Brigitte Stafford hadn’t planned to reveal herself to the Lamonts but staying hidden in the shadows burned energy—a lot of energy—and the power would be better utilized in other ways. Invisibility was one of the magical skills she shared with her niece, Charlotte. It was easy for short periods of time, but the amount of concentration required was exhausting. Charlotte’s ability to shimmer until she vanished would grow stronger as she aged. Gigi felt a pang of sympathy for Charlotte’s son—the poor kid was never going to get away with anything.
“I want to hear about what happened in the clearing.” The Magic Council was trying to determine who was responsible for the full-out effort to move Catalina’s skill set to the other end of the spectrum. She was growing more powerful so quickly, even she hadn’t fully registered all the changes. Shifting Catalina’s loyalty to the dark side would tip the delicately balanced scale between magical good and evil. Listening to her detailed description of what she’d heard and felt, Brigitte was pleased to know Cat recognized the importance of the way her body reacted to the malicious energy.
“Keep in mind, these forces are trying to recruit you. What happened after your kidnapping was the work of a few people who hadn’t been vetted. You were never supposed to be mistreated, and if Cooper hadn’t killed them, they’d have suffered a worse fate at the hands of the dark magicals wanting to bring her under their wing.”
“Vetted? Seriously? They almost killed her.” Brigitte could hear the utter disbelief and frustration in Cooper’s voice. One of the facets of magic nonmagicals struggled with was the community’s laissez-faire attitude when it came to interfering with fate’s purpose. Gigi knew surviving the physical and emotional damage inflicted by Catalina’s captors hadn’t been easy. The young witch wasn’t at the end of the dark tunnel yet, but she could finally see a flickering light like a promise-filled beacon at the other end. In the end, we are all products of our experiences—both good and bad. People will never truly appreciate the light unless they’ve experienced darkness.
“I understand your frustration, Cooper. Fate can be a real pain in the ass.”
“Preach, sister.” Katarina’s whispered words made Gigi grin.
“I find it interesting two sets of twins, deeply immersed in the world of kink, all members of elite military forces, separated by several states—which eliminates environmental influences—yet the four of you have chosen women who are remarkably similar in looks and personality.” Drumming her fingers on the wooden arm of the chair she’d chosen, Gigi tilted her head to the side, her gaze moving between Alex and Zach. “If I was interested in social psychology, I’d be studying the lot of you very closely.” Shaking her head as to clear the lingering fog of being lost for a moment in curiosity, Brigitte smiled at Catalina.
“As I’m sure you have already noticed, your magical power is increasing at an accelerated rate. The good news is, you’re going to find a lot of great applications for the skills. The bad news? There are other forces at work in the Universe that would enjoy harnessing your energy to further their own agenda.”
“I keep trying to hear what you aren’t saying, but it’s just out of my reach. Help me out.” Catalina was tired and wanted to cut to the chase. A couple of mind-melting orgasms and a few hours of sleep would do her a world of good, and those were being delayed by Brigitte dancing around whatever she’d come to say. Damn, girl… get on with it. I know you didn’t come here to chit-chat about social fucking psychology.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but it seems there are empaths in your life who are damned amused. They’ve given me five minutes before you waltz out of here.” Catalina would have been mortified if she hadn’t had previous experience with Gigi’s sense of humor. “Okay, here’s what I want you to do. When you shift tomorrow to go exploring, run the perimeter. We’re hoping you’ll be able to tell us how they’ve gotten past the Lamonts’ security and the extra layer the council has put in place.”
Identical looks of frustration clouded Alex and Zach’s faces, making Cat snicker. She’d bet they were not thrilled having the integrity of their security questioned. Having the council add their own safety measures without consulting them would have added insult to injury.
“Come on, Princess. I know you’re beat. Let’s let Alex and Zach chat with Brigitte while you and I head upstairs.” Cooper had evidently gotten the same vibe, and she was more than happy to walk away from the discussion she knew was coming. As one of the older siblings in her family, Cat was rarely exempted from the difficult chats, so she was happy to step away from this one. It wasn’t until they were outside Alex and Zach’s office that Cat realized Katarina had followed them. Catalina must have looked surprised because the other woman shrugged.
“I didn’t want to listen to my men whine about someone questioning their ability to protect you. Occasionally, I can manage to keep quiet, but my facial expressions always give me away.” Her cheeks turned a sweet shade of pink at the admission, endearing her even more to Catalina. “I’m going to work on your website. Go on up and get some sleep. I don’t usually have a lot of time when the kids aren’t underfoot, and I hate to waste the chance to focus for more than three minutes.” The petite blonde gave Cat a quick hug before turning in the direction of her office.
Katarina’s office was a light-filled solarium originally belonging to her mother-in-law. The colorfully decorated space sat empty after the elder Lamonts moved to Denver. When Katarina returned to Colorado, Alex and Zach quickly updated the space into an office for her web-design business. Once their grandchildren arrived, Daniel and Catherine bought a house in the nearby town, so they’d be nearby and available to help without living too close for everyone’s comfort. Catalina had commented how lucky her friend was to have such close family ties, then had been humbled when she realized how lucky she was as well. At that moment, Catalina decided to stop comparing her own blessings to those of her friends.
Blessings are one of those rare gifts that aren’t diminished by sharing.
Cooper led her into their suite, and Cat blinked, surprised to find herself there. Good grief, I can’t believe I walked upstairs without being aware we were moving.
“I’m torn between being thrilled you trust me enough to let me lead you around while you’re completely lost in thought and terrified you allowed me to lead you without once considering where we were headed.” Cooper’s words might have stung if she hadn’t understood exactly what he was saying—distraction was damned dangerous, and she knew better.
“Now that you’ve rejoined me… strip, Princess.” Crossing his arms over his chest, feet shoulder-width apart, Cooper’s stance made him look every bit the formidable Dom she knew him to be. Damn, why did he have to be so fucking hot? She’d always been attracted to him… even when she didn’t want to be.
“If you are finished looking at me like I’m a damned snack…” He didn’t need to finish. She knew all too well how adverse he was to being forced to repeat commands.
Without hesitating, Cat peeled off her clothes, tossing them onto a nearby chair. After traveling the world for years, she had a real issue with clothing being on the floor—too many creepy-crawlies on the floors of hotels for her comfort.
“You are awfully distracted. What do you think would help you focus, Princess?”
There was no way she was answering what was so obviously a trick question. It might have been rhetorical, but the warning was clear, and she was damned well going to stay in the moment to avoid whatever solution his wickedly creative mind dreamed up. Standing perfectly still while he walked around her wasn’t easy, but she recognized it as a test—one she didn’t intend to fail. He was making certain she hadn’t been injured during her rush to get back. His fingers trailed over the surface of her skin over her ribs, the slight touch waking up every nerve cell and sending a wave of goosebumps racing down her arm.
“You are beautiful. Your skin is flawless and so soft, I always feel like I’m caressing warm silk. I love the way the blush of arousal shifts from pale pink to the deep rose that matches the swollen petals of your labia when you’re fully aroused.”
His softly spoken words sent a rush of cream from her core as her heart rate kicked up. He’d once made her come using nothing but his voice. The man was lethal in so many ways. Leading her into the master bath, Cooper started the shower before stripping out of his own clothes.
“Come on. I want to play a game.”
Oh, boy, her mate had spent too much time undercover in casinos and had learned too well how to ensure the house won.
When he switched the shower to the handheld, Cat felt her knees weaken. Pulses of water jetted from the device as his sinister smile made her nipples draw up into tight peaks. She watched as he adjusted the temperature and pressure, fiddling with the shower’s complicated controls until he was satisfied.
“One foot on the bench, toes pointed to the wall.” The position opened up her sex, leaving nothing to the imagination. When she complied, he slipped his fingers through her wet folds and smiled. “So slick… I love the way the earthy scent of your arousal fills the air, wrapping itself around me and making my cock stand at attention. Here are the rules, my lovely mate. You have twenty swats on the board. For every five seconds you hold back your orgasm, I’ll deduct one.” Propping his waterproof watch on a nearby ledge, she could see he’d already set it to countdown from one hundred. “Are you ready to play, Princess?”
Are you out of your ever-loving mind? I don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning. Let’s just cut straight to the wild, swinging from the chandelier sex. Cooper’s smile told her he’d heard her silent response. She needed to remember how strong their telepathic communication was becoming. What would work for her if she found herself in danger could also work against her during a scene.
“Yes, Sir.”
“I’m glad you chose to share the edited version of your response, mate. It would have been a shame to add to your beginning total. Although I have to admit, I’m hoping you don’t make it the entire one hundred seconds. I have been looking forward to paddling your lovely ass. Feeling your skin heat beneath my palm is hotter than hell.”
Without warning, water pulsed directly to her clit, making Cat shriek in surprise. Her eyes moved to his watch, wondering how it was possible the numbers were counting down at a fucking snail’s pace—the damned thing was in slow motion.
Catalina’s body trembled so violently, her knees threatened to fold. If her legs gave out, she would drop to the tiled floor like a damned sack of sand. Her pulse pounded in her ears, and the thumping of their heartbeat sounded like the kettle drums of her high school orchestra. In an effort to distract herself, Cat thought back on how she’d loved the way the music swept her away. She hadn’t been a member of the elite musical group, but she’d snuck into their rehearsal hall at every opportunity. Damn, those memories weren’t enough to distract from the heat rolling through her veins like lava, scorching everything in its path. When Cooper was finally finished, he’d have reduced her to little more than a pile of ash.
Cooper moved the handheld shower closer. Two quick pulses of jetting water slammed into her aching clit before he pulled back for several beats. The lack of predictability ramped up her response to a level she hadn’t been able to anticipate. Frantically trying to stem her body’s rapid slide into arousal, Cat started reviewing the jeweled pieces she planned to request Noah to photograph first. When she’d talked to him earlier today, he assured her he’d cleared his schedule for two days next week. He planned to fly to Austin so they could decide which pieces to use in the final photoshoot.
“You’re going to come for me, Princess. Your slick cream will wash over my fingers at the exact moment I dictate.” He pressed a soft kiss of reassurance against her forehead, then grinned. “I’ll take good care of you, mate. Are you ready to fly?” Cooper’s chuckle broke her concentration, and when she moved her eyes to his watch, Cat groaned. How was it possible the damned thing still hadn’t counted down to zero? Before she could pull in another breath, several things happened at once. Cooper stepped to her side, essentially caging her between his muscular chest and the warm tiled wall, and the water jet moved back to her clit as he grasped the globe of her ass and squeezed. “Your throaty scream of release is hotter than hell… damn, I love hearing you shout my name as passion blanks your mind. Come for me, Princess. Come now!”
Nothing could have held back the earth-shattering orgasm she knew was about to burst free. Heat erupted in her core in an explosion of mind-melting desire, unlike anything she’d ever experienced. Screaming his name as her knees gave way, Cat heard the clatter of the handheld device dropping to the floor, but it seemed a thousand miles away. Wave after wave of heat rolled over her, the pressure in her core making it difficult for her to refrain from shifting. She recognized the deep-seated feeling and knew Cooper had probably already noted the change in her scent. She had to have the worst timing in the history of shifters.
“Twenty seconds. That’s four swats… perfect. Two on each cheek. Your ass is fucking spectacular, Catalina. The only thing I like more than looking at the perfectly rounded globes of your ass is seeing it glowing crimson as I shove my cock balls deep in your sweet pussy.”
She sagged against him, wondering how long he would make her wait before… She heard the sharp slap of skin against skin a fraction of a second before she gasped. Pain danced over the surface of her skin, leaving a lingering sense of anticipation. The second swat lifted her up on her toes, the heat sinking in deep enough to set off another orgasm so strong, she barely felt the last two swats.
The feeling of being lifted was disorienting, but as soon as she felt her back pressing against the steam-warmed tile, Catalina instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. His cock had no trouble finding its target, and the erotic burn of stretching tissues sent her tumbling over again. Cooper’s groan was music to her ears.
“Your pussy is squeezing me so tight, I’m not going to last, Princess. Fuck me, the rippling of your vaginal walls is the sweetest torture in the world. You’re pulling me deeper, your body telling me it never wants to let me go. Damn, Catalina, I’m going to spend the rest of my life ensuring you never regret belonging to me.”
Catalina wanted to respond, wanted to reassure Cooper she planned to hold him to his word, but her brain was fried past the point of forming a coherent sentence. His thrusts were powerful, pushing his tip against her cervix time and again until Cat’s mind blanked out completely. White lights exploded behind her eyelids, and her scream bounced off the walls of the shower before she felt herself sliding down into a silent, inky abyss.
Katarina looked up in confusion when she heard someone enter her office. Ordinarily, the place held something close to sacred status when her family knew she was working. At her request, they’d installed a door with a clear glass window so everyone could see she was deep in her thoughts before they disturbed her. With two husbands and three children, uninterrupted time was a precious commodity. Demanding respect for her privacy was the only way she’d been able to build her business into the success it had become.
“Kitten?” Zach’s question brought her back to the moment. Rubbing her tired eyes, Kat looked from him to the clock on the wall, blinking to bring the distant numbers into focus. Damn, had she really been working four hours without a break? The sun would be coming up in a couple of hours, and she knew better than to skip sleep altogether. What had only been a minor inconvenience in her twenties was now damn near impossible to pull off. Not that she was complaining—her life was full to the brim, and she loved it, but pulling all-nighters was beyond her capabilities.
“I don’t know. She didn’t hear me walk in and has been staring at the clock for the past several seconds without responding. Hell, I caught myself watching the damned thing, wondering if it was going to start playing music and dance along the shelf.”
She recognized the irritation in Zach’s voice, but it took her several long seconds to notice Alex standing by his side. Returning her attention to the bank of computer screens lining her desk, Kat typed in a series of commands, saving her work and sending the system into sleep mode.
“Come.” Taking Alex’s outstretched hand, Kat started to stand only to realize how stiff her legs were after sitting in one position for so long. Teetering precariously, she tried to take a step, but the sudden tingling in her legs made the movement impossible.
“It’s been a long time since we had to paddle your sweet ass for not taking care of yourself, Kitten. What were you thinking working so late?”
“Everything was coming together, and I didn’t want to jinx myself by not following through. I always think I’ll remember what I was going to do, then the ideas evaporate before I can get back here and put it on paper.” She was probably one of the few in her field who still used real paper in her office.
“I’m sending a delayed text to our parents, asking them to keep our hellions for a few more days. I know our four children are a handful.”
“And when you add Jenna’s…” Zach’s chuckle held more truth than genuine amusement.
“If there are dark forces of magic lurking nearby, the last thing we need is their curious minds working overtime.” Kat barely registered Alex’s words, but thinking about the myriad of ways their children could cause trouble with magical forces was too terrifying to consider.
Their young science nerds, Danny and Christopher, would want to study the metaphysics of magic. Alexa, the youngest, would try to capture the scene on paper, sketching furiously to ensure she captured enough details to paint later. The real problem would be a Mary Catherine. Their oldest daughter was the heir apparent to Aunt Jenna’s Warrior Fairy legacy. She was skilled in several types of martial arts but failed miserably when it came to recognizing her limits. Unfortunately, Mary Catherine also inherited her mother’s unique ability to find trouble.
“Ordinarily, I’d feel like she was deliberately ignoring us, but this time I honestly think she is so tired, the lights are on, but no one is home.” Zach kissed her forehead, holding her up while Alex undressed her. “I often wonder how Dad managed.” Kat looked around, shocked to find herself standing in their bedroom.
“I have no idea. Marrying a brilliant woman presents an entire set of unique challenges. To be honest, I think our lovely wife is carrying the lion’s share of the load around here. She manages the house, helps with staff, has built an extraordinarily successful business, and still manages to bring everything we could have ever dreamed of into our lives… and I’m not just referring to sex.”
“Fuck. Now I feel like a damned slacker.” Zach’s comment made her smile. If there was one thing Alex and Zach had never been… it was lazy.
Heated skin pressed against her as Zach pressed himself against her bare breasts. The warmth of his skin set fire to nerve endings that should be drifting closer to sleep. As if he’d read her thoughts, Alex chuckled as he plastered himself against her back like a warm blanket.
“As much as my brother and I would love to answer that throaty moan, you need to rest.”
Damn, damn, and double-damn. She hadn’t even realized she moaned. Before she could respond, her legs folded out from under her. They caught her easily, but the damage was done. Traitorous body!
“Hold that thought, love. Zach will sleep with you for a couple of hours, then we’ll see about sating your desire. I’ll be in my office, wrapping up a few things for the club. Call me if she wakes up before I return.”
Her last thought before falling into a blissful sleep was her regret Alex was leaving.