A Slash of Savagery (Wiccan-Were-Bear)

by R. E. Butler

  “Your tummy sounds angry,” Sang said, lifting a glass of apple juice and taking a sip.

  “It’s mad since I went to bed without having a snack.”

  She chose a quiche and added a scoop of hash browns and strips of bacon to her plate. Brone busied himself heating up SyBl for his own meal. After some thought, Sang chose a waffle the size of a dinner plate, and topped it with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. He devoured it quickly and moved on to the other items on the platters while she and Brone talked about the meeting with the serpents and he chimed in with tidbits about his people. When he had polished off a bowl of hash browns, a plate of bacon and sausage links, and two ham and cheese omelets, he let out a large belch and covered his mouth with his hands, giggling.

  “Sorry, Milady, it has been a long time since I’ve eaten anything this good.”

  “I’m sorry I gave you raw steak last night,” she said.

  “That tasted good, too. My beast liked it. The bad vampire wouldn’t feed me if I didn’t win the fights. Sometimes I did win, but sometimes I didn’t.”

  Her heart cracked. “You don’t have to fight for him anymore.”

  “I’m glad.” He smiled at her.

  Brone stood and said, “We should meet with Mishka and the family before the serpents arrive.”

  “Are you ready to see your family again, Sang?”

  He nodded as he stood and reached for Arissa’s hand. “You’re not mad at me for biting you? I couldn’t help myself.”

  “Of course not,” she assured him as she walked between him and Brone down the hallway. “Plus, the tattoo is pretty cool looking.”

  She had chosen to dress in a way that showed off the tattoo from the marking, pairing her leather pants with a black satin vest and clipping her hair back at her nape with a jeweled barrette.

  They rode the elevator to the first floor and joined Mishka and the family in Mishka’s office. Sang stayed by Arissa’s side, holding her hand tightly. “They’re not going to hurt you, Sang,” she promised, smoothing back the hair from his face as he looked up at her, “they’re my family.”

  He gave her a small smile, his eyes darting around curiously. “You’re not a vampire.”

  Mishka came around his desk and knelt before the small boy. “She is not like us, but she is our family because of her mate. She married into the family. And you are her brother by blood, yes?” He gestured to her tattoo.

  Sang nodded. “She is my family now, the one I will protect with my life.”

  “Then you are also part of our family.”

  Sang seemed to relax a bit, and Arissa mouthed thank you to Mishka, who stood and smiled at her. She had a feeling that he was being extra sweet to Sang because the serpents were coming and were probably pissed at all vampires.

  Sang walked with her and Brone as they followed the family to the War Room. A small group of males of Asian descent were gathered in the far corner of the room. She felt a prickling awareness along her skin, like the slither of scales, and she shivered. Her power was reacting to the serpents, maybe because of the tattoo and her bond with Sang.

  A male stepped forward from the group, his face carved in disbelief. She could tell immediately that he was Sang’s father, and she attempted to let go of Sang’s hand but he held her hand tighter.

  “Papa,” Sang said.

  The man dropped to his knees in front of Sang and rested one hand on his shoulder. “I thought you were lost to our ancestors, my son.”

  “I failed. Mother was killed because I was not strong enough to protect her.” Sang hung his head, and Arissa’s eyes filled with tears at the sorrow that emanated from him.

  “No, my son,” the man said, “it was no one’s fault, especially not yours. You’re free now, and that’s what matters.”

  Sang squeezed her hand and then released it slowly. His father enveloped him in his arms and held Sang as he cried. She leaned against Brone and he comforted her as her own tears fell at the sweet sight. She hadn’t known the little boy long, but she was greatly affected by this reunion.

  After a few moments, Sang let go of his father and scrubbed at his eyes with one hand while reaching for Arissa’s hand again. “Papa, this is my kore, Arissa. She is a witch and saw me when no one else could.”

  The male stood, holding his son’s other hand, and looked at the tattoo on her arm. His face was unreadable, and she wondered if he was upset that Sang had marked her. But then he smiled and bowed his head. “Thank you for saving my son’s life, Arissa. My family is forever in your debt.”

  She watched as he raised his hand and the tips of his fingers transformed into thick claws. Scraping the claws across his bicep, he spoke words in a language that she didn’t understand and every serpent, except one, dropped to his knees and slammed a fist into the floor with a sharp sound.

  “I am honor bound to you forever, Wiccan Arissa, by blood and oath.” Sang dropped to his knees and slammed his fist into the floor as well, and for a brief moment, there was only reverent silence.

  The serpent who still stood, she knew, was their king. He bowed his head to her as she met his gaze.

  She said softly to Sang’s father, “I’m honored.”

  His father stood slowly, as did the other serpents, and introduced himself as Dae. Mishka strode toward Tosh and they shook hands. The vampires and serpents mingled and talked while Brone and Arissa stood with Sang and Dae. After awhile, Tosh came over to them and shook her hand and Brone’s.

  “Thank you for saving his life, Arissa. The marking binds you and Sang in a life-debt. Anyone who sees it will know that you are part of our nest and to be honored and protected. My warriors have pledged themselves on Sang’s behalf. If ever you have need of us, you only have to call, and we will help in any way.”

  Tosh met Brone’s gaze and something unsaid passed between them. Tosh turned away with a nod and walked back to his people.

  Sang said, “I think we have to leave now. May I visit you?”

  “Whenever your father says it’s okay,” she promised, going to her knees and hugging him. “I’m so glad we’re friends, Sang.”

  He kissed her cheek and then slipped from her arms, taking his father’s hand and walking out of the War Room with the serpents. She sat on the floor, leaning against Brone’s legs.

  Mishka said, “I have not heard of any serpents binding themselves in a life-debt before. It’s an ancient custom.”

  “Arissa’s special,” Cella said, smiling at her.

  “Yes, she is,” Brone said, stroking the top of her head.

  * * * * *

  Brone offered his arm to his mate and she took it, smiling at him in a way that made him want to forget they still had work to do. Unfortunately, they did need to work and the time for her to work at the coven’s store was drawing close, and he would be there, guarding her. They’d only been mated a few days, and he felt extremely possessive of her. He didn’t want her to leave his sight, especially not during the daylight hours when he would be unable to help her, but he did trust the males he had chosen as guards for her.

  He left her at the front desk and kissed her cheek before going down into his chamber to check out the mini kitchen. The installers had finished the previous night, but he had insisted it remain a surprise for his mate, so the workers hung drapes from the ceiling to hide the work as it was completed. They worked quickly, and thanks to Cella’s input, Brone knew that Arissa would love the kitchen.

  When he walked through the door, two workers glanced at him and then returned to work. Cella, who was supervising them, said, “It looks wonderful. Arissa will adore it. Do you think she peeked at all?”

  Brone half-smiled. “She promised she wouldn’t.”

  Cella said, “The fridge is stocked. SyBl for you, drinks and snacks for her.” She crossed to the two overhead cabinets and opened one. “This one has dishes, and this one has non-refrigerated snacks. I saw her get a Nutter Butter package from the vending machine once, so I made sure there wer
e a few bags in here.”

  “Nutter Butter?” He raised a brow.

  “Peanut butter sandwich cookies.”

  He shook his head, happy that Cella had noticed foods that Arissa liked to eat. Brone knew she loved coffee when she first woke up and had been sure to have a coffee maker included in the kitchen. He spent each mealtime with her, but he hadn’t recognized half the foods she enjoyed eating. He’d just never cared about the food that mortals ate. At least not until Arissa became his mate. He wanted her to be happy and to feel that he was taking good care of her. The kitchen was a start.

  As the workers finished, he looked over the work. The dark wood cabinets matched the other furniture in the room. Green and gold flecked the black granite countertop, and the stainless steel appliances — coffee maker, refrigerator, and microwave — lent the kitchen a clean, modern appearance. He turned to face the wall where the flat screen TV now hung. Wires connected the TV to a satellite box, Blu-Ray player, and stereo. The couch before it was made of soft, black leather, and Cella had added a few dark green pillows and a coffee table made of glass.

  “It looks great. She’ll love it,” Cella said.

  Brone nodded. He couldn’t wait to show her.

  As the night waned, he found himself both agitated and excited. They were going to feed from each other for the first time since they mated. In a perfect world, they would not have to leave the chamber at all, but the world was not perfect by any stretch.

  He found it difficult to concentrate on anything, his thoughts drifting to Arissa again and again. He turned off the computer, stood, and walked down to Mishka’s office. “I’m taking Arissa for the remainder of the night.”

  Mishka’s golden gaze darted to the clock and back to Brone. A low growl rumbled in Brone’s chest. Mishka would not stop him from taking his mate to their chamber.

  “You needn’t growl, Brone. I wasn’t planning to stop you.”

  Brone nodded and turned away, walking toward the door. His long legs ate up the distance to the front desk, and he leaned over and pushed the button to forward to the phones to the answering service. The two guards looked at him in surprise through the glass doors and then they both smiled and nodded. “Whatcha up to?” Arissa asked as he offered her his hand.

  He opened his mouth to tell her that he wanted her right then, but all that came out of his throat was an inarticulate growl. Her brows raised and then her eyes darkened, the scent of her arousal spiked in the air and every possessive instinct in him roared to life. He snarled in the guards’ direction as he pulled Arissa from her chair and tucked her behind his back. No one scented her arousal but him.

  “Brone?” She spoke his name as her hands slipped around his waist and fisted his shirt. “Take me to bed right now.”

  The guards had taken several steps away from the glass doors when he snarled at them, seemingly unsure of why he was angry. A part of him wanted to slam the doors open and ensure they never scented anything ever again, but then she pressed her body against his back and made a soft, moaning sound and all of his vengeful thoughts fled. Giving a final snarl for good measure, he turned and hurried her down the hallway to the elevator.

  When the doors slid closed, she jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and making her short skirt rise up her thighs. “I love when you growl. So sexy.” She chuckled low in her throat as she nipped at the cords in his neck and ground the apex of her thighs against his erection.

  His fangs throbbed in his mouth. The elevator doors opened, and he forced his eyes open so he could navigate the hallway to their chamber. She stopped her gentle nibbling on his throat, making a low growling sound before sinking her teeth into his neck.

  He groaned as pleasure stole through him. She hadn’t broken the skin, but the blunt edges of her teeth felt like heaven. She released him when he opened the bedroom door and stepped inside, slamming it shut and locking it. She licked the mark she’d made and squeezed herself closer to him.

  He wanted her to see the surprise he had for her, almost as much as he wanted her naked and screaming in pleasure. He lowered her to the floor and pushed her gently away from him. She made a protesting sound, her eyes unfocused when they blinked open.

  “The chamber is done, beloved,” he said, tilting his head toward the new kitchen.

  Her eyes focused suddenly, and she turned her head and gasped. “Oh wow,” she said, stepping away from him. She strode to the mini-kitchen, running her fingertip along the counter. Opening the refrigerator, she looked inside, closed it, and then opened the cabinets. She pulled down a red plastic wrapped package with a picture of a peanut shaped cookie on the front. Tapping the top with one finger, she looked at him. “These are my favorite.”

  “I can’t take credit for them. Cella stocked the kitchen for you and said that you liked them.”

  She put them down on the counter and walked past him, taking in the new furniture and television. She touched the couch, sliding her palm along the back cushion as she took in everything that had been changed in the chamber. She seemed pleased, and he hoped that she really was.

  “We can change anything you don’t like,” he offered.

  Her eyes widened. “Don’t you dare! I love it.”

  He smiled. “I’m glad.”

  “You don’t watch TV though, do you?”

  “No, but I’ll learn.”

  She chuckled and gave the couch a final pat before joining him. “I love you, Brone. Thank you for everything. It’s even better than I expected.” Her eyes darkened as her arousal spiked in the air once more and she said, “Now where were we?”

  “Here,” he growled, lifting her up and turning, he pressed her against the door, bracing her back with one arm as he reached between them and ripped off her panties. He felt the heat of her pussy against his hand as he undid his pants. She rubbed herself on his hand, letting her head fall back against the door with a soft thud.

  Releasing his cock, he shifted his hips back and aligned himself with her pussy and thrust inside her. Her legs tightened around him, and her hands gripped his shoulders as she gasped and her eyes fluttered shut.

  “Yes,” she hissed, rolling her hips as he began to move in and out of her. He couldn’t stop himself from fucking her hard against the door. Her arousal in public made him want to brand her with his scent over and over so that everyone would know she was his and his alone.

  “Mine,” he snarled, and her eyes opened fractionally and she grinned.

  “Hell yes.”

  Her nails dug into his biceps as he drove into her. Her pussy tightened around him, and he knew she was close to coming already. He touched her chin, turning her head to face him, and kissed her. She shuddered and moaned, wrenching her mouth free as he twisted his hips to the side and her pussy gripped him.

  “Oh, there,” she moaned, her hands gripping the collar of his shirt as she bucked her body against him.

  He bit her neck just hard enough to mark but not enough to break the skin and she came, crying out his name and shuddering. He followed her two strokes later, pressing their bodies tightly together and filling her pussy. They panted for breath as he held her against the door, pressing his head to her shoulder and holding her close.

  “You know I only want you, right?” she asked, rubbing her cheek against his.

  “I know this.”

  “So the jealous thing earlier?”

  He kissed her ear and turned, walking toward the bed with her in his arms. “You’re mine.” There really was no other explanation.

  He set her on the bed, and she pulled off her clothes while he removed his. “You can growl at me anytime,” she said, smiling as she went to her knees in the center of the bed.

  He joined her on the bed, towering over her small frame. She traced her fingers from the top of his hands to his shoulders and back down again. The touch was simple, but rocked him to the core.

  “I’m hungry, Brone.”

  “As am I, beloved.”

&
nbsp; He scored his wrist while she watched and offered it to her. She didn’t hesitate, latching her mouth onto his wrist and drinking his blood. The soft moan of appreciation made his cock spring back to life. He’d wondered if she would be disgusted by the act of drinking his blood, but she clearly wasn’t.

  She let out a satisfied moan and licked across the wound on his wrist. “You taste so good. Not like blood, exactly, but something more complex.” She held her hands out in front of her and wiggled her fingers. “I can feel your blood in my body.”

  “It’s our bond. It grows stronger with each feeding, but it’s already quite powerful because we are beloveds.”

  She stroked her throat with a smile. “Come and get it while it’s incredibly hot.”

  He growled and pounced on her, taking her to the mattress and curling himself around her back. He sank his fangs into her neck, not as deeply as their mating bond, but deep enough for him to feed, and she moaned, pressing herself against him. With a simple movement, he lifted her leg and slid his cock into her as he drank her blood and they made love.

  And then they made love once more before dawn.

  Chapter 14

  Arissa yawned as the alarm on her cell beeped Sunday afternoon. She had to be at the store well before sunset, so she needed to get on her way. Slipping from the bed, she peeked back at Brone who was awake but silent. She blew a kiss to him and headed into the bathroom to take a shower.

  After her shower, she dressed in a long skirt and silk tank. She applied makeup and then brushed her teeth. She stepped into a pair of sandals and then returned to the main room. Brone was sitting on the edge of the bed with the sheet wrapped loosely around his waist.

  “Come here, my mate,” he said, holding out his hand.

  She hesitated. “I don’t have time for a quickie even though you’re really, really tempting.”

  He half-smiled. “No, my beloved, that’s not why.”

  She took a few steps and reached for his hand. He drew her close and kissed her briefly. She felt something cold touch the ring finger on her left hand and as their kiss ended, she looked down to see him push a ring onto her finger.