In Her Heat - Ainsley's Story

In Her Heat - Chapter Twenty Six

“And then we discovered about mating, completely by accident. An ancient with, known by the name of Ilmara was trying out a love spell. Instead, the spell turned out to be one that identified mates and linked them together. With this discovery, marriage disappeared and matings took its place. By now, weres were not as strong as they once were. There were many pure bloods, but also an increasing number of half-bloods. Some half-bloods, somehow, had the same qualities as full bloods, some did not.

“Now, the mating spell is very strong. Once the spell is cast, the two mates are linked together, mind and soul. It is an extraordinarily strong link, one that the mates must fight through. The way the spell works is that it meshes the two into one. The mates must separate themselves back into two. This leaves them once more as two people, but with that bond between them. That is a successful mating.

“Of course, there are failures. If the weres are not strong enough to fight and separate, there are different outcomes. If both weres are too weak, they stay linked and within days, die. We don’t know why, but probably because with the bond consuming them both, all there is to them is each other. There exists no world, no food, no life. So they eventually die off, together. The other outcome is that if one were is stronger than the other and succeeds to fight through the mating but the other does not, that stronger were will overtake the weaker one. The stronger were will live with both his mind and soul and that of his would-be mate. It can drive them mad and those eventually commit suicide or are killed mercifully by the pack.

“After a few of these cases occurred, people didn’t want to mate in that way. It wasn’t a matter of whether the female and her mate wanted to, because of course, her mate was not known yet. In order for this mating to occur, all the males in the pack had to agree. And they were agreeing to potentially lose their lives. Many people didn’t want to take that risk. So this is why we stopped mating in that fashion and eventually adopted the method we use today. If you wish to have this mating, you will have to receive the consent of all the males.”

After this whole explanation, I had to take a breath and think. Was I strong enough to fight through this spell? If I wasn’t it could mean the end of my life and possibly, of my mate.

Shaman again, sensed my thoughts. “I believe you are strong enough to combat it, Ainsley.” He said quietly. He rose and walked to the door. “The question is, whether you believe you are strong enough.” And with that, he was out the door.

I closed my eyes on a groan. I didn’t know if I was strong enough. If it was simply physical, it would be easier to decide. But this was a mental battle. I didn’t know whether I could handle it or not.

And how would I get every last male to agree to allow me this mating?

Things just got a lot more complicated.

***

Night arrived uneventfully. Earlier, Kat had brought me in dinner, but I was too nervous and horny to eat. My heat was rising with every breath and tightening my body until I felt like I would sporadically combust if I didn’t climax. Sweat coated my body, even with the window open.

I tossed and turned on the bed, my thoughts switching from my desperate need to come to my fear for mating tomorrow. The two switched back and forth, back and forth in a flurry until they blended into a daze of confusion, need and nerves.

I wanted the mating, but didn’t. I wanted it to finally achieve the climax I’d been waiting for, it seemed, my entire life. My nerves for how the mating would actually go down, countered the desire for it.

My heat rose and rose, until my eyes were squeezed shut, and my body arched upwards, seeking, needing, begging for any kind of release. My breaths were drawn on shaky inhales and expelled on ragged moans. It was a cycle of never ending need. I felt like it would drive me insane.

I’d just bit my lip to hold in a cry of need when a figure swooped in through the open window. My teeth released my lip to scream but didn’t get the chance. As a hand covered my mouth, my eyes popped open and locked with metallic gray ones.

Cade.

My body slumped onto the bed from the relief his skin on mine gave as well as from the relief that it was only Cade and not an intruder.

He raised a finger to his lips in the universal symbol for “Don’t talk”. I nodded and his hand slipped away. He climbed on the bed with me, took my hand in his and leaned close to my ear.

“We need to be extremely quiet,” the words were barely a whisper and his breath caressed my skin in such an erotic way, I almost didn’t understand what he said. It took a few long moments for the words to register. When they did, I nodded in agreement.

I turned my face so my lips pressed against the cool shell of his ear. “You’re not supposed to be here. How did you get in unnoticed?”

“Reese is sleeping like a rock, and Kat was needed down at headquarters. We’re good for a little while.”

For ten minutes or so we lay there, periodically talking about how his days had been and what he’d done. For the most part though, we just lay together. The heat in my body subsided a little into a slow burn, much more enjoyable than the raging inferno it had been only moments before.

Minutes later, Cade spoke. “I hear your mating is tomorrow.”

I nodded. “I don’t want to do it. Not that way. Shaman told me about the way it used to be done, and I don’t know which way I would prefer.”

“You’re considering using the spell?” Cade asked. His voice reflected his clear surprise.

“Yeah, I really am not comfortable at all with the whole public sex thing.”

“You never know, maybe you’re an exhibitionist at heart.” I didn’t have to look at him to know he was smirking.

I laughed softly. “I highly doubt that, Cade.”

“Damn,” he swore, mock-disappointed.

I sighed, happily and worriedly. “I don’t know what to do,” I admitted.

He looked at me, his gray eyes serious and steady. “Do what your heart says.”

I rolled my eyes. I didn’t think Cade was one for cheesy lines. “Cade-”

“No, stop. I know it sounds lame, but just shut up and do it.”

I complied. We lay there in silence for a long time as I tried to see what my heart was saying. After ten minutes, I opened my mouth to tell Cade it wasn’t working, but those words didn’t come out of my mouth.

“Love spell.” The words spilled from my lips. They stayed open in surprise, because it was my wolf who had forced the words out. My wolf was my heart?

“See. That’s what your heart is telling you,” Cade said.

“But what if I’m not strong enough?”

“Baby, your heart wouldn’t have told you it if you weren’t strong enough.”

“Nobody is going to agree to a love spell mating though, Cade. It’s insane.” I said.

“Don’t worry about that. Leave it to me.” Cade tensed suddenly. Two seconds later, he relaxed but slid off the bed. “Kat is returning. I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t worry about the mating.”

With a kiss to my hand and a heart-melting smile, Cade was gone, blended into the night.