Twice Bitten

  “Damn,” she whispered to Tracy.

  “Right?” Tracy waved and he began to make his way over.

  Josh moved to them, pausing to kiss Michelle. “Sorry, I got caught up. Rose wanted to show me the picture she drew of Milton.”

  Akio approached and Josh held a hand out that Akio took. “Akio, this is my mate Michelle. Michelle, this is Akio Minami. He’s part of the Enforcer corps in Boston. He’s here with Jack and the wolves from National.”

  She smiled and he took her hand. “It’s nice to meet you. Josh was telling us all about you on the way over from the airport.”

  He had a great accent. So much Boston in it.

  As she chatted with Akio, Josh put an arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him, looking up at him with a smile. He’d seen this dozens of times. A member of his pack when they’d come to a Joining with a new bonded mate. He’d always thought it was great, but now that it was him, he understood the ridiculous smiles, the way they’d needed to touch so much.

  As it was, wolves needed that contact. They were a touchy-feely group. But every time he put his hands on her, it soothed him, excited him, made him feel like he’d just won something awesome.

  And there was something between Akio and Michelle. Akio was the kind of male who listened more than he talked. Which was a quality Josh respected a great deal. But he came out of his shell when he was around people he genuinely enjoyed.

  Like he was doing just then. Charming Michelle with stories of Boston and the wolves there.

  Akio paused, a hand on her arm, when Jack called his name. “I’m sorry to interrupt. I need to go see what he needs. I’m sure we’ll talk more.” Akio smiled and nodded to Josh before he headed to see what Jack needed.

  “You’re here! And look at you, the bond looks good on you.” Gina came over and pulled Michelle into a hug.

  “Hi there.” Michelle smiled at Gina, and Josh realized she’d already made friends. He was totally grateful for that. They chatted, and Josh scanned the room automatically, always alert for any problems.

  Akio stood with Nick and Jack, everyone wearing serious faces. Truth be told, he’d thought Akio would be an excellent choice as an anchor. He was strong and smart. And he lived across the country so while he would of course be at their home for the holidays and that sort of thing, he wouldn’t be in their same pack or the same city.

  It would be easier on them all that way. He’d seen anchors pining for the woman they could not have, and he didn’t wish that on anyone. He wanted Michelle to be close and comfortable with her anchor, but he sure as fuck didn’t want any other male being in love with his woman. The distance would help with that.

  Damon came over and hugged Michelle, and Josh nearly socked him in the face. He didn’t stop a growl, which made Michelle tense up and give him a look laced with apprehension. Funny, he hadn’t felt nearly this possessive when Akio had just touched Michelle. Another point to him as a possible anchor.

  Gina snorted a laugh and patted Michelle’s arm. “They’re all like this with mates. Damon too. They don’t really mean anything by it. Have you had anything to eat yet?”

  “Let’s get a toast and introduce Michelle to the pack.” Tracy took Gabe’s hand as he approached.

  “Oh good idea.” Josh bent and dropped a kiss on Michelle’s cheek. “Welcome, beautiful, to Pacific.”

  Michele blushed and Josh breathed her in deep.

  Tracy bustled off to gather everyone for the official Joining and Michelle turned to Josh. “So I get on my knees and say what to them?”

  “We’ll both do it, side by side. All you’ll need to do is agree to swear fealty. You’re not a wolf, but through me, you share my rank. By swearing fealty, you’re agreeing to shepherd the wolves in Pacific, to keep them safe and keep their best interests foremost in your words and deeds.”

  She nodded and took the glass of champagne Tracy handed her.

  Tracy whistled loudly and everyone gave her their attention.

  “Tonight we give witness to the Joining of Michelle Slattery, mate to Josh Neelan, to Pacific.”

  There were hoots and applause as Michelle looked over the room. So amazing to be welcomed like this. So many faces, openly friendly, smiling, pleased to welcome her.

  Josh put a little pressure on her arm so she knew to kneel with him in front of the Alpha trio. “Michelle, do you swear fealty to Pacific and its wolves?”

  “I do.”

  And then her magick rose, swirled around and seemed to mix with theirs. Knitting, in a sense, her essence to the energy of the pack.

  Josh looked over at her with a smile. She felt his pleasure through the link. His happiness and love.

  Nick helped her up and turned her to face the group. “Welcome, Michelle, to Pacific and best wishes on your bond to Josh.”

  More raised glasses and cheers as people came forward to introduce themselves, kiss her cheek or rub their faces along her jaw.

  “It’s a gesture of affection and respect,” Akio murmured, as he appeared at her side, explaining the cheek-rubbing thing.

  “Ah, gotcha. Thanks.”

  He inclined his head.

  After what seemed like forever with the cheek rubs and the kisses and welcomes, they headed into a huge dining room where a buffet dinner had been laid out. They filled plates and milled around until Gina approached them.

  She pointed to a couch in a far corner where Damon sat. “We saved you guys a place.”

  They all followed her over and put their drinks down on the nearby coffee table. Josh grinned at Damon. “It’s out of the way of traffic but near enough to the food.”

  Akio was already sitting with them, and Jack came over and sat next to Akio as they all chatted about Enforcer-type stuff. Michelle had expected to feel excluded or bored, but the stuff they talked about was a lot like cop work and she found herself offering suggestions and asking questions.

  Feeling like she could belong after all.

  * * *

  She and Gina had escaped outside to stand on the huge back deck watching a large group of kids play with Milton, Tracy’s ridiculously sweet and goofy lab. He looked as if he might just pass out with the joy of all the giggles and pets he was getting.

  They’d chatted about every day things, about the next get-together with the Owen witches in Portland and how it would now be a welcome dinner for Michelle. Gina helped her understand the current politics within Clan Owen, the clash of old world and the rules which had kept witches safe for the last century or so, and the decidedly more modern views held by Meriel Owen, who wanted to come out to the humans before something bad happened and they were outed anyway.

  Michelle tended to agree with Meriel’s perspective.

  She appreciated all Gina’s help and advice, and it was nice to have the beginnings of a new friendship as well. She had a lot to learn. A lot to understand and people seemed to be going out of their way to help her. It made things better. A little less confusing.

  They talked about the threat the mages posed. Gina filled her in on how a group of them had worked with Dominic Bright’s mother who was a turned witch. They’d ambushed Dominic, who was Meriel’s husband and led the Owen Clan at her side, and had tried to kill and drain them. It had been the start of all this madness with missing witches and had been getting increasingly worse.

  They had no answers. Michelle had spoken with Lark earlier about finding Allie. They suspected a very bad something was at work, but there were so many unanswered questions and the unsettled nature of it left Michelle uneasy.

  Sometimes cases just went unsolved. She knew that. But this was more than a usual case. Others would keep on disappearing until they figured it out. Allie had been a casualty, but there were others who needed to be avenged and she’d do all she could to help that happen.


  Josh came out as Gina went in. He kissed Michelle’s temple and she leaned into him. “You all right, beautiful?”

  “Yes. It’s been a lovely evening. I just needed the air and some quiet.” It had gotten louder and louder inside until she’d had to escape it out there in the dark.

  He laughed quietly. “Wolves can be a raucous bunch. I can’t tell you how many people have stopped to tell me how much they enjoyed meeting you tonight. You’re making friends right and left.”

  “Even Esme.”

  He cringed and she laughed, poking his side. “She was nice. Apologized for the situation the other day at Tracy’s house. It’s fine. She knows you’re mine, and as long as it stays that way, things are great. I’d hate to have to kill her.”

  He squeezed her to his side. “It only makes me hot when you talk that way.”

  “You’re weird.”

  “I am. Listen, so about the anchor thing... I don’t want to rush you, but time is getting short. The longer you go without one, the harder it will be for you to manage everything. All the stuff between us, all the emotion traveling through the link is incredibly intense and it can swamp you, make it hard to think and get through. Your anchor will settle down the background noise.”

  She sighed. It wasn’t Josh’s fault. He was up front with her. She did this knowing she had to deal with everything that came with the bond, the good and the bad and the plain old weird. “So my choices were the people I met tonight?”

  “Yes.”

  “What do you think?”

  “It’s more what you think. I know each of them would be honored to serve as your anchor, but this is someone you’re going to be connected to for the rest of your life. It’s your choice to make.”

  “Well yes, but you’ll be connected to them too.”

  “True. Keeping in mind that the decision is ultimately yours, I think Akio is an excellent choice. He’s a good man. A good wolf. Strong and vicious when he has to be. Connected to his pack, he takes his responsibilities seriously. You two clearly like each other.”

  “I liked all the truffles you introduced me to.”

  “Truffles?”

  “Box of chocolates. Remember?”

  He laughed, pulling her close for a kiss and then another for good measure.

  “I liked them all, but Akio is the one I clicked with the most. He does what you do. What I do in my own way.”

  As if they’d called his name, Akio came outside and started a little when he saw them. He eased against a post a few feet away, Josh between them.

  “It’s funny how normal life can be, even when everything all around is dire and full of sadness.” He indicated the kids on the lawn beyond. “I’m sorry for the loss of your friend.”

  “Thank you.”

  To have lost so much in the same week she gained everything seemed a cruel joke. Or maybe it was balance. She didn’t know. But that didn’t matter. Because it was what it was, and she had choices to make and things to do.

  She supposed it was what happened to you when you grew up pretty much on your own. You could give up and let things happen to you, weep and moan about the unfairness of it all. Or you could deal with what you’ve got and make the most of every moment.

  Allie had been a bright light in Michelle’s life. And it was snuffed out and that hurt beyond bearing. At the same time, Allie would have been the first to high five Michelle over Josh. She’d been a remarkable person, and she would have whapped Michelle in the back of her head and told her to get on with stuff that needed doing.

  And for absolute sure that meant finding the monsters who’d killed Allie and making them pay for it. That would happen if it took the rest of her days.

  But for the immediate future, she needed to do this tri-bond deal. And she had a life here in Portland now. So much to learn about herself and her gifts too. So much it was dizzying, and yet, it was a gift to have this man, this community. Allie would have liked this. After she forgave Josh of course. But she’d have been thrilled, and that made it just a little bit better.

  She leaned into Josh and blew out a breath, nearly purring when he stroked his knuckles down the back of her neck.

  For a while they all stood in the evening cool. The air around them clean and crisp. The sound of the kids was soothing, as was the company. Neither male spoke simply to fill up space. She liked that a great deal.

  Finally Akio shifted and took a deep breath. “I wanted to say, away from everyone else, but with both of you present, that I’d be very honored to serve as your anchor.” Akio turned his body to them, gaze solemn.

  Josh looked to her, letting her choose.

  “We were just discussing this. I don’t know, is there some sort of official way to do this?” She lifted her hands, hopelessly out of her element.

  Akio stepped closer and held his hand out. Josh took it and then held his free hand out to her. She took it.

  “It’s all what we make of it. Would you like to come over to our apartment?”

  Akio nodded.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Are you nervous?” Josh asked as they waited for Akio to approach after he’d parked his car.

  She opened her mouth to agree, but...

  Instead, he smiled, slow and sexy. “No. You’re hot for it. And that’s all right. Can I tell you it’s making me hot too?”

  “I should be ashamed.”

  He laughed, spinning to press her into the wall. He rolled his hips, his cock hard, a brand at her belly.

  “Yeah? Why? Why be ashamed? Hm? I’m here. I’m yours. You’re mine. There’s no dispute of that is there?”

  She shook her head, catching her bottom lip between her teeth.

  “You want this. It makes me hot all over that you do. You’re beautiful and sexy and utterly desirable. That you’re all mine and for this brief moment we can share with this one other person makes me...” He breathed in deep at her neck. “Fills me with a bottomless, aching need. I want to watch you with him. He’s up for it.”

  They both turned their attention to Akio who’d reached them.

  “Aren’t you?”

  That’s when she realized he would have heard the entire exchange.

  One corner of his mouth tipped up, and her breath caught at the feral beauty of his features. “Yes. Very much so. From the first moment I saw your magick floating around you like fairy dust.”

  “Let’s go inside before the neighbors call the cops.” She laughed, but the sound was breathy and laden with sex.

  In the elevator both men crowded against her, and she had to close her eyes at the wave of sensuality that swallowed her.

  They all got into Josh’s place. Or their place. Whatever, they all got inside, and she was against a wall again, both men pressing against her.

  “I’m going to kiss you,” Akio said, his voice a low rumble.

  “Yes.” She tipped her head back, and he lowered his mouth to hers, slowly, so achingly slow at first, giving her a chance to escape.

  Josh’s hands rested at her hips, tightening as Akio’s lips finally touched hers. His taste slid into her system, spicing Josh’s. Heightening the moment as his tongue danced along hers.

  He might have been a quiet, thoughtful male at the pack house, but this male was nothing if not in total charge of his sexuality.

  Josh began to kiss up the side of her neck as her skin sensitized to the point of near pain. Each brush of lips, the scratch of his beard nearly made her sob into Akio’s kiss.

  Josh’s hands slid up her sides, slowly unbuttoning the bodice of her dress, and while she still gasped from the way he’d just pinched her nipple through her bra, his attention shifted to Akio, who turned and tangled tongues with him. The kiss of two became a kiss of three, the focus shifted from two to three, and she g
roaned at how hot it was.

  “If you don’t take this off now, it’s going to get ripped.” Josh turned to her, putting her hands on her belly where the last buttons were still done up.

  “Bedroom.”

  “If you’d allow me?” Akio gestured and she nodded. He bent and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist as his hands held her ass.

  She tipped back enough to get her dress unbuttoned by the time he set her on the edge of the bed and stepped away to take her in.

  His wolf shone in his gaze and she approved. Josh’s eyes went green when his wolf surfaced, but Akio’s went amber, and as the two of them stood next to each other, looking at her like she was a rabbit they had just cornered, they stole her breath.

  This anchor thing was pretty damned sweet so far.

  Akio went to his knees in front of her, moving her hands and pushing the dress from her shoulders. Josh got to the bed behind her, his mouth cruising over her shoulder and neck as his hands pushed her bra down to free her breasts.

  “So beautiful, Michelle.” Akio said this as Josh pulled the dress from her upper body and then pushed it down. She had to lift, and Akio drew it the rest of the way off, taking her underwear with it.

  He traced the marks Josh had left on the sides of her breasts. “This makes my cock hard.”

  “She’s so tasty I have to take a bite here and there.”

  She shivered and both men moaned softly. Josh’s fingers rolled and tugged her nipples while Akio kissed her knee, his fingers running up the inside of her thigh, brushing against her pussy and away again.

  “I can scent you,” Josh whispered, his mouth against her ear, making her shiver again. “Do you want his mouth on you?”

  “Y-esss,” she answered, unable to deny it.

  Akio’s eyes locked on hers as he drew his tongue up her thigh before he spread her legs wide.

  “I’m going to need my hands, Josh. Hold her open for me.”