9781631052415ShadowedSpiritBeck (9 page)

“You
like?” Granger stood behind her, kissing her neck and waiting.

He
desperately wanted Sadie to like it. This home was hers now. It’s where he
wanted to raise their children. It was the place he wanted to begin their life
together. He prayed she would agree.

“Sadie,
give me something here. I need to know if you like it,” Granger nearly begged,
certain she could hear the pleading in his voice.

“I love
it. It’s a beautiful home, but whose home is it?”

Squeezing
his arms around her waist, Granger explained, “It’s ours.”

She
spun and looked at him, shocked.

Granger
shrugged. “I bought the land a long time ago and had the house built. I never
knew why I did it except it was a good investment. The land is fertile and
perfect for a vineyard. I guess I’d hoped someday, you know, if I found a mate,
we would live here.”

He
couldn’t believe he was stuttering through the explanation. Since when did he
falter in his speech? Goddess, the things his mate did to him. His eyes
surveyed her, awaiting her reaction. And when she smiled, a beaming full-watt
grin, he dipped his head and kissed her.

Then he
swept Sadie into his arms and carried her into the house, marched directly up
the stairs and into the master suite. It was the only room in the house that
had been furnished. He placed her on her feet and allowed her to look around.

“Should
we celebrate our new home?”

“As
well as celebrate our first successful joint mission,” Sadie agreed.

“And
our last.”
Granger grew serious. “I’m leaving TEU. I want to open a vineyard right here.”

Sadie’s
smile grew wider, if that were even possible. “That’s a wonderful idea.” She
paused. “But only if you’re sure. Don’t leave TEU for me.”

“For
us.
I’ve
done my time. I’m ready now to just be with my family. Sound like a plan?”

“Yes.
Most definitely yes.”
Sadie threw him a pleased look.
“As long as there’s still time for me to be in my dance studio.
I’ve wanted to teach little girls to dance since I decided to stop.”

“You’d
already decided to stop? Even before I pulled you off that Vegas show?”

“Yes.”
She rolled her eyes at his surprise. “I knew the prophecy was drawing near. I
had a plan to return home even before you came to carry me back.”

Now, he
couldn’t hold back anymore. He dropped her onto the bed, used his powers to
strip her naked, and kneeled before her. He went directly for his target and
pushed his head between her open legs. Lightly, he skimmed his fingers through
her bare folds.

“I adore
the flames of red curls you leave here for me.” He loved how his breath against
her warm flesh sent tremors racing through her body. He felt her legs shake and
knew he was having the intended effect.

“Do you
enjoy when I taste you?” Granger separated her folds and blew lightly against
the exposed inner flesh. His tongue followed the path of his fingers, causing
her to cry out.

“Yes,
Granger, yes,” Sadie groaned as he relentlessly licked her again and again.

“And
this?
Do you
like this as well?”

Granger
nibbled and sucked until Sadie startled, her body jumping from the bed. He was
pleased, spreading her cream with his fingers as he watched her reaction. He
snickered. “I’m taking that as a ‘yes’.”

With
those last words, Granger no longer held back. He bent his head and lapped at
her wet folds. Swollen with desire, she was sensitive to his touch. She moved
as he used his fingers and his tongue to please her. All he could smell was her
scent. All he could hear were her thoughts— thoughts of love and desire that
filled his mind. Sadie filled all his senses.

He
touched her more firmly, using his fingers and tongue. Finally, when he thought
she could stand no more, he pressed a finger inside her warm core. Her upper
body bowed off the bed, seeking his touch. As her arousal grew, small bursts of
color released from her body and lit up the darkening room. He loved
experiencing her magic simply by touching. It was truly amazing. Her body
recognized him and was calling to him.

Granger
spread her legs wider and rose up to stand between them. His cock was
positioned to enter her channel, but he first waited for Sadie to look at him.
He wanted to watch her reaction as he entered her. She had no idea just how
expressive her eyes were. As soon as she met his gaze, he pressed the head of
his shaft into her swollen, hungry core.

Once
fully seated, Granger leaned down to kiss her. Their tongues danced as Sadie
tilted her hips and Granger worked his shaft in and out of her body. He pressed
in as far as possible, needing the deep contact. He needed to be inside her,
around her. He needed to feel her everywhere. He needed her to know she was his
everything and he wanted to be the same for her.

Sadie
nipped at Granger’s mouth until he tasted his own blood. Then the minx lapped
at it and sucked his lip into her mouth to savor his essence. An escaped moan
told him she needed him just as much. Feeling her drawing blood from him
affirmed everything about who he was and who he wanted to be for her.

Granger
balanced his weight on his forearms on either side of her head and set a
bruising rhythm of thrusts. Their eyes stayed connected as they watched the
emotion swirling inside and around them through her powers. Beads of sweat
dripped from him to land on her chest. His grunts and her moans filled the
sex-scented air of their new bedroom. Over and over again, Granger filled
Sadie, pushing her so close, so close. He knew he had her on the edge and he
planned to go over together.
Always together.

“Oh,
Goddess.
Granger, please, yes” Sadie cried out as he held her on that edge.

He
continued his unrelenting pace until, without warning, he pulled her closer
into him and used shorter strokes. The change in position allowed him to latch
onto her neck and suck. Yes, this was what he needed. It was nearly too much
and at the same time, never enough. The desperate rush of need pulsing through
his veins was overwhelming. Granger bit down hard, directly into her life’s
vein, and drew out her blood.

He
couldn’t hold back the groan that escaped his lips. The sensations all
coalesced into a piercing scream that vibrated inside Sadie and then rumbled
the room around them. He pulled the trigger just as her inner muscles squeezed
him deep inside of her and he allowed himself to fall over the edge with his
mate.

Chapter Eight

“All
we’re saying is that maybe you should’ve discussed this with Granger instead of
springing this on him.” Gemma, as always, attempted to be the voice of reason.

Sadie
and her sisters were getting their final fittings at the same boutique Adelina
Santucci had first sent Layla to for her own Pronouncement gown. Despite the
end of the cell targeting their race, they continued to have guards so Gage and
Lucas were standing outside the shop. Three weeks had passed and still, until
the completion of the prophecy, security would remain high.

“He
hasn’t seen them in over fifty years, Sadie. I’m not so sure this was the best
idea. What if it backfires?” Eloise, always needing to add her opinion, chimed
in.

“I
talked with Adelina who assured me that she has maintained contact with
Granger’s mother over the years, even sending photos. Their lack of
communication was entirely on Granger and he said himself he wishes to be
reunited before we have children.” All eyes turned to Sadie at the mention of
children. She shook her head.
“Oh, for Goddess sake.
You just never know how soon it’ll be.”

“I met
them this morning when they arrived at the Santucci’s and I have to say they
were uhm,” Ella, Lucas’s mate, cleared her throat, considering the right adjective,
“uptight, but otherwise they were nice.” That may have been the sweet tiny
woman’s way of insulting them, but Sadie didn’t care what anyone said.

“Well,
I suppose it’s good that they’ll meet tonight rather than at the Pronouncement
itself.” Paige always served as the practical one. And Sadie couldn’t agree
more with her assessment.

“It’ll
be fine. I have to believe that,” Sadie spoke without looking up from the
undergarments she was looking through as she waited for the dressmaker to come
out with her dress.

“I’ve missed you all so much,” Amelia was wiping tears when Sadie
turned around and noticed her sister. “Isn’t it nice to all
be
together again?”

“Yes,” Sadie agreed, although a bit hesitant. “But why is it
that you’re crying?”

“Just feeling so emotional lately.
It’s all this stress,” Amelia explained.

“I completely understand. I’m having an awful time keeping
anything down. My stomach is in knots.” Paige circled the sofa to sit down near
Amelia as they commiserated.

The laughing from the corner where Davina and Grace stood
with their heads bowed together distracted her enough to turn from her sisters’
crying.

“What are you laughing about, Gracie? Can’t you see they’re
upset?”

“They aren’t upset.
They’re pregnant,”
Gracie stage-whispered.
Every eye in the shop turned to first look at
Gracie and then at Amelia and Paige.

“H-how do you know?” Amelia asked, tentatively.

“I don’t,” Gracie shrugged. Then pointing to Davina, she
added, “She does.”

Davina held her hands up as if in self-defense. “I don’t know
why… or how, really. I just get these feelings and when I’ve been around you
lately, it’s like I hear an extra, uhm. I don’t know, like maybe a heartbeat
but real faint like. It’s as if you could actually hear a hummingbird’s wings
flapping. Yes, it’s that sound. And it’s coming from both of you.”

The shared
looks of shock registering
their faces was
enough to push everyone in the room into a round of
laughter and then some tears of joy. The babies, they were coming… just as the
prophecy foretold.

A clearing of the throat from the robust dressmaker brought
all of the Sinster sisters, plus Davina and Ella, to attention.

“Let’s get down to business,” the woman clapped her hands to
bring everyone to attention. “Each of your dresses
have
been placed in one of the dressing rooms. They’re marked with your names. Each
of you, aside from Sadie of course, will be dressed in white as requested but,
also per instruction, each dress is unique. Let’s begin. We have much work to
do.”

And so the dress fitting commenced. Baby Julianna was passed
between women as they took turns trying on the gowns and being pinned. It was a
buffet of lace and satins, and surprisingly, Sadie had an absolute wonderful
time.

When Sadie stood before her sisters and friends in her gown,
a hush swept over the large outer room as they took her in.

“It is beautiful, Sadie,” Ella was the first to speak.

“I can’t believe we’ve come this far. Just one more left,”
Eloise spoke as she turned to Gracie with her eyebrows raised.

Seeing that Grace didn’t want this discussion to focus on
her, and concerned herself for Gracie, Sadie brought up something she knew no
one could resist. “Coffee?” she asked.

“Definitely,” her sisters—Ella and Davina included—answered
in unison, as so often happened with them.

Sitting in the coffee shop, they talked quietly about the
coming months. The Pronouncement, the moves, the pending births, and, of
course, conversation again turned to the last remaining sister to be
Claimed
.

“Gracie, there’s truly nothing to be frightened of. When it
happens, it will all just simply be. I just don’t recommend going into this as
blind as I was. It was very disconcerting, to say the least, not understanding
anything.” Layla embraced her.

That got a round of laughter from her sisters who remembered
all too well how Layla fought the Claiming.

Grace rolled her eyes. “I know. It will be as it should be.
That’s what everyone keeps telling me.”

Davina spoke up then. “I’m looking forward to it when my
time is here. I think change is on the horizon and I expect great things.”

“Is that a guess? Or one of those feelings you get about
things?” Sadie couldn’t resist asking.

Davina
laughed,
her mannerism so
much like her brothers Lucas, Madden, and Gage. “I definitely have a feeling
about this one.”

Sadie noticed everyone joined in the laughter but Grace.
Poor Gracie.
Sadie didn’t know how they would help her.

 
All too soon, it
was time for them to get home and prepare for the meal hosted by the
Santucci’s. Sadie had no time to worry for Gracie. Tonight she had a gift to
give her mate and she prayed to the Goddess he liked it as much as she hoped.

* * * *

Granger entered the large dining room with Sadie on his arm.
He felt like a king with his queen and was certain his happiness had to be
shining. He couldn’t slap the silly grin off his face. Shit, he’d given the
other men such a hard time about their
matings
and
the saps they’d turned into around their new mates. He was eating crow now.
There was nothing he could do to stop the pride welling up inside him knowing
this perfect woman belonged to him. He belonged to someone.

All around them were their friends and families, everyone
who loved them. As he took in the room, he actually stopped in his tracks, his
feet unable to move. Despite the years, Granger knew the couple standing in
front of him. Their features were so like
his own
that
the connection would be undeniable. It had been so damn long and yet, in this
moment of celebration, the years melted away into a brief minute of time.

Off in the corner speaking with the Santuccis were his
parents. It had been so long since he’d seen them. He knew that he should be
angry about the separation they’d maintained, but he couldn’t find the anger
inside himself. Instead, he felt complete. Now truly, everyone was here. His
parents had come just as it was time for him to return to the path they’d
established for him.

Turning to his mate to explain his abrupt stop, he saw the
dancing gleam in Sadie’s eyes. “You knew?”

“She orchestrated,” his mother spoke in her heavily accented
English as she stepped up to him. “You have you a
bellisimo
mate.” Her voice
flooded Granger with memories of his homeland, the Italian hillsides of his
childhood, his birthright.

“Mother.”
Granger didn’t know what
to say as his mother embraced him. There was a part of him that wanted to hold
onto her and sob like a little boy with a skinned knee. He hadn’t realized how
much he missed her—either of his parents—until now.

“Sadie contacted us with the help of the Santuccis and
invited us. With the news, we no longer felt it was necessary to stay away.
Forgive us, my son, for what we had to do.” His father spoke those last words,
words he’d wanted to hear for so long, and Granger felt the cracks in his heart
mending.

“Father, I’m so glad you came.” Granger shook hands with his
father before being swallowed up into a bear hug. Goddess, this felt good.

Though she struggled with her English, his mother persisted
in their explanation. “We needed stay away. You were to fulfill your calling,
you
destino
.
We would’ve been in the way with this, this path you take.” His mother’s eyes
brimmed with unshed tears.

Granger reached for her again out of a need to soothe her,
and she slid into his arms without a thought. Despite her small stature, he was
certain his mother held him up as he allowed himself to let go of his anger,
his pain and just sank into her love.

From behind them, his father placed his hand on Granger’s
shoulder. “Son, you had a role in something important, and although it pained
us, we were to let you go.”

The others must’ve known the significance of this reunion
because though everyone had watched with one eye, they stayed away and allowed
the DaPaoma family to reconnect. It was good and right and meant that when they
had their Pronouncement, everything would be as it should.

* * * *

Sadie’s
sisters, with their mates beside them, as well as the Santucci and DaPaoma
families, stood circling Granger who stood awaiting her arrival. All the people
most important to them were
gathered for
their Pronouncement and it made it all the more beautiful. Dancing swirls of
white flowers hung in glass containers from the branches of nearby trees with
small white twinkle lights adding enough light for the ceremony. Tradition
called for a twilight Pronouncement and Granger had found the most perfect
place on their new land, their family vineyard.

When
he’d shown it to her and his parents the night before, the pride beaming from
him was enough to knock her over. They were creating a life for themselves that
they would share with one another, and with their families. The enchanting
guest cottages meant either of their parents could visit anytime and have their
own places to stay. They’d actually be built over the crest of the hill where
they now stood.

The
location or the moment could not have been more beautiful as Sadie cast her
eyes upon the scene, scanning each detail to memorize its perfection. The
landscape was untouched. Work wouldn’t begin for months yet and she was pleased
with christening their land with this ceremony.

Sadie
took deep breaths to center
herself
and felt the
tingling sensation she now recognized as her powers flowing through her in
calming waves. She took one-step in front of the other, careful not to trip on
the long gown, until her parents stood at her side. The gown was the most
gorgeous garment she’d ever worn, surpassing even the glitziest performance
costumes. She felt like a princess.

“You
are so beautiful, my sweet Sadie, daughter of mine.” Her mother wore a
sophisticated green dress, the color traditional of the elders within the
ceremony. She’d worn some form of the color at each of her daughter’s
Pronouncements, which always complimented the traditional red dress for the
Magdalena
woman being mated.

Smiling
at her mother, Sadie moved to place her hand through her father’s waiting arm.
As three, they walked toward the inner circle. Sadie wanted to dance down the
aisle. In fact, she’d never felt such happiness inside her just waiting to be
released through a dance in all of her life. Now wasn’t the time though. She
understood the reverence of the ceremony and knew her dance would need to wait
until the reception.

Sadie’s
father stood as tall and strong as ever beside her. His presence—the strength
of the man she’d always counted on—surrounded her in comfort. Sadie may have
taken her own route to get here and she might not have shown interest in the
ways of her community, but she saw now that she pleased her parents. When it
mattered, she stepped up and did the right thing.

Truly,
having her soul sin taken away by her mate was the determining factor. She
needed her mate before she could’ve understood her destiny and embraced it.
Granger gave her that gift. Sadie looked ahead and admired her mate.

Granger
would forever cause Sadie to lose her breath at first glance. He was so big, so
powerful, that it took a moment to absorb all of him. Today was no exception.
As was tradition, Granger stood before her in only the tan trouser pants of the
old country and a white shirt left unbuttoned to expose his neck to her. Old
world sandals and leather strips adorned his arms. His stoic expression told
her he was nervous because her mate was not
stoic
at
all. His light-hearted nature was nowhere to be seen in this moment. Still,
when he smiled as he took her in, flutters—actual flutters—took to life inside
her stomach. She’d never get enough of him.