~

 

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”

“Shut up, Connor. I really don’t need anything more to do with books, even Charles Dickens, when my eyes are blurry and crossing at every opportunity.” Vicky grumbled in annoyance.

She liked to read as much as the next girl, just not speed reading through pages and pages of text that needed to be rationalised in context of the times in which it had been written.

“Touchy…” Connor whispered against her ear, and she reached up and swatted her hand at him, but he was already gone.

“No feely…” she muttered back, scanning the page in front of her, and all because she’d seen the word dragon mentioned in the text – too bad it was dragon’s blood.

And there was the problem – too many spells called for dragon’s blood, and the merry band of witches were all growly and groaning like their mates as they dismissed page after page, and spell after spell, on their search for the answers to their little problem.

Well, it was a bloody big problem by all accounts.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, love,” Connor offered back, distracting her once more. “Just came to check in.”

“Well, bloody well check out again – you know where the door is,” she grumbled.

“Got it. I supposed the copious amounts of coffee and the pile of chocolate wrappers has nothing to do with your mood…?”

Connor twisted his head on his neck the moment that her eyes snapped up to his – he would have made the sign of the cross and kissed his butt goodbye if there had been time, but she zapped him so fast that he didn’t stand a chance…

“Go be gone!” She hissed in annoyance.

“Love you too…” he bit out as her magic subsided enough that his body could just shake it off, and shake it off he did.

“Come back when there’s a bloody big flying lizard above our heads and not before – if we find anything, we’ll come to you – unless we’re spelling up something, and then you’re on your own.” She was scowling up at him, and he got the message loud and clear.

“Always to the point. I like that about…”

“Out.”

“Got it.”

“Then go.”

“Going…” Connor offered her his sing-song voice.

“Don’t come back,” she did the same for him.

“Dominatrix…” he chuckled, but he turned on his heels and made haste, before she decided to zap him again.

 

~

~

~

 

“How’s it going there, alpha?” Zana said as she eyed her mate on the prowl across the battlements once more.

George was more than restless – his beast was back to clawing within him again.

“Don’t call me that,” George bit out.

“Nobody can deny their destiny,” she’d almost said fate, but she was trying hard not to think on her own fate – not that it wasn’t still in the forefront of her mind.

“Fate’s a bitch…” he agreed, shooting a quick look at her and catching the small grimace on her face.

“And then some,” she muttered into the darkness as she turned away from him, but his ears caught her words.

George started to pace in the other direction, but when all of his mind, body, and soul wanted to be where she was – it was like pushing a pyramid up the damn mountain.

He turned on fast feet and started for her…

Zana heard the footsteps behind her that was coming her way. He might have been padding on stone with bare feet, but she caught that sound – she’d been listening hard enough for it the whole time that she’d been alone with him.

She turned in place, eyed the size of the man who only seemed to be getting larger the closer that he got.

His hands were fisted into giant balls at his sides.

His arms stood away from his sides as his muscles tensed.

Those shoulders that spanned wide and blocked out the landscape with a chest that she thought she might just be able to curl up on like a happy cat, and those piercing, bewitching black eyes that were locked and loaded on his prey – her.

His mate.

He was an impressive sight.

Zana didn’t just appreciate that the man was built for a fight. He was one hell of a tempting inducement to get down and dirty.

Her heart kicked her womb with the sweetest jolt of excitement.

Then he was right in front of her. His fists unclenched as he reached out for her hips, those hands locked on her body and he wrenched her towards him.

Zana didn’t back step. She didn’t try to get away from him, because it would have been a useless endeavour – and boy, was she curious…

Her hips slammed into his and her upper body followed. Her breasts pressed against the hard muscles of his chest and sent another jolt to her womb – her stomach flipped over as her head snapped back on her neck and she looked up into those black, soulful eyes…

Curiosity killed the cat – let’s hope not… the words flew in and out of her mind again when George brought his lips down on hers…

For one long moment; time stood still – it might have been shock – it certainly wasn’t surprise, but then everything rushed in at her all at once.

In a rush of heat that swept through her body – she felt as powerful as he looked as he deepened the kiss before she’d even had time to consider it … to consider what to do next.

She needed to do something – her body had come alive in one blast of intense heat and a rush of tingles and jolts that woke up every inch, every dormant feminine need and desire that she’d held at bay for what felt like an eternity…

She just didn’t know what.