~ JESSE ~ Reeca lifted her hands to soothe me. “No, we do get a choice if a male wants us. It’s not forced on us. We can accept or reject them. It’s just… it’s just that I am unlikely to ever have a powerful choice outside of this. If you choose me, Jesse, I would be stupid not to take it if one of the males proposes.” “Then, I don’t understand the problem?” She gave a dry smile. “Neither do I, honestly. I guess I’m just nervous at the idea. This would… lift me much faster and higher than I’d get on my own. And I don’t want to be a reason that you’re brought lower than you should be, either.” “Don’t worry about me. My mate is super-wolf, remember?” I said with a snort. She smiled, but shrugged. “I think you should know… Those of us who aren’t obsessed with rank… we love what you’ve done with the King.” “What I’ve done?” I asked, confused. “Run around crying and confused and pissing him off?” “No, no,” she said with a breathless laugh. “Just… treating him with softness.” Then sh
~ JESSE ~ ‘If Cazz is really opening up… this might be the time to tell him what you were fleeing at home. He might be more understanding than you think,’ Rake sent carefully. I sighed, nodding. ‘I know about his dad. At least, some,’ I sent sadly. Rake blinked. ‘He told you?’ ‘He had a dream and… since we linked I only saw a couple flickers. I still don’t know the story, he didn’t want to talk about it. But I understand a bit better now.’ ‘Good. That’s really good, Jess. He’s opening up.’ ‘Yes, but for how long?’ I grumbled and tried to push away the tension twisting in my chest. I hadn’t realized how much I relied on Rake, how much reassurance it gave me knowing he was always around. How much stronger I felt with him there. And now I was facing days, perhaps some of the most uncertain with Cazz, without him? But then I remembered that barren canyon of pain in Cazz and why God had brought me here. I sighed. Then cleared my throat. ‘God doesn’t make mistakes. There has to be
~ CASIMIR ~ All thoughts of time, the council, meetings, even the humans fell out of my head like raindrops through the leaves—falling to be trampled underfoot without notice. Jesse leaned into that kiss, her hands climbing my chest, plowing into my hair, and when I reached for her buttons, she arched into my hands and returned the favor, working quickly to get my shirt open first and stroking my chest with a sigh that sounded like relief. Her scent was rich with desire and need, drenched in thrill, but tinged with the blade edge of apprehension. Once I had her shirt open, I cupped her jaw and kissed my way down her neck, plunging one hand into her leathers and growling with approval when I found her already heated and slick for me. The moment I slid a finger against her, she sucked in a breath and hollowed her lower back to press herself into the touch with such eagerness that I chuckled, my voice deep and ragged, because my body was already demanding her. At some point I remov
~ CASIMIR ~ Home. Mate. Soul— I drew back to leave her body, but Jesse grabbed for me, never breaking the gaze. “No, Cazz! Don’t be scared!” Her eyes were wide, and fear tainted her gorgeous, rich scent. Shuddering, I bent forward, bracing one arm on the bed, grounding myself, preparing to tear out of her gaze and take back control. All the words to dismiss her rose in my throat—how dare she call me frightened? I could make her scream. I could make her beg. I could make her come over and over and over— But I still hadn’t turned away, and her beautiful eyes softened. She gasped as I drew out of her all the way because I’d intended to punish her, and seduce her. But I hesitated… Then she smiled. And I was fucked. Straightening with a broken moan in my throat, I pulled her right to the edge of the bed, held her hips and plunged into her again with a shaky cry. “Yes, Cazz! Yes!” she whispered, clinging to me as if I was life. She knew nothing. My ribs were glass, shivering an
~ CASIMIR ~We lay together for a long time in silence, both of us regaining our breaths. I prayed she was returning to her equilibrium better than I was. My body quivered with a strange joy and terror at the same time. And yet, I didn’t want to move. Didn’t want to break the spell she’d cast on me. Something flowed between us. Something that my heart ached for—and yet… I wanted to recoil from it.The tug of war was exhausting, but that just gave me more reason to stay there.I sighed heavily when she turned her head to face me and our noses almost touched. She stared at me with the same combination of joy and fear in her eyes that trembled in my chest.But as I shifted my weight so I wouldn’t crush her, a memory triggered in my mind.…laying in warm furs that stuck to the sweat on my back, her lush body under mine. Even her eyes smiled when she turned to look at me and combed the hair off my forehead with her long, elegant fingers.We both smiled. I’d never felt anything so simply, p
~ CASIMIR ~When I straightened next to the bed, she rolled to watch me, the silence between us tense and questioning.I swallowed and reached to stroke her face. I couldn’t resist, but leaned a fist on the bed and bent over to kiss her again. She held my face and kissed me like it was goodbye and before long I was panting again.With a groan I tore out of her grip, shaking my head, but being as gentle as I could, prying her fingers from my hair and giving her hands back to her.When I stood again and looked down on her, saw the whole picture of her flushed skin, mussed hair, her eyes wide and bright and locked on me… God, I almost dove back into the bed and told the Council to go fuck themselves. But the urge to do so terrified me.The tension in her made my stomach sick, so I compromised, gripping her little hand and twining our fingers.“I have to work, but...” I had to clear my throat because my voice was ragged. “How about tonight we visit the Den again?”Jesse’s head drew back q
~ JESSE ~I didn’t need a drink. Or drugs. Dancing with Cazz was intoxicating all on its own.I’d been nervous when we arrived, hanging back a little. But he didn’t let go of my hand, and he kept the bond open, offering assurances and encouragement, pulling me immediately onto the dancefloor and beginning to move.‘Keep your mental defenses high—against everyone but me,’ he sent as we walked together into that sea of feral, writhing bodies.I’d already been doing the exercises Maya had taught me while we were walking there—envisioning the high walls surrounding me, peppered with gates and doors and windows… examining all of them, making certain they were locked and barred—except for the door that was Cazz.That one I left wide open.I swallowed as we were engulfed in that ocean of wolves, but I could feel Cazz growing more relaxed. And when he pulled me to him, his hands on my back, his body rippling, and encouraged me to just put my hands on his shoulders and move with him…It only t
~ CASIMIR ~As we entered the little dungeon I turned to lock the door behind us, but pulled her up to me, so as I let go of her hand she stayed close, right at my back, her hands gripping my waist, her breasts pressing against my bare back, which was delicious and made me grip the lock bar tighter until I got it into the brackets to keep the door closed.Then I turned inside her hands to face her again.Which was when I realized she couldn’t really see. Her head was tipped up to me, but her eyes were unfocused and her scent a mix of confusion and nerves.I slapped the wall to turn on the lighting—a dim line, a band of cold, purplish light that circled the floor and silhouetted everything on the floor. But she was still staring up at me. She blinked as her vision cleared, but her nerves didn’t ease. If anything they got worse.“Cazz…”I frowned. She’d been so eager for me outside, why was she—I must have opened to her more without thinking about it, because I caught a flicker in her