Esmerelda: A Rogue Enforcers Novel by Darlene Tallman (phonics books TXT) 📕

“The problem is we don’t have time for me to bend you over and fuck you,” he retorts. I sense his hand approaching and snap my fingers so I’m closer to the closet, then giggle when I see said hand waving about ineffectually. “Sneaky witch,” he mutters.

I wave my hand in front of me and am immediately fully clothed. “I have our stuff,” I advise, moving over to the two bags he has open on the bed. He doesn’t say anything just nods as I wiggle my fingers and my clothes start filling my bag, folded neatly to maximize space. I notice his bag isn’t as orderly so set about fixing it, which makes him chuckle.

“Every day I find something else to enjoy about the fact my mate is a witch,” he says, pulling me close to kiss my forehead. I love that he isn’t shy about physical expressions of affection. In fact, none of my chosen family are which makes me smile as memories flit through my head. “You ready?” he asks.

“Yes, I am. Just need to get my bag.” It took some time, but I put a travel bag for my scrying together so that I didn’t have to lug my stuff from home. Far more portable, I also managed to transfer many of my most used spells onto a magical tablet. Technology is definitely my friend these days, that’s for sure.

As I walk into my magic room, I see him start the process of checking the windows. Shaking my head, I double check my bag then toss in a few more crystals since I don’t know what we’re facing. Once I’m as prepared as I can possibly be considering I have no clue where we’re going yet, I pull the handle up and wheel my bag out into the foyer. As my eyes sweep our home, I smile. The love that resonates within these walls combined with my own magic makes everything sparkle, as if glitter dances around. Beast walks up next to me, takes my suitcase and, with the two duffel bags slung over his shoulder, he heads to the front door then motions for me to precede him before he locks and shuts it behind us. I hear the noise of him unlocking the truck and head to the passenger side. I’ve learned not to open my own door, although the smile that graces my face when I remember how he taught me that particular lesson has him grumbling underneath his breath.

He puts our stuff in the back seat then opens my door but before he lifts me in, he kisses me senseless. “You can’t keep looking like that, Esmerelda. Do you know how difficult it is to drive with a raging boner?” he questions once we pull apart.

“No more challenging than riding with damp panties,” I retort. He chuckles while raising me into the passenger seat then closing the door once I’m inside. As he maneuvers to the driver’s side, I raise my hand and place a protective spell on the two of us, as well as Leigh and Ice since I know they’re traveling too.

Despite my initial unwillingness, he got a fully loaded, huge black behemoth of a truck, which my bestie calls Beast Two Point Oh. Most of the time, when a man gets a vehicle as large as we now own, it’s because they’re over-compensating for something they lack. That isn’t the case here. Beast is big in all ways; he positively dwarfs me in human form at six feet, six inches, and when he transforms to his bear? My head barely comes up to his shoulder. Another memory crosses my mind. When we first got back, we were hit with a wicked winter storm, virtually unheard of where we live, but it happened thanks to some weird weather phenomena. I suspect one of my witch sisters had a hand in it, but wasn’t able to ferret out any information. Anyhow, we lost power for nearly a week. My mate, my beloved mate, shifted into his polar bear and used his body heat to keep me warm. I used magic to help the others but refused to use it on me since I had him.

“You’re doing it again, Esme,” he chuffs out.

“What? What am I doing?” I ask. “We’ve made a lot of good memories since the day we met. I can’t help that little things bring them to mind.”

“But when you get that look on your face, my sorceress, I want to forget my responsibilities as a Rogue Enforcer and tumble into the nearest bed.”

“Foreplay,” I whisper.

“What?” His incredulous tone has me giggling, something I find myself doing more of since he came into my life.

“It’s foreplay, Beast. I get those thoughts, you see my face, then when we finally do manage to get to where we can be alone, it’s explosive,” I reply. Of course, any time he’s near me, my body is ready, but he doesn’t need to know that fact; he’s got enough of an ego as far as I’m concerned. Deciding to change the subject, I ask, “Where are we headed to this time?”

“Arizona.”

I rapidly sift through what I know of Arizona and come up empty. Dry, arid, hot as Hades but other than that? Nada. Zilch. “Why Arizona?”

“Because someone reached out to Colton saying they had a name, but they wouldn’t give it over the phone,” he replies. “Do you want me to run through and get you something to drink?” he asks as we hit the main thoroughfare of the small town we’ve settled in.

“I didn’t get a chance to make any tea so if we could run through Starbucks, that would be great,” I reply. “Oh, and I’d love a blueberry muffin.”

“Your wish is my command.”

I reach over and pat his thigh. “Thank you, sugar bear.”

Beast

I clasp her hand in mine before she can take it back. My need to hold her, touch her, is ever-present. Despite the fact that we’re together