Unexpected Sting Read online

  “She was. She was a little ball of fury and yelled for six months solid, then she went quiet, and I had to watch everything around the house.”

  “Why didn’t I ever meet her?”

  “Her mother didn’t want to impose, and I only have two guest rooms. They left to stay with Kallie and Cian when it was needed; you slept in her bed when you were over.”

  “Wait. That was her knife collection I found when I was a teenager? She was seven.”

  His grandmother chuckled. “She has always had skills in the martial arts, plus those force whips of hers. She was the terror of the playground until we homeschooled her. She graduated when she was fourteen.”

  Arthur paused. “Is there really that much snow coming?”

  “There is. You should get going, or you won’t be able to help get her unstuck from the mud puddle at the bottom of the hill. It seems her car is stuck.”

  “Grandma, you didn’t.” Arthur was mildly horrified. He got his earth manipulation from his grandmother, and if Stinger was stuck, she was really stuck.

  “I did, dear. You had better hurry. That one is deep, and Stinger’s fire storms don’t do well in this weather.”

  He grabbed his coat and headed out. He heard, “And I still want a great-grandbaby. It’s on the list!”

  Chapter Six

  He groaned and got into his car. He headed up the drive and onto the country road with the thickening layer of snow. He travelled for five minutes before he saw Stinger’s vehicle. It looked like a muddy mouth had bitten the back tire and tailgate.

  He pulled up and got out, setting his coat aside and rolling up his sleeves. She opened the window and glared at him. “Nana Baker is a jerk.”

  He grinned that she knew who had caused it. “I can get you out.”

  “It’s no use. She isn’t going to let it go. My car will get out tonight and come find me.” She looked at him directly. “Will you give me a ride to the city? I will check into a hotel and wait the storm out.”

  He smiled. “You can stay with me.”

  “I am trying really hard not to take advantage of your good nature.”

  “My nature is surprisingly self-serving. A few more hours and the city will be locked up. Being trapped with you for a few uninterrupted hours is exactly when I need.” He smiled. “I promise to make it worth your while?”

  “Is that a bribe?”

  He raised his brows. “I stole dessert from my grandma’s fridge.”

  She scrambled out of her car, grabbed her duffel bag, and gestured for him to precede her.

  “Aren’t you taking the keys?”

  She laughed and got into his car as he stowed her bag. “He doesn’t have keys. He is a member of the hunt that likes my way of doing things.”

  “So...”

  “As soon as the coast is clear, he is turning into an occasionally visible horse, and he will follow to downtown where he will find a legal parking spot in the wee hours and settle in. I will know where he is.”

  He closed his hatch, got in, and put his coat on before settling behind the wheel. He buckled up and drove his vehicle up the hill past her buddy. She pressed her hand to the window, and she let him know where they would be via her link.

  “How long have you had the steed?”

  She chuckled. “Since I was ten. That was when we had to find our own place. Nana Baker got mad at him when she saw him. Knowing what I know now, I think she was worried that I would prefer him to you when I finally met you.”

  “Do you?”

  “I have never had sex with my transportation if that is what you are asking.”

  He glanced at her. “I was. Is he a humanoid shifter?”

  She shrugged. “Never in front of me. He is either horse or car or SUV depending on where I am going and how I need to appear.”

  “I hear that you graduated from high school when you were a teenager. What did you do then?”

  “Business school. My grandparents gave me some seed money, and I bought a food truck and worked it for a spring through fall season. I switched to a truck where I could heat the interior a bit and opened a shop with a restricted menu of pizza-related items. I worked it when I didn’t have classes and put myself through school with fried bread tacos.”

  He paused. “You were in the truck by the economics building?”

  “I was. Why?”

  He winced. “When I had to see one of my professors for a project he was working on, I ate there three times a day.”

  She grinned. “They were good. I sold it when I graduated and then rolled my money into the gym. I focused on the weight sets and mats then created a separate entrance for classes and hired instructors for self-defense, and it morphed into a boxing studio.”

  “You believe that women should defend themselves.” He stated it as an absolute.

  “No. I believe women have the right to learn if they choose to. When I was young, I was volunteering with my mom at the shelters. I saw what happens when autonomy is denied. Women who are told all their life that being cute is enough, adorable is enough, and trust me. When a guy says trust me or to tell you the truth, it means that lies have been pelted at your previously.” She sighed. “When someone tells you you don’t need to know something, you fucking well need to know it.”

  “I can’t fault that.”

  “A woman who knows how her own body works, how it moves, and how strong it can be just isn’t as appealing of a target for those who are looking for prey. So, education in any way they want is what I try and help them find.”

  He nodded. He was completely unprepared when she asked him, “So, prior to this point, what have the women in your life been like?”

  He paused, and then, he went with honesty. “Predatory. Women who wanted to climb me for bragging rights.”

  She paused and then snickered. “If they were climbing you, they were doing it wrong. You are a lot easier to get to if you are on your back.”

  He grinned. It was a better response than he had hoped for.

  * * * *

  Stinger watched the lights of the city approach and the other cars swerving on the road. Arthur was a calm driver, and he simply adjusted for oncoming vehicles too close to their lane. They were in the country, and in under two minutes, they were in the city. He drove them to the hotel and pulled into the valet area. A bellhop approached and was dismayed to see the duffle bag.

  She laughed and grabbed for it, swivelling it easily. “I have it.”

  He looked at it and winced. “Miss, I can bring it up.”

  Arthur was watching in amusement, and she closed the hatch. “Come on, Stinger. We’ll get you in a shower and see if we can’t scrape off a few layers.”

  She made a face and took his arm as they entered the lobby and walked toward the elevator. The counter staff stared at her, and one of them felt brave and rushed forward. “Miss Rosos, we didn’t know you were coming. Your suite is ready and available.”

  She smiled. “Does my key still work?”

  “Here is one with the current codes. Did you need the bellboy to help you with your bag?”

  Stinger shook her head and held up the key. “No, but thank you for this. I just want a proper shower and the largest dinner you can manage sent up.”

  “Yes, Miss. Right away.”

  She looked at Arthur. “How about in an hour?”

  “Yes, Miss Rosos.” She nodded.

  Stinger pulled Arthur along.

  He grinned when they were in the executive elevator. “Why am I feeling like the boy toy?”

  She pressed the second highest floor. “Because you are such fun to play with.” She grinned. “I keep a suite here in case I have client functions I need to host. I hate not having a comfortable place to sleep while I am in town. So, I made sure I did.”

  He chuckled. “So, we are heading to your room instead of mine?”

  “If you don’t mind.”

  “Of course not. I am sure that Mr. Twilight will be delighted if I stay in
your quarters.”

  She grinned. “He is rarely delighted, but I get the feeling that that is on the turn.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Orvis looks remarkably different in her natural state, and I was fighting their joining in addition to that of Nessa’s triad.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, they were dumping sexual energy out into the ether, and it was dizzying. Normally, I don’t need to ask for help.” They arrived at her floor and stepped out. Down the hall to the right, she stopped in front of the only door on that side. She held the new card to the door and opened it, stepping inside and turning on the lights.

  Stinger walked into the huge space and removed her boots in the entryway. Arthur was grinning. “I see you like things big.”

  She snorted. “I never planned for you. I use this space for entertaining, but it is actually cheaper to simply rent it for a full year and allow them to request it for guests when needed. Kind of a sublet. There is secure storage here, and the staff is very attentive.”

  She looked down. “I am going to get changed into something less grubby. I will be in the shower. You are welcome to join me, and feel free to have your stuff moved up here. I won’t consider you forward.”

  She climbed a set of steps to the bedroom, and she pulled out a silver chemise and robe. She left them near the dressing table. She walked into the wet room and started the barrage of shower heads. She washed the leaf litter out of her hair and the mud and sweat off her skin. The grimy bandage had to be removed, and a glance showed that the wound had closed. It wasn’t her magic that had healed her. She didn’t have that ability. She had accelerated healing but nothing like that. Nana Baker had that skill, but she didn’t use it. She said pain taught important lessons.

  The wire damage to her hands was also just a faint pink line now. Hmm. She was about to leave the shower when Arthur came in and saw her wrapped in water and nothing else. He smiled and removed his clothing with a snap. She smiled and stepped aside to let him shower. To her surprise, bands of water pulled her carefully toward him as he shampooed and shook out his hair. “Water, too?”

  He grinned. “I have water and earth. You have fire and air. A good match, I think.”

  She sighed. “It is a good match, but I promise you a much more enthusiastic greeting if I can get out and dry off.”

  He sighed. “I won’t say I am disappointed.”

  “I also don’t see a condom.”

  He sighed. “I forgot.”

  “I know. Being in our element blurs the thinking. You should see me walking out of a fire. I would be a particularly enthusiastic mark if anyone bothered to stick around while I slapped the small blazes out of my clothing.”

  She exited the room wearing a towel and went to the dressing room. She dried herself quickly and slid on the negligee with the lace robe a shade darker than the silky chemise under it. She walked to the bedroom and grabbed her laptop, opening it and catching up on correspondence. She also summoned a few more condoms, but there was something weird. She rubbed her fingers together and scowled. She lifted it to the light, and she gasped. She went through the others and cursed. When he came out of the shower and saw her face, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

  “Can you find those condoms for me?”

  He fished in his pockets and lifted them up. “What the hell?”

  He rubbed his fingers and lifted them in turn. His shoulders dropped, and he said, “Grandma.”

  She slumped. “Damn it. There goes the snow day.”

  He pulled her toward him and hugged her. “It’s fine. We can just have a normal date.”

  She looked up at his sincere face and giggled. “That is a bit barn door after the horse, isn’t it?”

  He smiled. “I have a few ideas, and there are always tongues.”

  “And then, we lose control, and you end up pinned to the bed, and I am taking advantage of your virtue.” She sighed.

  He chuckled. “How about something more benign?”

  “Like what?”

  “How about we get in bed with two remotes and fill a bag or bowl with slips listing things like favourite movies, favourite kissing scenes, favourite funny moment, favourite romantic moment. For you, favourite action scene.” He chuckled.

  “That sounds kinda fun. We might remove all respect for each other.”

  He laughed. “I am willing to chance it.”

  “I will get the pen and the notepad.” She scampered into the office area and got the stationary from the desk. A discrete knock at the door and the voice saying, “Housekeeping,” interrupted them.

  Stinger smiled and put her finger to her lips. She leaned over the railing and watched as the busboy and one of the housekeeping ladies stumbled into the room and were working at their clothing. Stinger cleared her throat. “We didn’t call for housekeeping, but I am sure we can find something to do with you.”

  She flicked her eyes, and they both bolted toward the door, clawing at it as they tried to open it. When they were gone, she leaned her elbows against the rail. “And that’s why I can’t have a threesome.”

  He chuckled. “Your eyes?”

  “Yeah. My first was a human, and I had to scrub his memories with one that blurred the truth and left him feeling like a stud.”

  “The threesome.”

  “Yup. He can remember the sight of touching hands but not faces. Even my mark looks like a Smurfette tattoo.”

  He, wearing nothing but a towel, walked up to her and pinned her to him. “I had a thing for Smurfette.”

  She looked at his blond hair. “Of course you did. She was blond, blue, and surrounded by guys. That is the warlock breeding program right there.”

  He smiled. “I much prefer a one-on-one arrangement. I do have to ask you, why are you resistant to the chance of pregnancy. You can imagine I would be delighted.”

  “Yes, but you travel a lot for business. I travel a lot for business. It would be awkward, to say the least.”

  “I am able to stop travelling if there is a reason.” He cocked his head. “I babysat a lot in high school. I am capable of childcare.” He wrinkled his nose. “Next objection.”

  “Wait. Are we logicking out my hesitations about children? Now?”

  He grinned. “As you said, our snow day has been cancelled, so why not talk?”

  Another knock on the door was for Arthur. He brought his luggage and computer in, heading up the steps. The bellhop met her eyes and grinned, giving her a thumbs-up. She smiled and nodded as the young woman took the luggage cart out.

  She sighed. “One more delivery, and then, we can relax a bit.”

  He cocked her head. “What?”

  “Room service.”

  “Ah. Right.” He smiled. “They have your preferences on file?”

  “Of course. So, given the instructions, it is either going to be a full English dinner, or...”

  “Or?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “A selection of sugared cereal. Either one classifies as a dinner for me.”

  He tutted and hung his clothing in the closet then turned to her duffle bag and did the same. He blinked. “Oh, dear.”

  Her assortment of vibrating buddies was out neatly on the bed.

  She blushed and stepped forward. “Organization spell?”

  “Um. Yup.”

  “That would explain why they are ranked in terms of size.”

  He nodded. “Yup.”

  He looked at some of them and prodded at them. “Why do they not look like a cock?”

  She burst out laughing. “They work on suction. Or vibration. When I am about to cum, I get pretty tense, so even a pen would feel thick.”

  He smiled and sighed in a happy memory. “Yeah, you do.”

  The knock at the door was what she had been waiting for, and she let in the room service and followed it into the dining area, wondering what they had brought. When she smelled roast beef, she exhaled in relief. The table was set down with cutlery, and the room
service personnel nodded and left.

  Arthur asked, “Don’t you tip?”

  “Any visit to this room without a call to the front desk follow-up is an automatic twenty percent.” She smiled. “Dinner is served.”

  He sat down, and his phone was buzzing frantically. “She texted that she is sorry, and she removed the curse.”

  Stinger manifested another condom, and it was pierced as well. “It affected every one in that box, so I am sending the rest of those to the incinerator. I don’t want any of the kids getting into them.”

  She closed her eyes and made a fist. There was a light puff of smoke as her hand glowed white. He blinked. “You call your fist the incinerator?”

  She grinned. “I have a limitless number of ridiculous habits and references.”

  “I look forward to learning them all.”

  They settled in and had dinner, complete with Yorkshire pudding. She stuffed herself and sat back happily with a sigh. He waved his hand, and the service berry pie was sitting there in front of him. He opened the container that came with it and smiled. “Whipped cream. It was fifty-fifty if I grabbed mashed potatoes.”

  She chuckled and said, “If you lean back, I can clean the plates.”

  He shook his head. “Let’s take the pie and whipped cream to bed and eat from the pan.”

  She gasped. “That’s the naughtiest thing you have said yet.”

  He laughed, and they grabbed their forks and some napkins and headed to bed. She giggled as he gently herded her toys to a corner of the bed. “I can put those away.”

  He shook his head. “We might need them later, but I don’t know what they do, so I am careful.”

  She giggled and brought out the remote, and they activated the television screen that rose out of the floor.

  He held out a fabric bag and extended it to her. She pulled a slip out and looked. “Favourite kiss.”

  She showed him the tag, and he gave her the remote. She scrolled through available streaming services and found the one that had the movie. She flicked around and found it.

  He watched and blinked. “Wow.”

  “It’s just so sweet. It’s a first kiss.” She looked at him. “It is kinda far in.”