Nighttime Visitor

NIGHTTIME VISITOR

I snuggle up against the warm body next to mine, breathing in the familiar earthy scent of pine and musk that could only belong to Owen.

His furnace-like warmth wraps me in a protective cocoon, and for a blissful moment, I linger in the dream, wanting to forget that we’re separated in this cold, dark prison.

Then the muscular body beside me shifts, and my lashes flutter up, my head spinning with momentary confusion. Rough stone walls and metal bars swim into focus. I’m still in a cell, but not my usual one.

How did I get here?

“Rowe?” Owen’s deep voice rumbles as he rolls over on the narrow cot to face me, his hands roaming over my body. “Is this a dream?”

“I…I don’t know,” I whisper, hardly daring to believe this is real as I drink in the sight of his messy black hair, piercing blue eyes, and chiseled features.

With his powers stifled, exhaustion paints shadows under his eyes, and black stubble covers his chin. But he’s still devastating to my libido.

As if he hears my thoughts, Owen tugs me flush against the hard planes of his body, and I gasp as the thick ridge of his erection presses against my belly. Desire crashes through me, washing away the lingering haziness.

“If it’s a dream, I never want to wake up,” he murmurs, the words husky from sleep, and he captures my mouth in a searing kiss that sets my blood on fire.

I melt into him, tangling my fingers in his hair as our tongues dance and stroke. Even with danger lurking outside these walls, I come alive in Owen’s arms, our mate bond binding us closer than two bodies could accomplish on their own.

It doesn’t matter how I got here. All I want is to lose myself in my mate’s passionate embrace.

Owen’s hands skim along my sides, slipping under the knitted fabric of my sweater to caress the bare skin beneath. I arch into his touch, craving more, needing to be as close as possible. Our kisses turn feverish, almost frantic, as pent-up longing pours out.

A distant rustle as others shift on their cots reminds me we’re not alone.

Tearing my mouth away, I pant. “We have to stay quiet. The others…”

“I know, I’ve got you.” Owen rolls me beneath him, his solid weight pinning me to the thin mattress. He rucks up my sweater and drops hot, open-mouthed kisses along the column of my throat, over my collarbones, between my breasts.

I swallow back a moan, my nails digging into the coiled muscles of his shoulders. One of his hands molds over my small breast, kneading the sensitive flesh as he suckles the peaked nipple into his mouth. Pleasure zings through my veins, pooling molten in my core.

Owen’s other hand trails down, pushing at the waistband of my pants. I lift my hips to help him shimmy them off, not caring where they land. All that matters is his scorching touch on my fevered skin as he maps my curves with reverence.

“So beautiful,” he rumbles against my neck. “My fierce, magical mate. ”

Emotion clogs my throat. I guide his face back to mine, kissing him slow and deep, pouring all of my love and desperation to be with him into it.

Owen groans quietly and settles his hips in the cradle of my thighs, the thick ridge of his cock nudging against my drenched folds, and we both shudder.

“I need you,” I breathe against his lips. “Please, Owen.”

With a restrained grunt, he reaches between us to free himself from his pants, and his tapered head notches at my entrance. Our gazes lock as he pushes forward, filling me to perfection. Two puzzle pieces reunited at last.

I bite my lip hard to keep from crying out at the sheer bliss of our joining. Owen braces his forearms on either side of my head, his breath ragged as he fights for control. Leaning down, he fuses our mouths together, swallowing my helpless whimpers as he starts to move.

He sets a deliberate pace, pulling back until only the tip remains before driving deep again in long, drugging strokes. The exquisite torment stokes the heat between my thighs to an inferno, and I lock my ankles at the small of his back, tilting my hips to take him even deeper .

Our bodies undulate as one, skin sliding on sweat-slicked skin, the faint creak of the cot and our labored breathing the only sounds. My inner muscles flutter and clench around Owen’s hard length, greedy for more of this delicious friction.

“Not so soon,” he begs as I wind tighter and tighter, the push and pull of him inside me driving me toward the edge. “I’m not ready for this dream to end yet.”

There’s no stopping, though, and with a few more deep, angled thrusts, he sends me flying apart. Wave after wave of pleasure crashes over, my body trembling and pulsing.

He groans into the side of my neck, hips driving faster, helpless as he chases his own release while wringing out every last spark from mine.

With a guttural growl, Owen buries himself to the hilt, and pressure builds inside me, his knot swelling, testing the limits of my body. Then his cock pulses, hot liquid flooding my channel. I cling to his shuddering frame, savoring the connection, never wanting this perfect moment to end.

But as our racing hearts calm and the sweat cools on our sated bodies, reality returns. Owen lifts his head from where it rests against my shoulder, his blue eyes blinking open hazily .

“Rowe?” A furrow appears between his brows, confusion and wonder warring in his gaze as it roves over my face. “How is this real?”

The haze of pleasure clears from my mind, and I glance around his cell. “I don’t know. The last thing I remember before falling asleep is wanting to be in your arms.”

Pieces click into place. The disorienting head rush when I first awoke. Somehow, my magic must have taken my yearning for my mate as an instruction and transported me here in my sleep.

“You have to get back before the guards notice.” Owen shifts on top of me, his knot rubbing at my insides.

I bite back a moan of pleasure and lock my legs around him to stop him from moving. “Don’t do that.”

“Sorry.” He peppers kisses on my lips. “I’m just worried. How much time do we have?”

“Hopefully longer than it takes for you to unlock.” My inner muscles flex around the knot inside me, and I shudder. “Why didn’t you pull out?”

“I thought I was dreaming.” He grabs my hips and rolls us to lie on our sides. “How could I have known this was real? ”

Panic sets in, and I struggle to catch my breath. “I don’t know how I did it. What if I can’t?—”

“Shh, breathe.” Owen cups my face, bringing my focus to him. “You did it once. You’ll be able to do it again.”

My panic calms, and I relax, cuddling him close.

When Owen’s knot shrinks inside me, we share a few more lazy kisses, reluctant to untangle our bodies despite the ticking clock hanging over our time together. I trace my fingers over the planes of his face, the thick stubble new for my usually well-groomed mate.

He plants a kiss on the tip of my nose. “Think I should grow a beard?”

The skin around my mouth burns from the short whiskers, so I shake my head. “Absolutely not.”

Regretfully, we disentangle ourselves and set about fixing our disheveled clothing. As I smooth down my wild red curls, Owen watches me with a heated gaze that sends a shiver of awareness through me.

“Stop giving me sexy eyes, or we’ll end up going at it again,” I whisper, tugging my sweater into place.

He stands from the cot and pulls me to my feet into his arms. “Now that I know this isn’t a dream, I want a do-over.”

I allow myself a moment to melt into his embrace, breathing in his comforting scent. Reality won’t be held at bay, though. The cold stone walls, the iron bars… We’re still prisoners, and I need to get back to my cell before the guards discover what I’ve done.

Stepping back, I try to focus my magic like I did instinctively to get here. I picture my cell, the thin mattress, the scratchy wool blanket. I will myself to teleport back.

Nothing happens.

I frown and try again, straining for the magnetic pull that drew me to Owen in my sleep. But while being near him still lights me up from the inside, I don’t have that urgent tugging sensation to be alone in my cell the way I needed to be with my mate.

“Come on, dammit.” I pace in a tight circle, shaking out my hands.

Owen catches my shoulders. “Stressing about it will only make it harder.”

“What if it was a fluke, and I can’t do it again?” I lean against him, ear pressed to his chest to listen to his steady heartbeat. “It’s like…I don’t know, like I don’t want it bad enough. ”

His arms encircle my waist, and he rests his chin on top of my head. “Well, I certainly don’t want you to leave. Maybe you’re picking up on that through our bond.”

“Well, start wanting me to go back.” I burrow my nose against his sternum. “If the guards find me here, we’re screwed. I have to figure this out.”

“Okay.” Owen pushes me away, then turns me around to face my cell. “Go on, get out of here. You’re not wanted.”

My elbow connects with his stomach. “Two stars for effort.”

He chuckles and releases me. “Focus, mate.”

I take a deep breath to center myself, but my nerves remain frayed. Images of the guards dragging me away from Owen flash through my mind. I imagine their rough hands on me, tearing me from my mate’s arms, and my pulse quickens.

Owen steps in front of me, his gentle gaze catching mine. “Don’t let the fear take over. You are a powerful witch. You can do this. Let go of the worry, and focus on your magic.”

I blow out a long breath, rolling my shoulders. “I can do this.”

“Yes, you can.” Confidence rings in his voice, which leaves no room for failure .

The time constraint doesn’t matter. The guards don’t matter. Only Owen’s belief in me does, and I won’t disappoint him.

As he moves back out of my line of sight, I sink cross-legged to the cold stone floor. Eyes closing, I concentrate on slowing my breathing. In through the nose, out through the mouth.

Gradually, my racing pulse calms.

Silver lines dance across the back of my eyelids, currents of magic flowing through the prison. I follow one of the ethereal strands, tracing it down into the stone beneath me. There, I sense the unique signature of my cell’s enchantments.

With the magical impression held in my mind, I picture myself sitting on the thin mattress, the roughness of the gray wool blanket scratchy against my skin, the dust of grout, the cobwebs in the corners of the ceiling.

I paint the image stroke by stroke, willing it to solidify, to pull me in.

A giddy, swooping sensation fills my stomach, and I concentrate harder. The cell wavers, then snaps into vivid focus.

Whoosh .

The world spins, and my insides lurch as if I fall from a great height. I gasp, eyes flying open, and I blink to clear the spots from my vision.

Gray stone walls.

Thin mattress.

Scratchy wool blanket.

Cobwebs.

I’m back in my cell. It worked!

Excitement bubbles up my throat in a half-hysterical giggle. I did it! I actually teleported!

Scrambling to my feet, I whirl around, already missing Owen’s strong arms around me. Screw these four walls. I’m going right back to my mate.

The glimmering thread bursts to life, connecting me to his cell. I dive toward it, the image of his handsome face flooding my mind. The air compresses, releasing me with a faint pop .

Owen grins down at me with pride. “Miss me already, mate?”

Unable to resist, I launch myself into his arms, kissing him. “I did it,” I whisper against his lips between heated kisses. “I teleported!”

“Knew you could.” His hands skim down my sides. “My brilliant mate.”

I beam up at him, body responding to his touch.

No. Need to focus .

If I can teleport myself, can I bring Owen with me?

“Want to try something crazy?” I ask breathlessly.

An intrigued brow arches. “With you? Always.”

Trembling with nerves and excitement, I lace my fingers through his. “Picture my cell, every detail. Hold it in your mind.”

Owen’s eyes slide closed as he complies.

I reach for our bond, for the magic of his werewolf, trying to weave it with mine. The power pulses, hot as a furnace, roiling around mine like a wild beast.

As I picture us materializing together on my narrow cot, the energies buck, a rubber band stretched to its limit.

Come on, almost got it…

Snap.

I yelp as the magic recoils like a whip crack. The floor drops away, and for a moment, I free-fall through a nauseating void.

Then I slam back into my body, alone on my lumpy mattress. My head throbs, and the cell spins around me. I roll onto my side and groan in misery.

Apparently, teleporting more than myself is beyond my current capabilities .

Jaw set with stubbornness, I struggle back to my feet, fighting the urge to hurl. If at first you don’t succeed…

I flicker back to Owen’s cell in the space between one blink and the next.

He catches me as I stumble, brow furrowing with concern. “What happened? Are you?—”

I cut off his concern with a quick kiss. “I’m fine. Let’s try again.”

Before he can protest, I try to transport us both to my cell, clinging to him white-knuckled. The magic strains, resisting the addition of his bulk.

My head pounds like a bass drum, nausea rising in my gut. Almost… almost… Just a little more and?—

With an abrupt lurch, I find myself back on my solitary cot, Owen-less once again. The room wobbles, and I swallow back bile.

One more try. Third time’s the charm.

Knees trembling, head splitting, I rise from my cot and reach for my bond with Owen. The silver lines of magic waver in my vision, the image of Owen’s cell refusing to come into focus.

Come on, I can do this, I can do this, I can?—

Vertigo hits me like a hammer blow. The world flips upside down, then goes black as the floor rushes up to meet me.