Sassy Ever After: Kissing Sassy (Kindle Worlds Novella) (8 page)

“The Gathering is?”

“A dozen of the most powerful sorceri elected to govern all sorceresses. Keys need not apply because we’re branded as dangerous, and the only good Key is a dead one. It’s complicated. Anyway, my parents escaped to Australia and disappeared until the Gathering found them and eliminated them. I can’t figure out why they left me behind. They knew about me. My birth was documented in the Chronicles.”

“This Gathering caused your parents’ car wreck?” He didn’t want to interrupt her too much because he didn’t want to disturb her story, but it was a question he needed clarified.

“Yes. That was in the Chronicles too, along with the sorceress responsible for their murder.” She sighed. “As you can see, my history is riddled with death and hatred. And like Lael said, there’re five Keys born in every generation. A Cleric has innate power, but only one main power associated with one of the four elements. A Key’s magic comes from
all
four elements.”

Cajun nodded, taking a left-hand turn onto a back road that would turn into a dirt road before they reached his residence. Admiring the ease with which the luxury vehicle operated, he thought he could get used to driving the high-priced car. “So what you’re saying is you outgun all sorceri except for the other four born in your generation.”

“Yeah. I don’t know how many of my generation remain, but all of the Keys in previous generations have been murdered. At one time, the five Keys ruled all sorceri, until a bunch of Clerics came together to eliminate them one by one. They were the first Gathering.”

“How’s that possible if you Keys are stronger?”

“Espionage, trickery, you name it. A Key can’t defend against a mob of sorceri either. We’re not superheroes, but can be killed before our time with magic. The Chronicles tell how four hundred years ago all five Keys fell by various means, all by paranormals. One by vampire, one by dragon, and the other three by bear, tiger, and wolf. They joined with the Clerics to eliminate us because of promises the Gathering made to them.”

His head snapped to the side, her face in profile as she stared out the windshield. “It was your relation that was attacked by the wolf.” It wasn’t a question. Given the way her powers were useless against a wolf he
knew
the answer
.
“What I can’t figure out is why the Gathering want all Keys dead. Is it just a matter of them wanting all the power?”

He felt her nervousness. Whatever she’d confess, would be the ass-kicker.

“I can control the weather pattern, the way the earth’s crust moves, cause earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and any other natural disaster you can conceive of.” She finger-quoted the word ‘natural’. “I can turn people into puppets, control them and through them destroy nations, rule the world if I wanted. It’s too much power, Theodore. Even I recognize that. There’s none powerful enough to govern us. All that power eats away at our sanity. We have a good thirty to forty years before we’re not just insane, but can become apocalyptic. The less we use our power, the slower the infection.”

Panic settled into his chest, making it hard to breathe. If he understood her, she glamoured all the time, hiding her real features and her lineage, which meant she was always powered up, and using too much magic. “How old are you, Olivia?”

“Thirty.”

His heart skipped a beat, and his wolf howled. “Lael said something about a siren song helping you?”

Olivia

The idea of defining a siren song sent her nerves skyrocketing. Olivia could deny the cosmic bond when it was just a mating and not a siren song too. “When we leave your house, we should stop at the grocery store and stock up. I need junk food.”

“Not while they’re hot on your ass.”

“I think they can only track my extreme power, like when I teleported. If they could track
me
, they’d have already come knocking on my door.” That had to have been air magic. Otherwise, that gift made little sense. Then again, all her magic had been innate and in that moment, she’d been jazzed up sexually and wanted privacy with him. But once again, she’d used magic successfully in his presence. That confused her, and lent more evidence to the belief that a siren song elevated a sorceress’ power. “They can track where it was used, but they’ll lose me after that. And even your witch friend said the same.”

“Unless Jessie Barber has a decent nose and they get him to track who was at the barn.”

“Are you always this paranoid?” That was the pot calling the kettle black when she was probably more paranoid than him most of the time.

“Only when I’m guarding someone’s six or my mate’s sexy ass.”

She snorted, but tingles of pleasure shuttered down her spine at his protectiveness. “Jessie wants to mate me too, and he can’t do that if I’m dead.”

“Some wolves feel if they can’t have their designated mate, then no one can. Do you know for a fact his pack wasn’t the one that originally turned against you Keys?”

The pack that worked with the original Gathering during the Key culling hadn’t been documented. And it’d be a little too coincidental for him to be part of the original pack. But given Jessie’s attacks and threats, she could see him throwing her beneath the bus if he couldn’t have her. “You’ve got an answer for everything, Theodore.”

Cajun shrugged. “For the record, every time you call me Theodore I want to fuck you.”

She laughed and slid her fingers down his arm, giving him a flirty expression she normally reserved for the big screen. “Theodore—” He yanked the car to the right onto the side of the road and slammed on the brakes. Good thing she’d belted in because she jerked forward at the sudden stop. “What the
hell
?”

He ignored her as he threw the vehicle into park, and released her seatbelt. The buckle banged against the side of the door as he snatched her out of the passenger seat. If she didn’t know better, she’d have thought him a sorceress too with the ease of his execution. A moment later, Olivia found herself straddling his lap, her breasts smashed against his chest, and the steering wheel pressing against her lower back.

“I’ve no problems getting into your pants right here, catin.”

As if to prove his words, he lowered the seat halfway back, and his hands gripped her hips with just the right amount of force to provoke her excitement. She wasn’t an exhibitionist, but knowing they could get caught at any moment thrilled her.

Olivia moved, showing him how she’d ride him when given the chance, because she
would
ride him eventually. The chemistry was too strong not to give him a try.

“No, you won’t.” She nipped his bottom lip and watched his eyes ignite with his inner animal. “You’re a shifter. You want me safe before you strip me and spread me.”

He growled, cupped the back of her head, and pulled her down for a hungry kiss, primal and slow. A sensual smooch that jazzed her up so much her response was to grind against him with serious intention. His hand on her hip shifted to her ass and squeezed, encouraging her to keep moving. An occasional “
whoosh
” sounded as a car zoomed past them on the two-lane road, shaking the vehicle, and she moaned into his mouth as the hard bridge of his jeans nudged against her clit.

“Mmm… yeah, right there, catin, keep riding my cock. Make yourself come for me. I wanna hear you.” Using his hand in her hair, he notched her head back a fraction, just enough to sever their kiss. He skated his lips back and forth across hers. “You’re right. I want you safe, but more than that, I want to savor you for hours,” he said against her mouth, his voice whiskey-rough. “Don’t stop fucking me through our clothes. Those sexy whimpers of yours make me harder.” Another kiss, and his hand on her ass added pressure so she rubbed hard against his erection. “You ignored my question about the siren song.”

She groaned. “I can’t talk and concentrate on dry humping you.”

“Not a multi-tasker, eh?” Cajun yanked her head back and executed a lick-nip combo down her neck. In response, she scraped her nails down his chest. He rewarded her action with a whimper of his own. “Goddamn, Olivia, I wanna make you come so bad I’m shaking with the need. But keeping you safe is more important. Tell me about the siren song.”

“A siren song is what you call your mate or mating, but to offer it would cosmically stitch our souls together, bind us in life and death.”

“Will mating with me keep you safe from insanity?” His hand shifted off her hip and moved upward to reposition below a breast, while his thumb swirled across the nipple.

Seriously? He expected her to chitchat while he distracted her with foreplay? He’d drive her insane before the Key-curse had the opportunity. “There’s speculation it will, and there’s some evidence in the Chronicles that confirm the theory. But so few sorceresses find our siren song and when we do, almost all shun them.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. I have my mother’s diary. My dad was her siren song, and she didn’t fight the draw to him, but embraced it despite the Gathering’s rejection.” He kissed her again, tongue moving over hers, and she succumbed to him, threading her fingers in his hair. Firm pinches to her nipple jerked a groan from her. “
Theodore
.”

The rap of metal against the window startled her. Magic hit her fingertips before she consciously gave the thought. A county sheriff stood at the door wearing a sour expression, and she killed her magic.

Olivia climbed off Cajun’s lap as he lowered the window and elevated his seat. She dug her registration and insurance out of her glove compartment.

“Evening, officer,” Cajun said, offering the paperwork to the vehicle.

“I should write you both up for public indecency,” the officer scolded. “License?”

She didn’t know how they were indecent when they were both fully dressed and they’d only been kissing. Even being caught, she felt no remorse for their public display of affection.

“Olivia Scott?” The officer’s voice pitched a little higher.

She peered over at him. “Yes?”

The officer had his arm resting on the roof above the driver’s door, looking between the registration in his grasp and her. “It
is
you. My wife loved your movie,
Scattered Dreams
. She’s watched it a bunch of times.
Good Riddance
was my favorite. We’re both big fans of yours.”

“Thanks.” Olivia smiled. Running into fans was a curse of stardom. Normally, she didn’t mind the attention, but thanks to Cajun, she was sexually frustrated. She should’ve glamoured with another look like she normally did when she desired privacy in public, but when she’d rushed to Blue Creek for help, that’d been the last thing on her mind. And none had realized she could alter her appearance until a few minutes ago, so she’d needed to be wearing a familiar look. “They’re two of my favorite movies too.” Not really, she said that about every movie when a fan pointed out their favorites.

“My wife will never believe I pulled you over.” He smoothed back his hair, showing his nervousness for the first time. “Could I possibly get a picture with you?”

Cajun grinned from ear to ear, as Olivia said, “Sure.”

She hopped out of the car and came around the backside of the Mercedes. By the time she reached the driver’s side, Cajun was out of the vehicle as well and receiving instruction on how to operate the cellphone’s camera.

Not bothering to fix her messy bun, or check her makeup, which she figured was long gone by now, she waited until Cajun gave the nod to embrace the officer with a side hug. A few snapshots and he was gushing with thanks and how much prettier she was in person.

“Don’t recognize your new boyfriend.” Officer Grimes eyed Cajun with scrutiny. “Is he in the business?”

“Theodore is my bodyguard.” The policeman’s eyebrows elevated, showing his surprise, and she sent him an impish smile. “We’ve hit it off better than expected.”

“Can’t keep my hands off her.” Cajun roped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

Grimes chuckled. “First love.”

Olivia peered up at Cajun. Yeah, what she felt wasn’t love, at least she didn’t think this was what love felt like, but she couldn’t deny liking him a lot. She sure as shit had never gotten this hot and heavy for someone this fast before. The siren song was a lot stronger than she’d anticipated.

“No more making out in public. Save it for when in private.”

“That was my fault, officer.” Cajun’s eyes ate her up.

“She wasn’t complaining, son. That was obvious.”

Her cheeks picked that moment to burn with embarrassment. Weird how being nude onscreen for the world to see didn’t bother her, but getting caught making out in a car with Cajun had her blushing. Maybe that was the first sign he meant more to her emotionally than she realized.

They finally said their goodbyes after she autographed a few sheets of paper for his wife and kids.

Cajun stopped her before she got back in the car with another toe-curling kiss and reignited her arousal all over again.

“Don’t make Officer Grimes arrest us,” she teased.

“Let him try.” He dragged the pad of his finger along her bottom lip, eyeing the movement. “I want you naked shortly after we arrive at your cabin.”

“Give me one good reason why I will get naked for you.”

“I’m your
biggest
fan.” He waggled his eyebrows and popped her on the ass. “Let’s go, catin.”

After strapping in, Olivia asked, “Let me guess… by ‘biggest fan’ you mean the fan with the biggest dick?”

He flashed her a grin. “I don’t like to brag, but…”

She laughed and punched him on the arm. When was the last time she’d laughed this much? A few days ago, she’d loathed him. First impressions were a bitch sometimes. Now, she trusted him with all her secrets.

That reality sobered her. All he had to do was give the Gathering her location and her life could end. She hoped she hadn’t made a grave mistake. Her mother’s diary gave her the strength to trust him, when her instincts vetoed that action. But as she leaned her head against the headrest and stared out the window, her parent’s written words lingered in Olivia’s head…

I don’t know why I trusted him. I didn’t know him, and mages are a sorceress’ primordial enemy. He was my equal, dangerous, a master at his magic. He could’ve been sent to kill me. But the siren song between us was strong. I felt it the first moment I laid eyes on him, so I went with my gut. I love him more now than I did when I disobeyed the Gathering and married him. The siren song saves us, but my people would have us die from loneliness, our magic starved and hungry for our other half. They told me he was a mistake. If he is, then he’s the best mistake I’ve ever made. When our daughter grows up, when the siren song calls to her, I’ll encourage her to put her faith in him or her, to live life to the fullest, and to grow stronger in her siren’s love.

Those were words she couldn’t stop thinking about now that she’d found her siren song.