Page 63 of Watch Me Burn

“If you know where to look.” A hint of a tease tugs on his lip as he uses his free hand to take a strand of my hair, twirling it around his finger all the way to the tip of his wolfish claw. “What? You didn’t ask Elise?”

I laugh softly. Mainly because this is the first time I haven’t picked up on a slight bit of jealousy whenever he talks about Elise. And, looking back, I should really start to question my observational skills. Because it’s obvious in hindsight that hewasjealous of Elise. Sure, part of his attitude in regards to her and whether or not she was biting me had to do with wolf shifters and vampires being ancient enemies.

The other part has everything to do with me being his fated mate, and Conall being jealous ofanyoneI might like more than him.

But the fire opal…

“What about it?”

“When you first told me it could get rid of your powers, I didn’t understand. We’re supes, Red. We’re either born this way, like shifters and witches and some bloodsuckers. Then there are those that are made, like ghouls and corpses. But there’s nothing except final death that takes away our power. Silver can weaken us, sure, but a crystal that takes away a part of you? It didn’t make sense.”

“So, what? The fire opal can’t do that?”

“It might. But everything I read… I don’t think it’s supposed to make you less of a witch. I think it’s supposed to help you be the best witch you can.”

Maybe. Who the hell knows?

But right now?

I kiss him. “It’s too late for that. You’ve already got that job, hotshot.”

“For life,” he vows.

“You know it.”

It’s late.Well, Dyea late. According to Conall, it was nearly seven when the moon fever got so bad, he couldn’t keep himself contained anymore. It wasn’t the chains trapping him in his house. It was his own determined will, and as soon as he snapped them, he went after me.

Then he saw the sandwich, realized that my faded scent had me leaving his apartment before heading out toward the woods. There was no stopping him. He shifted to his wolf and tore off into the woods in search of me.

I don’t know how long we were together in the cave. Add the fact that we stopped halfway back to the entrance when Conall’s need overwhelmed him so much, he practically begged me to let him mate me again.

A six foot tall, ripped shifter pleading with me to have sex with him? Yes, please. How could I refuse?

This time, he braced me against one of the cave walls. Though I could sense the raging desire in every taut muscle of his body, he was careful with his claws as he lowered my leggings again. He seemed to understand that I’m not about to walkthrough the woods naked, and he won’t be able to bring himself to leave me alone long enough to retrieve a change of clothes for either of us.

Once he finished, he eased my leggings back up, humming with pride even though I made him pull out and finish on the floor of the cave. One thing I don’t know about shifters is how fertile they are, and I figure that’s something we can talk about before we initiate round three—hopefully in his bed this time.

However, Conall’s good mood shifts as quickly as he can to his wolf the moment we reach the entrance to the underground caves. It’s a steep incline back to the surface, and I had to vanish the fireball I was holding in order to allow Conall to grip my hand to help me.

In my other, I’m clutching a small hunk of the fire opal we discovered. Using his shifter strength, he punch a hole into the cavern wall, retrieving me a piece to take with me tonight. We’ll come back for more when the full moon is over. For now, he wanted to give me a piece, both to commemorate our mating night and so that, when I’m ready to use it, I can see just how it’ll affect me and my magic.

If he’s right, it won’t erase my powers. It’ll work with them, turning me into an even more powerful witch. And maybe I totally misunderstand what Celeste was telling me—or her own research was just different than Conall’s. I don’t know, but I’ve spent so much time searching for the fire opal because I didn’t want to worry about the witch hunters coming after me again.

Now? Between my powers and my ferocious wolf shifter mate, I’m not worried about the witch hunters anymore.

I should’ve been.

Just as we reach the top, Conall goes still. He sniffs, a growl forming in the back of his throat.

I squeeze his hand. “What’s wrong?”

“I smell gasoline. Fire and gasoline.”

What?

He tugs on my hand, pulling me the rest of the way out of the final cave, and when he does, I let out a cry when I understand what he means.

Because the woods surrounding Dyea are burning.

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