HildaWe spent hours with the women, listening to their stories and helping to feed them. They were all deathly pale from the years without sunlight, weak as kittens and still struggling to comprehend that they’re really free.Despite all of that, I don’t doubt we’ll eventually restore them to full health. Their will to survive is inspiring. The mental shock will probably take longer to heal than their physical impairment. The sharing of life energy kept those who’d been there longest from atrophying. I suspect that has more to do with the difficulty of separating them than any kindness on the part of the mages.“I told you it wasn’t your fault,” is the first thing I say to Arlo when we’re alone in our cottage. Neither of us wanted to leave until the women were settled down again and resting, but I’ve been dying to be alone with him.“Honestly woman, is this what our married life will be like? You’ll be throwing I told you so’s at me, at every opportunity? I was hoping there’d be far
ArloI don’t deserve the sheer amount of grace that’s been heaped upon my plate. Absolution from the women I’d thought of as my victims, as well as the gorgeous creature smiling at me invitingly from our bed. Right now she’s lifting the covers to show me her nakedness and patting the bed invitingly. “I’ve kept it warm for you,” she purrs, biting her lip and staring at my cock ardently. “I didn’t want to wake you up. You looked so peaceful and I know how tired you must be,” I tell her, struggling, and failing, to keep my eyes from fixing on her breasts. “Some things are way more important than sleep,” she informs me. “Get that sexy ass of yours over here.”“Careful what you wish for my queen, you may just get it,” I warn, stalking over to her predatorily. She stills and stares at me, her eyes suddenly full of uncertainty. “Hilda, what’s wrong?” I ask, fear nibbling at my insides. “If you’re not ready, or don’t want such a serious commitment, you can tell me. I’d rather know now.” I
HildaArlo’s kiss has all my synapses firing at once. I’m lost in him, clinging to his neck as his tongue drives me mad with desire. My mate. My king. My husband. My everything. I want him so much right now. Everywhere. I don’t want him to stop kissing me, but I also want my lips wrapped around his shaft, while he thrusts into me at the same time. I will always be a glutton when it comes to him.“I need you,” is all I manage to whimper when his hands skim up and down my sides, his thumbs brushing across the sides of my breasts. I’m burning up with lust and his touch is driving me wild. “You have me,” he growls into my ear before nipping the lobe hard.His palms slide along my inner thighs and I moan expectantly, confused when he veers away from the area craving his touch the most. His fingers curl around my buttocks and then he’s lifting me above his head, with my back still against the wall, until my sex is right in front of his mouth.The world dissolves into colors and lightning wh
CereliaThere’s no other way to describe me and Soren than loved-up. We’re worse than teenagers feeling the first flush of love and quite possibly randier too. For days we haven’t been able to keep our hands off each other and leaving him to attend to other duties feels like being punished.We never had this when we first met and realized we were mated. Soren’s heart was still heavy with the loss of Hilda, made worse by the guilt he carried. She sacrificed her life for his and he felt ashamed for moving on with his life so soon.I was too timid to fully open myself to our sexual relations, always feeling like I was his second choice. Inferior to his first mate in every way. Not to mention that I’d been brought up to believe that a lady acted demurely in the bedroom. Always aiming to please, but never to demand. How wrong they’d been. Soren seems to adore it when I’m demanding.We loved each other, but we never had the opportunity to fall in love. Our time apart is quite possibly the m
Hilda“I am a mage,” she admits freely when I approach her. “My name is Tara and I was an apprentice to Maelor. He promised my mother he’d teach me how to control my magic. At first he did just that, but after a few months he asked me to join the meetings he had with others who practice magic.”Cerelia is frowning at the young woman, distrust written all over her face. I’m not sure what to make of Tara yet and I have to give her an opportunity to explain. Mage or not, she was in a pod, connected to the others, her life force being drained.“Continue please,” I say as mildly as I can, surreptitiously elbowing Cerelia in the side lightly. She refuses to take the hint, her eyes like chips of ice. Tara glances at her and swallows nervously before starting to speak again.“I was so excited to meet others like me. In my village nobody else could practice magic and I was always shunned. People fear what they don’t understand.”“Are you human?” I ask in consternation and she nods. “I know you
Hilda The words are impossible to comprehend. I love Arlo, how could I possibly affect his reign in a negative way? The whole not being able to have children with him thing is bad enough, but what she seems to be saying is that I’ll cause bad things to happen by merely being with him.“What do you mean?” I ask urgently, resisting the temptation to shake Tara by her shoulders. “What’s going to happen? I need to know!” But the young woman is staring at me wide-eyed, blinking in confusion.“I’m sorry, I don’t know what happened. Did I say something?” she asks in confusion. Her eyes are back to normal, but her skin is pale and clammy. “Yes, as a matter of fact you did. You tried to break up the King and his soon-to-be Luna. Which coincidentally is exactly what the cabal wants. Now you’re pretending to remember nothing, while you spouted answers like a broken water main a minute ago,” Cerelia snaps angrily.Tara looks like she’s going to burst any tears at any moment. “I understand that y
Hilda“I don’t fucking care what she said!” Arlo thunders, his hands gripping my shoulders tightly. “Hilda, you are my life. We can’t have children, so be it. I’ve told you before that as long as I have you my life is complete. If the pack is stupid enough to turn against you, fuck them too. I don’t need to be king, I do need you.”He doesn’t seem to find my offer to leave to be helpful. It may be selfish, but I can’t deny how happy I am about that. He doesn’t give me an opportunity to say anything else, crushing his lips to mine in a bruising kiss.“Don’t you ever dare offer to leave me again,” he growls when we pull apart, biting my neck hard enough to leave a mark. “Tonight I’ll be showing you just how much that displeases me.” Shivers of anticipation run down my spine. “You’re mine forever,” he adds, tilting my chin back so he can stare down into my eyes.“I’m yours,” I agree. He growls again when I say the words, his hands twisted into my hair painfully. “Yes. And I’m yours, neve
CereliaFighting does not come as naturally to me as magic does. Watching Hilda spin, duck, punch, sweep and stab in one fluid, incredibly fast, motion is humbling to say the least. When she does it, it looks like dancing. My attempts are more like someone rolling down the hill and repeatedly attempting to get up, only to topple over again.“It’s hopeless,” I finally pant, when I fail to block her punch for the umpteenth time. “It’s not hopeless, this is only your first lesson!” Hilda chides. I would love to find a handy barrel of ice cold water to dunk my head in. Sweat is pouring off me.“I’m sure that you didn’t suck this badly on your first day,” I tell her with grave certainty. Hilda shrugs, “I was barely more than a toddler when my parents started training me and I’m sure I wasn’t exactly an imposing figure. It takes a very long time and far more training than you’ll need to become a warrior. You just need to be able to move on instinct and defend yourself if necessary.”“And yo
HildaThe moment I see Cerelia shift, I don’t hesitate. I rush forward, wrapping my arms around her before she can say a word. She laughs into my shoulder, squeezing me just as tightly, and for a moment, I let myself sink into the familiarity of her presence.“I missed you,” I murmur, pulling back just enough to look at her face. She looks the same, stunningly beautiful, smart and amazing, but there’s a softness in her eyes when she meets my gaze.“I missed you too,” she says. “I swear, every time I turn around, another letter from you is demanding I come visit.”I scoff. “Because you don’t take the hint the first time. If I didn’t harass you, you’d never make your way here and I’d be left lonely and bereft. I can’t come and see you at the moment, it’s too difficult to travel so far with Scarlett and the warriors would all insist on coming along.”A low chuckle reminds me that we aren’t alone. Soren stands behind her, watching us with amusement. “Are you two done, or should I come bac
TaraThe knock at my door is soft but certain. I know who it is before I even get up, because there’s only one person who visits without hesitation, without waiting for an invitation. Scarlett.I open the door, and there she is, standing on my porch with her hands on her hips like she owns the place. In a way, she does. The pack would move mountains for her, and she knows it.She’s not bratty in a ‘I’m a princess’ kind of way, acting like she’s better than anyone else. She’s just Scarlett, unapologetically curious, unnervingly perceptive for someone who’s only been 2 for a couple of months, and my favorite visitor by far.“Hi, Tara!” she chirps, strolling past me before I can say anything, “I came to see you. Mommy says she thinks you’re lonely, but I told her that’s silly, because I’m your friend and I come to see you all the time.”“That’s very kind of you,” I say dryly, closing the door behind her. “You’re getting taller.” She grins, “I know! Daddy says I’m growing too fast and Mom
CereliaThe letter arrives in the late afternoon, the familiar scrawl on the envelope immediately making my heart ache. I open it carefully, running my fingers over the parchment before I begin to read.My dearest Cerelia,I miss you.It feels ridiculous to start with that when there’s so much to tell you, but it’s the truth. I miss you fiercely, and it’s been far too long since we last saw each other. Which is why you and Soren need to visit soon. I mean it. No excuses. Pack up your bags, drag that stubborn mate of yours along, and come stay for a while. Please.Now that my demand is out of the way, let me fill you in on everything happening here.First things first, I’m pregnant. I know, it’s a miracle, given how difficult it is for werewolves to conceive, but Arlo is very pleased with himself. I’m about 3 months along. We didn’t want to say anything until the end of the first trimester and Scarlett was the first one we told. She promptly informed us that it’s a boy.Speaking of our
NixieI take a deep breath before knocking on the heavy wooden door. My hand lingers in the air for a second longer than necessary. It’s not that I’m nervous, exactly. It’s just that this is big. Huge, actually. And saying it out loud makes it real in a way I haven’t quite wrapped my head around yet.The door swings open before I can knock again, revealing Hilda, looking as radiant as ever. Her hair is loose around her shoulders, catching the morning light, and she’s wearing a soft cream dress that drapes over her form in a way that should have been my first clue.“Nixie!” she says warmly, pulling me into a quick hug before stepping back and giving me a once-over. “You look happy, but you were lurking on my doorstep, what’s going on?”“I am,” I admit with a grin, stepping inside. “And you’re right, I do have news.”“Tell me everything,” she says, leading me into the sitting room. She settles onto the couch with a satisfied sigh, tucking her legs up beneath her.I sit beside her, run
HildaThe sun is warm against my skin, the scent of fresh grass and wildflowers thick in the air as we sit beneath the sprawling oak tree next to the creek. A checkered blanket is spread beneath us, weighed down with a picnic basket, filled with an assortment of sandwiches, and a sticky-fingered toddler who’s currently smearing honey across her chubby cheeks.Scarlett giggles as she waves her piece of bread in the air, utterly unconcerned with the mess she’s making. Of course, she’s not the one who’ll be cleaning it up, so why worry? “Mama, the bees are gonna love me,” she declares proudly, looking at her honey-covered hands.Arlo chuckles, reaching over to wipe her hands with a damp cloth before she can rub it all over her dress. “They already do my sweet princess, just like everybody else.” She beams up at him, “You too daddy?”Arlo picks her up and swings her in a wide circle, to her shrieking delight. “Especially me,” he assures her. The little minx already knows she has her daddy
AshThe morning light casts a warm golden glow over the tangle of limbs sprawled across my bed. The sheets are a mess, bodies lazily draped over each other, the scent of perfume and sex lingering in the air.The brunette to my right stirs, nuzzling into my shoulder with a satisfied sigh. The redhead to my left mutters something unintelligible in her sleep and shifts, her fingers skimming over my chest.Yes, life as a human has its compensations. It didn’t take me very long to find that out and indulge prodigiously in every single one of them.I eventually extract myself from the tangle, stepping over discarded clothing as I make my way to the bathroom. I glance at my reflection in the mirror, rubbing a hand over my jaw. Not a single flaw, I’m absolutely fucking gorgeous.I can’t detect any changes in my features. Still not aging it seems. Perhaps 2 years isn’t long enough to make such a determination, but I suspect I’m still immortal, even without my powers.I smirk, “Guess that makes
AshI tilt my head, inspecting my reflection in the mirror with a critical eye. Still devastatingly handsome. Still possessing a jawline sharp enough to cut glass. Still absolutely irresistible to anyone with functioning eyesight and a pulse.I smirk. Honestly, the world should thank its lucky stars it got me.I run a hand through my dark hair, the thick waves tousled just enough to look effortless but not unkempt.I may have lost my power, but the body I was blessed with nearly makes up for it. I occasionally miss others cowering in fear at my approach and my name being whispered in terror, but in truth, I far prefer being idolized and adored.Instead of making them shriek in fear, I have them screaming my name in passion. Instead of relying on demonic power to get what I want, I have to use charm. Fortunately, I have that in abundance.“Ash, you’re up in five.” I turn away from the mirror, flashing my most rakish grin at the harried stagehand peeking into my dressing room. “Darling,
HildaThe fire crackles low in the hearth, casting long shadows against the stone walls of our chamber. I press a hand to my belly. It’s still flat, but I know it will start rounding soon. I’m nearly at the 3 month mark. There’s life inside me again. Another piece of Arlo and me, growing.Scarlett sleeps soundly in the adjoining room, her soft breaths a gentle reassurance that all is well. She’s nearly 2 now and precocious beyond belief. She knows nothing about her bloodlines and being a nexus of power. For now her only job is to be a busy little girl, adored by everyone.Arlo watches me from where he stands near the fireplace, shirt unbuttoned, those deeply carved muscles making me long to touch him. His tawny eyes hold a hunger that hasn’t waned despite the years, despite the child we’ve made and the kingdom we rule. If anything, time has only made it more potent, more consuming.“I can hear your heart racing,” he murmurs, voice thick with that dark, commanding edge that unravels me
HildaI wake up feeling like a person again. A person who’s had sleep. A person who isn’t entirely on the verge of collapse. A person who now has to keep a promise to a demon.Dread coils in my stomach. The moment I remember what Astaroth said, it’s like I never rested at all. I glance at Arlo, who’s staring at the ceiling, jaw tight, eyes shadowed. He knows too. We have to go.Scarlett shifts in my arms, her tiny body warm against mine. I hold her closer, pressing my lips to the soft, dark curls on her head. She makes a small sound of contentment, utterly unaware of what we’re walking into.I murmur an apology to her as we walk. “I’m so sorry, my love.” She looks so content. So happy to be outside.My feet feel heavier with every step toward the temple ruins. Arlo’s hand rests protectively against my back. Whatever happens when the demon receives Scarlett’s blood, we’ll both fight to the death to protect her. Fear presses in on me, cold and suffocating, making it harder to breathe th