~

 

“What did you call me mate?” Nathan demanded.

“Oh geez…” Sarah slapped her own forehead.

“I don’t appreciate his sense of humour!” Nathan growled.

“He didn’t call me a blood bag. It’s how I’m going to give her my blood.” Sarah said.

“So, yeah technically, you kind of are a blood bag…” Monty said, and Nathan went to sidestep his mate, but she zapped him. Then she mumbled under her breath…

“Let your feet stick like glue, you can’t move ‘til I tell you,” Sarah whispered.

Nathan tried to lift his left foot and just sort of rocked in place, back and forth, his arms swinging as he tried to lift his foot, over and over, trying to get to Monty, and not comprehending what was happening…

He grunted and tried his right foot – still nothing…

He growled long and hard as he turned his accusing eyes back to his mate…

“Unstick me…” Nathan growled.

“Not til you play nice with others,” Sarah grinned.

“This is not the time or the place…” Nathan grumbled.

“Really? Cos I’m enjoying it,” Dorothy chuckled.

“Me too…” Angela said. “Can we take turns hitting him with a stick like a piñata?”

“Noooo!” Sarah berated her.

“Had to ask,” Angela shrugged.

“I’m just going to rip off the vampire’s head and hand it to his mate… where’s the problem?” Nathan growled.

Sarah twisted her head on her neck and frowned at her mate.

“Now you sound like one of your brothers,” she said and he grunted in response.

“It’s a family thing…” Nathan said.

“Can I have a little taste while he’s…?” Chloe asked.

“No!” Everyone said together.

“Had to ask,” Chloe shrugged just the way that Angela had.

“Let me go, Sarah…” Nathan demanded.

“Promise you won’t kill Monty first,” she replied.

“I won’t kill him…” Nathan bit out on a growl of annoyance.

Then the man nearly face planted the floor as her magic snapped away and he wasn’t ready for it. He stumbled towards the vampire…

“You promised you wouldn’t try to kill me,” Monty grinned.

“I didn’t promise my wolf wouldn’t…” Nathan growled…

A heartbeat later and the wolf burst from within Nathan. Both of the vampires shot up into the trees above them…

“Not cool, Nathan…” Chloe grumbled. The wolf growled long and hard up at them, before it start to pace back and forwards.

“Here,” Dorothy said; scooping up the remains of her rare steak and holding it out to the beast.

Nathan’s wolf twisted his head on his neck and made the sort of sound that a cartoon dog would have. He started towards the witch…

“You want it then you have to let me stroke your fur…” she teased and Nathan’s beast growled… “What can I say? I miss my dog.”

Nathan’s wolf stretched its head on its neck and gently took the meat from the elder’s fingertips. In return she used her other hand to stroke through his thick fur.

The beast grumbled…

“Good boy!” Monty called down and the wolf’s head snapped around as he growled long and hard at the man.

“Sure, miff off the wolf, why don’t you?” Chloe berated her mate.

“I was just…” Monty started.

“Being a vampire?” Chloe shot back.

“Kind of…”

“Well don’t.”

“Listen to you, Miss Judgemental,” he teased back. “You sound more like your old self every day.”

“I’m not judgemental…” she whined. “You’re just an idiot.” She snapped out.

“The sound of the witch in your voice brings back my chills…” Monty gave a faux shiver…

“About that blood?” Chloe called down, determined to prove to Monty that she was still all vampire.

Nathan’s beast growled once more…

“When’s he going to shift back so we can ogle his goodies?” Dorothy asked, and every head turned towards her, including Nathan’s wolf…

“I can see how turning the Inn into a witch day care for the senile might be a good idea…” Chloe offered and Monty elbowed her in the ribs.

“Behave…” he whispered.

“What?” She hissed back. “It’s like a Fae buffet…”

“Really Aunt Chloe?” Sarah said, folding her arms across her chest and Chloe snorted, trying to look as innocent as possible.

“I’m just playing with you…” she said, waving it away with an absent hand…

“That’s one more week in the blood bank penalty box for you,” Sarah said and the vampire groaned.

“See …” Monty berated her. “Witches have no sense of humour.”

A heartbeat later and the man was flat on his back on the ground. Chloe had tossed him out of the tree with a big old grin on her lips.

“Get him boy!” She called to Nathan’s wolf, and the beast needed no more encouragement than that as he set fast paws after the fleeing vampire…

“Oh, look, we’re all alone…” Chloe grinned.

“One wrong move and I’ll stake you myself,” Sarah warned her.

“And me,” Dorothy said.

“Me three…” Angela gave her a wicked grin.

“I bite…” Lark offered.

Chloe took a deep breath in and sighed.

“Fine… we’ll do it your way. But I want brownie points for giving Nathan my mate on a plate!” Chloe folded her arms across her chest and raised one eyebrow.

“Done – you’re weekly fine is halved.” Sarah said, and the smile on her aunt’s lips was priceless.

The End.