Page 51 of Wildfire Witch

Rusty lifted his head, baring a whole mouthful of sharp teeth as he gasped. I made to withdraw my hand before I seriously injured him, just for him to grab my wrist and press my fingers deeper into his skin.

As we both came, he twisted his head and latched his mouth down at the top of my arm, mirroring the wound I gave him. My eyes rolled back, feeling the bond form between us, tethered in place by our matching injuries. The pain sharpened, then changed shape with shifter magic as we both let up on one another. Darkness closed in on the edges of my vision.

The next thing I knew, Rusty was patting my cheek. “Nix. Nix! Wake up.” His concerned face swam back into sight as I came back from the edge of unconsciousness. Motes of warm earth were in my bloodstream now, dancing happily with the earth that came naturally to me as a green witch. I felt whole in a way I hadn’t experienced since before I was cursed.

I smiled to reassure him, laughing. He was still hard and inside of me, I realized with a thrill. “That was amazing,” I breathed.

“Completely agreed. Look, you’re mine now.” His finger traced a path on my arm, exactly where he’d bitten me. There was no pain, just a tingle of awareness. Somehow, the wound had become a tattoo that shimmered with shifter magic as it set on my skin. A miniature earthen dragon looped over the site of his bite. As the sun narrowed to a sliver of light, I had to squint to see the details.

It looked like the dragon’s front arms were wrapped around a diamond as big as its head, an inch or so, and it was cut to round,gleaming facets. “I think a diamond suits you,” Rusty continued, as I rubbed it and watched it sparkle. “Youarea diamond, formed from heat and pressure. And look at what your claim did to me.”

He tapped his arm, and I looked, relieved to see the Fire Brotherhood tattoo shifted to a new form. A beautiful red phoenix, with threads of white in her long tail, was holding the flame in her talons. She struck a proud pose, wings spread to carry the fire away. “You’re not a fire bro anymore,” I said happily, tracing the outline of the tattoo’s wings.

“Never again,” he agreed, rumbling with interest while his tattoo shimmered. “I’m property of Phoenix the Mighty now.”

His soft, playful roar caused me to quiver all over, aware over again that he hadn’t softened a fraction. I undulated my hips, breath catching as we slid together again. “That’s my great wyrm name, hmm?” I teased.

Rusty sat up and twisted me around without trouble, so I landed on my hands and knees on the ground while he pumped into me from behind. He leaned over, covering my back and growling possessively. “Yes. But when you birth my dragonling, we’re not telling the Arax clan shit. I’ll protect our family with my life, even your other males. Make no mistake, though. You’re still mine, my diamond.”

He kept me screaming for him well into the night.

NIX

We returnedto the motel late that night. Rusty’s sharp nose had helped him find our clothes, at least. He carried me, since he’d turned my legs into jelly after claiming me so fiercely.

Ceridor opened the door to the motel room while we whispered about the key. We must’ve been quite the sight, dirty and satisfied. Rusty had given up on plucking the leaves and twigs from my hair after we’d rolled around in the forest together.

The fae’s brows lifted before his silver gaze flashed up to meet Rusty’s. “She’s practically radiant. Well done,” he whispered. “Seth’s asleep, but I couldn’t find rest without her.”

Rusty hesitated, holding in his first reaction with visible effort. “Do you want…?” He lifted me up a few extra inches.

Ceridor nodded, and the dragon transferred me to his arms. I was too sleepy and content to complain, especially when he whispered, “Let’s get you clean, firefly,” then muffled my moans with his mouth while we made love in the shower.

I was an exceptionally happy witch when I finally laid down to sleep with my three men.

And I woke quitesore between my thighs from last night’s sexcapade. “Pussytown’s closed,” I informed a handsy Rusty, swatting his hands away from my thighs once he realized I was awake.

A second set of warm hands framed my curves from behind. “I’d love to know its hours of operation,” Seth said sleepily.

“It’s rarely open before noon. Sometimes earlier, with caffeine,” Ceridor commented from the chair in the corner of the room. He was dressed and thrumming with energy, his leg bouncing with it.

“Yup,” I agreed with a yawn. I was sandwiched between my dragon and witch, their hands still roaming everywhere but over my overworked lady bits. I could fall back asleep just like this…

“Today’s the day we break the curse!”Aodhnait announced while I was on the cusp of dozing off. My eyes opened wide.

I grabbed Rusty’s arm, and he made a curious rumble. “Today’s the day!” I exclaimed. “You guys get to meet Aodhnait, my phoenix. She’s lovely.”

“Thank you. Don’t forget beautiful and talented.”

“And humble,” I added more dryly.“Feeling better?”

“Feeling amazing. Aren’t you?”she answered, whistling happily.

Now that she mentioned it, yes, I definitely did. Bonding with Rusty really had been the last piece to bring balance back to my magic. The curse would still infuse any spell I tried to cast with fire, but soon we would defeat it by pulling Aodhnait free of me.

Both Rusty and Seth were saying something about meeting her, but I’d tuned them out to talk to her. She was a merry, crackling fire in my chest again, no longer suppressed by a wet and cold environment.

“Let’s go,” I declared, getting up. I stumbled into some clothes and braced myself in front of the bathroom mirror, just to recoil with a laugh. My hair was a puffed-out mess, improperly dried after Ceridor had rearranged what was left of my wits last night.

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