CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

 

 

~

 

“I’m not exactly sure how I got dragged into this,” Bree said as she walked around the manor house on a strange kind of tour with the vampire and his mate.

Emily turned a curious look of disbelief on the witch. “Funny, I had the exact same reaction when all this started,” she berated her. “But you seem to think me seeing this place was a good idea — and I wasn’t coming alone.”

“Oh look, shiny,” Bree said, stalking off across the room in search of — she didn’t know what — but, trying to deflect the witch’s annoyance away from her. She picked up something from one of the side tables, held it like a wishbone, and – snap. “Whoops!” Bree grimaced. “Umm… It can be replaced, right?” She turned to look at the vampire.

“If we had a time machine, yes,” he said, and fold his arms across his chest as he watched her gently put it down once more. “Funny, how people are more gentle once they’ve already broken something.”

“Now that I am sorry about.” Bree grimaced again.

“Forgiven,” Jai waved an absent hand at the priceless artifact.

He’d learned many lifetimes ago that they really was no use crying over spilled milk. Of course, many lifetimes ago he probably would have killed her, but he was a changed man.

Yes, that bloodlust had raised its ugly head within him — but only because he’d found his mate. And yes, he still might be trying to get it under control — but he hadn’t drained anyone dry — yet.

“I won’t touch anything else,” Bree said with a helpless shrug of her shoulders.

“My whole house breathed a sigh of relief,” the vampire offered back with a cocky smirk that Emily found appealing.

That was the problem. The vampire was charming, very appealing, as funny as hell, and just her type — if he hadn’t of been a vampire. That was the part that she was nervous about.

She’d spent her whole life keeping off the vampire radar because once you put your head above the pulpit, there wasn’t much chance of burying it in the sand again. Vampires had a somewhat stalky nature about them, and she didn’t think this one was any different — even if he did appear to be a lot more civilized than most, and had a wicked sense of humor that she appreciated.

What she didn’t appreciate were the fangs. Blood, blood everywhere — and boy did he look like he needed to drink. The vampire’s words might have been telling her one thing, but, the flick of a look at her jugular vein every now and again had told her something entirely different.

“Oh look,” Bree said as she stalked off toward another object that had caught her attention, and the vampire snapped to attention.

“Not that! Or I really will go fangs deep crazy,” Jai rushed out, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw his mate’s head snapped around in his direction and he flicked a quick look at her to find her looking somewhat nervous. “Just a saying…”

“Not exactly in everyday use, is it?” Emily tossed back.

He offered her a sheepish look, and that she wasn’t buying. “I spend too long around the shifter community.”

“Hmm,” Emily said as she called him on the lie.

“Awkward,” Bree said as she tried to break the tension between them.

“Moving on,” Jai rushed out.

Most people, supernatural or otherwise hadn’t been able to call him on an out and out lie in a long time. He noted that she could. That was strange and awkward. He wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that she was his mate.

“Why don’t you show her your bedroom?” Bree said and heard a small squeak from the witch. She had to turn away so that she wasn’t called on the smile that pulled at her lips.

“Why?” Emily rushed out.

“Don’t you think the bedroom is always the heart of the house?” Bree tossed back over her shoulder.

“I thought that was supposed to be the kitchen,” Emily grumbled back.

“Cook much, do you?” Bree asked.

“Not the point,” Emily bit out.

Perhaps bringing the meddlesome witch along with her hadn’t been such a good idea after all. The woman seemed to flip-flop like a fish out of water — and she couldn’t be guaranteed to be on her side.

Emily shot a quick look from under her lashes at the vampire; the man had a wide, cocky grin on his face that she would like to have zapped off. The bedroom indeed!

“Perhaps now is not the time,” Jai offered as if he was doing her a favor. The truth was that he was barely holding on to his need to touch, taste, and devour her in ways that she’d never been devoured before.

Having the object of his affection and obsession in his bedroom might just have been a step too far. He couldn’t be sure, but did he really want to take that chance? Especially, when she seemed to be a little more relaxed around him now.

At least, she wasn’t trying to run screaming from him anymore. Although, he didn’t put it past her to be plotting her escape.

“Maybe the swimming pool?” Emily said and looked hopeful.

“Right this way,” Jai agreed.

 

 

~

 

 

“Martha?” Maxi noted the look on the witch’s face the moment that the elder stepped out of the pickup up truck and continued to slap at Thorn’s outstretched hand.

“Keep your paws to yourself,” Martha bit out as she offered her mate the stink eye before she turned her attention towards a friendly face. “Don’t ask, really don’t want to tell” she grumbled.

“Kind of hard not to,” Maxi said with a small shrug as she eyed the pack elder that had been around earlier in the day. Someone had informed her that he was the alpha before he’d retired that honor to Mason, and he was big and imposing with a certain air of entitlement about him.

“She’s my mate,” Thorn informed her and Maxi’s jaw slowly dropped down as she stared at her friend.

“What part of shut up didn’t you understand?” Martha snapped as she glared up at the man.

“You never said it was a secret.” Thorn offered her a cocky grin, and she seethed inside.

“Don’t you just love stupid when you find it?” Martha grumbled to Maxi. “Catching flies!”

Maxi snapped her mouth closed and swallowed down on the amusement that swelled up within her. Martha had a mate? Well, that was … she didn’t know what that was, but that man was certain to feel the elder’s wrath one way or another.

“Are you saying I’m stupid?” Thorn demanded.

“Hey, if the cap fits,” Martha shrugged.

“So, you’re saying you love me — it’s a little sudden…” Thorn couldn’t help but grin at the look on Martha’s face. The woman looked as if she was chewing on a very sour lemon, but all the time eager to swallow it down so she could spit out a mouthful of words. He thought he knew what those words would be.

“Senile old goat,” she grumbled as she started away from him. Maxi shot a quick look of amusement at Thorn, but she was snapped to attention by Martha’s angry tone. “Maxi, move it.”