“Forever is endless.”
“You betcha.”
Marisol’s lipstick free lips were as red as a newly bloomed rose from her constant chewing. Callum leaned down for a short kiss, but Marisol wrapped her arms around his neck. Her soft breasts pressed against his chest. He pulled her up tight against his growing arousal. Over and over, he slanted his mouth on top of hers. God, how he loved her. She was his to take, care for, and love.
He pressed his thumb on her chin to open her mouth even wider then penetrated her even deeper with his tongue. Lust burst like a million stars enveloping them in brilliant lights. Callum felt like standing in the middle of the lustrous room, undimmed with worries and pain, uncertainty, and boring existence.
Tightening his hold on her waist, he pulled Marisol harder, lifting her higher to align their bodies the way they did in bed. He’d lowered his hand a bit to cup her ass when a loud clearing of throats penetrated his senses.
He lifted his mouth from Marisol just a fraction, noticing she’d gone bright red. With his heart slowly beating back to normal, he remembered where they were, and realized that the door to the restaurant was already open. He ran the pad of his thumb on Marisol’s smooth cheek, back and forth.
“I love you,” he whispered.
“And I you.”
Zambro cleared his throat again. “If you two lovebirds would come inside, we can start devouring Goon’s wonderful food.”
Callum kept his hold on Marisol’s waist. He felt Marisol shiver and heard her moan when the men openly stared and some women showed appreciation, others envy.
“I told you they don’t like me. Look at them stare, Callum.”
“Baby, they’re staring because you’re beautiful.”
Marisol looked up at him and smiled. “Love is indeed blind.”
“Perhaps. I say truth is love and I’m telling you the truth.”
One clap echoed in the room. A second one followed, and then more. Callum grinned down at Marisol. The look of surprise on her face was priceless. She began chewing on her lower lip again.
“What’s going on, Callum?”
“Everyone’s here to celebrate with us.”
“What for?”
“How about if I let them tell you.”
Goon stepped forward and took Marisol’s hand. “Welcome to the clan, Marisol. To face and threaten Atos the way you did showed us loyalty and bravery and who you really are.” Goon placed his right hand on his chest. “You have my allegiance and my kitchen will stay open twenty-four seven just for you.”
“Thank you, Goon. If you could show me how to make bread that would be enough.”
“As soon as Callum lets go of his hold on you, I will.”
“I believe you’ll have to wait a long time for that to happen, Goon. You’ll just have to snatch her. Hey, Marisol.”
Ty pushed Callum weakly. Callum pretended to lose his balance. His brother hadn’t recovered fully yet. It would take a day or two before he regained his strength.
“Ty.” Marisol walked over to his brother and wrapped her arms around him. “Good to see you.”
“Thanks for saving my life,” Ty said then wrapped his arms around Marisol, his cheek pressed on the top of her head.
“Oh no. Don’t thank me. I should be the one thanking you and the rest of the Midnight Howl for watching over us humans. But thanks for the hug.”
Someone from the crowd said something about the soup getting cold. Ty showed Marisol and Callum their seats.
Callum noticed the bottle of wine he’d promised his brothers on the table. It was still unopened. He looked around. The other bottles were on the other tables as well.
They’ll have one heck of a celebration.
Ty uncorked the bottle and poured the crystal-clear wine into every glass. Victor took only half of his.
“You’re not drinking, Victor?”
“Have to work tonight.”
Bruce and Watt joined them at the table. “Finally. I’m tired of playing MP down here. Time to kick some asses up there. Watching you guys fight made me hungry for blood,” Bruce said while chewing his food. “Say, Marisol. Do you suppose all of us should carry a Ziploc bag with your poultice in it? Just in case.”
“Not a bad idea. Or I could go—”
“Not gonna happen.” Callum immediately cut Marisol off in mid-sentence.
“As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, I could talk to Doctor Yousney and perhaps he could think of something better than a Ziploc bag.”
“Sounds good. So…” Bruce lifted his glass for a toast. “Here’s to our clan. May the souls of our ancestors keep us safe from the smelly Blood Robbers.”
Everyone at the table raised their glasses. Callum noticed when Marisol tasted her wine, her face turned comical. Either she didn’t like the wine, or she’d never had alcohol before.
Hours later, Marisol’s speech slurred. She could hardly stay in her seat. He had to put their chairs close together so he could anchor his arms on her shoulders. He was having a great time watching Marisol enjoy the night. Her nervousness was gone and she was waving at everyone. What a happy drunk.
“Marisol, is this your first time to drink alcohol?” asked Rodolf.
His brothers, Watt, and Bruce all looked at Marisol. They were obviously enjoying her company.
“Yup. Dad was overly protective of me, you see. He never let me go farther than two blocks from my house. That’s why our house, the barn, and my Bisque It store are all connected.” She giggled. “This is my first time away from home, first time to drink, and I had my first time having sex with Callum. I was a virgihhhpppp.”
Callum covered Marisol’s mouth, but it was too late. His brothers and friends were already choking from laughter they were trying to suppress.
He stared at Marisol when she looked at him with her half-asleep eyes, licking his palm. “Baby, I think it’s time for us to go.” He must take her back to their apartment before she blurted something she’d regret tomorrow.
“No. Please stop moving, Callum. You’re making the room spin.”
Callum looked at his brothers with a silent plea for help.
Victor stood up. “Well, time to roll. As much as we’d like to hang with you all, there are humans in need of protecting up above.”
“Green Day concert tonight, Callum. Lots of goofy teenagers wandering around downtown Seattle. Seattle’s Best needs us.” Bruce took another sip of his wine and finished it with a big ahhh. “Good stuff. Thanks, Callum. Hope you save a bottle for your honeymoon.”
***
After what seemed to be endless goodbyes, he was able to take Marisol back to their room. His baby would definitely suffer from her first hangover tomorrow. Callum smiled, remembering the hilarity on his brothers’ and friends’ faces.
He helped Marisol remove her provocative dress, skimming her skin as he undid the buttons on the back. She had such exquisite skin. Smooth, unblemished, and soft to the touch. Down to her strapless lacy bra and white thong. Callum couldn’t stop staring at Marisol. His body reacted swiftly and badly. He wanted to make love with her right that minute, but Marisol looked asleep already where she stood.
She yawned lustily then crawled to bed. “I had fun tonight, Callum. I think your clan likes me now.”
“Hard not to like you, love.”
“God, I’m so sleepy. I have to give Doctor Yousney the poultice. Someone might need it soon.”
He hoped to God that his brother and the others wouldn’t need the poultice tonight or tomorrow. Or never. Ty coming close to dying reminded him how fragile even the shape-shifters’ lives were. “Sleep and we’ll go see Doctor Yousney tomorrow.”
Callum removed his clothes and joined Marisol. He didn’t have to tuck her in beside him, which he’d been doing since they began sleeping together, because Marisol scooted closer to spoon with him.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, Marisol.” Unlike the other days, tomorrow would be
different. He would be facing it with Marisol. He kissed her hair and inhaled her scent. What a remarkable woman. She gave her trust and care quite easily. Perhaps it was the reason why she was the one chosen to carry the burden of bleeding herself to save others. Her unselfish act proved how kind she was. Doctor Yousney couldn’t believe it when Marisol asked if it were possible to send a jar of poultice to Atos without putting the courier’s life in jeopardy.
Callum closed his eyes. Youven’s sword was safe and in the hands of a woman who possessed great power to heal wounds. How cool was that?
Marisol moved again. Her ass pressed hard on his thickening cock. Callum laced their hands together. He looked at the ring around her finger. His chest swelled from his overwhelming love for Marisol. “Baby, you’re my beautiful soul. I love you.”
“And you’re my Wolf. I love you, too.”
Go Back
Red the Were Hunter by Rebekah R. Ganiere
Fairelle Book One
Copyright © 2014 Rebekah R. Ganiere
ISBN: 978-1-63300-001
ISBN: 978-1-63300-001-8
DEDICATION
For Bug, who’s always believed in me.
Red the Were Hunter by Rebekah R. Ganiere
Fairelle Book One
Pereum, Fairelle Year 200
Prologue
In the year 200, in the city of Pereum, the heart of Fairelle, King Isodor lay on his deathbed. With all of Fairelle united under his banner, his four rival sons vied for the crown. One-by-one, the brothers called forth a djinn named Xereus from Shaidan, the daemon realm, to grant a single wish. But Xereus tricked the brothers, twisting their wishes.
The eldest wished to forever be bloodthirsty in battle, and was thus transformed into a Vampire. The second wished for the unending loyalty of his men, and was turned into a Werewolf. The third asked for the ability to manipulate the elements of Fairelle; he became physically weak, but mighty in magick, a Fae. And the last asked to rule the sea. A Nereid.
When the king died, each brother took a piece of Fairelle for himself and waged war for control of the rest. Xereus, having been called forth so many times, tore a rift between his daemonic plane and Fairelle, allowing thousands of daemons to pour into Pereum.
Years upon years of bloody warring went by, all races fighting for control, and eventually the daemons gained dominion of the heart of Fairelle. Realizing that all lands would soon fall into the daemons' control, the High Elders of the Fae and the Mages from the south combined their magicks to seal the rift. The daemons were banished back to their own plane, but Pereum was wiped off the map in the process, leaving only charred waste behind, forever, known as The Daemon Wastelands.
Upon the day of the rift closing, a Mage soothsayer prophesied of the healing of Fairelle. Over the next thousand years, the races continued to war against each other, waiting for the day when the ancient prophesies would begin.
Nine prophesies, a thousand years old, to unite the lands and heal Fairelle. The first is the prophecy of the wolves.
Volkzene, Fairelle 1200 years A.D. (After Daemons)
Chapter One
Another girl had been taken. One moment the small village of Volkzene was silent, with Redlynn drifting off to sleep to the rhythmical sounds of her clock ticking; the next a scream pierced the night.
Redlynn leapt from her bed, grabbed her sword, and tore out to the street. People in their nightclothes, brandishing torches and lanterns, filled the village center.
"Where are they?" she called at the nearest neighbor.
"Cantrel's." The woman ran for the safety of her home.
Anya! Redlynn sprinted toward the south edge of the village. Her best friend was on guard alone at the Cantrel's hut. Breathing hard, the cold night wind whipped her wavy, red hair into her face and raised goose bumps on her skin. The sound of her blood pumping in her ears drowned out the buzz of the village folk.
"Anya," she screamed. "Anya, where are you?"
Redlynn charged through the crowd gathered outside the hut. "Move," she yelled. The other members of the Sisterhood and villagers backed away at the sight of her.
The smell of blood hit her. She stepped over the threshold, the horror slapping her with force. Her heart faltered and a cry escaped her lips.
"No-o-o-o!" she screamed. "Anya!"
Anya's mangled body lay sprawled on the floor, her bow still clutched in her fingers. Redlynn's mind numbed, unable to process the scene. She spun slowly on the spot. An arrow stuck in the wall next to the door. Bits of wood were strewn about from the smashed kitchen table. Coals tumbled from the fire, and little more than charred cinders remained of the curtains. A pail of water lay discarded nearby. The Cantrels huddled on their bed in the adjoining room, Mrs. Cantrel sobbed into her husband's chest.
"Sasha, my Sasha," Mrs. Cantrel moaned.
Anger and despair ripped through Redlynn's gut. Her sword hit the floor with a clatter and she collapsed to her knees, gathering her best friend's bloody body in her arms. She sucked in large gasps of air, tears streaming down her cheeks. The very last of my loved ones.
Anya stared blankly into the night, her eyes transfixed and cloudy. Redlynn stroked her hair and tried in vain to piece the skin together on Anya's neck and torso. At just nineteen, Anya had been through so much in her short life. Too much, and now it was over. Sadness gave way to anger, and bile scorched her throat.
"This is your fault," Mrs. Cantrel screeched, pointing at Redlynn. "Where were you? You were supposed to stand guard with Anya."
Redlynn swallowed the angry words she wanted to say. "I'll find Sasha," she promised the teary-eyed mother.
"Find her? Those beasts have probably already torn her to bits. You're the protector, and where were you? Asleep. To let my Sasha be taken, and poor Anya to be murdered. If you can't even do the one thing we've kept you around for, what good are you?"
The words slapped Redlynn in the face. Her throat went dry. She searched for something to say. Something to soothe the mother, to soothe herself. "I'll find her."
"Get out of my house, Cursed!" Mrs. Cantrel screamed.
Redlynn's heart thundered. She laid Anya down, grabbed her sword, and pushed out the door, past the crowd of Sisters and villagers. Running flat out, she made for the village gate.
"Red!"
The sound of her name stopped her. Breathing hard, her body surged with adrenaline. Her head pounded with the need for vengeance. Her heart ached from the pain of Mrs. Cantrel's words.
"I hope you aren't thinking of doing anything foolish." Lillith stepped calmly from the shadows, her red stone necklace glowing faintly in the dim light.
Redlynn locked eyes on the head of her Order and ground her teeth.
"You know it's forbidden to go into the woods."
"We need to go out there. Strike them now. Take the fight to them and end this." Redlynn continued toward the gate. "We need to become the hunters we used to be. Not the village guard we are now."
Members of the Sisterhood gathered around.
"Do not defy me on this, Red." Lillith crossed her arms over her chest. "It won't end well for you if you do."
Redlynn closed her eyes and sucked in the chilled night air, trying to get her mind to focus. Anya was dead. Another girl was gone, and they just stood around arguing, like always.
Sasha made the second girl this month; twelve all together. There had been five new girls inducted as full-fledged members of the Sisterhood this year. All of them carried off by Weres. It made no sense. The Weres hadn't attacked the village since before her time. What changed?
A frigid wind hit her skin. Frost from the ground seeped through her stockings, making her shiver in her nightgown. The rage inside dimmed, giving way for a need to understand what had happened.
"Tell me," she demanded, wiping tears from her cheeks. "What happened this time?"
Lillith's voice carried into the night for all to hear. "The Weres came in a pack of three. Snuck in and stole Sasha out of her bed, l
ike all the others."
Redlynn let out a shuddered breath. Anya, a good fighter, would've been no match for three. No one was, but perhaps Redlynn herself. I shouldn't have left her alone.
"Who was on watch?" she asked.
The Sisters looked at each other.
"Who saw them come through the gate?" Her eyes raked over the group of women.
"I did." Lillith's back straightened.
"Why was the alarm not sounded?" she yelled, taking a step closer. "How could you let this happen?"
Lillith's gaze flicked to the crowd, then snapped to Redlynn. "Don't take that tone of voice with me, Red. I am the Head of the Order, not you."
Redlynn gripped her sword tightly, trying to hold her temper in check.
"We need to take care of Anya," one of the Sisters said. "Before the moon passes."
Redlynn took a deep, cleansing breath. She had to keep it together. "I'll do it."
Lillith stepped in Redlynn's path, blocking her. "You don't need to—"
"I will do it." She glared at Lillith before stepping around her.
Lillith glanced away, as everyone did from her cursed golden eyes. "We'll move her to the Hall and prepare, while you clean up."
It was not a request.
The rest of the Sisterhood watched the exchange. Redlynn ground her teeth together so hard her jaw ached. For years they'd been waiting for the day when she'd challenge Lillith for control as Head of the Order. Swallowing her anger and pride, she turned from them and headed home.
She dragged her sword, heavy as an ox's yoke, through the mud to the other end of the village. Her feet were past being numb in the bitter November cold. Fiery pins and needles pricked at her soles with every sloppy step she took.
I deserved this pain. It should have been me. If it had been, Sasha would still be here, Anya would be alive, and we'd have three less Weres in the woods to worry about. The pain in her body and the pain in her soul were the price she paid for allowing Anya to stand guard alone tonight. I shouldn't have given in. I should have stayed with her.
Beyond The Veil: A Paranormal & Magical Romance Boxed Set Page 314