~

 

“No,” Drake was adamant in his words.

“Yes,” Eliza was equally adamant in her words and her stance. She tossed her hands onto her hips, craned her head toward him, and scowled back at her mate.

“No,” Drake grumbled a growl.

“Well, then can I have a glass of water?”

“Yes.” Drake went to turn towards the door.

“Good. It’s Christmas — maybe I can turn water into wine,” she sniped back.

Drake turned back towards her and eyed his mate with a whole heap of suspicion.

“Can a witch do that?” he demanded.

Eliza removed her hands from her hips and folded her arms. It now appeared that she had the upper hand, and she was going to enjoy it.

“Yes, yes we can,” she offered back with the kind of superior tone that grated over his nerves and sent his wolf a little nuts.

“Then you’re not getting water either.”

“So, how long do you think I can last without a drink?” She demanded and watched as the man’s eyes rolled in his head as he considered it.

“That’s…” He hesitated. “Can a witch turn orange juice into wine?”

“It’s fruit, isn’t it?” She tossed back.

Eliza was trying really hard not to laugh, but his face was just a picture of puzzlement and wonder that it was getting harder by the second. She wished she had a camera to hand so that she could capture that moment.

“But…”

“She’s pulling your chain,” Arthur said as he strolled past the door to the room and kept on going.

Drake’s eyes flicked toward the doorway before they flicked right back to his mate. He grunted in annoyance and narrowed his eyes.

“Well,” Eliza started as she dropped her arms to her sides and regarded the floor, the ceiling, the wall, the chair, anything but him. “A girl’s got to do what those darn girlies have to do.” She offered with an innocent singsong voice.

“Oh, does she?” His dry, accusing tone made her grimace.

“It’s just a little wine.” She lifted her hands and shrugged.

“Don’t you think you’ve had enough?”

“You can never have too much wine,” she offered back, as she tipped her chin up in defiance, and scowled at the very thought of it.

“Obviously — you can. Unless, of course, you’re telling me that the insanity of running out of a perfectly good cabin and into a blizzard was not alcohol induced, and you did it for fun.”

“Well…” She shrugged again. “Maybe, not entirely – actually, skip that. Yes, probably.” She admitted at last.

“Do you have a problem with alcohol?” Drake hated to ask, but she did seem hellbent on getting more of it.

“No, no problem. I see it, I drink it, not a problem there.” She grinned.

“You know — there are places we can get you help,” Drake offered back.

“Yes, they’re called supermarkets, and they have a wine aisle.” She offered him a smug smile.

“I think I’m going to have to lock the liquor cabinet,” Drake growled.

“Oh, I have a spell that will unlock that thing right open.” Eliza offered back with the brightest grin that he’d ever seen.

 

~

~

~

 

“Are you going to follow me around like a puppy all night?” Nancy demanded when she turned to find that her mate was hard on her heels again.

“Yes.” Jeff offered her a cheeky grin.

“Then, if I’m going to have to walk the puppy, the puppy is going to have to go on a leash,” Nancy offered back as she tipped her chin down and looked at him with teasing eyes.

“And if I’m going to have a witch for a mate then she had better act according,” he offered back.

Jeff was sorry he’d said anything the moment that she snapped her fingers and the magic took his feet right out from under him. His backside hit the hardwood flooring, and he grumbled a growl.

“Witch enough for you?” She snapped a beaming smile on her face.

“Don’t push your luck,” Jeff growled, and he was up on his feet and heading towards her a heartbeat later.

“Oh, it’s not luck, it’s skill.” She snapped her fingers again, and again he was down on his backside before he knew it.

“I’m warning you, witch.” Jeff slapped his hands down against the wood flooring and eyed her from beneath his dark brows.

When he allowed a warning growl to roll through his chest, his beast growled back at him.

Mine…

“Am I supposed to be scared?” She folded her arms and raised her eyebrows at him.

“Of a wolf shifter…?”

“Of my mate?”

Oh, she looked just too smug for her own good. Jeff wanted to wipe that smile right off her face. But she was right; he wouldn’t harm any female, but more importantly, he’d die before he hurt her.

“I hear there are some things that are worse than death,” Jeff said.

He was walking towards her again. Nancy took a long moment to consider her options. The man was getting closer, and she was running out of time to act.

“You mean like being mated to you?” She offered back, trying to rile him up enough to put him off his game.

“Yep.” He offered her a wolfish grin.

Nancy grimaced inwardly. Her plan hadn’t worked. He was almost toe to toe with her, and she was running out of time and options.

Just as she lifted her hand and contemplated using magic, so his large hand wrapped around her wrist and snagged it. He reached around her with the other arm and wrapped it around her waist, and then he yanked her body against his.

She couldn’t put her hand on her heart and say she hated the feelings that rushed through her. They were good, feminine-ly good, tingly good, but that wasn’t the point.

She was trying to keep him at arm’s length. Not invite the damn man closer.

“You’re right — there are things worse than death,” she bit out. “Your breath, your…” she sniffed the air, “is that your armpits or do you just naturally smell like that?”

His dark eyes were locked and loaded on her, and if she wasn’t mistaken; there was a very hungry look in them.

Her heart was beating a tune that she thought sounded familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. One moment of distraction and his lips came down on hers.

Heat rushed through her body and excitement chased after it. Her stomach rose and fell, the very feminine parts of her sprung to life, and that was the moment that her womb decided that was the time to do a happy dance.