United (The Ushers) by Vanessa North

Gerard turned to Fionn. “Be wary. The Goddess is weak where you go, and the wolves are strangers, but they have something precious to you.”
    “Thank you, Gerard.” He bowed his head. Sarita’s Guide still spoke in the formal, stilted voice that Annie had when he’d first met her. He thought back on that time briefly before turning to his own Guide.
    “Annie…”
    “Yes, we can leave tomorrow. I was waiting for Bear. I didn’t realize until he was here, but it’s time.” The grin that filled Annie’s face was glorious, heart-stopping. Fionn realized he hadn’t felt the waves of pure joy like this emanating from his Guide since before Sara had been killed.
    “Annie, do you need a few days with your brother?” he asked in her mind. He felt her purring through their link. “ Your family, they are so important to you.”
    “No. He’ll be here when we return. I should have realized that Sarita would be the third Usher. It all makes so much sense.”
    Monica reached out and touched Fionn’s arm, a gently seductive smile spilling across her lips. Fionn felt a wave of desire wash over him, and he growled.
    “Good night,” was all he said as he grabbed his mate’s hand and towed her, laughing, back to the library.
    “Finnnn!” She laughed as he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, her delectable ass in the air for all to see. Monica felt weightless in his arms, but it wasn’t just her body that felt weightless. Her heart felt light, giddy; she could float away like a kite on the wind. After over a hundred years alone, with nothing to occupy her nights but ominous responsibility or a passing encounter with a friend like Angelo, she now had a partner with whom she could share her life. As he stalked into the library elevator, she pushed against his back with her hands. He closed the elevator doors and set her on her feet. His mouth descended over hers with a delicious hunger as he pushed her up against the wall, his hands raising her T-shirt.
    “I can’t wait.” His growl was almost apologetic.
    “Neither can I,” she whispered, reaching for the button on her jeans.
    She’d shucked them to the floor of the elevator before he could get his own unbuttoned, but then he lifted her into his arms, and she sank down onto his heat with a gasp. His mouth met hers again, tenderly this time, reminding her of that first time he kissed her the night they mated. One hand supporting her behind her waist, the other stroked her fevered flesh, pinching a nipple to hear her gasp, stroking low over her belly, and then back to cup the other breast, all while his lips and tongue devastated her own. Monica felt a wave of tenderness wash over her, and she realized it was coming from him.
    She tore her lips from his. “I love you so much,” she whispered, feeling tears filling her eyes.
    He groaned and thrust harder into her. “I love you too, my beautiful mate,” he whispered back, reaching down between them to tease at her clit.
    As they rocked against the elevator wall, Monica felt the delicious tension building within her before she shattered around him. Not wanting to leave him behind, she leaned into him and bit down on his shoulder, her sharp teeth sinking into the firm skin. He came with a fierce warrior’s cry that made her heart glad in a primal way.
    They stood like that for a few moments, pressed against the wall of the elevator, bodies sweaty and spent as their chests heaved in tandem.
    “God, woman.” Fionn smiled at her. “I don’t know how you avoided beating me with a club and dragging me back to your cave when I was resisting you. I had no idea it would be like this.”
    Monica laughed, her joy spilling through them both. “You have the rest of our lives to make it up to both of us.” She pressed a kiss to the shoulder she had bitten.
    Easing out of her, he helped her pull her jeans back on and then buttoned his own. He pressed the button for the top floor, and they began their ascent as