Oooh King and Crimson! We get to find out whether Crimson can play with the big boys or not!
CRIMSON “Tell me what this Althea said about you?” Mathias asks as we shuck our shirts and step onto the open training field. “Not much, just that I am the only one of my kind and the god's magic would have no effect on me.” Without warning King attempts to slap me, I’m fast enough to bat his hand away and step out of reach. “Oh, it’s like that is it?” I give him a smug smile and lift my hands ready for his next assault. I take a quick glance over to the side to see Tawny, Queen Lamia, Gillian, Mason, and Tristan watching us. The look of lust on my kitten’s face is enough to empower me with the will to give back as good as the King is going to dish out. A fist comes flying at my face and I sidestep the blow that would have done damage. Except, I didn’t see the fast left hook and turned right into the rock-hard fist. “Concentrate,” King growls at me, moving forward with inhuman speed. I block his next blow and return the hit, catching his jaw. “That’s more like it,” He smiles, lea
LAMIA I could clearly see the werelion they call Althea, was not happy about us being here. Tawny reiterated the story of Orion and Silas. I shudder just thinking of Silas and thank the moon goddess he is long dead. Tawny also said that Silas had come back here because he was looking for something and someone, which is when Althea brought them down to the library. Mathias was on high alert; he didn’t want to be here anymore than Crimson did. Both men kept a stoic expression and us females close to them, using their bodies as protective shields. From what I’m not sure. According to Tawny, and what I had witnessed yesterday, Crimson more than likely could take out this whole pride by himself. If it was necessary. He was probably on high alert because of the sneaky shit they pulled on Tawny and how easily they captured him. The Pride itself seemed basic, but what they lacked in what we consider comforts and necessities, they more than made up for with creativity and skill. Althea led
TAWNY The old woman, Sunu, slams the book shut and I jump at the offending sound. “It will take me a little time to translate it,” She says peering at all of us. “We can wait,” Lamia says, just as eager to know what is written in there as I am. “Why don’t we eat, first? Then hopefully Sunu will be able to give us something.” Althea suggests. We agree to her suggestion and several minutes later we find ourselves sitting at a large table in a semi-formal dining room. “Tawny told us you rescued a group of children from a warehouse in Lewe?” Mathias cuts to the chase his deep intimidating voice filling the silence of the room. “Skinwalkers?” “No not, quite.” Arik is the one to reply. His honey-brow eyes catch Mathias' holding his gaze for just a moment before he has to look away. Instead, he settles his eyes on Crimson. “When this Ashe came to my aunt, she told us where to find these children. She led us there, just over the border of Tolba and into Lewe. I had never seen anything l
LAMIA ‘What she carries’ It’s the thought of those words that keep running through my mind over and over again. I am the ‘chosen one’ but what do I carry? I can’t seem to shake the dooming feeling of something bad happening. What else could happen? After I killed Silas, we had peace for two years. Two years until Orion emerged from the darkness and tried to rule the realm. Two years of being just me. Two years of simplicity. My wolf, Inanna, and Kellen’s Wolf Conri – they were meant to be together. But it’s not that we aren’t, that plagues me. Because I wouldn’t trade Mathias on his worse days for anything. I love him, I love our triplets. And I love the life we are beginning to build. When I lost Zane, I thought my world had ended and for the longest time, I went through the motions, doing what I thought was expected. I knew life had to go on, but I never expected Mathias. And I can’t tell you how grateful I am that I didn’t reject him. He is my balance, as I am his. We keep eac
TAWNY I mark things off on the calendar, erase and add other events. The only way Crimson and I could possibly attend all these events was by splitting up as well as sending someone else in our place to cover for us. At the end of this month, we had the monthly chamber meeting, which included all house of Lords, their elders, and council members. An event that took all day and sometimes ran well into the late evening. Only because people couldn’t get their heads out of their asses and agree on simple terms or policies. After that, both Kolby Crimson and I had been invited separately, to the official crowning ceremony of Tala MacTire, Kellen’s mate he found while on the other continent. I had heard from Lamia she was with pup and Kellen was cutting it close to her due date. I guess they wanted to wait for things to settle down and for Tala to get to know the kingdom and its citizens a little better. I’m pretty sure Kellen rushed the ceremony when he found out she was carrying his pup
MASON The stars in Cambiador were as bright as in MacTire. The humid heat from the day turned into a haze of clouds as the air cooled down once the sun cast its last ray over the horizon. I was running patrol tonight with a few new recruits close to the Northern border. All was quiet, the air and jungle still. Not a sound to be heard. It was peaceful, too peaceful. The quietness that surrounded me gave way for my mind to wander. I had been thinking a lot about Cambiador’s laws and the idea that the werecat people don’t rely on or wait for a fated mate. I was a rogue, so the chance of me ever being gifted with a fated was slim. My train of thought, and not for the first time, led me to think of taking a chosen. A wife - a contracted wife. Tawny was mated and happy. Goddess honest truth, I was happy for her. And Crimson. Every day I watched the way they would steal glances at each other, hidden touches when they thought no one was looking. They were keeping their mating a secret for
CRIMSON The massive migraine was passing. The healer was able to give me something to calm my mind and help me to block all the invading voices. The medicine had knocked me out and I wasn’t aware of how long I had been sleeping. Finally, my head felt clear and quiet. The sudden influx of thoughts from the kingdom's people was too much. It all came at once. Their prayers, their pleas, their silent promises to themselves. This was beyond just simple mind-linking. “Crimson!” Gillian bursts into Tawny’s room. Chest heaving, face flushed eyes blown open wide with pure fear. I stand from the bed quickly, almost too quickly. It's only then I hear the commotion of what sounds like a fight. “What’s going on Gillian?” I demand with a harsh voice, accompanied by a growl. “Maydor and Lightfoot, they brought their troops… They have Tawny! Tristan went-“ I don’t let Gillian finish. Instead, I hurl myself through the window shattering the glass and shifting midair. Landing on four paws. I dash
TAWNY “Come on, open your eyes.” I try to encourage Mason, gently squeezing his hand. The healers have removed as much Nightshade from his bloodstream as they could. Drained his blood then gave him more. Mason should have healed by now, but the dirty fighters had used silver-coated blades dipped in the venomous poison. They had stabbed Mason so deeply and multiple times that his body was having a hard time stitching itself back together. An indication that his feline was not present to help heal him. Not a good sign at all. It was a wonder he was alive at all. It made my blood boil to know they got the best of not Mason and other warriors, but also myself. It never crossed my mind that they would use underhanded tactics as they did. Lightfoot should never have got the drop on me like that. I felt guilty because if it wasn’t for me, Mason would have never been blindsided the way he was. He was coming to me when he was hit from the side by a shifted cat. I don’t remember what happe
***Thank you for reading The Crimson Grimalkin, Tawny's story. Thank you to all my readers for your continued support and involvement. Please remember to leave me a review on the book details page. By doing this you help readers find my books and enjoy the stories just as much as you have. For updates and chapter teasers, check my i*st*gr*m >>> authorjwgstout Or my F_B group for readers >>> Author Jwgstout *** The Beta & Jewel Thief Chapter 1 – The Job LYRICI look around, peering down one end of the street and up the other. The last thing I need is for anyone to see me. Us. I grip the tiny hand in mine a little tighter. I raise my other hand and knock on the worn and cracked door, quickly glancing around at our surroundings again. For the millionth time. All the while listening for movement from the other side of the door. I knock again when I hear nothing. Tap, tap, tap. My nerves ramp up as I wait, listening, looking, “Hurry up” I whisper sigh. The bite of cold nipping at u
TAWNY 4 ½ MONTHS LATER Gillian gave birth to a beautiful little girl, her hair as light and blonde as her parents, with eyes the most magnificent blue. I rubbed my enormous belly, growing two boys in there had taken a toll on my body, and on the best of days, I felt like a ginormous balloon full of hot air. I wasn’t due for another two weeks, but I would be ok if they decided they wanted to make an appearance anytime now. The heat of the south and pregnancy was no joke. “Kitten, what are you doing?” I turn to Crimson leaning on the door frame, shirtless with abs glistening with sweat from training. I lick my lips at the mouth-watering sight. That wasn’t the only thing wet. My hormones had gone crazy, and I couldn’t get enough of my mate. My sexual appetite had increased tenfold with the pregnancy. “I want to make sure everything is ready for little Caterina,” I loved the name Gillian and Tristan had picked out for their little girl. Crimson and I still hadn’t agreed on names for
TAWNY In the days that followed arriving back in Cambiador, Gillian went overboard, as I suspected. Her excitement that we were both pregnant together, was too much on most days. She had planned a double announcement and celebration. She went into full planning mode not only for the children but also for mine and Crimson’s upcoming marriage and crowning. We still planned to hold the ceremony at the end of January and hoped we wouldn’t have to push the date back. I had made sure it was planned around Lamia and Mathias's own official ceremony. Dare I say, Gillian had become more overbearing than Crimson any would think it was her cubs I was carrying. Crimson set up talks with Tolba, he and Arik finding a common ground and pushing their differences aside, after all, they were cousins. We were going to help Tolba grow and that started with building a bridge over the ravine. It would take time, but it was a start. Tomislav had moved into the Maydor manor with his mother, he and Gillian
TAWNY Crimson spoke. I listened. I listened to everything he had to say. His explanation - not an excuse. Hearing it from him, why he couldn’t say anything, why he couldn’t tell me, I understood. I had already forgiven him, but I wasn’t going to tell him. When I woke this morning, it was with a clarification that, I would be going back to Cambiador. That I would hear Crimson out and pray to the gods we could find our way back to each other. As soon as I scented him walking into the holding facility, All I wanted was to be in his arms, for him to hold me and tell me everything was going to work out. And he did. We walked in on what could have become an even worse scenario, but thankfully my presence calmed him and Morgan’s calmed Hunji. My heart melts and my resolve breaks. Each wall I had built from such a young age to keep myself, my heart, protected crumbled listening to him. I watch the tears form in his eyes, eyes that told me everything that mattered. They held so much lov
CRIMSON Hunji crosses his arms over his wide chest and stares me down “You can wait your ass here. You’re not going anywhere until I say you can.” A menacing growl rips from my throat and jump up from the chair. My fists clench and re-clench, my nostrils flare - I feel my beast bursting to come out. I try to reign him in, as I know if I let go and let my temper take control, I was going to kill Hunji. He was standing in between me and getting to Tawny. Through my haze of aggravation, a delectable and sweet smell tickles my nose when I breathe in trying to calm myself. The scent, one of the gods. Nectarine. A scent I wanted to rub myself all over one that had my manhood twitching as he too recognized the peachy honey scent of his mate. “Let me out Hunji,” I say slowly and pointedly. A warning behind my words. “No.” He states flatly. This time my growl is louder, longer and I pounce at him. Determined to plow through him if I have to. He wasn't going to stand between Tawny and me
TAWNY By the time morning rolled around, I still hadn't heard from anyone. Not about the murders, nor about Kellen and Tala and if their pup had been born. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, because that really isn’t like me, and couldn’t understand why I was so dang emotional. Usually, I could shake shit off. Hold my head up and smile, because we never did mind about the little things. At least that’s the phrase Lamia would always say and her outlook on life, in general, had imprinted on me in more ways than I know. I decided to buck up and go find what I hope were still my friends. I knew there was a valid reason that I hadn’t seen Mike or Kellen. Or I at least hoped their reasoning for reaching out to me was not because they didn’t value our friendship. “Good morning!” I sang when Mason and my father appeared. I brushed off Mason’s worrisome scowl and turned back around to flip the crepes I was making. I had already prepared bacon, sausage, and some eggs. Chairs scuffled in th
TAWNY Snow began to fall from the black sky, hiding all the stars and blocking out the moon. A blanket of white covered all our human side sins. Giving the streets a fresh and untainted look. I gazed out the sitting room window watching each fat flake fall and blend with its sisters. A sliver of light from mother moon broke through the haze of white, illuminating the street just outside. The snow made everything look innocent, fresh, clean - virgin. But I knew better. Underneath that cover of purity were the sins of men. The dirty truth of who we are. The white winter months could only cover our true nature for so long before the cover fell and melted away. Revealing our true nature. What were the chances that a murder would take place on the eve of Tala’s coronation? Wolves are unforgiving by nature; their pack is only as strong as their leader and their leader is only as strong as their resolve. They hunt together. Fight together. Play together. They are family, the Alpha being
TAWNY “Yes, yes, I’m ready!” I shout to Mason through the bathroom door. Checking myself out one more time and running my hands down the deep red dress. I brought it with Crimson in mind, the color of the sheer fabric was close to his eyes when they turned that deep shade of blood red. The dress was full-length, perfect for a coronation ball. Its haltered strap left my back bare, the neckline dipped with a deep V. And small clear jewels encrusted the bodice of the dress. My had grown out and was now shoulder length. I had it dyed black last night, with a few dark red highlights, to cover its natural bright orange. Satisfied with my appearance and finally emerged from the bathroom. “Whoa!” Mason gave a low whistle, and his eyes greedily ate me up. I smiled, scrunching my nose at his obvious ogling. “I take it I will do then?” “You will more than do, Princess.” I palmed the back of his neck and a blush crept over his cheeks. “You look beautiful.” “Thank you,” I replied, needing to
CRIMSON I groggily open my eyes; my body is stiff and frozen. I feel worse than when I woke up in the cold and dark cell of Tolba. I wasn’t sure what I would wake up to or where when my eyes finally focused. Frozen like an ice cube or not, I was relieved to find I was still out in the open. I shake my head a little, the wet snow falling from my face and head. As I focus, the bright, blinding winter sky has me squinting as big fat flakes fall around me. “Shit,” I groaned trying to muster the strength to move my frozen limbs. How long had I been laying here? What the fuck happened? The memories come flooding back all at once, the dirt bikes, the crash, the blood. I hastily check myself out, already knowing my wounds had healed. But what in the goddess’s name did those people hit me with? I thought they were coming to help, but all I remember is the agonizing sting of electricity shooting throughout my body. I felt weak. Drained. But I couldn’t lay here any longer. My clothes were