Six
Gypsy
His complete command of my body last night was beyond anything I ever dreamt of, and he is all mine. Finally. I never knew how possessive I am, until my Light took over for me and burned my handprints into his lovely skin. At first, I had hoped his shifter healing would kick in and clean up my mess. I am actually glad it didn’t. While he was in the bathroom I took stock of my clothes. I really should stop dressing like an angry teenager, but I have high hopes of being a cool mom. I also grabbed a sweater from my suitcase and tied it around my waist.
After a quick brunch, we get back on the road to Manchester. With Duncan beside me and our hands entwined all night, for the first time ever I dreamt of something else. A woman with black as night hair and pale skin. She was distressed. The man beside her frantically tried to revive her, but it was no use. I woke up in tears, but thankfully Duncan is a heavy sleeper and I could slip from the bed and stare out the window for a minute. A chill swept over me as I finally knew what I had to do.
Randomly, I look up at the side view mirror. The same car has been following us all afternoon and I am pretty sure I’ve seen it everywhere we’ve been. I shudder as another chill sweeps over me.
“I told ye to put some clothes on, lass,” Duncan says, laughing. God, I love his laugh.
“I am not cold, Dunc. I promise. Do you ever feel like someone is watching you? Like you are all alone, but you feel eyes on you?”
“Aye. Nowt oft, but I have before.”
“I feel it now. Like something bad is going to happen. I don’t like it.”
“Are ye sure?”
“I’m fairly positive-” I don’t get a chance to finish, because suddenly the truck is rammed from behind. I turn my head to look out the back window and see it’s the same fucking car.
Duncan doesn’t realize that this is no accident as he starts to pull to the side of the road.
“No, no. Keep driving,” I shout.
“But-”
“Trust me, baby. Keep fucking driving. Don’t stop.”
He looks at me like I’m crazy, but he reluctantly does what I ask him to.
Only when we are struck again does it dawn on him that this is no accident.
“Who would do this? Who knows ye are here?”
“I am sure my entire coven knows by now. My mother is a fountain of gossip.” I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would never hurt me, but sometimes she tells the wrong people things.
The Toyota gives up hitting us and it pulls alongside instead. The windows are down, and I can clearly see who it is.
“Paeter?” I shout, confused. He is the very last person I would have ever expected. “What the fuck are you doing?” I watch as Duncan’s knuckles turn white with how hard he is gripping the steering wheel. I run my hand along his thigh and this calms him enough to loosen his death grip.
Paeter says nothing. He tries several more times to run us off of the road, but Duncan eventually outmaneuvers him. It also helps that the other car got a flat tire.
Okay, okay. I may have given him the flat, but that doesn’t matter so much right now. I catch my breath, as the “Welcome to Manchester” sign comes into view. It says, “population 10, 001.”
“Who was that bawbag?” Duncan asks me. I burst out laughing. “What? Tell me who it was.”
“What the fucking fuck is a bawbag?” I can’t stop laughing.
“It be a scrotum.”
“Wow.”
“Wow what? With the disgustingly thin facial hair he has, it does look like a few wispy pubic hairs. Aye, he has a decidedly scrotum-esque look about him,” he says. With his accent, it sounds so dramatic.
“Oh. My. God. Stop, you're killing me.” I can’t stop laughing. I have never given a second thought as to what Paeter looks like, but thinking back I realize his facial hair does make his face look like a giant set of balls.
“Who. Is. He,” Duncan finally growls, causing me to jump.
“He is my father’s best friend. He was hoping to imprint with me, but you and I both know that was never even an option. I thought he was my friend. Maybe he will give up and go home,” I say and shrug my shoulders.
“He will if he knows what’s good for him. It was pretty feckin’ sexy when ye flattened his tires with yer mind.” I laugh.
“Not just my mind. It works in tandem with the Light,” I reply.
“Still, I should go back and tell him what’s what,” he says adamantly.
“No, I am certain he will leave me alone now.”
Duncan makes a disapproving noise in his throat but says nothing further. We arrive in the town square, which is actually a roundabout.
“Where are we goin’? Which direction should I take?”
“The third exit,” I say, closing my eyes. The house we are going to fills my mind. Fuck it looks scary as shit, even in my mind in the daylight.
He does as I ask and in just under ten minutes we are pulling down the long driveway. Coming to a halt, he parks right in front of the door. I unbuckle my seatbelt and open the car door. As soon as I do the front door swings open. I look up and see the girl from my dream last night; or was it this morning? She walks down the stairs as I am walking up them.
“You,” we both say in unison. She pulls me into a tight hug. When I pull away from her, I can’t stop staring at her. I can tell she is an old soul, but beyond that, she is remarkably beautiful. I feel like if I stare at her for too long, I’ll go blind or something.
“You two know each other?” The man who came out the door after the girl says.
“You’re my dream girl,” I say. When the man growls and pulls her closer to him, I realize what I said. I can’t help laughing, which causes the others to as well. “What I meant was I had a dream about you. I’ve been drawn to this place. I’m Gypsy and this is my Mate, Duncan.” It is the first time I’ve said that out loud since our mating was completed. I am proud of the fact that he is mine and it feels so right. Duncan puts his arm around my shoulder.
“I am Luna, and this is my Mate, Gabriel. Welcome to our home,” Luna says.
“Thank you kindly, Luna,” Duncan says, shaking her hand briefly and then Gabriel’s.
“Come in. I was just making martinis. Will you have one? I also have some beer.”
“I’ll have a martini and Duncan will have a beer,” I answer instinctively. I look over at Duncan, who nods and smiles at me.
We follow them inside and I am pleasantly surprised at how lovely the foyer is.
“No problem. The kitchen is just through here. I have to say, I feel like we have known each other forever.”
“It is strange, but I feel the same way too.”
We visit for a while and take Luna up on her offer to stay in the west wing of her huge Mansion. I feel like taking a “nap” with my man. Luna is having a huge party tonight and we are invited.