Page 29 of Spark of Sorcery

Dirk lifts his head and grins. “Ahh, she does that already.”

Deny kicks him. “Then stop complaining. In fact, shutup altogether. I want to hear about Dray’s exploits, not your pathetic hand holding with your girlfriend.”

“How many have you fucked?” Damson asks. “We’ve got a wager going.”

“You are sick fucks,” I say, staring up at the sun as I chew on the grass.

“Don’t be coy,” Damson whines. “You know we’ve been killing ourselves waiting to hear this stuff.”

Their impatience is understandable. I’ve usually spilled my guts by now, reliving every detail and every titbit from whatever trip or campaign or rustle I’ve just returned from.

Thing is, even if I did have anything to share about my little kitten, I’m not sure I want these bozos pouring over the details. She’s too special for that. She’s mine. Not something to be shared with these fuckers – even if the sharing is only secondhand.

“Have any let you fuck them in your wolf form?” Deny asks.

“We’ve got a wager going about that too,” his twin adds.

I groan. That’s the fantasy – the ultimate fucking fantasy. There aren’t so many of us shifters these days. Every year, there are fewer and fewer of us born. It’s why our family – with seven strong, healthy boys – has become the most powerful pack in the realm. Problem is, female shifters are becoming even rarer and, while the human girls are willing to let me do all fucking sorts to them, they draw the line at the whole wolf-fuck thing.

“We’ll take that as a no,” Damson scoffs, disappointed and disgusted with me. Partly my fault. I may have bragged my fucking ass off about all the things I was going to do at the academy.

Plans change. Circumstances change.

I wasn’t expecting her.

I remove the stick of grass from my mouth and roll onto my side, propping myself up on my elbow and glaring at my younger brothers.

“Careful,” I warn, my tone low and dangerous.

I don’t mind messing around with these losers, but let’s not forget who’s the alpha in this pack.

The younger ones drop their gazes immediately to the ground, showing me their submission and their obedience.

Wonder if I could get the little kitten to be as obedient. Whether she’d drop on her knees for me and do exactly as I say. The thought is positively electric.

Danders, Damson and Dyle are not so willing to submit. They’ve all grown bigger in the last few months and maybe they are under the illusion that they can beat me in a battle. They couldn’t, my wolf is stronger and my magic harder. None of them has ever come close to testing me.

“Are you shitting me, boys?” I cackle. “Sit the fuck down. Mama won’t want me whipping your asses on my couple days back. She’ll want us acting like one big happy family.”

The younger two peer at each other, then drop their gazes. Damson just keeps right on staring at me. One month away from home and he already thinks he rules the place.

I laugh. Maybe Mama wants it all to be peaceful, but it’s a hell of a lot more fun when it’s not. And how long has it been since I’ve had the excuse to whip my younger brothers back into place?

I grin.

“Have it your way,” I murmur, and then I’m shooting shadow magic at all six of them. It snaps around their necks, crushing their windpipes.

“Dray,” Dirk whines, “what the hell did I do?”

The younger five submit to my deadly grip, bodies limp, eyesdowncast, only Damson attempts to struggle against it, grappling with the shadows, firing frantic magic of his own at me. I bounce away as if it’s a ball and watch it plummet into the river.

For a moment, his form flickers between human and wolf and he becomes more frantic, kicking out his legs and twisting his body. I only squeeze all the harder.

“Submit, little brothers,” I say, from where I’m lying on my side, twisting blades of grass around my fingers.

The five younger ones murmur their surrender and I release them immediately, all of them coughing, spluttering and rubbing at their necks.

Damson growls and I shake my head.