Anya Bast - Witch Fury

Gribben was the Coven’s prison, where they kept all warlocks and offending witches before they were tried and sentenced. Some were inmates for life. For any witch of great power, it was a potent punishment. The stronger the witch, the worse Gribben felt.

The last time Stefan had been housed here, he’d become suicidal. But an Atrika had broken him out, and if the Atrika could figure out where the Coven had taken him, Theo had no doubt they’d break him out again. Their gamble right now was getting as much information from Stefan as they could before that happened.

He took Sarafina’s hand and led her out of the cell. “If you guys insist, I’m not arguing,” he said as they left.

Theo only started to feel alive again by the time they reached his apartment. Once through the door, Sarafina kicked off her shoes with a heavy sigh. Neither of them had been sleeping well.

He scooped her into his arms before she could draw another breath. Ignoring her yelp of surprise, he carried her into the bedroom and laid her on the bed.

She rose up on her elbows and crooked a knee. Giving him a come-hither look, she murmured, “Does capturing warlocks excite you, Theo?” He let his gaze wander down over her tight leather pants and the creamy exposed skin at her midriff where her filmy red shirt had ridden up. Where Sarafina was concerned, he was always excited.

“Sleep,” he said gruffly, turning away. “You’re exhausted. I’ll stay up and keep a lookout.” “Oh, Theo. .” Sarafina purred. The sound of a zipper being undone and leather brushing over satiny smooth skin met his ears. He knew the feel of that skin against his lips, tongue, and hands.

Drawing a deep breath for strength, he turned. She lay in only the low-cut club top and a pair of skimpy blue silk panties.

He wanted to take them off with his teeth.

She tipped her head to the side a little. “Don’t you think we need to unwind a little before we sleep? We deserve to celebrate after what we just did. Annie gave me a birth control charm when we got back to Chicago, by the way. We’re totally safe now.” He traced the curve of her thigh with his gaze. “Don’t tease me, Sarafina. You need to sleep so you’re ready for a fight later. There will be one; it’s just a question of when.” She pulled her shirt off and dropped it to the floor along with her bra. Her small pert breasts were topped with luscious hard red nipples — like little suckable berries. “Are you absolutely sure?” Theo lingered for a moment, staring at her, then stalked across the floor to loom over her. She relaxed back into the pillows, the look of a vixen on her face. Sarafina was a woman who knew she was beautiful and she knew exactly how to use her beauty to greatest effect. It was part of what made her so dangerous.

He leaned down, bracketing her with his arms on either side of her body. Her facial muscles relaxed a little as she realized she’d won the battle and now would reap the spoils.

Theo leaned in and captured her full red lips against his, sliding over them torturously slowly, just the way he knew drove her crazy. He flicked his tongue into her mouth and allowed it to brush her tongue while he moved one hand between her perfect thighs to press against the warm, damp silk covering her sex. He found her clit and stroked it beneath the material until it grew engorged and ultrasensitive.

Sarafina shifted and moaned under him, her arms seeking to twine around him and draw him down onto the mattress with her. He caught her lower lip and dragged it slowly between his teeth. She shivered and moved her hips, seeking more contact.

Instead, he drew away and kissed her forehead. “Two can play that diabolical game, baby,” he murmured a moment before he backed away far enough that she couldn’t draw him to her. “Sleep now.” She protested, but he ignored her. He only sank down into a chair in the corner of the room and watched her glare at him.

Sarafina grabbed her boxer shorts and T-shirt from a nearby chair and slipped them on. “You’re evil.” He smiled. “Maybe a little. Sleep now and I’ll be even more evil later.”

SARAFINA WOKE THE SAME WAY SHE’D GONE TO sleep — aching for Theo. She craved the feel of his body against hers, his tongue on her skin, his hands on her body. Being with him, having him inside her, was the only time she truly felt safe anymore.

Her eyelids fluttered open and she moaned, stretching under the sheet that covered her. Theo was no longer in the chair. Actually, he was no longer in the room. That was strange since he rarely let her out of his sight.

She rose, not bothering to cover herself. “Theo?” No answer.

She navigated the room in the predawn, headed to the hallway, and hit her shin on the bed frame. “Ow!” She hopped on one foot toward the living room, hand to her shin. “Theo?” “I’m here.” A warm body pressed against hers, crowding her back against the wall.

“Theo,” she murmured, smiling. The dawn light just barely kissed the edges of his hair and bleached the color from his normally well-tanned skin. Shadows played over his face, obscuring his eyes. She reached up and let his long hair curl through her fingers. “I was worried you’d left me.” “Of course not.”

But he would. Eventually, he would leave her. He’d push her away because he didn’t feel worthy of her. The pain that Theo had had to endure all his life — goodness, it had started at birth — had shaped him that way. Too damaged for love. His life had molded him in such a way that he felt unworthy of anyone’s kindness, anyone’s total commitment.

And, damn it, she’d fallen in love with him. Didn’t bode well for her, did it?

“I—” She snapped her mouth closed and swallowed hard. The darkness closed around them like a smaller room within the room. “I want you, Theo,” she whispered against his lips. “I need to have you inside me. I want to feel close to you, as close as I can get.” He turned her toward the wall and pushed her hair to the side, his fingers running over the skin of her shoulder in a sensual sweep. His hands slipped over her bare breasts, caressing her nipples as his lips and teeth caught her earlobe and nipped.

A shiver ran through her and goose bumps erupted over her skin. Her sex plumped, excited, eager.

“Dally with the aeamon now for I’ll be coming for you soon.” Bai’s voice.

She stiffened and opened her eyes, all her excitement was gone in a rush of cold fear. She turned. Bai stood there, not Theo. His eyes glowed red and when he parted his lips, his teeth were pointed and sharp as knives.

Sarafina screamed.

“SARAFINA!”

She lunged forward in bed, the sheets a tangle around her legs. Bright daylight streamed in through the bedroom window. Theo caught her in his arms and she fought him for a moment, not certain who he really was.

“Shhh, it’s okay now, you’re safe.” He pressed her head to his shoulder and wrapped his arms around her to keep her from thrashing.

Sarafina closed her eyes and whispered, “God, it was so real.” She shuddered, shaking and cold from the memory of Bai’s breath on her skin.

Theo pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “It was just a dream.” She pushed away from him a little so she could see his face. Theo, yes, it was Theo. “No. No, that was no dream. I could feel everything. Oh, God, I thought he was you. He touched me.” The words came out a horrified whisper. “I thought it was you, but it was Bai.” “It wasn’t real. It was a mind-fuck, Sarafina.” She shook her head and flipped the sheets away to expose her shin. “I hit my leg on the bed. I can still feel the pain.” There was no bruise there, at least not yet.