“Stop thinking of the bad, love.”

  I tightened my hand against the back of his neck as he lifted me up and pressed my back against the shower wall. Our lips danced in a sensual kiss while his hands moved over my body. Every cell in my body was alive with love and lust for this man. He held the key to my heart, to my soul.

  Whispers of want and need escaped me as his teeth scraped along my neck.

  “Dem…”

  I wasn’t above begging. Not when it came to him and the magic of his touch. His hard body pressing against mine was enough to drive me into a lust filled frenzy I hoped to never escape.

  “I can’t lose you,” he whispered before he nipped at the juncture of my shoulder and neck.

  “N-never,” I panted out as I rocked myself against his rock hard cock. I loved the feel of him against me. It always ignited the fire that burned deep inside of me.

  Without another word, one of his hands went under my ass and the other pressed my now joined hands to the shower wall above my head. His ravenous gaze met mine.

  “Please…”

  His legs shifted and he slowly entered me. He was gentle, though I could feel his need to claim me, mark me as his. I knew his body. I’d always bend to his need and give him what he desired, at least in this. With a long, drawn out moan of pleasure I gave into him.

  “Fuck,” he cursed before pulling out and slamming back into me.

  My head fell back against the shower wall. When he released my hands so he could hold me at the angle he wanted I once again cried out his name. My hands went to his shoulders, my nails digging into his skin with each of his thrusts.

  “Yes!”

  My voice filled the small shower as he pulled me from the wall slightly and slid in and out of me. His hips slammed against me with each of his movements. The slight tingle of pain only added to my pleasure.

  My body was shaking with the need to let go. I was wound like a rubber band and stretched to the point of breaking. Dem’s hard body pressed harder into me. I called out his name as his teeth sank into my skin.

  The pull of his bite and his cock filling me sent me into orbit. My body shuddered. I raked my nails down his back as I rode out my orgasm.

  His lips once again met mine, stealing the air from me. I loved this man with all of my soul and he would be the only one I’d ever need and crave.

  “Marissa?”

  I let out a shriek of surprise when I heard my father's voice coming from the other room. I’d been so out of it with that memory that I hadn’t heard anyone approaching the cabin. I had to do better than that.

  “Ju-just a minute, Daddy!”

  I hurried to finish my shower and stepped out, wrapping a towel around me. It took me a minute to get myself dried off and dressed again. I was tucking my shirt into my jeans when Daddy called my name again.

  I walked out of the bathroom and stopped in my tracks. Daddy was there, but he looked different. I rushed to him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “We need you in Talia’s cabin. Something’s wrong. I can’t seem to see what it is... I hope maybe you can.”

  I hurried out the door, Thor on my heels, and ran across the yard that separates the small cabins. I slammed into the door and moved to the bedroom where Talia had been. She was shaking, a fever taking her over. I moved to the bedside, sat and moved my hand to cup her cheek.

  “What happened?” I asked. My eyes scanning her face. “Come on, Talia, stop this mess.”

  “Her fever has spiked. Joshua’s touch isn’t doing anything to help her. I’m at a loss,” Sheri said, her voice cracking.

  Uncle Trenton was pacing the room, worry etched across his face. I closed my eyes and took a breath. I tried to let my gift push through the fog of my mind without flooding the room with it. I couldn’t see anything at first. But there was something coming to me. I could see Pyper.

  My eyes flew open and without a word I released Talia, moved through the room and ran from the cabin. I needed Pyper. She was with one of the female wolves and her cubs a few cabins from ours. I heard Daddy and Dem calling out for me, but that didn’t stop my feet. I burst through the door of the female’s cabin.

  “Pyper! Where is Pyper?”

  “Marissa, what is it?” Daddy grabbed my arm. I shook my head.

  “I need Pyper.”

  “She’s out back with my cubs. My mate is with them. She is safe, I assure you.”

  The woman stood, alarm in her eyes. I nodded and moved back out of the cabin. I was sure she was fine, that’s not what was happening here.

  “Pyper!”

  “For the love- Marissa, you tell me what’s going on right now!’ Daddy growled as he stopped me.

  “I don’t know. I just know I need Pyper!”

  “Mawi!” she called out to me, but stopped in her tracks when she saw Daddy.

  I frowned and moved to her. I scoop up the small girl and hugged her to me. Thor was barking, winding around us.

  “Yous otay?” her small voice whispered against my ear. “I’m okay. I need you to come with me. You’ll be safe, I promise. It’s important. Talia needs us to be strong for her. Can you come help me?”

  She looked from Dem to Daddy and then back to me, her grip tightening around my neck.

  “I promise you will be safe. No one will touch you.”

  “Otays, Tor comes too?”

  At my word that Thor was coming too she nodded.

  “I heps my kitty!”

  I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding and took off jogging across the yard. I kept my arms wrapped around her to keep her from getting jostled. I made my way into the room and after Pyper gave Uncle Trenton a startled look he backed up into the corner and crossed his arms over his chest. He was trying to look harmless, but he still looked scary. I shook my head and sat with Pyper in my lap. I took Talia’s hand and held it out in mine, palm up.

  “Put your hand in hers. Palm to palm.” As I spoke I knew what needed to be done. I didn’t understand how, but I just knew. I held Pyper to me with my free hand and closed my eyes.

  “Her hots.”

  “Yes, we have to push the heat from her body. Can you help me with that?”

  With nothing else said there came a rush of power through us both. Talia’s body jerked off the bed. I whispered the words that floated through me. Pyper repeated them as best as she could.

  “Goddess, blessed be thy will,

  Take the pain and wash it from her soul,

  Cool the fire that burns within her blood

  Prepare and strengthen her body,

  Allow the old to merge with the new,

  Mend what has been broken,

  Take the dark and turn it to the light,

  Let her control be true,

  Blessed be her body anew.”

  I had no idea what it all meant, or why it was happening now, but something was fighting against the newest powers running through Talia. Pyper needed to be here to help her, I was simply the vessel to make sure that happened.

  The energy inside her was dark. I heard Pyper growl moments before a growl ripped through myself. It was as if we were being pulled into a dark cloud, but it was gone just as quickly.

  My gut said this was a good thing. I could see Talia, in a warrior’s stance in an open field, her body taut as she waited to attack. The lines running across her face showed her new gifts.

  My eyes popped open and with a gasp I stood, dropped Pyper on the bed and ran for the bathroom.

  My stomach tightened, rebelling against the small amount of food I had put in it. After my belly was emptied of its’ contents, a shudder of disgust ran through me, then I felt fine. I took in a gulp of air and let it out.

  “Mari, are ya okay, love? What the hell was that?” Dem’s words were rushed as he knelt beside me. He grabbed a cloth from the counter, wet it and gently wiped the sweat from my face.

  Thor barked and came in, licking my face until I pushed him back.

  “I’m fine. I’m fine,” I said the words as I slumped back against Dem and rested my hand on my belly. There was a small growl from the other room and I turned to see Pyper bustling through the legs blocking her way. I grinned as the men parted to let her through. I opened my arms and took her into them.

  “You baby otays, I makes the bad stuff goes aways!” Her eyes were wide, panicked almost.

  There was a curse and a pissed off growl from behind me, then Dem was gone. I got to my feet, clutching Pyper to my body as I watched my father drag my mate from the bathroom.

  “Daddy, stop!”

  10

  Demetrius

  “Daddy, stop this!”

  Marissa’s panicked cry rang out across the yard as Alex slammed me into the ground. I snarled and bounded to my feet.

  “You defiled my daughter!” Alex’s voice echoed all around us.

  “I did no such thing! I love her!”

  “You were to guard her, not impregnate her!”

  “Aye! I was guarding her while you were gone! You abandoned her, and I was there for her. She is my mate!” I snarled out a curse as he launched himself at me.

  “Alexander! Demetrius! I command you to stand down, now!”

  The Prince’s words only raised my ire. This man may well be her father, but she is my mate. He had some nerve if he thought he had any ground to be pissed that she was pregnant. What gives him the right to question it at all?

  Thor started barking uncontrollably as shouts and worried cries filled the yard. The earth rumbled under us and a crack rang out. I was thrown backwards. I heard Alex curse as he was tossed into the air.

  I flipped around and landed on my feet. My eyes moved across the yard. I saw that Ramport had Thor by the collar, holding him in place. I brought my gaze around to Marissa who had moved out into the yard. Her eyes were glowing purple.

  I was staring down one very pissed off vampire.

  I held up my hands and slowly moved towards her. I could feel the breeze picking up around us. Her powers were very close to being out of her control. The pulse of it was surrounding me, sliding along my skin.

  “Mari, love, calm down.”

  “Demetrius?” The Prince’s voice rang out across the yard. I held up my hand and moved closer to her. The growl that reverberated through her had me coming to a stand still.

  “Mari, I need you to calm down. Aye?”

  Her head shook ‘no’, but I could see the worry and pain running across her face.

  “Mawi!” Pyper’s voice filled the yard. She took off running towards Marissa.

  “Stop her!” I growled out.

  There was too much energy rolling off of Mari right now. Pyper wasn’t safe. I moved closer to her. I needed to calm her down.

  Pyper’s scream had Mari turning with a snarl towards her father, who had stopped the little girl from getting to her. Alex was fighting to hold onto the squirming child.

  “Let. Her. Go!”

  Mari’s canines were showing, and her claws were out. She was facing an equally pissed off Alex, though he was angry for another reason. Mari went to run at her father. I cursed and moved towards Mari. I had no choice but to tackle her to the ground, rolling so she landed on me, my body taking the bulk of the impact. The fire of her electricity burned through me causing me to jerk, but I refused to let her go.

  “Marissa…” my words failed me as a snarl of pain escaped me. It felt like I had been dropped in the fires of hell. I wrapped my arms and legs around her. Her hands were held in mine. “Stop!”

  “C-can’t…”

  The pain in her words had me fighting to pull her closer to me.

  “Talia! No!”

  A shadow fell over us and before I could react, Talia threw herself on top of us, her arms going around Mari’s body. A whoosh of air left me with the added weight of a half-shifted body.

  “Come back to me, Acushla,” I begged.

  Talia’s whispered words along with mine seemed to relax Mari, little by little bringing her back to me. I released her hands and cupped her face.

  Pyper had stopped screaming now, which was a help. Mari’s body shook, shudders rippling along her limbs. I met Talia’s blue eyes over Maris’ shoulder. The bright swirl of her power had a thin rim of red around it. I looked back to Mari’s eyes and saw the same thin ring of red.

  I raised a brow. Interesting!

  “Mawi! Taya!” Pyper called out to them and both heads turned towards her.

  “Mari- are you okay?” Talia asked in a soft, horse whisper.

  I watched them both intently; both were calm now, their eyes back to their normal color.

  Mari nodded and looked back down at me. Thor barreled over to us and licked Mari’s face, whining the entire time. I pushed him back.

  “Hey, ya big goof, back up.”

  “I’m okay.”

  She brushed her hand across his head then looked back to me before she spoke, “I’m sorry, baby.”

  “No need to be sorry, lass. As long as you and our little one are calm.”

  “We made a baby.”

  “Aye, we did lass.” I gave her a big grin.

  “Ugh,” Talia grumbled as she rolled off of Mari and laid on the ground beside us. A small bundle of half shifted bear crawled up on her and nuzzled her neck. Talia hugged her and the little girl’s human form became solid again.

  “You babys otays?” Pyper asked, her gaze now trained on Talia.

  There were growls from the men around us. I sat up with Mari in my arms and looked at Talia. Her brow creased as she sat up. Her gaze moved to Pyper then to Mari and I. I saw from the corner of my eye that a few of the crowd were stepping this way.

  Pyper did too, tensing.

  Mari’s body stiffened and a growl rumbled from her.

  “It’s okay, love. No one here will hurt the little lass, I swear to it on my life.”

  My words made her relax. Pyper met my gaze and she looked from me to the girls and then back to me. Joshua slowly made his way to Talia and sat on the ground behind her. She laid back against him and both of his hands went to her belly.

  Sheri came up and knelt beside Talia and smiled at Pyper. “Pyper, how do you know Talia and Marissa are carrying babies?”

  I saw that Alex, the Prince and Ramport were standing back, not wanting to crowd the little one, or the girls.

  Pyper’s little face wrinkled before she turned to face Sheri once more. Talia and Mari reached a hand out and rested it on the little one’s back.

  “I sees them.”

  “You saw them? How?” Sheri asked. Her voice was so soft anyone not right in the circle would not be able to hear her.

  The little bear used a finger to tap herself on the temple.

  “You saw them in your head?”

  “Yes. I sees baby ins here.” Pyper again tapped her head. Mari shifted in my lap slightly and met her father’s gaze. He gave her a nod and then she turned to look at Pyper again.

  “I guess this means ya ain’t the only one who knows things now, old man.” I said this as I winked at Alex.

  He snorted.

  It served to break the tension around us even more.

  “Watch it, I still might kill you.”

  “Daddy-”

  “I’m not going to kill him, daughter mine. Not yet, at least.”

  “Stubborn man…” Mari grumbled as she moved to stand. She wobbled slightly, but I was up and had an arm around her quickly.

  “Come on, Pyper, let me hold you so Talia can get up. Then we can go sit on the porch. I want to hear more about my grandbaby.” Sheri grinned as Pyper flung herself into Sheri’s open arms.

  Joshua helped Talia off the ground and she too, wobbled. He had her up in his arms and started off towards the cabin’s porch.

  Mari sighed and moved slowly to Alex. He engulfed her in his strong arms as I moved to the porch, giving them a minute alone. I needed one as well. I had to figure out what was going on with their eyes. That was when it hit me. The things they had been fighting had half red eyes. I narrowed my eyes towards the area they had been fighting in. Could those bastards have done something to them?

  “Dem Dem, you mates a poopy face.”

  I looked up at Pyper, who was regarding me with a curious look. My brows wrinkled.

  “I what?”

  She mimicked my expression and I wrinkle my nose.

  “What she means is that you look constipated.” Talia laughed weakly, as Joshua sat beside me. I scowled.

  Pyper watched me, then looked back to where Mari stood, still wrapped in her father’s arms. I scrubbed a hand over my face. The Prince came to sit beside his daughter and leveled a look at me.

  “Has that ever happened before?” he asked. “And you, what was that? How could you put yourself in that kind of danger?” his voice rumbled.

  “I was fine. She needed me. I could feel her pain. It was the oddest thing. I saw her and Pyper, I could feel them pulling me back, then... it was like... I was pulled to her. I can’t quite explain it.”

  “You seemed to absorb her power,” I said.

  “What she didn’t slam into you,” she replied.

  I nodded and looked down at my hands. There were marks on my palms from where her power burned me. I’d wear them until they healed. I shook my head and felt Mari moving closer to me. I opened my arms and let her take a seat in my lap. I kissed her head and hugged her closer.

  “You didn’t answer me, Demetrius. Has this happened before?”

  “Yes and no. Nothing like this, but yeah, she’s let that sassy temper rule her a few times. Today, though... “ I shook my head and rubbed the back of her neck as she laid against me. “Today was - different.”

  “I don’t know what happened,” Mari said. “My mate was in trouble and.. something in me broke. The pain and anger took over. Then, I couldn’t stop it. It was like being electrified from the inside out.”

  “That’s how it felt to me, too. I just knew I had to help you. It didn’t hurt me in the slightest. It tingled a little, but I somehow just took it.”

  “You felt cool against the heat.”

  Mari yawned as her hand scrubbed over her face.

 

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