Iron Master

by Jennifer Ashley

  “I had to,” Stuart said in a light tone. “I signed Noelle’s agreement, remember?”

  “No, you didn’t have to.” Peigi folded her fingers around his. “You can return to Faerie, be the iron master, save the world. They need you.”

  Stuart bowed his head for a time, moonlight touching his black hair. When he straightened up again, his eyes were quiet, no more indecision. “Maybe Cian and Ben will find another iron master—I can’t be the only one in existence. We’re rare but not unique.” He untangled their hands from the afghan, raised her fingers to his lips, and kissed them gently. “I made my choice, Pegs. I made it a long time ago, when I saw you walk away from Eric after he brought you here, ready to face whatever life threw at you. I fell in love with you that day, and that love has never wavered. I love you still.” He kissed her fingers once more. “And I know I’m going to love you always.”

  Peigi’s heart burned with her connection to him, the mate bond, the tether that would never loosen.

  “I fell in love with you,” she said, “when you were ready to give up your chances of going back to Faerie so you wouldn’t hurt Cassidy or any other Shifter. You wanted to go home so much—it was killing you—and you let it go, so others could live and be happy.”

  “Yeah.” Stuart’s voice was quiet. “I’m awesome.”

  “You are.”

  “What is grabbing me and throwing me over the moon in that speech is I fell in love with you.”

  “Well, I did,” Peigi said. “And I love you now.”

  Stuart leaned closer. “Time moved while we were in Faerie. The full moon is in a couple of days, so Eric will do the sun and moon ceremonies.”

  “Yep.” Peigi rested her hand on his firm shoulder. “What’s your point?”

  “My point is, I don’t want to wait.”

  Peigi’s mating frenzy, which she’d tamped down during their adventure and soothing the cubs afterward, roared high. She was off the chair and onto his, her legs around him before he finished the sentence.

  “Me neither,” she said breathlessly, and kissed his mouth.

  Stuart smiled into the kiss, which turned deep, longing, needy. He slid his hands under her shirt and up her back, dragging her against him. His hard cock fit right between her legs, rigid through the layers of fabric between them.

  The kiss was a point of heat, his hands pouring fires through her. Peigi eased back but remained a breath away while she rubbed against the delightful hardness of him.

  “It’s warmer inside,” she whispered.

  “More cubs in there,” Stuart pointed out.

  A cold wind poured down the porch, making wind chimes sing. Peigi shivered. “I think we should risk it.”

  “Nuff said.” Stuart rose, lifting Peigi so he cradled her in his strong arms.

  They laughed when he navigated the doorknob with his arms full of Peigi, then he set her on her feet in the kitchen. Another kiss there, this one body to body, the two tightly against each other. Then they moved as silently as they could down the hall and into the dark bedroom.

  Stuart firmly shut the blinds. “No dragging us back to Faerie tonight.”

  “No.” Peigi cupped Stuart’s face when he came to her again. “Someday, though. They’ll need you.”

  “Crispin promised to keep open communication with Ben and Cian. But right now …”

  “Right now …”

  Right now, she was with Stuart, the man who’d woken her from the stupor in which she’d existed for years, who’d taught her how to live again. The cubs snored down the hall, and bright moonlight leaked around the blinds, the Goddess bathing Peigi in cool radiance.

  They undressed each other in the silence, hands and mouths seeking, bodies entwining as they fell to the bed. The mate bond snaked around Peigi’s heart as Stuart began to love her, a bond she gathered to her with gladness.

  The last of the chains of fear and loneliness fell away, and Peigi welcomed Stuart with love, wrapping herself in the mate of her heart.

  Epilogue

  How all the Shifters from the far ends of the country managed to arrive in time for the full-moon ceremony, Stuart didn’t know, but come they did.

  Bowman and Kenzie from North Carolina with Kenzie’s formidable uncle, plus a Fae woman who stayed near him. The entire Morrissey clan from Austin, along with Liam’s trackers: Spike, Ellison, and Ronan and his mate and extended family. Tiger came with his mate, Carly, their baby son, Seth, and the wild young tiger woman he’d rescued. Mason McNaughton and his brothers brought their mates, including Jasmine, the woman who owned the haunted house.

  Jaycee and Dimitri traveled with Kendrick’s family, and Angus and Tamsin had hitched a ride with them. From Montana came Zander, the giant polar bear who was a healer, with his mate Rae, her Guardian’s Sword glinting on her back.

  Of course, the entire population of the Las Vegas Shiftertown showed up to make sure Peigi and Reid got themselves mated. The members of Eric’s household, Graham’s, and Nell’s mingled, with Diego’s brother Xavier pairing up once more with Lindsey, a lynx Feline.

  Ben had stepped through the ley line earlier that day, emerging in Kurt’s basement, to that Lupine’s supreme annoyance. Ben had softened the blow by bringing Kurt a keg of dokk alfar ale.

  The karmsyern was coming along, Ben assured Stuart. Tricky, but doable. Cian was proving a good host, and Ben, to his surprise, found he was enjoying the visit.

  “Not forever, though,” he said, fondly taking in the vast dry desert running northward out of Shiftertown, the bright sky, the Shifters already partying hard. “I like this crazy, fucked-up human world.”

  Stuart had to agree.

  Cubs ran everywhere, with Peigi’s and Stuart’s bunch pleased to act as hosts. Noelle told the story again and again of how Peigi and Stuart fought valiantly inside Faerie and how she and Matt and Kyle had helped rescue them.

  Stuart barely saw Peigi all day, as she was pulled from one family to the other, congratulated, hugged, kissed. She laughed, and wept too, discovering how many Shifters from multiple Shiftertowns had her in their thoughts.

  Eric had performed the sun ceremony earlier that day, completing the first half of the mating ritual. Peigi had been whisked away immediately afterward by Nell, Cassidy, Iona, and Misty for whatever female bonding they did for the rest of the afternoon.

  As much as Stuart longed to be with Peigi—in private, celebrating their own way—he didn’t see her again until the full moon was well up, and the Shifters gathered in their circles for the second part of the ceremony, the most important one.

  Dylan had taken the opportunity during the down time, of course, to ask Stuart all about what had gone on in Faerie and about Ben and the karmsyern. Plus whether Cian would be amenable to form an alliance with him. The hoch alfar would move on Shifters sooner or later, and if the hoch alfar had a Tuil Erdannan on their side … Things could be bad indeed.

  Stuart was all for strategizing, but today, Peigi took precedence. Dylan’s mate, Glory, came for him while he and Stuart were talking on Peigi’s back porch, and to Stuart’s surprise, Dylan left with her abruptly, saying they’d have plenty of time to discuss things later.

  As the night began to cool, the moon became bright enough to cast sharp shadows. The sky was cloudless, stars pricking out in thick clusters. Venus, brightest planet in the darkness, glowed like a white candle near the horizon.

  Peigi emerged from the house in a white dress that hugged her beautiful curves and showed off her legs. A multicolored jacket kept her from the cold, and her dark hair held a circlet of hothouse roses, courtesy of Misty’s flower shop.

  Stuart didn’t know if the ladies had spent all afternoon and evening dressing Peigi, but the result was worth it. Peigi was beautiful in sloppy T-shirts and jeans, and she was stunning in the form-fitting dress that revealed the complete beauty of her.

  He couldn’t say a word as she joined him in front of Eric, his mouth dry.

  Fortunately, only Eric ha
d to speak. Shifters didn’t make vows or promises—all that would be done once they were mated and could remember how to talk after the ensuing mating frenzy.

  The Shifters formed circles around them, the general population of Shiftertown and visitors in the outer one, the inner filled with their closest friends—Diego and Cassidy, Eric and Iona, Graham and Misty, Nell and her family, and of course, the cubs.

  Noelle kept throwing up her hands and dancing. Donny tried to calm her, which would last about thirty seconds, before she started again. The younger cubs, loving to see Noelle cut loose, imitated her. So did Matt and Kyle, those two yelling at the tops of their voices.

  Finally Graham bellowed, “Let him get on with it!” and the cubs at long last quieted enough for Eric to step forward and raise his hands.

  “Let me join in the voices I’ve heard all day,” Eric announced, “and proclaim to Peigi and Stuart Reid—It’s about time!”

  Laughter roared across the circles of Shifters. Even Tiger, who rarely laughed out loud, wore a broad smile.

  Stuart cleared his throat. “I guess they’ve been expecting this,” he said in Peigi’s ear.

  She joined in the laughter. “Could be.”

  Eric raised his hands again, and some quietness settled. “Stuart Reid and Peigi, who have become the dearest friends to Shiftertown that we could hope for … Under the Mother Goddess … I proclaim you as mates.”

  He shouted the last, and the Shifters erupted into cheering, snarling, howling, the humans among them making no less noise.

  Stuart found himself hauled aloft, and Peigi too, on the shoulders of Cormac, Graham, Eric, and anyone who joined in. The cubs danced and hollered, and soon Peigi and Stuart’s six cubs were carried around as well. Peigi laughed as she caught little Kevin and held him safely against her.

  Then the party truly got started.

  The Shifters had never done much in the way of hugging with Stuart, always uncertain of him as a creature of Faerie, but that changed tonight. Probably lots of alcohol helped, but Stuart found himself hauled into embrace after embrace, from male Shifters and females alike, even Graham.

  “You did good,” Graham thundered into his ear as he squashed Stuart in a hug. “For a fucked-up, creepy dark Fae shit.”

  “So did you,” Stuart said, thumping Graham on the back. “For an asshole Lupine.”

  Graham bellowed laughter and released Stuart to swing Peigi off her feet.

  As was tradition, the mated couple danced along with the Shifters, until the Shifters were in a riotous enough condition that the couple could slip away, unnoticed, and finally find some time alone.

  Peigi and Stuart ended up in the kitchen of their house, no lights burning, Shiftertown ferociously loud outside. Music blared, Shifters danced, or chased each other, or caught mating frenzy and ducked into the shadows. Nell had taken charge of their cubs, she sending Stuart a knowing smile.

  The first ten minutes they spent alone were devoted to kissing. Fierce, passionate kisses that had Stuart’s hands inside Peigi’s jacket, molding to the curves of her breasts.

  Peigi responded by dragging open his pants and closing her hand around his hard cock.

  Stuart wasn’t certain of the details after that. Clothes left their body and fell to the floor, marking their path down the hall to the bedroom.

  The Shifter ladies had enjoyed themselves in here too. Rose petals were everywhere, as well as garlands hanging from the bed, walls—anywhere they could be hung. For luck, Stuart recognized. And fertility. Everyone wanted cubs to come from this night.

  Peigi’s mate frenzy boiled high, and Stuart’s matched it. They were naked as fast as they could be, falling on the bed together in laughter.

  Stuart slid inside her, groaning with it, no more mirth.

  He gazed down at the mate of his heart, at her glorious eyes and tender smile, and gave himself over to her. He drove into her, her body meeting his, their breaths mingling, cries echoing.

  Peigi, my mate, my heart.

  I love you.

  Their frenzy wound up to the highest peak, Stuart burning with the brightest pleasure of his life, then dropped them together, sweating, breathless, laughing again.

  Loving.

  Always.

  Mates.

  Peigi woke at dawn, tangled in blankets and Stuart. She rubbed her eyes, groaned, and closed them again.

  A kiss touched her mouth. “Morning, love,” Stuart said gently.

  “Don’t sound so chipper,” Peigi mumbled. She dragged her eyes open again. “I’m sore.”

  “Good.” Stuart’s smile made his eyes sparkle. “So am I. I wonder why?”

  “Wild sex. At a guess.” Peigi chuckled, deciding soreness was a small price to pay for a night of wonderful passion. “Want coffee?”

  “Eventually.” Stuart pressed a kiss to her breast. “After I get enough of looking at you.”

  “You’ve always been so sweet to me.”

  His brows went up. “Really? The scary, kick-ass dokk alfar who can teleport and make iron into metal rain is sweet?”

  “Yeah. You are.” Peigi rumpled his hair. “I’ve always known you had a big heart.”

  Stuart dropped a kiss to the corner of her mouth. “Not nearly as big as yours, love. Nowhere near.”

  “I’ll debate that.” Peigi met his kiss and indulged herself in the taste of him.

  When they finished, Stuart lay down against her, his arm across her abdomen. The quietness of the early morning soothed her. Bands of first sunlight leaked through the half-closed blinds, showing her that the gray rain had gone for good, and desert blue sky had returned.

  It was quiet outside, which meant Shifters were sleeping off whatever they’d done last night—dancing, imbibing, mating. Mating frenzy was catching.

  “Stuart,” Peigi said after a long, comfortable time. “About the mate bond.”

  “Mmm.” Stuart burrowed against her. “What about it?”

  “I formed it for you a while ago.” Some Shifters worried about achieving it with their mates, but Peigi had never been concerned, always knowing for certain what was in her heart for Stuart. “When I first moved here, and you were there for me. Surprised me, but there it was.”

  Stuart raised himself on his elbows to stare down at her. “Really?” He seemed more interested than surprised.

  “Yes.” Peigi touched his face. “Why do you think I was willing to sacrifice my blood so you could open a gate?” She touched her chest. “I felt it—the mate bond. The gift of the Goddess.”

  Mate bonds could form whether Shifters were mated or not. It had nothing to do with the mating ceremony—which was a social tradition—and everything to do with the bonding of love and a mystical union.

  “I’m glad.” Stuart’s voice went soft. He stroked his thumb across her shoulder. “Because I formed it for you. Around about the same time.”

  Peigi’s eyes widened. “You did?”

  “Yep. For a Shifter. Imagine my shock.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Stuart’s grin warmed his eyes. “Very sure. Dokk alfar form mate bonds. It’s something of Fae that got transferred to Shifters. I was stuck in this world, alone, and then you walked into my life. You looked at me, and boom.” He pressed his fist to his heart. “Mate bond. Why do you think I kept volunteering to stay with you?”

  Peigi’s jaw went slack. “You never told me.”

  “You never told me.”

  “I was afraid you’d run. At least, as it was, I could be with you. But I think we both knew.”

  “Possibly,” he said, his smile unwavering.

  “I love you, Stuart.”

  “I love you, Pegs.” Stuart’s eyes warmed as he slid his arm around her. “Mate of my heart.”

  It was a long time before they got around to coffee.

  When Stuart led Peigi out of the bedroom much later, both of them finally dressed—which had taken a while—her heart was full.

  Her gorgeous mate walked beside her
down the hall, the two of them laughing like cubs, and she loved him. She shared the mate bond with him, and they had six beautiful cubs in their lives. And if the Goddess was good to them, more would come.

  Peigi had the feeling they would. And, as Stuart had said, they could try every day and every which way to make certain of it.

  By Stuart’s expression as he halted to kiss her—again—he too had found peace. His life, which had been close to a living hell for fifty years, was now eased. He’d found home.

  As Stuart and Peigi walked into the kitchen, they were confronted by a line of cubs, Noelle standing slightly in front of the others, a piece of notebook paper in her hands.

  “I already signed that,” Stuart said.

  The coffee pot was percolating—one of the cubs must have figured out how to work it. Or maybe Nell had come over and started it. The first cup would be interesting.

  “This is a different contract,” Noelle said with an official air. “This is an agreement we came up with last night, at Nell’s house. She didn’t help with this one—we did it ourselves.”

  “Ourselves,” Kevin repeated proudly.

  Noelle cleared her throat and read. “We, the cubs of Peigi and Stuart, are petitioning you to be allowed to stop calling you Peigi and Stuart.” She peeled her gaze from the page, her eyes filled with nervousness. “We want to call you Mom and Dad.”

  “Oh.” Peigi couldn’t speak, couldn’t breathe. Stuart was likewise still.

  “We all signed it.” Noelle held up the page, showing six signatures, some more scraggly and awkward than the others. “We’re in agreement.”

  Donny watched them worriedly. “Okay, Peigi and Stuart? I mean, Mom and Dad?”

  Peigi sank to her knees, her eyes filling with tears. “Of course you can,” she said, her voice barely working. “Stuart?”

  His hand was on her shoulder, he leaning down to them. His voice was low, gentle, the hard warrior becoming the warm-hearted man Peigi had always known he was. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”