Chapter 1:

749 B. C

Jensen stood with his toes hovering over the edge. He kept switching back and forth between leaning the majority of his weight on his heels then toes so that he almost toppled over.

Would it really be so bad? To fall? He imagined what it would feel like the moment his body smashed into the rocks below, how the jagged stone edges would tear into his flesh, possibly severing muscle and tendon upon impact. Unless it happened to sever his head from his body as well, or stab him straight through the heart, the fall wouldn’t kill him.

But it would hurt like hell.

Fire and brimstone, that’s what he needed right now. Something to char and sear his flesh. Something to make him feel…anything.

Today marked the two hundredth anniversary of his father’s death. It also marked the day his brother had turned on him, and Jensen had taken the crown. As pack leader of the Moonshine Lycans, he had a responsibility to protect his people above all else. That meant stopping his brother from destroying all that they knew.

Jericho was hot headed, rash, and cruel. His wants came before all others, and he believed his word was always right. Without his mate, he was even more of a threat then he’d been in the past. More, yet less as well.

As if his thoughts had conjured her out of existence, the scent of his brothers’ mate tinted the air. He turned his head, following the sweet smell of strawberries, and locked eyes with a set of golden ones.

She was beautiful, had been for as long as he could remember. There’d been times when he’d foolishly wished she’d been destined as his mate instead of his brothers, but knew deep down that they were meant for a friendship the likes of which none could rival. She was his confidant, his shoulder, and his savior in many ways. She’d pulled him from the edge-this one as well as the proverbial-on numerous occasions.

No doubt that was what she was here for now.

Standing at a lithe 5’7” with her shoulders squared back, she looked very much the part of a warrior. Not surprising, seeing as how she’d been his right hand for a little less than one hundred years now. Her hair, a glittering copper color that ran down to her elbows, flicked about in the wind.

“ Is it possible to be jealous of hair?” he asked her quietly, watching as soft tendrils slid against her bare arms.

“ What are you doing out here, Jensen?” she questioned, ignoring his statement without so much as a blink. Her clothing was made from deer hide, as were the boots that went up to her knees, and she didn’t seem to notice the mud that caked her pants.

“ Did you go running?”

“ Don’t deflect.”

He let out a chuckle. “You’re not the one in charge here, Kiley. Or have you forgotten that fact?”

“ Of course not,” she hissed back. “If I were in charge my first order of business would be to forbid you from ever coming here again. You risk your life too often, sir. You risk the pack too often.”

His hazel eyes hardened, and he took a distinct step towards her. “I put the pack above all else. It’s the only reason I’m still here.”

This didn’t seem to surprise her, and instead of pushing him further she held out a hand. “Come. You requested I tell you news of your brother, and I won’t do so here, out in the open.”

“ There is no one around to overhear.” He sent sarcastic glances side to side to emphasize his point. Still, she was right and they both knew it. He just felt like being an ass, and she-for some reason-had decided to take it today.

“ Jensen, let me do my job. Let me take you inside.” Her voice had dropped a few octaves, and she still held her hand stretched out before her.

She was the only one who knew how to play him, just what to say and what to do in order to get him to bend his will to theirs. He’d known her since she was born, had grown up with her. Where once she’d had it all, now she had next to nothing. Her job was the most important aspect in her life. She used it not only as an outlet, but as a way to atone.

She’d remained with his brother and the Truth pack for a century before realizing that he’d changed. Then she’d come to Jensen, begging for forgiveness and entrance into the Moonshines. He’d given it.

Leaving a mate took more strength then most had, in fact, he’d only ever heard of it happening once before in his entire lifetime. But she’d done it; she’d made the sacrifice for her people, and for him. Jensen couldn’t deny her anything when reminded of this fact.

“ You win,” he heaved, gripping her hand in his own and stepping completely away from the cliff. “Tell me of my brothers’ woes.”

“ And if there are none?” she asked, leading them through the thicket of trees and to the cave where they’d made their home for the past five years.

He couldn’t help the tiny growl that slipped past his lips.

“ I could only watch from a distance,” she began as they entered the cave. “And the spy didn’t have much for us today. I still think that-”

“ No,” he stopped her, already knowing where she was going with this.

“ I could be useful there, Jensen,” she argued. “That’s more than can be said for the spy who never has anything for us to go on. He hasn’t given us a single piece of information that can be used to our advantage. I fear you’ve chosen wrong in this.”

“ I trust Gregor.”

“ Yes, but should you?” She turned towards the table that was situated against one of the gray stone walls.

The cave was large enough to house fifteen of them in their human forms, and twice as many as that in their wolf ones. The ceiling was high, hovering over their heads by a good twenty feet, and there were a number of twists and turns leading to different caverns within. The Moonshines had situated themselves there, taken refuge there, not only from the Truth pack, but from the humans as well.

They’d grown smarter over the years, advancing their weapons and their tactics. War was waging between the Mirror Warriors and the mortals. It wasn’t surprising, after all it was just a matter of time before they turned on their supernatural counterparts. Fear was a strong motivator.

“ Are you questioning my choices?” he asked her, though there was no heat in his voice. He lowered down onto a large bolder, leaning back against another wall. He sighed when the cool surface touched his skin.

A few strands of his multi-colored hair fell into his face and he blew them out of the way so he could watch her begin to sharpen a knife blade. Though they were twins, Jensen and Jericho looked different in many ways. There were similarities as well, but for the most part those differences stood out.

For one, his hair was made up of multiple hues of gold’s and browns, where as his brother’s was a solid chestnut color. He was tall, at 6’4”, his brother the same, and they both had the eerie blue, green, and brown eyes that changed with their mood.

“ I fear for your safety, that’s all,” she huffed back. The sounds of stone scraping against stone reverberated throughout the cave as she sharpened the make shift knife in her hands. “It’s hard to know who to trust nowadays, who to believe. This has been going on for a long time and now the newer pups don’t even really know what this is about.”

“ It’s about my brothers’ greed,” Jensen said. “And about his disloyalty. That doesn’t mean that everyone has to be though. Gregor has been a friend for a long time. I’d trust him with my life.”

“ You are trusting him with your life,” she pointed out. “It would be better to-”

“ Do you want to go back to my brother, Kiley? Is that it?” He watched as her whole body froze, as waves of worry wafted around her. When she looked up and met his gaze, he kept his face devoid of any telling emotions. This was something that he needed to know. Did she want to leave him?

“ Of course not,” she whispered so quietly that if he hadn’t been a werewolf he wouldn’t have heard her.

“ Then why push this? Why do you want so badly for me to consent? If I did what you asked, I’d be sending you straight back to him. And if he ever found out what you were really doing there, that you were spying for me, he’d do worse than kill you.”

“ Yes, but until he found out-if ever-I could supply information that we need. He trusts me, Jensen.”

“ Correction, he trusted you. He no longer does. Not after you turned your back on him.”

Originally, Kiley had gone with Jericho, had stood by his side and arranged the Truth’s. She’d taught them, led them. Lived with them. But inside she’d known what was wrong and right, and she’d realized that her mate had gone over the edge.

Jensen still couldn’t believe that she’d had the courage to come to him directly, to stand before him and the entire pack of Moonshines asking for acceptance and forgiveness. She never told him what had finally pushed her, what Jericho had done that was horrible enough to get her to leave, and he didn’t pry. She kept her secrets for a reason, and he wanted to respect that.

She’d gone without saying goodbye to her mate. She’d gone and she’d never stepped back, never looked back as far as Jensen was concerned. She’d pledged loyalty and since that day she’d lived it.

“ I need you here,” he finally said. “I would be lost without you. Besides, what about Tobias? He would never allow you to do something like that.”

Her older brother was just as stubborn and hard headed as she was. No, he wouldn’t be too keen on the idea of sending her off to her possible demise, and Jensen couldn’t risk losing both of them.

“ Toby isn’t a factor in this equation. I’m over one thousand years old. I can make my own decisions.”

“ So long as they don’t go against your king, and I’m against it. I’m pack leader, Kindle.” The nick name had been a long standing one between them, a testament to her hot temper.

“ So back to what I learned.” She switched the topic over with ease. The tension that had appeared at his question draining out of her. “Turns out, Jericho’s been trying to find a way to side with the mortals. His hopes are to rise against us with their help.”

“ My brother hates the humans,” Jensen frowned.

“ My thoughts exactly. Which can only mean he’s planning on using them, then discarding them once he’s through. My guess is they won’t last a month before he’s piling their bodies on the pyre. But if he can convince them we’re the true evil, they’ll help him reach his goal. And with us out of the way you can sure as hell believe he’ll destroy any trace of their race on this continent.”

“ The other sects will stop that from happing,” he waved her words away. “The Vampires especially, given that mortals are their main food source.”

“ Still, I’d rather be alive to see Jericho beaten, even if it is by a blood sucker and not by you or me.”

“ Do we know how he’s going to attempt this?”

“ Sadly, no. Gregor says that Jericho’s keeping that tightly concealed from everyone else. He’s trusting no one ‘sides Warren with the information, and he won’t be spilling any time soon.”

Warren had once been all of their best friend, but when the old king had been found murdered, he’d sided with Jericho. None of this would have happened at all if their father had just named the eldest of the twins as the heir, but he’d seen in Jer what the others had not. He’d seen the darkness.

“ We could beat it out of him.”

They turned towards the new voice which came from the entrance. A tall man with wavy brown hair appeared with a slight curve to his lips. He paused just inside, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants.

“ Tobias,” Jensen inclined his head in greeting. “A brilliant suggestion.”

“ Yeah, one I came up with years ago.” Kiley rolled her eyes.

“ You wound me, sister,” he laughed, walking over to her and planting a noisy kiss on the top of her head.

She waved her hand in the air as if shooing him away.

“ Should I be following War?” Tobias asked, turning back towards their leader.

“ Not just yet. He won’t talk, that’s a given. We’ll have to find another way. Get Gregor to earn Jericho’s trust faster. There’s got to be some way to get to the mortals first, influence them to our side before he can get his claws-literally-into them,” Jensen said.

“ I could go,” Kiley volunteered. “I know a few of the villagers who aren’t prejudice against our kind. They might be willing to help.”

Toby frowned. “How do you know humans?”

She shrugged. “Ran into them down by the river. Their son fell in so I fished him out.”

“ You don’t have to save everyone, you know.”

“ You would have done the same.”

“ And you’re sure that they’ll believe you?” Jensen broke into the conversation before it could take a turn. “They’ll be able to sway the others in their village?”

“ Should.” She flashed a wicked smile. “They’re in charge of it, after all.”

“ Ah, my sister,” Tobias chuckled. “Always knows how to make the right friends.”

“ Except for that one time,” she said, the sadness lacing her voice despite the fact she was clearly trying to joke about it. It was clear she was referring to Jericho.

“ Well, yeah, except for that,” Toby responded back softly. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. When he let go, any signs that she’d been upset were gone.

“ I’ll go with you.” Jensen decided then. “It’ll give us a better chance if they speak to the leader of the pack.”

“ Why don’t you think Jericho’s done that already?” Kiley asked.

“ Probably because he doesn’t know how to make friends,” Toby said.

“ You should stay here,” she turned to Jensen. “I don’t know how comfortable they’d be with a massive male werewolf around their miniature children. Let me talk to them first, put the idea in their head before you go over and scare the life out of them.”

He sighed. She was probably right. “Try and be back before dark,” he said instead of arguing.

“ Sure thing.” She plopped the knife back onto the table and stood. There was a small burst of light, not enough to blind them, and in the next instant there was a large white wolf in her place. She shook her head and winked in his direction before taking off out the opening to the cave.

Kris Kendall

Just the Tip: Short stories of love and lust

Chapter 2:

Jensen ran as fast as he could. The muscles in his legs tightening to the point where he thought they might explode beneath him. Still, he pushed harder, ran faster. What else was he going to do?

It was hard to take his mind off of the past, off of the present. It took everything he had to forget-even for a moment-that he was empty. The knowledge just kept springing back, taunting him. He’d lost everything the day his father had been murdered. They’d found his body decimated in wolf form, ears ripped from his head, feet cut off… Jensen had puked when he’d seen it for himself.

No one knew for sure who’d done it, but there were rumors that it had been Jericho. Not a week before Jensen had been named heir to the pack, and his twin, older by a minute, hadn’t taken the news well. He’d been destroyed, in fact.

He’d turned on his family, and now there wasn’t any family left.

The one thing that still remained was his friendship with Kiley and her brother Tobias. The Sinclair siblings held him together, the only reason he hadn’t gone and killed himself by now. It was a horrible truth, but there it was. He no longer had a father, or a brother. What more was there?

Jericho and he had been best friends. He’d never dreamed of the day when that would change, but his brother was impulsive and had a tendency towards cruelty. Their father had decided, because of that, he wouldn’t make the right leader.

Sometimes, Jensen got angry that it was him, too. He’d never wanted to be pack leader, had always thought that it would be Jericho. He’d grown comfortable in that position, knowing that he was going to be right hand to his brother. But now… He had responsibilities that weighed on him, brought him so far down that he didn’t think he’d ever see the light of day again.

The Vikings were attacking, destroying their numbers with an ease that no one had seen coming. Humans had always been weaker, less smart. Something had changed in them, they’d developed, and now they viewed their Mirror Warrior counterparts as enemies.

They’d gone after the Vampires as well, and there was word that soon they’d be hunting the Shape shifters. It would be wiser for them to band together, but trust wasn’t common among the Mirrors, and the only time they agreed on anything was at the Fundur, under the watchful eye of the Unknown Halsey.

In wolf form, he dashed through the woods. Low hanging branches scraping against his golden fur coat unnoticed. The tiny stabs of pain were welcome, a reminder that he could still feel something.

He’d killed a rabbit a few miles back, and the adrenaline from the chase was just now starting to unwind within him. The second Kiley and Tobias had dispersed he’d left the cave, needing to run and pretend that it was from his responsibilities for a while.

His pack traveled as they wished, moving about from town to town. Still, for the most part they stuck together, within the same areas and in distance if there should be an emergency. There were still tons of land for them to roam, and many people who’d take them as they were without lifting a weapon over their head at first sight.

Those in the village were such people, and he hoped that Kiley would succeed with them. He didn’t hate Vikings in general, just those that killed his people, and those numbers had been increasing as of late. Strange, considering that their gods were full of magic and shape shifting beings. Killing Vampires was one thing-even Jensen was guilty of that occasional pleasure-but to murder Werewolves…

He was moving at a pace now too fast for the human eye to catch, but he felt someone watching him now. Slowing, he acted like he was just taking a break, moving his head lower to lick at the black pads on his right paw.

As he did so, he tried to reach out with his mind, sniffed at the air and tried to sense where the perpetrator was. Could it be someone sent by his brother? It would be stupid, no wolf could take Jensen in a fight, sides Jericho himself perhaps. There was only one that was for sure, but he still couldn’t figure out where exactly they were.

There was the tiniest sound of crunching leaves ten or so feet behind him, and his ears twitched easily picking it up. He let out a low rumble and spun, getting into a crouch so that he could pounce.

A medium sized gray wolf stood out in the open between two large trees, not even bothering to stay hidden. Her eyes, a deep cobalt blue, were locked onto him, a mixture of curiosity and wariness in their depths. She cocked her head at him, then took a single step forward, when he growled again she paused.

“ Who are you?” He sent the message telepathically to her, the only way to communicate in this form. Within seconds her own voice was vibrating through his head as she if were speaking directly into his ear.

“ They call me Olivia. I was sent here from the east. I’m of the Moonshine clan and search out the leader, Jensen Kalen. I was told he’d made camp around here?”

“ Who sent you?”

“ Two elders. My parents were killed by Vikings three weeks ago. They said the safest place for me was among the majority of the pack. So I came here.” She seemed to sigh in his head, and stretched her legs out before her. “I’ve been traveling for a long time, so if you could just point me in the right direction…”

“ How do I know you weren’t sent from the king’s brother, Jericho? He’s attempted to send spies before.” Just because she was female didn’t mean that he trusted her. A female Were could be just as vicious and skilled, take Kiley for example. He had firsthand accounts on just how capable female wolves were.

She frowned. “I don’t even know what he looks like. My family wasn’t around when…the old king died. My parents were overseas and I hadn’t been born yet. This is the first time a member of my family has stepped foot near the royals.”

“ Can you prove that?”

“ How do I even know that he’s here? You could just be stalling for other purposes. Maybe you work for the fallen prince,” she hissed back, clearly getting annoyed with the third degree.

He quirked a brow. “Alright. I’ll take you to him. But be warned, if this is a trap, I’ll figure it out soon enough. Jericho doesn’t know everything, and there are people among Jensen that can identify the Truth soldiers.”

“ Understood.”


Jensen stopped at the lake, shifting form with ease. He began to undo the ties on his shirt, and had it over his head and off in a matter of seconds, long before she had enough time to comprehend what he was doing.

Werewolf magic was strong. They could easily maintain their clothing in their animal forms. The second their human bodies disappeared, so did what they were wearing, but the second it reappeared so did everything else.

The lake would be chilled at this time, and after his long run the thought of cooling off in its calm water seemed like heaven. A soft breeze blew by, sending the dry leaves on the surrounding trees tinkling against one another in a symphony of nature. There was nothing he loved more than fresh air.

“ You’re swimming? Now?” she asked as she too switched to her human form.

He turned to give her some snide remark but frozen the second she came into view.

Her blue eyes were hooded in dark silky lashes, and raven hair pooled over her shoulders. She was shorter than him, probably around 5’6” or 5’7”, but she held her spine straight and her chin tilted up in a stance of defiance and power. This wasn’t a wolf used to being pushed around.

She was wearing a dress made of deep green velvet and black silk, odd for one of their kind. Kiley wouldn’t be caught dead in such an outfit. Witches were the only ones who had materials of such wealth, far ahead of the times and smarts of the humans.

“ You’re staring,” the she wolf stated, though she didn’t sound offended by it in the least.

Forcing the lump in his throat down, he licked his suddenly too dry lips and shifted on his two feet. His hands were still on the straps at his pants, and when she glanced pointedly down at them he snapped out of it. He was over a thousand years old, yet he could still be made speechless by a girl.

“ Coming in?” he asked, finally undoing the strings. When she shook her head, he shrugged then dropped his trousers without a second thought. He turned and headed away before she could catch his smirk.

He felt her eyes on him the whole way, and once he reached the edge he sent one last teasing glance over his shoulder before diving. The water rushed up to meet him, soaking his hair and slicking against his skin in a loving cool embrace. He sighed, still under, then shot up to the surface with a laugh.

She’d moved closer and was standing in the same place he’d jumped from. There was a curiosity in her eyes that he couldn’t figure out.

“ Never seen a naked man before?” It was mostly a joke, but when she bristled he realized his mistake. It wasn’t wise to tease a woman one didn’t know. “You must be hot in that dress. Come in?”

“ Olivia,” she responded back, crossing her arms over her chest haughtily. “And I think not.”

“ Really? So you’d rather stand there and watch then?” He quirked a brow. “I see. You’re one of those. Alright.”

She glanced around uncomfortably, thrumming her fingers against her arm as if impatient for something. She’d also stopped looking at him, looking in every direction but his.

At first, he began to think this really was a trap and that his brother or the Truths would leap out of the woods any moment and attack while he was naked in the lake. But then the direction of the wind shifted, bringing with it a tangy scent that tickled his nostrils and sent pangs of electricity shooting down his back.

How had he not noticed she’d been purposefully standing downwind from him this entire time? They’d been traveling now for a few hours, and every time she’d shifted around him he hadn’t caught on that she’d been playing keep away with the breeze.

Werewolves weren’t the same as their only animal counterparts, but there were similarities that they could escape. Going into heat was one of them. They could easily have sex and enjoy it like a human woman would, but at the same time once a month they were overcome with the need to copulate.

The smell usually sent any male Were’s around in a wild sex craze.

Jensen felt the heat fill him up, and was glad for the shield of the water over his mid section. The last thing he wanted to do right now was scare her away. Still, he couldn’t help the blood that rushed through him, turning his cock hard as stone in a matter of seconds.

He was the king and could have anyone he wanted, whenever he wanted them, but he would never force someone to his bed against their will.

Her skin, which moments ago had been pale as alabaster, started to tinge pink, a sign that she’d sensed the change in him. He was already slowly making his way out of the water by the time she turned to face him, wide eyed.

“ Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, shocked when he didn’t recognize his own voice. He sounded too husky, too breathless. He clenched his jaw against the sensations of pure need that rippled through him. This wasn’t good. His animal nature wanted him to rush towards her and take her. The knowledge that even if she argued, she’d still want it, didn’t help any.

A wolf in heat was in constant need for sex. It practically tortured them to be without. He’d known wolves that’d shack it up with others they were known to hate just to scratch the itch that felt more like a pitch fork being driven into the skin than an annoying tingle.

“ I was hoping to avoid…this.” She waved a hand between them, looking more like a deer caught in the headlights then the wolf she was.

A growl escaped the back of his throat and he fisted his hands at his sides. “You find me unattractive? Do I not suit your standards?”

He’d never been turned down before. Even before he’d been king women had thrown themselves at him, begging for a chance to be with him. And it wasn’t because he was the prince. Or at least not only because. His reputation preceded him, but she didn’t know who he was, and he found he liked that. It would be like a challenge, getting her to welcome him in.

Something long dead stirred within him, shedding a little light to his otherwise dire life. This could be fun, and he didn’t know the last time he’d partaken in anything remotely close to that.

“ I don’t even know you,” she said back, still refusing to move away as he continued his approach.

He respected that, the refusal to show weakness. It was an important trait among their kind, and an admirable one. He was just going to have to play extra dirty in order to get her to crack. It shouldn’t be too hard considering she was already at war with herself. Each step he took that became more apparent by the look on her face.

Her entire body was practically shivering, and she was visibly clenching her jaw. She was watching him, her eyes roaming over his wet skin and his bared chest. He could sense the doubt and annoyance swirling off of her, followed closely by anticipation.

“ You can’t be comfortable,” he said in a voice dripping with honey. “I can help; you don’t have to know me for that. We aren’t humans, Olivia.” Finally he felt the water begin to recede around him as he got closer to the shore. He didn’t so much as blink as it dropped away from his groin, exposing him to her sight.

She sucked in a breath and he knew in that moment that he had her.


He was huge. A happy trail made of short dark brown hairs led to his cock, jutting out a full ten inches. The head bobbed as he moved and she gulped, trying to force back the part of her that wanted to rush forward and take him in her hands. His balls were so big she didn’t think she could fit one in her palm of her hand.

The plan had been to arrive at the Moonshine camp before the heat kicked in, but then she’d been delayed a day and everything had changed. She didn’t want to meet the king like this, didn’t want him to think ill of her because she was throwing herself at all of his male pack mates. That was the worst way to introduce herself.

The heat wouldn’t let her do anything but, however. She wanted it, and she wanted it bad. Her muscles were already clenching painfully, and she was so wet she knew the second he got within ten feet of her he’d smell it. It was hard to hide arousal from a Werewolf.

He was so taut, his wet skin glistening in the dying sunlight. She watched his muscles ripple as he moved, watched the head of his cock bob up and down. His chest was hairless, giving a clear view of his impressive eight pack and broad chest. His torso was long and tapered at the waist. His hip bones were visible, helping to create a sexy V shape leading to his jutting member.

Her nipples pressed against the fabric of her dress, breasts swelling to the point where it was almost painful in the bodice. Suddenly she couldn’t breathe through it. It was almost like a red haze came over her.

He must have seen it on her face, because he picked up the pace and was standing before her seconds later, the heat from his body twisting around her, seducing her closer to him. He was right, they weren’t humans. They didn’t have to follow the same code of etiquette. Besides, this would take care of her other problem.

If she tired herself out using him, she wouldn’t have to worry about jumping the bones of the king or his pack when she got there. She could sate herself with his body, and be fine in the morning.

She wasn’t blind, and it wouldn’t be a hardship. If she didn’t know any better, she would accuse him of being a god. As it were, most Mirror Warriors were sexy-not usually this sexy, but still.

He lowered his head towards hers, pausing with his lips hovering centimeters away. His breathing was labored, his legs spread about in a warriors stance. It was obvious he was trying to resist, giving her time to push him away or make a run for it if she wanted.

They both knew that was no longer an option. Once this close, even the strongest of Were’s wouldn’t be able to resist. Unless, of course, they were mated. She wasn’t, and neither, clearly, was he. Not only would she smell it on him, but he wouldn’t be able to get it up for her.

Being someone’s mate meant being that person’s everything, and that person being everything to you.

“ I’m going to kiss you,” he rasped out, a statement not a question, right before gripping the back of her head in one of his large hands. He brought her up to him, his lips crushing against hers in a bruising rub. He sucked her lower lip, nibbling lightly with his sharp teeth before running his tongue along the roof of her mouth.

She gasped, reaching up to press against his back, holding him closer. She lifted onto her toes so she could rub her breasts against him.

He tore at the material then, shredding it faster then she could blink. Lace and velvet went everywhere, the tearing sounds echoing around them followed quickly by their bodies tumbling to the ground.

The thick prickly blades of grass beneath her tickled her skin, causing her to arch up towards him. When she brushed up against his cock she saw red.

“ Oh, gods.”

He was pulling the rest of the material away, her dress completely ruined beyond repair. Tossing it away he pulled back, holding himself up on one elbow and dropping his gaze to roam over her naked form. He let out another growl, running a hand up her smooth thigh.

When his fingers tugged at the raven colored curls between her legs she moaned and pressed upward again. She needed something inside of her, now. It was driving her insane being so empty.

“ Hurry,” she hissed, then threw her head back when his shoved a finger inside of her.


Jensen rammed another digit inside of her, stroking against her tight warm walls. She was so wet already that it was all he could do not to just shove himself inside her then and there.

Patience, he chided himself. It was important that he made sure she got what she needed. The fact that they’d just met made that of even bigger import. She didn’t know who he was, and though she hadn’t asked, that didn’t change the fact that he was the king she was heading off to see. He didn’t want her to think after this that he was a jackass who used and spit women out.

That confused him a little, because there was no reason he should care what she thought, but it didn’t last long because she arched up underneath him once more and his eyes locked onto her breasts.

The two orbs were round and white as snow with rosy colored areola and pert little buds. He pinched one of those nipples between two fingers and smirked when she hissed in pleasure. She mewed in protest when he pulled his digits out of her, but he ignored it.

He brought them to his mouth and licked her juices off, tightening his hold on her breast as his arousal grew even more at the tangy taste that coated his tongue. He brought his face down, splitting her folds open that same tongue.

She writhed underneath him as he sucked on her clit, flicking the tiny bud at the same time as he slid his fingers back into her. He felt her hands in his hair, tugging at the golden strands as she rocked against him, urging him on. She spread her legs wider and let out a loud cry as the first orgasm hit her.

He felt her tiny muscles clench, waiting until the last bit of climate was wrung out of her before lifting back up to his elbows.

“ I can’t wait any longer,” he told her, barely able to get the words past his lips. He felt like his head was about to explode.

“ Please.” She grated her hips against him, eyes rolling into the back of her head as she did so.

Jensen reached down, positioning himself directly at her entrance. With one quick shove he slid all way in, instantly seated up to his balls. He waited a moment, giving them both enough time to get used to it.

Before he could start up again, however, she was wrapping her legs around his waist and digging her heels into the two hard globes of his ass. She spurred him into motion, and raked her nails down his back when he started to rock within her.

He drove in and out of her sheath, slamming into her so hard that her breasts shook. His cock impaled her over and over again, plunging into her heat at a rapid rate that no mere mortal could withstand. Growling, he gripped her arm and turned her onto her stomach in one fluid motion.

Olivia rose her ass up to meet him, sticking it into the air in invitation. He could see her glistening sex peeking out from underneath, the two folds bright pink and covered in juice. She emitted a sound from the back of her throat, indicating he was taking too long.

He didn’t need to be told twice.

Ramming into her again he squeezed his eyes shut and gripped her hips painfully. The sound of flesh slapping against flesh filled the air, mimicking his rhythm. He felt her walls begin to tighten, sucking him in and attempting to keep him there. Every time he retreated only to return to start the process all over again.

Just when he thought he was about to lose it her inner muscles clenched around him tighter than before, and she threw her head back and screamed.

The warm rush that came from her was enough to topple him over the edge and with a few more quick jerks of his hips he buried himself all the way inside her groaned as he hit orgasm. He felt his cum filling her up, then the cool drips of it that seeped out to drip down her thighs and coat his balls. Through it all he continued to rock, her tiny moans mingling with his.

His chest heaved and he lost all strength. He dropped down on top of her, careful to avoid crushing her with his full weight. Twisting to his side, he brought her with him, cupping a breast as he did so. Jensen tugged her into him so that they were spooning, cradling her head in the crook of his arm and curving his body around her protectively.

He tried to blink past the exhaustion, but it over took him dragging him down into sleep the same moment he realized her own breaths had slowed.

Kris Kendall

Just the Tip: Short stories of love and lust

Chapter 3:

He woke to the sound of her hissing next to him. His chest clenched and he twisted around to see what was wrong. He didn’t question the worry that rose within him, and pushed away the thought that he shouldn’t care so much about a woman he’d just met.

Olivia was sitting in the grass, a hand pressed tightly against her ribcage, directly underneath her left breast. Her eyes were wide, and there was a slight glisten of moister pooling around the rims. She blinked, and a few tears ran rivers down her silky cheeks.

“ What’s wrong?” he asked, moving closer to her side. He frowned, unable to see any signs of harm on her body.

She snapped her gaze to his, a spark of anger igniting. But before she could get a word out an invisible force shoved him and he fell onto his back.

He watched as thin ribbons of neon green and blue appeared out of nowhere and twisted about him. Some spiraled up his legs while others jagged in the pattern of lightening. They stung as they went, like he was being shocked by electricity everywhere at once.

The magic moved quickly, coagulating over the spot directly underneath his left pec muscle. He felt the burn, like his flesh was being branded, and a part of him vaguely recalled his earlier thought about wanted to be seared.

What felt like hours was probably really only a minute, and as fast as it had come the sparks of magic dissipated. He sucked in a breath when he realized what they had left behind.

He shot his eyes back to Olivia, feeling his entire body freeze up as she slowly dropped her hand from her rib.

The black mark was shaped like an oval and made up of spirals done in dark black ink. A thumb print. His thumb print. The skin around it was slightly red, but it was fading, so that soon there was no sign that the tattoo was new.

Almost too afraid to check, Jensen forced himself to glance down at his own body. A smaller oval shape was positioned in an identical place. The mark was only half the size of his actual thumb when he placed it against it and a shiver raked down his spine.

He’d been alive for a long time now, and at one point he’d wanted this mark more than anything else. When Jericho’s had appeared, Jensen had felt the jealousy. Hadn’t he wished on multiple occasions that Kiley had ended up his mate instead of his brothers?

But those thoughts had dwindled after his father’s death. There’d just been too much going on, too much at stake for him to worry about his loneliness. He could barely take care of his pack, the only reason he’d come this far because of the Sinclair’s. It hadn’t been fair for him to think of taking on someone else. He’d bedded she wolves, sure, but he’d never thought that they would end up getting branded.

“ I don’t even know your name,” Olivia whispered, snapping him out of his head and reminding him she was there.

Most of the panic had gone from her eyes. If possible, she looked almost…okay with this turn of events despite her statement. She was watching him with a calm indifference that he couldn’t figure out.

He was terrified.

Then it hit him. He’d just mated with her, and she didn’t even know who he was. She was tied to him for life now. One didn’t get to choose their mate. They could walk away if they were cruel enough, and strong enough, to do so, but it was very difficult. They felt a pull to one another, the need to near each other very similar to the bodies need to take in air.

He hadn’t planned on this happening when he’d withheld his name. He’d hoped to get a feel for her-not that kind-without her acting differently around him because he was the pack leader. He’d wanted to get to know the real her so that he could better understand if what she said was truth or not.

Though the possibility that she might be a spy didn’t seem to stop him from having sex with her. Damn heat.

He swallowed to wet his dry throat and then opened his mouth to explain. It seemed, however, the world was hell bent on constantly interrupting them because before he could say a thing the sound of pounding footsteps pricked his ears.

Turning his head towards the sound, he felt more guilt swamp him as a large white wolf approached.

She was already sniffing the ground, her pink and black nose low to the dirt as her eyes honed in on the other female. Kiley was not only over protective, but paranoid as well. She trusted no one, and for good reason. She hissed out a growl when she reached them, shifting so that she was closer to her leader.

Jensen used all his strength standing, shifting his gaze between the two females before him. Shit. This wasn’t going to end well.


Olivia stiffened as the newcomer moved closer to her mate. I have a mate, she thought, the sound of the word odd to her. She’d only been alive for a hundred years or so, and it was strange to think she’d already found the other half of her soul. Many went centuries without ever getting a glimpse of the person they were supposed to be with.

The only problem was she knew nothing about this Were, and even worse, the way the new female positioned herself spoke volumes of their relationship. Jealousy clawed at her, as if a living being trying to tear out of her chest. She was emitting low warning growls before she knew what she was doing, and in a flash she wore her silver wolf skin.

The new Were seemed slightly shocked by her reaction but then bent lower to the ground, making ready to pounce. She frowned when he placed a hand on her white pelt stopping her.

“ She’s threatening me,” the wolf’s voice echoed around them, a smooth lyrical female tone that had no doubt seduced many a men.

Olivia hated it right away.

“ No, she’s just reacting…” he seemed lost for words, puckering out his lips in frustration. “She can’t help it.”

“ Can’t help it? Who is she, and why have you allowed her so close?” the other female hissed. “If you wanted to get yourself beaten, I would have gladly-”

Olivia snapped her jaws, coming very close to nipping the other female’s muzzle with the action. It didn’t matter that she could sense she’d lose in a fight. No one was going to threaten her mate like that, not even someone he clearly knew.

“ Stop!” he waved her off as well, taking a clear stance between the two of them with his arms held out to catch them should they disobey. “Kiley,” he turned to the white wolf, “watch what you say, she’s vulnerable right now. She can’t help what she’s doing. And Oli, back off. She’s a friend.”

The nick name rolled off his tongue with such ease that she barely even registered he’d used one. When it did hit her, her brows winged up and she straightened on her paws.

The other girl shifted, pulling magic around her like a cloak. In the white wolf’s place now stood a tall lithe woman with long auburn hair, her feet squared in a warrior’s stance.

Olivia did the same, attempting to show that she wasn’t afraid of her. Weakness wasn’t acceptable to their kind.

“ Pretty soon she isn’t going to be the only one who doesn’t have control of their actions, Jensen,” the girl, Kiley, stated, eyes narrowed to tiny slits.

“ Kindle, trust me-”

“ Wait.” It hit Olivia like a sledge hammer, and she cut him off before he could finish his sentence. “What did she just call you?” Oh, gods no. There was no way she could have screwed up so…royally.

Kiley quirked a brow then paused, an odd look coming over her face. Tilting her head up, she sniffed, eyes going wide a moment later.

“ Oh crap.”

“ Kiley-” Jensen reached a hand towards her, but she took a step back.

“ No, no. I don’t need an explanation. Why don’t you two…I’ll just…”she glanced towards the lake and pointed. “I’ll be over there. Give you guys some time to…figure this out.”

Olivia waited until she was far enough out of ear shot then glared at her mate. “You’re Jensen Kalen? You’re the leader of the Moonshine pack?! You’re my mate?!”

“ Could you at least pretend to not be so upset by that,” he mumbled. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I’m sure you can understand someone in my position has to be cautious who he drops his name to. You could have been a spy sent by my brother.”

She chucked her chin out in the direction of the other female Were. “And her? Looks like you trust her. A lot.”

“ Kiley’s just a really good friend. I’ve known her for centuries now. For all I know, you’ve got someone back in your village.”

“ Don’t you think I would have brought him along if that were the case?” she said. “Besides, it wouldn’t matter now anyway. Once the mark appears it can’t be removed. Destiny says we’re meant.”

Jensen sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “We don’t have to figure anything out right now,” he began. “I understand that this isn’t something you expected, I myself am thrown. Being with a regent is dangerous, especially one whose own brother wants him dead. Why don’t we go to my camp? Get some food and rest. Nothing has to be decided here.”

She frowned. He wasn’t really making much sense. There was nothing either of them could do other then die. It was impossible for one to leave their mate. The pull was just too strong. She thought the need of heat was terrible, this would be worse, was already so much worse.

It was night time now, and moonlight was spilling between the branches, illuminating his head and bathing his tanned skin in a creamy white glow. The way he looked now, it was amazing that she hadn’t realized who he was sooner.

“ We can’t separate,” she told him, just the thought of it forcing her chest to tighten in panic.

He seemed taken aback but then shook his head. “I wasn’t suggesting we do.”

“ Mates can’t separate.”

“ Not true. It’s possible, but it’s hard. Kiley’s separate from her mate.” He waved a hand in the white wolf’s direction. “It’s a struggle, very unpleasant. Let’s just say I don’t want to have to go through that. But I won’t make you stay either. You don’t know me.”

Olivia was watching the other woman now, a new respect rising. She’d never heard of anyone leaving their mate. Now that she knew, she picked up on the sadness that seemed to cloud around Kiley. There was a taint to her, like there was a huge weight on her shoulders and she was wagging her own personal war within herself.

“ How far away is your camp?” she asked quietly.

“ About a half hour if we run.”

“ Alright.” She shifted again, stretching in her wolf form. She let out a little yelp to get the other female’s attention, then waited for her to make her way over. Once there, Olivia nodded. “Hello.”

Kiley cocked her head suspiciously, but then grunted. “Hi.”

“ We’re going to head back now,” Jensen told his second in command.

“ I came to tell you something,” she said. “I’ve spoken to the village family, as well as their elders.”

“ And?”

Olivia didn’t know why, but his whole body had gone ridged at that comment. He looked very intense in that moment, like he wanted to jump out of his own skin.

Kiley flashed a slow wolfish grin. “They accept out terms. They’ll side with us.”

He laughed. “I don’t recall discussing any terms with you, but you did well. The mortals will be valuable allies.”

“ Wait,” Olivia frowned, “mortals? We’re siding with humans?”

“ I’ll explain later,” he said, his eyes pleading with her to understand. In a flash he was the large golden wolf she’d first met, and he jolted his head indicating the direction they had to go.

The three of them said nothing as they made their way through the forest, each no doubt lost in their own heads. Olivia knew that things were going to be different, and not just because she was in a different place. Her life had changed dramatically, and the future was a major unknown now.

She was attracted to Jensen, but could she love him?

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