to stand beside her.
“You’re a mate?” Gemma looked at Ash’s face as the shifter folded his big arms across his broad chest and assumed the stance of a man that was about to hear an unwelcome truth.
“This chucklehead seems to think so.” Scarlett bit out as she took a definite sideways step away from him. Ash held in place, although his toes did kind of itch to move sideways a step and close the distance between them again.
Gemma couldn’t help the silent laughter that went through her. Gracie was a strange fit into this misfit clan, but Scarlett with her rough and ready attitude to life, and her gung-ho attitude might just have been the best fit imaginable.
“I’ve got a bed for Gracie – I guess we can put you on the sofa…” Gemma couldn’t help but smile – it was just the whole miffed off attitude of the witch…
“She’s got a bed in my cabin.” Ash growled on a deep frown.
“Not if you’re in it.” Scarlett shot back.
“You can have the damn bed.” Ash growled.
“I was talking about your cabin.” She shot back and he grunted again.
“Happy – happy,” Connor announced. “I’m going to check out home and see what’s going on…”
“But there’s a snowstorm.” Gemma scowled. She didn’t like the thought of anyone being out in that kind of weather, even him.
“I did wonder what this white stuff was.” Connor teased, and the moment that her hands went to her hips, he knew to get out of there before he got zapped. “I’ll make it just fine, but I’ll leave Gracie with you.”
“But what about Ethan?” Gracie asked, a big old ball of nervous excitement again.
“He’s cooling his heels in my dungeon-”
“Dungeon.” Gracie’s happy face turned upside down into a scowl…
“Just a little one, and we gave him a… bed, kind of.” Connor turned on his heels and started away.
“Wait. Dungeon…?” Gracie called after him.
“Gotta go. Back soon.” He lied. If he made it home – then he wasn’t getting back before the storm had blown through, probably the next day.
Gracie turned exasperated eyes towards Gemma and the woman tossed an arm around Gracie’s shoulders and started to walk her towards the warmth of the cabin.
“Let’s get you some hot chocolate.” Gemma hoped that was a good enough bribe…
“With marshmallows?” Gracie sighed.
“Sure.” Gemma tossed a questioning look back over her shoulder towards Scarlett. When the witch moved one booted foot; Ash stepped between her and the cabin.
“I should show you where we live.” He bit out, and Scarlett’s chin went down towards her chest as she eyed him from under a scowl.
“Who’s we shifter dude?” She tried to make herself look bigger, but with the size of Ash it would probably take a step ladder and some snowsuit padding to get anywhere close to the man that she was facing off against. “You live with another guy?”
“What? No.” Ash growled at the thought of it. “Bears don’t share.”
“And that’s why I’m going with them.” Scarlett pointed to her friends, who had turned and were standing by the front door.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” Ash scowled.
“I’m sure subconsciously it is.” Scarlett went to sidestep the man, but he moved with her.
“I will woo you.” Ash informed her, as if it was a sure thing – she was a sure thing, and she wasn’t certain that she liked being thought about like that.
She tossed her hands onto her hips and huffed a little as she stared up at him. Snow was falling thick and fast and it was no time to have a standoff, and yet, she couldn’t think of a better time.
If he thought he had her where he wanted her, well, he could just think again.
“Uh-oh.” Gracie muttered.
“I hear that.” Gemma agreed.
“Will you now?” Scarlett bit out.
“It’s fate. You’re my mate. I have to woo you.” Ash dropped his arms and his hands twitched and itched at his sides to reach out and touch her…
“Good luck with that.” Scarlett moved a step to the right and he countered it. “Move or be moved.” She scowled up at him.
“Let’s go home and…” Ash lifted his hand and pointed towards his cabin, but Scarlett had other ideas.
She made a quick move to the right, and when he moved to counteract it, she darted to the left, ducked under his arm as he swung it around, and headed for Gemma’s cabin on fast feet…
“Whoa now!” Ash’s arm came about her waist and he lifted her clean off the ground. Her feet were still moving for the few seconds that it took her brain to realise that something was missing – traction.
Scarlett felt the warmth of his body against her back and a part of her wanted to melt against it, let it envelope her, and then there was the other part – the bells, alarms, and whistles part that warned her she was too close – that told her that the closer she got to him the more the mating pull was going to worm its way into her mind, her body, and even her soul.
“I’m not a horse and you’re not a swing set. Put me down before I zap you.” She bit out as her hand tried to pry his arm from around her waist.
“If you really want to zap me, go ahead. I’ve been zapped…” Ash bit down on the stinging pain that shot through his body.
He instantly regretted opening his big mouth and putting both damn feet in it. He felt his muscles lock up and there wasn’t a damn thing that he could do about it, and then she started kicking the air like a child having a tantrum, and he lost all sense of balance – falling backwards onto his pride in the snow, with her still in his arms.
CHAPTER NINE
~
Scarlett had felt them falling and she’d tried to escape his clutches, but to no avail.
She felt jolt of his body hitting the ground and it huffed out the breath in her lungs. All that she could think was that she was mighty glad he hadn’t fallen forwards or she’d have been face planted in the snow with that hunk of sexy shifter lying on top of her…
While the thought of Ash on top of her sent an unexpected dose of excitement coursing through her veins, it also sent the shocking reality that she was stuck to him like glue. She could have fought and kicked out like a wild woman, but what would that get her?
Bruised ribs, maybe?
With something of a mental sigh of resignation, she released him from her magic. The first sound that she heard was his breath escaping his lungs as his body started to relax, and yet it was the feel of that hot air against her ear that sent a warming shiver through her body…
“Not – even – remotely – cool.” Ash bit out.
“Hey, you said zap. Be careful what you wish for.” She held a sing song quality to her voice as she revelled in winning that point – even if she had lost too, because she was still in his arms, her body was still against his – only now, she was lying on top of him looking up into the falling snow…
If she’d had one romantic bone in her body then she could have seen something different in her situation, but she refused to allow those kinds of thoughts room to fester into something more.
The sound of girlie giggles made her crane her head on her neck towards the cabin, and there they were – her s
o called friends – giggling into their hands just outside the front door.
Scarlett twitched her nose as she sent her magic their way. A second later and the snow from the roof had rushed down to meet their heads… Girlie squeals replaced giggles, and she was more than satisfied with the result…
Ash lifted his head to see what all the squealing was about, only to catch the last of the snow falling on the witches. He chuckled somewhere deep in his chest, and Scarlet not only heard it, but felt the vibrations go right through to her bones.
“Witch, I like your style.” Ash chuckled.
“Bear…” She frowned – she’d almost been nice, but that would only encourage him. “Let me the hell go before I turn you into a snow bear complete with a carrot shoved up your backside.”
Ash considered her words. The ultimatum that she’d handed him almost seemed like a challenge to his beast, and yet, he somehow managed to put that one on the backburner.
Being frozen really didn’t chime well with wooing his mate, and he knew that he had a limited time in which to do it before his bear decided to take matters into his own paws.
He released her, and much to his dismay – she used her elbow against his chest to push herself upright. Padded jacket or not – she had one damn bony elbow, and he huffed out another breath in a cloud of vapour.
Scarlett scrambled to her feet. She brushed herself down more for the mental impact it had on her – like trying to brush off his touch. Then she brought her eyes up to the witches at the doorway – both grinning like evil twins with a score to settle, and both backing off into the cabin like conspirators…
Oh no they wouldn’t….
“Well, goodnight!” Gemma called and Scarlett’s jaw dropped downwards as the two witches giggled some more.
“That’s…” Scarlett reached out her hand as if that was going to stop what came next, but as Gracie gave a little wave of her hand – her eyes alive with mischief and amusement – so Gemma slammed the door shut.
Oh damn it they did!
“Well now…” Ash’s deep voice boomed out behind her and caused her to spin around to face him…