Dark Tremor (Mated by Magic #2) (12 page)

Low enough that all his men felt the need to duck, an unnatural meteor sliced the night sky, momentarily illuminating cactus and sand. A rumble sounded in the distance, and the ground shifted beneath Mic’s feet.

Fuck-it-all-to hell.
His slut daughter and the flame-thrower had to be rutting under the full moon.

Not much time left.

In the mine, the generator hummed while twelve lesser witches used old-fashioned picks at the vein of turquoise. One large rock fell to the floor and a man squatted to pick it up without gloves.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Mic backhanded him. “I told you not to touch it.”

The whole process was taking too long. He tapped his foot, paced, and even picked up a shovel, and began piling stones into a wheelbarrow. He dragged it outside and trotted it down the hill.

There Eddie paced, shouting into a sat-phone. “...No! Not now. Thirty minutes ago. I don’t care…Yeah? Well find another driver without speeding tickets. Do I need to wipe your ass as well?” He hung up and shook his head. “The mining equipment is still a couple hours away. We’ll need to get what we can by hand and clear out.”  

“We’re not going anywhere.” Mic seethed. “I want that turquoise. All of it. What are you afraid of?” He pointed to the pile of rough-cut gems. “Pick one up, try it out.”

Eddie backed away. “Nah, I believe you, Mic. It’s just–”

“I said pick it up and try it out. It wasn’t a suggestion.”

Since when had Eddie grown a set? That would not do. Not do at all.

Frowning, Eddie picked up a sliver of black stone.

“Bigger, damn it.” Mic glowered and his right hand clenched into a fist as he pictured pummeling the man.

Eddie’s eyes narrowed and the ground rumbled. “Listen Mic, you need someone to keep watch.”

“You going to fight me on this? Think you will win?” He walked over, grabbed a two-pound chunk and put it into Eddie’s hands. “Take it.”

The guy hesitated for a moment, then took the stone. His eyes rolled back, and the ground underneath shook in a quake.

“Feel it course through your veins, take you over, become one with it.” Mic’s cock hardened and the need to hold his own black gem became as addicting as crack.

While Eddie caressed his stone, higher than a kite, Mic did the same. Visions came to him, like that one night he’d shared peyote with the old healer. That night he’d realized he was a hawk, a predator, and those weaker than him existed only to feed his young…
his clan
.

He was born to bring Brasmatia back to greatness. No longer would his proud clan work small mines, or worse, as minions for the energy companies. Brasmatia would be great again. His daughter’s offspring would see to it.

Generations of Brasmatia’s would come to own the earth. His rightful heirs. Had he not searched the whole of the country to find the one woman that would augment his power? Had he not sacrificed to be mated with that virgin bitch?

He cursed. Solstice mating had left him aching forever, for a witch, long dead. No matter how much he fucked, it was never as good.

In his mind, his hawk soared, swooped, and talons sunk into flesh. He would destroy his enemies one by one.

“Mr. Luggerio? I think you need to come up here.”

The voice pulled him out of his dream-like state and he glanced at his smartphone. Midnight? How the hell had that happened? Hours had passed while he’d been caught up in the stone’s power.

Out in the desert, Eddie conversed with a cactus while sitting cross-legged and rubbing the turquoise where he’d unbuttoned his fly.

“Eddie. Get the fuck over here.”

The words came out so slurred that it shocked him into dropping the stone by his feet. Damn, he wanted more so bad he ached. He stepped on the stone, and the high was enough to keep him going. For now. He’d need more later.

He shivered with anticipation of bathing in a pile of the gems, infusing the dark energy into his being.

Up the hill, his men sat sleeping or messed up. The turquoise was as addictive as cocaine, and his men were getting just as high as if they’d snorted the stuff.

He kicked the stone out of the hands of the closest drooling idiot. Then, kicked again, hitting ribs. “Get up.”

The guy woke, eyes glassy, and nodded. He crawled onto his hands and knees, and used the cave wall to stand.

“Get everyone out of here. Send them home.”

“Sure, Mr. Luggerio.” The man staggered, then began shaking the others.

Cars roared away. He alone, would stay to enjoy the high.

The stones made his mind race. He’d made one serious miscalculation. He should’ve gotten humans to work the mines. He’d make some calls in the morning and dig out the rest of the black turquoise. He grinned. No doubt, a terrible cave-in would ensue, killing off any witnesses to what lay within.

Pleased at his decision, he decided to re-enter his hawk dream, but the roar of a vehicle made him exit the mine.

A violet tornado-like energy whirled around a white truck parked below.

He had to shake his head to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. But no, two of the Fialko brothers exited the truck, the third was no doubt hiding under the tarp in the back.

No matter. He scrambled up the hill, over the mouth of the mine, to the very top. From there, he put a palm to the ground and focused all his new power. His cock hardened. The ground shook, rocks tumbled down the hill, and a giant sinkhole appeared.

Mic’s grin halted midway when the gap in the desert closed up like a zipper. The truck merely bobbed up and down.

That dirty little bitch had mated? Shared his clan’s power? With the Iesco’s, no less. Years of careful planning all gone to shit.

He screamed himself hoarse, “Dead. You hear me? You’re all dead.”

More turquoise. He would need much more to deal with them.

“Dead men walking,” he muttered when he reached the center of the cave.

Large stones nearly hit him, as they dropped from overhead. Ignoring them, Mic used his anger to gather the cave’s power to him.  Black gems sparkled. He grinned, upped his power, and the generator exploded, leaving him in glowing black light.

Footsteps sounded from the cave entrance. It was the leader of the Iesco clan, Jack, who had the balls to step forward.

Shimmering inside the violet vortex-shield, Jack said, “It’s over. You need to come with us.”

“Sorry boys. You’ve got it all wrong.” He squatted with his hands to the ground. When the cave began to fall apart all around them, the men’s faces turn from all-balls to fear.

“Stop! Mic. That’s enough.”

What the hell?
His blond bitch-spawn entered the cave as if she owned the place. The Fialko brothers looked just as surprised as he was by her presence.

Momentarily stunned, power seeped out of his body.
My high? Where did it go?

He gritted his teeth and clenched his palms. “This cave is mine!”

“No.” She produced two matching flames, one in each palm. “It’s mine.”

“Terra, no!” The witch who’d mated with her stepped in front, holding a spinning pool of lava.

Jack kept the shield going, but it was lessening in intensity. He had to be getting tired by now.

Mic chuckled and decided to bide some time.

“Let my dear daughter talk. You want to, Honey, don’t you? You know your daddy loves you. If your bitch of a mother hadn’t stolen you away from me, we’d be a family. We can still be a family.”

“You’re a bastard. I’ll kill you for what you did to my mom. What you did to me.” She shook off her mate and stepped out into the clearing, just as he knew she would. “You need to let me do this, Jace. For me. For us.”

The cave rocks glowed as Mic let her take control. Her eyes opened wide and the high sunk into her veins. In just a few more seconds, she’d be hooked.

The leader with the vortex shouted, “Get her out of here.”

Mic hadn’t counted on her flame-throwing mate getting hooked, but his eyes grew glassy as well.
Perfect.

“Jace. Dammit, bro. Snap out of it. I can’t hold onto this much longer.”

The younger Iesco’s eyes cleared, then his brows furrowed. He picked up the girl by the waist while she kicked, clawed, and bit like a wild animal.

Steaming, Mic put both hands to the floor. He’d bury them. Bury them all. Stones fell all about and the three fell to their knees as the cave floor broke into nothingness. With one final furious burst of energy, he blasted the cave into bits and pieces.

His last thought was, “I won.”
 

Dust and debris burned Jace’s eyes, and clogged his throat. He coughed and collapsed on the hard ground, panting. “Everyone here?”

Josh moaned an acknowledgment and Jack stood, rolling his shoulders and nodded.

Terra lay on her back beside him, her eyes still glassy, staring up at the night sky. A giant mound of rubble lay beside her.

“Hey, you okay?” Brushing his knuckles across her cheek, Jace sent a small burst of energy into her body. She needed a healer, but it would have to do for now.

“Mic? Is he...” Terra blinked up at him, blue eyes still unfocused.

“The mine collapsed on him. There’s no way he survived.” As the dust cleared, the Rockies materialized behind the now missing hilltop.

With a small nod, she sat cross-legged, her face emotionless.

“My mine. It’s gone.”

“I know.” Jace kissed the top of her head, stood, and brushed himself off. “We need to get that turquoise to a secure location.”

“Josh and I will drive the trucks back to the hotel.” Jack glanced over at Terra, who now had arms wrapped around her legs, staring blankly at the collapsed mine. “You know what this means for her? For you.”

Jace exhaled roughly and ran his hands through his hair. He knew exactly what it meant, but he doubted she did.

“Mic’s men heard him acknowledge her as his daughter.” Jack’s face was tight, eyes dark with concern as he explained, no doubt for her benefit. “As his only child, she’s the next in line for clan leader.”

“She’ll be expected to fight for it. Prove her place.” Jace kicked at the dirt with the toe of his boot. They both would. As her mate, he would be expected to lead beside her.

“I’m sitting right here. I can hear you.” She glared up at them.

Jack tilted his head, then motioned him around the new top of the hill, searching for signs that Mic had survived. “With your combined powers, she’ll be strong enough.”

There’s no way in hell Jace wanted her leading a bunch of gangsters, but he nodded nonetheless. His chest constricted when he squatted on his heels and put a hand onto a pile of earth. No tremors. No nothing. Mic had to be dead.

His brother shot him a grin. “You already care about her.”

“She’s a pain in the ass. Stubborn as fucking hell, but yeah, she’s gotten under my skin.”

“Some weekend getaway.” Jack’s grin widened.

Jace huffed out a laugh, afraid to believe the worst was truly over. “No shit.”

One chance encounter with a feisty little witch and his entire world had flipped on its axis.

Mated.

Leader of a clan.

Damn.

“Take Terra back to the hotel. I’ll deal with this shit.” Jack patted Jace on the shoulder. “I’ll call you when we’ve got things sorted out.”

“Thanks.” He trotted back to where Terra still sat, watching them, with both hands dug into the dirt.

Fuck, she was beautiful. Her hair had slipped free of the ponytail she wore, and hung in long golden waves down her back. Her face was smeared with dirt, but it only reminded him of their time alone in the desert.

He cursed his responsive cock. She’d disobeyed him. Gone against his orders. He should be fucking pissed, but all he wanted to do was scoop her up in his arms and make her his again. 

“Let’s go,” he said a bit too sharply.

“Where?” She blinked up at him, blue eyes finally clear.

“Home.” Because whether he liked it or not, that was where he was now.

He’d been silent the whole way home, the tension as thick as the dust they’d left behind. Despite his command that she sleep, she was too wired.

“I know you’re mad at me, but–”

“Mad doesn’t even begin to describe what I’m feeling.” Jace slammed the suite door behind them and stalked towards the bar.

“I had every right to be there.” She kicked her shoes off and stretched.

The rising sun in the plate glass window cast long blue shadows over the Vegas skyline, contrasting with the orange sky. Behind that, the ever-present mountains towered over the desert like sentries.

Jace slammed his glass on the bar. “I’m trying to keep you safe.”

She escaped his wrath by heading toward the bedroom.

Heavy footsteps followed behind her.

She shrugged her shirt over her head and tossed it on the bed, too tired to argue.

“What are you doing?”

“Having a shower. Want to join me?”

“We’re having a discussion. You can’t just–” He groaned when she shuffled out of her pants and opened the bathroom door.

Stepping into the shower, she turned the complex faucet. A myriad of waterspouts shot forth from of the wall. As expected, a second later he was behind her, his hard body pressed against her back, his lips nuzzling her ear.

“You’re a tease.” Strong arms wrapped around her, one hand gently squeezed her nipple, and the other slipped down between her legs.

Desire spiraled through her. She arched back, pressing her ass against the hard ridge of his cock. He pushed two fingers inside of her and she moaned.

When she rocked back against him, his fingers delved deeper.

“I’m still upset with you,” he said with his sexy voice.

“I know.” Her eyes closed at the growing pleasure.

His clever tongue trailed down her damp neck, playing in the creases. “You taste like pure fucking perfection.”

She turned in his arms, needing more than he was giving her, and braced her feet against the ceramic. His soft lips covered hers and his large hands bracketed her hips.

A low growling sounded in the back of his throat.

“I nearly lost it when I saw you there tonight. Promise me you won’t put yourself or our child in danger again.”

“You don’t know for sure that I’m pregnant.”
What would she do if she was?

“You are, and you changed the subject.” His hand roamed up her back, tangling in her hair. The air around them filled with want and need. “Promise me.” 

Her skin prickled at his touch. So hot. He shot a small blast of energy into her and her knees nearly buckled. The musky, male scent of him filled her senses, making her dizzy. And when he looked down at her with those green, piercing eyes, her body seemed to sizzle out of control.

“I promise,” she whispered against his lips.

“Good.” His cock, hot and hard, throbbed against her stomach. His desire, so intense, it heated her skin.

When his thumb stroked across her nipple, it sent electric pulses of desire racing through her body. She ran her hands down his chest, across his hard abs.

The shower rattled as Brasmatia energy slipped unbidden from her.

“You need to control it.” His mouth brushed over hers, then down her neck. “Instead of releasing the power, draw it into yourself, then share it with me.”

Damn, she’d never thought of that before. Was it even possible?

She sucked in a breath and concentrated on pulling the energy back into herself. Jace’s mouth found her taut nipple at the exact moment, and she had to grip his shoulders to keep from collapsing.

A shiver raced up her spine, and despite the warm water that pelted against them, goosebumps broke out across her skin.

“That’s it,” he murmured, as his fingers slipped between her thighs.

She moaned and arched against him. “So good.”

“And it can be so much better.” He smirked, then in a heartbeat, had her pinned against the shower wall. The head of his cock pressed teasingly against her entrance. “Hold on.”

The anticipation of having him inside her was almost too much to bear. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair.

Her leg lifted, he spread open her thighs, and eased inside of her.

There was no initial pain this time. Just the incredible sensation of his long, thick cock stretching her. It was all she could do not to completely unravel in his arms.

He withdrew, then thrust into her, deeper than before. She moaned and moved with him as he increased his pace. Pleasure crashed through her like a tidal wave, and her body throbbed with the need for release.

His rhythm became more and more demanding. He pushed harder, faster, forcing her closer to the edge.

When the sensation grew to more than she could bear, she arched her back and cried out with pleasure. She exploded and jolted around him. Jace’s body tensed and he drove into her one last time, holding himself deep inside of her as he found his own release.

Unable to stand, they both sunk slowly into the tub. Terra rested her head on his chest, and listened to the sound of their erratic breathing as it slowed to a steady cadence, savoring the warmth of his body.

“I like showering with you,” she murmured.

He laughed and kissed the top of her head. “I like a lot of things with you.” 

She moaned in protest when he turned off the water. “It’s cold.”

“I’ll warm you up.” He nuzzled his nose against her ear, and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her to the bedroom. Laying her in the huge bed, he lowered himself between her legs, already hard again. “I’ll keep you warm all day and all night long.”