They needed whatever gifts the familiar bond would bestow. He’d proven he could get out of a partial shift and he could do a normal shift just fine. He nudged Jude’s thigh with his head, hoping that Jude would understand that was a yes. He’d let Jude watch, and if it gave the witch nightmares, then it wasn’t his problem.
He took a few steps back, stalling because he’d never done this with an audience before. His fur bristled and his skin twitched. What if he couldn’t shift with an audience? Even an audience of one trusting witch?
Tension thrummed in his body, and he wished he’d let Jude be disappointed. While running around the forest was freedom, having someone see him as he was and not run from him was a freedom he’d never expected to find.
He closed his eyes, not wanting to see if Jude was revolted by the sight of him shifting. But he was aware of the witch’s heartbeat, his breathing and his anticipation. The scent of his skin, the worry and lust.
His own heart fell into rhythm with Jude’s, and for one bright heartbeat he felt the bond pulse and draw tight as it thickened and strengthened. It was there, a real and living magic between them that was terrifying and wonderful.
Then the shifting heat washed over him, his skin tingled, and his bones ached. The snapping of tendons and the cracking of joints were all familiar to him.
Jude gasped.
Mack kept his gaze lowered, both hands on the ground where he crouched, now fully human. He clawed his fingers into the dirt and forced himself to look up.
Jude hadn’t fled or even stepped away. He was crouching, his elbows resting on his knees, staring at him. “Does that hurt?”
“Yes, a bit, but I’m used to it.” He was not used to this.
Jude reached out a hand. Mack took it without hesitation. He was afraid of the changes the bond would bring, but he was more afraid of failing. They were a long way from town. They were the only two people around. And they could die tonight. If that was the case, he didn’t want to waste such a beautiful afternoon when he had a beautiful witch right in front of him.
They stood and ended up toe to toe, Jude fully dressed and Mack naked. If he was all alone, he didn’t bother putting on more clothes. His body betrayed how he felt, and he didn’t have any clothes to hide behind. He wished he did.
Jude lifted his hand to cup Mack’s jaw. Static leaped between their skin, then Jude kissed him. His lips tasted like a summer storm, sweet and deadly.
“You were okay here on your own?” What kind of host ditched his guest to rub up against trees for the morning?
“I was working on my magic. With no electricity around, there’s nothing I can damage. I like it.” Jude glanced away.
“I like you. With the magic in your eyes and the sparks on your skin…” As much as he wanted to touch Jude like that, he knew better than to unless he wanted to get a shock.
“And my hair all standing on end.” Jude raked his fingers through his hair, still not meeting Mack’s gaze.
“Yes.” Mack finally let himself reach out and brush the blond strands off Jude’s face so he couldn’t hide behind them. He dropped his hand lower to undo the buttons of the old shirt, wanting Jude as naked as he was. “I owe you.”
“I’m not keeping count.”
But Jude’s fingers were undoing the buttons from the bottom of the shirt while Mack worked from the collar down. He was never washing this shirt. It smelled of Jude and him and would always be a reminder of when he’d been a familiar to a witch. Although right now that didn’t seem like a bad thing, or something that should end. All he wanted was Jude, and Jude wanted him.
Jude’s clothes came off swiftly with both of them helping. Jude’s body was lithe and pale. Mack kissed his way down until he was again kneeling in the dirt.
He breathed in the scent of Jude’s skin and wanted to taste him all. He went slow, licking and kissing as if they had all the time in the world. They had this afternoon. Come dusk, they needed to be on alert.
Mack cupped Jude’s ass cheeks as he licked along the witch’s hard length before taking him in his mouth. It had been a while since he’d done this with someone new. There weren’t that many new people in his life, and no one ever came here. No one had ever shared a shift with him. He glanced up to find Jude watching. Pink flushed Jude’s cheeks.
Mack took him deeper and drew back slowly.
Again their racing heartbeats synced. It was unsettling, and he lost his rhythm.
“Let’s go to the tent,” Jude whispered.
“No one will catch us here.” He teased the head of Jude’s shaft with his lips. His own dick was hard and aching to be touched.
Jude shook his head. “I have condoms…”
Oh, well, that was interesting. “I didn’t realize you were so well prepared.” He nuzzled into Jude’s balls and licked. The taste of the witch was like ambrosia. Right now, he didn’t even care if it was the magic making them want to spend the afternoon naked and exploring each other’s limits. There were much worse ways to waste an afternoon.
Jude sucked in a breath. “It’s called hope.”
Mack was never that hopeful. He skated his finger down Jude’s ass crack. “Lube?”
“I was very hopeful when I went to the shop. Unless you aren’t, then this is fine. I’m not trying to take advantage of this.”
“I’m happy shocked.” He hadn’t packed anything because he’d been trying to deny
