Of Shadows and Ash Read online

  There was a desperation in his voice, an urgent need denied for far too long, and now he was going to satisfy that need.

  He thrust his hand between her legs and began to rub, the friction and warmth seeping through her jeans. Selena gasped at the raw pleasure, startled at how good he felt through cloth.

  “Mmm.” He was sucking on that spot again, making her knees shake and her nipples go hard.

  Selena widened her stance, giving him more room to play between her legs. “Gods, Ash. Please.” She wasn’t sure what she was begging for. More touch, more sensation...just more. It felt so good, so right to have him embracing her so intimately, pushing his hard cock up against her ass.

  “Yes.” He whirled her around and picked her up. In a blur they were in the bedroom and she was tossed on the bed, her head swimming at how fast he’d moved. Her shoes were tugged off at lightning speed followed by her jeans and panties.

  And then...

  Oh, goddess. Where had he learned to do that?

  Selena grasped her inner thighs, widening her legs as Ash licked and nipped and sucked at her pussy. He was watching her, his gaze hot, demanding, wanting her pleasure all for himself.

  And she gave him that, let him see what he was doing to her, how good it felt to have the hot, wet warmth of his mouth sucking her clit in, the intoxicating way he seemed to know just where to place his tongue, his lips. She’d never had a lover so skilled, so aware of what brought her to the brink.

  Selena shuddered on the edge of delight. She cupped her breasts through her shirt and bra, desperately wishing she’d already pulled them off, needing the feel of flesh on flesh. When she tumbled, came against him, it was almost too much. Sharp and bright, the pleasure blinded her. Her muscles went tight, her eyes shut, and all she could do was feel.

  When the ecstasy died down and she could see again, Ash was leaning over her, pushing her shirt and bra up and out of his way. Before she could pull them completely off he took one of her nipples in his mouth, sucking on the hard point until she couldn’t remember what she’d been doing. All she could do was watch him, his teeth gently biting the hard point, sucking up a mark she’d probably be embarrassed by later.

  She wanted. Gods, she wanted. He lifted his mouth from her breast and kissed her, the flavor of her pleasure still on his tongue. He devoured her, the urgency in his touch desperate, setting her on fire. She wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing him to her, pulling until he covered her completely.

  He hadn’t even taken off his own pants yet. The jeans rubbed against her sensitive pussy and she whimpered.

  He shuddered in her grasp and broke the kiss. “Let me in.”

  Selena nodded, unable to speak.

  Ash lifted up just enough to undo his jeans and push them down, then he was nudging her, sinking in to her, filling her up so much she’d never be empty again. Ash grasped her wrists, pushing her arms above her head, gazing at her as he fully seated himself inside her.

  The awe and possession would have scared her in any other man, but with Ash, she felt protected, cherished. Wanted.

  She arched against him, needing him closer, deeper than he’d gone, and somehow, some way, she managed to bring him in more than she’d thought possible. Tight and hot, she could feel him throbbing inside her.

  “You ready?”

  “Mmm.” Selena licked her lips. Oh, gods, was she ready. If he didn’t start moving soon she’d set his ass on fire, and not in a good way.

  He smirked, the awe disappearing in raw male satisfaction. He took her mouth again, thrusting gently inside her, moving so slowly and so carefully she could barely feel it. He was being too careful of her, and she was going to have to prove to him she wasn’t some fragile china doll ready to break at the slightest hint of passion.

  She broke the kiss, pulling away as far as she could considering she was the one pressed against the mattress. “Ash?”

  “What?” He took the opportunity to...

  Oh. Oh. Sneaky bastard. Now that he’d found that spot on her neck, he was using it ruthlessly, marking her there with whiskers and teeth, showing she was thoroughly taken. “Fuck me.”

  He stilled. “I though that’s what I was doing.”

  She wiggled, wrapping her legs around his waist again. “Do it like you mean it.”

  Ash glared at her. “I will always mean it.”

  She grinned. “Then do it right.”

  He huffed, but she could tell he was intrigued. “You sure?”

  She raised a brow, daring him to refuse her request.

  “What you do to me.” He buried his face against her neck again. His hands clasped hers, still holding her arms above her head, still keeping her from doing more than clutch him with her legs.

  Ash proceeded to fuck the ever-loving hell out of her.

  Selena cried out as he began pounding into her, thrusting into her until the bed creaked, the headboard banging against the wall in time to their movements. Her breasts rubbed against his chest, the chest hairs tangling with her nipples, sending sharp sensations straight to her clit. She tightened her hands around his as he rubbed his whiskers against her neck, the pinpricks almost too much. Her skin was sensitive there now, sucked almost raw by the man who held her down.

  And still he moved, filling her over and over again, stretching her wide, making her burn in the best possible ways. She couldn’t imagine ever wanting this to end, to be empty once more, to not feel the hot breath on the side of her neck or the cock driving into her with single-minded determination. Desperate, she met him movement for movement, the trembling edge of orgasm once more beneath her feet.

  She couldn’t wait to fall, to feel herself tighten around that hard length. It had been so long since she’d felt the sensation of a man inside her when she came.

  “Come, little witch. Make magic for me again.”

  The demand was feral, his lips moving against that spot, and Selena fell, crying out as she was blinded by a pleasure so fierce she thought she’d break from it.

  Still he moved, fucking her without pause, without mercy, just as she’d wanted. “Again. Give me more, Selena.”

  She tilted her head, silently demanding his attention, moaning as he understood and began sucking once more on her neck. It felt almost as good as when he’d gently bitten her nipples. Her body responded, opening further for him, giving them both what they wanted. The raw passion between them was irresistible.

  Suddenly Ash rolled them, his cock still inside her, holding her tight to his chest as he thrust into her. She got her knees under her and rode him, keeping him down as he’d done to her, their hands still tangled together, their bodies in unison. She didn’t want a single bit of space between them, the shallow thrusts becoming long, dragging slides of wet flesh against hard.

  Selena kissed him, breathless and needy, barely able to keep their lips together as he continued to bring her pleasure beyond compare. Nothing had ever felt this good, this right, as Ashton Ward inside her. Not even her magic could compare to what he was doing to her body and her soul.

  Selena was close, mindless, beyond thought as she sat up and rubbed herself against him. Her eyes closed tight, she chased after the orgasm building between her thighs.

  “Yes, Selena. Fuck, just like that.” He let go of her hands to grab her hips, holding her steady while she fucked him, his fingers digging deep into her flesh.

  Selena put her hands on his chest, kneading his pecs as that throbbing sensation grew and grew, overwhelming her senses until all she knew was the drag and slide of their flesh. And when the dam broke, the pleasure washing over her was so intense she cried out. She shuddered over him, caught in the thrall of her mate, barely aware he’d followed her over the edge into oblivion.

  Shivering in the aftermath of the most intense orgasm she’d ever felt, Selena collapsed against Ash’s chest with a moan. “Oh. My. God.”

  He was breathing harshly, sweat dotting his forehead and turning his bright hair a dark, dappled gre
en. His heavy-lidded gaze met hers, sleepy with satisfaction. He thrust lazily inside her, almost slipping out as he began to soften. “Damn. I knew it would be good, but...damn.”

  She laughed sleepily. “Ditto.”

  He grunted, sliding out of her and moving her until she lay completely against him. “You know, I bet if we practice, we could do better.”

  She thought about that. “They do say practice makes perfect.”

  “And since we should always strive to be perfect...”

  They grinned at each other. She kissed his chest, stroking it as she put her head down again. “We can practice later. Nap time now.”

  “Mmm-hmm.” Ash yawned. “Sleep now, sex later.”

  She planned on holding him to that.

  * * *

  “All right. Let’s set up.” Gideon put his hands on his hips and looked around Selena’s living room. “We need to move as much of the furniture out of the way as possible if we’re going to fit everyone in.”

  “Do we have the round table?” Greer picked up one end of the white sofa with ease. His brother might be pining, but he’d insisted on pitching in and being present during the séance.

  “Selena said Dragos was bringing it. He’s got some folding ones in the mansion for those big seasonal parties he throws.” Ash picked up the other end and helped Greer move the sofa against the wall. “Rock asked Amara and Parker to stop by the ranger station before heading here. He mentioned asking them to bring something from the elementals that he believes will help.” It seemed word of Selena’s problem had gotten around, and the elementals were just as eager to help the witch doctor as the witches were.

  “That’s excellent.” Gideon seemed pleased. “If we have some of their power boosting us this will be much safer than I’d thought.”

  Greer blinked. “Shit. You’re saying this could be dangerous for Selena?”

  Gideon shook his head. “It could be dangerous for all of us, not just her.”

  Ash and Greer exchanged a glance, each of them on the same page, but it was Ash who said it first. “Mina can’t come.”

  “We need to call Dragos. He’s the only one who stands a chance of convincing her to remain within the Throne.” Greer pulled out his cell phone. “What the...?” He scowled. “I charged this.”

  Sure he had. Greer had been forgetting little things recently, like closing the entrance to their home or leaving his sword beneath his tree. “Let me call them.” Ash took out his phone, frowning when the screen remained dark. “Gideon?”

  “Let me see.” Gideon drew his as well. “Damn it.” The witch tossed his dead phone onto Selena’s couch. “We need to check some of the other electronics, see if their batteries are dead as well.”

  “Why, what’s going on?” Greer looked confused.

  Ash had a suspicion. “Let me guess. The entity is pulling power from our electronics.”

  Gideon nodded. “Even ghosts and demons need a source of energy. Like people use food for fuel, entities use other means to gather that energy. They can manipulate electrical and magnetic fields to give them what they need. For a rapid boost, they’ll often drain batteries.”

  “Crap. We need to check the video camera.” Greer ran over to where they’d left the video equipment. It was ready to be set up to tape the séance so that they could go over each moment bit by bit, looking for clues or anomalies they might have missed during the actual séance.

  Greer picked up the camera and swore softly. “It’s dead.”

  Ash ground his teeth. “Check other battery operated equipment. Let’s see if they’re drained as well.”

  “I’ll call Dragos on the house line.” Gideon walked into the kitchen, dialing as Ash and Greer checked the rest of the equipment Gideon had brought with him.

  It turned out this wasn’t the first time the coven leader had dealt with a spirit. He’d brought a number of gadgets with him, not just the video recorder. EMF meters, a digital thermometer, two audio recorders and a laptop. The EMF meter would record any changes in the magnetic field of the house.

  They’d already done what Gideon called a baseline test, and they’d do another one in an hour just to be sure. If they could find batteries for the meter.

  The digital thermometer was just that, measuring temperature variations in the house. Gideon had brought it when Ash told him about the bitter cold in Selena’s bedroom.

  The audio recorders would pick up any voices too low for their ears to hear, and Dragos was their back-up for the audio recorders. His shifter hearing would pick up things Ash, Gideon and the rest would miss.

  The laptop would help assemble all of the clues, as well as provide a place to store any data they collected.

  “All the batteries are dead, including the extras I brought.” Greer shook the digital thermometer. “I hope your mate has stockpiled double-A’s, but the cameras are useless. They use specific batteries that take several hours to charge.”

  “Can we plug them in?”

  Gideon’s face turned red, surprising Ash. “I sort of forgot the bag with the cords.”

  Damn it. He would have been angry if Gideon hadn’t looked so pissed at himself. The man had dark circles under his eyes. The coven leader had so much on his plate right now Ash wasn’t surprised something as simple as a bag of electrical cords had been left behind. They’d just have to do without the equipment this time.

  After all, it wasn’t as if they didn’t know what they were dealing with, right?

  The front door opened, admitting Dragos and Mina. “Hey.” Mina made her way over to Ash and hugged him. “You ready for this?”

  He slumped. Damn it, Gideon hadn’t gotten through to Dragos in time. “We were calling you, actually.” He exchanged a glance with Dragos, who smirked and shook his head.

  Mina glared at him. “I heard. And no, I’m not leaving.”

  “Of course not.” Now Ash would have two to protect.

  Dragos put his hand on Mina’s shoulder, silently reassuring Ash that Mina’s back was covered. “Where’s Selena?”

  “Napping. She’s had a stressful day.” The bonding with his tree had taken more out of her than she’d been willing to admit. He felt like they’d barely slept before it was time to go back to Selena’s to prepare for the séance, and he wasn’t the one who’d bonded.

  He smiled, thinking about the easy way his tree had accepted her. He could feel her soul humming through the three way link, assuring him his mate was fine.

  “She’s here?” Mina seemed concerned as she glanced toward Selena’s bedroom. “I would have let her stay at the Throne until the last possible moment.”

  “Let her or made her, dragostea mea?” Dragos sauntered past Mina toward the kitchen to greet Gideon.

  “Good point.” Mina tapped her foot. “Why is Selena here instead of napping safely at the Throne?”

  He shrugged. “She insisted.” When Mina frowned at him he threw up his hands. “I can feel her through my ash. She’s fine.”

  Mina blinked. “You can? But...you’re not fully bonded yet.”

  He could feel his ash in the back of his mind, reassuring him that all was well. “It’s possible it has something to do with Selena being a witch. She’s closer to the earth than Dragos.”

  “Maybe.” But Mina still looked worried. “It might also be because she’s the witch doctor, and more used to bonding on a mental level.”

  “Have any of the ruling dryads ever bound themselves to a witch doctor before?” Ash wasn’t certain, but he thought he would have remembered it if they’d been told.

  “Not that I’m aware of.”

  “No, it’s never happened before.” Dragos and Gideon came back into the room, Dragos going immediately to Mina’s side. The vampire rarely let her out of his sight for long. “Most witch doctors wind up mating within the coven. They’re far too precious to allow outside the coven, but Selena has always been different.”

  Gideon nodded. “They’re considered spiritual leaders of our p
eople. Having Selena mate outside the coven has upset some of our more rigid members, but I’m working on it.”

  Mina leaned against Dragos. “We need to be open to whoever our mates are, and accept them no matter what.”

  Greer’s brows rose. “Some of us have an easier time with that than others.”

  “Sorry, Greer.” Mina hugged him. “I swear, we’re going to kick Carter’s ass.”

  “Oh, good idea. Might want to run it by Noah first, though.” Dragos winced when his mate smacked him. “What? Carter has to know Greer and Mollie are mates, but he’s dating her anyway. That’s interfering with a mate bond, and if Noah doesn’t allow you to step in then I will.” Dragos crossed his arms over his chest. “This has the potential to effect the balance of the town. I can’t have one of the ruling dryads pining way due to a broken bond, not when it’s so easily fixed.”

  Greer sighed. “Let me handle this, please.”

  Ash was more inclined to agree with Dragos. “I’m sorry, bro, but if things don’t change soon you won’t be able to.”

  Greer opened his mouth to reply but the front door opened once more. Ash found himself vaguely irritated. It seemed that no one felt the need to knock any more.

  Or had it always been that way? Had Selena always had an open-door policy? He remembered the few times he’d had to come to her door because Maggie’s Grove needed its witch doctor. She hadn’t seemed terribly surprised to see him, or by their need of her. The sheer volume of phone calls he’d listened in on while living with her had shocked him.

  He’d need to do something about that. He wouldn’t have his mate exhausting herself taking care of others. He’d make sure she had regular hours. Perhaps Dragos would give her an office, make her position an official one within the Maggie’s Grove government. She was already paid by the town to do what she did, so having an office and taking appointments—except for emergencies—would make sense.