Chapter 13
Needless to say, we don’t get much sleep.
I wake up clinging to a pillow that smells like Don, and I hum in appreciation at being surrounded by his scent.
Not feeling him behind me, I crack my eyes open and peer up from the bed.
I wonder where he went, but I’m too comfortable to have any desire to get up and hunt for him.
Pressing my head back down, I do what anyone else would do and push my face further into the pillow, inhaling the woodsy citrus notes.
A deep chuckle interrupts me. Too tired to be ashamed, I don’t even bother picking my head up as I mumble in the pillow.
“Don’t judge me; you have the best cologne.”
I feel the bed dip as he plops down next to me, his arms winding around me as he pulls me flush against him.
“Baby, I don’t wear cologne. That’s just all me.”
“Of course you don’t.”
The noise that leaves me is a pitiful groan as he starts kissing down my neck, slowly making his way to my breasts. There isn’t one part of my body that doesn’t feel sore.
“Don, I’m so sore. How can you still want more?”
“Because I just can’t seem to get enough of you.”
He buries his head between my breasts, nibbling at me playfully.
“You’re going to suffocate if you don’t quit.”
“Best way to die in my opinion,” he mumbles, his short beard tickling my skin as he presses up against me. His hips rock against mine suggestively, but that pressure just makes my bladder protest.
I pat his shoulder. “I’m going to pee myself if you don’t get off me.”
Thankfully, that gets him moving quickly.“Yes, ma’am.”
No longer caged in by him, I scramble off the bed as quickly as my very sore body will let me.
I barely make it into the bathroom. I sigh heavily at the flashbacks of all the positions Don put my body in during the night.
No wonder I’m so sore. A rush of heat sweeps through me, and I silently scold my pussy.
Down, girl. You can’t possibly take any more of that monster cock. Ugh, would it be weird if I asked him for an ice pack? I’m one-hundred percent going to have to start adding pilates or something into my workout routine. That, or we were going to need to start stretching before we fuck.
After thwarting several more seduction attempts from Don, I finally persuade him that feeding me and taking me home is the smarter option.
He plies me with delicious kolaches and coffee to make up for nearly breaking my vagina with his battering ram of a cock.
He snorts coffee out of his nose when I say as much.
I do feel a little bad for that, since he has to pull over so he doesn’t crash his truck.
He then proceeds to tell me he is going to paddle my ass if I do that again.
But is that really much of a deterrent? Nope, it sure isn’t.
Donovan pulls up to my house without further incidents.
I can be good when I want to be.
Plus my nether regions are sore as hell, and I don’t want to test if he would, in fact, spank me.
Like the gentleman he is, he walks me up to my door, his hand gently settling onto my lower back. We are almost to the porch steps when I feel his hand tense and he pauses, glancing around. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure; let’s get you inside.”
With my keys already in hand, I make quick work of getting the door open, getting a strange vibe as we step inside.
Goosebumps spread across my skin as I glance around, but I don’t see anything.
I’m instantly distracted by what is waiting on the other side of the door.
Sitting like sentinels ready for battle are Beretta and Indy, both looking frazzled and pissy.
“What’s wrong, guys?” Not that they answer me.
Indy prowls right up to me, grumbling in irritation.
Brushing up against my leg, he looks up at me pointedly, as if I’m responsible for whatever is going on.
I raise my eyebrow at his antics, but he doesn’t stick around.
He pads off through the living room and back towards the kitchen.
My eyes go to Beretta next, but she just huffs at me and follows Indy.
“I’m not sure what that was about, but I feel like I’m in trouble.”
Don wraps his arms around me, nudging me inside.
“You better go make it right, baby; I’ve heard cats can hold a mean grudge.” That makes me snort, and I give him an incredulous look over my shoulder. He just smirks down at me.
“I was going to invite myself in, but it seems like you’ll have your hands full with those two.”
He nuzzles my neck, his beard grazing my skin and making me shiver. He drops a quick kiss to my shoulder, before straightening back up. I turn around in his arms, snuggling into his warm chest. I feel so safe with him.
“Want to make the most of the weekend and come out with me and the guys tomorrow? I doubt they would mind, and I really want to see you again before work takes up our time.”
“Yes, as long as the guys are ok with it.”
“I’ll ask them today, but I don’t see it being an issue.”
“Ok, text me the details, and I’ll meet you tomorrow.”
Don leans down again to brush his lips against mine.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
I walk him out, getting that weird vibe again as I cross the threshold of my front door. Shaking off the feeling, I pull him down for one more kiss before he leaves.
“Drive safe,” I whisper against his lips.
Kinley goes back inside, so she doesn’t notice me taking in the front of her house, analyzing it for anything amiss.
I inhale deeply. There is something off, and I can’t place it, but I also can’t continue loitering outside of her house.
A few minutes pass, and I’m still no closer to figuring out what is triggering my senses, so I climb in my truck and give Aiden a call.
He answers just as I pull out of Kinley’s driveway.
“I didn’t figure I would hear from you at all today. Did the date with Kinley not go well?”
“No, it went great actually. But speaking of Kinley, I just dropped her off. There is a very distinct scent that wasn’t there last night. I can’t place it, but you and Brent are the ones with the best noses. Do you think one of you could do a drive by?”
His playful tone changes when he answers.“I can’t, but I’ll call Brent. Can you describe the scent? I’ll relay it to him so he can be aware of what he’s sniffing around for.”
“Yeah, I kept getting hints of sulfur, pine, and something else that I couldn’t figure out. Tell Brent to be low-key when he gets to her house. Her dog and cat are a little too observant.”
“Will do. You notice anything else?”
“No, I didn’t want to alarm her by asking to search around, but I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary out front.”
“Ok, I’ll get Brent on it. You still on for tomorrow?”
“Yeah, about that, I kind of asked Kinley to come. You think Brent and Cam will mind?”
“Geeze, Don, you got it bad, huh?”
“You have no fucking idea. My beast is absolutely obsessed with her. I’m barely keeping him in check, but it’s worse being away from her.”
“Really? Shit, Don, you might need to call my Mom or Grandma about this.”
“Shit, you might be right. I have no clue what’s going on, but all I do know is that I need to be around her.”
“Man, I don’t envy you, but Kinley is great. Bring her along tomorrow. I’ll give Brent a call now, and I’ll tell him to call you after he’s done.”
“Thanks, man. Oh, and I got a little more information on her last night. She is from Texas, but she said she doesn’t have any living family. That wouldn’t make sense if she was Clan.”
“Hmmm, yeah. I highly doubt that, too. Well, let Cam know that information. Maybe it can help him figure out if she is potentially any other type of magical species.”
“Maybe, I just have this feeling she’s not human. It just doesn’t make sense to have this strong of a reaction otherwise.”
“We will figure it out, Don.”
I end the call, and as I drive home, I contemplate if I should call home.
My Aunt and Grandmother are the heads of our Clan, but I don’t want to call them prematurely and get them all in my business.
They are meddlesome on a good day; if they get wind that I’m contemplating a mate, they will go feral.
Better to leave that for another day, because I also need to figure out what is going on with Kinley, and why strange things keep happening.
I spend the rest of my Saturday relaxing and baking.
When I get the text from Don saying that it is officially ok to come tomorrow, I feel it’s only right to come bearing gifts.
And what little I know about these guys, is they sure do love food.
So I will ply them with sweets for allowing me to intrude on guy time.
Just as I’m pulling my double chocolate brownies from the oven, my phone rings.
Cursing silently, I quickly put the brownies on the hot plate and answer without looking.
“Hello.”
When no one answers right away, I glance down at the screen to make sure I actually answered it. Frowning, because thecall has been accepted but it’s an unknown number, I answer again.
“Hello, is anyone there?”
But no voice answers me. Is that breathing?
Still not getting a response, I hang up. Stupid spam calls. Setting my phone on the island, so it’s out of the way, I turn back to my baking, almost missing Indy sniffing at my phone and hissing.
“What has gotten into you today? First the cold shoulder and now you hate technology. What’s your deal?”
With a flick of his tail, he jumps off the counter.
I shake my head in exasperation as I turn back to check on the brownies, but I swear I hear a faint voice say “Danger.” Goosebumps spread across my body as I whip back around, but all I see is Indy staring at me.
Nothing else is amiss, and even though I’m thoroughly creeped out, I shake the feeling off as best I can.
“Geeze, Kinley, you need a nap or some coffee. You’re losing it.”
Eyeing my brownies, I focus back on my baking and decide that brownies alone might not be enough.
So, I get out the ingredients to make peanut butter cookies.
An hour later, I pack up my offerings and pour myself a glass of wine, because if I have coffee now, I will be up all night.
After not getting much sleep the night before, I definitely need sleep so I don’t look like a swamp monster tomorrow.
Dark eye circles are not a good look when you are trying to keep a gorgeous man interested.
Hot Mess Kinley is not to be brought out until he is properly snared.
I snort to myself. Honestly, I think Don will like me no matter what I look like. He is such a good man.
Wine in hand, I decide that the best way to end my evening is to snuggle up on the couch and binge a few shows on Netflix before bed.
Deep into the night, as our mistress sleeps peacefully in bed, we keep watch. Foul, tainted energy kept us both on alert these last two days. Our magic is strong and unwavering. We chose our mistress, and no one will take her from us. Nothing will breach this home.
Their attempt had been laughable, but we are both still on edge. We both knew that one day, powerful beings would come skulking about, trying to obtain her, for we know how special she is.
It had been against my better judgement to begin unraveling the geas put upon her, but my companion had provided a good argument, even though I was loath to tell her so.
The geas had been strong but hastily done, and it didn’t take us long to begin unraveling those threads that held my mistress in the dark depths of her mind.
I growl at the thought of whoever had done this to her, but thankfully for my mistress, I’m more powerful than some old magic wielder.
The magical community these days left much to be desired, but even our vast power could still not fully wipe the geas’ effects immediately.
It will have to fade slowly so as to not harm our mistress.
My powers snake out, feeling the thread’s strength ebbing.
“It won’t be too much longer now.”
My companion nods in agreement.“Probably why that male was sniffing about.”
I scoff.“At least he has potential. Much better than some of those detestable humans she has brought home.”
“Do you think the foul one will return?”
“If they know what is good for them, they won’t.”
As the night wanes and fades into dawn, we stand vigil, because we will do whatever is necessary to protect her.
Whatever is necessary.