by Lynn Howard
Noah grimaced and huffed a sound.
“Normally, our gifts, no matter how big or small, don’t manifest until around puberty. Usually around ten for girls and thirteen for boys. They knew I could make fire as an infant. I could call my magic by the time I was eight. It freaked my parents out.”
“They were scared someone would find out,” Noah said, figuring it out before she said much else.
“Exactly. The Fae are already worth a lot of money. But imagine if anyone had found out that I was not only pure blood, but had a strong gift. Not only would I be worth a lot to traffickers, but to any human government who might discover my existence. I’m sure someone like me would be a lot easier to explain than someone like you.” She smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“So they kept you hidden,” Noah said, reaching out to play with her hair that had fallen over her shoulder.
“We weren’t in one place for longer than a few months at a time. My mom homeschooled me, taught me how to read and write and all that. There was no way they’d put me in regular school with a bunch of human kids. Could you imagine if some kid made me mad and I shot fire at him?”
That time, the smile on Noah’s face was genuine.
“We moved the day before my thirteenth birthday. This time, my parents decided to try to hide among humans instead of living in the middle of nowhere. They figured with so many eyes everywhere, no way would anyone try anything.” She felt the tears burning the backs of her eyes as that day played in the back of her mind. “My mon always felt bad that I couldn’t really make any friends, so she decided to throw me a birthday party with just the three of us. She went out and got some junk food, a cake, ice cream, even some balloons. I was in my room reading and she called me out. It was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. There were pink and purple balloons everywhere, hanging on the wall, all over the floor so they’d float when I’d kick them.”
Her chest was growing tight. The closer she got to the part of their death, the harder it was to breathe.
“Someone must’ve seen my mom and known what she was when she went shopping. That night, after we’d eaten until we could barely move and squished onto the crappy love seat that came with the fully furnished apartment to watch a movie, someone knocked on the door.”
Noah took her hand and held it tight, staying silent and letting her get through the worst day of her life.
Her mom’s eyes widened as she looked at her dad. Slowly, her dad stood, holding a finger to his lips. They didn’t know a single person in that town. There was no reason for anyone to be knocking on their door. Even if it was a neighbor wanting to welcome them into the building, her dad wouldn’t answer the door.
Reaching down, her dad turned the knob to silence the movie. Hollyn remembered thinking that was useless. Whoever was at the door would’ve already heard the sounds coming through the door.
Her mom was hugging Hollyn tightly to her side, her eyes full of terror. And all Hollyn could do was whimper. She’d never seen either of her parents so afraid in her life. Her dad held up his hand and motioned for the two of them to head to the back of the apartment and lock themselves in one of the bedrooms.
Hollyn’s mom hurried Hollyn down the hallway and quickly closed the door silently behind them, turning the lock in place and holding her ear to the door.
“Who is it, mom?” Hollyn whispered.
Her mom held up a hand for Hollyn to be quiet. Mom slowly stepped from the door, her eyes wide. And then she turned those eyes on Hollyn. She’d never seen her mom like this, had never seen her eyes so empty, so cold, do dark.
“Run,” she said a second before Hollyn heard her dad yell and a thump echo from the living room.
Hollyn whimpered and backed away from the door. Run? Where was she supposed to go? It was a two bedroom apartment on the third floor.
She couldn’t leave her parents there alone. Raising her hand, she called a ball of flame forth and moved to throw it at the door the second it opened.
“No!” her mom said, hurrying to her side and curling Hollyn’s hand closed over the flame. “Never show anyone what you can do. Ever. Understand? It’ll be even worse. Just run. Please. I love you so much. Please.”
Her mom pushed her toward the window, shoved it open, then helped Hollyn climb through the window. “I love you,” she whispered before sliding it shut as quietly as possible.
Hollyn hesitated a second on the fire escape. Where was she supposed to go? What was she supposed to do?
A sound she’d never forget echoed through the room and froze Hollyn’s steps. Her mother screamed a second before an animal snarled and howled. Shifters. Shifter had found them. Did that mean they’d take her mother and sell her? Would they try to force her to have babies with them?
Her mother began to say something, to beg, but her words were cut off and an odd gurgling sound took their place. And then there was another thud, like the one she’d heard from the living room.
As if she could see through the walls, she knew her parents were dead. Could feel it. Could feel that magical thread between them fade to nothing.
Slowly at first, Hollyn backed down the stairs on shaky legs. Another howl pierced the night and had her legs moving faster. She descended the stairs as fast as she could without tumbling down headfirst.
When her feet hit pavement, she ran into the night, never looking back, never checking to see if anyone was following her. She ran until the cool air burned her lungs, until her legs felt like they’d been frozen in ice. When she could run anymore, she found a drainpipe and climbed into it, bringing her knees to her chest and turning herself into a tiny ball in hopes no one could see her.
She’d been hiding ever since. Until the assholes had found her. Until Aron had saved her. Until she’d met and fell for Noah. Until she’d bound them for life.
“I’m so sorry,” Noah whispered, bringing her hand to his mouth to feather her knuckles with kisses. He reached both arms out and Hollyn happily wiggled into them, pressing her cheek against his chest as tears flowed down her cheeks and into her hair.
He held her close, his big, warm hands stroking up and down her spine as he kissed her temple. And then he pulled back enough to look into her face. “You showed me your fire the first day we met,” he said with furrowed brows.
“I guess my magic already knew I could trust you,” she said, shrugging up the shoulder that wasn’t wedged against the mattress.
Hollyn felt the moment Noah’s heart swelled with so much love. She’d had people in her life who loved her, and now they were gone. Then, she’d had a new family take her in and love her. She would stop at nothing to protect them. Even if it meant revealing her gift to the world.
****
Sunday rolled around again, and Hollyn hadn’t felt Melinda’s presence again. Opening her eyes, she sighed at the weight across her middle. Noah had rolled onto his side and thrown an arm across her waist, claiming her and protecting her even in his sleep.
She hated to leave the warmth of his body, but she needed a shower before work. Last night had been one of the busiest nights Moe’s had ever had, according to Noah. They’d both had to tend the bar while Shawnee ran around like a chicken with her head caught off to deliver so many drinks. Most of the people were there to see Hollyn perform, but they didn’t care who made their drinks, as long as they could still watch Hollyn.
Exhaustion had wracked her body the whole way home and they’d both shuffled toward the bedroom, stripped to nothing but underwear, then collapsed into the bed. They hadn’t even made love last night, which was odd for them. The only time they’d gone to sleep without fooling around was the night Hollyn had gotten so drunk she’d passed out.
As Hollyn tried to wiggle out from under Noah’s arm, his hold tightened and he pulled her closer.
“Where you going? It’s not time to get up yet,” he said, his voice hoarse with sleep.
“I need a shower,” she said, then giggled when he buried his face in the croo
k of her neck and nipped at her.
Her giggles quickly turned into a moan as his lips found the sensitive spot below her ear the same time his hand smoothed down her body and slipped beneath her panties. He had her panting and begging for him within minutes.
“Nope,” he said when she tried to drag him onto of her. Instead, he slid down the bed, taking her panties with him, and made love to her with his mouth. As she cried out with her release, he quickly moved up and thrust into her, holding still to feel the way her muscles clamped around him. “That’s so fucking sexy,” he said, lowering his face and licking the spot where his bear wanted to mark her.
Within seconds, Noah was pounding fast and hard into her, hooking one of her legs over his arm to open her further. And then he pulled out, flipped her onto her stomach, and pulled her ass up, pressing a hand against her shoulders to keep her upper half against the mattress.
He was slow when he entered her this time, feeding her an inch at a time until Hollyn was squirming and pushing back on him to get him to move.
“You want it?” he growled out and Hollyn wondered if Bear was there, too.
“Yes. I want it so bad,” she begged, pushing back again.
He chuckled that deep, sexy sound she loved so much, reared back, and then slammed his cock into her. Hollyn cried out as stars exploded behind her lids. Somehow, he was prolonging her first orgasm. Did that make it multiples? She’d never experienced that, but she couldn’t imagine it would feel any better than what Noah was doing to her right now.
With his hands on her hips, Noah took her hard and fast, his grunts mixing with her panting and moaning. It was erotic. It was primal. It was sexy as hell.
Bending over her back, Noah licked along her spine, then reached around her and used his fingers on her clit.
“I want to hear you come one more time,” he said, his mouth so close to her ear his warm breath tickled.
Just hearing him say the words made her tighten everywhere until she imploded and exploded from the inside out. She heard Noah’s name on her lips over and over, but barely recognized her own voice.
Noah pulled out, placed his shaft along the crack of her ass, and spilled on her back. They’d gotten carried away and forgotten the condom again. And once again, Noah had enough foresight to keep from finishing inside of her and risking pregnancy.
With each hot jet hitting her flesh, Noah grunted, the sound so deep and guttural, making Hollyn’s sex pulse with need all over again.
She once again wondered if they’d ever get tired of touching each other, feeling each other, hearing each other come. As far as she was concerned, she’d never tire of feeling Noah inside of her or his rough hands on her body.
Noah stood and grabbed one of his t-shirts from the ground, using it to clean Hollyn’s back. “We’ve got to stop risking that,” Noah grumbled as he tossed the soiled shirt across the room and into the hamper.
He helped her to her knees then to her feet. “I want to close the bar today,” he said, his eyes roaming her face before lowering, a flash of bright amber lighting his irises from behind.
“What? Why?”
He’d told her he could count how many times he’d either closed early or just closed altogether on one hand and it always involved someone else’s needs.
“I want to spend the day with you. I want to do what Shawnee and Colton do and hang out on the couch and watch TV all day.”
Could he, though? Could he do nothing all day without the anxiety of not being at work ruining it for him.
“And I want to make love to you as many times as I want without feeling rushed.”
And she suddenly didn’t care if he could take the day off without being anxious.
Hollyn let Noah lead her to the shower. “So you’re saying you want to spend the day vegging on the couch and worshipping my body?” she teased as he turned on the spray.
“Yep.” That was all he said as he turned to check her out. Every time he looked at her it was like he was seeing her for the first time. Every single time she was naked in front of him, Noah got an instant boner and Hollyn could feel his want and need for her. She got it. She really did. Because everything about Noah turned her on.
Noah held his hand out to her and helped her step into the shower. He got in behind her and used his bare hands to wash her, soaping them up with her body wash and slowly and gently running them across every inch of her body. Within minutes, she was panting with need.
“You did that on purpose,” she said and was fully aware of how breathy she sounded.
“This is just a little foreplay,” he said, standing and guiding her into the spray to rinse off the suds.
He was hard and ready for her, but didn’t take her against the shower wall, didn’t bend her over the sink, didn’t even try to take her on the bed when he carried her to the bedroom to get dressed.
“Isn’t getting dressed a huge waste of time? I mean, you did say you wanted to worship my body all day.”
“Technically, I said I wanted to hang out and make love.” His eyes held a slight glow as he sat on the edge of the bed and watched her dress. He’d already pulled on a pair of sweats that he hadn’t destroyed Shifting and a tank top that hugged his muscles in the most tantalizing way and made her mouth water.
If he didn’t want her to constantly want to jump his bones why the hell had he dressed like a sex pot?
Noah smiled as Hollyn pouted. “Don’t worry. I plan on making you scream a few more times today,” he said in that gravelly voice of his.
He kissed her on the tip of her nose as he stood. “I’m going to make my mate breakfast. Then we’re going to sprawl out on the couch and eat and watch movies all day.”
He turned the corner, leaving Hollyn alone in the room. His couch wasn’t exactly big enough for them to sprawl out on together, but she didn’t mind. As hot as she was for him after his attentions in the shower, she was excited about spending the day with him, getting to know him more, talking to him about something other than work, Fairies, and psycho Shifters.
Hollyn’s grin was wide as she jogged from the bedroom. She wanted to witness Noah actually using his kitchen for something more than just making coffee or sandwiches. In the month she’d been in Blackwater territory, she’d yet to see him cook anything at home. He cook at the bar all the time, but that was bar food, burgers and fries and other greasy food. He was intent on being domestic and feeding his mate.
He moved around the space with ease, pulling eggs and bacon from the fridge. When had he gone shopping? Or were those in there for a while? Surely, he wouldn’t feed her old stuff.
“I had Shawnee go shopping for me when she got off last night,” Noah said when he turned and caught her expression.
“She got off late,” Hollyn said.
“Yeah, but Wal-mart is a twenty-four hour place.” He winked and turned back to the sizzling bacon.
Hollyn took a seat at the table, propped her elbows on top, and rested her chin in her hands. There was something so homey about the sound and smell of bacon cooking. There was something homey about Noah making that bacon for her.
And then it hit her; this wasn’t Noah’s house. This was her home. He hadn’t exactly asked her to move in, but he’d been adamant about her not leaving. After twenty years, she had a real home, not a temporary place until she had to run for the next town. She had a family, a husband. All that was missing was the white picket fence and dog.
And kids.
She’d never thought about motherhood, feared it, wondered about her ability to nurture another little person. But with Noah, she wanted to try. She wanted to see a child who was a mixture of the two of them. Would their child be a bear like his daddy or a Fairy like her momma? Would he have brown eyes like Noah or blue eyes like Hollyn?
And could they really keep their child safe from the hunters and traffickers?
She hadn’t realized she’d zoned out until Noah bent into her line of sight, his brows pulled together.
&
nbsp; “What’s wrong?” he asked.
She shook her head, worried if she tried to speak, emotion would clog her throat and make her croak out the words.
“I felt a wave of sadness,” he said, rounding the table and kneeling in front of her.
“You’re going to burn the bacon,” she said with a sniffle.
“Then I’ll get more.”
She dropped her eyes to where his hands rested on her knees. “I was just thinking about kids. And how pretty our kids would be. And how we can’t guarantee their safety. I could never put my own child through what I went through. Hiding and scrounging for my next meal until I was old enough to work.” A single tear rolled over her lashes and left a hot trail down her cheek.
Noah wiped it away and tipped her face up with a finger under her chin. “If we ever decide we want kids, we will keep them safe. But I’m just as content to have you in my life for as long as I’m alive.”
“You’d be happy with no kids?” she asked. It made her sad to think they couldn’t risk having children because of the rest of the world. It was like their choice was taken away from them.
“Big River has kids. And someday, I’m sure Colton and Shawnee will have kids. We’ll just be the kind of aunt and uncle who spoil the shit out of them.”
He pushed to his feet, kissed the top of Hollyn’s head, then returned to the stove. “Still not burned. Damn, I’m good.”
That made her laugh. And she knew he’d said it for that reason, to cheer her up and get her mind off the heavy crap.
Once the bacon was done, he whipped up a bunch of eggs and poured it directly into the hot bacon grease.
“You’re going to make me fat,” she said, standing and stepping behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.