Possession of the Soul Read online

  Chax lowered his head. “I failed.” The tension from his shoulders disappeared as they slumped forward. “I’m so sorry, baby. I couldn’t catch them,” he whispered.

  Fresh tears dripped down her face as she sat up. “Chax, you did everything you could. I can ask no more. Come here.” She patted the other side of the bed.

  One minute he stood fully clothed, the next his clothes were gone. Slowly, he crawled onto the bed with them.

  Tabatha couldn’t take her gaze off of him. Muscles rippled in his arms as he moved up the bed. Anger and failure plagued Chax as he lay down next to her.

  “Chax, you have to relax. You have done all you can.” She reassured him again, stroking his arm.

  He cupped her sore cheek and slid against her. His enlarged cock rubbed against her stomach, sending a chill down her spine. Passion and love warmed Tabatha’s heart.

  “I want to thank you both,” she said. “I know you’re trying, and to me that means more than anything. Even this Wol-itelm is furious right now, but there is nothing anyone can do. We just need to regroup, but later, after we’ve rested.”

  Hoyt ran his hand through her hair.

  “I know it’s important to catch who is trying to do this to me, but couldn’t you have sent one of your brothers after the perpetrator?” She asked and hiccupped. She hated it whenever she did that.

  “I’m sorry. I just thought I could finally end all of this. I had to follow the scent while I could. As it is, I lost the trail, but it had to be a demon.” Chax pulled her into his arms. “No other could get into the house without my sensing it. The only other possibility is that someone already in the house is doing this. I feel so useless, and if it is someone close, we have a bigger problem.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry about. You can’t do everything.” She traced his cheek with her finger. The nagging suspicions flared again.

  What family besides Ben is left? What of Dad’s side of the family?

  Her men surrounded her. Their hands caressed her, their lips kissed her softly, and most importantly to her, they both spoke soft words of love to her and her doubts disappeared.

  Chax lifted her leg over his and slowly entered her. He smiled and licked her nose. Chax tickled her waist, and she jumped, her head tossing backward, hitting Hoyt’s chin.

  “Hey watch it,” Hoyt laughed.

  “It’s not my fault. Blame your other mate.” Tabatha playfully slapped Hoyt’s arm.

  “Hmm, someone is ticklish. I’ll have to remember that.” He slid his hands around to her butt and kneaded her ass cheeks. His fingertips circled her anus.

  “You’re always so tight back here.” Chax nibbled her lower lip. He spread her ass cheeks.

  Hoyt kissed the back of her neck and gradually penetrated her ass. They stayed that way, not moving anything except their hands.

  “Were not going to do anything further, baby. We just need to connect to you. Our bodies and souls need to make sure our mate is here.” Chax leaned down, placing a soft, tender kiss on her lips.

  Hoyt licked and nibbled on her ear. “Sleep, Tabby. Let us just hold you and take care of you.”

  A single leftover tear dropped onto Chax’s cheek. She wiped it away. “How am I supposed to sleep when you’re inside me?” She yawned and rested her head on the pillow.

  “See, you’re already tired. It’s from the little traces of poison that’s left. By tomorrow you’ll be fine,” Chax whispered.

  Tabatha barely heard him. She closed her eyes and inhaled Chax’s unique scent, trying to relax. She cuddled closer to Chax, her skin clammy next to his heated body.

  “You’re sweating out the remainder of the poison I told you about. I love you, munchkin.”

  Using what strength she had left, she kissed his hand cupping her face.

  ***

  “She’s asleep. What did you find?” Hoyt slowly moved out of her, careful not to awake her, and stood next to the bed.

  “The only scents in the kitchen are that of everyone here. It’s like whoever did this just vanished, or…”Chax stretched, getting off the bed.

  “Or what, Chax?”

  “Or it’s someone inside that left the snakes,” he hissed. “We’re going to have to be more careful, and one of us or guards we trust are always going to have to be with her.”

  Hoyt clenched his hands, scanning their sleeping mate. He shook with uncontrollable rage. “I hate to admit it, but I believe you’re right.”

  Chax’s arms wrapped around Hoyt’s body, and his teeth grazed his neck. “I need you now and it’s not going to be gentle.” Chax grabbed Hoyt’s cock and started to rub it back and forth. “Lean against the bed, Hoyt, and spread them.”

  He gave Hoyt no choice, spreading his legs and pushing his head down, entering him. The beast inside Hoyt arose, claws dug into the wood frame of the bed, fur replaced skin, and his vision blurred. But not enough to miss seeing Chax’s tail wrap around his leg. Chax’s callused hand continued to pump his cock.

  ***

  Something wasn’t right. The bed shook, and Tabatha couldn’t feel her mate’s arms anymore. Opening one eye, she found the reason for the bed shaking. Her mouth watered, and every hormone in her body zipped around as if on speed.

  The Alpha’s head was down, his grunts and growls barely noticeable. Chax’s clawed hand continued working Hoyt’s cock, never missing a stroke as he slammed into his mate’s ass. Their sweat mingled, and they each concentrated on the other, not noticing that she was awake.

  Dampness settled between her legs, and she gasped when Chax swung, swatting Hoyt’s ass.

  He dominates even Hoyt.

  “Yes I do, Tabby, and you’re supposed to be asleep,” Chax purred.

  “We’ll see who dominates whom, Chax,” Wol-itelm growled in the room so that everyone heard it.

  Her attention swung up to Chax’s face. She tried to hold back the laugh but couldn’t.

  “I’m sorry, but if you could have seen your face when he said that, it was priceless. Oh, I so can’t wait to see the almighty Chax when he’s mastered.” She grabbed her sides, tears of laughter trickling down her face.

  Chax’s all-knowing smile greeted her. Her gaze shifted to Hoyt’s. He grunted, but an intense smile began to form, showing his fangs.

  “Since you’re determined not to rest, watch us, baby.” Hoyt growled, pushing his body back against Chax’s.

  Their bodies, forceful and fiery, moved in rhythm. Tabatha had never seen anything so magnificent. She stopped laughing and sucked in a breath. Her body warmed once more at the aggression, passion and love they already shared.

  “Take the blanket off, Tabby. Let us see your lovely body.” Chax sniffed the air, and his gaze turned wild. “I can smell your desire. Open your legs and let me see how wet you are,” he snarled and slammed into Hoyt with a force that shook the bed even harder.

  Tabatha flung the blanket aside, never once taking her gaze off her men. She opened her legs, revealing the dampness they’d created.

  “You’re so lucky you are injured, my pet,” said Chax, “or your little ass would be as red as his. Hoyt, get on the bed and eat that pussy.”

  Hoyt pounced on her, pinning her legs down with his body. He grinned, his attention going back and forth from her face to her pussy. Hoyt pushed her legs open wider as he lowered his torso.

  Tabatha stared down as Hoyt attacked her pussy with his tongue. She rolled her eyes back in her head and lowered it to the pillow. She arched and grabbed hold of his gleaming black hair. She wound it in her fingers and pushed her pussy closer to his tongue.

  “Hoyt!” she screamed.

  His tongue fucked her as his fingers, coated with her juices, pushed into her ass.

  The bed dipped, and Chax moved behind Hoyt.

  She raised her head and watched Chax’s long, thick cock push into Hoyt. Chax leaned over Hoyt’s body, grabbed her nipple, and pinched it.

  “I love the scent of your desire. It drives me crazy.” He
released her breast and inched his hand around her neck, pulling her forward. “Ours!”

  His kiss was forceful and masterful. Chax took his time and explored the inside of her mouth with his tongue. He pulled away from her and grasped Hoyt’s cock. He pumped, none too gently, up and down.

  “Drive her over the edge, Hoyt. Our beauty needs her rest and it looks like she won’t relax until we do, too,” he said, his voice holding a different ring.

  Tabatha suddenly tensed.

  Hoyt sucked her nub into his mouth and wouldn’t let go. He moved his fingers around inside her and pumped faster.

  “That’s it, Hoyt, give it to her, wear her down so she’ll sleep,” Chax insisted, and then Tabatha screamed.

  She grabbed the sheets under her and her body jerked, but Hoyt held on and continued his torment. Two more orgasms burst through her before he stopped and exploded all over her leg, his growls fierce.

  In somewhat of a fog, Tabatha heard Chax’s howl and knew he, too, had orgasmed. Her eyes drifted closed, and she couldn’t move. With her strength gone, she knew wouldn’t have trouble taking a nap.

  “You will sleep now, Tabby. We won’t leave you,” Hoyt whispered. They crawled up next to her and embraced her. The warmth of their skin heated and comforted her. She was home in their arms.

  Tabatha curled up as if she was child again, and slept.

  Chapter Twelve

  Tabatha stood on the deck and leaned on the rail, a cup of coffee in her hand. She stared out over the lake, trying to make some sense of it all. Someone wanted her dead, and they weren’t hiding the fact that they were after her.

  I swear, with all this cloak and dagger stuff, it’s no wonder I’m always tired.

  She shook her head and laughed. “Well it does help that I have two men who make love to me.

  “And soon it will be three,” Wol-itelm purred as Tabatha rolled her eyes.

  Melody and her mates had a meeting with the realtor who had listed the house closest to the cabin’s property. Ben had already told her they planned on making an offer on it today. Even though they would be neighbors, one hundred acres stood between them.

  Ever since she’d awakened, Chax’s brothers had stood guard and watched her like a hawk. Chax suspected the threat wasn’t over and he told her that one of his brothers would have to be with her at all times.

  Sighing, she wondered what to do with her life. She needed a job or something to occupy her time, because she just couldn’t sit around all day doing nothing. Even though she knew her men wouldn’t let her do much, there had to be some sort of fulfilling task she could do from home.

  The men walked the property, trying to decide where the pack house would go.

  Tabatha took a quick stroll down to the dock and sat down and dangled her feet into the lake. The cool water on her feet felt like heaven. She sensed the guard watching her. Regardless of his presence nearby, Tabatha removed her sundress and plunged into the lake. The cool water soothed her sore muscles from their love making the previous night. She worked out the knots by doing laps until she couldn’t do them anymore. She swam out to the floating dock and crawled up onto it. Tabatha lay down and stared up at the blue sky. She listened to the chirping birds and the sound of the water lapping against the dock as she fantasized about her mates.

  Tabatha’s daydream broke when someone from the dock called her name. Melody stood on the pier and waved her hands back and forth. She motioned for her to come back to land. Tabatha sighed, jumped into the water, and swam back to the dock.

  “I have the keys to the car, and the men are busy planning things. Why don’t we go shopping?” She flashed a credit card in the air. “I have plastic for plenty of spending.”

  Tabatha laughed and grabbed her sundress from the dock. Her body still wet from the water, Tabatha tugged on the dress that clung to her body. She tugged the dress all the way down.

  “Melody, do you really think this is a wise thing to do? I have this real bad feeling something is going to happen.”

  Melody waved her hand. “You always have those, and when was the last time something happened? Well, except for yesterday. Now finish dressing. I want to shop.”

  Tabitha slipped on her underwear and shoes. The sensation wouldn’t let up, but she ignored it. “You’re probably right, so let’s go.” They both walked toward the cars, not saying a word. She opened the driver’s door just as Chax and Hoyt sneaked up behind her and shoved it closed.

  “Where do you two think you’re going?” Chax asked. He forced Tabatha up against the car and pinned her.

  With her hands on her hips, Melody stood by the driver’s door. “We’re going shopping. We’re not doing anything bad. Now let her go. We need to do something while you guys plan things. There’s nothing to do here, and we’re bored.”

  Tabatha was glad she wasn’t the only one who was bored out of her mind. Now if she could only make her mates understand.

  “Do your mates know what you’re up to? And that you have one of their credit cards?” Hoyt asked, smiling at Melody.

  Melody snickered. “What they don’t know won’t hurt them.”

  She hopped into the car just as her mates drove up and blocked her exit, parking in front of her vehicle. Melody groaned, the sound pure frustration. Her men got out and took up position, one on each side of the car, waiting for her to get out. Frowns marred their faces.

  Ben nodded to Shane, who yanked Melody out of the car and sat her on the hood.

  “You took my card and disappeared!” Ben yelled. “How many times do we have to tell you that you can’t go anywhere by yourself?” He kissed Melody’s lips and squeezed her breast. “I swear, you’re going to give me a migraine.”

  Tabatha laughed, but a growl silenced her. She turned to discover her mates frowning down at her.

  “The same goes for you, too, Tabby. You can’t go anywhere without guards. You know this,” Chax insisted. He turned her to face the car and lifted her dress. He ripped off her underwear. “Regardless, you continue to defy us.”

  “What the hell are you doing? Stop!” Tabatha yelled as the smacks rained down on her ass. She then felt someone’s hand caress her butt.

  She sighed, thinking they were once again going to take her inside and make love to her, which she didn’t mind. Lately, she craved sex all the time. The sound of air moving was her only clue that the punishment wasn’t over, and the hand came down on her butt again. Hoyt flipped her back over, and Tabatha stared up at two furious males.

  “Now, go back into the house so we don’t have to worry about you,” Hoyt ordered. “We’ll take you shopping later.”

  Her face burned. Anger bounced along every part of her body, and sweat formed on her forehead.

  “Watch out, Hoyt!” Ben yelled.

  Tabatha shoved her knee into Hoyt’s balls. She brought her fist back, swung, and hit Chax in the face hard. She sent him flying across the lawn on his ass. Tabatha glared at her mates. She couldn’t believe the strength and power she had, now that they’d changed her. She grinned, looking at her fist.

  “I’ll tell you what,” she snarled. “I’m going shopping now with Melody! No one is going to stop us. If you want to send a guard with us, that’s fine, but don’t you ever tell me what to do again. I am not your pet!” She shouted. She got into the car and grabbed the door handle. Her knuckles turned white as she yanked with all her might. The door creaked and banged closed. Tabatha flicked the lock down.

  Melody fought to get into the car and finally managed it, and shut her door with a thud. She started the car, backed it up, and they made their escape.

  Tabatha took one glance in the side mirror to see all four men brushing off their clothes and glaring after them. But she didn’t care. She would not be treated like a slave, ever.

  Melody and Tabatha drove in silence to the mall. Melody tapped her nails on the steering wheel, a good sign she was furious.

  “I have a feeling I’m going to have to buy a warehouse full of
undies,” Tabatha said as they walked into the mall ten minutes later.

  “I know what you mean,” Melody replied. “Ben and Shane do the same things to me. What is it with them, anyway? My ass is so fucking sore. It would serve them right if we went to a movie and stayed out late.”

  “You know, I haven’t seen a movie in a long time. Let’s do it. There’s a new action movie playing in theaters with that hot British guy.” Tabatha smiled and looked at the shoes on the rack in front of her. She loved shoes. When it came to shopping, shoes were her one weakness.

  Hoyt stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Surprised, she elbowed him in the gut, spinning around to face the new threat, and ready to punch again. Seeing who it was, she grunted and continued her shopping. He moaned behind her, but she just ignored him.

  “Hey, Melody, what do you think about these?” Tabatha walked to the shoe rack where Melody now stood. “I think they’ll match that blue outfit you have, and they’re half-off.”

  She showed her a pair of three-inch pumps. Melody oohed and ahhed, grabbed them, and put them into the basket on the floor next to her. Tabatha and Melody set their baskets next to two chairs and sat down to try on the shoes, ignoring their respective mates who had all now caught up with them.

  Hoyt and Chax slid in behind Tabitha. She sensed them scanning the area. “You know you could act a little more like you’re shopping and less like body guards. It will only draw more attention to us. I thought you didn’t want that?” She questioned and glanced back at them.

  “We wouldn’t be here if you would have listened,” Hoyt hissed.

  “And maybe I would have listened if you had asked instead of ordering me,” she snapped back and tried on another pair of shoes.

  Melody’s mates mimicked hers. All four stood with their arms crossed over their chests. Muscles bulging, intimidating anyone who walked by. They reminded her of the muscle-bound calendar models who always made her drool.