Hexed by Fire Read online

  “Can I get you anything?” He opened the refrigerator and glanced over his shoulder. “I’m afraid all I have is day-old pizza and a case of beer.” He smiled. “Or we could still order Chinese if you want, though I have no idea if they deliver out here.”

  Her stomach rumbled at the mention of food, reminding her she hadn’t eaten for most of the day. “Cold pizza and beer sounds fine.” She took a seat on one end of the couch.

  A few minutes later, he returned with a cardboard box and two dark long-necked bottles. He set everything on the coffee table, then took a seat next to her and handed her a couple of napkins. “Sorry, I haven’t had a chance to unpack any of my dishes yet.”

  “It’s not a problem.” She smiled. “No dishes means no cleanup later.” She reached for a slice of pizza covered with pepperoni, green peppers, and olives.

  He placed a hand on his chest and chuckled. “A woman after my own heart.”

  After several bites, she took a swig of beer. “How do you know my uncle?”

  His hand stopped with his slice of pizza inches from his mouth. A mouth she’d been trying not to stare at since he sat down.

  “I used to be a cop.” He set the pizza back in the box. “I grew up in a small town. My father was pack alpha and one mean son of a bitch. He didn’t like having a teenage son with a powerful wolf. He assumed I would threaten his authority and try to take over the pack.”

  “And did you”—Alex balanced the bottle on her lap—“want to take the pack away from him?”

  “No.” Mason shook his head and frowned. “After my mother died, I wanted no part of his world. But when you’re the alpha’s son, leaving is not an option.”

  “So you rebelled.” Alex understood the pain and frustration associated with losing a parent. How losing two had been worse. She was grateful Drake had taken Aidan and her in; otherwise, her life might not have turned out as well as it had.

  He nodded. “Yeah, which, of course, made things worse.” He took a long swallow of his drink. “Shortly after my sixteenth birthday, he tried to kill me.”

  She gasped, placing a hand on his thigh. It was hard believe his own father would want him dead. “What? How?”

  “Like I said, my wolf was more powerful.” He squeezed her hand. “I managed to escape and ended up living on the city streets, stealing to stay alive.”

  She felt his body tense, his cheeks flushing, a hint of the shame he must be feeling from sharing a troubling part of his past. “And Drake?” she asked, encouraging him to continue.

  “He’d been assisting on a case for the high council. He caught me trying to lift his wallet.” Reliving the memory with her uncle had him smiling again. “Instead of turning me over to the cops, he negotiated one of his deals.”

  Alex laughed. “You mean he threatened and manipulated you into getting his way, don’t you?”

  He snorted. “What he did kept me out of jail, straightened me out, and got me into the police academy, so I owe him.” He picked up the remnants of his slice and finished it in two bites.

  Drake never shared much of his past with Aidan and her. All she knew was he’d been working somewhere in Florida before her parents died. Afterward, he’d quit his job to move back to Maine and raise her brother and her.

  “You said you used to be a cop.” She hadn’t meant to pry, not really. He intrigued her, and curiosity was never something she ran away from. But when his jaw muscles clenched, pulling his lips into a straight line, she was afraid she’d pushed too far. “It’s none of my business, and I’d understand if you’d rather not talk about it.”

  She didn’t think he was going to answer until he scooted farther back on the couch and shifted toward her.

  He kept his hands tightly clasped on his lap, then finally raised his head, his eyes locking with hers. “I quit after got my partner killed.”

  It was apparent by his troubled gaze that he wanted, maybe even needed to talk about what happened. She wanted to console him but was afraid to say anything that would prevent him from continuing.

  After a long-drawn-out pause, he started talking again. “His name was Danny. He was a witch, a rookie who’d only been on the job a month before being assigned as my partner.”

  The similarities between her and his old partner explained his initial reluctance about wanting to work with her. She sensed his pain and gave his arm a sympathetic squeeze, encouraging him to continue.

  “We got called to a disturbance at a local biker bar. I knew he’d get there before me, that he wasn’t ready to handle it on his own, so I told him to wait for me. He didn’t listen, must have assumed he’d be fine, and went in minutes before I arrived.” He sighed, his hand tensing beneath hers. “He made the mistake of getting between two wolves when they shifted. By the time I pulled them apart, he was dead.”

  “I’m so sorry.” She set her bottle on the table and scooted closer to him.

  “If I’d trained him better, gotten there sooner, maybe he’d still be alive.”

  His pain tore at her heart, and she blinked to hold back the tears. “It’s not your fault. You warned him not to go in alone, and you can’t be held responsible for the actions of someone else.”

  “His family didn’t see it that way, and neither did my captain.”

  #

  Besides losing his job for putting the two bikers into the hospital, Mason had spent every day for the last two months haunted by Danny’s death. The warmth glistening in Alex’s eyes tugged at his gut. She was the first person besides Drake to show him any compassion or understanding about what happened that night.

  He caught himself staring at her mouth and forced his gaze back to her face. Not only had kissing her earlier been an exquisite delight, one he wanted to experience again, but holding her in his arms had provided a calming salve to his turmoil.

  He struggled with the urge to take her in his arms and claim her lips with a kiss. A kiss that elicited the same burning passion he’d seen in her eyes earlier. A kiss with the potential to ignite them both into flames.

  Alex leaned closer. Her chest pressed against his arm, and her sweet scent, laced with arousal, teased his senses and caused an uncomfortable tightness in the front of his jeans. With his wolf pacing and urging him to pull her closer, he knew he should move, put some distance between them.

  Alex grazed his cheek, using her warm fingertips to turn his head, until their faces were only inches apart, and her green gaze locked with his.

  He froze, knowing with one more touch, he’d lose control. He wouldn’t be able to stop from taking what he wanted. And damn if he didn’t want her, didn’t need her.

  “It’s not your fault,” she whispered again, the words a magical balm, a gentle caress that led to his undoing.

  A growl lodged in his throat. He shifted, angling his body before bringing his mouth down on her lips, then cupping the back of her neck to pull her closer. Her stifled moan fueled his desire and drove away any thoughts of kissing her tenderly and taking things slowly.

  He possessively took control of her lips, coaxing them apart, and delving into her mouth with his tongue. Stroking, tasting, teasing.

  When sanity finally broke through the veil of desire, Mason wondered what the hell he’d been thinking. This was Drake’s niece. He was supposed to protect her, not take her for a test drive on his sofa. He broke the kiss and gazed at her, ready to apologize.

  Eyes lit with a shimmering emerald fire stared back at him. “Don’t.” She shook her head and placed her finger against his lips. Then, without any warning, she pressed against his chest and forced him farther back on the sofa.

  She crawled onto his lap, straddling his waist, the movement rubbing against his already hardening shaft. A groan escaped his lips, the ache to have her overwhelming.

  Bracing his hands against her back, he captured her mouth. Tucking his hand into the curls on her neck, he tilted her head to deepen the kiss. Her soft moan was like an accelerant to his building fire.

  He
burned a trail down her throat with his lips, his tongue lapping at the sweet taste of her skin. He slid his hand beneath her shirt and skimmed upward along her rib cage, pushed aside her bra, and caressed her breast, her nipple hardening under the rasp of his thumb. She whimpered and ground her hips against him.

  He reached for the hem of her shirt, then stopped, ready to give her one last chance to change her mind. Mason pulled back his head and gazed at her. “Alex, are you sure?”

  “Very sure.” She placed her hands over his, helped him lift the shirt over her head, then tossed it aside. He wanted her more than anything, but he’d be damned if he’d make love to her on the couch.

  “Put your hands around my neck.”

  “Okay.” Though she seemed confused by his request, she did as he asked without question.

  He leaned forward, placed his arms under her rear, and lifted her off his lap. She wrapped her legs around his waist and grazed his earlobe with her teeth. He and his wolf were growling, and at this rate, the woman was going to kill him long before they reached the bedroom.

  Luckily, their destination was a short trip down the hallway, which they made without any further distractions or casualties.

  He placed her on the bed and urged her to move back a little bit, then reached down to slip off her boots, which landed on the floor with a thud.

  After quickly removing her bra, she leaned back on her elbows and watched him with darkened eyes. “These need to go too.” He lowered the zipper on her jeans and eased them down her legs. He skimmed her outer thigh, enjoying the way she trembled beneath his touch. When he reached her hips, he slipped his fingers beneath the edge of her lacy black underwear and slowly inched them down her legs to join her pants where he’d tossed them on the floor.

  His took his time letting his eyes roam over the length of her. “You are so beautiful.”

  He’d already figured out that being shy was not one of her faults. “Are you going to continue staring, or are you planning on joining me?” She slipped off the bed.

  A determined smile danced across her lips as she ran her hands down his chest, gripped the hem of his shirt, and pulled it over his head. Next she freed the button on his pants, her fingers teasing the head of his erection.

  He wouldn’t last much longer if he let her continue. Biting back a groan, he circled her wrists to stop her. “How about letting me help?” He took a step back and slipped off his shoes, then made quick work of unzipping his pants and pushing them and his underwear to the floor.

  Alex giggled. “Is being impatient a wolf thing or a you thing?”

  “Definitely a me thing.” Mason pulled her into his arms and claimed her lips, then slowly backed her toward the bed.

  Once he had her lying in the middle with his hips situated between her spread legs, he delivered soft kisses along her throat and down her chest until he reached her left breast. He sucked the bud into his mouth, teasing the pebbled tip with his tongue, then slipped his hand between her thighs, stroking her sensual spot, which was already wet with need.

  He shifted his mouth to her other breast, drew hard on the bud, and slowly slid two fingers inside her. “Mason,” she whimpered, arching her back, and grinding her hips against his hand. “Please, I need you inside me.”

  He captured her lips drawing her into another kiss, deep and demanding. He placed her hands above her head and held them with one hand, bracing his body over hers with the other. He entered her slowly at first, teasing her with the tip of his shaft. He smiled when she squirmed against him, trying to get him to slide in deeper.

  “Mason, if you don’t give me what I want, I’ll be forced to use my magic,” she warned in a teasing tone, then wrapped her legs around his waist and dug her heels into the back of his thighs. “And we both know how that will end.”

  He laughed. “Since your dagger is in the other room, I’d say I’m fairly safe.”

  She pursed her lips. “That’s not…”

  Mason grinned and thrust hard, cutting her off and gaining a gasp. “Not what?” He pulled out and thrust again.

  “Nothing,” she murmured. “Please continue.”

  “Oh, I intend to.” He started moving again, his pace slow and steady. When he sensed her getting close to the edge, he increased his movements, pushing harder and deeper. Each thrust built in momentum, forcing her to the edge of ecstasy until she reached her climax and cried out, her body trembling.

  He continued pumping, prolonging her pleasure, then with one long and final push, he shuddered through his own release before collapsing on top of her. He tucked his head against her neck, took in her sweet scent, and waited for his heart to stop racing.

  Once Mason could breathe again without panting, he nuzzled her neck. “Alex?”

  “Uh-huh?”

  He lifted his head and held her gaze. “Would you really use your magic to get your way?”

  Her smile turned into a playful grin. “I guess you’ll have to do that again to find out.”

  Chapter Nine

  An incessant ringing drew Mason out of the first deep sleep he’d had in months. He groaned and glanced at the clock on the nightstand: 6:10 a.m. After gently slipping his arm out from under Alex’s head, he untangled himself from the leg she had draped across his body and reached for the phone.

  He rolled his eyes, tempted to hit the Ignore button, when Aidan’s name appeared on the screen. “You better have a damn good reason for calling me this early,” he answered with a snarl.

  “Are you always this cranky in the morning?” Aidan chuckled. Or did I interrupt something?” Mason was surprised he didn’t hear any sarcasm in Aidan’s voice, or that the man had inadvertently approved of his relationship with Alex.

  Memories of the night Mason had spent with the other man’s sister flashed through his mind, and he hoped like hell Aidan’s powers didn’t include any psychic abilities. “No,” he snapped. “What do you want?”

  “Alex isn’t answering her phone, so please tell me she’s there with you.”

  “Yes, she’s here and she’s fine.” Mason felt a little guilty about making Aidan worry, but was over it the minute Alex opened her eyes, propped her head on an elbow, and offered him a beautiful smile. “Was there anything else?” He knew he was being selfish, that he shouldn’t be trying to get rid of Aidan, but now that Alex was awake, he wanted more alone time with her. Judging by the way his wolf was snapping and snarling, he wasn’t thrilled about the unwanted intrusion either.

  “Yeah, you can tell Alex it’s safe to go home,” Aidan said. “Also let her know that I placed a strong protection spell on her entire building. As long as she stays inside, she should be okay. Oh, and per your request, the tire on her car has been replaced. It’s parked on the street outside her apartment.”

  “Thanks, I appreciate it.” Mason could hear someone else mumbling in the background, but couldn’t understand what they were saying. “Was that it?”

  “No. Drake wants you down at the office as soon as possible. He thinks he may have found a way to track the creatures and needs your help.”

  “Fine. Tell him I’ll be there in an hour.” He disconnected the call and tossed the phone on the nightstand. He rolled onto his side and pulled her into his arms. “Mornin’,” he said, tipping her head back and giving her a gentle kiss.

  “Was that Aidan?” She traced a line along his chest, making him hard and wishing they had time to stay in bed a little longer. He groaned and caught her hand before she got any lower. “Yeah, and I’m afraid we have to go.”

  Interest sparked in her eyes. “Why, what’s going on?”

  “Your brother said Drake needs my help finding the creatures.”

  “I take it they didn’t find anything last night, then?”

  He hated seeing the frown on her face. “Doesn’t sound like it.”

  “If the creatures really are after me”—her gaze took on a mischievous glint—“you could take me along and use me as bait.”

  His w
olf snarled, Mason groaned, and both of them were considering the merits of handcuffing her to the bed to keep her safe. “Don’t even think about it.”

  “Geez, it was only a suggestion.”

  “Suggestions like that could cost my wolf his hide if Drake ever found out I knew about it.”

  “Well, we definitely wouldn’t want that to happen.” Her giggle turned serious, and she cupped his cheek. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

  Her concern touched his heart. Maybe Drake had been right, that it was time to forgive himself, to move on, to start a new life. If his new life included Alex, he was determined to do whatever was necessary to give them a chance at a future.

  He snatched her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. “I promise.”

  “Did Aidan say anything about my apartment? Was he able to remove the spell, or trace it?”

  “Remove, yes. Trace, no. He also said your apartment is safe, complete with a new protection spell.” He gently stroked her jaw with his thumb. “We’ll find out who’s doing this. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. There was the unexpected protective urge again.

  She smiled and placed her hand over his. “I know.”

  “Oh, and the tire on your car has been changed.”

  “By Aidan?” She smirked. “My brother’s not usually that helpful.”

  “I asked Drake to take care of it. They left the car on the street outside your apartment.”

  “You are full of surprises.” She leaned up and nipped his bottom lip.

  “You have no idea,” he said as he rolled her beneath him. As soon as he captured her mouth in a kiss, all thoughts of the office and hunting creatures disappeared from his mind.

  #

  Shortly after Aidan called, Mason received a text message from Drake telling him Chance had found something. It also instructed Mason that “UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES” was he allowed to tell Alex or allow her to come in to the office.