Sacrifice
I said the word out loud as I woke up from the weirdest dream. In fact, it hadn't felt like a dream at all. Sitting up, my eyebrows crunched as I ran my hand down my arm to feel a dewy moistness.
Had it been a dream? Or something else...
I'd been in a forest; my feet bare the dirt cold and the leaves damp underfoot. The smell had been intoxicating and rich, but unlike any forest I'd been in there wasn't a sound, not a tweet from a bird or a rustle of leaves from the trees.
Just eerie silence.
As my eyes had surveyed the beautiful landscape, a woman appeared as if out of nowhere. Her face strangely was familiar, but I couldn't recall where I might have seen her before. It was as if my imagination had created her and then turned her into something real, like a gift from the great Devine herself—whoever she may be.
Gracefully, she moved toward me, her white hair moved, lifted, but by no breeze. Her hands reached out to touch the trees and bushes, almost as if it was her first time here too.
I'd tried to speak, but no words came, just a current of energy, vibrations caressed me. The closer she came, the warmer and more at ease I felt.
She loved me—but I didn't know how I knew that.
Not to be left out, my wolf and remaining houseguests, which I had narrowed it down to being five squatters since the departure of the Jinn, hummed in their delight at her being ever closer to us.
It clearly drew them to her as much as I was.
Within touching distance, her blue eyes smiled as she spoke only one word before I woke up.
Sacrifice
I gave my head a little shake—yep, that dream was one for the crazy file alright! Chewing the inside of my cheek, a nervous trait I'd picked up from Sage. I looked for any signs that Cassius may have returned.
He hadn't. And I was worried about him and Sylar. But surely Sylar would have reached out to me if there was a problem?
Perhaps check in with Gunner to make sure. ′Gunner?′
Radio silence
I let out a breath. 'Sylar... Gunner?'
Nothing... nada. Okaaaaayyy.
Throwing the covers back, I shifted to the edge of the bed. Find my sexy Alpha and get some answers!
The first problem, I was naked having shifted in the woods before I headed here to Cassius's room where I was hoping to ravish him on his return but sadly, I'd been left disappointed.
My wolf whimpered.
"I hear ya girl, let's go get our Alpha." Rising from the bed I walked towards his wardrobe. Surely, he had something I could wear. Opening only emptiness stared back.
What the?
I really needed to take him shopping. Closing the doors, I spied some drawers. Yes!
Fuck me, how many white tee-shirts did my mate own? Rolling my eyes, I pulled one out and slipped it over my head. It drowned me, more like a dress. But hey, beggars couldn't be choosers and all my clothes were in a different pack house.
Once I used the bathroom and brushed my teeth, hoping he would be okay that I used his toothbrush. I headed out. I sniffed and my wolf's ears pricked. My mate was close by. As the warmth I was becoming accustomed to washed over me.
Bouncing down the stairs, two at a time, his scent became stronger. Study!
Gently, I tapped on the door and listened. "Cassius?" I kept my voice low.
No answer.
Opening a crack, I peeked inside. There was my hot piece of yumminess. And all thoughts of talking evaporated... well, more like incinerated.
He was fast asleep, wearing only a pair of shorts, which left the rest of him a delicious feast for my eager eyes. One arm rested, curled above his head, and I bit down hard on my lip to stop from moaning.
Stepping inside, I gently closed the door. With each step toward him, I soaked up the image and his warm, invigorating scent...Ah, Nutella.
Without underwear, my arousal slicked the top of my inner thighs. My wolf was panting, with her tongue hanging out.
Fuckity-fuck, we were a right pair.
But who could blame us? I would never get enough of my Alpha... my mate, as my vagina threw her two penny's worth in the mix, clenching. I thought she had a mind of her own too.
My wolf hummed out happy little yelps. There should be some pack law about him just lying around, practically naked. I couldn't think straight, whilst my fingers itched to touch. And, right now I needed to focus and ask him about Sylar and at least another ten other conversations.
But my pesky sexual appetite kicked it as I leaned down and whispered in his ear. "Caaassius."
He didn't stir. I was about to repeat when before I could say spank me pink. I was on my back and Cassius had rolled from the sofa, growling. A shake of his head a flicker of something dark shuttered across his face. I opened my mouth to speak but his lips intercepted, and my words slipped into a muffled moan and I felt his hard length press in the apex of my thighs, which did all kinds of crazy things to my girlie parts.
He groaned, breaking the kiss to leave me breathless. "Mine," he hissed as his eyes darkened from their pretty blue to coal black. I could feel his hunger for me, matching my own for him.
His mouth came down hard, tongue sweeping across mine as his weight pressed into me. I wrapped my legs around him, wanting every inch of his huge muscular form to own me.
He broke away and my legs dropped but stayed bent at the knees, feet flat on the cold floor. He pushed back to settle on his calves, his eyes widening as he ate me up.
He reached for the hem of the t-shirt and tore it from me, feasting on my nakedness. He repeated the action with his shorts, freeing his impressive cock. The tip was slicked with pre-cum, and I licked my lips.
Placing his hands on my knees, he teased my legs further apart, eyes fixed on my pussy, inhaling deeply, soaking in my arousal.
One hand roughly slid from my knee up my inner thigh where his fingers scraped over my sex, inserting a thick, hot finger. "Miiinnne," he hissed again.
Apparently, he'd woken up a man of few words. Not that I was complaining.
Breathing slow and deep, his nostrils flared as his eyes dimmed with white fiery lust as the heel of his palm rubbed against my clit and my hips lifted. "More, Cassius."
"Too long," he said.
What? I didn't have time to think about what he meant, as my own needs overwhelmed me, wanting him... no, I needed him.
He pulled his hand free for me and before I could object, he reached under me and lifted me into the upright position on top of his thick thighs, both hands under my arse, and my hands reached for his shoulders. With no more foreplay, he lifted and impaled me and with one thrust I was seated fully, him filling me completely.
Still silent, he lifted me slowly, watching his cock slide out, sheathed in my wetness as he groaned huskily. I pouted, not wanting to be teased. Instead, I gasped as he yanked me down hard to fill me again with every glorious inch of his thick cock. He repeated this over and over, thrusting hard and fast as my hands gripped his shoulders and my head fell back.
"Holy... Fuck, Cassius."
His frantic thrusts became more powerful. Animalistic grunts and growls vibrated from his chest, nurturing the primal need in me. I wrapped my arms around his neck as my head lifted, seeking to deepen our connection.
But what I saw made my heart miss a beat. A weird energy, not one I'd felt before built between us, forcing us closer, tangling me in its web.
Unable to fight my impending orgasm. My eyes rolled back, and a cry erupted as he filled me with his own release.
Riding the crest, I was lost, but my head jolted up as he lifted me from him and flipped me onto all fours. My cry of protest was silenced as he sank back inside me, balls deep with a single unforgiving thrust, his chest resting on my back as his hand came around, underneath, fucking me harder. The pain from my knees on the cold hard floor seeped through my thoughts as he pulled up slightly, wrapping one hand in my hair, pulling so hard my eyes watered as his other hand gripped my hip, so tight would earn me a bruise.
"I own your body. I own your soul, child."
Child? What the fuck?
An unnatural feeling skittered down my spine. His voice deepened, "You will deny me nothing," the words gravelly, cold as if he'd smoked a lifetime of cigars.
He continued to yank on my hair, as he fucked me harder, almost brutal. My wolf whimpered. She too felt something was wrong and words I thought I would never utter came out of my mouth. "No... Stop."
He didn't stop.
"Cassius." Fear coiled in my stomach. "Stop Cassius!"
He didn't answer, instead, he sank his teeth at the base of my neck between my shoulder blades. I tensed and a cry of pain lodged in my throat and my wolf growled.
"Cassius! You're hurting me!" His nails elongated and dug into my hip, sure he would draw blood as unnerving slurping sounds and grunts mumbled against my skin and if I didn't know better, I could have sworn he was drinking my blood.
"Cassius," I said with a gasp, trying to wiggle free.
His teeth sank deeper, tearing.
The pain tore through me like a white-hot poker under my skin.
'Beastia... Beastia... Beastia.'
As well as pain, shivers and more shivers wracked my body.
My squatters surged to life, chanting as one loudly in my head, causing it to throb. Sucking in a breath, I didn't have time to react, only feel a ball of heat starting in my chest radiate outwards, growing, soaking my body with raw power routing through every vein, atom, and nerve forcing my spine to stiffen and a scream to bubble in my throat.
'Beastia... Beastia... Beastia'
'Help...me.' Although I was unsure if they even understood me.
'Help,' they repeated as one.
Ripples of what I could only describe as energy surged on like a pulse of rapid beats. I wasn't sure how I knew what to do, but I focused, channelling it. Panting now, almost dizzy I sucked in a large breath and freed it, pushing outwards as hard as I could. The energy bubble burst, forcing the scream from my lungs and Cassius to release his grip.
As his hand dropped from my hair and my body, I shunted forward, our bodies separating, allowing me to scatter on my hands and knees. Reaching the wall, I turned and pressed my back up against it.
Tears erupted as I swiped them away.
"Now you know," he said in a cold, distant tone.
Know what?
Blinking to clear my vision, our eyes locked. My blood reddened his lips as they curled into a smirk and a creepy chuckle shifted through him.
What. The. Fuck!
The penny dropped. Whoever this was, it wasn't my mate. I hadn't been fucking Cassius. It was the Jinn. That thing had taken control of him.
I opened my mouth when his face dropped, paling as he took in my present state of distress. "Pearl?" Body tensing; his eyes shifted back to blue as his face filled with horror. "What—" he stopped. "I—" He looked down at his cock, still hard and wet with my arousal.
A shiver ran the length but I was sure this was my Cassius... no longer the Jinn.
His head shot up; tormented eyes greeted mine. "Did I hurt you?" A muscle ticked in his jaw, once, twice.
My neck... I reached around the back of my neck to wince, pulling my hand back it was smeared with blood.
"Fuck!" Pushing up from his knees, closing the distance between us, he crouched down, "Please, I need to see." His tone was tender. Hesitating for a moment, I leant forward, as he shifted my hair to suck in a breath.
"Pearl—"
I didn't want to cry, but there was no stopping it.
"Pearl, forgive me..."
I swallowed and lifted my head, barely able to see through watery eyes. Cassius's large hands cupped my face and brushed away my tears. "Goddess. Forgive me Pearl— I'm so sorry, Pearl." He pulled me toward me and wrapped me in his arms.
I heaved a breath, shutting my eyes, resting against his chest as his heart thumped wildly.
This time we had to talk about the problem...The Jinn. Composure returning, I would need to start it. "What is the last thing you remember?"
His head rested on top of mine. "Lying down to rest for a moment."
"You don't remember me waking you?"
He pulled away with a shake of his head and worry in his eyes. "Your scream woke me."
Fuckity-fuck! This was not good.
"Agreed," reading my thoughts.
"Stop reading my mind, Cassius. I need to process this. I thought you were fucking me... but it turned out to be the Jinn...that freakin' body snatcher." I barked a panicked laugh.
His brow furrowed. "It won't happen again."
"It won't happen again because you need to get it out right now!" His eyes dropped from mine. "You won't do it—will you?" I knew I could beg, plead till I was blue in the face.
"Tonight, after I've dealt with the witch."
What? "You know where she is?"
"Yes, we leave shortly to lie in wait."
I hadn't expected this, a slither of excitement that maybe it wasn't too late. "Okay, well, take Sylar with you. He can help if the Jinn tries to take control. He's helped—"
He shook his head "No."
I heaved a sigh; I didn't want to argue with him about my cousin. He needed to get over the fact that he was Willa's mate.
"It's not what you think, Pearl."
"Well, tell me what I think, Cassius?"
"The witch has him."
My jaw dropped. Fuck! "Ember... Ember has him..." I shook my head. "How... when?"
"Last night. It was the reason Willa reached out to me."
Frustration bubbled inside me. "And you didn't think to tell me this last night?"
"You were asleep. I wanted you to rest."
It was pointless getting annoyed over that minor fact. I now had an additional worry on my hands.
"Tonight, this ends and I promise I will return your family safely."
I shivered as goosebumps broke out across my body. I wouldn't let him do this alone.
Cassius shook his head adamantly. "No. I know what you're thinking, Pearl and my answer is no. I need you to remain here."
"I can help." I wasn't sure how.
"Please, Pearl. It is safer for you here. Away from me. And nowhere near the witch." His eyes pleaded as the pain from my neck forced me to wince.
"But I promise, tonight after this is over with, then I will deal with the Jinn."
Could it be that easy? "And you'll be okay... losing your sight again?"
He brushed his thumb across my cheek. "I won't deny the pain I'll bear from not being able to see your beauty. But I won't risk harm befalling you. I would die before putting you at risk... again." He looked away guiltily.
Would the Jinn leave if asked? I wasn't so sure.
"Trust me, Pearl."
I had little choice. The pain in my neck worsened, and the taste of blood bubbled in the back of my throat. "I need to shift and feed. I will heal quicker."
He hesitated a fraction of a second before hugging me tightly to his chest. "I promise it will be over tonight."
I felt cold as he freed me and rose, taking three measured steps back.
I positioned myself on all fours and pushed the change... shifting to my wolf. The burn was one I was familiar with and welcomed.
Cassius crouched in front of us. "You are so beautiful." He ran his fingers over our head, weaving through our fur as she whimpered. "You mean more to me than breathing, more necessary than food or water." His voice faltered. "You are mine, Pearl and I am yours. Until you, my life was empty, never knowing what it meant to be alive, to want to consume and be consumed by another. You did that, Pearl. You. And I will make this right."
He rose, turning to walk toward the double glass door, pushing it open.
With one last look, my heart tightened as we took off at speed, heading deep inside the woods.