Astrid's Wish (6 page)

He wanted to hug him close and tell his mate that everything would be okay. The words sat on the tip of his tongue, but he held them back. This entire innocent act could be just that, an act.

Witches were known for their cunning ability to adapt to whatever the situation called for, be it a victim or a hard-ass seeking control.

They were an astute species not to be trusted. If a person angered a
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witch, death would be the more welcomed option. But no, most witches took joy out of causing others pain. A witch held the magical resources to turn any living creature into whatever they desired.

Klaus knew of one witch that turned a man into a fly. This particular witch had sought out this man’s attention. She played coy and sucked the man right into her web. But like most people in general, once she got what she wanted, it wasn’t fun playing anymore.

She thought him a nuisance, and in order to rid herself of him, she turned him into the pesky insect. Before the poor man could control his shifting ability, he was killed. An unsuspecting human, not knowing that a man’s soul lay within the small fly’s body, swatted him to death.

That was just one instance that taught Klaus just because someone appeared weak and naive didn’t mean they were. They could be just as, or if not, stronger than him. In the world they lived in, one had to be careful of the evils that lurked in every corner.

Grabbing a chair, Klaus turned it backward and sat, straddling it.

He rested his elbows on the back and assessed the witch in front of him, an interrogation technique he perfected over the years. If Klaus appeared stronger and calmer than the prospected offender, they typically cracked from his stare alone. A twinge of guilt swamped him for using his tough-cop act on Astrid, but he needed to do his job unabated.

He cleared his throat, and Astrid’s eyes jumped to meet his. Astrid swallowed so loudly it could be heard across the room.

“So tell me a little about yourself from before you came to live here with Miles and Ben.” He held Astrid’s gaze as he waited for him to speak.

“There’s not a lot to tell, sir,” Astrid whispered. His attention fell to the floor.

“Oh, come on now.” Klaus idly drummed his fingers on the back of the chair. “You’re a hundred and thirteen years old. You have to have something to say about your life up until now.”

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Astrid fidgeted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable with this line of questioning. He brought his knees up to his chest than wrapped his arms around his legs, hugging them tight. “Well, I lived with my mother until I was thirteen. I don’t remember much about her. She kept me locked away in my room and didn’t spend any time with me.

Said I wasn’t worth it. She wasn’t a loving sort of woman. Nothing I did was ever quite right in her eyes.”

Klaus nodded. It disturbed him to hear how Astrid’s own mother treated him. In all his life, he would never ceased to be surprised by the cruelty people showed to one another. He might have been a witch, but Klaus knew right from wrong. He also knew the love of a family, something Astrid hadn’t known until recently.

“What about meeting Malcolm? How did that come about?” Klaus asked. He already knew the gist of it, but asking questions was part of his job. He had to know if Astrid was lying about anything.

“My mother sold me to Malcolm when I was thirteen.”

“Why was that? Did she or Malcolm ever tell you why?”

“He said I wasn’t suitable to be around.” Astrid’s voice cracked.

Anguish laced every word. “He said I was damaged. So much so, my own mother couldn’t stand the sight of me.”

Klaus cursed silently under his breath. Tears ran like a river down Astrid’s cheeks. The more he listened to the young witch talk, it became clear the victim act wasn’t an act at all. Astrid truly was a victim and scared out of his mind.

Klaus rose to his feet. Astrid’s head jerked up, and red-rimmed eyes stalked his every move. The man looked like he wanted to curl into himself and hide away. Anger like he had never experienced before caused Klaus’s pulse to race. Astrid’s terror was a living, breathing entity for him. It controlled him.

“Astrid, I’m not going to hurt you. Promise.” Klaus held his hands up as he advanced toward the couch. He very slowly lowered himself to his knees and reached a hand out to rub his fingers down Astrid’s
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jean-covered leg in an attempt to soothe the tremors rushing through his body.

Astrid buried his face into his knees and cried. Klaus wasn’t sure why, but he climbed up onto the couch. He wrapped his arm around Astrid’s shoulder and cuddled him close. Then he gently started to rock Astrid back and forth. His mother used to do this for him when he was a child and upset.

After a few more minutes of cuddling, Klaus asked another question. “Astrid, sweetie, can you tell me anything about a man named Asher?” He hated to have to push for more answers, but Benedict would want a report as soon as possible.

“I already told Ben I don’t know anything about that man.”

Astrid’s voice hitched. “I wasn’t important enough to tell anything to.

Lucian said I was a nobody. Like a ghost. I was there, but people saw right through me.”

He pulled Astrid close. The man rested his forehead against Klaus’s chest and sobbed some more. The overflow of tears quickly began to dampen his shirt. As Astrid continued to cry, Klaus dropped his head forward to place a kiss to the soft hair covering Astrid’s head. The scent of ripe green apples hit his nose. The smell was so sweet and delicious, Klaus couldn’t prevent his head from dipping lower to breathe in the intoxicating scent again. Klaus rubbed his nose back and forth against the lush hair and committed the smell to memory.

The urge to claim Astrid prickled at Klaus’s skin. To see his mate in such distress brought out his protective nature. Not in all his life had he felt this way about another person he’d just met. Fate gave him Astrid, and he was starting to think he couldn’t deny Astrid anything.

To refuse Astrid would just be punishing himself in the long run.

Klaus fingered the silky, soft hair hanging down the back of Astrid’s head. Very gently, he pulled on the braid until Astrid looked up at him. Klaus’s breath caught. Even in as state of distress, Astrid was still the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on.

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Held entranced by Astrid’s equally shocked expression, Klaus leaned forward. He groaned aloud when Astrid’s bright-pink tongue peeked out to wet his dry lips. Klaus moved his hands up to either side of Astrid’s face and stroked the skin covering his prominent cheekbones. It was the color of peaches and cream, with a slight pink blush. Klaus continued his descent down to Astrid’s moist lips, closing the distance between them.

Fireworks erupted behind his eyelids. Any reservations he had about being mated to the young witch quickly flew out the window.

He swallowed down Astrid’s yelp of surprise. Holding still, Klaus gave Astrid the time he needed to accept or reject the kiss. It only took a few moments before Astrid’s apprehension appeared to melt away. The young witch gave an experimental flick of his tongue against the seam of Klaus’s lips. Klaus smiled as he pushed closer to the welcoming heat of his mate’s mouth. Pushing his tongue ever so gently into the warm, moist cavern, he teased the younger man’s tongue into dancing with his own. Astrid’s movements, at first uncoordinated and rushed, soon became fluent and controlled. Desire wound Klaus higher and higher, and Astrid met him at every level.

Blood filled his cock, and it throbbed with every beat of his heart.

He needed to get closer to his mate. Just imagining how Astrid’s tight, heated walls would suck him in and milk the seed from his body with every thrust drove him closer to the edge.

He pulled Astrid tighter to his chest, wanting to assuage both their aching erections. But remembering what Astrid had suffered through had him easing back. He wanted to make his and Astrid’s first time together special to show Astrid what lovemaking between two mates could be like. Loving and caring but most of all, no pain, and if Astrid were to say no, he would honor that decision. He would never force him to do anything.

Klaus pulled back slightly and watched for signs of distress on Astrid’s face. Astrid’s eyes were still closed, his cheeks had reddened, and his breathing had become rapid. Astrid absently brought his
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fingers to his lips and touched his mouth.
So innocent
. His angelic features, coupled with his inexperience, made Klaus feel like his touch may tarnish the golden halo above his angel’s head. Maybe his mate deserved better than him.

Astrid slowly stroked his finger back and forth across the plump flesh of his lower lip. Klaus groaned as the sight of such an unintentionally sensual touch. He wanted to devour the supple lips again.

“Astrid?” Klaus very gently pulled Astrid’s hand away. “Angel, look at me.”

Astrid blinked his eyes open. “You called me angel,” he said, whispering the words.

Klaus grinned mischievously at him. “Yes, I did.” He lightly caressed the side of Astrid’s face. “Your pure, innocent nature reminds me of an angel fallen to earth, forced to walk among us lowly paranormals.” He entwined his fingers with Astrid’s.

“I think I like that, being your angel.” Astrid beamed a smile at him.

“Well, you are.” Klaus grinned down at Astrid.

Klaus had decided from that one kiss he wasn’t going to be able to question his mate like some common criminal. Plus, Astrid didn’t remember much. If he could get Carter, a fellow witch and a past-reader, out here, he might be able to fill in the gaps. Carter could possibly see more than even Astrid realized he had memories of.

“I need to go make a phone call. Since we’re not getting anywhere”—he winked at Astrid—“I’m going to go call a past-reader I know and have him come out here. It’s painless, and he can get all the answers we need a lot faster by reading what lays in your memories”—he tapped a finger against Astrid’s temple—“rather than me sitting here asking you questions you don’t know the answers to.”

“Oh.” Astrid dropped his head, resting his chin against his chest.

“I understand. You must be in a hurry to get back to your life.”

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Klaus winced at Astrid’s words. His mate had it all wrong, but Klaus was an idiot for not explaining himself better.

He placed a finger under Astrid’s chin, lifting his head until their eyes met. “Angel, my life is here with you now. I will never abandon you. But me and you alone together will get us nowhere. All I want to do is kiss you again.” He waggled his eyebrows at his mate.

“Really?”

“Really,” Klaus reassured him. “But I’m still here to learn of your origins and to find out if you have information locked away in that head of yours that might help the council.”

“But I don’t know anything. I swear.” Astrid gnawed on his lower lip, causing blood to rush to the surface.

“Angel, you’d be amazed what our brains can retain when we don’t even realize we’re doing it. Don’t worry, this isn’t a test you can fail. We are just being cautious.” Klaus stood to his feet.

As he turned to leave, Astrid jumped from the couch and grabbed his hand. He met Astrid’s pleading eyes. “Do you mean it? You promise you won’t leave me?”

“I promise.” Klaus brushed his lips across Astrid’s. “You’re mine, and I take care of what’s mine.”

“What do you mean I’m yours?” Astrid asked.

Klaus cupped Astrid’s cheek with his hand. “We’re mates, but I’ll have to explain more of that to you later.” He winked at his mate. “I bet if you ask Miles, he would love to explain it to you.” He started to walk backward toward the door. “Now I’m off to make that call. Will you be okay by yourself?”

“Yeah.” Astrid laughed softly. “I live here, remember, silly?”

Astrid’s smile broadened.

Klaus’s smile matched his mate’s. Astrid’s laugh sounded as precious as angels singing a holy chorus as if the clouds parted to bless the people below with hope. And Klaus did have hope. One way or another, he would find a way to make his mate laugh every day and show him how truly special he was.

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He chuckled to himself as he walked down the hallway. Klaus felt a little guilty sending Astrid in Miles’s direction for answers in the mating department. But something told Klaus that Miles would be perfect for the job. The man was well spoken, intelligent, and most of all, caring. He would go out of his way to make Astrid comfortable with the details of being mated.

Klaus pulled his phone from his pocket and punched the number for headquarters. He waited while he was connected.

“CPB headquarters. How may I direct your call?” the operator asked over the line.

“I need sector one zero nine,” he said.

“Just a moment, sir.”

Klaus heard some clicking before the call was answered. “Sector one zero nine. How may I assist you today?”

He recognized the voice instantly. Carlos, a fellow witch and good friend. “Hey, old man, how’s it going there without me?”

“Old man? You’re one to talk.” Carlos snickered. “Weren’t dinosaurs still roaming the land when you were born?”

Klaus chatted with Carlos for a few minutes. He hadn’t checked in with his department since arriving in Missouri, and he enjoyed the friendly banter with Carlos. The man was as laid-back as they came.

“Carlos, I called because I need you to send Carter out here ASAP.”

Carlos groaned loudly enough, and Klaus was sure the whole department heard him. “You know I hate talking to that kid. He gives me the creeps. He dyed his hair again, black this time. The boy better be thankful he’s immortal, or all that hair of his would have fallen out by now.”

“I’m sorry, Carlos, but I need a past-reader.” Klaus sighed. “This witch I was sent to interrogate just happens to be my mate. And to put it mildly, when we’re alone together the last thing we want to do is discuss his terrible past.”