Chapter 34

**Charles**


The others are bickering back and forth as I try to make sense of our ever increasing number of mates in this bond. Why would Nova need to mate with another Mage? I decide to step outside and think quietly but the others follow me.

“This is fucking ridiculous! How many more assholes am I going to have to put up with for that damn woman.” Asher yells.

“Hey, take it easy man.” Chase snaps at him. “That’s our mate you’re talking about. Show some respect.”

“Get out of my face man unless you want another blood bath on your hands.” Asher says moving closer to Chase in a dominant manner.

“Do you need another demonstration of how I can lay you flat on your ass again?” Chase replies looking unimpressed by Asher’s posturing.

Asher growls and prowls toward the shelter and disappears inside.

“Well, this is exciting. Are they always like this?” Aziel asks me with an elbow to my arm.

“So far yes. They do not seem to get along well.”

“They are children.” Eli adds with a grunt. “It is foolish to behave in such a manner.”

“It is a waste of energy when we need to come up with a way to retrieve Nova.” I add.

“Yeah! So what’s the plan captain?” Aziel asks me.

Before I can explain my still forming plan a ripple of energy catches my attention. I turn to see a cloud forming in the air, one that looks a lot like mine. When it reaches large enough for a person to pass through I am shocked to see the face looking back at me.

“Howdy bots! Miss me?” Nova steps completely out of the portal and smiles at us.

“Holy shit sweetheart how did you manage this?” Chase asks before walking her way and wrapping her in a hug.

“Hell, if I know. I concentrated hard and imagined being back here and this thing appeared.” She points to the impressive display of her power just as another form steps through.

I hear a low growl from behind me no doubt from Eli, but I am focusing my own power on the stranger.

“Oh! Guys, this is a new friend of mine. He’s here to help.” She walks away from Chase and stands next to the man.

“Not another mate, is he?” Chase asks.

She laughs and shakes her head. “No, but we have a whole different thing going on. Apparently, my powers called on him to be part of my army.”

She shrugs as if that is not an important revelation.

“An army?” Aziel asks.

“Yep. We have a lot of people after me who are ready to use me for a whole lot of bad. My friend Ilya here thinks I am meant to bring people to our cause by a special connection with them. When I touched him he felt it. It isn’t like the mate bonds, but I feel him.” The strange looking man looks down at her with an odd expression.

It is not the way we look at Nova. It is more like revelry and respect.
“It’s a pack bond. It’s coming from the wolf inside of you.” Asher says as he steps out in front of Eli and I.

Nova smiles and runs over to him. She jumps into his open arms and laughs when he squeezes her tight.

“Stop disappearing on me woman it’s driving me insane.” Asher grumbles.

Nova pulls back and kisses him. “I can’t make any promises since every time it happens it’s against my will, but I’ll try my best.”

Asher grumbles something I can not make out and starts walking away with Nova still in his arms.

“Hey! Where are you taking our mate?” Chase calls out.

“It’s my turn to claim our mate or my wolf might kill all of you.” Asher yells over his shoulder.

“You can’t hog her mate; we all want a turn.” Aziel adds.

Nova chuckles and hides her reddening face on Asher’s shoulder.

“Greedy wolf. I have a right mind to roast him.” Eli says as a puff of smoke comes from his nostrils.



**Nova**


Asher stomps off into the direction of a group of trees with me dangling in his arms.

“Asher I’m not sure if this is the right time for this.” I hazard to say.

He lets out a low growl. “I can’t wait. My wolf senses your rise in power. I might not be the voodoo genius, but I know wolves and your powers are growing. I think when we mate it might growl even more. You might be able to put out a call to bring your army to you.”

“Wait. Really?” I ask pulling my head away from his shoulder and playing with the hair on the back of his neck absentmindedly. “That would quicken things up.”

“No shit.”

He’s quiet for a few seconds and I take that time to try and see if I can sense his emotions. I’m not sure how the idea came to me, but he seems to have a hard time expressing any other emotion outside of anger.

“I’m sorry your wolf has been suffering. I don’t like thinking you’re hurt.”

He sighs and finally sets me down on my feet. “I’m not hurt Nova. It’s uncomfortable and fucking annoying but not painful.”

A wave of relief passes over me knowing he isn’t constantly in pain. That would crush me. I turn in a circle and look over the place Asher has chosen. It’s pretty but still swamp woods, but I don’t mind it. Anything is better than being locked in a white room for years.

“So…” I’m no longer a virgin vampire but this whole sex thing is still new to me.

Plus, this is with someone totally different. Chase has a laid-back personality that made the whole experience less stressful. Asher is a lot more intense and the look he is giving me right now…it looks like he wants to consume me alive. That scares me a little.

“How does this work?” I ask and hate how shaky my voice sounds.

Asher moves closer and looks down at me with eyes as black as night. “I have my way with you and seal our bond. Maybe right…here.”

He runs his finger over the skin where my neck and shoulder meet.

“Will it hurt?” I ask sounding breathless and far too excited by the idea.

“Only for a second, but like your bite, it will make it all feel a whole lot better.”

I nod and swallow nervously without taking my eyes off his. “I’m ready.”

He doesn’t wait for me to change my mind before his lips are on mine. A deep moan comes from his mouth as he pulls me closer to him and deepens the kiss. He nips my lips and tastes every bit of me he can. It’s hot and making me feel dizzy. His hands move down to the hem of my shirt, and he rips the whole thing in half. I jolt back from the force of it and gasp in surprise. He has what’s left of my shirt fisted in his hand when I stumble back.

I look down at my bare chest and squeak before crossing my arms over to hide my bare breasts.

“Don’t hide from me mate.”

Yeah, well easier said than done.

“It feels a little weird doing this out in the open.” I say looking around us.

We are well isolated, but I still feel too exposed.

“No one will come looking for you.” Asher says sounding pretty confident.

“How do you know?”

He smirks at me and moves closer again. “Because the voodoo man told me he would put up a barrier around us.”

I give him a confused look. “When did he tell you that?”

“He didn’t have to, but I know none of your other mates will want someone seeing their mate being pleasured.”

I want to cringe at the odd wording, but I stop myself. His voice has changed since we got here and it’s clear he’s becoming more animal.

“Now stop talking.” He growls before invading my space and taking my mouth with another intense kiss.

My arms drop away from my chest and I wrap them around his neck. He reaches down and grabs my thighs forcing me to wrap my legs around him as well. I’m so lost in our intense kiss that I don’t register that we’ve moved until he slams me against a nearby tree. I cry out in shock mostly but there is a slight pain that goes along with it. He starts kissing down my neck and I feel him fumbling with his zipper.

“My mate.” He says softly before he surges his hips forward and enters me in one stroke.

At the same time, he sinks his teeth into the side of my neck. Shit…I hadn’t thought this through.

His bite could kill me…