Joseph: Bentley Legacy (13 page)

“What are you talking about?” Tyron was going to kill Jackson. He had told them what he’d wanted and now it was going to blow up in his face. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Such a terrible liar. And she won’t allow you in the house. I didn’t have to tell her that either. But she saw it. When she was talking to your flunky. Is that what they call them now? The ones that are used for their own purposes?” Her laughter again. “I think there’s a rule about that somewhere. I’ll have to look it up. Personal gain is something they teach you in the first year, I believe. Or have you thought of yourself as above such things?”

Her voice had grown hard and cold at the end. She was mad, and a mad Myra was a very scary witch. When she appeared in front of him, Tyron put the phone down and stared at her. He wondered if he could kill her, but decided that she just wasn’t worth messing with right now. He had bigger fish to kill.

“What is it you want? To warn me off as you did the other witch? It won’t work. I’m not one of those little people you like to order around. I’m well within my rights to do what I need to do to take her.” She moved around the room slowly. He was grateful for that. Her outfit today was one that could make you deathly ill should she move too quickly. The purple was a shade that he was sure that she’d made herself, and the pink and green paisley that was the pattern was too much. Even her hair was sporting the same colors.

“I’m not here to warn you about anything. What a thing to say to me. But I will tell you that you’re not going to win with this one. She’s…she’s more powerful than I’ve ever seen.” He could tell that she really believed that, and he got a slight chill from the way she seemed to be in awe of the girl. “When you come—because I’ve no doubt that you will—know that the council will be there as well. There will be no wrongdoing on either of your parts. We’ll make sure of that. Oh, and you might want to rethink taking her mate. While I think it would be hilarious to see you try, you’re just going to piss them off, and that will make things end too quickly for me. I need a good show now and again.”

“You think they can take me? Or is it you think they can kill me?” She didn’t answer but sat on the edge of his bed. “You do know who you’re talking to, right? I’m a warlock, not some witch that has nothing better to do than to believe your bullshit.”

“Do you know the definition to the word warlock, Tyron?” He nodded. All knew what the word meant. Few had ever really considered it, but he knew just what he was. “The dictionary says simply that a warlock is a man that practices the black arts. That’s not true by the way. Most do, but I know one or two that don’t. It also says that they’re a sorcerer or a conjurer. But there are other places that you can find a more…I want to say meaningful definition. It states that one has a demonic power. That they only see…opportunity. An opportunity, I think, you’ll agree that serves them and only them. They dominate over imps of the underworld. Yet, you have none. Not any more, do you?”

Tyron hated this woman and her abundance of knowledge that was not hers to have. “There are rules everywhere that you’re expected to follow. Most of them are idiotic or even useless. He thought…it matters little what he thought when they were summoned back from me. But I will lead an army one day soon, and when I do, you’ll bow before me.”

“You think so.” He didn’t answer her and wasn’t even sure that he could have. The power that seemed to surround him took his breath away. “I could end your very existence right now. Take your power and keep it as my own. You’d be nothing, not even a footnote in the world of magic.”

He was struggling to breathe now. Even his attempts to raise his magic weren’t working. She stood over him now, her face close enough that he could see right into her very soul. And for the first time in a very long time, Tyron felt horrific fear, the death of everything that he was and knew. And he also knew that Myra would not be the one to take it.

When she disappeared, Tyron sucked in as much air as his lungs would allow, and it still wasn’t enough. Laying on the cool carpet, he tried to control his breathing enough that he no longer felt the urge to pass out, and his heart began to beat at a normal pace. The laughter, Myra’s again, flooded his head, and when he sat up, he realized that he was light-headed and dizzy. The phone ringing had him nearly jump up off the floor.

When it rang the second time, he picked it up. The voice at the other end sounded like Jackson, but he wasn’t sure anymore.

“Tyron? Are you all right? I have the times that I’m going to the house. You there?”

“I’m here.” Jackson told him that he had been worried. “You should worry about yourself. I’m perfectly fine. What time do you get out there?”

“She’s sending me a car. Nice, right? It’s the least she could do, after what she put me through. The fucking cunt. Did I tell you what Myra and she did to my dinner? I swear to you, when I have Angel’s magic, I’m going to tear Myra apart.” He told him he didn’t care. “Oh, yeah. Well, I’m going to be picked up at three o’clock. She said that they’re going to have dinner ready when I arrive. I guess it’s going to be easier to get into the house than I thought. I’ll just have to go to the bathroom or something. But I’m not eating anything even if they do offer it to me. I’m having a dinner before I go out.”

“Just get in the house and call me.” Jackson said that he would. “When you get there, I want you to make sure that you say nothing about me coming out. Do you understand me? I don’t want them to know that I’m even thinking about coming out there.”

“I can do that, but I think she already knows.” He asked him who knew. “Chris and her husband. He was the one that called me. Then I talked to Chris. They’re expecting you. She said for me to tell you that you’re so fucked.”

Tyron sat there for a long time. His mind was working over all the details that he’d been planning since he’d found Chris. And even though now he knew that he shouldn’t have, he had left out the fact that Myra would be involved. He knew now that in order to get to the magic he wanted, he was going to have to kill Myra. She’d been a pain in his ass for a very long time, and it was very past time to end her reign over them all.

He thought about calling out to the demonic warlock that had helped him before, but also knew that they had not parted on good terms. In fact, their parting had nearly been fatal to him. And the fact that he was told to never summon him again made Tyron a little nervous to do so now. But the demon warlock hated Myra as much as he did. She’d been his biggest failure when it came to killing witches.

“Lord of the underworld, I summon thee.” The heat was the first indication that he got that he was in trouble. The second thing was the vision of being moved, and quickly. When Tyron opened his eyes, he looked around. Instead of bringing the demon to him, the demon had brought him to his world. He really was fucked.

Chapter 13

Joey stretched out; his cat needed this more than he’d realized. And as soon as he was tackled from behind, he had to sheath his claws or hurt her. He stood up and looked at Chris when she stood by him.

You’re supposed to be resting.
He watched her body as she stretched much like he’d done, her head almost down to the ground, her ass in the air. He felt his panther snarl along his skin to take her, but he asked him…begged him…to wait.
I thought we agreed that you’d wait before you shifted. And not to do it alone.

I wasn’t alone. Nolan helped me. Well, he helped me get out of the house. He said to tell you to not leave me to my own devices next time. I think I might have broken a few pieces of the new furniture in my haste to figure out what I was doing. Did you know that when you run in the house like this, you have no balance?
He told her that he did know that. It was why they didn’t shift in the house.
Your mom said that she’d put us out some lunch. And for us not to hurry. You think this will take very long? She thought perhaps you could show me a few tricks.

His befuddled mind could only focus on one thing at a time, and right now it was working on keeping his mind off of running her down and fucking her. When she moved to him, she rubbed her body alongside of his. Joey nipped at her shoulder when she passed him.

Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?
Chris laughed in his mind, and he watched her move.
You’re beautiful as a cat. Did Nolan mention that to you?

No. All he did was laugh, then tell me what I already told you. Are you going to run me down, Joey? You’ve been telling me you want to for days now
. She stretched again.
My cat is very needy. And so am I. It’s like she wants you, but doesn’t. But I do.

How do you want me, Chris? Do you want me to fuck you like this? Or did you have something else in mind?

When she tensed up, so did he. Neither of them moved when the large deer came out of the tree line and stared at them. As soon as he took off in the opposite direction, Joey returned to his mate.

I want you to run me down. I want you to chase me, catch me, and take me like this. Then I want you to shift to yourself so that I can lick your cock until you are so ready to come that once I shift, as soon as you enter me, we both come.
He growled low at her, and she moved back.
Would you, Joey?

Yes.
He backed from her. The need to take her right here was making his cat angry. He wanted her as his wife too, as a woman. But he only stood up and told her one word, and it was enough.
Run.

Joey knew where she was at all times. She was noisy, first of all, and secondly, her scent was on everything that she touched. He reached out to her when he saw her fall over a downed log and asked her if she was all right.

Yes. But why can’t I hear you? I mean, this is great that I can hear everything, but not you. I want to do this right so I can hide from you.
Joey moved out from behind the tree, and she watched his steps as he moved. He was careful not to break a branch or crush too many leaves as he moved.
How do you know where to step if you’re watching me?

Listen as you put your foot down. If you hear the slightest bit of noise, I can hear it too. Your paw is very sensitive as well. You can feel branches before you touch them. Smell the area around you. You can tell the difference between the dry grasses and the marsh. Step in the wet areas carefully as well. There might be an animal there that you disturb, and I’ll hear that too.
She moved then. While she wasn’t silent like him, she was a good deal quieter.
That’s it. Now when you move by something, don’t let it brush up against you. Go lower than it if you need, leap over it if you have to. Your scent is all over the forest now because your fur marked it.

It was coming to her slowly, but she was working hard at it. Once she came upon a branch that she’d broken, he watched her sniff it and back away. He asked her what she smelled.

Man.
He nodded. He’d smelled it too when he’d first come out here, and knew that it was his grandda. Just the other day he’d told him that someone was on their land. Joey told him to warn the others.
It’s not anyone I know, is it?

I thought it was Grandda. But there is someone here that we have to watch out for. Can you tell me if it’s a shifter or not?
She sniffed again and turned to look at him.
What do you smell?

Aftershave. Men’s. And something flowery like…I think its fabric softener.
He told her it was.
There is something else. A chemical that I know but can’t think what it might be right now.

You want me to tell you?

She shook her head no and took off running. It was smoother now…her steps were more precise and her leaps were controlled. He could hear her, but not like before. Joey gave her a head start before he moved to capture her once more.

She was always close to him. But he did miss her a couple of times when she doubled back on him. Chris was learning fast; her scent was weaker now that she wasn’t touching everything, and he was thrilled when he was tackled again by her. This time she stayed near him instead of taking off again.

Joey let her mark him. Her body moved along his back and forth until his own cat wanted her marked as well. As he moved up behind her, Chris asked him if it would hurt this way.

No. I mean, I don’t think so. But you’re not going to enjoy it. I have no idea why, but I’ve heard that cats, the female anyway, rarely enjoy being mounted by their mates
. When he moved over her, her cat snarled at him.
She knows that she’s being dominated and doesn’t care for it. But I can’t wait any longer
.

Her cat fought him but not too much. Joey knew that he wanted her as much as he did Chris, but this was something that the cat in him needed too. To mark her cat. When she tried to move from under him, Joey begged her to be still.

He’ll bite you
.

She reared up and nearly knocked him off her, but Joey knew that his cat was stronger. As he bit into her shoulder, he heard Chris scream out in pain. So did her cat.

It was a quick coupling. He mounted her, fucked her hard, then came. He supposed his cat was much like most teenaged boys in that respect. Love them and leave them. But when Chris’s cat moved and snarled at him, he shifted into his body and stood very still.

She wants to bite you. And to taste you
. Nodding, Joey fisted his cock. He was a little afraid of her…she was a panther first and foremost.
Can I taste you like this
?

“Yes. But I’m going to eat you when your cat has had her fill.” Telling him she was looking forward to it, she moved closer to him. “Don’t bite my cock. I think that would be the worst kind of pain.”

She won’t
. Her tongue lapped along his length, and Joey moaned. Christ, he’d never had anyone do that to him before, and wondered why he’d waited. Then he watched Chris and knew the answer. He’d been waiting for her.
I can taste me on you…my cat, I mean, and your precum. You taste delicious to us both. Move your hands and don’t touch us
.

He did as she asked and wrapped his hands around the branch above his head. Her tongue wrapped around his cock over and over until he thought for sure he was going to die from the pleasure. But when she moved to his balls, he tensed up until she licked him there. Joey begged her to do it again.

He was hurting now. His balls and cock were so full that he knew that if she told him to come or even touched him again, he was going to lose it. Instead of bringing him, which he wanted in the worst kind of way, Chris shifted to her body.

Joey grabbed her and picked her up. She was thankfully wet enough that when he pulled her down over his cock, he slid home. Turning her so that her back was to the tree, Joey fucked her as hard as he could while she held onto his shoulders, her legs wrapped around his waist.

“Bite me when you come.” Her nod wasn’t enough for him. “Say it, tell me you’re going to bite me when you come.”

“I’m going to tear into your flesh and drink from you as soon as you fill me.”

Joey cried out, her words fueling him in ways that he’d never felt before. As he emptied into her, filling her as she’d commanded, he tilted his head and let her have his throat. She did indeed tear into him, and he did the same to her shoulder when he came a second, then a third time.

Holding her was all he could manage. If someone had come up to them, Joey could no more protect them than he could beg them to stay back. Every part of him was empty. Had he not been leaning against the tree, he was sure that he would have fallen over.

Her giggle had him lifting his head about an inch. That was all he had in him.

“I can see why your mom thought we’d be out here a while. Do you suppose she knew we were going to have sex?” Joey didn’t answer. His mom knew everything, and he’d not be surprised to learn that she’d sent Chris out here just for that reason. “I really love her, by the way. Your grandparents too.”

“Good, but if it’s all the same to you, I’d just as soon not talk about my mom or my grandparents when I’m buried inside of you buck naked.” Her laughter had him smiling. “Christ, you nearly killed me. Your cat must have been really needy.”

“She was.” When Chris shifted her body against his, he wondered if she was hurting. The tree was rough, and he was sure that he’d pounded her pretty hard against it. “I need to put my legs down. And I think…I kinda hurt on my ass.”

He let her down but held onto her, mostly to keep himself upright but to steady her as well. His knees felt as if they were made completely of rubber right now. When he felt sturdier, he tried to remember where he’d left his clothing. When Chris said his name softly, he turned to look at her.

She was pointing to the pack of wolves that was standing near the lake. Not moving too fast, he stood in front of her and tried to cover himself as best he could. The pack, all wolves but some of them shifters, he noticed, were all looking down at the ground except the one in the middle.

We were sent here by Emmett. He said to protect you at all costs
. Joey asked him how long he’d been there.
Not long. We didn’t witness your coupling, but we…we protected you
.

“Did I need protecting?” The wolf looked in the direction of the lake again and Joey saw them then. There were two men there, both of them with guns, and each carrying a dead rabbit. “How long have you been tracking them?”

Two days. We have been keeping an eye on them so that they don’t hunt on your land, but the property over there, across the lake, isn’t yours. I might suggest you purchase it.
He would if he could.
There is something else you should know. The thing in the barn, you should open it soon. It will…help me.

“Help you?” The wolf laid down and just stared at him. “I’ve been…we have a problem coming our way, and we wanted to deal with that before looking into what Emmett has left us.”

Open it as soon as you can. I need for you to as much as the other wolves do.
Joey told him he would.
Your clothing is behind you. And that of the female. She is a witch, isn’t she?

Joey looked at Chris, then at the wolf again. “She is a witch. That’s what we’re having the issue about.” The wolf nodded and looked at the wolves on the end. When they took off in the direction of the men, Joey asked him what was going on.

We’re going to frighten them a bit more. The last time they were here, they shot one of the deer on this side and left it to die on its own. I know that hunting is a sport, but it only bothers me when they kill one of my own or leave behind what they don’t want. And before you ask, I’m not going to harm them. Not this time anyway.

Joey thanked him and turned to look at Chris.

“I know you, don’t I?” The wolf said that she did. “The Walton case. It was your child that was killed. I was the lawyer that represented you in the trial. I’m sorry how it went. But I want you to come to the house in the morning. I have something that belongs to you, I think. I’d had it in my office for a few weeks, and when they packed my things up, it was sent here. It belongs to your son.”

Justice has been served
. Chris nodded but said no more to Mr. Walton.
My name is Drew Walton. I will be around in the morning then
.

As he left them, all the pack followed. Joey wanted to ask her about the case, but could see that she was struggling with something. He held her in his arms once they were both dressed and ready to leave.

“I lost it because of the police. They didn’t process the killer right and it came back to bite them in the ass. The guy got off with nothing but time served. Last time I heard, he was suing the state for that time too.” She lifted her head and looked at him. “Does he mean that he killed the man?”

“I think so. When he comes tomorrow, I want to talk to him about the box in the barn. I’m worried now that it’s been there for so long.” He took her hand in his as they headed back to the house.

Just on the edge of the tree line was a basket from his mom. They sat down and ate while they talked about nothing much at all. Then he remembered the last delivery coming to them. “They should be here sometime later in the week. We could take on so many more if we had the means. But things are tight right now, what with me having to take care of Emmett’s firm and some of the other things that he left for me to see to.”