Blood Cursed: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (The Witch's Rebels Book 4)

by Sarah Piper

  “So what happens now?” she asked.

  “My sister and Hobb are taking a crack at the interrogation, trying get more info out of these guys. But we can’t hold them much longer without charging them. And without physical evidence of a crime—”

  “They attacked me and my grandmother,” she said, pulling out of my embrace to shoot me an incredulous look.

  I shrugged. “And you and your hounds killed four of their friends—something we definitely don’t want getting out, especially to the human cops on the force. Right now, the hunters aren’t going to push the issue because they believe we’re getting too close to the truth, and they’re still loyal to Jonathan. They don’t want any more police attention on themselves then they’ve already got. But if we start charging them, digging in deeper, they’re gonna fight back like caged animals.”

  “This is so…. I feel like tearing my hair out. Literally.” She rose from the couch, fisting her hair and pulling tight, her eyes squeezing shut. “Maybe I should go down to the station, see if your sister can use me for anything..”

  “Elena and her team are handling things at the station,” I said. “There’s nothing you can do for her right now.”

  “But I need to do… something.” She opened her eyes, piercing me with her fiery gaze. “I’m going crazy here, Emilio!”

  “You need to take a hot bath and relax. You should take advantage now—no one else is here.”

  “But—”

  “The case will still be waiting for us in the morning,” I said. “I promise we’ll all regroup and go over everything with fresh eyes and a big breakfast. Okay?”

  She opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it, letting out a soft sigh.

  “A hot bath does sound kind of heavenly right now.” She smiled again, her eyes lighting up, the tension already lifting from her shoulders. “Okay, El Lobo. You win.”

  “Good. I’m glad you’re going willingly. Now I don’t have to strip you down and throw you into that tub myself.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Was that an option? You didn’t mention that in your initial pitch.”

  “I… uh…” Oh, Gray. What are you doing to me? I rose from the couch, turning away from her sexy, mischievous smile. “I’ll… go find you a towel. And some bubbles. And candles.”

  And a cold shower for myself, thank you.

  “You’ve thought of everything,” she teased.

  “Trust me, mi brujita bonita. You have no idea what I’m thinking.”

  Twenty-Seven

  Gray

  If thoughtful gestures and all-around sweetness were Olympic sports, Emilio would take the gold every time. He’d drawn the bath for me, filling it with lavender bubbles and lining the window ledge with candles, giving me a little spa retreat in the midst of the chaos. There was also a generous glass of white wine on the edge of the tub and a fluffy white bathrobe hanging on the hook behind the door.

  He truly had thought of everything.

  Stepping into the tub was pure decadence, my muscles instantly relaxing in the heat. I could’ve stayed there all night, waiting for my skin to prune. But despite the pleasure of the bath, all I really wanted to do was get back to Emilio.

  Hoping he wouldn’t mind too much, I cut my spa night a little shorter than I’d planned, wrapping myself in the fluffy robe and padding out into the living room. The warm, healing scent of fresh-baked brownies drifted on the air, making my mouth water.

  I found Emilio on the couch, sitting before an untouched pan of brownies and two big glasses of cold, frothy milk on the coffee table.

  I didn’t even try to hide my goofy grin.

  You crazy wolf. What would I do without you?

  “Feeling better?” he asked.

  “How could I not be? I just had a hot bubble bath and a glass of wine, and now I come out here to discover that a really cute guy made me brownies.”

  Emilio made a show of looking around. “What guy? I’ll kill him.”

  Laughing, I took a seat next to him on the couch.

  “And how do you know these brownies are for you?” he teased.

  “Because torture isn’t your style. You’re too good to me to withhold such vital goodness.” Not waiting for permission, I grabbed a spoon, then dug into the pan. It was, I’d learned, the best way to eat Emilio’s sweet-and-spicy triple-chocolate brownies.

  The warm, gooey, chocolatey goodness exploded on my tongue, chased with just the right kick of chili pepper. Orgasmic, as usual.

  Emilio laughed as I shoved in a few more spoonfuls.

  “Hey. Would you mind sharing?” he teased, nudging me in the ribs. “I did after all make them for both of us.”

  I scooped up a spoonful for him, cupping a hand under his chin as I spoon-fed him. His mouth engulfed the entire end of the spoon, soft lips brushing against my fingers.

  We took turns feeding each other, demolishing half the pan before we even took a break for milk. Then, we dove back in.

  Finally, when I couldn’t take another bite of the rich, chocolatey perfection, I set down the spoon and leaned back on the couch.

  “That’s it?” he asked incredulously. “There’s still at least a third left.”

  “I can’t eat another bite,” I said.

  “Lightweight.” Emilio leaned back, putting his arm around me. I snuggled in close, inhaling his sweet, outdoorsy scent. Everything about him was so good, so warm, so… pure. It was a strange way to describe a lone wolf shifter, perhaps, but it fit. At a time where everything was going dark, Emilio was goodness and light.

  “What are you thinking about, querida?” He asked softly, brushing his knuckles along my upper arm.

  I turned to look up at his face, his deep brown eyes shining, his glossy black hair catching the soft lamplight, chocolate staining the edges of his lips. In that moment, he was the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen. He made me feel lucky to be alive, to be here, to be sharing this moment in time with someone so incredible.

  And he was looking at me in the exact same way.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, my throat tightening.

  He smoothed his thumb over the corner of my lips, undoubtedly smeared with chocolate, just like his. “For the brownies?”

  “Yes, for the brownies. But also for being in my life. For taking such good care of me. For keeping me calm and sane when everything around me is falling apart. For… for looking at me the way you do.”

  He cocked his head, a teasing smile playing on his lips. “How am I looking at you?”

  “Like…” I swallowed the tightness in my throat, my heart thumping, everything in me hoping I was right. Hoping I hadn’t misread his feelings. In a faint whisper full of that bright, gossamer hope, I said, “Like you want to kiss me.”

  He watched me a long moment, his eyes intense, his smile receding. For one mortifying, terrifying instant, I thought I’d made the wrong call.

  Then he traced his thumb along the bottom of my lip, sliding his fingers along my jaw.

  “I will always be in your life, mi brujita. That is a promise. As for wanting to kiss you…”

  He held my gaze another agonizing moment, then dipped his head, capturing my mouth in chocolate-infused kiss that was as hot as it was sweet, the spark of it traveling straight down to my toes.

  I reached up and threaded my fingers into his hair, pulling him closer. Without breaking our kiss, he scooped me into his strong arms, lifting me up and carrying me back to his bedroom.

  He laid me on the bed, kissing my lips, my neck, slowly working his way down my body as he unwrapped the bathrobe, revealing my naked flesh. He took his time, exploring every inch of bare skin with gentle kisses and soft caresses, his tongue swirling over my nipple, then sucking, his fingers trailing down between my thighs.

  I parted for him, welcoming the touch of his strong hands, his warmth. He slid two fingers inside me, his thumb tracing slow circles over my clit.

  Everything about his touch was slow and deliberate, gra
dually electrifying my nerves, winding me tighter and tighter until I was certain I’d burst if I didn’t feel him inside me.

  He seemed to sense this, and gently made his way back to my mouth, capturing me in a deep, sensual kiss.

  He pulled away just a moment, just long enough to strip off his own clothes. He stood before me then, naked in the moonlight, his beautiful, muscular form standing over me like a sculpture of a Greek god. I drank in the sight of him, my eyes tracing the broad lines of his shoulders, the defined muscles of his chest and abs, the trail of dark hair that led down to his cock, hard and massive.

  I nodded, giving him a soft smile, and he climbed on top of me, graceful despite his hulking form. Slowly, he lowered his full weight over me, his warmth sliding over my skin like water, like the hot bubble bath I’d just taken, and we lay like that for several long, blissful moments, our hearts beating as one.

  Wordlessly, we both sensed when it was time. Emilio shifted, and I parted my thighs, arching my hips.

  There was no awkward fumbling or second-guessing, no nervous giggles, no questions, no fear. From the very first brownies he’d ever baked for me, everything between us had been building to this, an ending of one chapter and the beginning of something brand new.

  As Emilio slid inside me, stretching me, filling me, I let out a gasp of pleasure, sliding my hands into his hair and pulling his mouth to mine.

  “Are you okay, querida?” he asked.

  “I’m… perfect.”

  He nipped at my lower lip and smiled. “Agreed.”

  His eyes turned serious again, sensual, and he rolled his hips, taking his time with every thrust, allowing me to get used to him. We found our rhythm easily, though, our bodies arching, our mouths seeking the warmth of a thousand kisses as we brought each other closer and closer to the edge of bliss.

  After an eternity of delicious, deliberate kisses and touches and slow, languid thrusts, I felt my core tighten around him, my nerves tingling.

  The orgasm took its time, teasing me, waiting just out of reach as my thighs grew slick with sweat, my breath ragged, my heartbeat pounding a fierce drumbeat behind my ribs.

  Emilio pulled out slowly, cupping my face, then sliding all the way back inside, his eyes rolling back into his head in a look of pure pleasure, a low, sexy moan rumbling through his chest.

  And that was it.

  The wave crashed over me, explosive, powerful, rocking me to my core. My thighs trembled with the force of it, the pleasure impossible to contain, and I let go, calling out his name in ecstasy, losing myself in the tumultuous spin as shockwave after shockwave crashed over my body.

  Emilio came with the same electrifying force, his body shuddering against me as he gripped my hips, holding me close, breathing my name into the moonlit night as if he were casting his own spell.

  I closed my eyes beneath him and felt the hot pulse of our connection, throbbing like a heartbeat that spread throughout my entire body. It bound me to him, and him to me, and us to Ronan and Asher and Darius. Darius might not remember it, Ronan wasn’t allowed to act on it, Asher was still a prisoner, but that didn’t change what we were.

  A family. A real family—not the kind who jealously fought to control each other’s power, or harmed each other out of spite and anger. But the kind that had each other’s backs, no matter how ugly things got. The kind that took turns lifting each other up, stepping up when someone else couldn’t, picking up the pieces when someone else’s world was falling apart.

  Spent and blissed out, Emilio collapsed on top of me, then rolled us so I was on top of him. I laid my head on his chest, listening to the strong, powerful beat of his heart as he traced figure eights on my back.

  We stayed that way for a while, sinking into the peaceful moment, the beauty of it.

  I lifted my head, resting my chin in my hands against his chest, staring into his eyes.

  Emilio smiled, melting me. “What are you thinking, mi brujita bonita?”

  “I’m thinking…” I arched an eyebrow, unable to hold back my own smile. “Those were some of the best brownies I’ve ever had.”

  “Some of the best?” Emilio laughed, grabbing me and rolling on top of me once again, tickling me.

  “Top five at least,” I teased, and the tickling intensified, making me squeal. “Okay, okay! The best! The absolute best! I swear it!”

  “Good.” He stopped tickling me, once again capturing my gaze with his soulful brown eyes. One look had the power to convey so much, and right now, I felt the force of his love for me. His friendship. His fierce desire to protect our pack.

  And there, between my thighs, I felt the force of his love in an entirely different way.

  “I’m making another batch tomorrow,” he teased, kissing my jaw, his cock hardening further. “And the day after that.” Kissing my neck. “And probably every day for the foreseeable future.” My collarbone. “I hope you’re okay with that.”

  He slid inside me once again, and I sighed happily, welcoming him in deeper, losing myself in his warmth.

  “Emilio Alvarez,” I breathed, closing my eyes, a smile stretching across my lips. “I am more than okay with that. So much more.”

  Twenty-Eight

  Gray

  Even in the arms of my powerful, protective wolf, I still couldn’t resist the siren call of those brownies, and an hour after he’d fallen asleep, I slipped out of Emilio’s embrace and padded down the hall in search of a midnight snack.

  “Gray? Everything okay?”

  I jumped at the voice, shocked to find Elena sitting at the dining room table in the dark, sipping tea. She stood up to turn on the overhead light, wincing at the sudden brightness.

  “I’m… good,” I said, tucking my hair behind my ears. I was wearing the bathrobe, my hair still damp from the shower Emilio and I had taken after our third round of… brownies. “Just looking for a midnight snack.”

  Elena frowned. “Oooh, I hope it wasn’t brownies. I might’ve finished those.”

  “No!” I teased, letting out a playful gasp.

  “In my defense, someone left them out on the coffee table. Abandoned. Clearly, they needed to find a good home.”

  “Clearly.”

  “Have a seat,” she said, rising from her own. “I’ll fix you something.”

  “You don’t have to—

  “It’ll be quick, don’t worry. I was about to make some more tea, anyway. Do you like yerba mate?

  “I’m… sure it’s amazing,” I said, no idea what I was getting into.

  Elena buzzed around the kitchen, insisting I stay put and relax. No less than ten minutes later, she was back, with two steaming mugs of the mate tea and a plate of toasted, crustless sandwiches, pressed thin with three layers of bread.

  “Sandwiches de miga,” she said. “This one is ham and cheese, the other are roasted red pepper and asparagus. Try one.”

  She handed me a plate. I reached for a ham and cheese, taking a bite. Gooey cheese melted into my mouth.

  “You just made these?” I asked, marveling at the culinary skills of the Alvarez siblings. I could only imagine what their parents were like in the kitchen. “Wow. Thank you.”

  “De nada,” she said, helping herself to a red pepper sandwich.

  We finished our sandwiches and sipped our mate through a round of small talk, then her eyes turned more inquisitive, and I knew what was coming next.

  “Can I ask you something, Gray? It’s kind of personal.”

  I nodded, smiling into my mug.

  “You and the guys…”

  My cheeks heated, my smile growing broader.

  “You’re connected to all of them?” she asked. “Like, romantically?”

  “I know it seems… unconventional,” I said.

  “No, it seems like a lot to manage!”

  “As long as they’re okay with doing their own laundry, I don’t foresee any problems.” I laughed. “Honestly? Having a relationship like this… It’s not something I ever though
t about before they all came crashing into my life. For so long, there was only Ronan. I had such intense feelings for him. I couldn’t imagine caring for anyone else on that level.”

  “Did things between you and Ronan cool off when you met the others?”

  “No, just the opposite, actually. This might sound crazy, but being with Ronan, loving someone so deeply like that… I don’t know exactly how to explain it. But it made my heart expand. The other guys came together to protect me after I started… coming into my powers as a witch. A lot of crazy stuff went down, and we all bonded really quickly after that.”

  “I can understand that. Intense circumstances can definitely have that effect.”

  “The more time we all started spending together,” I continued, “the more it just felt… right. Like we belonged together. It’s not that we don’t have our challenges, just like any relationships. And all of this is still so new—I mean, your brother and I are still… getting to know each other.” I lowered my eyes into my mug, feeling myself blush again. When had Elena even gotten home? I really hoped she hadn’t heard us. Then again, she was a wolf shifter, with wolf senses. Not to mention a cop. It didn’t take a detective to put the clues together.

  I sipped my mate, then looked up at her again. “I trust them with my life. We have each other’s backs, no matter what goes down. I never doubt that, even in the middle of the worst kind of craziness.”

  “Like this thing with Ronan and Sebastian?” she asked softly, her smile open and compassionate. “Emilio told me a little bit about the situation.”

  I nodded. I didn’t expect we could keep many secrets in this house. Not with all of us living in such close proximity.

  “I’m so sorry, Gray,” she said.

  At her kindness, a blade pressed against my heart, carving a fresh mark for all that Ronan and I had lost.

  I nodded, blowing out a slow, even breath. “Ronan and I will get through this. Don’t ask me how, since I still don’t fully understand Sebastian’s head games. But a bond like we had—it doesn’t end just because someone else says it has to. I have faith that we’ll figure it out together. Darius, too. I have to believe he’s still in there somewhere, even if he doesn’t remember me yet. I’m not giving up on any of them, and I’m not giving up on hope.”