“This time?”
Aw crap. The last time Gareth had sounded like that, she’d wound up kneeing him in the balls. “I’ll let you know if I think that’s going to change. For now, watch your back.”
“Will do. Thanks for the heads up.”
“You’re welcome. Your Highness.”
She giggled when he sighed. “Do me a favor. Make plans to head to New York for about a week. I’ll need some family around me when I go to the court.”
Chris answered for them both. “Will do, bro. Be careful.”
“I will. Bye.”
Chris hung up the phone. “Wow. King Gareth.”
The eyes of the wolf changed to blue. “Zach.”
“Zach?”
“The wolf’s eyes turned blue.” She held out her hand and showed him the mark.
“Aw crap.” Chris flopped onto the bed next to her. Chris’s jaw clenched. “Hell. Now what?”
“Now I’ll leave you two alone for a bit.” Grammy headed for the bedroom door. “I’ll try and find out where Zach is and make sure he’s all right.” She pointed to Lana. “You.
Get some rest.” She pointed to Chris. “You. Make sure she rests.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Chris saluted, but it lacked some punch considering he was flat on his back.
Grammy left with a sigh, closing the door behind her.
“You think Zach is okay?”
Lana looked down at Chris. “It doesn’t have the urgency that Gareth’s itch did, so yeah, I think he’s okay for now.”
He relaxed into the bedding. “Thank the Lord. I’m not sure I can deal with any new surprises right now.”
She lowered herself to lay down next to him, grateful that the movement was relatively pain free. “No more surprises. Gotcha.”
He took her hand into his, stroking her fingers. “With Gareth as heir, things are going to change.”
“For the Becketts, anyway.”
He turned his head and stared at her. “You’re part of this family now. That means things will change. I doubt Gareth will sit still for someone making comments about witches when his sister-in-law is one.”
“And his brother.” Although she was no longer certain that “witch” was the appropriate label for Zach.
“True.” He rolled over onto his side, resting his head on his palm. His other hand landed on her thigh and began rubbing in slow circles. “You know, Annabelle said you needed to rest.”
The building heat in his eyes had butterflies dancing in her stomach. “Yes she did.”
“And she said I should make sure you rested.”
His hand was beginning to creep up her leg. Her pussy clenched in anticipation of his touch. It had been so long since they’d made love. “Uh-huh.”
“Feeling tired?” He cupped her through her pajama pants, kneading her, stroking her, the thin cotton no real barrier between them.
“Not at all.” He stood up and maneuvered her so that her head was on the pillow, sliding her pajamas off until she was completely naked. “How did you know?”
He pulled his t-shirt over his head with a grin. “Instinct.”
Lana settled back against the pillow and watched her mate get undressed. She put her hands behind her head and smiled when her fingertips brushed the shadow of the wolf.
And when the real thing crawled into bed, his golden eyes gleaming, she welcomed him with open arms.
The End
About the Author:
Dana Marie Bell wrote her first short story when she was thirteen years old. She attended the High School for Creative and Performing Arts for creative writing, where freedom of expression was the order of the day. When her parents moved out of the city and placed her in a Catholic high school for her senior year, she tried desperately to get away, but the nuns held fast, and she graduated with honors despite herself.
Dana has lived primarily in the Northeast (Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, to be precise), with a brief stint on the US Virgin Island of St. Croix. She lives with her soul-mate and husband Dusty, their two maniacal children, an evil ice-cream stealing cat and a bull terrier that thinks it’s a Pekinese.