Bewitched, Bothered, and Bitten (25 page)

Finally, forty-five minutes after the uproar, it was put to a vote. Of the ninety-three remaining members of the coven, only fifteen voted against the proposed changes. Unexpectedly, several elders voted for the changes rather than against.

After the vote, plans for Belinda’s funeral rites were made. The coven had a private cemetery on my mother’s land in Farmersville and we would have to bury her tomorrow as Wiccan rites usually didn’t include embalming or any type of preservation. During the ritual, her body would be wrapped in fabric, buried, and returned to the earth as soon as nature allowed.

Two hours after it began, the meeting adjourned. Though I was upset that I hadn’t been able to seek out the witch who’d turned against us, I was relieved that I would no longer have to fight the coven over a relationship with vampires and werewolves. The younger witches seemed very open-minded. Though the older witches disliked the idea, I figured I’d only have to listen to their bitching for ten, twenty years max, before they croaked.

“Kerry, are you okay?” Chloe asked, breaking me out of my memories of the meeting that morning.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I mumbled before draining my wineglass. “It’s late and I think I’m going to head up to bed.”

She nodded, sipping her beer. When I was almost to the door, her words stopped me. “You did well today. Belinda would have been extremely proud.”

I felt my eyes burn. “Thank you,” I whispered. Then I left the room before I cried. I’d done enough crying the last few weeks to last a lifetime.

Conner insisted that Finn and I stay at the house he shared with Donna. Strength in numbers, he said. Considering how often he had guests, I was beginning to wonder if he just used any excuse to have company. I went up the sweeping staircase in the front of the house and walked down the hall to the room where Ricki was resting.

Late that afternoon, Calder awoke, hungry and thirsty. Ricki came to not long after that, still disoriented and weak, but surprisingly well. I expected her to begin the transition in the next day or so. Calder must have agreed with me because he asked Conner if they could move down to the basement later that night. Calder was downstairs right now, preparing the apartment.

I knocked and stuck my head into Ricki’s room. She was sitting in bed, leaning back on a stack of pillows, her hair damp from the bath she’d insisted on taking. Though I’m sure it was painful and difficult, I couldn’t blame her. Dried blood was not exactly comfortable on the skin.

“Hey.”

Her head came up at my greeting. “Oh thank God, a real, live person that isn’t going to treat me like a complete invalid.”

I grinned. “Calder driving you nuts?”

“Yes! And Donna. And Chloe.” She paused, running her finger over the embroidery on the duvet cover. “Donna told me what you did for me. I don’t remember much except you asking me if I wanted Calder or Conner to change me.”

I walked over to the bed and sat down, my hip next to her. “Can I ask you why you chose Calder?”

She didn’t answer at first and I felt my stomach start to sink, worried that she was regretting her choice. “I’m not sure what you said to Calder that day at Finn’s house, but he was…different after that. He stopped being so bossy. Then he started doing all these nice things for me. He brought me my favorite ice cream and talked about how beautiful he thought I was. It was wonderful. Then, the night before the attack, he told me that I was the only woman he would ever be able to love, that I was his mate. I lost my mind. I mean, you know how many times my father said the same thing to my mom. Then she would take him back and everything would be great until a few months later when he cheated again. I told him he was full of shit and to leave me alone.” She swallowed and a tear trickled down her face. “I was so horrible to him, Kerry, but he gave me a couple of hours to cool down and found me. He, he explained about wolves and how they mate for life, unless their other half dies. He also told me that not every wolf gets a second chance.”

She blinked rapidly and I could tell she was trying to keep from breaking down. I took one of her hands and laced our fingers together.

“He actually dropped to his knees and begged me to give him a chance, just a chance, to prove that what he said was true.”

I felt my eyes widen. Werewolves didn’t beg unless they were weak, and, as the beta of the MacIntire pack, Calder was anything but weak.

“Right?” Ricki asked. “I told him to give me a day to think about it. We were outside in the back yard and he left me there. Chloe must have been listening because she sat down next to me and told me that I would be a fool to turn him away again. Then she told me more about how the pack works. She said that she’s never seen a male wolf beg a female the way Calder begged me. I planned to tell him that I would try the night we were attacked.”

I stroked Ricki’s hair as she wiped away a couple of stray tears. “So you don’t regret it?”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t.”

I squeezed her hand. “Good. Now, has Calder explained to you what happens next?” I asked.

She nodded. “He said it might be painful at first, but he would help me every step of the way.”

“That’s great. I think Finn has some books on medicinal herbs for werewolves, I’m sure there is something in there about how to ease a new wolf’s first change. I’ll help Calder make it as comfortable for you as possible.”

“Thank you,” Ricki sighed, her head falling back as exhaustion overtook her. She blinked and lifted her head, which swayed. “I’m sorry. I’m just so tired.”

“It’s the changes happening in your body and all the healing,” I answered. “You sleep. We’ll talk in a few days when you’re feeling better.”

“Okay,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

I watched her eyes drift shut and released her hand. Satisfied that she would be okay, I left her room and walked down the hall to the room Finn and I would be sharing. It was empty.

Unsure if I was relieved or frustrated by Finn’s absence, I walked into the bathroom and turned on the taps to the huge tub. I poured in some bath salts and lavender oil. Last night and today had taken their toll on me and a long, hot bath sounded perfect.

After I stripped out of my clothes and pulled my hair into a messy knot on top of my head, I slid into the hot water, hissing at the temperature. Then I collapsed against the back of the tub, let the heat soak away the tension in my sore muscles, and tried not to think about the fact that this was just the first in many hard days to come.

A whisper of sound caught my attention, then I smelled him. I opened my eyes to find Finn sitting on the edge of the tub, fully dressed.

“Is it helping?” he asked quietly.

“It sure as hell doesn’t hurt,” I responded.

He flicked a little water at me and I grunted.

“Yes, it is helping a little.” I smiled at him. “Care to join me? That might help a lot more.”

Finn reached out and ran his fingers along my cheekbone. “Whatever you need.”

When he cupped my cheek, I put my hand over the back of his and leaned into the touch.

“I need you.” And I did. I needed him to hold me, to touch me, and to help me forget the loss and fear that dogged my steps today.

Finn stood and removed his clothes quickly. I sat up in the water so he could slide in behind me. Once he settled into the water, I leaned back and let my back rest against his chest, my head on his shoulder. He twined our fingers together and wrapped his arms around me, bringing mine with them. I sighed and let the undemanding embrace soothe my frayed nerves.

After several long minutes, Finn released my hands and reached for the wash cloth I’d left on the edge of the tub. He lathered it up with soap and began to wash my body. As the cloth brushed over my nipples, I felt the first stirrings of desire. His other hand followed, smoothing the soap over my skin, the slick sensation contrasting deliciously with the texture of the cloth.

He leaned forward, raising me to a seated position and lifted my leg so that my heel rested on the edge of the tub. Slowly, he moved the cloth over my calf, past my knee, and up my thigh. Then he lowered it back into the water and repeated the process with my other leg. Only this time, the cloth didn’t stop on my upper thigh. He gently rubbed the cloth over my pussy before slipping his other soapy hand down to clean me more thoroughly.

Though his touch was light and almost clinical, I felt my blood stirring. His hands felt so good on my skin. When his fingertip brushed my clit, I couldn’t control the small motion of my hips, the impulse to lift my body so he touched me fully.

“What do you need from me, Kerry?” he asked, his voice sounding slightly strained.

“I need you to touch me.” I didn’t hesitate because my words were absolutely true. The feeling overwhelming me wasn’t passion, it was uncontrollable and as necessary as my next breath.

Once again, his finger drifted over me, grazing over the places that needed more intense attention. “Like this?”

I shook my head. “No. More.”

“Tell me,” he whispered, nudging my head to the side so he could gently bite my neck without breaking the skin.

“Make me come,” I demanded, my voice ragged. “Please.”

He rewarded my words by pressing two fingers firmly against my clit and rubbing in sure, strong circles. His other hand tugged at my nipples. Though it hurt a little, the pain transformed into pleasure almost immediately. Somehow, he knew exactly how to touch me to keep me balanced on the edge of bliss and agony, never going too far. I lifted my hips into his hand, grinding my lower back against the hard ridge of his cock.

Finn’s mouth latched onto my neck, nipping and sucking without drawing blood. His lips lifted to brush my ear. “I want you to come for me, Kerry.”

When the first wave of the climax washed through me, I gasped. My body arched and I moaned as Finn continued his steady, firm strokes over my clit. Just as the pleasure waned, edging toward pain, he slowed his rhythm, bringing me down a little at a time.

As the last shudder wracked my body, I tilted my face back toward him, wrapping an arm around his neck to pull Finn’s mouth to mine. Though his hand left my clit, he still toyed with my breasts, cupping and stroking the flesh, rubbing his palms over my nipples.

Despite my orgasm, arousal still hummed beneath my skin. Without breaking the kiss, I turned, getting to my knees, then straddled his lap. Finn grabbed my hips, fitting my body into his. I rocked against his erection, humming in my throat as my clit slid over his silky skin. Slowly, I began to sink down on the hard length of his cock.

When he filled me completely, I took a moment to revel in the sensation. This wasn’t going to be a race to orgasm, or a wild ride. I needed the connection of not only our bodies, but our hearts. I ended the kiss and looked down into his eyes, running my fingers through his hair.

Finn pressed his lips to my throat. “I love you, Kerry.”

At his words, my eyes closed and I was swamped with emotion. Though our connection, the thing that made us
soul mates
, intimated love, he’d never said the words to me before.

“I love you too,” I whispered into his hair.

Finn wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me close for a moment longer, before he lowered his head, laying small kisses along my chest until his lips rested over my heart.

His hands drifted down to my hips, urging me to move, and I began to rock slowly against him. Our movements were unhurried and sensual. Finn’s mouth closed around one of my nipples, the tips of his fangs pressing against my skin as he sucked.

I took him deep and circled my hips, my legs going so weak I could barely move. As I gradually climbed toward the peak, Finn bit the inner curve of my breast, his fangs breaking the skin. I gasped as the orgasm overtook my body. As he drank, he held my hips against his, using his thumb to press and roll my clit while I shuddered against him. A moment later, I felt his body grow rigid and his breathing sounded slightly labored. I squeezed him with my internal muscles, wanting to prolong his pleasure as he had mine.

The last tremor of release left me and my body curved over Finn’s head, my limbs feeling too heavy to hold me up any longer. Though it hadn’t been as forceful as our usual lovemaking, there was a new intensity, something more profound than just shared pleasure.

I shivered as Finn’s tongue slid over the bite on my breast, helping the wounds to heal.

The last of my worries and fears about my relationship with Finn vanished under the tenderness that filled my heart. Whatever happened in the coming weeks and months or even years, it would be easier to handle with him by my side.

O
vernight, the temperature
plummeted. The cloudy, gray sky and bitter cold wind suited my mood and the air held the promise of icy rain, maybe even a light snow. The trees had finally lost the last of their leaves, so bare branches danced in the wind.

As Finn and I drove away from the coven cemetery, the gray sky and brown grass of the countryside looked as barren and lost as my heart. I felt almost adrift, with only Finn’s hand in mine to keep me anchored. I allowed myself the luxury of feeling sorrow and rage while I was with him. In front of my coven, I’d had to be strong and sure, but, here in the car with him, I didn’t have to put on a show.