Page 11 of Bear It All
The blade of the knife shone in the moonlight as he brought it between my breasts. I froze, holding my breath for fear of cutting myself if my chest moved. I felt Balor’s slobbery mouth on my neck as Kris finally removed the blade from my cleavage, only to quickly cut open the top of my dress. The fabric split easily, leaving my chest exposed.
Out of the darkness, a growl verberated around us. We all turned, trying to find where it came from, and were taken by surprise when Mikhail leaped out of the trees, tackling both boys to the ground. Balorwas knocked unconscious once he hit the ground, but Kris still had some fight in him. He lifted the knife into the air, but with quick precision, Misha grabbed his wrist and snapped it, forcing him to drop the knife.
I watched as Misha reared back and began hitting Kris. He was wild, feral, and animalistic at that moment. His power was undeniable, and I was mesmerized by his strength. Growls were coming from the two men, and blood was appearing in various spots. I took a step back and took in the scene around me.
This wasn’t supposed to happen.No matter how much I missed Misha, how much my body lit up watching him defend me, it wasn’t safe for either of us. I took another step back, then another before turning on my heel to flee the scene. Trying not to draw any further attention to myself, I kept my head down and scurried through the woods, trying to make my way back to the school.
Something caught the back of my dress. I stumbled, but managed to catch myself before I fell on my face. Once I righted myself, I found myself face-to-face with Bianca. She was in a skintight catsuit that clung to every curve. She had simple cat ears on, and her lips and nails were painted red. She looked stunning and threatening.
“What are you doing here? Looking for Mikhail?” Bianca asked. Something in her voice put me on edge.
I shook my head as I gritted my teeth. My powerswanted to lash out, clawing at me, wanting to let loose on Bianca. I tried to push past her, but she stopped me, her nails extended. I was surprised at her lack of discretion.
“I know what you are. If you think Mikhail will protect you, you’re wrong. Your kind doesn’t have a long lifespan. Do you really want to put him through that?” I jumped back, shock running through me. There was no kindness, no empathy in her eyes, only rage.
“Have you spoken to your mother lately? Elements are notoriously hard to get ahold of.” She landed her final blow, and it hit like a physical force. I hadn’t heard from my mother after she told me she was going dark for a few months while I was at school. Trying to spread our tracks around the country. To keep anyone away from me.
Bianca’s threat was clear in her tone, and it had me swallowing thickly. I was in danger, and so was my mother. I don’t know why Bianca was out to get me, but I didn’t have time to waste. It was time to run again. The shifter gave a stunning smile under the moonlight, her fangs extending past her lips, painted ruby red. She looked beautiful and murderous, and all I wanted was to destroy her.
Instead, I took a shaky step away, and then another. I wasn’t going to give her the chance to stab me in the back. The wind didn’t wait for my call before wrapping itself around Bianca, locking her in place so I could flee. The vines rising from the earth to wrap around her ankles were an unexpectedtouch. Once I saw them, though, a flare of anger washed through me. I spent a minute longer egging them on, watching them make their way up her calves with increasing restriction.
One last look, and I saw Bianca’s face alight with rage, her body movements jerking as she fought invisible foes. I quickly turned and ran through the throngs of people. Looking back at the group of partygoers, my eyes locked with Mikhail’s ice-blue ones as he stalked away from Balor and Kris’ unconscious bodies.
I had a moment of desire, wishing I could turn and run into his arms. What was scarier, though, was how much I wanted to go to him and ask for his help. Remembering Bianca’s words from earlier had my head snapping forward and my speed picking up. Grabbing handfuls of my skirt, I lifted my dress and started a full-on run back to the school.
Get my things. Get gone.That was all I had time for.
Chapter 12
Mikhail
The taste of blood in my mouth only slightly curbed the anger coursing through me. Seeing Balor and Kris close in on Freya would haunt me for years to come.What if I had been a minute later? What if they had cut her delicate skin with that stupid knife Kris insists on carrying around?
Their contempt for Freya was disrespectful to me and my family. There was no coming back from that. I didn’t rest until both of their bodies were unconscious on the ground. Standing up, I looked around for Freya, but didn’t spot her. My heart started racing as a chill ran down my spine. Something was wrong.How does one girl manage to attract so much trouble?
Finally, I caught sight of her dark hair and green dress, but what horrified me more was seeing Bianca standing near her. Freya looked up, catching my eyes, and I saw pure panic reflected in hers. She turned on her heel and ran as a malicious smile spread across Bianca’s face. I sprinted at full speed, dodging writhing bodies and dancing groups.I didn’t even pause for Bianca as I ran past her, tracking down my wayward mate.
Between the fight and the chase, my blood was pounding, adrenaline filling me to the brim. The urge to capture and claim her rode me hard. There was a large expanse of open ground between the edge of the forest and the cemetery where Freya and I had first touched.
My teeth extended as I caught up to my mate, who, at her best, was no match for my speed. As I closed the distance between us, I launched at her, pulling her against my chest to buffer the landing as we collided with the ground.
The moon was high above us, illuminating Freya’s beautiful face. Her eyes were filled with a mix of fear and arousal. I rolled us until I was leaning over my mate, pinning her to the grass underneath us. Beneath me, Freya’s chest was heaving with her efforts to catch her breath.
Seeing the rip in her dress had me growling all over again, but the glimpse of her lacy bra and what lay beneath held me in its grip. I bent down and nuzzled the soft skin, rewarded with Freya’s soft gasp. I kissed and nipped the tops of her breasts before moving my head to capture her nipple in my mouth, fabric and all. She moaned and arched her back, pressing her breast further into my mouth.
I took my claw and slipped it under her bra, tearing the fabric that bound the cups together. Freya gasped, but didn’t push away as I slid the fabric away from her skin, leaving a trail of kisses in itswake. This time, when I got to her nipple, I scraped it with my teeth, teasing her and keeping her on the verge of pleasure and pain.
Using the cover of the night, I pulled the dress off of her, tossing it to the side. I flipped Freya over and pulled her to her knees, leaning over her and pressing my chest along her back. Conscious or not, she bared her neck to me, and I nipped at the tender spot where her shoulder and neck met.This is where I will mark her, bind us together forever.
“Misha!” she yelped before moaning, her body pushing back against mine. Reaching around, I pressed my hand over her pussy.
“This is mine. You are mine. Every piece of you belongs to me, just like I belong to you.” I growled, and she shuddered. Ripping my mate’s panties away from her body, I was rewarded with the slick warmth of her cunt as I slid my fingers over her sensitive clit. She angled her body, leaning her head down in the grass.
“Who does this pussy belong to?” I asked, and she jerked when I took my hand away.
“Mikhail, please. Don’t tease me.” Grabbing a handful of her hair, I pulled Freya’s head until she was looking back at me.
“What is my name?” I demanded. Her eyes grew big.
