XIII . Motels, Magic, & Mates

Aurora

A fter a drive-thru dinner, I pull into the motel parking lot. The sun has barely set, but the atmosphere feels heavy. When I step out of my car, I spot a handful of men standing by the fenced-in pool, smoking. They look like thugs with dirty wife-beater tank tops, baggy jeans, and chains. Dangerous people in the city look nothing like them, but it doesn’t change the warning I feel when I study their body language. Their eyes follow me up to the motel room.

Heart in my throat, I click the safety lock and wedge the chair under the door handle along with a rolled-up towel. The security measures help me to relax. Flopping on the bed, I pull out my cell phone. I’ve barely touched it the last week or so. The idea of scrolling social media makes my head hurt, but I do have a few messages from Jarrod.

Anxiety fizzing in my chest, I hit the call button. After four rings, he picks up. Voices blur together in the background.

“The Buzz Gallery.”

“Hi, Jarrod. It’s Aurora. I saw you had something you wanted to discuss?”

“Yes, love! I reviewed the pictures you emailed over.” His voice is high and bright. “I’ve got to say, your work has never looked this good. Whatever you did is working! I can feel the atmosphere through the pixels. I’m dying to get my hands on the real thing.”

“Well, I’m on my way back. I can get them to you tomorrow night or the next morning.”

“Alright. So, what was it that inspired you?”

“Oh, just being out here in nature, I think. I also met someone. But he lives here, so that’s over.”

“Aurora, love,” he says, suddenly stern. “If you come back here to Los Angeles and go back to painting sad little flowers, I will never forgive you. If you found a muse, you’d better turn your ass around to go back to them.”

“I can’t. I’ve got responsibilities. And maybe I like living in the city.” The excuse sounds weak and my voice loses conviction before I can finish speaking.

“No one likes living here. And you wouldn’t need a second job, I bet. I’m sure the cost to live there is lower. And I can sell these paintings, love. I’ll make sure you have a wait-list of buyers. We can triple your prices, I swear.”

“You haven’t even seen them in person yet!”

“Ship them! Don’t you dare show up back in this concrete butthole.”

My laugh is manic. “Jarrod, are you freaking kidding me?”

“I never kid about art, love. Oh, I’ve got customers. See you soon, or not! Bye, now.” The line goes dead.

My phone tips out of my hand and I roll over, burying my face into the comforter as I let out a muffled scream.

What if I went home to drop off the paintings and waited to see if Jarrod really could sell them for triple price? And then I’d have time to pack up my things and arrange a move with Hazel. That would be the smartest move.

Maybe, with some luck, I could change my life.

Even the thought of moving to be with Cedar and Hazel has my heart racing. It’s too good to be true.

It’s unlikely to work out. Jarrod was probably wrong. I shouldn’t get my hopes up.

I want to sketch. It’s the only way to get this nervous energy out. Unfortunately, my art supplies are in my bag in the car. I shouldn’t have left them out there.

Scrunching my nose in frustration, I pull my shoes on and head for the door with my car keys in my fist.

The motel’s dim lights barely illuminate the dark parking lot. At least it’s quiet. The stale smell of smoke and gasoline makes me gag after a week of breathing crisp pine air.

“Hey, pretty girl,” a nasally voice croons.

I twirl, looking for the cat-caller. In the city, I would have ignored it and kept walking, but out here I feel isolated. Vulnerable. There are no bystanders to protect me or shops to duck into.

A man pushes off the block wall. His clothes hang off his gaunt figure. “I can’t believe you’re out here alone.”

There’s no use in ignoring him. “I’m not alone. My boyfriend is in our room.”

“Little liar,” a second man says, coming from the other side of me. True fear spikes like ice in my chest. As I scan the parking lot, I see no one.

Turning, I stride back in the direction of my room. The taller man steps in my path. “Rude too. Maybe we need to teach you some manners.”

My hand goes to my back pocket, but I left my phone in my room. How could I be so stupid.

“You don’t want to do that,” I say, keeping my voice low to hide my fear. “You need to leave me alone.”

“Why?” he says, stepping closer.

I’ll only get one chance to run, and I know better than to glance the direction I plan to go and give away my move. My muscles tense and I keep my eyes on the immediate threat.

As he takes another step, I launch myself sideways. Darting around him, I race for my room. I’ll only have seconds to get the door open and locked behind me, or risk them following me into the private space.

Hitting the door, I slide the keycard and watch it blink red. Hand shaking, I try again.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Nasal voice says with a laugh that sounds like a farm animal.

“Get away from her.”

The men look up and my heart jumps into my throat. Spinning, I take in Cedar. He holds no weapon, but the promise of violence in his voice is enough to make the men take a step back.

The taller one regains his arrogance and makes a poor choice. “You weren’t with her earlier. She isn’t anything to you. Go away and mind your own business.”

Cedar bristles and takes a step closer. “She is mine, and if you touch her, you’ll wish you were dead.” I shiver at his dark tone.

“You think you’re a hero?” the thinner man says, throwing his hands up and advancing on Cedar.

Everything happens so fast. Cedar grabs the man’s shoulder and yanks him forward, winding back and slamming a fist into the guy’s face. He drops, blood gushing from his nose.

The taller man abandons me and rushes toward Cedar. Metal flashes and I shriek a wordless warning before he shoves a knife into Cedar’s gut. Eyes flaring bright blue, he grips his opponent by the shoulder and throws him into the block wall. He scrambles up and hobbles away.

Cedar sways on his feet and reaches down, tugging the blade from his stomach. My words are incoherent babbling, trying to stop him, but it’s too late. Blood seeps into his shirt, spreading rapidly.

“We need to call 911.” I feel for my phone in my pocket again, and then search for his. It’s on the ground with a shattered screen.

Tears pooling in my eyes and hands shaking, I press my key card to the door. Finally it turns green. The moment it unlocks, I shove the door open and dart in, grabbing for my phone. It’s dead.

Cedar stumbles in and sits on the bed. Hands shaking, I plug my charger cord into the wall outlet and connect my phone. It drops from my hands when Cedar falls back on the bed.

“Cedar!” my cry echoes in the small, cold room.

He mumbles something about being okay.

“You most certainly are not!”

Sinking on to the bed beside him, I press my hands over his wound. Terror races through me until my entire body trembles. His hand drapes over mine, gently squeezing my wrist.

I love him. I can’t lose him.

That love mingles with my fear, heightening both until I’m bursting with that buzz I now recognize is magic.

There are no plants to absorb it. I can’t contain it. It pours out of me, through my hands into Cedar’s chest. Instinct guides me, and somehow my fear ebbs as my affection for him swells.

Cedar gasps, his eyes going wide. He pushes up, sitting and twisting to face me. I let my grasp on the magic slip away, pulling it back into myself.

For a moment he stares at me, and then he pulls his shirt up, wiping at the blood to uncover perfectly smooth skin. No wound.

I poke at the spot, jerking back when he squirms.

“I’m fine. You healed it,” he says, taking my bloody hand in his own.

My thoughts are jumbled. “I can’t, what?”

“Shifter healing is fast, but not that fast. It had to be your magic.”

“No way.” I gawk at him. Wiping my wrist across my cheeks, my skin comes away wet. I was crying. Still am.

He grins at me, wiping at his stomach again.

“You almost died!” Choking on a sob, I smack his chest with my palm.

Catching my wrist, he brings it to his mouth and places a kiss on my pulse point. “I’m sorry, Little Witch.”

“It’s not your fault!” Launching forward, I fall into him. His blood soaks into my shirt, ruining it, but I don’t care. The healed skin it reveals soothes something inside of me.

He wraps his arms around me and laughs softly into my hair as more tears drip down my cheeks.

“I was so scared,” I confess. Craning my neck back, I fix him with a glare. “You aren’t allowed to ever get hurt like that again.”

“I’ll do my best.”

As I scowl up at him, he lowers his head and brushes his lips over my forehead, trailing kisses over my cheekbones. Greedy for his touch, I turn in his arms until I can kiss him properly.

With my arms wrapped around his neck, his hands pressing the small of my back to urge me closer, we kiss until the room is spinning.

“Seeing you like that was the worst moment of my life,” I gasp. “I don’t think I can live without you.”

He pauses, lifting up from where we’ve sprawled, tousled hair framing his handsome face. “Good, because I feel the same.”

As if that was all that is needed to be said, he lowers his mouth to my neck and nibbles at the skin. Curling against him, I hook a leg over his hips and run my hand down the bare skin of his back, enjoying how the muscles flex under my fingers as he moves, curling around me protectively.

“I love you,” he murmurs without taking his lips off my throat. Vibrations zip through my skin and blood like the love he promises. Warmth fills me up from my chest, radiating out to my hands and feet until I’m desperate to shed our clothing lest I burst into an inferno.

“Me too,” is all I can say, flames licking under my skin. The words are barely audible, but he knows. This man can read me, attentive to every expression and half-spoken word. He cares about all of it, and I know I am safe with him. He’s proven over and over he will protect me and take my side.

Days ago, I would be thrilled to take him back to Los Angeles with me, but now, I only want him. Everything else fades away.

My shirt peels over my head and I’m not even sure whose hands did it. His teeth nip at my bottom lip, urging me to open for him. As he kisses me deep, his tongue delving in, my hands drag down his sweats and remove his last piece of clothing. He’s already pulling my shorts off.

Rolling again, I kneel over him. He pushes up to sit, lowering his lips to my chest as I unhook the clasp of my bra. As the straps fall over my shoulders, he cups my breast gently. Tentatively, he lowers his mouth to it, and I tighten my grip on his shoulders, grinding my hips down on him.

That delicious tension builds until I want to climb into his very skin.

We tumble over, his mouth trailing down my stomach as he pushes me to my back. Featherlight kisses mingle with small bites, until I’m grasping at the sheets and opening my mouth in a silent scream with my eyes screwed shut.

The lace of my panties drags across my thighs as he removes them. A second later, his mouth ghosts over the sensitive skin on my inner thigh. There’s no time to prepare before he’s licking and touching the most intimate part of me. The moan I let out is embarrassing, but there’s no time for shame.

With days of unresolved need between us, I’m ready to explode at his first touch. Words jumble in my mind and I’m reduced to a nonsensical mess of gasps and whimpers. It takes two attempts to speak, but finally I string words together. “Cedar, I need you inside of me, right now.”

He stills, looking up at me. Those glowing eyes make my heart leap and stomach swoop. Slowly, he moves up my body, kissing my stomach, breasts, and lips before resting his forehead against mine. “I want to, but I don’t have-”

“I’m on the pill, so we can just, please, I’m going to lose my mind.” My words pour out, thoughts half completed. I’m still trying to speak when he nods and kisses me again.

Heart racing, I reach down between us and grip his cock. My body hums at the chance to touch. His harsh exhale raises the hair on my arms as I stroke him. Eagerly, I pull him into me. Time seems to slow as my focus narrows down to the places our bodies touch. His movements are slow, controlled, as he eases into me part of the way. Head bowed, his brow furrows as he bites his lip.

“Okay?” I say, gripping his face so I can see his eyes and the hint of fang pressing into his full bottom lip.

“I’m trying to make sure I’m gentle with you,” he says.

The situation crashes over me and I let out a laugh. “You could slam me into this headboard until I can’t see straight and I would still say thank you and ask you to do it again.”

His eyes widen and I turn to kiss the inside of his forearm braced beside me. “Come on, my wolf,” I urge, tightening my thighs on his hips. “I’m not delicate.”

With a look of devotion, he pushes into me, filling me until our bodies are flush. His eyes rove over me, reassuring himself that I’m pleased. Weaving my fingers into his hair, I angle my head to kiss him, only releasing him when he rolls his hips. Luscious pleasure fills me, washing over me, filling me.

There’s no shady motel room, no world around us at all as he sets a pace that makes my toes curl and my mouth spill out words of praise that might be gibberish. The feel of his body pressing into mine overwhelms everything else I know.

“I want to claim you so badly,” he rasps, his breath warm on the shell of my ear. I shiver at the words, remembering what it means. Commitment.

“Then do it.” Leveling my gaze to stare directly into his eyes, I speak my truth. “I want to belong to you in every way possible.”

It’s all the permission he needs. With a swift movement, he turns his head and sinks his teeth into the crook of my neck. The sharp pain of sharp fangs cutting into skin and muscle wrings a muffled scream from me, but the sting mingles with the intense pleasure ripping through my body.

My hands scramble for purchase, wrapping around his neck to hold me steady as he slowly withdraws his teeth and licks the tender spot. Buzzing magic rips out of me, magic I didn’t even realize I was holding back. The wound seals over, the pain vanishing until I am shaking with a sense of ecstasy. Magic flows into Cedar too. His head drops, his cheek brushing my temple as he slows and shudders with a guttural growl.

He breathes in the scent of my hair, and everything is still for a moment before his head pops up and he inspects the bite mark. Even without touching it, I can tell the skin is healed.

“Are you good?” he asks quietly, leveraging off of me, he drops onto his side. I turn to face him until we’re settled chest to chest, just like last time. But now, everything is different.

“Never better. How does it look?” I tilt my jaw to give him clear access.

“Perfect.” He traces the spot. As he relaxes into his pillow, the dim light hits his neck and chest. My eyes focus on the place where his shoulder meets his neck - the same location as my new mark. A pale line swirls over his skin like a scar. Leaning forward, I narrow my eyes as I study it. A silvery vine swirls across his skin, complete with leaves and tendrils.

“Hey, babe, I think I did something.” I can’t look away from the mark that must have come from my magic.

“What?”

“I may have accidentally claimed you too.”

Frowning, Cedar crawls out of bed and strides to the sink along the back wall, beside the door to the toilet and shower. My teeth sink into my bottom lip as I watch his naked body unabashedly. The harsh light flicks on, illuminating his golden skin. He stares, completely silent as he tilts his head to examine the spot. In the light, it can’t be missed.

“Are you okay with that? I can try to remove it.”

Slowly, a grin spreads across his face. When he turns, I’m stunned by the intensity of his joy. In two steps, he’s dropping onto the bed and crashing his mouth down on mine.

His insistent kiss steals all thought. For long minutes, I’m lost in the feel of his lips on mine and the way his hand brushes over my new claim mark and then winds down my chest.

When he finally releases me, I smile back. “So you like it?”

He hesitates, and I can see thoughts churning in his head. “I thought this would be one sided and you would wear my bite but have nothing to mark me as yours. But I should have known better. You are extraordinary.”

My mouth falls open.

“Can you feel our bond?” he prompts.

Closing my eyes, I breathe out and open myself to feel everything around me. The pulse of life and magic is strong around me, but it’s the touch of something unfamiliar that I focus on. Drawing it forward, I sense a delirious happiness mingled with surprise.

“Yeah, I think so.” The happiness surges, leaving no doubt I’m sensing his emotions.

“We can test what it does for you, but you should be able to generally track me and feel my emotions and some physical feelings.”

“Oh.” The intense ecstasy that left me shaking from right after he marked me comes to mind. Maybe I was feeling more than my own pleasure. From the pride swelling in my chest, I suspect all of his emotions are reflected back to me. It’ll take work to learn to distinguish his feelings from mine, but I’m confident I can manage it.

“So now that we’ve committed our lives together,” I say, trailing off.

He kisses the tip of my nose before answering. “I’ll come to Los Angeles with you. Or anywhere else you want to go.”

“What if, and just hear me out, because I know this is a crazy idea,” I say, “What if we moved back to your home?”

His hand stroking over my arm stills. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to.”

“My only priority is your happiness. Where we live doesn’t matter.” He is deadly serious.

“That’s the thing,” I say, picking my words carefully. “I’ve never been as happy anywhere as I was there. Even before we got together. My sister is there. It’s so full of life. I’ve never had friends like that before. I don’t want to be anywhere else.”

The other reasons won’t help convince him. Making my partner happy is important to me and he will be happiest at home with his family and friends. And the same goes for me. I want to be with Hazel and Heath, and especially baby Timber.

“You really want to live with us?” he asks, a smile breaking over his face.

“I love you.” It bursts out of me, uncontrollable. “I’m happy anywhere you are, but if that’s with your family and mine, that’s even better.”

“I love you.” He echoes, his voice rough. The glow is back to his eyes and I eye his full lips and the hint of fangs I know they hide.