Free Nighttime at Willow Bay by Kasey Moone

speechless. She managed a shaky laugh. “Ryder, ya’ll need to package and sell that stuff! Give a girl a warning.”
    “I said it would warm you up,” he responded dryly.
    “I know, but my goodness!  That stuff works.”  Her arms reached out towards the branch. “I want some more.”
    “Naomi?”
    “Huh?”
    “Shut-up.”
    Naomi chuckled and relaxed in his arms. Then fell into a deep, dry sleep.
     
    ~  ~  ~  ~  ~
     
    His great, great grandmother had been right. He was sure of that now. Naomi was his and he’d never question it again. He hugged her close, feeling incredibly protective now that she was tuckered out. He thought about her earlier mentioning of Malcolm and growled.  Who was the twerp? A friend? Her ex?  Jealously paralyzed him, and if it was at all possible, he pulled her closer.
    Fuck her ex.
    Fuck the Spades.
    She was his. 
    No questions asked.
    A sudden need to be inside of her surged through him and he focused on the trail to keep from acting on it. Ryder groaned miserably. His cock was rock hard. He was ready to fuck and her breasts sat in his face and she smelled so good—a tantalizing mix of honey and lavender.
    “Christ,” he whispered. “Real gentlemanly, Ry, she’s sleeping.”
    In that moment, he felt like a lecherous old man. He glanced back at the trail they’d come from, then looked straight ahead.  Any moment he would surely come upon one of his brothers. Any moment now they would have reinforcements.  At the possibility, excitement and relief coursed through him.  Naomi needed a safe place to rest. She’d been so brave throughout the night, but it was starting to wear on her. Poor thing was as bushed as a weed whacker.
    Distantly, he heard the ethereal notes of ancient lullabies.  It must’ve been three in the morning, he figured, for it was the only time the faes came out to sing. Ryder listened to the music as he continued to make his way down the trail.  Everything about the night had been surreal. Everything had been worth it. Just to meet her. 
    Suddenly a huge shadow fell on the path ahead of him. Ryder stilled and hugged Naomi even closer.
    It was a centaur. A half man, half beast creature, looming in the shadows, as though he had nothing better to do. Other centaurs appeared beside it, emerging from shrouded trees one by one, to block the path.
    Great, thought Ryder. He didn’t have time for this. He needed to find his brothers. The Spades would’ve found their exit strategy by now, and would be following in exact pursuit or coming around the caves. Either way, they’d be there shortly. His wolf growled in irritation, and he worked hard to calm his beast.
    He stopped in front of the head centaur.
    “Hello, great warriors from the old world,” he called, in a customary fashion. “I ask permission to pass.”
    The head centaur, a severe-looking creature with a great beard, leaned down and took a great sniff of Naomi.
    “Human.” His gaze fixed on Ryder. “Unwise.”
    “She is my mate, my better half.”
    The centaurs only glared.
    Ryder bit back a snappy retort. Centaurs didn’t have mates; they fucked anything in sight, so he was definitely not in the mood to be judged by one of them. “We only want to pass, great warrior. My family’s land is nearby. We will be out of your way shortly.”
    “ Go, but be careful, for we smell demon.”             
    “They’ve been following us—her.”
    “We know, for now we see that her blood smells of otherworldly things,” hissed the centaur, neighing loudly. “From where does she hail?”
    “That is of no concern to you,” he gritted.  Sure, it wasn’t smart to test a centaur, but fuck being smart. And fuck the Q&A session. The centaur was too fucking noisy. The head centaur seemed to be reading his thoughts, for he bowed slightly with knowing eyes and pointed east.  “Go. We will deter the demons.  We hate their stench. Too much destruction, they