9781618851307WitchsBrewShayNC (49 page)

They had their mother’s original tri-colored eyes with his
striations of gold rimming the irises. Tri-colored. How very strange. What did
it mean?

He
stopped pacing and rubbed his heart. Guilt at what had nearly happened to
Saylym chewed away at his mind. If not for Dym, he would have lost her and
their precious babes.

Saylym
was right. He should have told her everything, and prepared her for the
possibilities of what could happen when they mated.

But hell, he hadn’t known all the possibilities himself.
There was just too much history lost to them. As it turned out, it was unlikely
he could have changed anything.

The terror he’d felt when Saylym stopped breathing would
haunt him forever. Even now, his heart slammed against his ribs with panic. He
loved her. The thought of ever losing her brought him to his knees.

Did
she love him back?

Would
she love him if she discovered he’d once tried to steal her soul? That he would
have forced a bonding with her if she had not accepted him?

Would
she fear him? Distrust him?

Would
he lose her a second time?

He knew deep in his heart that the terrible answer was yes
to every silent question he asked himself.

He’d
asked for her trust, knowing he wasn’t trustworthy.

Then he’d set her up with lies. He lied when he spoke his
wedding vows to her. Everything and every word was a lie. Or at least, if he
loved her then, he hadn’t known it for certain, so in fact, he lied when he’d
vowed his love to her. Sacred vows and he lied. He hadn’t loved her as he
should have loved her. Not then.

Only
when he thought he’d lost her had he realized how much she meant to him.

He
told her to trust him, instructing her in his smug, superior way, then he
practically raped her He’d never even asked her if she wanted children. He’d
had an itch to scratch, and he damned well nearly destroyed her in the process.

What if she didn’t want children?

What if she didn’t want his sons?

In his superiority, he’d taken the choice from her. But the
choice had also been taken from him. Had Katch known all these things would
happen? By the gods, the wizard had some explaining to do.

What
if Saylym was so angry she never let him back in her life? Damn it, he refused
to contemplate such a thing.

Talon
sat down on the side of the single bed in the flat. He still felt drained of
energy. Exhaustion swamped him with its heavy weight. He pushed his fingers
through his hair and sighed. Hell! He hadn’t even told her they’d created two
sons.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Giles Corey was stripped
naked, a board placed on his chest and then—while his neighbors watched—heavy
stones and rocks were piled on the board. Corey begged them to place more rocks
on him, to have more weight added, so that his death might come quickly. He was
pressed to death for refusing a trial.

~Salem Witch Trials

September 19, 1693

Ru-Noc

Droth

City of the wakens

Topaz
made his way up the grand staircase and down the wide corridors. He passed
Talon’s room, then Stry’s. When he turned the corner, he caught a flash of
familiar white fur.

Ah,
his sweet Persian. Had she followed him to the palace?

How
had she escaped the hex he’d placed over Saylym’s house? He snorted. Females! Indeed,
they had their ways. She probably thought to escape him and never return to
Sanctuary. She hated him enough to do that to him.

He hesitated, mulling things over in his mind. His sweet
Celine. He wasn’t about to let her get away from him. No matter how many other
felines he’d had in the past, Celine was his chosen mate.

Leave him
? Never!

She could just get that thought right out of her mind.

Maybe she’d had it in her head to meet another
Futhar
.
Perhaps she was in love with another male. Rage raced through his blood like
hissing steam. His Persian? In love with another? Giving her body to another
male?

He’d
just put a stop to that right now.

It
had taken him the past two days to catch the fattest rats he could find for his
love to dine upon, a gourmet meal, nothing but the best for his Celine.

But
now, his sweet Celine was sneaking around in the palace.

Ah,
but she wasn’t going anywhere. The thing to do would be to breed her this very
minute, then take her back to the house at Sanctuary where, by the gods, he’d
start searching for a place in the country and put her there. And there she’d
stay and like it!

He
summoned his Cloaking Sheath and began stalking his sweet Persian. There she
was, pausing to admire her sweet figure in the hall mirror. Ah, but she was
beautiful. He panted. He was so hot for his sweet love kitten. He couldn’t
wait.

It had been two days since he’d last seen her. Too long.
As always, he turned feral when he went after his Celine. This time, he’d nail
her.

Topaz leapt upon his sweet Persian, riding her to the
floor. He clamped his teeth in the back of her neck, holding her still. She
shrieked madly, hissing and clawing.

That was his Celine all right, shrieking and snapping her
sharp little teeth at him, but this time she wouldn’t escape. No more games! A
warning growl slid from his throat as he turned her into a receptive position,
and then with a single, powerful thrust, pushed inside her. “Just relax,
cupcake,” he moaned. “This will only take a second.”

He
was buried to the hilt before she could voice a whimper of protest.

Then
she gave an almighty screech.
“Ahhhhh.”

“Hot
damn,” Topaz hissed. “You feel good. Hot. Tight.” He panted and thrust harder.
He wasn’t called three-thrust-Topaz for nothing. And by the gods, he was damn
proud of his rep. Three strokes and his seed jetted within her. Panting, it
took him a few seconds to realize his sweet Celine was mewling with pleasure,
grinding against his mating rod, and whispering, “More. Give it to me again,
stud.”

Stud?
She wanted more?

He
frowned. That wasn’t right. His sweet Celine would never surrender to him this
easily. She’d never use a word like ‘stud’ or beg for more. This little female
bucked and panted, butting against his big cock like a puss in heat. Aw, no.
No! Her tight pussy sent him spiraling into an instant second release. By the
time he gathered his wits a second time, he knew he’d made a terrible mistake,
but it was too late, the rush of warm liquid shot from him, bathing the Persian
with his hot seed.

Still
planted deep inside the female
Futhar,
Topaz shuddered violently
.
His cock twitched, then finally relaxed, but he was far from satisfied His body
felt as tight as stretched catgut. He not only wanted more of this sweet, hot
pussy, he needed more. No, he couldn’t. Something was dreadfully wrong.

By
the gods, what had he done?

For a moment, he stared blankly at the sweet-faced Persian
he’d just made his own. Then breathless, he gasped, “You’re not my Celine.”
There was no way his sweet Celine would act like a shameless Alley Cat.

The
female hissed as he pulled out of her tight channel. She whirled and raked her
sharp claws down his face, leaving deep furrows.

Aw,
crap! How in hell would he explain another female’s claw marks on him? This
crazy pussy had just branded him. She sank tiny needle-point teeth in his
chest, leaving a second brand behind, another mark as proof they’d mated and
that he belonged to her now. Proof he’d been unfaithful to his sweet, sweet Celine.
Gods! But he was in deep shit here.

“I’m
Maxine, lover boy, Celine’s twin.” She walked her paws up his furry chest. “Who
are you, besides the hottest tom on four feet?”

“Celine’s bond mate. Crap! Oh, shit!” Topaz paced up and
down the wide corridor, his body quaking with despair and urgent need. He’d
really
mucked things up. He’d set his heart and mind on Celine and here he was, in a super-sized
mess! A stray Alley Cat his little Persian might forgive, but her sister? Her
twin? Never! No way was his little love kitten going to forgive him for this gigantic
mistake.

He
stopped and stared at Maxine. She was a tempting beauty. He snorted. Of course
she was a beauty. She looked exactly like his Celine. Twin sisters. One hot.
One cold. And he wanted both of them. How could he feel like that?

How
could he have known? Celine should have told him she had a twin.

How
unlucky
could a
Futhar
get?

He
was a goner. His neck in a noose. Oh man, he was in such trouble.

Up
and down, up and down, like a caged tiger seeking its freedom, he paced the
long corridor. The bars sealing his fate and making him a prisoner grew
narrower by the minute. Celine would place a rope around his neck and toss him over
a balcony. She’d have him neutered. So what if they hadn’t mated yet. They had
an understanding. He’d committed to her. He paused, wiping sweat off his brow
with the back of his paw. “If Celine finds out I shagged you, she’ll kill me.”

Maxine
stared at him wide-eyed and innocent, a pout on her lovely mouth. “I certainly
won’t tell my sister I’ve had a sweet taste of her mate.”

“You
won’t?”

She rubbed up against him, mewling softly. “I like you. I
don’t mind sharing you with Celine. You’ll get fed up with her icy nature fast
and desire only me. I want to go with you when you leave.”

“No.”

“No?
You’re refusing to take me with you?”

Topaz
frowned. “Of course, I’m refusing, Maxie. I have other plans. I want your
sister.”

Maxine purred with delight. “Ooh, I just love it when you
call me ‘Maxie.’” She ran her claws up and down his fur. “You’re such a studly
stud. Virile. Handsome.” She eyed him, raking her gaze up and down his muscular
body. “You’re so well built, if you know what I mean. I think you can manage
very well to keep both Celine and me happy.”

Topaz
backed up. He needed to think this over. Didn’t he?

She
stalked toward him, a determined glint in her aqua gaze. Topaz felt his rod
twitch. Hell. He adored her aggressiveness. Frankly, it turned him on, and she
looked too much like Celine for him not to react to her. But he was determined
to do the right thing. He wasn’t about to touch Maxie again, not matter how
horny he was. “I have no desire to make you both happy, Maxie. I love my
Celine. She’s all I want.”

The
sexy feline’s gaze dropped to his enormous boner. “Uh-huh. I can see that.”

Topaz
hissed as she sauntered closer and rubbed his aching shaft. “Look, I love
Celine. I thought you were Celine. Stop that!” He shoved her paws off his cock.
“I would never have touched you if I’d known you weren’t my sweet Persian.
You’re Celine’s sister, stop stalking me, stop touching me, and act like it.”

“So? If you think I’ll give you up easily, you’re very
much in need of another mating…you know, to help you clear…your mind.” Maxine
moved closer. “All’s fair in love and war. Celine has always had the best of
everything. This time, she’s sharing. I may just decide to keep you for myself
and not share with her.”

Topaz swallowed hard and moaned. “No.”

“Yes,”
Maxine purred.

He
rolled his eyes and took a step back from her. “Oh, shit!” he hissed. His cock
was standing straight up, rigid as a May pole. “Leave me alone!”

“What?”
Maxine asked batting her eyes. Eyeing his huge boner, she licked her lips.
“Mmm, yummy.”

Topaz
choked and coughed up a hairball. A terrible thought just struck him. “Are you
taking birth control?” He grabbed her and slid a big paw over her belly. “Shit!
I’m totally fried.”

Maxine
smiled, purring. “I love kits. You gave me two. I want more. How about three
more rounds? Three more kits?”

“No,”
he yelled and shuddered. “No more. As it is, it’s going to look like I shagged
you a second time.”

“Sweets,
you did shag me twice. I have two kits to prove it. You did me twice.”

“No.
That isn’t what happened.”

“That’s
what Celine will think. Believe me, I know my sister. She’s a coldblooded,
unforgiving bitch.”

“You
said you wouldn’t tell Celine I touched you.”

“I
lied,” she purred. “Come here, big boy, make me a happy pussy.”

“I
have to get back to her. Let go of me!”

“But
I need you now. I’m just coming into season. I’m going to have your kits. Come
on, Topie, baby, just one more round? Please? No one will know but you and me. The
damage is already done, so another round or two of mating isn’t going to change
one thing.” She purred deep in her throat. “Come on, what would it hurt?
Please? You know you want to.”

She
turned in the receptive position and looked back over her shoulder. “Now, Topie,
baby. Do me now. Come on, baby. I’m ready and willing. Ooh, I’m so hot and I
want you so much.”

How
could a red-blooded male
Futhar
walk away from such a hot pussy?

Rage
spread through him. She wasn’t Celine.

So what?

He
couldn’t do her. Not deliberately.

Why not? She wants it. Do her. Have some
fun. No one will ever know.

“No!” He whipped around and stomped away from Maxine.

Before he realized her intentions, she leapt onto his
back, biting and clawing him. “You can’t just walk away from me,” she screamed.

“I
have to leave, Maxie.” He pulled free of her claws. “Leave me alone. I have to
get back to Celine and feed her. She hasn’t had anything to eat in two days.”

“Let
her starve, Topie. You belong to me now.”