by Jo Penn
“What was wrong with eating in the kitchen?” Mason grumbled. “I wanted to check if the soldiers have heard anything about the cabins.”
“We’ll be told when patrols find something. It could take a while, Mason,” Drax warned. “Whoever this is has been lying in wait a long time. They could be working with the Renegades, separately or using them to get an advantage. It’s not going to be a quick find and grab, so be prepared to get on with life as usual.”
Mason sighed, picking at his baguette. “You’re right. I know you are. Jack admitted that he killed the previous second here and was following instructions to kill you and me. All of that was five years ago. What do we do in the meantime? How do we keep everyone safe?”
“Less magic being used to cover coven members for one. More regular checks on each. If they feel that is an invasion of privacy, we just remind them Jack managed to hide what was going on, and they don’t want anyone else to get away with it.” Drax put aside his own baguette, his filled with bacon, eggs, a bit of salad, and ham. “How are you feeling about us?”
Finally, the exhausted, strained look left Mason’s beautiful face, and those at times chilly ice-blue eyes warmed.
“Reassured. And you?”
Drax smirked. “Reassured? What’s that supposed to mean? That I can be trained?”
“Well, of course, darling, you’re coming along so well.”
Drax liked the teasing. He liked it more that Mason threaded their hands together, thumb caressing Drax’s.
“I can be trained in other areas.” He pointedly looked toward the bedroom.
“Oh? That sounds intriguing.”
“We’ve claimed each other, mate. I know it has only been a few days, but I want to bond. Are you ready for that?”
He wouldn’t push, not Drax’s way. He was upfront and would wait, ask again, and do some more waiting. Though he would prefer sooner than later. Now in fact.
Mason released Drax’s hand. He felt a stab of disappointment, a little bereft from the loss, but that quickly changed as his wizard stood before him and sunk his hands into Drax’s hair.
“I would have mated you the first day we met, sexy. You’re the one who dragged their paws.” Mason placed a leg over Drax’s lap and sat. “I may have gone a bit crazy with the tizz and overuse of potions and spells, but at the base, I never stopped wanting you. The last few days have reminded me why it is I so easily, so quickly, fell head over pointed wizard hat for you, my big wolf.”
While the pain evaporated and his heart exploded with all the feelings he’d kept under control, Drax wrapped his arms around his beautiful, kindhearted, smart mate and held tight as he buried his face in Mason’s neck and breathed in that wonderful scent.
“I have longed for you, baby, day and night. My heart breaks that I caused you a slither of pain—”
“Shh, sexy wolf.” Mason pressed a kiss to Drax’s lips. Soft. Enticing. “We did the wrong thing. It’s done. It won’t be forgotten, but it is forgiven. Now we move forward together. And maybe…” Mason smiled, his shoulder-length silken hair falling forward around him like a glorious shroud. He traced a finger over Drax’s chest through his shirt. “Just a little magic and ink mixed together.”
Tugging his beautiful mate up against him, tangling one hand through that glorious hair, Drax nipped at his wizard’s pointed chin.
“Yeah? You want me to get another tat?”
Mason might be straitlaced and uptight at times, but he was also passionate and liked the few tattoos Drax had.
“Hmm, a symbol. Yours and mine entwined.”
“Yeah, you design. I’ll get Uri to do it.”
Mason pulled back. Not far, Drax wasn’t letting his man go anywhere. “Uri is a tattooist?”
“He dabbles in it.” Slipping the buttons out of his mate’s pristine white shirt, Drax eased it off Mason’s shoulders. “Damn I need you.” But Drax paused. “Do you know how I feel about you, Mason? I can’t be without you, baby. Can you feel me through our link?”
“I can. You’re mine, Enforcer Drax.” Mason squirmed against Drax’s groin. “I’m sure you can feel what I want—”
“How do I get your love?”
“Oh, you foolish wolf, you already have it! Do you really think I would have gone into tizz if I didn’t care about you? Didn’t want and need you? That my heart didn’t belong to you?” Mason swatted Drax’s arm none to gently.
“Ow.” Drax grinned and hugged Mason tight. “So does that mean I can take you to bed and fuck you?”
“Yes.”
Drax didn’t hesitate. Lifting Mason up in his arms as he stood, Drax kicked the chair out of the way and latched onto his mate’s soft mouth.
The passion between them lit up like a lightning strike. Drax didn’t remember walking to the bedroom. Suddenly they were there and on the bed, Mason beneath him returning kiss for kiss, his hands jerking Drax’s shirt up, and then expertly undoing the buttons on his jeans and pushing them down, releasing Drax’s heavy, throbbing cock.
There wasn’t any possible way to slow down. Between Drax and Mason their passion, their chemistry had always been lightning hot and fast. They could take it slow next time, and he would. He’d worship every inch of his mate for hours, bring his wizard to pleasure again and again. Now though, he needed inside this man who was his and to bond them forever.
Fortunately, Mason was of the same mind. Their clothes were hastily tossed aside. Mason rolled over onto his stomach and reached across the bed to the side table where the lube was always kept, flashing that slender little ass in Drax’s face.
So of course he took the opportunity given him and planted a hand on the curve at the top of Mason’s butt, enjoying the feel of smooth skin and being able to touch him mate intimately again. Slowly he shifted his mate’s legs apart until Mason was spread in front of him, the little pink star on display.
“Oh the moons, Drax, I’ve missed you.”
“Never as much as I’ve missed you, my wizard.”
Learning forward, Drax pressed a kiss to each smooth cheek, then trailed his lips and tongue from balls to hole, licking, sucking and finding those sensitive spots that had his mate wiggling and groaning beneath him.
Using his fingers and mouth, plus the lube that Mason dropped beside him, Drax sucked one of his mate’s smooth balls into his mouth while rubbing his fingers along the man’s crack. He loved the taste of Mason, a sharp tang that burst on Drax’s tongue, and the man’s come was a delicacy. Sucking one ball deep—Mason had ultrasensitive orbs—he lightly rubbed over the pink star he wanted to fuck until it was red and puffy and filled with Drax’s scent and seed.
With a flick of Drax’s tongue over one smooth orb, Mason yelled out as he unloaded on the bedcover, his clean, tangy scent filling the air and managing to arouse Drax further. Growling around the balls he nibbled on, he pressed a finger inside and wiggled, Mason spurting just a little bit more.
With his own dick throbbing painfully and knowing he had to get inside his mate, Drax got to work, stretching Mason to take his dick with his fingers and tongue and driving Mason’s cries higher until he finally nodded.
“Now, I’m ready.”
They’d had sex many times before, had made love, but this was the time Drax had longed for, looked forward to, and wanted it to be explosive and wild, filled with passion and wants. They would finally bond. Going up on his knees, he took his dick in hand, pressed it to his mate’s stretched, lubed hole, and pushed inside. He was a big man, long and thick, and though he wanted nothing more than to push in and take them both on a fast hard ride, he waited, hands on Mason’s fairly skinny hips.
Mason wasn’t waiting. The wizard muttered something and pushed back to take more of Drax before pausing. Drax rubbed Mason’s back, soothing, and moved a little at a time until finally he was all the way in and their balls were bouncing together. He groaned, head back, fingers touching where they were joined. He could feel the last remaining tendrils of their bonding begin
and sink into them. He savored it as he moved ever so slightly, just enough to cause friction, touching where they were joined.
Mason felt it, too, panting. For the bonding to finish, Drax needed to empty inside Mason.
He moved, hard now, deep, both hands gripping Mason’s hips so tight they would leave red marks.
Every thrust, every movement bought him quickly to climax. He could feel Mason’s need rising like his own. It was the most amazing sensation as his cock was gripped in the tightest ass he’d ever had the pleasure of tapping. When Mason squeezed his muscles, moaning and lifting a little higher, Drax held on tight and slammed into his mate, desperate for more, no longer holding back, the pleasure between them rushing through him and driving his needs even higher.
After a few hard thrusts and hitting that knot of nerves, the wizard gave a breathless cry of pleasure, magic shooting off around him as he released streams of tangy come on the bed. Muscles squeezed Drax until he could barely move and his cock swelled. As his orgasm hit him like a lightning strike, he leaned over his mate and sunk his elongated fangs into the claiming mark he’d left there and pounded through his and Mason’s next orgasm.
Finally empty, Drax closed the bite marks and, still inside his mate, wrapped his arms around Mason and moved them to lie on their sides, both panting.
“Love you, baby.”
“Love you, too.”
They lay joined for some time, Drax caressing his mate’s pale soft skin, his lips pressed to that silken hair. Never would he let his wizard go. The man was his world.
* * * *
Mason followed Drax and Baron through the thick forest in the far west of the valley surrounding Milson City. Four hours ago, he and Drax had been woken by Baron pounding on the door, telling them to get up and dressed, that the cabin Jack used had been found.
After lying together still joined, Drax lightly caressing, it wasn’t long before they were touching and moving together, bodies needing. Mason felt a flush of arousal at the thought of how Drax slowly loved on him, planting his cock deep in Mason’s ass over and over and rubbing that sweet spot that made him mindless in pleasure. With a big hand working his cock, Mason had been in heaven and their climaxes explosive.
It would always be that way between them.
Mason was happy, and he valued happiness. He was glad the tizz was fading and he could feel his mate properly, glad he was no longer angry and hurt. They were one now.
Smiling, he checked out Drax’s ass, and then sobered, remembering why they were marching through the thick bush. He doubted that the witch Caitlyn would be here. She was probably long gone or with this “Master” Jack had kept talking about. Along with Drax, Baron, and Mason, there were a dozen soldiers spread out close by and Visij, the fae second, as well as Gwen Delacourt for the Durand vampire coven.
Every group in and out of Milson City wanted this threat eliminated.
Mason believed Drax though. The Master had invested too much time and patience to let them catch him so easily and with how good he was at sneaking around for so many years Mason was prepared for traps and hazards. This threat would not end here today. And if the Master was Laurie’s father, then the man had joined with the Renegades to be able to get into the valley.
“With Jack being exposed as the inside traitor, the investigators have packed up and left the valley,” Gwen said quietly as they walked. “There are suspicions over who the Master may be and if the creature is leading the Renegades who are sneaking into the valley and city.”
“I believe they are correct.”
“Can you sense any magic?”
“None.”
“Maybe now that the traitor has been caught the magic is gone from here.”
“Could be.” Mason didn’t have the answers unfortunately. “We’ll soon—”
A shout to their left halted the group in their tracks just before a loud noise filled their ears and the ground shook. Looking to the left, he saw the trees crumbling and knew magic wasn’t behind this. His mind quickly flicked through spells to stop the avalanche of trees coming down and the ground falling away to reveal a large crater that got deeper and wider as it raced toward them.
“You got a spell, Mason?” Visij yelled, moving beside him.
“Yes, but it won’t make much difference. Got some magic to stop this?”
“Yeah, won’t make much difference.” Vis grinned and threw up his hands.
Drax wrapped an arm around Mason’s waist and lifted him off his feet. “We need to run.”
“Give me a minute to slow this down.”
“You’ve got twenty seconds, then we’re running,” Drax yelled over the noise.
Saying the spell in a rush, one that would slow down the speed of the avalanche, Mason threw his hands out to spread the magic. Vis did some fae magic, thrusting his hands up and out also, and then Drax was running and yelling at Vis to move his ass as he tossed Mason over his shoulder.
The mad run through the forest only lasted a moment before Vis opened a portal in front of them, and they all tumbled through and rolled out on the grass in front of the Starters’ pack house.
“Damn, I always forget you can open portals,” Baron grumbled, dusting himself off.
Placed on his feet, Mason pointed at his mate. “There was no need for the fireman’s lift.”
Drax grinned and leaned down to nuzzle Mason’s cheek. “Sorry, baby, instinct.”
“So what caused the avalanche? Magic?” Gwen asked, picking debris out of her hair.
“None that I sensed. I’m going with plain and simple explosives set to cause an avalanche from trees collapsing and underground caves giving way beneath them. You sense magic, Mason?” Vis asked.
“No. We need to get back as soon as possible and see if anything remains of the cabin.”
“What’s going on?” Urian asked from the steps.
Drax explained what happened to his Alpha, Mason wondering about the soldiers still out there. Visij assured him there had been fae who could open portals, so they would have gotten out without being hurt.
An hour later, they were back at the site of the cabin that was now long gone. Bits were strewn around the forest, as were trees, and they had to be careful where they stepped due to the cave-ins. Mason studied any piece he found that might have come from the cabin, but in the end, it told him nothing.
Yes, there were potion bottles and a grimoire, some old spell-casting and potion-making books but nothing that led to who the Master was. So they had nothing. The Master was still out there with Renegades plotting and planning not only the Armstrong’s demise, but also Drax’s now. Maybe every leader in Milson City.
“We’ll stay alert.” Drax stopped beside Mason, the big wolf warming Mason’s suddenly chilled body. “No one can hide forever.”
“No, but he’s managed to hide for twenty-five years already,” Mason murmured.
They returned to the Armstrong coven late, Mason seeing Laurie’s anxious face and silently shaking his head.
“Law’s awake. Grandma spoke to him.” Laurie fell into step beside Mason. “Now that the aging potion is off him, he looks really young, sounds it, too. We tried to reassure him we want him here and he’s part of our family, but I don’t think he believes us. Xavier said Law wants to know who his parents are. Can you scry?”
“I will, yes.”
“Would that help to find my father?” Laurie asked quietly, hesitantly.
“No, he blocks us.”
“Yeah. I guess everything’s changed now…first Luka, you, and Law’s actually my cousin or another nephew and—I’ll go.”
Mason hugged Laurie and spoke quietly in his cousin’s ear, “No matter what, we are family. That is what is most important. You are you, Laurie, not him and never forget that. I trust and love you, as does everyone in this city. Let’s go see this other cousin who has been hiding right under our noses.”
Mason was certainly going to make a lot of changes. He’d known Law was young
but not as young as the teenager actually was, and that showed he hadn’t been observant, too caught up in his problems with Drax to notice the potion’s presence. There would be limited use of potions. Damn, it was getting so bad that coven members were using spells, lotions, and potions to cover blemishes and wrinkles!
Drax trailed Mason and Laurie to the family infirmary where Law was being kept. Looking down at the teenager, he was stunned just how young-looking Lawson was, and without the covering, he looked similar to Xavier with the dark hair, though he was pale like Laurie and Mason.
“Shit, he’s just a pup,” Drax growled. “Someone needs to become his guardian.”
“Grandma has already placed the application in with the Council. As Law is an Armstrong, it’ll be processed quickly. There is a temporary order in place,” Laurie said.
Dr. Layke Aston strode in and did a check, Law waking for a few moments but clearly not comprehending what was going on.
“How is he?” Mason asked.
“Recovering slowly. I will be back tomorrow.”
Layke had never been known for his social skills, but Mason always liked the doctor. Lately though, Layke seemed antsy and easily irritated. As Law was resting and Drax had guards on the teenager, Mason didn’t hang around. After a debriefing with Delia and a few higher-up coven members and sitting in on a meeting with Drax and the security supervisors, they were finally able to get cleaned up after their time in the forest.
“You know what I feel like?” Mason pulled on a sweater as he watched Drax dress after their shower.
“What?” Drax finger combed his hair, the creamy mass falling instantly into place.
Hmm, unlike Mason’s whisper-fine hair that he usually used a spell to keep in perfect order. Looked like he would have to do it the old fashion way from now on. That meant a lot of mousse.