Chapter 42 Raven
Raven
Maverick saw me shiver in the cool air and immediately tucked me under his huge arm.
“I didn’t bother lighting the fire. Seemed no point when I don’t exactly feel the cold,” he told me.
“It’s okay. I’ll be fine,” I said while my teeth chattered. The temperature had dropped by several degrees in the last hour. Fall had finally arrived.
Maverick went into full protective mode, his grief momentarily forgotten as instinct took over.
“Let’s get you tucked under the covers in my bed.”
I let him lead me through into the bedroom and strip us both. I tried not to ogle his glorious muscles and thick cock bursting out of his boxers; throwing myself at my bear was a bad idea. He needed time to grieve, not a horny witch sexually assaulting him in his home.
It was difficult, but I shoved down my selfish desires and crawled under the covers. Maverick climbed in beside me and tugged me close. The blazing heat of his body soon warmed me up, and I sighed with happiness.
It was rapidly dawning on me I wasn’t a fan of the climate up here.
Having a sexy shifter mate would be a real goddess-sent gift come winter.
I’d have to figure out personal heat spells too.
Glynda had mentioned they were useful for staying warm while outdoors.
Nobody had ever taught me this stuff, so I had a lot of catching up to do.
I also needed to research a location-tracking spell. That was way more important than a heat spell, I reminded myself.
Maybe I should confide in Glynda? She was much more studious than I was. I bet she’d know where to find the textbooks I needed. I resolved to ask her in the morning.
A yawn escaped as I snuggled closer to my bear. He wrapped his arms around me more tightly, and the rumble rattling through his chest grew louder. My lips curved up in a smile as I closed my eyes.
Seconds later, the sound of feathers rustling from the window ledge disturbed me, but I was too tired to focus. Probably a bird on the roof. I heard Maverick cuss as I slipped into sleep, but the words didn’t register.
Maverick lay on his back, snoring softly, when I opened my eyes. The room had lightened, which told me dawn was close. I lifted my head and cringed when I realized I’d drooled all over his chest while sleeping. Goddess, save me. How gross. Thank the stars Kenji wasn’t around to tease me.
“I’m outside,” a familiar voice said. “Like a fucking stray cat. Honestly, I may as well hand myself into the nearest shelter at this point. It’s a wonder animal control hasn’t picked me up.”
I frowned in confusion. “Why are you here instead of in my room in the dorm?”
“There was a lesser demon lurking in the forest. I came to warn you, but the incubus got here first. He went off to deal with the demon scum. I stayed out here to keep watch.”
Knowing a demon had been sniffing around made me nervous, but I trusted Maverick to protect me. He wouldn’t let anything bad happen.
I must have drifted off to sleep again because when I next woke, it was fully light outside. Maverick curled around me, but when I tried to extricate myself from his arms, he stirred and cracked an eye open.
“Where are you going?”
“Um, the bathroom?” I focused on a spot on the wall behind Maverick. It seemed easier than ogling his chest or paying attention to the tented sheet above his dick. Nope. Definitely not looking.
He rolled me over and pinned me down with his body. A deep growl rattled through his chest, telling me his bear was very close to the surface. The sheet twisted around between us, but I could still feel every delicious inch of him. Naked and needy because, at some point, he’d removed his boxers.
Unlike me, who’d kept her panties and vest top on. Last night, we’d both been too tired to do anything other than sleep, but it seemed as if my bear wasn’t willing to let me go.
“Mine,” he growled.
“I should get dressed,” I squeaked. “Head back to my room.”
“Mine,” he repeated, louder this time. Oh no. The bear was in the driver’s seat. He leaned down and sniffed my neck, nuzzling a spot just below my ear. Then I felt a slight sting, followed by the scrape of a wet tongue. Was my bear… licking me?
“Bad bear,” I grumbled. “You can’t eat me.” Maverick smirked, but from the glow in his eyes, the bear still had his claws in him.
“I want to eat you, little witch,” he chuckled.
Before I could protest and whine about needing a shower, he shuffled down the bed and settled between my legs. When I tried to move, he used his arms to pin me to the mattress. With one quick movement, he’d torn my panties away to reveal my pussy.
My face flushed red, but he was too busy staring at the spot between my thighs to notice. Then, to my absolute shame, he pressed his nose into my sex and inhaled deeply.
“You smell delicious, little witch.” I was pretty sure I didn’t, but I lost the power of speech when his wet tongue licked a stripe from my clit down to my opening.
All my reasons to protest flew straight out of the window. My first class started in less than an hour, but the thought of leaving this bed unsatisfied made me want to scream and throw things. Luckily for me, my bear had no intention of letting that happen.
He pressed a thick finger inside me while sucking my clit. I nearly flew off the bed as pleasure hit me hard and fast.
“Bear, please!”
Maverick pushed a second finger inside me and stroked my inner walls. Sparks flew up into the air before floating back down like burning confetti.
My bear licked and sucked harder, taking his sweet time exploring every inch of me. My breasts ached, desperate for the same attention. I needed his mouth on them. Or someone’s mouth.
The minute the thought entered my mind, I flushed all over. If only… but I bit my lip hard to force such depraved cravings down. Wanting another male while my bear pleasured me was so, so wrong. I was a bad witch.
The window to our left rattled, and when I looked up, I saw a large crow sitting on the ledge. Fiercely intelligent eyes stared at me before it flapped its wings, cawing loudly. Then it flew away.
Thank the goddess. Having a bird watch Maverick between my thighs was wrong. Although… if Zane was here, or Kai, I’d like it. Stars above, even the grumpy mage.
Maverick licked harder before biting down on my clit. I came with a shriek, the sudden shocking pain sending me over the edge. Before I could come down from my high, my bear moved up and claimed my mouth.
I tasted my essence on his lips and tongue: sweet and musky. He groaned into my mouth before releasing me.
“I need you, baby.” The heat in his eyes threatened to burn me to ashes.
Was I ready?
The fact he asked for permission instead of taking what he wanted removed any doubts I may have had. I trusted my bear. He’d always taken care of me. Made sure he fed me, kept me warm, and protected me.
I wanted Maverick to be my first. He deserved this gift.
“You can have me, my bear,” I whispered while locking my legs around his hips. I could feel him nudging my entrance. The moment I said the words, he surged inside me.
I screamed as the pressure of his thick shaft stretched me. Goddess, why had nobody warned me this would be so painful? Tears leaked from my eyes, but just as the pain became unbearable, it slowly faded, turning into delicious, core-clenching pleasure.
“Relax, baby. I’m not fully inside you yet.”
“You’re not?” Goddess, it sure felt like he was. Maybe my body was defective. Bear shifters were bigger than other species. Or so I’d read on a shifter gossip website.
He chuckled while circling my clit with his thumb. With each slow caress, a new shiver of pleasure shot through me, allowing him to slide in another inch.
“Fuck, you’re so tight. So fucking hot. You take me so fucking well, little witch. Your pussy is perfect. My perfect little mate, so sexy and sweet. I will die a happy bear now that I’ve tasted nirvana.”
“Nobody’s dying,” I growled, not liking the direction his dirty talk had taken.
“Your pussy might just be the death of me,” he said with a pained groan as he finally bottomed out. I gasped as he slid a hand under my ass and changed the angle. Every inch of me throbbed, desperate for friction. I needed him to move so I could ease the pressure building inside my core.
When I dared to meet Maverick’s heated gaze, his bear stared back at me.
The male and the bear were both here, both ready to claim me.
He pulled out slowly, making me whine at the loss of his thick cock, but before I could beg for more, he thrust back inside, hard enough to cause the bed to creak alarmingly.
I writhed beneath him, arching my back as my orgasm approached. Sharp claws cut my tee away, and then a hot, wet mouth latched onto an aching nipple. I screamed at the dual sensation of his mouth and cock extracting every drop of pleasure from my body.
The pain of losing my V-card had long since faded, eclipsed by pleasure. The faster and harder my bear rutted into me, the more my magic surged forward. Glowing embers rained down on us, sizzling when they met damp skin, but neither of us cared.
Maverick pinched my clit, and I came with a scream. Fire exploded around us. The room faded as his jaw partially shifted, his teeth lengthening into long, vicious canines.
“Mine!” he roared before biting me at the base of my neck as he came deep inside me. The pain of his claim sparked another, more powerful orgasm. A magical inferno raged around us, and dark shadows blocked out the light. I had no clue what was going on because my brain had melted.
As I slowly floated back to the land of the living, the tether between us tightened and changed, transforming from a thin thread into a bright purple, glowing bond. The amulet between my breasts vibrated against my skin.
My beautiful, perfect little mate. I heard my bear’s voice in my head as he rolled sideways, pulling me with him. Release oozed out between my thighs, soaking the sheet.
When I looked up, fire still roared across the ceiling while black shadows danced in the corners of the room. Panic hit me hard in the gut. I needed to regain control before we both died!
My bear’s eyes remained closed. Had I worn him out? I wanted to panic about that too, but the magical fire seemed like it should be my priority.
Alaric’s voice rang in my mind: “Focus on the magic ball in your chest. Imagine reeling it back in like strands of wool!”
It had worked before. I pictured the strands of magic spiraling outward, all of them tangled and glittering. Some connected me to my bear. Others disappeared into the ether.
I inhaled and imagined each strand unraveling and returning to the core in my chest. Slowly, methodically, I pulled them all back. It took a few minutes, but the magical inferno died away, leaving nothing but dark, swirling shadows.
Since I had no clue what they were, I ignored them. Maybe a storm was coming. Or perhaps Maverick needed a better lamp in here.
“Baby, are you okay?” I opened my eyes to find Maverick gazing down at me, concern written all over his face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” He looked at the bite. “My bear took over and refused to back down. He claimed you.” His voice caught slightly.
Was he having doubts? Something must have registered on my face because his expression went from regretful to angry in a heartbeat.
“I’m sorry for not telling you what my bear intended to do, but I wanted to claim you just as much as he did, little witch. Only… I wanted to wait until you were ready.”
He pulled me against him while nuzzling the bite mark on my neck. It stung but was nowhere near as painful as it should have been.
“Do I have shifter healing powers now?” I asked.
He snorted. “No, baby. But claiming bites heal quicker than regular wounds.”
“I thought I heard you in my mind. Is that a claiming thing?” Maverick looked surprised.
“It can happen with soul-bonded pairs.” Do you hear me now?
Yes!
Maverick smiled. My perfect little mate, he said in my mind before kissing me again.
Great. Now I have to listen to even more pointless ramblings all day long, Kenji grumbled.
I almost fell off the bed in surprise. Stars, I’d forgotten about my kitsune. Or rather, I thought he’d left.
No. Still here. And also traumatized from listening to you two bump uglies. I hope the bear has money to pay for a fucking therapist for me.
“Who the fuck’s that in your head?” Maverick growled in my ear.
I sighed. Kenji was right. Goddess, I did not need a three-way conversation going on all day and night.
“Three-way?” Maverick said out loud, and I realized to my shame he’d read my thoughts. Before he could hear any other inappropriate brain farts, I locked down my mental shields so neither Kenji nor my bear had access to the chaos in my mind.
“Ooh, did someone mention a three-way?” Zane popped into view at the end of the bed. His lips quirked up in a lascivious grin. I frowned when I saw what looked like blood splatters all over his shirt and unidentifiable chunks in his hair.
Maverick snarled and pulled the sheet over me. “Get the fuck out of my cabin!” he roared.
“No can do, care bear. I’m all juiced up on lust thanks to you claiming our mate.
Which is just as well, seeing as how there are three hellhounds less than a mile away.
” He examined his nails while smirking. “Could use a hand dealing with them before any idiot shifters stumble across them while on their morning run.”
“Hellhounds?” Bear sat up, still holding me close.
I dropped my shield to Kenji. Is he right?
Kenji huffed crossly. Why do you think I’ve been keeping watch for the last several hours? Not because I actually wanted to listen to you get laid, trust me.
I’m sorry! I didn’t know you were still there. You could have left!
No, it’s my job to protect you. You’re making it difficult, by the way. He huffed loudly. Maybe get railed in the witch dorm next time. It’s safer there.
I blushed even though my kitsune familiar was still outside.
“Little mate, we need to go deal with the hellhounds. The incubus will take you back to the dorm. When we’re done, I’ll come and get you, okay?”
He looked up and glared at Zane. “Now get the fuck out of my bedroom while my mate pulls some clothes on!”
Zane rolled his eyes before blinking out of sight.
“I’m sorry, little mate. This isn’t how I wanted the morning to go. We should be spending the next forty-eight hours in bed while I take care of you.”
“We should?” That sounded rather… nice.
“I will take care of you once I deal with the demons.” He kissed me again before pulling back. “Now pull some clothes on. The sooner we destroy the hellhounds, the faster I can drag you back to bed and calm my bear the fuck down.”