Page 51 of Witches Be Damned

Heather extended a small hand with nails painted a gorgeous copper that would match my sunset-orange hair dye. “Welcome. We’ve heard so much about you!”

What did he say? I didn’t want to go over ground already covered.

“It’s nice to meet you both.” I clasped her hand, shaking it once. “Raze talks about you often. Thank you for keeping him company.”

Sheer size made my wolf daunting. Cautious, guarded, and mysterious added to his illusion of intimidation, and I kind of understood why the other shifters kept their distance at first. It didn’t seem he had that problem now with the welcome he got upon our return to camp. I was beyond grateful that she took a chance on getting to know him and keeping him company when he was alone without his pack.

Heather drew me into a soft hug. “He’s a good man. An outsider like me. Outsiders bond, don’t we?” She winked at him, and he rumbled louder.

I smiled. She summed up Raze perfectly. Once my men and I got out of prison, we’d have our own little pack, and Raze could nest until his heart was content… minus the babies… just for a few years. After my time in prison, I need a solid two years of recovery, endless vacations, and solace time to catch up on reading.

“I love your nail polish,” I gushed, taking liberties and clasping her hand to examine the colors. Equations bubbled in my brain how to create that exact color and with what chemicals.

“Thanks.” She flexed her fingers wide, admiring their rounded shape and the large rock she sported on her engagement finger. “Steele bought it for me. He loves the color.”

I liked her instantly and felt a familiarity and comfort that I didn’t get from any of the inmates I was surrounded with for almost a year and a half.

Raze slid in next to the mountain man, assisting him in plucking the second chicken. “Pussy!” He nudged his new friend on the bicep.

Steele cracked the first inclination of a smile and thumped him on the arm. “I give you three months until you’re a sucker.”

I never would have pegged the bear for a romantic who bought his girl makeup. Surprises all around.

“He already is.” I threw my wolf into the hot seat, and he pivoted and chased me in circles through the hut, catching me, lifting me, and biting my neck, laughing for a few beats.

“Now you won’t be so lonely in the pussy club, babe.” Heather rubbed Steele’s forearm.

The four of us laughed, and I hadn’t felt this light, free, or happy in a long time. When was the last time I did normal things, like attend a party, go to a bar, go camping, hiking, fishing, Friday night barbecue, or a bonfire? This gave me a strong sense of what my life would resemble post Guardians, and my heart ached for freedom harder than ever.

When Raze went back to the bench, Steele threw an arm over him and said, “Welcome to the pussy club, brother.”

Heather and I exchanged a smile.

She waved me over to the cooler Steele carried from her car, peeling off the lid and exposing various alcoholic drinks on ice. Vodka and sodas bottles, Great Western beer cans, ciders, and more.

“What will you have?” Heather picked out a Jack Daniels and Coke can.

“The same, please,” I replied, and she lifted me one.

The iced can cooled my warm palms. We cracked open our drinks and indulged in a sip, the whisky sweet and fresh on my tongue.

“Beer, boys?” Heather asked her man and mine, and they nodded. She delivered them cans, and they chatted in the background, leaving us to talk, share stories, and laugh.

With the food ready and set in the fridge, the four of us washed up, moved to a circular pit covered in ash, Heather and me taking one of the log seats.

“Watch and learn, ladies and gent.” Raze took the lead, piling thicker branches over smaller twigs and stems.

He showed Steele how to light a fire the way his former tribe did, rubbing sticks between his palms, smoking the wood until it caught fire, and Raze blew on it, encouraging the flames.

“You have a go.” My wolf moved to the opposite side of the pile of wood and handed Steele the stick he used, guiding him on technique, and cheering the werewolf as he got flames going.

“Club parties are never going to be the same.” Steele grinned, tossing the sticks into the fire.

“Club?” I enquired as Raze nudged the blaze to expand.

“Dash and I run the Lithgow chapter of the Jackals’ Wrath Motorcycle Club.” Steele crossed over to the seat with Heather, circling his arm over her waist, pulling her close to him.

More bikers. Oh, damn, Heather was one lucky girl.

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