9781631052415ShadowedSpiritBeck (6 page)

“Right, as some of my research I’ve just recently been
working through suggests, this struggle may have been foretold in our history,
but simply misinterpreted,” Gemma began.

“Misinterpreted for centuries? How is that even possible?”
Donovan asked
,
his tone laced in anger and disbelief.

Tony Sinster, Sadie’s father spoke up, “The study of our
race and its history has occurred in secret. We could never risk discovery so
we relied only on our own researchers. That limits the field. We’ve uncovered
as much as possible. It was my daughter here,” he paused and
grinned
a proud smile at Gemma, “who tapped into a passage that was largely overlooked,
seemingly unimportant.”

Gemma cleared her throat and read from an old book nearly as
big as her body.

In the time of the
fulfillment, the days upon which the prophecy of the seven will come to be seen
in our lands, those who would spite the dawning will react. There will be
dissention among you, but those with honor and power, those without sin, will
prevail.

“It was always interpreted to mean that other women of the
Magdalena Circle will feel jealous of those with the ability to fulfill the
prophecy, but I don’t believe that’s true anymore,” Gemma explained.

“Given the new information and knowing that our own
Valendite Breed males, or at least one, have been involved in this rebellion
against our race, I agree with Gemma’s interpretation. The uprising is part of
the prophecy. Since it speaks of ‘those without sin prevailing’, I’m also in
agreement that while we will aid them and have done everything we can up to
this point to keep them safe and our secret secure, the future is truly in the
hands of the women seated around this table.”

Granger couldn’t help, but notice Layla reach over to
squeeze Madden’s hand. He did the same with his mate, needing to feel Sadie’s
skin against his own.

“We still have time, correct? We have until Gracie is
mated?” Eloise asked.

All eyes turned to Sadie’s only unmated sister, Gracie, who
sat in the corner beside Madden’s sister Davina. The two women who’d obviously
become good friends looked as if they had a secret, but neither spoke.

Chiara Sinster cleared her throat. “I believe it would be
wise to clear the way, as some might say, so when the final stage of the
prophecy is fulfilled, the threats are gone.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Adelina, the Santucci matriarch,
agreed.

Madden now cleared his throat and brought the attention back
to him. “I’m in agreement. Caedon is going to lay out the plan as we’ve best
determined. The complication lies in the elimination of the offending Valendite
breed male, or possibly males, since it’s forbidden to murder within our own
race.”

Granger interrupted. “The men Trevor and I eliminated, the
ones we believed to be the last of the group, were they it for the humans?’

Caedon nodded. “We believed so. Now though, it appears this
Mase character has a few working with him as well. They’re likely to be more
like lackeys, but they’ll be more casualties.”

“I’ve done satellite scans of all areas where this group at
any time operated and found no movement or suspicious activity,” Lucas added.

“So we are focused on Mase and his specific location then,”
Granger confirmed.

Sadie’s hand gripped him with more strength and he knew—he
could sense—how difficult this was for her. He knew she felt responsible for
what Mase knew and how close he’d gotten through her relationship with him.

“I’ve got the specs on Mase, as well as the former housekeeper.
Samra still works for him at his home in San Francisco, but there’s been no
sighting of him since Trevor and Granger went on their trek to eliminate the
humans involved.” Lucas passed around folders while Caedon popped on the
overhead projection.

As the details were discussed and the basic plan, along with
the roles of both the men and women, unveiled, the mood in the room turned
serious. There was certainly an underlying tension, but also the knowledge that
this group of people had everything they needed to end this uprising and see
the prophecy fulfilled.

Once they got into the details of transport and supplies,
the women excused themselves. Davina explained as they exited, “It’s time for a
circle. It’s how we’ll prepare. You men folk carry on.” That little spitfire
Granger had watched grow up was something; he just shook his head. Whoever
claimed her would be in for a handful.
Goddess bless
him.

Sadie hugged Granger, her body fitting ever so perfectly
into his. “I’ll miss you. It’s our first time apart and I’m feeling a bit edgy.
You’ll come find me soon?”

“Yes. Call out to me if you need me. That mind thing, right,
I should be able to hear you that way,” Granger reassured her before letting
her go.

* * * *

Sadie
followed the other women out onto the patio that surrounded the back of the
Santucci’s main house. It had massive stone pillars and beautiful flower
gardens, but neither of those elements were what captured her attention. No,
Sadie was drawn to the magnificent mosaics set into the floor stones. They were
stunning in their detail, each unique, but seeming to belong to the set. Eleven
in total, the mosaics formed a circle around a small fountain.

“She’s
not yet finished. Davina created these. She’s an artist,” Gracie explained when
she saw Sadie marveling at the mosaics. “The final piece is a mosaic column to
be set in the center of the fountain.”

“It’s
incredible. She’s so talented.” Sadie had no idea Davina was an artist, and
certainly not that she was this talented.

“I
think so,” Gracie smiled and shrugged. “Walk the stones and you’ll see each is
a representation of one of us.”

As
Sadie made the circle, she saw each woman take position at a stone until she
found the brightest nearly calling to her. Somehow, she knew it was where she
should stand.

She
cast a look around and took in the women surrounding her, amazed by the talents
they possessed. One by one, they touched fingertips
ever so
slightly and small bursts like sparkling lightning bugs filled the air around
them. As the sun sank behind the surrounding hills and dusk claimed the day,
darkness settled slowly. The air was still and no one spoke for a long time as
they each stood and allowed their individual powers to extend outward.

Sadie could feel the sensation of her powers mingling with the others.
When she looked up, she watched the colors merge and swirl. The scent of
burning incense someone must’ve lit was reassuring as she took deep breaths so
as not to become overwhelmed. As women of the
Magdalena Circle
, they had strengths of their own and when combined,
these women were mighty.

The chanting started with the eldest women. “Come to us, Mother of all
Mothers.” Chiara and Adelina’s voices rang out loud. The vibrations that came
forth shook Sadie where she stood. She was frozen to her spot. Never had she
experienced something like this moment. Sadie assumed the power was from so
many mated women in one circle.
Incredible.

The chanting grew louder as each of her sisters joined in. She lent her
voice to the chanting as well and then saw Gracie join in after her. Above all,
Sadie heard Davina’s voice penetrate through the hum of the chanting as she called
forth to Mary Magdalena.

“Come to us, Mother of all Mothers, and bless us. Protect us and our
mates as we open ourselves to the Prophecy of the Seven. Come to us.”

The chanting altered to “Come to us.” The sparks of power congregated
above the circle in a brilliant ball of energy. Sadie drew her eyes upward to
regard the amazing sight before them. It was truly a demonstration of their
Goddess manifested before them.

Their chanting grew louder, their words taking on a hum as they melded
with one another. Sadie felt an airy floating sensation and a surreal cloud of
joy carried her upward. There was a calming peace that entered her as the chanting
stopped. Not a sound was made as all of the women reveled in the moment.

Gradually, they moved to the table where refreshments had been set out.
Adelina broke the silence. “Ladies, I believe the Goddess has blessed us with
her protection. We’ll serve our roles well and I am glad to be a part of our
circle.”

Glasses of water were held up in toast as the women issued their
agreement with the proclamation. Tomorrow would test them all.

Chapter Six

To say
that Sadie was overwhelmed by the day would’ve been an understatement of epic
proportions. She’d never taken the time to allow the significance of their
roles as women of the
Magdalena Circle
to sink in. She’d ignored much of it, largely in part due to her soul sin. Her
avoidance of spiritual development driven by her soul sin of sloth suddenly
felt like more of a burden than she’d ever understood it to be.

Now,
she relaxed in a hot bath while Granger prepared a meal for them. She wanted
nothing more than to eat and go to bed with her mate. Exhaustion was setting in
and Sadie knew she needed time alone with Granger. Today they had spent the
most time apart since mating and she felt the drain on their connection. It was
too soon to be away from one another.

Sadie stroked her body with the soap and watched as her
powers made the candles set about jump with their flames nearly dancing for
her. She played, raising her hand to watch the fire follow her lead. It was
enchanting, these new powers. The movements were so much like conducting a
choreographed dance.

“You, my sexy vixen, are calling to me like a siren in that
tub,” Granger grinned from his post at the doorway.

Blushing
that she’d been caught playing like a child in the bath tub, Sadie blushed. “I’m
playing with my magic. It’s so incredible.”

Granger’s eyes took in Sadie with obvious joy and love, and
it gave her a rush of pleasure she was certain he’d sensed. “Sadie, you are incredible.
I have waited years to find you, a mate of my own,
a
family just for me. And now here you are. To receive such beauty and magic in
you is more than I’d ever dared to hope for. I believed when I took the work
with TEU that I wouldn’t find the time to seek my mate, but it seems fate had
its own plan for us.”

Warmed by his words, Sadie didn’t realize her aura shifted
and the entire room lit up with brightly burning candles. Eventually, she’d be
able to control each element, but it seemed for now at least, her control over
fire was becoming quite masterful.

She reached out her hand towards Granger, beckoning him
forward. “Come in with me.”

With a single thought, Granger’s clothes melted away and he
stood naked before her. His impressive stature could intimidate her if she
wasn’t so confident he’d never hurt her. His arm muscles rippled with his
movement as he leaned onto the edge of the tub, placing one foot and then the
other into the tub. She couldn’t help herself as she licked her lips and
imagined feasting on her mate. He was simply magnificent surrounded by the
flickering flames, the soft lighting that played along his muscular contours.

Their gazes connected and desire pulsed between them. The
bubbles in the bath water rose as the air around them seemed to vibrate. Sadie moved
her gaze to the pulse point at the base of his neck and found it nearly
impossible to swallow. It had been more than eighteen hours since she’d
drank
from her mate.

“Are you okay?” Granger’s voice was raspy and deep.

Sadie shook her head. No, she most certainly wasn’t okay.
She’d implode if she didn’t have him soon. Taking in a few deep breaths to steady
herself
, realizing no other man had ever affected her
as he did, Sadie moved onto her knees and leaned towards him. She had to touch
him.

She rested her hands on his shoulders as she sat on her
knees between his spread thighs. “Let me wash you.” Holding the soap, her
fingers lightly stroked down his shoulder and along his arm, across his chest
and to his other shoulder and arm.

“You’ve never mentioned your birth family.” Sadie didn’t
want to ask, but allowed for this opening.

Granger sat still with his head resting backward and his
eyes closed. She wasn’t sure if he’d answer, but after a short pause, he
expelled a long breath. “They’re good people. My family owns the sister
vineyard to the Santucci’s vineyard here. They’re in Italy, our homeland, where
they believe all Valendites should remain. They are old fashioned and
conservative. They see no need for our race to mix with the human world and are
firm in their belief that we should remain as separate as possible while
keeping peace and, of course, privacy.”

Sadie nodded, understanding what he didn’t say. His parents
didn’t approve of his profession. They’d wanted him to remain at the family’s
vineyard.

“My brothers stayed in the family business, but I left. I
didn’t fit it and always felt trapped. I wanted to travel and make a
contribution to our race. This was something they did not understand.”

“When have you talked to them last?”

“When I left Italy to train with TEU.”

Sadie gasped. “That was over fifty years ago.”
She
knew Granger was seventy-five years old. The Valendite Breed matures to mating
age after the first fifty years. If he came to TEU at twenty, the age of Breed
adulthood, he’d been gone from his home for a very long time. “Don’t you want
to return?”

“I don’t know if I’d be welcomed.” Granger took the soap
from Sadie and began to clean her as she had done for him. Sadie knew he was
looking for a distraction. His features hardened from their conversation and
his emotions grew erratic.

“I’m sorry, Granger, that I brought this up. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Please just relax and let me take care of you. No
more talk for now.”

With that, Sadie turned and settled her full body against
Granger. The bubbles conformed around her body and hid the wicked things his
fingers were doing to her from view. She didn’t need to see to feel.

Granger breathed out a sigh of relief as they sank into a
comfortable silence.

* * * *

Trying not to wake a sleeping Sadie, Granger held her
tightly and stood in the now cooling water. He stepped out of the tub, and without
stopping to dry them, he walked to the bed. He leaned down and placed a soft
kiss to Sadie’s lips with every intention of plating their dinners and bringing
it to bed, but then Sadie returned the kiss, pressing her body against him, seeking
his warmth and craving the same connection he did. How could he resist?

“Ssh…let me feed you before we lay together.” Granger ran
his hands along her body lightly to reassure her before moving away, but she
whimpered. Sadie was somewhere in the state between sleep and wakefulness and
so he decided dinner could wait. His mate needed him.

Lying down beside her, Granger cradled her in his arms. Her
skin, warm against
his own
cooler body temperature,
sparked when they touched.

He felt her giggle when he startled and raised an eyebrow at
her. It was a sweet gesture he didn’t often get with Sadie.

“My powers seem to spike when I’m close to you. I’m learning
to control them.” She blushed.

“I think I like it.” Granger chuckled. “I’ve missed you
today.”
With the hours apart ticking away, their
bond had pulled at each of them.

“I don’t ever want to be without you.”

Sadie moved her body along his, rubbing
her softer curves against his hard body. He felt her wet core as her leg
circled on of his thighs. His mate was in need of him. And he would be happy to
provide.

“I do not intend to ever be without
you.” Granger assured her.

He rolled them and sat Sadie atop him,
straddling his thighs. He ran his hands up along her back and
settled
them on her hips to hold her still as he pushed his thick cock into her already
wet core. Sadie let out a sigh of pleasure
as
she felt him harden further.

He held still, simply allowing her body
to acclimate to his cock pressed snuggly into her warm center. Then his
attention moved to her breasts. Granger pulled a nipple between his teeth,
making her cry out in equal parts pleasure and frustration, and then switched
to the other. She tangled her fingers in his hair and held him against her
breast.

Sadie wanted to move, craved the friction of his steel length
gliding along her inner muscles. Granger showed no signs of going quickly
though. He worked her sensitive breasts, their tiny beaded nipples begging for more
attention. She began to move against his hold on her hips, pressing down into
his lap and squirming as much as possible to gain friction.

Sadie felt her body reaching for climax. Thank the Goddess
that he allowed her to move herself up and down on his shaft now, his hands
actually encouraging the circular motion of her hips. She lifted up and slowly
pushed her back down onto his full length, leaving not a single inch outside of
her body. She wanted all of him and once full, she squeezed to grip him tighter.
His groan told her he’d felt the squeeze.

Her pussy clenched as she pulled out again, begging her not
to leave him behind. Her body screamed for more. Granger shifted. He moved his
hands beneath her ass to shift the angle and tugged her more closely to him. He
was deeper than he’d ever been and his first thrust from this angle brought a
sharp cry from her lungs. She’d never felt closer to another.

“
I adore you
,”
Granger spoke inside her mind.

“
And I, you
,” she
responded in kind.

Then at her urging, her quiet whisper of a need to be taken
fully, Granger shafted her harder, with more force, more dominance, more need.
She reveled in his strength and was amazed when she looked around them to see
sparks of colored light bursting all above their heads.

“Yes, Granger, yes,” Sadie chanted, her gaze fastened to him
now. The lights of her power simply background noise. She heated under his
powerful strokes. The crazed insistent fucking moved her ever more closely
toward the edge. His pelvis scraped against her clit with each upward stroke.
Her fingers clawed into his shoulders and she couldn’t stop herself from crying
out every time he was seated fully.

“Sadie, drink.
Drink from me while I fuck you. I need it all. I need it harder. I need to feel
you biting me, taking from me.” Granger’s words were nearly enough to allow her
to fall off the edge, but she held on. She didn’t want this to end yet.

His cock pounded into her on each word. She leaned into him,
drew a breath, and sank her teeth into the sinewy skin at the base of Granger’s
shoulder. Droplets of blood trailed out from where she sucked. She used her tongue
to capture them, not wanting to lose a single drop of what made her mate who he
was.

Granger renewed the insane pace of his thrusts as he turned
his head in towards Sadie’s neck and clamped his teeth down. He fastened his
mouth on her skin and drew in sharp bursts of blood. Sadie felt the sensations of
the pulls, the thrusts, all of his ministrations as her clit became more and
more engorged, nearly too sensitive.

Sadie was out of control. She couldn’t think beyond the
sensations pulling her under. Ripples of pleasure rolled up through her body at
the same time heated pulses from Granger’s cock bombarded her. Throwing her
head back, she screamed out her release.

* * * *

If only
the night never ended, but here it was, morning already upon them and the
mission only hours away. Granger paced the space at the end of their bed,
making tracks from one end of the room to the other as he waited for his mate.
He couldn’t believe Sadie was so calm. He was going out of his damn mind.

    
Sadie emerged from the
en suite looking as if she were dressed for a day of shopping. He sighed.
“That’s what you’re wearing?”

    
“I was told to dress
casual and in comfortable clothes. This is a casual day out,” she held out her
hands and spun as if he needed the full view of her curves right now.

    
“Not sure a little
skirt and blouse is what they had in mind,” Granger grumbled as he led his wife
out of their room and down the hall towards the waiting voices.

Granger
walked behind his mate enough to admire her dancer’s legs. Ripped with muscles,
but all the right feminine curves, her new grooming habits meant what he saw
was
miles of soft, smooth skin that took him directly to
where he most wanted to be. With such a short skirt, his hands could so easily
find their way to her center. It was nearly too hard to resist the temptation
she provided.

    
They seemed to be the
last to gather around the Santucci’s enormous breakfast table that held nearly
every TEU officer, their mates and remainder of the Santucci family. Once they
sat, Madden cleared his voice to call everyone to attention. All light
conversation ended and Granger’s mind shifted to the mission at hand.

    
“This mission, if it
goes as expected,” Madden paused and ran his hand down the back of his neck in
a clear sign of stress, “will be conducted in two phases. Phase one relies on
Sadie and Davina gaining the information needed from the housekeeper.”