A Cursed Embrace

Aric shook his head. “They have no reason to hunt them.”

“How can you be sure?” Liam argued. “They’ve been stealing women for months.”

“They’ve been stealing human women for months,” Gemini clarified. “The girls smell of magic and power. They’re not easy prey. What could they hope to gain by attacking them?”

Aric stood from the kitchen chair, hard enough to make it slide. “I don’t know what’s happening, but we can’t just make assumptions. We have to go to the Den and call a meeting with the Elders.”

Koda didn’t move right away, despite Aric’s direct order. He continued to hold Shayna on his lap as if afraid she wouldn’t still be there upon his return. Aric walked over to them. “Koda, the only way to keep them safe is to understand what we’re facing. To do so, we must arm ourselves with knowledge and join together as a pack.”

Gemini stood and took his place beside Aric. “Don’t be afraid, old friend. Bren and Dan will stay and protect them in our absence.”

Bren stretched his tensing muscles. “Yeah, don’t sweat it, man. I’ll protect them, and they can protect Danny.”

Normally Bren’s comment would have made me laugh. But I wasn’t in the mood. I went upstairs before they’d finished speaking.

“Damn it, Aric, just let her go,” Taran said behind me. “Celia is still upset. Just like the rest of us.”

* * *

Aric heeded Taran’s advice and left me alone. It was almost midnight when he and the wolves finally returned home. I pretended to sleep when Aric entered our room and continued to do so when he climbed into bed after showering.

He placed his hand on my hip. Even through the sheet, I felt the warmth from his touch. But I didn’t move and kept my back to him. “I know you’re awake, sweetness,” he whispered. “Could you tell me why you’re so mad?”

I sighed. Sulking wasn’t getting us anywhere; I knew we needed to talk. I arranged my pillows behind me and leaned against them. Aric’s hair remained moist from his shower. I could see the dull shine despite the darkness of the room. And I could sense that horrible strain between us. “I don’t like the way you yelled at me. It was disrespectful.” I paused. There was more I needed to say, except it was hard for me to force the words out. “We’re so close in a lot of ways, Aric. But sometimes when we’re intimate, you distance yourself from me.” I dropped my gaze. “And I’m not talking about when we make love.”

I waited for him to respond and watched as he gathered his thoughts. “I don’t mean to hurt you or close myself off. And I sure as hell would never intentionally disrespect you. I was angry that you didn’t listen when I told you to run.”

I pursed my lips tight. “I’m not one of your Warriors to order around, Aric.”

“I know you’re not. You’re something . . . something way deeper than that.”

I searched the entirety of his visage—his strong jaw, the gaze that could melt ice during a winter storm, and that mouth that had brought me pleasure and comfort. I searched long and hard for any signs that could reveal some emotion, any emotion that would unleash his thoughts. Yet nothing came, just that whatever he felt was strong. “What am I exactly to you, Aric?”

He closed his eyes. When he opened them, he stared back at me with more force than I’d ever seen. “You’re everything to me, Celia. Can’t you understand what you mean to me?”

No. I couldn’t. I swept his wet hair away from his face. “I fought for you today, Aric. Just as you did for me. And yes, I was injured. But it was worth it, and I would do it again.”

Aric slowly shook his head. His eyes swept over where the demon had mutilated my shoulder. He stared at my regenerated skin for a moment before reaching out to me.

His hand gradually ran up my arm, tracing an invisible line along my neck, stopping only to rest against my cheek. I covered his hand with mine, welcoming his touch and the intensity behind his gesture. “Emme may not always be around, Celia,” he whispered. He exhaled deeply. “When I saw how injured you were, it infuriated me. But only because losing you is my greatest fear.”

Neither of us said anything for several breaths. Aric did appear scared, and disheartened. I came to an understanding about our relationship then. Aric Connor might not have been ready to love me, yet I recognized his feelings for me as very real. And maybe, just maybe, those feelings might someday flourish into love. That hope extinguished any lingering sorrow and replaced it with desire.

I slid onto my knees and pulled off my top seductively. My long hair fell around my breasts. Aric watched me carefully as I then teasingly removed my underwear. But it wasn’t until I removed the sheet and climbed on top of him that I realized he hadn’t bothered to dress after his shower. My insides ached for his caress. “A little presumptuous, don’t you think?”

A small, sultry smile spread across his lips. “No. I just hear make-up sex is hot,” he murmured before kissing me wildly.

CHAPTER 24

Aric and I ran fast, slinging the thick mud behind us. The attack the previous day had left our beasts restless. We needed to burn through some energy. Six miles in along the Truckee River, and my tigress had only just begun to settle.

“Are you okay, sweetness? You’re moving kind of funny.”

“What can I say, wolf? You’re too much man for me.”

He stopped. “Are you serious?”

I ground to a halt next to him and clutched his arm as I bent to remove my sneaker. “Yes, but actually I think I have a pebble in my shoe.”

Aric laughed, only to then shove me abruptly away from him. I looked up from the ground in time to see two wolves tackle him. I lurched to my feet and froze. The wind shifted directions, and oh my God, I could scent them. More beasts waited, in the trees, in the brush, all around me. And I could feel their thirst. I didn’t hesitate; I changed and ran as fast as I could.

I led them away from Aric. His howl rippled through the air behind me. He knew we were in trouble and called forth his Warriors.

Why are wolves attacking us?

I realized too late that it wasn’t just wolves after us. A werelion slammed into my side, tackling me down the embankment and into the river. The lion was huge, but I was a tigress, and that made me queen of beasts. I dug my claws into his haunches, fear of drowning making my strikes brutal. The freezing water slapped cumbrously against my fur. We clawed and bit each other, but it wasn’t until he plunged his fangs deep into my thigh that I felt real pain. My blood mixed with the river water. I knew I had only one choice to survive.

I held my breath and forced myself down to the bottom, dragging my opponent with me. The pull of the water was strong and so was my struggling companion. My frantic movements were less than grateful. My strength, however, seemed to help. Slowly, but surely, I made my way to the bottom.

The force of the current shoved into my nose and against my eyes. I kicked my back legs, the pressure in my lungs building and pleading for release. When I felt his rear claws scrape along the base, I blew out my last bit of air and shifted him deep into the mud. Bubbles of his last breath flowed past me seconds before I broke through the water.

I sputtered and choked with every clumsy stroke back to shore, only to encounter more of the werelion’s friends. At the edge of the water, eight wolves, four rats, and what appeared to be a deranged-looking squirrel restlessly waited for me.

Shit. Where’s Misha when I need him?

I turned and paddled to the opposite shore. Unfortunately rats, it seemed, were pretty decent swimmers. One of them grabbed my hind paw just as I reached the other side. I kicked him in the snout and took off in a mad run. My paws beat hard against the surface, but my mangled thigh caused a painful limp and slowed my speed.