Shadow Watcher (Darkness #6)(21)

“That’s the look, right there, bro!” Charles pointed at my face and started laughing. “Get used to that one. You’re going to see that a lot.” Through chuckles, Charles continued with, “C’mon, Sasha, the father needs to know.”

Charles was right. Stefan didn’t deserve to be the last to know, and if Charles kept trying to shake hands with my unborn child, the whole house would know before Stefan did.

With another swarm of butterflies hatching, I headed into the house.

Chapter Six

Stefan sat at the head of the table in the hushed room. Jameson had gone through their territory and identified the efforts of the Mata. The beasts had been sighted all over the grid, often tracking and crossing back, on a trail that wasn’t a straight line. While Tim’s efforts and his call to arms was commendable, he was still learning his post. His people weren’t practiced. If this guy was half as good as he seemed, he’d be able to evade them.

“Have we identified the intruder?” Stefan asked, leaning back in his chair. A wave of nervous energy bled through the blood link from Sasha. Whatever she was doing, she wasn’t comfortable with it.

Probably a new spell that would piss Jonas off in some way.

“We have his scent and his shape. A black panther—Sasha was right about the big cat.” Jameson put a mark on the map to identify the sightings. “We’ve also run into scents from our own kind.”

Stefan sat forward. “What do you mean?”

Jameson marked the large map with red dots, all fairly well spaced apart. “I think our kind is checking us out, and using this Mata intruder somehow. We have no proof of this—and this is just me speculating—but the two scents meet up occasionally.” Jameson pointed out where a red and black dot met.

“Teamed with Cato’s growing concern and Dominicous questioning our defenses…” Stefan let the thought trail away. “Something’s coming.”

Jameson’s lips formed a white line. Everyone else around the table shifted. Take out one enemy, you gain two more. Is a quiet life so much to ask for?

“We need to know who’s in my territory,” Stefan stated, feeling Sasha drawing closer. “I want to leave Tim to work on his shifter problem, though. He needs the experience.”

“I’m thinking Sasha can be of some use at the sites of their meet-ups. See if they were working with anything magical.”

Stefan was about to agree with Jameson when the door to the strategy room opened. Sasha peeked in with large eyes. He stood and walked to her immediately, angling his body so she knew she was welcomed.

“Uh, Stefan, can I talk to you, please?” she asked quietly, traces of fear and uncertainty bleeding through the link.

“Privately?” he asked, using the same volume.

“Yes, please.” She smiled at Jameson, and then around the table at a few members of the Watch. “Sorry, you guys. This’ll just take a moment.”

“Of course, Mage,” Jameson said, bowing his head.

Another shot of anxiety pulsed through the link. Stefan followed her out into the hall, catching sight of Jonas and Charles at a distance. Which was unusual. Generally, if she was with him, they made themselves scarce without his having to dismiss them.

“Um. We’ll just…go to that bench, okay?” Sasha wrung her hands, not meeting his gaze.

“Are you okay?” Stefan wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

“Go to the bungalow, human,” Jonas instructed as if he were in charge of her decisions.

A blast of irritation welled up in Stefan. Before he could rectify the situation, though, Charles said, “Easy does it, Boss. This’ll all make sense soon. Nice and gentle.”

Another blast of nervousness came through the link from Sasha.

Tendrils of fear began to work its way through to him. Jonas and Charles were acting as if they needed to be there to protect her. From him? She was not comfortable with whatever she had to say and the males didn’t think he’d be rational about it. It couldn’t be good news.

Willing calm, he let his mate lead him out into the fading light of evening and to the concealed house. There, she sat him in the exact spot she’d accepted his offer to be his mate, and sat beside him. Silence descended around them. She wouldn’t meet his eyes.

“So, um.” Sasha cleared her throat and glanced up. Their gazes met and his heart started to thump, the reaction he always had to her.

A small, embarrassed smile lit up her face as red colored her cheeks. “Uh,” she tried again.

He leaned forward and brushed her lips with his. He couldn’t help it. Then, equally not able to help it, he deepened the kiss, forgetting entirely about his misgivings. His hands roamed up under her sweatshirt and over her perky breasts. She moaned into his mouth and leaned back. He let his hand slip low to her thigh and then up, rubbing her apex through her jeans.

He unbuttoned her jeans, shifted so he could slide her pants lower, and slipped his fingers along her slit. She was so warm and wet. So delicious.

Taking her jeans off the rest of the way, he leaned her back and settled between her legs, licking up through her hot core. He sucked at the top, making her mew like a kitten. He worked in two fingers and sucked, loving the rise and fall of her lips. And her panting. He worked her harder until she ran her fingers through his hair and gripped.