Dark Tremor (Mated by Magic #2) (16 page)

Bucking and pulsing, he held her hips, and the small building rattled. He could barely contain their fires within his shields. She screamed, her inner walls tightened, and she found a second release. He shouted, plunged deep, and released into her. She twitched. He moaned and the best fucking orgasm of his life began to recede.

Three weeks later

Jace hung up the phone. “Jack says he’s got the black turquoise under lock and key in the Iesco vaults in South Jersey.”

Terra looked up from the local news. “I would’ve never guessed that Mic had another truck load. By the way, some more clan members from California volunteered yesterday to help clean up.”

“I told you Brasmatias would come out of the woodworks once they had honest leadership.”

She gave him a grin. “You
so
love being right.”

“That’s because I usually am.” He smirked, leaning over her and kissed her forehead.

“I was right about Mic’s machine.” Folding the paper, she put it down on the table in front of her. “It sucks the power from the stones. It’s too bad we couldn’t keep a few...”

“We talked about that. The stuff is too dangerous to leave lying around. I’ve got guys watching the cave entrance twenty-four-seven, until we can put a better fence around it with alarms.” He sat down beside her and flipped open his laptop. “We can’t ever let this happen again.”

“I just don’t know how you’re going to keep this from leaking out.” Terra shook her head.

“We’ll tell the public that it’s some kind of biohazard. But you’re right, we won’t be able to keep it from the other clans. Jack has informed the Clan Council. Ultimately, it will be their decision what we do with the mine.”

With a frown, Terra stood, then paused in front of the television screen.

“Look at this.” She picked up the remote, waved it at the set, and the volume increased.

“...Sources say the recent seismic activity around Las Vegas, Nevada has ceased. The University of Phoenix reports that the fault was not a major one, and suggest more studies are needed to know what to expect from it in the future.”

“Dr. Carpenter at the college is one of ours. We shouldn’t have any problems there.” She turned off the TV. “What if...”

He glanced up from his emails. “Hmm?”

Her cheeks turned the sweetest shade of red and she whispered, “What if we want to rock our world? You know? Fire and Earth. Meteors and Lava.”

She licked her bottom lip, a nervous gesture that made his cock swell.

He shut the computer down and pushed his chair back. Suddenly needing the privacy and open space that only the desert could provide.

“How about we take a drive?” It was time he showed her what he had planned. He prayed to God she liked it.

“Where’re we going?” When they were downstairs, Terra frowned at the silver Hummer that pulled up.

The valet jumped out and handed Jace the keys.

“You’ll see.” Jace grinned and opened the passenger door.

“I don’t like surprises.” 

“You’ll like this one.” He took her hand and helped her up into the seat.

She swatted his hand when he moved to put her seatbelt on for her.

“Just trying to keep you both safe.” He placed his hand on her flat stomach and gave her what he imagined was the same goofy grin he’d worn since they’d confirmed she was expecting.

“Trust me. He’s safe and sound in there. It’s you who needs to worry if you don’t tell me where we’re going.”

“He?”

Terra shrugged. “Just a hunch.”

His smile widened.

She gave an exasperated sigh, then laughed. “I could be wrong.”

“Little badger.” He spoke to her stomach, then raised his lips to hers, kissing her until she moaned against his mouth. “Let’s get out of here.”

Thirty minutes later, he pulled the Hummer to a stop, then jumped out.

Terra raised her eyebrows at him. “This is your surprise?”

“Nope.” He grabbed a large metal cylinder from the back, then spread the blueprint on the ground, anchoring the corners with rocks. Then, he stood and wrapped his arms around her, pointing at the maze of rectangles and numbers. “This is.”

“What is it?” Her eyes squinted as she studied the prints.

“Our home.” He turned her in his arms. “I bought this land. I can have my men start digging first thing next week if you approve of the designs.” He grabbed her hand and traced her index finger around a wall. “That is for baby one.” He circled another, “And this one’s for baby two.”

Her eyes widened as she grasped the number. “Just how many are you intending to have?”

He laughed as she continued to study the prints.

“Wait. What’s this? Why all the double lines?”

“It has shock absorbers. See here? In the corners? And lined with fireproofing. That’s this line.”

“Oh.” She blushed, “It’s...wow. I don’t know what to say.”

“You like it?”

“No.” She shook her head, and he felt his stomach drop. Then blue eyes flickered with an intensity that left him breathless. “I love it.”

Jace picked up the crying bundle from the cradle and grinned down at his son. “You’re a demanding one aren’t you?”

“He takes after his father.” Terra smiled from the doorway of their new earthship. Dressed in a pair of faded jeans and black tank top, her toned body was fuller, more womanly than it had been before.

“You should be sleeping.”

“There’s too much to do.” She leaned her head on his shoulder, and ran her fingers across their son’s cheek. “And you need to be fed, don’t you?”

Ethan Fialko cooed back at her. Jace hadn’t known it was possible to love someone so much. No. That wasn’t true. He loved his wife with such abandon it physically hurt sometimes. Together, they were a family. It was more than he’d ever dreamed of.

The doorbell rang and Terra frowned. “People are here already?”

“It’ll be fine. We have enough food to feed a small army.”

“Yeah,” she muttered. “That’s what they are, aren’t they? An army.”

It had taken months to gain the trust of the Brasmatia clan, and there were still those who had a hard time accepting Terra as their leader. With him by her side, she had fought and won their alliance, if not their complete trust, but in time Jace knew they would come around.

“Yes. But they’re your army. So be nice.”

“I’m trying.”

He kissed her forehead and smiled. “I know.”

Cleaning out the debauchery from among the clan had been their biggest challenge. For generations the Brasmatia clan had been involved in some shady shit, and there were some who weren’t too happy with the new rules Terra had set in motion.

He found that Jack and Zoe had already let themselves in when he came into the foyer. Jack placed their daughter Cecille down, and she toddled off toward the wall to ceiling windows, placing her chubby hands against them while babbling.

“This place is gorgeous,” Zoe said, staring into the endless desert, rubbing her slightly rounded tummy.

Jace leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Thanks. Terra is just feeding Ethan, but she’ll be down in a few minutes. Is Josh not with you?”

Jack and Zoe exchanged a look.

“What?”

“He’s not coming.” A muscle in Jack’s jaw clenched.

“He still blames me for what happened with Nicole.” Jace exhaled, wondering how he would ever get his brother back.

“No. At least I don’t think so. You have to imagine how hard this is on him.” Jack glanced at his daughter, who now had her mouth plastered against the glass, humming.

“Give him time.”

“Yeah.” Jace scratched his chin and sighed. “It just would have been nice to have him here.”

“How are things with the clan?”

“Good.” Jace watched as a buzzard hung in the sky, casting a small blue shadow that moved along the sand, and smiled. He couldn’t believe he’d ever felt claustrophobic, with the whole damn desert in front of him. “Mic ran the clan by fear for so long. Getting them to trust us will take time.”

“Don’t believe him,” Terra said, entering the room. “Jace charmed them all within a week. It’s me they still have a problem with.”

“Oh, you look incredible,” Zoe gushed, wrapping her arms around his wife, then taking Ethan from her arms. “And look how big he is already.”

Terra smiled, but Jace noticed the slight reservation in her eyes.

Zoe must have saw it too, because her expression softened, and she whispered something to Terra that had her laughing. His family had accepted her with ease, as he knew they would, but he also knew there was still a small part of her that didn’t believe she was worthy of their love and acceptance.

“Mama, mama,” Cecille tugged at Zoe’s pants, clearly upset that she was holding another baby.

Zoe rolled her eyes and handed Ethan back to Terra, then scooped up her daughter.

“They’re here,” Terra said softly, her brows drawn down.

Jace felt the faint rumbling under his feet as a long line of vehicles approached.

“It’s time.” He placed his hand on Terra’s cheek and pulsated his love into her.

Today was as much about her as it was their son. She would stand with her clan and claim her place.

And what of tomorrow? He chuckled. If he was still a gambling man, he’d lay all his chips on her and he would win.

Lady luck was a tough little badger.

Stella Marie Alden
loves Zumba, yoga, watercolor painting, and fixing up her house. Growing up in Vermont, she loved to make up stories. Crayons fought each other over size and placement in their cardboard box and imaginary friends crowded the house. Her brother often complained. "Tell her no one's here, Mother.” 

Her career paths have varied. She's been a librarian, a classical clarinetist, recording studio engineer, broadcast electronics repairman, and now she architects software programs. She lives in Bergen County, NJ with her lifelong hero and their two cats.

www.stellamariealden.com

Chantel Seabrook
is the author of the Amazon bestselling fantasy romance, Cara's Twelve, as well as the Therian Agents paranormal romance series, and co-author of the Mated by Magic series.
When she isn't reading or writing sexy stories, she's most likely spending time with her family, cooking, singing, or racing between soccer, hockey and karate practices. She's living her own happily ever after with her husband of fifteen years and their two daughters. 
She loves creating new exciting characters - from sexy, bad boy alphas, to the passionate, fiery women who love them. 
Canadian born and bred, she started life in Edmonton, Alberta, and now resides in London, Ontario. She attended Western University where she graduated with an Honors degree in Anthropology.
Her guilty pleasures include red wine, pasta, binge watching Starz originals, and hanging out with her rescue pup, Jaxx. 
She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached a
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[email protected]