A Slash of Savagery (Wiccan-Were-Bear) (10 page)

“It looks great.  She’ll love it,” Cella said.

Brone nodded.  He couldn’t wait to show her.

As the night waned, he found himself both agitated and excited.  They were going to feed from each other for the first time since they mated.  In a perfect world, they would not have to leave the chamber at all, but the world was not perfect by any stretch.

He found it difficult to concentrate on anything, his thoughts drifting to Arissa again and again.  He turned off the computer, stood, and walked down to Mishka’s office.  “I’m taking Arissa for the remainder of the night.”

Mishka’s golden gaze darted to the clock and back to Brone.  A low growl rumbled in Brone’s chest.  Mishka would
not
stop him from taking his mate to their chamber.

“You needn’t growl, Brone.  I wasn’t planning to stop you.”

Brone nodded and turned away, walking toward the door.  His long legs ate up the distance to the front desk, and he leaned over and pushed the button to forward to the phones to the answering service.  The two guards looked at him in surprise through the glass doors and then they both smiled and nodded.  “Whatcha up to?” Arissa asked as he offered her his hand.

He opened his mouth to tell her that he wanted her right then, but all that came out of his throat was an inarticulate growl.  Her brows raised and then her eyes darkened, the scent of her arousal spiked in the air and every possessive instinct in him roared to life.  He snarled in the guards’ direction as he pulled Arissa from her chair and tucked her behind his back.  No one scented her arousal but
him
.

“Brone?”  She spoke his name as her hands slipped around his waist and fisted his shirt.  “Take me to bed right now.”

The guards had taken several steps away from the glass doors when he snarled at them, seemingly unsure of why he was angry.  A part of him wanted to slam the doors open and ensure they never scented anything ever again, but then she pressed her body against his back and made a soft, moaning sound and all of his vengeful thoughts fled.  Giving a final snarl for good measure, he turned and hurried her down the hallway to the elevator.

When the doors slid closed, she jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and making her short skirt rise up her thighs.  “I love when you growl.  So sexy.”  She chuckled low in her throat as she nipped at the cords in his neck and ground the apex of her thighs against his erection.

His fangs throbbed in his mouth.  The elevator doors opened, and he forced his eyes open so he could navigate the hallway to their chamber.  She stopped her gentle nibbling on his throat, making a low growling sound before sinking her teeth into his neck.

He groaned as pleasure stole through him.  She hadn’t broken the skin, but the blunt edges of her teeth felt like heaven.  She released him when he opened the bedroom door and stepped inside, slamming it shut and locking it.  She licked the mark she’d made and squeezed herself closer to him.

He wanted her to see the surprise he had for her, almost as much as he wanted her naked and screaming in pleasure.  He lowered her to the floor and pushed her gently away from him.  She made a protesting sound, her eyes unfocused when they blinked open.

“The chamber is done, beloved,” he said, tilting his head toward the new kitchen.

Her eyes focused suddenly, and she turned her head and gasped.  “Oh wow,” she said, stepping away from him.  She strode to the mini-kitchen, running her fingertip along the counter.  Opening the refrigerator, she looked inside, closed it, and then opened the cabinets.  She pulled down a red plastic wrapped package with a picture of a peanut shaped cookie on the front.  Tapping the top with one finger, she looked at him.  “These are my favorite.”

“I can’t take credit for them.  Cella stocked the kitchen for you and said that you liked them.”

She put them down on the counter and walked past him, taking in the new furniture and television.  She touched the couch, sliding her palm along the back cushion as she took in everything that had been changed in the chamber.  She seemed pleased, and he hoped that she really was.

“We can change anything you don’t like,” he offered.

Her eyes widened.  “Don’t you dare!  I love it.”

He smiled.  “I’m glad.”

“You don’t watch TV though, do you?”

“No, but I’ll learn.”

She chuckled and gave the couch a final pat before joining him.  “I love you, Brone.  Thank you for everything.  It’s even better than I expected.”  Her eyes darkened as her arousal spiked in the air once more and she said, “Now where were we?”

“Here,” he growled, lifting her up and turning, he pressed her against the door, bracing her back with one arm as he reached between them and ripped off her panties.  He felt the heat of her pussy against his hand as he undid his pants.  She rubbed herself on his hand, letting her head fall back against the door with a soft thud.

Releasing his cock, he shifted his hips back and aligned himself with her pussy and thrust inside her.  Her legs tightened around him, and her hands gripped his shoulders as she gasped and her eyes fluttered shut.

“Yes,” she hissed, rolling her hips as he began to move in and out of her.  He couldn’t stop himself from fucking her hard against the door.  Her arousal in public made him want to brand her with his scent over and over so that everyone would know she was his and his alone.

“Mine,” he snarled, and her eyes opened fractionally and she grinned.

“Hell yes.”

Her nails dug into his biceps as he drove into her.  Her pussy tightened around him, and he knew she was close to coming already.  He touched her chin, turning her head to face him, and kissed her.  She shuddered and moaned, wrenching her mouth free as he twisted his hips to the side and her pussy gripped him.

“Oh, there,” she moaned, her hands gripping the collar of his shirt as she bucked her body against him.

He bit her neck just hard enough to mark but not enough to break the skin and she came, crying out his name and shuddering.  He followed her two strokes later, pressing their bodies tightly together and filling her pussy.  They panted for breath as he held her against the door, pressing his head to her shoulder and holding her close.

“You know I only want you, right?” she asked, rubbing her cheek against his.

“I know this.”

“So the jealous thing earlier?”

He kissed her ear and turned, walking toward the bed with her in his arms.  “You’re mine.”  There really was no other explanation.

He set her on the bed, and she pulled off her clothes while he removed his.  “You can growl at me anytime,” she said, smiling as she went to her knees in the center of the bed.

He joined her on the bed, towering over her small frame.  She traced her fingers from the top of his hands to his shoulders and back down again.  The touch was simple, but rocked him to the core.

“I’m hungry, Brone.”

“As am I, beloved.”

He scored his wrist while she watched and offered it to her.  She didn’t hesitate, latching her mouth onto his wrist and drinking his blood.  The soft moan of appreciation made his cock spring back to life.  He’d wondered if she would be disgusted by the act of drinking his blood, but she clearly wasn’t.

She let out a satisfied moan and licked across the wound on his wrist.  “You taste so good.  Not like blood, exactly, but something more complex.”  She held her hands out in front of her and wiggled her fingers.  “I can feel your blood in my body.”

“It’s our bond.  It grows stronger with each feeding, but it’s already quite powerful because we are beloveds.”

She stroked her throat with a smile.  “Come and get it while it’s incredibly hot.”

He growled and pounced on her, taking her to the mattress and curling himself around her back.  He sank his fangs into her neck, not as deeply as their mating bond, but deep enough for him to feed, and she moaned, pressing herself against him.  With a simple movement, he lifted her leg and slid his cock into her as he drank her blood and they made love.

And then they made love once more before dawn.

Chapter 14

 Arissa yawned as the alarm on her cell beeped Sunday afternoon.  She had to be at the store well before sunset, so she needed to get on her way.  Slipping from the bed, she peeked back at Brone who was awake but silent.  She blew a kiss to him and headed into the bathroom to take a shower.

After her shower, she dressed in a long skirt and silk tank.  She applied makeup and then brushed her teeth.  She stepped into a pair of sandals and then returned to the main room.  Brone was sitting on the edge of the bed with the sheet wrapped loosely around his waist.

“Come here, my mate,” he said, holding out his hand.

She hesitated.  “I don’t have time for a quickie even though you’re really, really tempting.”

He half-smiled.  “No, my beloved, that’s not why.”

She took a few steps and reached for his hand.  He drew her close and kissed her briefly.  She felt something cold touch the ring finger on her left hand and as their kiss ended, she looked down to see him push a ring onto her finger.

“Our kind don’t normally marry, but I know that it’s a human custom for the female to wear a ring.  Our bond is deeper than any mortal ceremony.”

She looked down at the large square cut garnet and smiled, her eyes misting at the sweet gesture.  “You’re so good to me, Brone,” she said and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“You are worth everything to me, beloved,” he whispered huskily in her ear.

She shivered and moaned softly as the tips of his fangs teased her neck for a moment.  He pushed her away gently and cupped her face, brushing his lips across hers.

“I’ll be at the store an hour after sunset.  Take care, my love.”

“I love you.  I’ll be careful, I promise.”

With a final kiss, she said goodbye to her mate and left their chamber.  When she reached the first floor, four males were waiting for her.  Two wolves, a fallen angel, and a leopard.  Brone had introduced them to her the day before. The wolves were fraternal twins and looked like negatives of each other: Night was dark-skinned, with brown eyes and black hair, and Shade was lightly tanned with nearly white-blond hair and pale blue eyes.  Darien, like Allisandrea, was an angel who had “fallen,” or decided to give up his wings and heavenly home for life on earth.  He was handsome, with blond hair and blue eyes; the sides of his long hair were braided and gathered at the back of his head.  The leopard, Nikko, was lean and muscular with golden eyes and dark brown hair.  Each male emanated strength.  Even without Brone, she felt secure leaving the safety of the club with them.  Of course she’d prefer to have Brone with her, but these four would keep her safe, of that she had no doubt.

Darien said, “My lady, we’re ready when you are.”

“You can call me Arissa,” she said as they surrounded her and they walked through the offices.

“I understand that you have a friend like me,” he said.

“Her name is Allisandrea.  She lives in the building I used to live in.”

“I know of her.”

“She said that there weren’t any other angels in the area.  Are you new to town?”

“Not at all.  I’m personally pledged to Mishka and run errands for him, so I’m not in Cleveland very often.”

She glanced up at him.  “You say
errands
like you don’t really mean errands.”

He chuckled.  “He is a collector and I collect things for him.”

“That sounds even more ominous,” she said with a laugh.

“Not at all, little witch.  He collects books and artifacts, nothing so sinister as what you may be thinking.”

“I wasn’t thinking anything sinister,” she promised.

“Oh sure,” Shade snorted, “you were thinking he collects people.”

She gave the tall male a light slap on his arm.  “Was not.”

After they made their way through the club, the twins left her with Darien and Nikko and went to scout the vehicle and make sure it was safe.  She thought they were being a little overprotective, but she imagined that Brone had insisted on it.  And they were warriors, anyway, protectors of those they were charged with watching.  Their lives were on the line if something happened to her, she was sure of it.

Night pushed open the security door and said, “All clear.  Let’s get on our way.”

She sat in the second row between Darien and Nikko, and Night and Shade sat in the front with Shade behind the wheel.  On the drive to The Cleveland Mother Earth Store, she talked to the four males about their lives.  The wolves had been rogue since they were young and had come to Cleveland looking for work several years ago.  They’d been working security for the club ever since.

Nikko was one of only a few leopards living in the states.  Most leopards, he said, lived in Canada on preserves and kept a simple way of life.  He, like the twins, worked in security.  Darien had lost his wings three hundred years ago and had found his niche in supernatural detective work, finding antiquities and artifacts.  Since Mishka was a collector, he had hired Darien to work for him exclusively, and he found himself traveling all over the world looking for various items.

“The last thing I found for him was a book about the wealthiest vampire clan in the history of their people.”

“That’s the one that Mishka gave up for the little dragon kid,” she said.

Darien nodded.  “Mishka thinks very highly of Brone, and you as an extension.  He knew that if he didn’t protect the kid that Brone would destroy that coven in an effort to protect you, and that would set him up for trouble with the European council.”

She hummed in her throat.  “But if he killed them to save Sang, isn’t that justification?”

Nikko snorted.  “Old vamps don’t think much of shifters, honey.  A vampire could kill another vampire
legally
if his mate was harmed or in danger, but not for a shifter.”

Night said, “There was a vampire a few years ago that was fighting shifters against each other, and the North American Council approved of his death, but that was an extenuating circumstance, since the NAC cares more about what humans and shifters think than their European counterparts.”

“Sounds complicated and kinda dumb.”

All four males laughed.  “That about sums it up,” Darien said.

Night pulled into a parking space behind the store, and Arissa used her keycard to unlock the back door.  She turned around to see Nikko tugging off his shirt.

He gave her a rakish grin and said, “I’m on patrol.  My senses are better in my shifted form.”

It took her a moment to realize he was going to keep taking off his clothes, and then he toed off his shoes.  “Oh, right.  Well, have fun patrolling.”

Darien followed her into the store while Night and Shade busied themselves at the back of the SUV.  “What’s on the menu tonight?  Hexes?  Potions?  Dancing around a cauldron naked?” he asked.

“I don’t think you could have been any more stereotypical.”

“I could try harder.”

“No thanks.”  She stopped at the staff break room and pushed her purse into her locker after extracting the book that Lorene had delivered to the club.  The book would help her with the inscribed stones that Cella had helped her order.  “Tonight we’re making protection amulets for the mates at the club, and then I might hex a certain fallen angel.”

He chuckled as he followed her through the back offices of the store.  Lulu looked up from where she was cleaning the counter and dropped the spray bottle and wad of paper towels. She jogged around the counter and hugged Arissa.  “I missed you!  They make me stand out here by myself on the weekends.”

“Aw,” Arissa laughed.  “I missed you, too.”

“Yeah, right.  You get to hang out in the club with your mate to protect you. And holy crap, girl, you’re mated!  When’s the wedding?”  Lulu lifted Arissa’s hand and looked at the impressive ring.

“No wedding.  The ring is just a symbol.”

“Of what?”  She looked up skeptically.

“Our bond.”

Darien turned on his heels.  “Oh, yuck.  If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to check the back.”  He walked back toward the offices and disappeared down the hallway.

“He’s cute.”

“Fallen angel,” Arissa said as she laid the book on the counter.

“So he’s…single?” Lulu asked, leaning against the counter.

“I didn’t ask.”  She smiled as she flipped the book open to find the two spells she had marked.

Lulu hummed but said nothing, peering at the open page.  The sound of heels echoing down the hallway and a swell of power in the air alerted Arissa to Lorene’s arrival.  The North Corner glided into the room followed by Bitty, the East Corner.  Arissa left the counter and embraced the two women.  It was comforting to be in the presence of other Wiccans, and she hadn’t realized how much she’d missed it.  She could have stood with them for hours.

“Mating agrees with you, sweet girl,” Lorene said.

Arissa blushed as Bitty chuckled.

“Shall we get on with the protection wards so you can come back to work the front with Lulu?  She seems practically bursting to talk to you about the club,” Lorene said.

With a smile at Lulu, Arissa grabbed the book and box of stones and walked with the corners to one of the rooms where Wiccans in the coven performed spells and rituals for clients.  She, Bitty, and Lorene gathered in the center of the room at a large, round table.  While Lorene gathered the ingredients for the specific spells, Bitty and Arissa laid out the gemstones that would become pendants on bracelets to be given to each mate.  She had included an extra ten gemstones for future mates.

Letting her power free, Arissa began to cast the spells to imbue the pendants with protective powers.  Lorene and Bitty added their own power to the spells that Arissa cast, making the spells even more powerful.  By the time the last pendant was protected, Arissa felt as if she had finally done her best to keep the mates safe.

They helped her attach the pendants to the bracelets and each one was tucked inside a velvet bag and laid in a box.

Arissa thanked the corners for their help and carried the box of bracelets to the break room and put them in the locker along with the book.  Lorene had offered to let her keep the spell book, and Arissa looked forward to reading through it when she had more time. She hadn’t really read much of it, since she’d been intent on finding only specific spells.  Ancient spells fascinated her.

She spent the next hour talking to Lulu about the club and being mated.  Lulu was very sweet, and Arissa was surprised she wasn’t mated.

“I guess I haven’t found that
one
guy yet.”

“He’s out there somewhere, I’m sure,” Arissa promised.

Lulu cast her gaze to Arissa before looking back at the front door again.  “Do you think I could come visit you at the club sometime?”

“We’d have to make sure that you’re well-guarded so no one tries to take a bite out of you.  I could get my angel friend Allisandrea to join us.  She’s very fierce.”

“That would be cool,” Lulu said.

The sun began to set, and Arissa breathed a sigh of relief.  Brone texted her to say he was on his way.  The store stayed open until midnight, and Brone was going to stay until the store closed and then drive her home.  She was glad that he was coming for her.  She liked the guards but would feel safer with Brone by her side.

Not that she expected anything bad to happen.  The store and grounds were protected with spells and wards.

Almost as soon as she finished the thought, the hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention, and a shiver raced down her spine as if she’d walked through a stream of frigid air.  Grabbing her phone, she texted Brone: 
Something’s wrong, get here fast!

“Lulu, run and tell Lorene that something bad is coming and then go into the break room and shut the door.”

“What’s wrong?” Lulu asked, her eyes wide with sudden panic.

Arissa’s skin goosebumped, and she fought the urge to run and hide, too.  “Just go, now!”

Lulu raced from the room as Darien rushed in, sword drawn.  “What the hell is going on?” he demanded.

“I don’t know, but it’s not good.”

Lorene joined her and Darien as they stood in the center of the room.  Lorene said, “I sent Bitty to stay with Lulu and keep her safe.  We need to go outside.”

“That’s insane,” Darien snarled.  “The danger is out there.”

“We’ll be safe within the wards on the grounds, and we need to take the fight to whoever is coming and keep Lulu and Bitty safe.”

“She’s right,” Arissa said, drawing on her Wiccan power.  The comforting warmth of her power filled her, and she felt Lorene’s answering swell of power.  Lorene ducked behind the counter and lifted a container of salt, tucking it into her arms.

The three strode toward the glass doors with purpose, and Arissa opened her senses completely, searching for the danger.  The doors swung open and she walked out.  She stopped a few yards from the doors.  Darien whistled and a sleek solid black leopard raced around the corner of the building and stopped directly in front of Arissa.  The leopard’s hackles raised and his fangs were bared to the coming darkness.