by C. D. Gorri
Her hands roamed down his stomach, his muscles tightening as they found their way beneath the covers to grip his dick through his underwear. He shuddered, and she smiled, palming him, sliding her hand upward and back down beneath the fabric to grip his flesh.
An mmm resonated in his throat, and she rose to her knees, her gaze never leaving his as she pushed the sheets downward, exposing the rest of his body. Drawing her bottom lip between her teeth, she arched a brow and tugged off his boxer-briefs. She licked her lips as she gazed at his dick, and she took it in her hand once more, stroking it from base to tip, circling her finger around the sensitive head before stroking it again.
“Fuck, Amber. You’re so goddamn sexy.”
With a wicked grin, she lowered her head, taking him into her mouth. He moaned, closing his eyes and tipping his head back, reveling in the feel of the warm wetness enveloping him. She circled her tongue as she sucked him, and when she grazed her teeth over his tip, he nearly lost it.
“Come here.” With his hand on the back of her head, he gently guided her toward his mouth. He kissed her, drinking her in and wrapping his arms around her.
“I need you, Noah.” Her voice was a whisper against his lips.
“Then you’ll have me.” In one swift motion, he flipped her onto her back, and she gasped.
With his hips between her legs, he rubbed his cock against her, the thin strip of satin that separated them growing wet as he moved.
“Please, Noah.” She nipped at his earlobe, sending shivers down his spine.
He kissed her neck, breathing in the intoxicating sweet scent of her skin as he rocked his hips. God, he needed her. It took all his willpower to keep from ripping off her panties and taking her right that moment.
But he wanted to savor her. With the uncertainty of his condition, this could be the only moment he got to spend alone with her, and he intended to take his time and relish her body.
He worked his way downward, licking and kissing, caressing every inch of her delicate skin. She ran her hands over his back, gripping his shoulders and gasping as he grazed her nipple with his teeth. He took the other between his thumb and forefinger, and the soft moan emanating from her throat had to be the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard.
Amber was a goddess. Her scent, her sounds, her soul…everything about her called to him, enraptured him. He would do everything in his power to make her his mate, whether the pack approved of their union or not.
Resuming his descent, he glided his tongue down her stomach and pressed a kiss to her navel. Her hips moved beneath his chest, a silent plea for him to continue downward. He paused, resting his chin on her pelvis and gazing up at her. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
“Please, Noah,” she whispered, and he shuddered at her request. He wouldn’t make her ask again.
Rising onto his knees, he slipped off her panties and settled his shoulders between her legs before gliding his tongue from slit to clit. She gasped, her entire body tensing, her hands fisting the sheets. The sweet taste of her made his head spin. He teased her sensitive nub with his tongue before gently sucking it between his lips.
He continued the rhythm, sucking and licking while she writhed beneath him. When he slipped a finger inside, her breath came out in a rush. He could have stayed there all night. The knowledge that he could make her feel this much pleasure exhilarated him to no end, but as she whimpered, another whispered please escaped her lips. It was time to make her come.
Slipping a second finger inside her, he rotated his hand until he reached her sweet spot. As he bathed her clit in wet heat, he stroked her until her hips bucked and she gasped, biting her lip to keep from crying out.
He slowed his rhythm, bringing her down gently, and the tension in her body eased. Rising onto his elbows, he gazed at her, and she looked back at him with passion-drunk eyes.
“I need you inside me,” she nearly growled. “Right now.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He crawled on top of her, filling her completely with one swift thrust.
She dropped her head back on the pillow and let out an erotic mmm.
Heaven help him, he could have come right then, but he wasn’t ready for it to end. He pulled out, taking his dick in his hand and rubbing the head over her swollen clit. Teasing her, he slid halfway in, pulling out again and rubbing himself over her.
“You’re driving me crazy,” she whispered.
“That’s the idea.”
As he slid halfway in again, she grabbed his ass, pulling him toward her and lifting her hips until she took in his entire length. He couldn’t hold back anymore. Slipping his arms beneath her shoulders, he held her tightly and pumped his hips.
She clung to him, wrapping her legs around his waist to take him deeper and biting his shoulder as another orgasm made her entire body shudder. His own coiled in his core before rushing out in a release so intense it rocked him to his soul.
Collapsing on top of her, he hugged her tighter, nuzzling into her neck and making a silent vow that he would never let her go. As her breathing slowed, she relaxed her hold and turned her face toward him to kiss his forehead.
“I meant it when I said I love you.” She kissed him again.
“So did I.” He rolled onto his back and tugged her to his side.
She came to him, draping her leg across his hips and laying her head on his shoulder. As she traced her fingers across his chest, his eyes drifted shut, and he basked in the elated emotions swirling in his soul.
But a few minutes later, she sat up, breaking the trance he’d succumbed to. “We finally made it all the way without your wolf trying to eat me.”
“Hmm.” He laced his fingers behind his head. “I didn’t feel him at all like I did before. I wonder why that is.”
“I should go back to my room. We need to keep up the charade that we’re not together.” She rose from the bed and dressed.
Noah sat up and took her hand, bringing it to his lips. He was loath to let her go, but she was right. If this plan was going to work, they had to keep it all a secret. Even if it didn’t work, he knew without a doubt he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He’d go rogue if that was what it took. “Listen, Amber. If, after we do this, my wolf doesn’t claim you, I still…”
She slipped from his grasp and lowered her gaze.
Then he felt it. The wolf inside him rose to the surface, threatening to break free. He clenched his fists, willing the beast into submission. “We’ll talk about it later. You should go.”
Amber nodded and slipped out the door, taking his heart with her. As the latch clicked shut, his wolf relinquished, and Noah lay back, staring at the ceiling.
Chapter Seventeen
Amber tried to look sullen on the drive to New Orleans, putting on a show to convince her father she and Noah were over, but every time she caught Noah’s gaze in the side mirror, her lips curved into a smile. Luckily, she was in the back seat, and her dad was focused on the road.
Making love to Noah had been better than she could have ever imagined. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel the contrast of his soft skin and hard muscles beneath her fingers, could still smell his woodsy scent and taste the salt of his skin.
Being with him had felt better than right. It had felt like fate. Now, if she could only convince his wolf to agree. Her heart began to sink at the thought, but she yanked it out of the depths before it could slip into despair. She had to focus on one thing at a time, lest she get caught in the vicious circle of he loves me; his wolf loves me not.
Noah loved her, and that was all that mattered for now. Maybe it was all that mattered period.
When they reached New Orleans, her dad dropped Noah at his house first. Keeping up the act, he didn’t look at her as he thanked her dad for the ride and climbed out of the truck. Amber crossed her arms, staring out the side window as her father turned toward her.
“Do you want to get in the front?” he asked.
“I’m fine
here.” At the moment, she fit the role of the teenager he treated her like, but she didn’t dare chance blowing their cover. She could hardly contain her excitement as it was.
He sighed. “Suit yourself. I’ll drop you by the bar so you can report what you learned in the archives to Luke.” He backed out of the driveway and headed toward the French Quarter.
“There’s no need. I doubt it’s anything he doesn’t already know,” she lied. “I’ll send him a text when I get home.”
They rode in silence the rest of the way, and when her dad parked in her driveway, he turned around in his seat. “Amber, honey, you know I love you.”
“I know. Thanks for the lift.” She slid out of the truck and strode to her front porch. He was a fool to think he had a say in whom she chose as a mate. This wasn’t the 1900s.
Inside, she closed her eyes and leaned her head against the door. The wood felt cool against her skin. “This is going to work,” she whispered. If only she could make herself believe it.
She waited an hour to be certain her father was well on his way back to Jackson before heading out the door. Humid summer heat engulfed her as she strode onto the sidewalk and hung a right, heading toward Royal Street. Two- and three-story buildings dating back to the 1800s lined the streets. Shops and art galleries occupied the bottom floors, while wrought-iron balconies adorned with ferns and colorful potted flowers covered the second- and third-floor residential areas.
A saxophone player stood on the street corner playing a sad, slow tune, and Amber paused to listen. The music drifting on the air made her chest ache. New Orleans was her home, the Crescent City Wolf Pack her family, but Noah was her soulmate. She’d fought tooth and claw to insist no one but her could decide whom she took as a mate, but she would be taking that same choice away from Noah if she left him. If their plan worked and his wolf fused with his soul but didn’t claim her, whether he waited for a fate-bound or not wasn’t her decision. If he was willing to give up the chance to be with her, who was she to tell him no?
Her phone chimed with a text, and she stepped into the shade of a slate blue building to read the message. Her stomach fluttered when she saw it was from Noah: I’m going to enlist help from Cade. He can keep a secret.
She replied: If you trust him, so do I. On my way to see Snow now.
They were taking a risk involving other people, but based on what she’d read about the Grunch, they needed the help. She shuddered at the thought of her heart ending up on the gargoyle’s dinner plate.
Her phone chimed again with another text from Noah: Stay safe. I love you.
She smiled as she keyed in her reply: I love you too. Damn, it felt good to type that.
Yes, they were risking their lives and their positions in the pack by attempting this without the alpha’s permission. Hell, once her dad talked to his peers about Noah, they’d be going against the congress’s ruling just by being in each other’s presence. But seeing Noah’s I love you put a spring in her step anyway.
She paused outside Spellbound Sweets, a witchy bakery, and peered through the window. Snow Connolly stood behind the counter, her platinum blonde hair glinting in the sunlight streaming through the glass. Her sister, Rain, owned the bakery, and she and Chase lived in the apartment upstairs. Amber took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and stepped inside.
The sweet scents of cinnamon and vanilla drifted on the air, and Snow slid a tray of frosted sugar cookies into a display case before looking up and beaming a smile. “Hey, Amber! What brings you in?”
She paced to the counter and drummed her fingers on the surface. “I need a favor. Is Rain around?”
“She’s out running errands. She should be back in a few hours if you want to check in later.”
Amber peered at the magical cookies beneath the glass. The witches sold them as “spells” with a wink and a nod for the humans. The “love spell” was heart-shaped and frosted red, while the “money spell” was a dollar sign frosted green. In reality, they all contained the same magic: a clarity spell to help the consumer focus on their true goals.
Amber didn’t need a spell to know her true goals. She had to save Nylah and make Noah her mate…no matter the cost. “Actually, I’m here to see you. I need a potion.”
Snow wiped her hands on a dishtowel and closed the display case. “Well, you’ve come to the right place. What can I whip up for you?”
Amber glanced behind her to be sure no one had entered the shop. “This is a covert operation. If anyone in the pack finds out what I’m doing, I’ll be in shit so deep, I’ll never dig my way out. Can you keep a secret?”
Snow arched a brow. “Are you kidding? I’m the queen of keeping secrets. Just ask Rain.”
“This is what I need.” She opened the photo of the spell she’d found in the witch’s journal and offered Snow her phone.
Her eyes widened as she scanned the page, and she let out a low whistle. “That’s some potent stuff. What are you going to do with it?”
“Noah and I are going to rescue Nylah and put an end to the Grunch.”
Snow motioned for Amber to follow her into the kitchen. “Why can’t the pack know? Sounds like it should be an all hands on deck mission.”
Amber stepped around the counter and strode into the kitchen. “Because Noah is the reason the Grunch were awakened in the first place.” She explained the situation as Snow pulled various herbs and liquids from the shelves and set them on the counter next to a copper bowl.
“Nylah brought the Thropynite here to force Noah’s wolf to awaken,” Snow mused, “but instead, she woke up the Grunch?”
“Exactly.”
“Damn, girl. That is some deep shit.”
“Tell me about it.” She leaned against the counter, crossing her legs at the ankles. “But if we can pull this off, no one will ever have to know.”
“Let me see the spell again. I think it continues on the next page.” Snow held out her hand, and Amber gave her the phone. Pinching the screen, she zoomed in on the ingredients list and nodded. “Elderflower. Got it. Eye of newt. Got it. Did you know that’s just mustard seed?”
“I had no idea.” Amber peered over her shoulder at the phone.
Snow flipped to the next image. “Oh, wait.” She zoomed the screen. “Damn. This isn’t just potent magic; it’s deadly.”
“What is it?” Amber took the phone when Snow handed it to her.
“It calls for wolfsbane-infused DUME oil.”
Amber’s stomach sank. Wolfsbane was a highly toxic herb that could kill a shifter in under an hour. Supposedly death by wolfsbane was an excruciating way to go, and it was used as a supernatural lethal injection for more than a century. The congress finally ruled it a cruel and unusual punishment, making it illegal for any werewolf, shifter or not, to possess it.
“I’m familiar with wolfsbane, but what is DUME oil?”
“It stands for ‘Death Unto My Enemies.’ It’s Hoodoo black magic.”
“Oh, hell.” Amber shoved her phone into her pocket. “I don’t suppose you know how to get ahold of some, do you?”
Snow took a deep breath and slowly shook her head. “A Vodouisant would be more familiar with Hoodoo than a witch. Why don’t you ask Odette?”
“For the same reason I don’t want Rain to know what I’m doing. She’d feel obligated to tell her mate, and we can’t let anyone find out how the Thropynite got here.”
“Gotcha. Your secret is safe with me, but I—” The door chimed, signaling someone had entered the bakery.
“I’m back, Snow. You can take a break now,” Rain’s voice drifted on the air.
“Crap. She’s early.” Snow ushered Amber to the back door. “If you can get your hands on the DUME oil, I’m happy to whip up the potion for you. I normally don’t mess with black magic, but if I can think of someone who might know where to find some, I’ll let you know.”
“Thank you.” Amber slipped out the back door and made her way up the alley to the street, hanging a right and
striding away from the shop before dialing Noah’s number. He didn’t answer, so she hung up without leaving a message. He wouldn’t know where to get wolfsbane-infused DUME oil any more than she would.
“Think, Amber. Think.” Her determined strides carried her through the French Quarter like a woman on a mission, though where she was headed, she had no clue. She paced up one street and down another, racking her brain for a solution to this problem. Not only did she need to find and bargain with a black magic practitioner, but she had to get a tincture containing wolfsbane. How many supernatural laws could she break in a single act of defiance?
While the pack had been on good terms with the Voodoo folks for decades, they didn’t get involved with Hoodoo practitioners. Those guys were always up to no good, using and abusing the magic for their own self-gain. Hoodoo was like Voodoo, but without the religious or moral compass for guidance.
After half an hour of wandering, Amber found herself on Dumaine, across the street from Odette’s House of Voodoo, and she paused on the sidewalk, staring at the dark green wooden door. If anyone would know a Hoodoo practitioner who might help her, it would be Odette.
But she couldn’t ask her. She might as well go straight to Luke and tell him everything if she was going to get a shifter’s mate involved. She could always slip in and ask one of the other Vodouisants inside for help. But if word got back to Odette, their plan would fall apart faster than a strand of cheap Mardi Gras beads smacking the pavement. She needed to find someone familiar with Hoodoo whom Odette never spoke to.
Of course! She mentally smacked herself upside the head for not thinking of him sooner. Odette’s cousin Emile was a traiteur—a Voodoo faith healer—who lived out in the swamps. They had a sordid history and never spoke to each other, which made him the perfect person to ask for help locating a Hoodoo practitioner.
A quick internet search provided Emile’s number, and she sat on a bench in the shade of a tree in Jackson Square to make the call. While the existence of werewolves was kept a secret from the humans, talk of Hoodoo, Voodoo, and witchcraft was so common in New Orleans, no one would bat an eye at the conversation she was about to have.