Page 43 of Hunted By Her Demon Wolves

Tor looked at the gamma, Marius, who was sucking at the air like a fish out of water. “Do it!” he commanded. He had enough to account for. He wouldn’t have their deaths on his hands, too.

No sooner had she released the magic, then they were stumbling to their feet, their claws unsheathed. The gamma and beta both shifted into white wolves, circling Tor with saliva dripping from their fangs. When Jovan shifted into a protector, pounding his chest like an ape, Tor knew he was out of time. He’d have to defend himself or die at Jovan’s meaty paws.

Tor was about to shift, but then Jovan crumpled to the floor with a heavy thud, making the entire house shake. The wolves fell over with whimpers, and all three of them went to sleep. Another thud was heard downstairs.

Eilea stood, dragging her hands through her hair before glaring at Jezebeth. “A simple sleeping spell was all you needed.”

Jezebeth shrugged, not looking sorry in the least. “Choking spells are more fun.”

Tor gaped at Eilea for a moment, not sure if he should run before she knocked him out, too. “Do you remember?”

“Of course I do.” She gave him a long look. “My spells never fail.” She crossed over to the sleeping babies, pressing her fingers to her lips and then their cheeks. “Sleep tight, little ones. Mama has to go save your big brothers from hell.”

* * *

PHOENIX HAD A HARDtime focusing on washing herself, knowing Cadmus was so near. The pool was only a few feet deep, but the water was warm and soothing. She grabbed a loose rock of pink salt off the floor and used it to scrub away the day’s grime. She could feel the salt in the water, a gentle abrasive on her skin, which meant it wasn’t drinkable. Damn. She was so thirsty. She gently cleaned her intimate parts, palming her firm breasts and peaked nipples. They hardened even more as she imagined Cadmus’s mouth suckling them. Her fingers lingered on that tender spot between her legs as she imagined Cadmus’s fingers were stroking her instead. Stifling a groan, she reluctantly pulled away, knowing she was only coaxing out more pheromones and sending Cadmus the wrong signals. Or maybe they were the right signals. It wouldn’t be so bad—having sex with her fated mate. If she couldn’t sate her thirst or hunger, at least she could find other ways to find satisfaction. Ugh. She forced such thoughts out of her mind. She hardly knew him, and she had no idea what to do. What if she was terrible at it? She curled her hands into fists, her claws unsheathing and digging into her palms. The pain made her focus on something else. Forcing herself to relax, she slowly sank until the water covered her collarbone, letting the brine soothe her sore muscles.

Though she wanted to sink deeper into the pool and never come out, she knew Cadmus was probably sick of smelling himself. She washed her underthings in the pool and then slung them across jagged rocks jutting from the wall like shelves. Then she tied her wet hair in a knot on top of her head and slipped into her sweatshirt and jeans, no easy feat when she was still wet.

She called to Cadmus, who was sitting at the edge of the cavern, scanning the skies. He jumped to his feet and stalked past her, his long appendage swinging like a garden hose as he flashed a wicked grin.

“How was the water?” he asked.

“I-it was nice,” she rasped, having to force out the words through a throat that had suddenly gone bone dry. It took all her willpower not to gawk at his gorgeous body as she stared at the glimmery pink wall behind him instead.

Taking his place at the edge of the cavern, she watched the crimson skies for any sign of trouble. Not a creature stirred—no birds, no mice, and not a single bug. It was as if the land had been picked clean of all other forms of life. She was keenly aware of the splashing sounds behind her as she fought the urge to look over her shoulder. How badly she wanted to watch her mate bathe. She could only imagine how beautiful the dips and curves of his glistening muscles looked bathed in water droplets.

“What’s this?”

She looked over her shoulder at Cadmus as he stood at the edge of the pool and waved her lacy black bra like a flag. “It’s called a bra.”

She realized they probably didn’t have bras three thousand years ago. She wasn’t sure what they wore. Girdles? Fur pelts?

He pulled back the clasp and shot it at her like a slingshot. “What’s its purpose?”

Damn him. She’d cleaned it for a reason.

She snatched the damp bra off the gritty floor with a scowl and shook it off. “To hold my breasts in place.”

“Why would you want that?” He flashed a fanged grin. “They look so beautiful when they bounce.”

Ooh, he was wicked. She fought back a laugh. “Unlike you, I’m not bold enough to run naked all over hell.”

“You should’ve washed your clothes, too.” He motioned to the big sweatshirt she used to hide her free, bouncy breasts.

She frowned down at the stained and crusty shirt, and her cheeks flamed when he looked at her as if he was visually undressing her.“And wear what, exactly?”

Those spiked horns on his head appeared to lengthen. “Me.”

She rolled her eyes to that waning ball of light hugging the ceiling. “I’m not ready, Cadmus.”Liar,she said to herself. She was more than ready, but she was scared. Gritting her teeth, she crossed over to the pool and grabbed her damp shorts. She threw them at him. “I want you to wear this.”

He clutched the fabric, frowning down at the little purple hearts against a lime green background. “What do I need this for?”

She had to cover her mouth to hide her smile. “To cover your demon parts.”

He looked at her, his eyes smoldering. “Bennu preferred me naked.”

Frustrated, she shook her head. He was more stubborn than any of the Amaroki alphas. She could only imagine how much more stubborn his alpha brothers were. “How many times do I need to tell you I’m Phoenix now?” She folded her arms, trying not to sound like a petulant child as she eyed him for a long moment.

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