~

 

“No!” Sarah hissed. “Go away.”

Nathan was yanking her behind his back in a heartbeat.

“Where’s Monty?” He demanded, annoyed that the woman kept coming back like a bad penny.

“I gave him the slip…” Chloe grinned. “Did you know a newbie vamp is faster than an older one…?” She looked gleeful in that knowledge.

“I do now…” Nathan growled.

“You make a great brick wall…” Sarah grumbled as she sidestepped him and elbowed her way around the man.

“I’m supposed to protect you…” Nathan growled.

“My magic feels slighted by your lack of trust in it,” Sarah said, stumping him for a moment as he tried to correlate that with how his wolf was clawing inside of him to get out.

“Invite me in, Sarah…” Chloe gave a little shrug off her shoulders, but it was the wicked look in her eyes that concerned the witch the most.

“I don’t think any of us want to get fed on while we sleep…” Sarah shot back to the sound of another growl from her mate. That sound was as annoying as it was as sexy as hell … and she hated both emotions.

“I could do it while you’re awake if you prefer, as long as you’re not too squirmy…” Chloe grinned, showing just a little fang… “Wouldn’t want to slip and rip out a main artery…” she mused with the roll of her eyes as she considered it.

“Do you hear yourself?” Sarah asked with a good dollop of disbelief…

“Sure, I sound melodic, don’t you think. I like it!” Chloe’s eyes flashed with amusement…

“There you are, you little minx…” Monty’s voice sounded accusing…

“Can you not keep a leash on her?” Nathan growled.

“Dog!” Chloe gasped in disbelief.

“Witch!” Nathan shot back and then bit down on his mistake. “Vampire!”

“Easier said than done … she’s … speedy and stealthy.” Monty grumbled back.

His new vampire mate was giving him a run for his money – literally.

“Fit her with a cowbell …” Sarah said with a shrug off just one shoulder. “Or maybe one of those dog zappy things that electrocutes her every time she does something bad … ooo – ooo, maybe one of those sonic boom things that…”

All three were staring at her as if she’d gone mad. She scowled from one to the other…

“Just offering a little friendly advice.” Sarah muttered.

“Friendly?” Chloe snorted. “Remind me not to get on your bad side.”

“Don’t suck on anybody then!” Sarah tossed back.

“Yeah, easier said than done…” Chloe shrugged.

“I thought you said you had her under control.” Nathan growled.

“I am woman – hear me roar… Lycans are such a ruddy bore.” Chloe said with glee, and Monty groaned as he rolled his eyes.

“She’s … in training,” the vampire added. “There are going to be a few little hiccups.”

“Like when I drink too much blood in one go!” Chloe wrinkled up her nose. “Heartburn and hiccups…”

“Amazing for someone who doesn’t have a heart anymore.” Sarah bit back, accusation in her eyes as she stared at her aunt.

“Sour puss…” Chloe shot back. “Was I this much fun when I was a witch?” She tossed a questioning look back over her shoulder at Monty.

“Judgemental to a fault…” Monty bit out.

“I’m sooo sorry,” Chloe offered back and the vampire shrugged his shoulders.

“Meh, you get used to it,” he said.

“You can go be gone now,” Sarah said, dismissing the woman with a wave of her hand.

“I like it here!” Chloe offered back with glee.

“Well, boo-hoo, because you can’t come in.” Sarah used her magic to slam the door closed in Chloe’s face…

“Sour puss!” Chloe called out, and Sarah’s shoulders slumped as she turned back towards Nathan and grumbled…

“Does not wanting my vampire aunt to kill everyone in their sleep make me a bad person?” She whined.

“Not really…” Nathan chuckled.

“This is insane,” Sarah huffed. “I’m basically trapped inside this house with…” she bit down on the last word, and gave him a sheepish look.

“Me,” he said. His grin widened and she looked a little more apologetic as she stared up at him.

“It’s not you, it’s me…” Sarah offered, giving him a little smile of amusement.

“Well good, because I can change your mind with a little wooing…” he growled and wiggled his eyebrows…

“Ha! She’s too sour puss to become a mate!” Chloe called from outside the door…

“She’ll be a lot less sour puss if you let him woo her and she has that glowing feeling…” Monty berated his mate, and Sarah groaned.

“Did you ever have one of those days?” she grumbled.

“Most days.” Nathan nodded thoughtfully.

 

~

~

~

 

“You need to step trying to give me the slip,” Lark announced for the hard of hearing as he walked into the sun room and found the elder witches looking all conspiratorial as they sat staring back at him.

“I never got the memo,” Angela huffed.

“A little nice goes a long way,” Dorothy berated her.

“So does a little Nytol, perhaps I should put it in his tea … knock him right out until morning.” Angela shot back.

“Belladonna will do that in the right amount…” Dorothy said and Angela sighed.

“Yes, but I might be tempted to add too much and kill him,” She shot back.

“You can keep talking about me like I’m not here, but…” Lark started.

“We will,” Angela assured him as she cut him off.

“I’m not going anywhere…” Lark offered back.

“Oh goodie, a stalker for life, and a faithful mutt to boot,” Angela tossed back.

“Wolf…” Lark corrected her when his beast decided to growl in annoyance.

“I wasn’t talking about your wolf,” Angela offered dryly, and Lark rolled his eyes to the ceiling.

“Can you just be … less frosty for five minutes?” Lark growled.

“No…” Angela said without needing to think about it.

“I know what would cheer you right up,” Lark said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively and planting a wicked smile upon his lips.

“Watching your wolf chase its tail for half an hour?” she grumbled back without the slightest air of humour about her.

Angela turned her eyes away from the man. The more that she looked at him; the less he looked like the Devil incarnate, and she so wanted him to look evil and deadly. At least that way she could tell herself that he wasn’t Mr Right – wasn’t the one she would have to spend the rest of her life with…

She was set in her ways, and he didn’t exactly fit in with the routine that she’d built for herself.

No, Dorothy is wrong.

I can’t believe that I was taking life lessons from her either. What was I thinking?

I need to get this man out of my life … by whatever means necessary.