Moon Cursed (Book 2 in The Star and Her Moon Series)

All Worked Up

Raff

 Raff glared at the door, willing it to open. Everyone else chatted with one another amicably, but he wanted to know why Meribella was taking so damn long to join them. Her fragrance of desire that had drifted through when Addien entered had nearly faded, but the response it stirred within him had not. Not that he could do anything about how he felt right now, not with an audience, but he thought if he could see or touch her, he might be calmed.

Shifting his shoulders, he frowned. The marks he bore were putting him on edge, making him feel like he was a fifteen year old boy sitting in a room full of naked women. He was used to the intensity of the desire he felt for Meribella- it was a constant torch burning in his gut, but this was something altogether new. Something dangerous.

"She'll be in soon," Dorea said, putting a hand on his shoulder before lowering herself into a chair beside him. Her round stomach pushed against the table's edge.

"If Lincoln so much as puts a finger on her," he growled.

Thorne chucked a shrimp at him. "You know Lincoln better than that."

"You didn't hear him. He put a block up between the two of us."

"Oh, trust me. I heard him. All night long."

Raff's eyes flashed as he glared at the water witch. "Then why isn't he pissed off at you?"

"Oh, he was. Very, very much so. Lots of talk about betrayal. I just have a few more tools at my disposal than you do. He can never stay mad very long when I pull out the strap on."

"Ooh," Anahita said, leaning across the table, "tell me more about this strap on."

"Oh gods, please don't," Raff said, dropping his face in his hands. It was a picture he couldn't get out of his head, but rather than disgust him as it should have, his overheated mind was trying to figure out the specifics while wondering if Meribella would be interested

Thorne had no mercy. She didn't bother lowering her voice as she responded to Meribella's aunt. "See, I tried to tell Meribella about it one day while we were shopping, but she's kind of prudish. We started it as a way to get around the whole no penetration thing-"

"Thorne!" Raff choked on her name, but his reaction only made the witch smirk. Beneath his shirt, a silver light pulsed as if in tune with his body's hunger.

"Turns out Lincoln liked it almost as much as I did. He did swing both ways before we got together so it makes sense."

Como, another one of Valencia's children, sat at the end of the table. He'd been intent on the pile of raw salmon in front of him, but he paused at Thorne's words. "Doesn't everyone?"

"Doesn't everyone what?" Thorne asked.

"Swing both ways? It's such a waste otherwise. Right, Raff? Though, my mate might find this strap on idea intriguing for times when it's just the two of us."

"Not involved in this conversation," Raff grunted.

The room erupted in giggles, and the sound grated on his eardrums. He was about to bang his fists on the table when the door opened. Meribella and Lincoln sauntered in, their arms around each other and tear tracks on their faces. For one moment, Raff saw red at the thought of Lincoln making her cry, but then he realized they were laughing.

"Oh gods, I needed that," Meribella said, she said wiping her eyes. "Aurora!"

The wolf, who had been sleeping by the fire, bounded to her feet and jumped up to greet Meribella. She sank to her knees, burying her face in Aurora's fur while the animal licked her everywhere she could manage. And damned if Raff didn't feel jealous.