Stained in Red

"The party is over!" Griffen announces. "Everyone not on patrol duty, go home."

"Let's get you to your room." Tris loops an arm around Aspen's waist as he helps him off the table. "I'm keeping an eye on you tonight. No ifs, ands, or buts about it."

Aspen sways on his feet. "Really, I'm fine."

"Uh huh. Sure, you are." Tris leads him away, and despite his protest, Aspen is too weak to put up a fight.

Levi goes with them, sticking to their shadows as he sweeps the area for signs of danger.

Griffen steps forward, his hard gaze sweeping over Aris, Mina, and Kaela. "I'll find some space for all of you to sleep. Consider yourselves guests of the pack until we've gotten to the bottom of this."

Mina whimpers, and Aris wraps an arm around her. Kaela murmurs to her werewolf beau, who trails after them as Griffen leads them away.

Haut touches the small of my back. "Let's go inside."

I look up at him. "I want to watch the fire a little longer."

His expression tenses, but he nods, and we sit together on the bench where the poisoning happened, facing the bonfire. The flames flicker and crackle, the warmth on my face not enough to chase away the chill in the air.

Slowly, the pack members dissipate into the darkness, leaving us alone.

"Was I wrong to think I could come here and help Silver Hollow?" I ask Haut, biting my lip.

"Your grandma never would have done it."

"Right." I nod glumly. "It was stupid."

"No, it was brave." Haut drapes his arm on the table behind me. "Charlene had her good qualities, but she was also selfish. She wouldn't have put herself out there for a stranger. But you didn't think twice about it."

"Actually, I thought more than twice about coming here," I admit, feeling a pang of guilt. "But it turns out I'm selfish, too, and it almost killed Aspen."

"The moon-madness amulets," Haut says without a trace of question in his tone.

My face lifts to his in surprise. "You knew?"

"What, you think I don't know how your mind works?" Haut chuckles softly.

A smile twitches at my lips. "Sometimes I wonder."

He leans over to press a kiss on the top of my head. "You'd do anything for your mates, so why wouldn't the moon-madness amulets interest you? There's nothing wrong with being strategic."

He straightens, his gaze soft on me. "But I also know you would have come here even without a cure for Owen dangled in front of your face."

A sigh escapes, and I lean against him, comforted by the warmth of his body. "You have more faith in me than I do."

"Of course I do." His arm leaves the table to wrap around my shoulders. "Just look at how you saved Aspen."

"Mel saved Aspen." I turn my face into his side. "I didn't even know magical tattoos were a thing. If Mel hadn't helped, he'd be dead."

"True, but you knew to call Mel," he points out, nudging me gently. "And now you know about magical tattoos. You've grown a lot since you came to Hartford Cove, not even knowing you were a witch."

"Not enough, though." I try to pull away, but he holds me tighter.

"You've only been training for a few months." His chin settles on top of my head. "Give yourself time."

"Sometimes I miss being crazy. I understood crazy." My gaze returns to the flames. "Now everything keeps changing and evolving, and the world has gotten so big."

Haut nods, his chin moving against my hair. "It is big, but it's also wonderful, Rowe. Don't make yourself small out of fear of being amazing."

We lapse into silence, watching the bonfire die down.

A cool breeze sweeps past, and I shiver. "Are we alone?"

Haut cocks his head to the side, listening intently before nodding. "Patrol just passed."

"Good." I bend and pick up a napkin from the ground, a smear of bright red staining its surface.

As I tuck it into my pocket, Haut catches my hand. "Can we go inside now? I need to hold you."

The soft, vulnerable question fills me with warmth, and I squeeze his fingers. "I'd like that."

He pulls me easily to my feet, and we walk toward the big cabin across the clearing.

When we slip through the front door, Levi greets us. "I had your room checked to make sure no one's been in there. Nothing was found, but we're switching to bottled water until we can test everything in the house."

"Thank you," I hadn't even considered that the poisoner might try to strike twice in one night.

"I'm sorry this happened." He rubs the back of his neck. "When I came to you for help, I didn't guess it would be this dangerous."

"None of this is your fault," Haut assures him. "Someone really wants that barrier down."

"Tell me about it." He runs a hand through his hair. "We've increased the patrols, so don't go anywhere without an escort, okay?"

"Of course," I say, my mind already working on a plan. "But we need to focus on finding the culprit, too, or anything we do to fix the barrier will be pointless. We'll end up right back here again if we don't also stop the person responsible. I want to check out the western forest tomorrow morning."

"We'll go as soon as you're ready." Levi steps back. "I'm at your complete disposal until this is settled."

"Have a good night." Haut directs me down the hall, his hand warm on my back.

Inside our bedroom, it looks the same as we left it earlier. It shouldn't surprise me, but I thought there would be some sign of Levi's search.

The door closes behind us, and Haut pulls me into his arms, his mouth crashing onto mine with a potent mix of love, fear, and relief. I melt into him, tangling my hands in his thick locks.

"Thank god you're safe," he murmurs against my lips. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

I tighten my hold on his hair. "You better not leave me hanging tonight."

Haut lifts his head. "I'll be gentle."

"Not too gentle." I tug at his shirt. "I need you, too."

Haut reaches for the hem of my sweater, pulling it over my head and dropping it to the floor. Bending, he kisses my bare shoulders, tracing my collarbone with his lips as his hands slip under my chemise.

Slowly, he pushes it upward to cup my ribcage, his thumbs sweeping over the underside of my breasts. My pulse quickens, heat flooding through my veins as he bends to worship each newly exposed patch of skin.

My chemise flutters to the ground, and he kneels, taking off my shoes and socks before peeling down my leggings.

He kisses my thigh and nuzzles the junction of my legs. "You smell so good."

Moaning, I tug on his clothes. "I don't want to be the only one naked."

He lifts his arms, letting me pull off his T-shirt before he stands. With so much masculine beauty in front of me, I can't resist smoothing my hands over the firm pecs that have been taunting me since last night.

As I lean forward to lick one small nipple, his breath catches, and he cups the back of my head, encouraging me to explore his smooth, tanned skin. I rake my fingernails down his washboard abs, following their path as I drop to my knees to help him out of his boots the same way he had done for me.

His hard length tightens the front of his pants, and I rub my cheek against him, marveling at the heat that radiates from his body. His scent thickens, musky and wild, like the forest. It intoxicates me, making my legs tremble as I reach for his belt.

My knuckles graze his cock as I dragged down his zipper, and his boxers tent out of the opening, the blue material damp where it covers his tip. I hook my fingers in his waistband, pulling them outward and down, freeing him for my hungry gaze.

Before I can taste him, though, Haut scoops me up effortlessly and carries me to the bed, laying me down on the soft quilt.

He towers over me, his eyes dark with hunger. "You're so beautiful."

He lifts my leg, capturing one of my toes with his lips, sucking on it gently. "I adore all your tiny digits."

Liquid heat pools between my thighs as he moves to the next toe, and then the next. His sweet torture continues over my ankle and up my calf.

"These dimples, too." He kisses my knee. "I love every part of your body."

My pulse quickens as his mouth grazes my inner thigh, whispering praise and leaving tingles in his wake.

Moss-green eyes lift to meet mine as he reaches my center. "I love the way you taste, too."

Pulse racing, I open my legs, offering myself to him. Warm breath teases my sensitive skin as his head dips, and my heart stutters in anticipation.

The first swipe of his tongue curls my toes with pleasure, and a moan pours from my lips as he nuzzles into my folds to find the small nub hidden within. His tongue traces slow circles, making me gasp and clutch at the soft quilt beneath me. Haut chuckles against me, the vibrations adding another layer to the exquisite torment.

"My mate tastes so good," he growls, before diving back in and sucking gently on my clit.

Electricity arcs through me from head to toe, and a near-silent cry escapes. My fingers grip the quilt tighter, knuckles turning white as Haut continues to lavish attention on my most sensitive spot, alternating between lapping at me and teasing me with the tip of his tongue.

A tremor runs through me, and he groans with encouragement. "That's it, let go."

As if all I needed was his command, I fall over the edge, my inner walls pulsing as pleasure crashes over me like a tidal wave, leaving me trembling and breathless.

My body still shakes as Haut kisses his way up my torso, pausing to lick inside my belly button, then moving on to lavish attention on my breasts, sucking gently, drawing new moans from me.

He continues his journey upward until he hovers over me, our eyes locking for a moment before he presses his lips against mine in a searing kiss. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, feeding me the taste of my release as he licks deep, delving into every part of my body.

Haut reaches between us, positioning himself at my entrance and sinking inside in a steady push. As he stretches me open, filling me completely, he drinks down my moans.

My arms wrap around his broad shoulders as he begins to move, each thrust slow and deliberate.

The gentle rock of Haut's hips massages my clit, sending tingles through me as he continues to touch and caress me with such love and tenderness that it leaves me breathless. The scent of our desire fills the air, joined by our soft sounds of pleasure and the occasional creak of the bed beneath us.

His fingers push through my hair, cradling the back of my head. His forehead presses against mine, our eyes locked as the fire between us builds. He pushes deep, swirling his cock inside me, and I clench around him as tingles rush through my body.

With a groan, his pace increases, his hips snapping harder, pushing me closer to release before he forces himself back to gentleness.

"No." Groaning, I reach down to dig my fingernails into his ass. "Stop holding back."

His lips graze the bump on my face. "You're hurt."

"Not that hurt." I writhe beneath him, so close to release that it aches.

He reaches between our bodies, his fingers finding my nub and circling it as he thrusts deep and holds still. "Come with me."

Pressure grows inside me as his knot swells, locking us together. My nails rake his back as we peak, and my inner muscles squeeze around him as warmth floods my womb.

Haut presses a tender kiss to my forehead. "I love you, mate."

"I love you, too," I pant.

Pulling one of my legs over his hip, he rolls to the side, taking me with him.

The move shifts his knot, making me gasp as another shiver wracks through me. "Stop moving."

He chuckles and molds me to his body. "I'm not going anywhere."

With a sigh of contentment, I mash my face between his pecs. "It's not fair."

He strokes the back of my head. "What's not fair?

I blow a raspberry against his skin. "That your boobs are bigger than mine."

"Shush, brat." His hand crushes my face into his chest.

A giggle escapes me before I quiet. "I'm glad I didn't die tonight."

"Me, too." His hold gentles, and he rubs my back. "Me, too."