Alaric smirked. “Maybe I will.”
I tried to think of a sexy riposte, but my brain seized when his lips found mine, silencing my doubts.
Our kiss deepened until I whimpered with need, desperate for more. He slid his hand back between my thighs and into my panties. Yes, I was wet. Which was fortunate because the risk of my spontaneously combusting remained dangerously high.
“Damn it, Raven,” the mage groaned when he pushed a finger inside me. “You feel so fucking good.”
I couldn’t reply. My brain had gone offline. Was this how it ended? Me dying from a fatal brain aneurysm before sealing the bond with my last mate?
“Dramatic, much?” Kenji’s voice floated into my head, which prompted me to slam my mental shields down. By the stars, I hoped my other mates weren’t listening to me unravel.
“We should stop—” I gasped as he added a second finger and pressed his thumb againstmy clit.
“No.”
“Oh…” I clutched his shirt, holding on for dear life. The mage had skills, but I tried not to think about how he’d learned such skills. “Please…”
“Come for me, little witch,” he rasped in my ear as he rubbed my clit harder and faster.
Unable to hold on for a second longer, I fell apart in his arms. My magic exploded out in a storm of fire and shadow, cocooning us. Alaric’s expression turned from smug to alarmed in a heartbeat.
“Raven, rein in your magic before we burn the fucking place down!”
Zane blinked into view, took one look at me and Alaric, and grinned.
“Oh, pet, are you being a bad girl without me?”
44
Raven
Ilanded in the living room of our dorm and swallowed hard to avoid hurling all over the plush pink rug I’d bought on Maverick’s dime. Although, given that Zane was now on my shitlist for blinking me away from Alaric, I planned to steal his credit card for all future purchases.
I’d seen a special edition hardback with sprayed edges from my favorite monster romance author that would look amazing on the bookshelf in my bedroom.
“Stars…” I bent over, heaving from the jarring sensation of being sucked away from the library without warning. “You picked the worst time to take me from Alaric!” Zane blinked innocently.
“I thought you’d want to see care bear.”
That got my attention. My lip wobbled perilously as tears pricked my eyes. I’d resorted to sending pathetic messages to my bear, but he hadn’t read them. I knew he hadn’t died, but being alive and being well were two very different things.
“He’s back?”
“I’m back, little mate.” My bear’s rumbly voice sliced me open to the bone, triggering a flood of angry tears. Before he could say another word, I rushed over and unleashed five days of fury on him.
Maverick stood stoic and silent as my fists punched him. Once I’d run out of steam, he wrapped me in his massive arms and nuzzled my hair with his nose.
“I’m sorry, little mate. If you give me a chance, I will explain.”
My tears and snot soaked through his cotton shirt. I wanted more than an explanation; I wanted a stars-damned apology!
“You left me on read,” I sniffed. Being left on read was the ultimate insult. I’d heard Glynda bitching about some guy leaving her on read the other day, although she refused to say who.
“I didn’t have my phone on me, little mate. Come, let me explain.” He picked me up like I weighed no more than a twig and deposited me on his lap by the fire. Kenji raised his head from where he lay on a pile of blankets and then resumed snoring.
Fig the pig trotted in and froze at the sight of my bear. Maverick’s eyes widened when he saw him, but aside from some throat clearing, he didn’t comment.
“I’ll take Fig to the garden for some outside time,” Kai said, scooping Fig up.
