Wicked Little Things

by Emma Dean

  She climbed higher and higher into the sky toward the moon.

  Toward the eyrie.

  Mika hadn’t just embraced chaos. She’d unleashed it.

  She was chaos.

  Looking at her life…it was the only conclusion she could come to that made any sense. Because no matter how hard she held onto that prim and proper exterior, keeping things neat and tidy…

  That had never been who she was. Never could be. Mika was a blood witch and her power was deep and dark. Eventually she would have had to come to terms with what she was and fully embrace it.

  A screech and Mika saw Corbin descend from above like he planned to pin her to the forest floor. She dodged, but just barely. She may be fast, but she was still learning what each body could do, how to make it obey without question or hesitation.

  Pulling a move she’d seen him use a few times, Mika banked and coasted toward the eyrie in an invitation. Corbin overtook her easily and dove through an open window. She didn’t question him and simply followed.

  Mika shifted as she entered and landed in a crouch, completely naked. The black slowly receded from her skin as she stood, and Mika stared at Corbin whose eyes were blazing ruby as he took her in.

  “You are every inch a queen,” he murmured.

  Before she could respond he was across the room with his hand on her neck, slamming her into a wall.

  It took her breath away and made her hot and wet. Without asking for permission she used those claws that still hadn’t melted back into her body to shred the shirt from his skin. His belt was next, and she grinned up at him when his pants fell to the floor.

  Corbin used the hand on her neck to lift her up and she relished the way his thumb roughly caressed her jaw. “I take it you’re feeling better.”

  “Much.” Mika wrapped her legs around his waist. “And are you still feeling bitchy?”

  The raven grinned down at her. “Maybe. What are you going to do about it?”

  Her heart started pounding, but the adrenaline was still coursing through her veins and Mika wanted him. Faster than lightning her hand wrapped around his throat and she pulled herself up on him until she was the one looking down into his face.

  “I’m going to take it slow,” she murmured, staring into those gorgeous eyes that had done everything but scare her since day one. “Until you apologize. Once you’ve done that, I want you to beg.” Her hand tightened on his throat ever so slightly and Mika enjoyed the way his eyes widened in surprise and hunger.

  “What am I apologizing for exactly?” Corbin asked, his deep voice rumbling against her hand. “For not telling you about Emily, or for my attitude?”

  Mika grinned and turned his head just so, licking his jaw up to his ear and then she nibbled. “For whatever you think you did wrong.”

  Sure, she’d been pissed about the realization that he’d told her nothing about his personal life, or someone he’d been so close to. But talking with Emily had soothed most of that anger. If Corbin had been the golden boy, he’d never truly felt anything for Emily other than loyalty until that moment he’d set her free.

  Corbin had never told her about his life because he hadn’t known if she would want to be a part of his world, and it was against the rules to tell outsiders anything. He’d only trained her because he didn’t want to see her dead.

  None of the ravens knew he’d done that, at least, not yet.

  Mika grabbed his cock and angled it so she sank down on him in a single breath. Corbin’s hands moved to her wrists and he pinned them above her head, grinning down at her.

  “Think you can break my hold?” he asked, grinding into her.

  She arched into him, rolling her hips. Mika smiled when his eyes fluttered closed at the sensation. “Maybe, but I want you more. You can test my strength some other time.”

  Then Corbin tried to take control, and Mika’s legs tightened around him so he couldn’t thrust as deep as he wanted to. She may not have control over very much, but she did have control over her body, over this moment.

  “I’m sorry,” he murmured, taking each stroke she allowed him with gritted teeth. “For not telling you about Emily.”

  “Mm, is that right?” Mika loosened her grip on him ever so slightly, allowing him to slide in another inch.

  “And I’m sorry I clammed up when we got here.” Corbin’s grip on her wrists tightened when she gave him yet another inch. “Who I am when I’m here…I’ve never lived like Emily does, until you. Finding a way to have my emotions on and be around you is not easy. I look as ridiculous as Lucien or Dagon, following you around like a lost puppy.”

  Mika laughed, losing her grip on him and Corbin slid in to the hilt. The back of her head hit the wall and she couldn’t hold in her groan even if she wanted to.

  “I’m trying to find a balance between who I was, and who I am,” Corbin admitted. “Something I didn’t have to do until my two very different lives collided.”

  Mika understood that better than most. She opened her eyes, finding his ruby red gaze. “I love you Corbin, and I will always give you the time and space you need. All I ask is that you talk to me. Communication is the only way we’ll make it through these changes.”

  He nodded, rolling his body against hers – making her squirm. “Do you have something to tell me?”

  Mika grinned and rubbed her nose against his. “I was wondering if you could tell.”

  “I can,” he growled, thrusting again. “But I want you to say it.”

  “I gave Lucien and Ethan the blood bond a few hours ago,” she whispered against his lips. “Are you jealous?”

  “You bet your ass I am.” Corbin’s hands slid down her arms, over her breasts, and then gripped the ass he’d mentioned. “But that wasn’t what I was talking about.”

  Then he carried her across the room and Mika found herself on her back, in a strange bed that smelled like Corbin. “Your room?”

  “Mika,” he growled, nipping her throat hard enough to hurt. “Don’t change the subject.”

  She moaned, digging her nails into his shoulders. “I shifted.”

  “And you have a white feather.” Corbin pulled back with a smirk and tugged on her white-blonde hair. “It’s adorable.”

  Before she could respond he flipped her over, so she was on all fours, and slid inside. Mika gasped at the new angle. It made her entire body tingle and she pressed back into Corbin, urging him on.

  He took her hard and fast and Mika gripped the sheets, not even bothered she was the one who’d ended up begging. Corbin reached around and rubbed her clit, slowing down until each stroke was in time with his hand.

  She came so hard and fast he cursed and slammed into her one last time as she forced him to come with her. Her entire body was shaking with the force of her orgasm and she collapsed on the bed, tired and happy.

  “So, when do I get the blood bond?” Corbin asked, laying down next to her. He brushed the hair out of her face and Mika just looked at him, taking in every detail of his face under the moonlight.

  “Whenever you want,” she finally said, knowing it was pointless to avoid it, and for what? There was no good reason. Her heart was just as much his as it was Lucien’s and Ethan’s.

  “So now?” he asked, tracing the vein that ran down her neck. As an assassin he knew them all, and which to avoid if he didn’t want to kill her.

  Despite everything he was, she’d never been afraid of him.

  Mika smiled into the pillow. “Now is fine.”

  She took his wrist and shifted her teeth until they were razor sharp and bit down until she tasted his blood. Mika offered him her own wrist and watched as he carefully did the same to her.

  They repeated the vow and Corbin’s ruby red gaze deepened until it was almost black. She felt that same bond with him as she did with Ethan and Lucien and somehow it wasn’t too heavy.

  Despite holding three bonds, she didn’t feel like it was crushing or suffocating. Somehow there was room for all of them, and Mika
wrapped her arms around Corbin’s neck, holding him close.

  “Lucien and Ethan share a bond too,” she teased, running her fingers through his mohawk. Corbin hadn’t braided it for a few days and she really liked the silky feel of it.

  “They mentioned they were considering it,” Corbin told her, resting his head on her chest. “Armad helped them find the right vows.”

  “I think it’s sweet,” Mika murmured, feeling sleepy. She closed her eyes and ran her hands through Corbin’s hair over and over.

  “Ask already.” Corbin nipped her breast and she tugged on his hair until he was forced to look at her.

  “I don’t care what you do. It won’t change how I feel about you.” Mika kissed him and then released her grip on his hair, settling into the pillows. “Your bed is smaller than mine.”

  Corbin laughed and got up, heading into the attached bathroom. He turned on the shower and gave her a wink. “Feel like joining me?”

  She was up and across the room in a blink of an eye. The slight surprise in Corbin’s eyes made her grin. “Think I could shift into a hellhound?”

  “Won’t know until you try.” He slapped her ass and she shrieked, jumping into the shower.

  “That was unnecessary.”

  “Maybe, but I like making you scream.”

  Mika wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. “I like it here,” she admitted. “It feels safe.”

  His arms tightened around her and she could feel his relief through the fresh bond.

  Mika would do everything she could to make sure this eyrie remained safe, for Corbin.

  Even if she never took on more than the role of Morrigan here, she would do her damndest to protect a place that had accepted everything about her without question or reservation.

  Just like that.

  6

  The next day Mika found Malachi in one of the lower levels of the eyrie, and he looked absolutely glorious as he worked out. Shirtless of course. What was with him and showing off those mouth-watering muscles all the time? Was he trying to make her stupid?

  “Where are Ethan and Lucien?” Malachi asked, sensing her somehow.

  “They went to Lucien’s den.” Mika crossed her arms and leaned against the wall as she watched him work the punching bag, sweat dripping off him. “They’re updating the Alpha, and asking for copies of anything on Azrael, the Council rules, and whatever else the librarian’s think we might need.”

  “And what did you decide to do?” One last punch and he grabbed the punching bag to keep it from swinging. Malachi wiped the sweat from his forehead. Then he grabbed a pair of hand wraps and tossed them at her.

  Mika caught them without blinking, taking a second to inspect the empty training room and everything that was in it. “About what exactly?”

  She narrowed her eyes when Malachi stepped on the mats in the center of the room and held up his hands, giving her a ‘come here’ gesture.

  “About anything,” he said, waiting patiently for her to make yet another decision.

  “I could hurt you,” she warned.

  His sharp grin made her belly flutter in all kinds of anticipation. “I hope you do.”

  What the fuck was wrong with all these guys?

  “I could hurt you permanently,” she gritted out. “I don’t know how to control my own strength yet, and I don’t think testing it out on you is a good idea.”

  “Then who?” Malachi asked. “The hellhound?”

  “That’s actually not a bad idea.” But instead of finding Dagon, Mika found herself wrapping her hands.

  “I’m sure he would be good to work out with,” Malachi murmured, watching with hooded eyes as she slipped off her leather jacket. “But I’ve got first dibs.”

  A delicious shiver slid down her spine and Mika rolled her shoulders back. “What style?”

  “How’s your hand-to-hand?”

  She grimaced in annoyance. It was the one style she wasn’t great at despite all Corbin’s efforts. Audrey picked it up from the chaos super quick, but Mika had always struggled with it for some reason. She was okay, but she wasn’t skilled.

  “I’ll take that as mediocre,” Malachi snorted. “And I’ll go easy on you.”

  Mika growled in annoyance and stalked forward, ready to rip that pretty smirk right off his face. Malachi blinked in surprise when she was suddenly right in front of him, reaching out for his throat with those wicked sharp claws.

  He dodged her with a twist to the side and grabbed her wrist. They locked eyes and she could still see the darkness in his, glittering with sharp delight.

  Then she got it.

  “Don’t be gentle with me,” she told him. “Hit me as hard as you can. I want to see what I can take.”

  His grin made her bite her lip.

  “Are you sure?”

  Even after everything, he was so careful.

  Mika retracted her claws and held up her fists in the ready position. She’d seen him fight with the others, and she’d seen the chaos practicing over the summer. Mika was fast now, and she could figure this out.

  “I’m sure.”

  The way he struck, it was fast and hard and hit her right in the jaw. Mika wasn’t slow, she just wasn’t anticipating the ferocity behind his attacks.

  “No magic?” she gritted out, blocking the second attack.

  “No magic.” One, two, three punches faster than lightning.

  It was all she could do to keep him from hitting her in the face again.

  “Breathe, Mika,” he told her, landing a vicious right hook into her ribcage. “You’re panicking.”

  She was, and she shouldn’t be. But he was just so much faster than any witch had the right to be.

  “Stop defending. Fight back.”

  As she blocked again and again, Mika felt each step she took backward like it was its own jab.

  This bullshit was what she always did. She defended and retreated and defended and retreated until there was nowhere else to go and a choice was forced on her, just like Claire had tried to force marriage on her.

  Just like Brad had forced himself on her.

  Mika was fucking tired of always being the one to concede and she was really fucking over constantly being on the defensive. Why was that always her default? Why couldn’t she just reach down deep into that well she knew was there and take off the lid?

  What was she so afraid of?

  “Fight back!”

  She blocked again, and took a deep breath, already sweating. Mika knew she was faster and stronger, but Malachi was twice her size and more practiced in this kind of fighting style. A sword or knives would be easier. Morgana never let her miss a midnight practice.

  But that’s not what she’d agreed to.

  Mika slid her foot through his legs and shoved with all her might.

  They both slammed into the floor and she actually heard the breath leave his body when she wrapped her legs around his throat. Mika squeezed, praying that she didn’t accidentally kill him in this deadly little game they were playing.

  Then he grabbed her and stood, lifting her up with him. When they hit the floor again, he’d flipped her onto her back and his arm went across her throat.

  She couldn’t breathe.

  Mika fought back but he wouldn’t budge. He was massive and he’d managed to knock the air from her lungs.

  Her knee came up as hard and as fast as she could, and Malachi flew off of her. She didn’t waste time. Mika was across the room, straddling him with her hands around his throat before he even had time to respond.

  “Harder,” he snapped, shoving both hands in between her arms and slamming outward.

  Mika fell on top of him as she lost purchase. Malachi grappled with her on the floor and she huffed in annoyance when he had her pinned. She’d never been good at boxing or wrestling and even though she was faster and stronger she still wasn’t sure how to get out of holds like this.

  “I know you’re stronger than me,” Malachi
snarled. “Stop holding back.”

  “I’m not,” she snapped.

  “You are,” Malachi insisted. “You could hit me hard enough to break bones, and yet you’re still laying there, letting me choke the life from you.”

  He pulled back just enough she could look into his eyes.

  “I promise I won’t hold back with someone who’s actually trying to hurt me.” Mika realized as he held her in a chokehold that this wasn’t going to work.

  “I’m trying to hurt you.” And he was. She couldn’t breathe and she was sore, but Mika knew that if she even tried, she could put him down hard enough he would never be able to get up again.

  This fight was worlds away from the one in the hunter’s class they’d taken together. Mika could practice her speed with him, but not her strength. Even Corbin and Lucien she could hurt until she tested her true limits. Ethan was just as fragile and breakable as Malachi.

  What about a hellhound?

  Mika had no idea how deep this new strength went, and she didn’t want to test it on Malachi. So, she yanked, and his arms released her despite how strong he was. Mika rolled them both until she was on top, and she pinned his arms to the ground.

  When he tried to move, he couldn’t. At all. Malachi was one of the strongest witches she knew. Ethan was pretty close, but he didn’t like flaunting his physical skill. She assumed it was because he wanted it to remain a surprise to anyone who might come after them.

  But Malachi had been on the dodgeball team, and clearly a fighter from the very beginning.

  “I’m not going to hurt you,” Mika hissed, when he struggled against her grip and his eyes widened when he realized he really couldn’t move. She even had his legs pinned with her knees. “I’m not going to test the boundaries of my strength with you, because I do need you.”

  It hurt to see that pain flash in his eyes as he remembered those words she’d so callously thrown in his face.

  Mika cared if she killed him. She cared if she hurt him, and she definitely felt like a piece of her would be missing if something happened to him.

  “I’m sorry my life ruined yours,” she murmured, easing up on her grip. “Your father never would have come after you if it hadn’t been for me.”