~

 

“You know, this whole Christmas tree thing won’t be so funny, cute, or smart if you end up inviting faeries into the house,” Ashley said, as she noted her mate’s presence beside her just from the tingling that raced over her skin when he got close, and then she felt the heat of his body.

“I think I can handle a fairy,” the alpha said with a small growl that underlined his words.

“I’d say don’t tempt fate, but — you know?” She shot him a teasing look.

“I’m an alpha.” He said no more. He thought that pretty much explained everything there was to explain.

Kiel’s eyes widened when he felt the sharp sting against his backside; it was almost like a bee had gotten him. He cleared his throat and tried to be subtle as he eyed the area.

When it happened for the second time, he jumped in place, but he didn’t need to hear the sniggers of his mate to know where those stings were coming from. He turned a slow, accusing look on her.

“You know,” she shrugged. “You’re an alpha, right?”

“You’re no fairy, but just as mischievous.” he berated her with a look, and she tried to suppress the laughter, but it snuck out anyway.

“Pouting never looks good on a man,” she leaned in and whispered. “Especially an alpha.”

That close proximity, coupled with the fact that she’d lied, he looked good no matter what, sent a rush of awareness through her body, and when her gaze flicked up to meet his, it was followed by a sweep of heat that went from head to toe, and a jolt of excitement that headed straight for her stupid, traitorous womb.

“I’m not pouting, I’m thinking…”

“With your lips?”

“Yes—no,” he rushed to correct his slip-up with a frown that pinched his eyebrows together.

“For an alpha, you’re very – indecisive.”

Her eyes were laughing, and her lips were twitching as if she was trying to resist smiling, but it wasn’t quite working for her. He wished she’d just let it happen; he liked her smile.

“I’ve taken it on board. You want me to be more forceful, determined, take charge, bloody-minded…”

“Wait, what?” Her urge to smile turned into a frown of confusion.

“You want to be swept off your feet…”

“That’s … Huh?” She cocked her head to the side and screwed up her face.

“Wooed…”

“Woo-hoo-ed?”

Kiel puffed out his chest and nodded thoughtfully as he slapped a big, wolfish grin on his face.

“Got it,” he proclaimed.

“Got it? Got what?” she demanded.

Her brain was still trying to play catch-up because she was still trying to figure out where she’d gone so horribly wrong.

“No time like the present,” he announced, and she jumped in place.

“Future’s always brighter,” she rushed out, unsure of him, her, or what the hell was going on.

She did know that if he was grinning like the wolf that got its prey, then she probably wasn’t going to like it.

The next moment the alpha was sweeping her up into his arms with a growl that told her he was hungry for more than food, and she squealed in surprise, but that didn’t stop the rush of excitement from shooting through her.

“But…” she squeaked out.

“Your wish is my…”

“Put me down, you big oaf,” she hissed.

“Playing hard to get? I like it.” He grinned as he started off across the room on fast feet. Out the door, down the hallway, and he was headed toward his bedroom.

“Playing…?” she snapped.

“If that’s your thing, sweetheart…”

“Thing … sweetheart?” She didn’t just look stunned; she felt as if she’d been hit upside the head by some really potent fairy dust. “Now just you bloody well hold on…”

“To you, of course. Trust me; I won’t drop you,” Kiel offered back.

“Drop me!” she hissed.

“No problem,” he growled, and then he let go of her.

Ashley screeched and made a desperate grab for him, but all she managed to do was fist his shirt and tear it clean down the middle as she fell. Her backside hit the mattress first, and she bounced – then she kind of growled in annoyance.

It wasn’t as good as a she-wolf, but it sent his beast wild, and he found it attractive as well.

“You are just so…” she ground out between clenched teeth as she scrambled to her knees on the bed.

“Forceful, manly, decisive?”

Ashley huffed as she offered him her version of the evil eye. She was still debating whether she should put any magic behind it.

“Butthead,” she bit out.

“Alpha,” he offered back with a teasing grin that made her stomach flop even though she was still running on angry.

“The alpha butthead,” she grumbled.

“I think we’re perfect for each other.” He chuckled.

“A delusional alpha butthead,” she hissed between clenched teeth.

She was desperately trying to stay mad at him, and she didn’t dare snatch a glance at him for fear that would crumble her resolve. Only, she did sneak a look, and his laughing eyes made her stomach flip again.

  Damn, flip-flopping stomach, heat rushes, and waves of excitement. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought she was a teen again experiencing her first crush on a member of a boy band.

“I’m just giving you what you asked for, sweetheart.”

“I did not ask for you to turn into a caveman.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Just an alpha male hell-bent on wooing his mate?”

“All I said was that you were…” she stopped and pressed her lips together. The truth was, she still didn’t know what had truly set him off on the rampage of a bad black and white B-movie.

“Yes?”

“Go – boil your big butthead,” she grumbled.

“Well, somebody needs to make up their mind,” he offered back, and her mouth opened in surprise, but he turned on his heels and stalked to the bedroom door. “I’ll leave you to consider it.” He tossed back over his shoulder.

Ashley opened her mouth again and lifted her hand to tell him exactly what she’d decided, but he slammed the door closed behind him, and frustration welled inside of her.

She huffed as she tossed herself back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling as if it had wronged her in some way.

“Butthead.”

 

~

~

~

 

“And where do you think you’re going?” Jeff demanded as he followed his mate down the road.

“Out,” Natalie tossed back over her shoulder without bothering to turn around to look at him.

“Out where?” Jeff thought she might just have lost her mind. It was a full-on blizzard outside, and she thought she was going out in it.

“Outside.” She did toss him a look that time, and the look said she thought he was the one that was insane.

“No, you’re not…”

“Yes, I am…”

“No, you’re not…”

“Yes, I am…”

“No, you’re not…”

“Yes, I am — yes, I am — yes, I am!” Arthur sang out, with dramatic flair as he appeared at the top of the hallway. “I thought it was sound better if I set it to music.” He chuckled before he carried on walking away.

“No, you’re not!” Jeff growled, ignoring the vampire’s appearance and getting back down to the issue at hand.

“I will hurt you.” Nancy tossed her hands onto her hips and glared up at her mate.

Jeff stared back at the witch. He knew that she meant it, she’d already done him harm, now, he needed to figure out just how to handle her.

He was so damn tempted to kiss her again — but, there was another part of him that really wanted to kill her.