Foreseen (Suoja Guild Book 2)

by AJ Anders

  “I was relaxing in the courtyard when I heard this little guy crying for help. His paw was wedged in a wood pile.” Evie snuggled in, enjoying the feel of muscular arms around her. She felt safe in his embrace, like nothing could harm her.

  Cyne stared down at the bundle held in her hands. The kitten yawned widely, not paying the man who held them any attention. “He’s pretty cute. What are you going to do with him?”

  “Well, I can’t keep him since I live in the dorms.” Evie nibbled her lip, uncertain. “I was hoping, well, maybe, you know, you guys could look after him.”

  Cyne stopped dead in his tracks, mouth gaped open in surprise. Shaking his head, he resumed his fast pace. “We’ll be at the house in a minute. We can negotiate the terms of your proposal when we get there.”

  Evie wondered what he meant by ‘negotiate’, but remained quiet.

  True to his word, within a couple of minutes, Evie found herself in the living room of the Kaveri household. When Cyne set her back on her feet, it jarred the kitten awake. Wide-eyed, the little guy surveyed the room and then leapt from her grip, taking off out the living room door.

  “I’ll go get him.” Evie moved toward the door, but Cyne’s hand on her shoulder stopped her.

  “He’ll be fine. I’m sure he’s just exploring.” Watching her carefully to make sure she stayed put, he settled himself on the couch.

  Evie gazed around the living room to keep her eyes off his still naked torso. Her eyes came to rest on a chair positioned on the other side of the coffee table. Relieved she would be able to put some distance between them, she settled in. She didn’t trust herself around Cyne. From the first moment she met him, she itched to touch him, explore his body with her hands. Hopefully, the chair would be far enough away from him to lessen the urge.

  Evie leaned back. Getting comfortable, she slipped her shoes off to tuck her stocking-covered feet underneath her. “Is anyone else home?”

  “Why? Don’t like hanging out alone with me?” Cyne challenged, his eyes alight with humor.

  Evie pretended to mull her answer over. When Cyne’s eyebrow rose, she admitted, “Of course, I like hanging out with you.”

  “Good, because the others are all out. Doing adultish, boring things.” His expression turned serious, a hint of heat in his eyes. “If only you were eighteen.”

  Evie cocked her head to the side. “Why eighteen?”

  Leaning forward, he whispered conspiratorially, “If you were eighteen, we could pass the time doing adultish, non-boring things.” His brows waggled up and down several times in emphasis.

  Her body burned as images formed, playing on repeat. Surely, he hadn’t meant it like that? Needing to do something before she spontaneously combusted, she stood from the chair. Unable to resist, she hedged, “Um, what did you have in mind?”

  A roguish grin lit his face microseconds before it disappeared. “Ask me again after your birthday.”

  “It’s only a couple weeks away.” Evie licked her lips, her eyes drifting back to his chest. “We could celebrate early.”

  Cyne mock glared at her. “Are you trying to tempt me?”

  Heart pounding, Evie met his jade-green eyes. “Yes.”

  Compelled by an unknown force, she walked around the small coffee table to come to a standstill in front of him. She was drawn to him like a moth to a flame, unable to resist his pull. He watched her advance through hooded lids, his eyes darkening as his pupils expanded. Emboldened, she moved to stand between his knees. She swallowed hard, unsure what to do next.

  “You’re going to get me in trouble.” His arms reached out to grasp her around the waist, tugging her forward until he pulled her onto his lap. Evie straddled him, both of her legs tucked on either side of his hips, her butt resting on his knees. Moving his hands from her waist, he circled both of her thighs, pulling her slowly forward until she was snug against him.

  “Oh.” Desire sparked, overriding her natural shyness.

  Evie’s breath sped up as she rested her hands on his shoulders, staring deeply into his eyes. His pupils were blown wide, darkened until blackness overtook the whiteness. Cyne’s hands rubbed small circles along the top of her thighs, her cotton leggings an ineffective barrier against the burn of his touch. Her fingers gripped his shoulders, and this time, when the urge to touch him hit her full force, she didn’t fight it. Her hands slid down to run along the hard planes of his chest, exploring the strength under her fingers. Her eyes followed the path her hands took as she trailed them further downward, brushing his nipples lightly before going lower. He moaned low in his throat, breathing out her name in a rugged whisper.

  Impatience spurred Evie on, the need to feel more of his bare skin against hers. Cyne growled as her hands trailed upwards, across his abdomen, tracing the etchings in his skin. The muscles of his lower belly contracted as she continued her exploration. His growls grew louder at each pass of her hands.

  Thirsting to taste him, her greedy lips found his skin. Caressing and sucking, she claimed each inch she encountered as hers. Her lips closed around his left nipple, licking it lightly, nipping the hard bud gently with her teeth, relishing the silky taste of him. One of his hands gripped her neck, the other tangled with her hair, pulling her even closer, directing her movements.

  She glanced up from under her lashes to take in his expression, needing to know he enjoyed what she was doing. His head was thrown back, and deep rumbles, almost like loud purrs, emitted from his chest. Evie nipped him again, and a moan escaped from him, loud and full of need. Encouraged, she bit down harder and resisted the urge to moan herself when his hips jerked against her. His hard length between her thighs caused a flash of heat to kindle low in her belly.

  Impatient, her hands tugged his head forward, finding his lips with hers. His mouth eagerly opened, and her tongue darted forward, needing to taste him more than she needed air. Encountering the sweetest nectar, she delved into the inner recesses of his mouth, wanting all of him. His tongue met hers excitedly, and they battled for dominance over the kiss. She retreated, breathing heavily. His hands fisted her hair and dragged her head back, deepening their kiss. He flicked his tongue forward, savoring her before pulling back with a teasing nip at her lower lip as he retreated. He repeated the action, again and again, until Evie was breathless. Heaving, she gasped for air, trying to settle the whirlwind of emotion his touch sparked in her. Cyne didn’t allow her to go far before he dragged her back, reclaiming her, not allowing her lips to leave his.

  He shifted their positions until she lay on the couch, Cyne over her, his body pressing her into the cushions. She reached out to touch his bare chest, but his hands captured hers, holding them over her head as his mouth descended again, kissing down her neck. When he reached the base of her throat, he hovered, making her muscles clench in anticipation, before he pulled the skin between his teeth, sucking and nipping at it repeatedly until she was out of breath.

  Cyne moaned, his lips moving away from her skin. “We have to stop, beautiful. It’s not safe. I won’t chance hurting you.”

  Heart pounding, Evie nodded, knowing he was right. They played with fire. Nothing could come from this but pain and heartbreak for Evie.

  “I have an idea. Let’s cuddle on the couch and watch a movie.” Cyne suggested, still holding her close.

  Unable to resist touching him longer, she nodded her agreement.

  ~

  Cyne’s voice pulled at her, waking her from the light slumber she’d fallen into while wrapped within his warm embrace. Still exhausted from her earlier exploits, she struggled to open her eyes, acknowledging him. Chuckling, he picked her up off the couch to snuggle her close. “Time to take you home.”

  With a shuffling movement, Cyne laid her down in her bed. Too tired to question how they arrived so quickly, Evie sighed as he placed a pillow under her head. He pulled her blanket over her, leaned forward, and gave her forehead a light kiss before nuzzling her hair. “I’ll see you tomorrow, half pint.”

/>   More shuffling sounded, followed by a small jumbled curse as he rammed into the chair at her desk. Evie fought to stay awake, but as quiet descended, it became a lost battle as she slipped back into oblivion.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The town of Henley, a hidden gem, was surrounded by the rolling hills of the great Smokey Mountains. Tucked away from society, the clean and well-kept town had the weight of age on it. Specialty stores lined both sides of Main Street, a mile-long stretch of road that ran through the center of town. The town advertised a coffee shop, bookstore, small theater, and an assortment of other stores. They even had a shop for formal wear, which seemed out of place to Evie.

  The shop, Special Occasions, was the first place Max wanted to visit. Evie rode with him and Caleb to the town in one of the school’s golf carts. This one was more sedate than the two previous ones, painted a uniform solid black with no other markings.

  The Shadewolf team planned to meet them in town sometime later on.

  Evie hoped to hit up Dark Brew, the coffee store next door, but Max didn’t even glance at it. With his destination in mind, nothing Evie or Caleb said would sway him. The store’s brick exterior was part of a small strip mall, five shops in total. The bookstore and coffee shop anchored each end with a thrift store and an antique store bracketing the formal shop at the center.

  A bell chimed as they walked through the front door, and the clerk glanced up from her perch behind the counter to greet them. Immediately, the opulent gowns hanging in the center of the store drew Evie’s attention. Tuxedos and suits were displayed in a separate section closer to the cashier, and a section for children’s formal wear was on the opposite side.

  The guys didn’t stop at the men’s area. Instead, they headed toward the back of the store, behind a black curtain Evie hadn’t noticed. Walking closer, she realized it wasn’t a curtain at all. It was a cloak. A twenty foot tall grim reaper hung suspended from the ceiling at the back of the store, his cloak strategically attached to the wall to form an opening into a back room. A scythe reached up from the ground into the grim reaper’s hand positioned above the doorway. It held a sign saying, Beware All Who Enter, Not All Will Exit.

  “Why are we here, guys?” Evie finally asked, perplexed as she bypassed the cloak, only to come up short. In the back of the store, hidden away, was a section devoted to costumes. Rows and rows of costumes made from polyester, silk, and cotton hung in organized racks. Witches and warlocks, every known superhero, even old Victorian costumes; the shop had it all.

  “We wanted to get our costumes for the Halloween Ball before the rush.” Max explained while Caleb reluctantly rifled through the different selections. “Otherwise, this place will be emptied out in a few weeks, and we’ll have to go into the city.”

  Evie shrugged, not understanding what he spoke about.

  Max must have noticed her blank expression because he further explained without prompting. “It’s a Suoja Guild tradition. All students and faculty attend. You need to find your costume as well, sweetheart. Something sexy. But not too sexy. We don’t want to spend the night running interference between you and those horny ass human men.”

  She huffed and rolled her eyes. Evie never dressed up for Halloween. Her dad didn’t believe in celebrating the holiday. Besides, human men didn’t hold her interest. It seemed she only had eyes for guys who were off-limits.

  Unsure what type of costume she wanted, she started to search the racks. She was still looking when the guys found theirs. They left the room, heading to the dressing rooms to try them on, and left Evie on her own. The store became quiet, and she missed the guys immediately.

  Determined to find something, she renewed her search. She started closer to the doorway and went rack by rack, discarding all the selections. She ventured farther into the room. There had to be something she could wear.

  A swishing noise came from near the entrance. With her back to the door, she assumed one of the guys had returned. Not wanting to slow them down anymore, she continued her hunt.

  Warm breath heated the back of her neck, causing her to shiver. She spun, expecting Max to be right behind her, but no one was there. Unnerved, she glanced around the room. She was the only person here. She shrugged it off as her imagination and turned back to paw through the rack again. What should she be? Something traditional, or something unexpected? The choices were endless.

  Red and black cloth peeked out from behind a furry animal costume, and she went to her tippy-toes to see it better. A musky scent invaded her nose, making it twitch. Someone with bad body odor must have tried on the costume. Not wanting to be any closer to the noxious scent, she backed up a few feet, only to bump against something hard.

  An arm snaked around her waist. A second one reached up, a hand covering her mouth. The stench came from behind her.

  “Quiet, bitch. We wouldn’t want your friends to hear.” Her captor jerked her head back to stare into her eyes. Hatred and disgust burned in his. He looked older, mid-thirties perhaps, with a mustache and slicked back, black hair. A long scar ran across his forehead, and a small tattoo of a raven showed at his temple. Evie had never seen this man before. Evie tried to roll her body forward to escape, but the man anticipated her movement, tightening his arm, jerking her back.

  Tipping her head to the side, he nuzzled her neck. “I have a message from your dad. He’s been watching you. He didn’t raise you to spread your legs to the first man who showed an interest, let alone a group of fucking animals who aren’t even human.”

  Astonishment ran through Evie. Who was he talking about? Max and Caleb? The Shadewolf team? Chills ran up her body at the knowledge her father had spies in the school and was in close contact with them.

  “Tell me something? What’s the attraction? Do you like taking it from multiple men at the same time? Is that it? You love dick so much, you whore yourself out the minute you leave your father’s care.” As he rubbed his crotch against her butt, nausea threatened, burning her throat with its acidic taste. Evie struggled harder, trying in vain to loosen his grip. Not making headway, her fear gave way to anger, and she bided her time. “Believe me, what I have in my pants is enough to satisfy any pussy, even one as loose as yours.”

  His hand left her waist as he reached up with the intent to grab one of her breasts. Taking a deep breath, Evie lifted her leg up and kicked back, striking him directly in the knee. He howled and released her, clutching his leg. She didn’t hesitate, slamming her knee under his chin, knocking his head back. He fell onto his back, the carpet doing nothing to cushion his fall.

  “Don’t ever touch me again, asshole!” Evie whisper-yelled and then stomped her Converse covered foot down onto his crotch, hard. The racks of heavy clothes muffled his agonized shriek; she didn’t think it echoed out of the room. She left him whimpering on the floor like a baby and walked out into the main section of the store to find the dressing rooms Max and Caleb occupied.

  Not wanting to alert them to what happened, she called out a simple explanation. “Guys, I’m going next door for a coffee. Meet me there.”

  She didn’t wait for them to respond before walking out of the store, desperately in need of the fresh air to clear away the awful stench from her nose.

  The cool morning air made Evie grateful she’d wore a hoodie. She paused outside the store to take in her surroundings. She knew the guy inside had to be working with a partner. Her father always preached about no lone missions. She relaxed her pose, leaning against one of the columns that held up the overhanging roof. She casually glanced around, surveying the area for possible threats. While still early, going on eleven in the morning, quite a few people strolled along the streets. Some window shopped; others huddled together, standing around and talking. Nothing or no one stood out.

  Evie gave up her perusal and walked to the coffee shop. She would order a mocha and wait for Max and Caleb. As she passed the alley between the two stores, only a few feet from her destination, an arm snaked around her body, halting h
er progress.

  “Whoa there, girl. Where are you off to in such a hurry?” The muscular arm around her waist tightened, pulling her back against a hard body and further into the alley.

  Irate for not sensing the trap, she squirmed, trying to break free. She looked down, giving his arm a hard tug and noticed an intricate tattoo on his lower forearm. Her foot left the ground, intending to kick back at the man holding her, but he pulled her off balance and her foot slammed back on the ground. “Please, let me go.”

  “Now, don’t be like that. We just want to talk to you.”

  She searched around for someone to help her, but no others passed nearby. The alley walls blocked them from being seen from the main street. Evie’s view was abruptly cut off when two more guys moved in front of her; their eyes locked on her captor.

  The two guys looked similar in build, tallish with enough muscle tone to hint they worked out a lot. Both in jeans, the one on the left had on a short sleeved blue shirt while the guy on the right was dressed in a sports jersey.

  At first, Evie thought they were here to help her, but they quickly disproved that notion. The malice in their gaze was directed at her. These two new guys must be the other part of the “we” the first guy spoke of.

  “Let me go,” she spat, wiggling some more.

  The arm around her waist was like an iron shackle. Not ready to give up, she grasped his arm with both hands and pulled at it desperately, trying in vain to move it. She sunk her nails deep into his skin, hoping the pain would make him jerk away. Instead, he grabbed her by the throat with his free hand, applying pressure against her windpipe until lack of oxygen forced her to let go.

  “Now listen here, slut. Me and my friends want to get to know you better. You’re going to come quietly. If you don’t, well…” Evie felt him shrug, giving her throat a final squeeze in emphasis.