Miz Spelled Read online

  She clung to him, gasping as though he delivered oxygen to air-starved lungs. His hands trembled as he cupped her face and rained kisses over her brow, her eyes, and finally, settled again on her lips.

  “God, baby, I’ve needed you so much,” he groaned and she believed him. “Not again. We’ll not be separated again.” The words were snarled, a guttural promise as he leaned her against the wall, using the flat surface to hold her steady for his hammering thrusts.

  The room filled with sizzling power as Thomas pistoned in and out of her. He was so strong he shifted her on his cock with ease, always finding the spot that gave her the most pleasure. She was so close, she… Blearily she blinked sweat from her eyes and gazed over his shoulder.

  “Criminy, we’re about to blow the place,” she panted, raking her nails down his back to get his attention. He roared, she shuddered and held on as he strode to the door and threw it open.

  “Oh sweet Jesus in the morning, do it now,” she begged.

  Thomas sank his teeth into her neck at the same time he pressed his thumb against her clit.

  Yesssss… She came.

  Power drained from her into the room, the porch and then her yard. Rain and wind dispersed the blanket of magic, carrying it over the landscape to the shed, where silver drops washed away splotches of red.

  Miz didn’t have long to reflect on the picture when Thomas leaned her against the frame of the door and continued his jarring thrusts.

  She clutched the back of his head and tried to swallow his tongue as he kept his mouth sealed to hers and kissed her into her second orgasm.

  He didn’t stop fucking her even after the white light disappeared, the leaves were again black shadows and the rain became just drops of water splashing against the ground.

  Gradually the tempo of his movements changed and Miz clung to him, following his rhythm. She was satiated and yet wanted the moment to never end. She liked everything about fucking him bareback.

  They’d worked through that issue during the summer. First of all, he was a shifter and he didn’t get human diseases like—well, like humans.

  And as a healer, she didn’t catch crap either. So they’d dispensed with condoms.

  Yes. The heat in her core intensified, and her breasts were so sensitized, when the nubs brushed over his chest, she felt the goose bumps wash over his skin.

  Thomas tightened his grip on her rump as his back arched and his release flooded her. It was glorious. Her womb swallowed greedily, draining him. He was so big and she fit so tight around him, she could feel the veins on his bare cock inside her. She was going to miss it.

  Reality set in. Still inside her, Thomas stood with his head resting on her shoulder. She nudged him until his head came up and he held her gaze.

  “That was real nice. You can put me down now.”

  Just call me Miz Congeniality. She didn’t care. She wasn’t into pretending that things were cool between them.

  He looked tired. As she watched, the color of his eyes morphed from dark brown to amber. He smiled and said in a tone she wanted to mistake for tender but suspected was exhaustion, “I missed you too.”

  “So spit out your excuse so you can be on your way.” Fiercely, Miz cupped his face between her palms and glared at him. “You’re not sick or maimed. There’s no visible scarring. Your eyes are steady and you don’t look crazed or possessed.” She dropped her arm and caught his hand in hers. “Where have you been?”

  Chapter Six

  Thomas flashed white teeth that looked more like fangs. She’d read up on jaguars. It wasn’t a smile he was bestowing on her. Determined to get some answers, Miz held on to his hand. “Tell me…” She didn’t have to probe.

  He flooded her mind with images from the last month—him standing behind the shoulder of Shep Buchanan, the other man falling to the ground, the jaguar, creeping on his belly through thick shrubs, feline claws scoring human flesh.

  She recognized that scene from the dream she’d had. The silent movie sped on until she saw Thomas in man form leaning over a hospital bed where Shep Buchanan lay.

  “Why are you here?” she asked, slapped sober by the images. It didn’t matter what his body said, it wasn’t sex on Thomas’s mind. Might as well cut to the chase and just say no to whatever he wanted.

  “I need your help.” No big surprise there.

  “Do you need to hide out?” Miz asked. The jaguar had looked pretty damn focused in the glimpse she’d gotten. “Did you kill someone?” Actually, her wards could keep folks away from him for a long time, like forever if he was so inclined.

  “Not yet,” Thomas answered grimly. “I need your help in DC.” His hand pulsed truth and Miz shivered as cold frosted her heart and etched her limbs.

  “Well now, ain’t you just the one,” she drawled, layering her sarcasm in country pride. She’d actually been thinking about ways to leave West Virginia. Not seriously. But some.

  She knew Thomas wanted her body for the wrong reasons, her being a constant purveyor of female come-hither pheromones. But she wanted to use his body too, and her reasons weren’t much better. He was a natural receptacle for her power.

  But enjoying mutually beneficial sex was a lot different than using her truth-sayer talent for his purposes. She’d been down that road before. The alpha of the local werewolf pack, Hank Wyatt, had discovered her gifts when she was half grown.

  Hank had forced her to be his private lie detector for years. She’d finally broken away from his control and now, apparently, here was another male who wanted to use her just the same.

  “So you wanna be my new pimp. I thought I’d rid myself of that burden when we took care of Hank.” Knowing why Thomas was back hurt a lot more than it should.

  Miz glared at him. So much for her vanity. She’d at least hoped he’d missed her as much as she’d missed him. Requited lust or not, she swept him with a look of disgust. She wanted to knee him in the groin for making her like being with him so much.

  As though anticipating her inclination, he stepped closer. “You don’t get to hole up here in Bitter Creek Holler anymore, sweetheart.”

  “You don’t get to are words I don’t listen to,” Miz reminded him. “You best remember that, Sunny.”

  “This isn’t about us. This is government business. I didn’t share any of your secrets with Buchanan, but Shep’s from these parts, same as you,” Thomas said grimly.

  “Shep Buchanan is about as much a home boy as you are. He—” Miz didn’t get to finish telling him her opinion of her neighbor.

  “Somebody pried open his brain and scooped out the contents. If your name is filed in there somewhere along with information about the local werewolf pack, you’re in danger. You’re coming with me.”

  “So you’re back to save me? Like a superhero?”

  He left her to mull that over and investigated her closet. She frowned. She hadn’t thrown his clothes out. She should have. As she watched, he pulled on his sweats and then waved the new cowboy boots at her.

  “I want to see you naked wearing nothing but these when we get back,” he growled.

  She loved those boots. They were made from rich chocolate leather, about the same color of mahogany as Thomas’s skin. Just looking at the turquoise and peach flowers embroidered in a floral design on the eleven-inch shaft made her smile. They were girlie boots and it tickled her feminine side that Thomas had chosen them for her.

  But they weren’t helpless, oh save me boots for sure. The wide, square toe would work fine for landing a solid kick, and the leather came up high enough to protect her leg when she rode the Harley. They were pretty much perfect boots, with their double welt stitching, spur ledge and roper heel. Not that she’d looked all that close.

  “I’m not going anyplace. And you don’t need to come back once you leave.” She glared at Thomas.

  “You’re wasting time, Miz. Get a move on. I can’t leave you here unprotected and I need your help in DC. End of chapter, beginning of new.”


  He’s back because he’s concerned about me. Okay, he wanted to use her too, but he wanted to protect her. Her anger cooled.

  “You don’t have to worry about me, Thomas. My wards are good. Nobody’s going to—”

  “Wards and spells be damned, the agency’s been compromised, Shep Buchanan’s in a fugue state and currently exhibiting the intelligence of a head of broccoli. I need your help. I can’t trust anyone else.”

  Some of the ice melted from her veins. “I can’t be gone more than forty-eight hours, Thomas. I mean it. If you trust me, know that I’m not kidding. Two days, that’s all I can be gone without getting a…” Hmm, how to explain that the house had to have a Hess in residence all the time?

  “Longer than that, and I have to get one of my cousins to house-sit.” There, that was enough information.

  She wasn’t surprised when Thomas’s gaze swept over the room, no doubt wondering what folks would steal. Round here, that’d be anything not nailed down.

  Without questioning her further, he nodded agreement. “I’ll have you back in two days. I’m ready. How about you?” Thomas retrieved his canvas boat shoes from the corner where she’d tossed them and slipped his feet into them.

  She was already stuffing her kit and some clothes in a knapsack, preparing to leave when she remembered her massage parlor. “How will my clients—”

  “You have a partner,” Thomas cut off her excuse, suddenly all business. “She owes you for saving her life.”

  Which was true. Jenny had been in wolf form, dying—death by lethal beating with a silver club. Miz had healed the she-wolf only to witness the bitch shift into her partner and once-friend. Their relationship had been more than a little strained since then.

  “Got an address, or do I let my hands divine the way?” she asked sarcastically, pulling on her usual boots and leather jacket.

  “DC. I’m navigator.”

  Ten minutes later, she’d set her wards in place and they were weaving through the potholes marking the path out of Bitter Creek Holler. Rain poured over them, lighting flashed above, and thunder rumbled so loud it made the ground shake. Visibility was less than perfect.

  “We could have caught a plane, driven my car, ridden on Amtrak. Hell, walking would be better than this.”

  She stopped the Harley on that complaint. “You can get the hell off, jump through the trees, retrieve your vehicle at Shep’s place and leave me in peace if you’re going to whine.”

  But he wrapped his arms tighter around her waist, snapped his teeth at her again and growled. She resumed their journey, not because his beast intimidated her, but because it made her happy to hear Thomas complaining in her ear.

  The truth was, though she’d agreed to partner him in this adventure, she planned to have the tank of her Harley full and waiting. When she was ready to return home, she’d be on her way with or without Thomas.

  Dream on, baby. Thomas squeezed her waist and leaned forward, pressing his chest to her back as they flew around the slick mountain curves. You’re not getting away from me again.

  Like I left you the first time. Their mental sparring made her forget the misery of his previous absence and the awful weather they currently endured.

  “Hold tight.” When they reached the main road, she kicked her bike into high speed. It was after three in the morning, the troopers were evidently either hibernating in their squad cars, or attending the scene of a crime, because the highway was clear of traffic. In spite of the rain, they made good time.

  Chapter Seven

  Miz pulled into a truck stop in Lexington, Virginia. Thomas dismounted, slid his credit card in the pay slot and looked for the gas tank.

  “If you’re going to hang with me, Sunny, you need to learn one end of the hog from the other.” Miz pointed it out, swung off the leather seat and replaced her butt with her helmet.

  She shook her head, clearing the fuzz from her brain. They’d just dropped a thousand feet elevation and the air here felt thick and sluggish.

  Might be a waste of time and fuel. She’d questioned her ability to use her talents when she wasn’t surrounded by the old mountains they’d left behind. Ironically, as she worried about leaving familiar magic, her hands throbbed, demanding she proceed.

  It was interesting. She’d thought a lot lately about leaving the state. This was her first trip out—ever. Thomas didn’t need to know that she was clueless.

  Want anything? She nodded toward the truck stop.

  Sun, sand, and uninterrupted time with you…

  Miz pictured them lying together on a sunny beach and felt Thomas’s growl. She grinned and dashed to the main building. As soon as she opened the restaurant door, she smelled coffee.

  She made a quick detour to the ladies’ room and tried not to look in the mirror when she washed her hands. Unfortunately, as she slathered on a layer of lip balm, she couldn’t avoid seeing the sweaty strands of hair poking out of her blue skull cap.

  Now ain’t that just a freakin’ fashion statement? She grimaced, bared her teeth at herself, and tried to make the hat cover more of her head.

  In the restaurant, she paid for two coffees and proceeded to the self-serve counter where she poured Thomas’s black and capped it. She could see him waiting by the Harley outside and tore the top off four creamer packets for her own brew.

  As she looked out the plate glass window, a man drifted to Thomas’s side. About the same time, a big guy in a suit joined her behind the coffee stand.

  Though he made it look accidental, he stood with his back to the security camera, blocking her face as well as his own. She knew immediately it wasn’t a casual stance.

  “Miss Hess, I’m Eric Case, NSA.” First he flashed his badge at her. When she didn’t say anything, he offered her his card. “We’d like to ask you some questions.”

  Well damn, I’ve not more than tiptoed into another state and the feds are waiting. She looked around for his posse. Since there was only one of him standing in front of her, Miz thought the ‘we’ a tad pretentious. No point in riling him though. “Am I under arrest?”

  “No, but I assure you, it’s in your boyfriend’s best interest if you talk to us.” He nodded toward the Harley where Thomas and the other suit stood.

  Boyfriend, huh. Nice to know we’re a couple in the eyes of Uncle Sam. Miz shed her right glove and stirred her coffee after adding two more packets of creamer.

  Hmmm…Still not quite the right color. She whitened the coffee two shades lighter, stirred and sipped. Before she gave her attention to the card and the man holding it, she tested her connection to Thomas. You okay, Sunny? Thought I might ask this yahoo a question or two.

  A rumbled mental growl was her answer. Thomas was linked in, prepared to play, and truth-finder was primed and ready.

  “You can call me, Miz,” she murmured and took the agent’s hand. “Let’s talk.” She gazed into Mister NSA’s eyes, slid her fingers between his, and as soon as her flesh pressed against his palm, ruled him. “Tell me all about yourself.”

  Mostly, being a truth-sayer was a royal pain, but the current situation made it real handy. His expression changed from disciplined professional to happy-sappy, ready to give up all his secrets.

  “My name is Eric Case. I’m thirty-four, married and have three children. Bowling is the excuse I use to get out of the house when I want to run.” Miz rolled her eyes. Men always blabbed about their extra-curricula’s right off.

  “You cheat on your wife?” she asked.

  “Never.” He looked appalled. “I hide my other half from her. She doesn’t know what I am.”

  “And what are you?”

  For a moment his eyes became those of a beast. She increased the pressure on his hand and whispered, “Tell me.”

  “Werewolf,” he muttered. It was a strangled sound as his throat closed, trying to disobey her command.

  Miz kept checking on Thomas and Eric’s partner as she conducted the interrogation. “Why are you here?”

 
“My partner and I followed Hunter from DC to your place.”

  Well isn’t that nice. “Why?”

  “When he left Shep Buchanan’s side we knew something was up. He’s been guarding him. Now he’s not. We’re curious.” His eyes went wide and for a moment he almost overcame Miz’s hold on his mind. Drops of sweat beaded his forehead.

  “When he parked at Shep Buchanan’s place and took to the trees, we followed him.”

  “For what?”

  He frowned. “To see if you’re one of us, of course.”

  “What happens if I’m not?”

  “I don’t know.” And he was telling her the truth. He looked miserable. “We don’t tell humans about us.”

  “So are your kids like you?” Heck, Miz figured she’d get as much info from him as she could. Thomas sure didn’t give up much.

  “One of them, I think, maybe.”

  She felt sorry for him by the time she finished her questioning. She couldn’t wipe his memory completely. At least she doubted it since he was like Thomas, sort of a man with two different brains. But she could slow him down considerably. At least, until she and Thomas got on their way.

  Miz touched him in the middle of the forehead, told him to tell his wife the truth, pay more attention to his kids, and take up gardening. It would be good for his mojo. Then she planted the final information.

  Casting a quick look to make sure she didn’t have an audience, she gazed back at him and touched the vulnerable spot in the middle of his forehead. Heat pulsed into him from her fingers.

  “You’ve eaten something that doesn’t agree with you. You have to vomit and empty your stomach. Then, you need to rest. You have food poisoning.” Miz jolted him with enough power to make his knees buckle and his eyes dim. Good. Her magic was just as strong here as it was at home.

  She grabbed up the two Styrofoam cups and headed for the door, leaving the sound of retching behind. As she went past the front counter she gave the clerk a heads-up.