Four-Letter Words by Evans, Gabrielle (top 10 books of all time .txt) 📗

He didn’t get all the rules about witches and magic, but he understood evil just fine. By syphoning away Phillip McCarthy’s magic, Raith Braddock had damned himself to protect the people he loved. Thankfully, there was a way to purge the blackness from his soul, and if the ritual went according to plan, the witch would be back to normal by the time the sun rose.

“Okay, and where is this guy now?”

Zasha stopped pacing the living room and arched an eyebrow at his disgruntled lover. “Now that Mikko is safe, Phillip will be handed over to the Olympia Coven in Washington.” Kneeling between Thane’s knees where he perched on the sofa, Zasha took his hands and squeezed. “He will be punished. I promise.”

Zasha had been trying. Since their tryst on the front porch, he’d not badgered Thane nearly as much about his diet, exercise, or overall health. However, he also hadn’t engaged in any further sexual exploits or fed from his mate since that night.

Yes, he was trying to compromise as Thane wanted. He conceded that his mate brought up valid points about his speedy recovery. Much to the witch’s displeasure, he’d even requested Thane’s doctor make a special visit the previous night to check him over from top to bottom.

Other than needing to gain more weight, the doctor had confirmed that Thane was in excellent health and could even begin an exercise regimen to gain muscle mass. Of course, Thane had made it a point to ask about sexual activity. The doctor had chuckled quietly and winked, saying he recommended it at least twice a day.

Zasha hadn’t seen the humor. He trusted the medic, and he was excited about Thane’s progress. Still, he was finding it hard to convince himself that his concerns were invalid. He’d only had Thane for a few weeks, and already, he was more attached than he should be. The thought of doing anything—unintentional, accidental, or otherwise—that would tear his mate away from him sent him into a panic.

Thane softened toward him, and he dipped his head to kiss Zasha’s brow. “The sun will be rising soon. You should head down to the basement.”

“And where are you going?” It didn’t escape his notice that Thane hadn’t included himself in that thinly veiled command. For some reason, perhaps because of his growing attachment and constant fear that something bad lurked just around the corner, it made him nervous to be away from his partner.

“I have to help my brothers, lieveling. I’ll be back soon after sunrise.” Thane’s tone wasn’t condescending, but he spoke gently, as though he recognized and understood Zasha’s anxiety.

It had been an eventful night. First, Gideon had called with news of Mikko, saying the witch was in worse physical condition than they’d originally thought, and they were flying him straight to Snake River. During that little distraction, Leader Tuesday’s four-year-old son had disappeared, and Zasha had torn the place apart looking for him.

For a few minutes, he’d been sure he was dead. If his leader found out he’d lost the kid, October would disembowel him without blinking. Luckily, everything had turn out fine in the end, but it had been an exhausting evening full of emotional upheaval. With the sun rising shortly, he could barely keep his eyes open.

“I’ll wait up for you.”

Thane just laughed as he rose from the cushions, pulling Zasha up with him. “Go warm up the bed for me and get some rest. We’ve got a big night ahead of us.”

Zasha didn’t understand. “What’s happening tonight?” He assumed Thane would want to see Mikko as soon as possible, but it wasn’t that far of a drive from Casper to the coven.

“You’re going home.” Easing around him, Thane backed away with his hands tucked in his pockets and offered a smug grin. “We’re packing our bags and moving to Snake River.”

* * * *

His attempt to stay awake and remain watchful for his mate had been in vain. Almost as soon as his head had touched the pillow, Zasha had succumbed to sleep. He vaguely remembered Thane crawling into bed with him, mostly because it had felt like cuddling up next to an ice cube.

He’d awoken hours later to the news that the spell had been successful, freeing Raith from his curse of darkness. Thane hadn’t gone into great detail, and there hadn’t been time to ask questions. His mate was like a drill instructor, barking out orders as he packed their belongings with military efficiency. Then he’d insisted on checking, double-checking, and even triple-checking that they’d included everything except the kitchen sink.

“Would you relax? It’s not like we can’t come back if we forget something.” It was especially funny since the guy was normally so devil-may-care about everything.

“That’s not the point,” Thane argued. “If I need something, I’d like to have it on hand.”

Zasha should have been irritated, but he found the compulsive behavior kind of cute. “Thane, we’re not going on safari in the African wilderness. Snake River might be full of vampires, but I promise we’re not cavemen.” Honestly, he understood. After having everything taken from him, it seemed natural for Thane to be overly focused on his possessions. It was just too much fun to tease him.

Loading the last suitcase into the back of the SUV, Thane closed the gate with narrowed eyes. “And you have a very smart mouth.” Stalking forward, he pressed Zasha against the passenger-side door and grabbed his hips in a bruising hold. “I think we could find better ways to occupy those luscious lips.”

He was pretty sure Thane meant a kiss. Unbidden, however, images of his lover completely bare and spread out before him assaulted his mind. He could practically feel the stretch of his own lips and the heaviness of Thane’s cock as it slid over his tongue. The tangy-sweet taste of pre-cum bathed his taste buds, while his mate’s unique scent invaded his senses.

Swallowing became difficult because his mouth was desert dry,