inky hair was slicked back, his slate suit unmarred, but the muscle ticking in his jaw worked steadily as he looked at Carlo. Next to him was Zahara, her skin once again smooth since she’d taken on the excess growth magic from Isadora, and her dreads curled over one shoulder. Romano was the only one who stood apart, hovering near the shattered windows, his eyes moving back and forth from the open air to Carlo.
What the hell were they all freaked out about?
A giggle and shifting body against him gave him the answer.
Mine.
His wolf fought to break free and claim the woman straddling his hips. She was by far the most beautiful creature he’d ever laid eyes on. White hair hung in loose waves down to her waist, an almost indescribable red color bleeding into her eyes in an impossible shade of rubies. Black horns curled around her ears in a delicate swathe, like onyx adornments in her hair, and her skin was pure white, like the full moon blazing in the sky. A fine dusting of … something hovered over her flesh, dulling the glow of her skin. Red and white. Strawberry and cream.
She was a treat he wanted to swallow all at once.
“Now you want me.”
Yes … until he got his head right and decided it would be much better to throw her as far as he could. Carlo’s muscles tensed, prepared to do just that, but he couldn’t move. No matter how much he strained, he could do nothing more than breathe and blink.
“You made it have to be this way.”
“Get off of me,” Carlo warned. At least he could speak.
“Who is she, Carlo?”
“Dead,” Carlo answered his Alpha, ignoring how his wolf howled inside.
She will break us, you idiot.
“Then she’s a threat. We fight.”
Carlo’s wolf whimpered at the deadly promise in his Alpha’s voice.
We can’t move, idiot, and it’s because of her.
His wolf didn’t care about that. In fact, he liked how she rubbed against him.
He wanted her.
“It wouldn’t be wise, Alpha of the Moretti. We will await the arrival of Asherah Danaan of the Sea. She has felt me and is coming with Niamh Danaan of the Silver.”
Her voice was a wet dream.
“Someone called for the Queen of Awesome— Holy fuck.”
Carlo blinked and looked over to where the silver-haired Queen of the Seelie Fae had flown in with Kalinda and landed them both on their feet. After she tucked in her multi-colored wings, she stood in black leather pants like second skin and a white button-up shirt, her jaw hanging to the floor. Beside her, the regal and darker-skinned Kalinda lifted one eyebrow.
“If I just got punked into witnessing a BDSM scene, I will gut someone,” Romano’s mate cried.
“Past?”
The entire room froze, turning to look at Asherah, Silva’s younger sister. She couldn’t fly with wings but instead used water, like creating a wave upon which she stood as it lifted her into the air. She’d ridden one through the broken window before instantly drying everything around her.
Silva cocked her brow. “My entrance was better, sis. But, you know, ten points for the attempt.”
Asherah rolled her eyes.
The newest Fae to their group had been spending a lot of time with Silva and Kalinda to get acclimated to Encantado while Heath, her Fate, worked under them—or better put, was supervised by them. Silva’s manner of dress had been impressed upon her younger sister, as they matched in getup. Asherah’s murky, ever-changing hair—reminiscent of the deep sea—swirled around her shoulders, her power seeping into the room as she looked at the woman resting comfortably on Carlo’s lap.
Asherah’s eyes went wide in astonishment. “What are you doing here?”
“He wouldn’t come to me, and so now …”
His mate jerked, and a cry ripped from her as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Carlo fought harder against whatever bound him to the bed and kept him from moving.
She was hurting.
Mate. Look at me. Give me your eyes. Look at me!
He may have not wanted to claim her, or been stupid enough to want to harm her, but the reality of pain, real agony coursing through her, made his wolf lose its mind. She jerked again, mewling, and he howled, unable to reach for her.
“Help her, dammit.”
Asherah sprang forward and wrapped her arms around his mate, whispering into her ear the sound of crashing waves on the shore.
“Past, let it go. Let the vision finish.”
Past? Why is she calling my woman that?
Wait a minute … My?
After a moment, she sagged