Page 40 of Blue Moon Mistress

“If you had talked to me about this before you did it… Scarlette,” She says my name so quietly, I almost don’t hear it. “If you’re not careful, they will grow to resent you for the power you hold over them… And if they decide to take back their wolves and the worst happens. I do not relish the idea of what I will have to do to them.”

Because that was one of the things I didn’t tell them. The dangerous aspect of the spell.

“If they take them back, you are not to harm a hair on their bodies. Do you understand me?”

“That is not a promise I will make.” There’s a tapping that’s too familiar to second guess. She’s drumming her long nails on the table. “But I will do everything I can to keep this from therest of the coven. If they think you’re trying to draw power from them…”

“It’s not about power, mother. It’s about protection.”

“I highly doubt they will see it that way.”

Six

The knockon my door isn’t unexpected.

The fact Thomas was able togetto my door without my noticing is. He waits on my porch in a pair of slacks and a dark blue flannel under his coat.

“Good morning.” I step aside to let him in. “Why aren’t you in school, young man?”

Thomas laughs and shrugs out of his coat. “Canceled. Someone broke in last night and destroyed one of the bathrooms.

“No plumbing, no school. Can’t put a thousand kids in a building where the water’s been shut off.”

“Sounds horrible.”

“It would be.” He slips his hand around my waist and reels me to him. “So I thought I’d drop by and see if I could entertain you, or at least be of use.”

“What sort of entertainment did you have in mind?”

“For right now, I was thinking I could distract you.” Brushing his thumb across my lip, he smiles and bites his own. “But tonight… Come to the house? It’s the only night we’re all sure we’re home, so it’s game night.”

“And what games do you play?”

“The usual ones. You know, board, card, charades… As the newest player, you’ll get the first pick.”

“Sounds fun.”

He licks his lips. “We’ll make sure it is.”

“Okay.”

“Perfect. Our place. Six? Or is that too early?”

“My schedule is completely open today. There’s no possibility of ‘too early’.”

He chuckles and picks me up, holding me against him and making it sohe’sthe one who has to look up. “If I’d known that, I’d have convinced you to come to our place and sneak in my room like we were both teenagers.”

“Unlike most people’s parents, I can guarantee the guys would have known I was there.”

Thomas nips at my chin. “Even better.”

“You really do like sharing, don’t you?”

“Oh, they could watch… but this is my turn.” He kisses me and lets me slide, slowly down his body. “Has anyone told you I’m the kind of guy who likes to eat dessert first?”

“They have not.”

“In that case,” he straightens and his mouth crumples, trying to suppress a grin. “Miss Scarlette Mathis, may I have the honor of taking you to bed?”

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