Page 81 of Cursed Beasts

He looked good in dark trousers and a white button down. If they were more tailored to his body and he had a jacket, I wouldn’t doubt he could be on the cover of a magazine.

I followed him into the library to our spot, where he set down the tray on the table. I set my bag down on a chair as he took everything off the tray. Two glasses of wine accompanied the bread with pieces of string and wheat.

Lucien and I stood facing each other as we recited a harvest prayer. Each of us tied a string to a piece of wheat and sliced a piece of bread to go with it to signify the process of the abundance we received from the gods. I felt that familiar feeling of magic as we finished giving our thanks.

It warmed my heart that I was able to feel magic once again, wondering if it was just from Lucien and I holding hands. I let my eyes close to ask for guidance and to give thanks for allowing me to celebrate another Lammas.

We finished the small prayer with thanks to the gods and goddesses before we cut another slice to enjoy the bounty that was shown upon us. The wine was a perfect pairing with the bread and rosemary butter. The bread was still slightly warm, making it that much better.

“Did your pack ever do big celebrations for today?” I asked, feeling a little worried about hitting a sore subject.

“We had a huge sunset picnic, and we usually ran afterwards. We also broke bread with the pack,” he said, smiling as he stared off into the distance.

“What’s it like, being a wolf? I mean, when you’re not angry and vicious,” I said, before I took a sip of my wine.

He chuckled.

“Well, it’s freeing. It’s one of the best things in the world. I miss being one with my wolf instead of at war with it.” He looked dreamy for a moment. “I don’t know if it's because I have magic and am a wolf, but I feel one with nature. It’s a connection that runs deep and when I’m in my wolf form, I can feel the magic of the earth that much more.”

“That sounds amazing,” I said, with longing.

“I was thinking …” Lucien scooted forward, taking my hands. “I think you have magic. It would explain why my wolf thought you were lying. We just have to figure out why you can’t access it.”

“You really think so?” I swallowed roughly as hope unfurled in my heart.

“It’s just a theory, but Aeon, Zev and I felt a small amount of magic on you when you first got here. I don’t know if it was the spell, but now it doesn’t feel as strong.”

My hope fell off the earth.

“Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get your hopes up.” He cupped my face. “I still think there is a possibility you’ve felt it before, and I think that is a great sign.”

“Thanks. I think I’ve wanted magic for so long that I just immediately hoped that there could be a chance.” I pushed myself into his body and his arms locked me to his chest.

“I was thinking tonight we could—”

I didn’t give him a chance to finish his sentence. I curled my hand around the back of his neck for a kiss.

“I think I know exactly what I want to do,” I said, in between kisses. That lit a spark in Lucien as he deepened the kiss, picked me up and set me down on the table.

“I think I want a taste, Kit Kat,” he growled.

34

AEON

I’ve never had a reason to be jealous of anything. I had a good life growing up. Almost everything I wanted was at my disposal and if it wasn’t, I worked hard for it. When it came to Lucien, he was always around, so flirting with him was easy. When we became trapped here, I made sure he knew we couldn’t be anything more than sex buddies; he was just here to help me pass the time pleasurably.

Zev told me I’d regret it; I didn’t believe him until now. I had resigned myself to never having a true mate, and when Lucien grew older my longing for a mate intensified. Lucien always scared me with his feelings. I didn’t want to give myself false hope that we could be happy with each other.

I had always suspected we could be mates, or that we were mates. Now, with the Belladonna, I felt her allure, her pull. I had tried so hard to stay away, but seeing them together was driving me insane. My wolf and I wanted both of them, I yearned for them.

The day I gave her Vivienne's book, I wanted to talk about it with them, but when I saw them together, jealousy burned in me. I was mad at myself for not trusting my instincts when I saved her; things could have gone differently. I wouldn’t feel like this, and I could stop obsessing over them.

When I watched them have sex together, I could have finished in my pants with no stimulation. At first, they were awkward, but once they found their confidence, I was ready to tip over the edge with them, and I almost did.

I took a deep breath as I stalked the landing, waiting for the Belladonna to make her way to the library. My back was to a wall within the shadows, I had a good view of the stairs in case Zev also showed up.

He looked like he had been having a hard time since he wasn’t changing into his human form as often. His glares directed at the Belladonna were worrying me; he was ready to do something he might regret, something that would ignite a fight he might not be able to win against Lucien.

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