part0019

The rest of the team beat her and Allison back to the hotel. She couldn’t help her smile, as she felt Allison’s eagerness to see Carl, and she felt quite similarly about Jacob. Allison broke off and went into the kitchen, where Carl was mostly likely starting their meal. Jace and Cinna were already in their bedroom, no doubt using their bodies to tell each other how much they missed each other that day. Meri and Daniel sat on the couch and chatted in low voices, Daniel might be fighting on a different team, but it was fairly obvious he’d be spending his nights with his mate.

Jacob’s voice rumbled, “We need to talk.”

Right, she figured this was coming. She’d been rather thoughtless. She was old, wise, but she wasn’t perfect.

She sighed, when he turned and walked off without taking her hand, and she followed him into their bedroom. She moved over and sat on the bed, and then looked up at Jacob.

“Sorry, that was stupid what I did. It paid off, and got us information we could use, but it was reckless of me to attack Asmodai like…”

She trailed off as he growled, pulled her back to her feet, and kissed her with a desperate passion.

His hands pulled at her clothes, and she moaned softly into his mouth and drowned in his protective and loving emotions, along with the strong need he felt to possess her, to prove she was alive and okay.

She pretty much felt the same way about him, but she took her lead from his desires. That worked for her, because she longed to give him what he needed, and show him pleasures.

She hadn’t been expecting so much passion, or at least not so early in their conversation, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to complain as her own emotions, needs, desires, and the way she felt for him and how he made her feel swept her away.

She gave herself to him freely, even as he took her and transported her to ecstasy. It was wilder and rougher than she’d imagined, and also much better, as they worked out their tensions and showed each other how they felt. It was life affirming, and she lost herself to it, and loved every minute of it.

When they were finished, they started again, but the second time was soft, loving, and so sweet it made her heart ache with awe, and her eyes water with happiness, as she lost herself in that too.

He held her tightly and possessively when they were done, and she felt safe in his arms.

He said softly, “I love you.”

She smiled softly, and felt content and sated for the moment, “I love you too, you seem sure.”

She didn’t sense any doubts in him at all anymore, and her heart expanded in joy and a love that felt almost palpable. She had no doubts either, she knew what love felt like very well, even if it was slightly different every time.

He squeezed her tighter, and he kissed her softly.

“I am. You are her, I mean you’re you, just… braver, more confident, and maybe just a little crazy. What I mean is, I see the woman you were with no memories, you’re exactly the same, or at least, the important things are the same. I really like the more confident you, you’re so damned sexy, but if you ever do anything that stupid again I’ll spank you.”

She giggled, “I see, and is that a promise?” she asked in a hopeful sultry voice.

He snorted, “Behave.”

She smiled, stared into his eyes, and then bit her lip, “What fun is that?”

She gasped in mock outrage when he spanked her, and then moaned only half playfully as the sting of it mixed deliciously with her post-bliss. She suspected things would have gotten even more interesting and fun if they hadn’t heard Carl announcing dinner. They were late of course, they had to take a quick shower first…

They got to the table about the same time as Cinna and Jace, who also had wet hair. Dinner was fantastic, spaghetti and pork chops, and a sinful garlic butter bread drowned in cheese. She was starving after their long day and dug in without a word, just a smile of thanks for their cook which he acknowledged with a nod.

Shifters weren’t big on conversation during a meal.

There were nine around the table, Caroline had come to join them at some point while she and Jacob were in the bedroom. Her heart was still singing with it, and she noticed Cinna’s sly smile and wink.

It was maybe fifteen minutes later, and she was working on thirds, when she finally broke the silence and ate that last plate slower between sentences. She told them all about her and Allison’s time in the command center, what she’d revealed, and about their two plans to deal with Asmodai, if the president approved the plan.

Jacob said, “At least they don’t know about the blood sharing, but you made the right decision. We won’t be trusted unless we extend trust, and if it all falls apart we can escape and hide.”

Allison shrugged, “It won’t be so easy for me, or Cinna.”

She grinned, “Sure it will, you have illusion, and can be a crazy cat lady while we all lounge on the window sills in the sun all day.”

Cinna arched an eyebrow, “And me?”

She shrugged, “If you can refrain from eating my spell, I can give you serious facial makeover, then switch it back when things cool down. Enough to defeat facial recognition anyway. Hopefully it won’t be an issue.”

Caroline cleared her throat, “I know this isn’t a great time, but I’m too old to go charging out in the field, and you all don’t need me anymore. I think I’d like to retire and join the coven here in DC. They’ve already offered, and I’d like to accept.”

Jacob grunted, “I can see that, Allison and Lily can cover the tracking, and we won’t be doing coverups anymore. What about Allison’s advanced training?”

Caroline snorted, “You’re joking right? Lily can train her better than any other witch alive I’d bet. Allison is already more than competent besides, better than I was at her age, and self-study will make her even more powerful yet.”

Allison blushed at the compliment, and then looked at Lily.

She smiled, “I’d be honored.”

Jacob nodded, “You have my blessing, although you know you don’t need it. You’ve been with the team a long time, and you’ve done more than your share for the cause, we’ll miss you.”

Cinna teased, “But who will I hang out with when they’re all out doing crazy shit?”

Caroline smiled, and she wondered where Caroline was and who this person was.

Carl said, “We’ll let the TV babysit. Maybe leave the radio on? Get a real cat?”

Cinna pouted, but was obviously playing.

Cinna asked, “You can shift my face, does that mean…”

She shook her head, “No, I can’t shift you into an animal. Witch magic can’t do that. Enlarge or shrink cheek bones, modify your skin’s complexion, even change your eye or hair color, but not turn you into something you aren’t.”

Cinna actually looked disappointed for a second, but a smile grudgingly fought its way onto her exquisitely beautiful face. She wondered if the woman was even capable of brooding, she’d never met a cheerier person. At least, not genuinely cheerful, Cinna wasn’t one of those annoyingly perky people that hid behind a mask, it was who she truly was.

Jacob nodded, “So, do you think those plans will work? The one against Asmodai?”

She shrugged, “Maybe? If they get lucky, one of those rounds will land on his head. I don’t think he could survive that. I’m also not sure how effective a sonic attack will be.”

It was a risk, and hopefully if it failed that just meant he’d be escaping with a lot of wounds again, and not tearing them apart and cutting them down with his sword. Life was risk though, and it was part of the job.

Jacob said, “We should get some sleep. Obviously, our normal schedule is meaningless now, and we’re on a war footing for the first time in centuries, we need to sleep when we can. We can’t be sure when Asmodai and the next wave of rogues will hit DC, or what they’ll do when they get here.”

She nodded, “So far they’ve gone kind of easy, because Asmodai is trying to make us look like the bad guy. If he changes tactics a hundred soul eaters could cause a hell of a lot of damage and panic in DC by the time we take them down.”

Jace frowned, “Cheery thoughts.”

Meri grinned, and turned to Daniel, “You heard him, we’re ordered to get in bed early.”

She almost choked on her drink, at the over the top innuendo in Meri’s tone of voice.

Daniel snickered, “Yes alpha, right away alpha.”

Jacob snorted, as they both got up and went to their bedroom.

Caroline got up too, and she started to pack away her things. It would be weird, without her negativity around, but she’d definitely earned it. Witches only lived twice as long as humans, and they dedicated a third of that life to the cause, for those that served anyway. It was… more than enough.

They all said goodbye when Caroline was ready to leave, and then wished her good luck. Only Cinna and Allison were close enough with her to give her a hug, which wasn’t all that much of a surprise. She doubted any curmudgeon could keep their distance from Cinna, and Allison was, or had been, her protégé.

They all helped Carl with clearing the table and putting leftovers into the fridge, not that there was ever all that many of the latter with shifter appetites. It wasn’t long before the three couples went to their rooms as well. The world might have been falling apart, but their team was strong.

Jacob closed the door, and then turned to her with a naughty glint in his eyes.

“Now, where were we?”

She playfully covered her ass with her hands, and widened her eyes in mock fright, even as she posed for him with playful seductive innocence and tried not to laugh wickedly. That night would be fun, and filled with teasing, loving, and not a little mischief. It was heartwarming too, and important. It reminded them all what they were fighting for, and how precious life was.

She’d lived for uncounted centuries, but in truth she was no more immortal than any other soul eater, if a bit more powerful than most supernatural beings of this world, her death in any moment was always possible, and her eventual death was assured. She didn’t doubt that one day she would pay that price while protecting humanity from evil, and she was content with that fact, although she would go down fighting with every fiber of her being on that day, and she’d never give up until the last.

It might have been inevitable, but she’d never go willingly.

It was another lesson she’d learned long ago, never borrow grief from the future. One day if she didn’t die first, she’d lose her new love, her love of this lifetime, at most in seven to eight centuries even if he managed to live to retirement. It was inevitable, and death was the only guarantee in life. But… she’d live every day they had left in joy, and she wouldn’t mourn him until he was gone.