Promised

by S Cinders

  I kissed her swollen lips as gently as I could. “You are incredible.”

  She blushed, her already pink cheeks turning crimson. “Do you still want to go noodling?”

  I laughed. “Any fish that was in this water is long gone. I think we made enough noise to wake the dead.”

  Her face stilled. “What do you mean?”

  Gently I carried her out of the water and found a place where we could lay in the grass and let the sun dry our bodies. I wasn’t about to let her go too far away.

  “It’s just a saying. Does it bother you?”

  She shook her head. “No, it is just that when I was a child I used to dream about the dead awakening from their graves. That is why it surprised me. My mother told me never to speak of it.”

  I had pulled her against me kissing the top of her wet hair. “And yet you told me?”

  She nodded against my chest. “I trust you, Cal. I know that you don't think I am evil.”

  I stilled. “Did you mother think you were evil?”

  She was quiet for a long moment as she traced the tribal tattoos on my chest.

  Just when I was certain she wouldn’t respond, she told me, “My mother loved me very much.”

  “Of course, she did.”

  Kitten sighed. “The village treated us poorly because my mother practiced witchcraft. It was said that you could not teach your daughter until she had her first flow. I was so excited for the chance to harness the power inside of me. But my mother seemed almost afraid of it.”

  “How so, kitten?”

  “Right before she died of the fever, she was out of her mind, saying all kinds of crazy things. I tried not to take too much of it to heart. But one night she grabbed my wrist and squeezed really hard before whispering in my ear, ‘Do not let them come, do not!’ I asked her what she was talking about, but it was like she wasn’t in that thought anymore. Once more, right before she died she repeated the same thing, but this time when I asked who she said clearly, ‘The dead.’ My sisters were terrified of what they were hearing and even though I was the younger sister I tried to comfort them.”

  “Do your sisters have the gift of magic?” I asked quietly.

  “No,” she said softly. “They can sense magic, but not wield it.”

  “What did you do to be trained if your mother had passed?”

  She blew out a long breath. “That’s the problem, I am not trained. The village threatened to burn our cottage and I lied and told them that my sisters and I were not witches. We had almost nothing but each other. Little things would happen when the magic built up too much in my system. I blew up the chicken coop, and there was a bridge fire that we blamed on the town drunk.”

  My lips twitched in a small smile. She was such a clever girl. “And now, what can we do to help you?”

  My kitten shrugged and then yawned. “I don’t know if there is anything that can be done. Are there any witches left in this area?”

  “We shall ask Tobias, he will know.”

  “What happens if my magic builds up too much and does backfire, raising the dead by mistake? Why would my mother spend precious last words speaking of something that she already knew I was terrified of from my childhood? It isn’t a coincidence. It can’t be.”

  “We will figure this out, kitten. Do not be afraid. Anyone of us would give our lives to protect you.”

  “But who will protect you from me?”

  Her whispered statement dug into my heart, burying itself there. Not only was this woman beautiful, soft, and an excellent kisser. She was loving and thoughtful, and she quickly rose to be my favorite person on the planet.

  When we were dry, I helped her into the yellow dress that had once belonged to Jonah’s mother. The only scent that clung to the fabric now was hers. I took her hand and with the gathered poles and the basket of freshly caught fish, we went back to the den.

  Silas grunted in appreciation when he saw what we had returned with. As soon as he caught sight of Trix his cheeks heated and he went over and kissed her forehead.

  “You smell of Cal and the water,” he murmured.

  Trix’s usual blush stained her cheeks.

  I walked by and gently cupped her ass. “There is no reason to be embarrassed, kitten. I know that Silas is your mate too. There is no room for jealousy in the pack.”

  “Does that mean you don’t feel it?” she asked hesitantly.

  “I sure as fuck do feel it, but not like you think.”

  She looked at Silas in confusion.

  “I am jealous that Cal has been able to rub his scent into you. I can smell sex and desire from both of you and it makes me hard.”

  Trix blinked and stepped back. “It does?”

  Chapter Seven

  Trix

  I tried to keep my eyes from bugging out of my head as I watched Cal plant a facer on Silas. And then they both laughed. My stomach clenched, and I felt oddly aroused and horrified at the same time. Did they often fight like this?

  “Do you all…” I trailed off not sure how to finish the question.

  Silas nodded. “Fighting or wrestling helps keep us in shape. And we’re a close pack.”

  I glanced at Cal and nodded still confused. Why were they so harsh with each other but so tender with me? Suddenly I felt extremely inexperienced and terribly naive.

  “What’s going on?”

  I looked over to where Jonah stood with a look of concern on his face. I pasted on a smile as I sauntered over to him.

  “Nothing much, do you need any help?”

  He smiled, and my heart immediately felt lighter. Drawing me close he gently kissed my forehead.

  “I don’t need any help, pumpkin,” he drawled, “But I would love some company.”

  I looked back at Cal and Silas and asked, “Do you mind?”

  They shook their heads, but Silas answered, “Go on, Trixie. We have work to do, I will help Cal with the fish you caught.”

  Jonah grabbed my hand and said, “Let’s go.”

  We walked in companionable silence as he led me deeper into the cavern of the den. I thought that I had seen every inch of our home, but he led me to a tunnel I hadn’t seen before and beckoned me forward. It seemed like we were going to the very center of the earth, but I knew that was my overactive imagination and not factual.

  Soon the air began to change from cool and breezy to humid and warm. As we entered another cavernous space I noticed that it was lit not by torches, but that the stalagmites and stalactites were actually glowing a deep amber color. It was bright enough to see by, and in the center of the room was a large pool of water that was emitting steam.

  “What is this?” I asked curiously.

  “A hot spring,” Jonah answered, taking me closer. “It’s where we bathe when winter is upon us.”

  I hadn’t even considered what they might do in the winter. It made sense that the waterfall would be out of the question. The pool was large enough for all of the men and several more to rest in comfortably.

  “Is it deep?” I sank to my knees to touch the water, it was gloriously hot. “This is incredible!”

  He grinned. “It is fairly deep in some places. I don’t want you coming here unless one of us is with you.”

  I made a face. “I am an excellent swimmer, Jonah.”

  He knelt beside me and turned my face to his. “I don’t doubt it, pumpkin. But something about the very thought of you in trouble as you bathe here alone terrifies me. So, for me, can you promise this?”

  How was I supposed to say no when he phrased it like that? “I promise,” I said, then I swallowed hard. “Can I ask you a question?”

  His eyes roved over my face as if looking for something. “You are worried.”

  It was a statement and I was surprised that he could read me so easily.

  I nodded. “I don’t understand the relationship that you and your wolf brothers have with one another. I don’t understand the violence that seems to live right beneath the surface.”r />
  Jonah cocked his head to the side. “We are the Kencull pack, united in all things. My wolf brothers’ welfare is more important to me than my own. As is yours. I have come to care very deeply for you, Trix.”

  “I understand that,” I said quickly, not wanting to lose my nerve. “But what if I get pregnant? Will you all be able to handle that without it tearing the pack apart?”

  Jonah paused. “Does the thought of a child bother you?”

  “No,” I said immediately and then rethought the answer. “Well, yes, but only because I don’t know anything about children and I worry I won’t be a good mother.”

  He smiled, and again my heart slammed against my chest. The tender loving nature of Jonah was as addicting as any root I knew of.

  “Pumpkin, up until now we have only had each other. We love each other in a brotherly fashion. But there is no room for jealousy in the pack. We each care for you and feel the bond. You can’t know how much we all have longed and searched for our mate.”

  I wrinkled my nose and said, “But what if you prefer one another more than me.”

  He growled low in his throat. “That could never be a possibility. Not only are you the most beautiful and sweetest woman on the planet, but you are our other half. We have been incomplete without you. That being said, not every night can be spent in your arms. There is only one of you, sweetheart. When the time comes for you to be claimed you will begin to feel our emotions and understand better the depth of our need for you and only you.”

  I sighed. “I think I understand a little better now.”

  “Does it disgust you?” he asked gently, “Being mated to four wolves?”

  I thought about the clenching of my pussy and the rush of warmth there. He sniffed, eyes darkening. “It aroused you?”

  I nodded. “Is that wrong?”

  Jonah reached over and pulled me into his lap. I immediately felt his long cock against my bottom but instead of scaring me it made me feel wanted and safe.

  “Nothing between mates is wrong, pumpkin.”

  I nestled my head into the crook of his neck and murmured, “Thank you, Jonah.”

  He stroked my hair and back for a long while as I thought about the things that he had said. Images floated through my mind as I tried to imagine what some of those situations might be like. I had seen animals in the village copulating, but I had a feeling it was nothing like these giant beasts.

  I pulled back and cupped his cheeks. Feeling brave, I leaned forward and kissed him gently. His sharply inhaled breath let me know that Jonah was perfectly fine with where I was taking things. He didn’t take over or even push me, but his hands on my hips tightened. I kissed him several times memorizing the shape of his full lips and the taste of peppermint. I knew that he liked to chew on the leaves of the plant.

  Feeling emboldened, I licked the seam of his lips and he parted them with a low moan. The taste of peppermint exploded into my mouth with a deeper darker taste that reminded me of how I felt when my pussy was spasming around Cal’s fingers.

  I deepened the kiss and this time Jonah wasn’t able to let me explore. The wolf in him took charge and I felt his hands coming up to cup my breasts through the thin fabric of the yellow dress. He slanted his mouth, tasting every inch of me as he pinched and tweaked my nipples until they were hard and desperate for more.

  Breaking away, Jonah uttered in a gravelly tone, “I must taste you, Trix.”

  I had thought that was what we were doing but he laid me back and pushed up the skirt of my dress. With careful hands, he parted my thighs and traced the wet folds of my core with his fingers. I had thought he was going to remain doing that and I was certainly okay with it.

  But he had more surprises up his sleeve. Picking up my hips, Jonah licked my core from end to end. My back arched off the stone floor and my scream reverberated around us.

  “You taste so fucking good,” he growled, eyes flashing yellow and teeth sharp.

  His tongue seemed to elongate and roughen slightly as he continued to kiss me in a way that was so incredible, indecent, and wonderful that I thought I might die. There was such an intimateness to it. The way his eyes stayed glued to mine. His hands digging into the flesh of my hips and his tongue lapping deep inside of me.

  My hands were digging into his shoulders, pulling him closer as I mumbled all sorts of whimpers and pleas.

  He slid a finger inside my core and moved up to lick my clit. The texture of his tongue made my eyes roll back as another finger slipped inside scissoring back and forth until the tips found a special place and began to rub.

  It was at that moment that he sucked my clit into his mouth and pulled long and deep. I shattered harder than I had ever thought possible. Black spots crowded my vision as I came and came, unable to control the wild ecstasy that his mouth was drawing out of me.

  When I finally came back to earth I heard a muffled cry.

  “Fuck!”

  I turned to the entrance of the cavern and saw Tobias, Cal and Silas all staring at us.

  Chapter Eight

  Trix

  I have these ‘episodes’ where I black out. My sisters used to tell me that strange things always happened when I blacked out. There was a time in the village when some boys were picking on a stray dog. I had tried to reason with them, but instead of letting the dog go and moving on, they ditched the dog and surrounded me instead.

  They said all sorts of terrible things about my mother practicing blood magic and how my blood was muddied because I had magic in it. These boys were not quite men, but their bodies were starting to fill out and they were much larger than I was.

  I tried to walk away, but one tripped me, and I went sprawling into the dirt. I came up coughing with a nasty scratch on my hand. One would think that they would have stopped, but they didn’t.

  Another one kicked my side hard, knocking the wind out of me. My sisters were screaming for help, but the villagers ignored them.

  I could feel something deep and dark inside of me start to stir. I was honestly more afraid of it than I was the boys. The more they taunted and abused me the louder the monster inside became. Suddenly everything went dark.

  When I awakened my sisters were beside me and the boys were gone. The dog sadly was long gone as well, or I would have tried to protect him. As it was, my sisters told me a tale of something illuminating pouring from my body: from my hands, my mouth, and eyes. They said it hit the boys with such a force that they flew back at least a hundred yards and landed with a resounding crack.

  Jessica and Juliana were more than impressed by my display of power. I was horrified. What was the darkness inside of me? Was it black magic like they had spouted?

  It was times like these that I missed my mother the most. I didn’t know how or why these things were happening. All I knew was that my mother never blacked out, so it boded ill that I lost consciousness during these episodes.

  I looked up to see Tobias, Cal and Silas as I lay at the side of the hot spring lake with my thighs spread and Jonah still covered in my pleasure. I didn’t have time to think or even reason with the darkness. One second, I was stunned beyond belief and the next I was opening my eyes feeling colder than I ever had before in my life.

  I struggled to focus and Tobias came into view. “What happened?” I asked.

  He frowned. “You don’t remember?”

  I shook my head noticing that I was in someone’s arms. Looking up I saw Silas’s worried face.

  Jonah and Cal weren’t far away. The steaminess of the hot springs cavern had been replaced by ice and snow. The lake was completely frozen over, and it explained the shivers that were starting to wrack my body.

  “Let’s get her back,” Tobias said gruffly.

  “Will it melt?” My voice was soft and muffled against Silas’s chest.

  He was the one to answer me, “I don’t know, Trix, I hope so.”

  It was the longest walk of silence I had ever experienced in my life. I knew that they would want
answers and the worst part of it was that I had few answers and even more concerns than they did.

  As we walked into the great room, Silas carried me to a large chair and Cal covered us both with warm furs.

  “Let’s get you warm, kitten,” he murmured, kissing my forehead and then sitting in a chair near to where we were seated.

  Jonah sat down on the floor and leaned his head against Silas’s leg. He was near enough that I could reach my hand out and run my fingers through his silky hair. The moment I touched him he smiled at me and I felt better.

  No matter what happened, I knew I could face it if Jonah were there.

  Tobias grabbed another chair and sat opposite us. He had flipped it around and was leaning against the back. I couldn’t help but stare at his arms as they flexed with the movement. He was as graceful as a cat and ten times as scary.

  “Has this sort of thing happened before?” Tobias was gazing at me intently, but his words were kind.

  I began to explain about the time when we were almost out of food and I blacked out to find the garden had tripled overnight. Silas seemed to really appreciate the story, but I tried to stress to him that I had no idea how it happened.

  And then there was another time when a bear had my sisters and me cornered in the forest. This one didn’t end as well. When I awakened this time my sister Juliana had been scratched deeply on the arm by the bear. The bear was dead. She still bore the scar.

  “So it seems that these events happen when you are in extreme fear or surprise. Would that be safe to say, kitten?”

  I looked over at Cal and nodded. “Yes.”

  “And this darkness, is that what happened to you when you touched Annwn?”

  I shook my head. “No, Tobias, that was different.”

  Cal gave me a look, and I knew he wanted me to share with them what I had seen.

  A shiver that had nothing to do with the cold raced up my spine.

  “When I touched the stone I was transported to another place. It wasn’t lush like here, more barren, sandy, and it was very hot. The mountains surrounding the area were jagged and harsh.”