Jinxing The Alphas: A Paranormal Werewolf Romance (Hex My Heart Book 2) (4 page)

She couldn’t deny one thing though. In their arms the weight of the world shifted from her and for the first time in months she could take a deep breath. She was the witch, but it was the shifters who harnessed the magick in their trio.

She had one more question. Two, actually. “What are you going to do next?” She took a step back from them, then another, steeling her legs. The other question burned on the tip of her tongue, but she held it. If she asked who would do the spanking, she feared they might answer.

How far was it to her sister’s bar? The moment she stepped outside her circle winter would crash down on her with a vengeance.

“I think you know.” Evan’s voiced dipped low as he eyed her altar and the discarded bottle that held the elixir. “A good spanking for putting yourself in danger sits high on our list.”

Both men followed her step for step.

“But that is only one of your offenses, little witch.”

“Seriously?” Oh, was that her breathy voice? She wiggled her toes, her legs still shaky. She knew when to pick her battles and when to hightail it. But could she run?

Their glowing eyes narrowed on her. Pure panic spiked her blood. She slipped her hands free of theirs.

Only one way to find out.

CHAPTER FIVE

Ambrosia swiveled on her heel, bolted forward and raised her hand, calling on her powers, and ran like the devil and all of Hades knew her name. She didn’t even have time to blink before the wall of her circle shimmered before her in warning.

It all took half a heartbeat, but her feet were buried in cement.

If she let them touch her, just once more, her world would collide with theirs, the rules binding her as a Council Member be damned. And the price… steep.

Ambrosia shoved that all aside.

Shifters moved fast and these two didn’t suffer from the effects of the elixir. The barrier of her circle crackled, holding steady. Shit, this was going to hurt. No slowing down. Lungs clenched and eyes closed, she jumped.

Cold energy brushed against her with an electrical pop. Bare feet met cold snow, shooting shards of pain into her soles. She winced, gritting her teeth, but didn’t slow. Blinking past the tears, she focused and summoned a shield of heat to surround her feet. Barely. Magick faded and fizzled around her until every other step was full contact with the snow.

“Ambrosia, you know we’ll find you.” Evan. The dark promise sent an explosive shock of desire straight to her clit.
Hellz bellz
!

Her vision dimmed with a dark, gauzy fade around the edges and the weight of the bond pulled on the invisible threads which, despite all her efforts, still connected them. Well, that answered that. Ember and Honor would be miffed to hear their elixirs turned out to be big fat duds. But how long before the after effects wore off?

A strong urge to turn around gnawed at her insides. If she fell into those gorgeous jeweled eyes and warm arms, there would be no turning back for her.

Because of her royal blood, fate had doomed her long before her conception had ever been a thought.

An angry growl clawed through the darkness, slipped past her defenses, and hit her straight in the heart. She faltered. This close to them, she could feel their emotions as if they were her own. Could they feel hers? Why didn’t they just let her go? She hiked her knees higher.

Another half mile. She had a few medals under her belt in track—she had this in the bag.

“There’s no hiding, little witch. Our wolves are hungry. Don’t be scared.” The only thing she feared out here was being alone with them another minute. Still, Luke’s warning weaved through the trees.

Suddenly, as if the goddesses conspired against her, she hit a deep section and face-planted. She threw out her arms but still ended up with a mouth full of snow.

With lightening quick reflexes she rolled over and pushed, but yelped when her foot didn’t budge. Rough bark scraped against the inside of her ankle as she flexed her leg and pulled.

Buried roots entangled her, locking her in place. “Hellz fucking bellz!” So help her…

On the verge of tears, she pounded a fist into the snow, but it didn’t help lessen the frustration eating at her. It seemed like everything that could go wrong tonight did exactly that.
What the fuck!

Fast-paced footfalls brought her head around. “Need a hand?” Evan and Luke stalked forward, their pace swift, stealthy.

Crimson reflected moonlight and for a brief second, flecks of amber sparkled in the depth of their gazes. Like a moth to the flame, she leaned in. Their promise—or warning—teased her mind until she shook her head clear. Her heart pushed for the delicious burn of their palms across her ass. Her brain threw on the brakes and slammed into reverse, pedal to the metal.

At some point between her hitting high speed and them hot on her trail, they’d each found time to pull on a pair of jeans. Pity.

Stubble covered Luke’s chiseled jaw while Evan sported a clean shave. Both drew her attention and all she could think about was the last time she had them between her thighs. A distraction. She needed a distraction but her eyes stayed glued to the men.

Muscles bulged. She watched on, wholly and completely mesmerized by their well-defined abs highlighted by perfect dips and swells made for licking.

Unable to do much else she balled her fists by her side, willing every pulsating nerve in her body to calm. The. Hell. Down.

She bit back a groan. Even the moonlight loved them, caressed them. She marveled at how the gauzy light played with the shadows over every inch of their muscles that flexed with each step they took, sparking a ravaging hunger within her. The way they stalked toward her… she all but creamed the small strip of silk between her thighs.

Strong legs encased in snug denim ate up the distance between them. The tight material hugged them in just the right way, defining the bulges that fueled her fantasies and long nights.

It took all she had to not wet her lips from the sudden urge for a taste… and so much more.

Whoa. Where the hell did that come from?
Goddess, help her. Because on her own, she didn’t stand a chance.

She sucked back air and groaned. They’d left their low-slung jeans open at the snap. Cold-hearted teases, both of them! Lust tightened a coil of excitement in her belly.

So fixated on them, she’d forgotten all about the snow wetting her through the thin material of her gown. She looked up at Evan who now stood over her, his body within reach and her unable to act on the first instinct of having him so close. Now that was the real pity.

Evan raised his chin and sniffed the air, his response a sly, knowing grin, eyes ablaze. “Already
that
excited to see us. Something you want, sweetheart?” He kneeled.
Hey! Who the hell was he to judge?
His gaze glided up her bare legs and over her thighs, exposed from where her gown bunched up around her thighs. With a simple drop of her leg, silk-covered folds would be on full display. Should she? Did she dare?

Evan reached into the snow and coiled his fingers around her foot to help free her from the roots. Before she could say a word he stood, pulling her with him. In one swift movement he had her wrapped around him, her ass cradled in his firm grip.

She did the only thing left to do and locked her ankles. All thoughts of the cold no more than an afterthought.

An onslaught of sensations demanded her attention. “Have you been aching for your alphas, little witch? Divine dessert, our Ambrosia.” Luke spoke up beside her. No sugar coating. Just straight to the point. Probably thought he didn’t need to be suave with rosy words with how he was so used to getting whatever he wanted.

She inhaled to steady herself and settled in her resolve to get the hell away from temptation first chance she could.

This close, the heat of Evan’s body pressed against her like a full-body cocoon and played havoc with her mind.

Without thinking, she reached out and stroked a finger down his smooth jaw, her gaze locked on his full lips. One taste. Just one. She eased closer.

“Take what you want, sweetheart.”
Yes.
Just enough to dampen her need.

Fingers buried in the length of her long hair, holding her steady. Instead of finding Evan’s lips, she tasted Luke as he angled her face toward him and claimed her mouth with a possessive kiss. One stroke of his tongue along her seam and she opened. Every nerve ending in her core ignited with wild, untamed insatiable lust.

A mixture of pine and leather filled her, enveloped her. Evan teased her nipples into tight peaks through the silk of her gown with the tip of his tongue before sucking the extended buds between his lips. He pulled back abruptly and she gasped from the rush of cold air against her wet nipples. “We’re not leaving Sweet Briar without you.”

“Or before you realize you belong to us.” Luke completed Evan’s sentence, her head cradled in his hands, his lips next to her ear. “And how much we need you.” So comfortable in their friendship that neither had to worry about one taking advantage or hurting the other.

A small part of her mind surrendered to their demands while the other side fought, struggled against any binds that could drag her beyond any point of return.

Another set of hands slid beneath her gown and around the band of her panties. “I wondered if you had any on this time.” With his thumb buried in her beneath the slight strip of silk, Evan pressed the tender fold of her wet core apart, his hold placing him so close to her opening. One slip and she could find release.

The strip of her panties cradled between her folds, rubbing her clit, ratcheting her need higher. Hotter.

Her hips bucked involuntarily. With a whimper she reached behind her, seeking out Luke, who stood supporting her weight. In one slow pull, Evan produced the black lace, the proof of her excitement now dangling from his finger. Heat crept into her cheeks.

After her first encounter with her wolves, she’d never go commando again. “You won’t need these, sweetheart.” Then again, she was open to suggestions.

Luke plucked her panties off Evan’s fingers and shoved them into his pocket while holding her steady.

Alarms screamed in her head for her to stop. To demand they let her leave. Her thoughts purely on the need to shelter her heart from any more hurt.

Evan eyes sparkled with mischief as he wrapped her legs over his arms. Hiking her gown to her navel, he ran his nose along the crease of her inner thigh. First one side, then the other. “Talk about potions, this is my elixir.” His tongue made contact with her core. She cried out from the shock to her senses. With a tug on her legs, she pulled him closer, deeper. “Again, Evan.”

He obliged. Another stroke forced her back to bow. “Fuck, I can taste her need, Luke. She needs to come.”

Shafts of light caught the hungry flare in his amber eyes.
Stunning.
She didn’t need to be a wolf to sense the shift from human to instinct-driven animal. He had his mate right where he wanted her. In need for him.

Her heart expanded, contracted in a way that made her head spin. In the same breath, fingers of fire licked along the confines of her chest to bloom across her throat. That didn’t feel right. Was it their bond? Were they trying to re-claim her?

Panic forced her hands to rest on Evan’s shoulder and push, but she’d have better luck moving a two-ton boulder.

“Shh, little witch, what’s wrong. Tell us so we can help.” Power edged over her until her nerves stabled. Were they doing that? Alpha strength vibes brushed along her skin. Were they feeding her their energy? “Take a deep breath. Take from us, sweetheart. Fight against the elixir, don’t let it take hold.”

“This can’t happen, Evan. Luke.” She looked between the two. “I think I made a mistake.” Her breath came faster, the confines of her gown too restrictive against her chest. They were right. The bond wasn’t broken and the potions she drank warred inside her while all three of them were fortifying the bond by being intimate. Every minute she spent with them the unstable combination clashed within her, putting her in danger. What a mess and now she had to clean it up before anyone else got hurt. Or hurt further.

“Look at us, Ambrosia.” Luke’s tone brooked no resistance to his command.

She obeyed, and what she found pulled every emotion from longing to fear to the surface. “We’ve had a taste of what happiness is and we’re not about to let you escape. Now let us help.”

They were the problem.

“How long have we known each other?” Luke gathered her hand in his, peppered soft kisses on her palm, and let his lips linger longer than necessary. To all the goddesses, she loved the feel of his full lips on her skin.

How long had she known them? More like longed
for
them. Lusted for them. Longer than she cared to admit. On full display and ready to pass out, she found it an odd question to ask. Evan wrapped her legs around his waist again. Her core nestled against rough denim. Their gazes met. “Four years, but what does that have to do with anything?”Surrounding trees started to sway. Or was that her?

Her lids dipped. “When we first laid eyes on you all those years ago, a young witch just coming into her power, Luke and I made a promise to each other that same night we’d find a way to claim you no matter how long it took.”

“We’ve shared women. We’re not saints, Ambrosia, but you…” Evan’s eyes lit from within and pierced the darkness. “Your soul called to our wolves and there was no one else but you. Just a matter of time.”

Her gaze darted between the two men and all sanity went to hell on a witch’s spell. Her stomach pitched and all cylinders clicked into overdrive to digest the words. “Four years. You waited four years?” She didn’t bother hiding the exasperation that sharpened her words.

“Not exactly. Maybe.” Was Luke blushing? She angled her head. In the low moonlight she couldn’t tell, but there was no hiding the sheepish look that passed over his face, which was funny given his bad-ass alpha status. He’d seen murder and witnessed more violence than any man should be subject to, but here he stood with fear in his eyes. Fear of losing her?

He angled her face with a finger beneath her chin and looked into her eyes, his steady gaze penetrating to her very soul. In a roughened tone he continued, “We kept an eye on you, made sure you were safe, but yes, kept our distance. Waiting.”

Evan took over. “We knew you weren’t ready for our kind of loving. You still had so much to learn about yourself and having two demanding men to deal with wouldn’t have helped while you settled in a new town. It wasn’t until we saw you at our last gathering. That night… the way you danced for us under the moonlight. And yes, we knew you were dancing for us.” Evan paused, “Damn, Ambrosia. Now we can’t go another day without having you. Not just in our arms…”