CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Wake up, beautiful,” Rune crooned. The heated pads of his fingers ran down my cheek. “Wake up. I know you’re getting there.”
My eyes shot wide open, and I grabbed his hand near my face. I shrieked in shock and started patting all over his face, my heart hammering inside my chest. “You’re real. You’re here.”
He placed his hands over mine, holding them to his cheeks. “It’s all right. Calm down.”
“But…but…” I choked on air, coughing and shaking my head. “You can’t be real.”
“I am,” he stated simply.
Gawking at his golden eyes, my heaven. Up and down. Up and down.
My chin started trembling as the realization hit. “I died too?”
Still holding my hands, he brought them together in front of his mouth. He kissed the top of each one, his gaze holding mine. “No, Megan. You’re alive. I am too.”
I shook my head again. “You died, Rune. He crushed your fucking heart in his hand.”
He exhaled a heavy sigh and lowered our hands to his lap. Leaning over me on the couch that I lay on—it looked like the one in Godric’s living area—he questioned slowly, “Are you ready to hear all about my world yet?”
My mouth bobbed and my brows scrunched together. I didn’t speak.
Rune’s head tilted, and his black hair fell over one eye. “Is that a yes or no, beautiful?”
I snapped my mouth shut, considering all my options.
There were many.
Run the hell away and never look back. Pretend what happened hadn’t really happened. Go to a therapist and let them tell me I’m hallucinating—maybe I would believe it. Let him tell me his dark secrets and dive deeper into his fucked up world. Or simply go back to sleep and hope this was a dream.
Mina walked by out of nowhere, mumbling, “You need to know, Megan.”
Then she disappeared past my line of sight behind the couch.
Rune watched her movements, and then looked back down to me. He commented softly, “She’s gone now. We have privacy.”
I swallowed on a dry throat. “You’re really not dead?”
He shook his head. “Right here in front of you, enjoying your fine smell.”
I blinked. “You’re flirting with me right now?”
“I can’t help it.” He shrugged sheepishly, a small smile teasing at his lips. “It’s how I get around you.”
“Smooth,” I mumbled absently, turning my head away from him. I stared at a lamp across the room instead of his mesmerizing golden eyes. I asked honestly, “On a scale of one to ten, how much will this information fuck me?”
“That’s hard to answer.” He resituated himself on the couch, getting more comfortable. “For one thing, it won’t fuck you. Not physically. But it may screw with your mind until it sinks in. What I will tell you will blow you away.”
“Will anyone hunt me down to obtain the knowledge?”
“Not likely. More people know on this earth than you can imagine—even though it’s the best-kept secret ever. But there are always greedy bastards who might pop up.”
I cleared my throat and returned my regard back to him. To his eyes. “Then tell me. I’ve been kidnapped twice now. I think I need to know.”
He nodded and ran his fingers through his hair, all cockiness gone as he stared down at me. It was a serious side I doubted he showed many people. It looked good on him, as did every other emotion he wore on his face. “First, I’m immortal. Kind of.”
“Kind of?” We were going to hit crazy-town by the time this talk was through.
“The seer or my mate could kill me. Anyone else—including myself—can’t do shit to me. I come back alive and whole every time. Even if a bomb exploded on top of my head.”
I rubbed at my forehead. “Am I supposed to be taking this all seriously?”
His black brows furrowed, and he rubbed at his own forehead. “I think, if I showed you something first, it would help you believe me.”
I snorted. “Give it your best shot. Because this is fucking twisted.”
He placed his hands on the back of the couch and pushed off the back of it to stand to his feet. His muscles rippled on his bare flesh while he pulled a t-shirt off over his head. “First, my people are shifters. We shift into certain animals—one animal per person. And all shifters are male.” He kicked off his shoes and started unbuttoning his dress slacks…that had his dried blood splattered all over them. “Second, when I do this, don’t be scared. I’m still me. Just a little furry.”
My gaze traveled up and down his frame. Now bare. I gradually sat up on the couch, firmly planting my feet on the ground while I ran my fingers through my tangled black hair. I shook my head, genuinely wondering at his sanity—not that I already wasn’t. I muttered in exasperation, “Do you want to have sex or something?”
He held up his hand for patience. “Remember, I’m still me.”
I gurgled deep in my throat as a twister of white sparkles exploded in front of my eyes.
Then I screamed at the top of my lungs. I scrambled over the back of the couch, gripping the leather. My eyes barely peeked over the upper part of it as I whispered in a shaky breath, “Nice kitty. Just stay there… or I’m sure there’s someone else around here you might want to snack on.”
The enormous black panther, sitting on its haunches, lifted its golden eyes to the ceiling and shook its head a little.
Alaric and Wolfe raced into the room, their chests heaving. Two sets of eyes scanned the living room, blades in their hands. Finn skidded to a halt behind them, a long sword flashing in the light.
Alaric ran his eyes up and down my frame, appraising how I was hiding behind the couch. Then his attention turned to the black panther, who stretched his mouth open wide and yawned…showing lots of sharp teeth. Alaric snorted and began putting his blades away, muttering, “That went over well.”
Not moving from my squatting position, I blinked at Finn. “You’re alive too?”
Finn just shook his head and walked away. “This day ranks right up there with dog shit.”
“Wait!” I shrieked, holding up my hands when the other two men started to leave. I pointed one digit over the top of the couch when they stopped and turned around. “There is a fucking black panther right there. Don’t you see it?”
Alaric snorted. “Megan, it’s Rune. Believe me, he won’t hurt you.”
Then they both sauntered out of the living room, leaving me alone with the feline.
I blinked in confusion. My eyes traveled back to the black panther.
My head jerked back, and I froze.
His face was an inch away from mine, resting on top of the couch. His big body sat fluidly on the cushions, and his tail swung back and forth. Like he wanted to play with me—no teeth showing this time.
My mouth bobbed until I sputtered, “Is that really you, Rune?”
The big furry head nodded, crushing the leather beneath his chin.
“Close your eyes twice.”
He blinked. Twice.
Instant. “Stick out your tongue.”
The black panther’s tongue flopped out of his mouth.
My eyes opened wide on my face. “Oh, my freaking fuckity-fuck.”
The cat huffed a few times, its body vibrating.
Ever so slowly, my head cocked. “Are you laughing at me?”
He nodded again. Still huffing.
I thumped him on his nose. “Not funny. I about peed my pants.”
More huffing and a deep inhale.
My eyes narrowed. “Okay, maybe I wet them a little.”
* * *
With a fresh pair of underwear and pants on, stolen from Poppy’s bedroom, I sat across from Rune in the kitchen. I munched on a meal of a brisket sandwich and fries. Someone had ordered in for the group. They were all here in the house—mansion—but they were giving us privacy and talking quietly amongst themselves on how to handle Godric’s funeral. It was now a reality.
Poppy was nowhere to be seen.
Rune wasn’t eating, but he wasn’t furry anymore, either. “Are you ready to start again?”
I nodded. “What’s a seer?”
“We have one seer. He’s our enforcer and gives mercy deaths when requested. He has special powers that none of us have.” Rune flicked his wrist toward the doorway. “Cassander is our seer.”
This was a lot easier to listen to—and believe, having seen him shift. “And a mate?”
“Mates are a shifter’s one and only. The magic picks them. Shifters can only reproduce with their intended mate. They’re all human, and we find them through intercourse.”
I took another bite of my sandwich, studying him. “I’m your mate, aren’t I?”
His head cocked, and his brows rose. “Why would you think that?”
“Because you don’t act like a playboy around me.”
He chuckled. “I may need to up my game.”
“You didn’t answer me.” I took another bite, calm and collected.
Golden eyes studied mine. “Would you run away if I said yes?”
“So…you’re afraid of my disappearing acts?”
“You are very good at them,” he answered honestly.
I placed my sandwich down on my plate and sat back and crossed my arms. “I won’t run away. But I’m not sure about a relationship. I’ve never really had one. I don’t know how to do them.”
The simple fact was…this man could handle my father. I hadn’t expected that. My father was the only reason why I shied away from getting close to someone.
The hunter was studying me carefully. Golden, intelligent eyes ran over my features.
A few times. Waiting for a crack in my exterior.
He wouldn’t find it. Eventually, he responded slowly, “You are my mate.”
I nodded. “Thought so.”
Rune sat back in his chair, his eyes ever watchful. Ready to pounce.
“Do you even want a mate?” I questioned—blunt and to the point.
“Honestly?”
“Yes.”
“I’m a little like you. I don’t really know how to do relationships.” He shrugged his masculine shoulders, the shirt bunching over his muscles. “But you aren’t what I was expecting. It’s a pleasant surprise.”
“In what way?”
“Well, other than the fact you want to wear a princess dress, you aren’t at all like the typical women I’ve been with. You’re down to earth and funny. You don’t care about silly, frivolous shit.” His eyes roamed my features again, a cocky grin lifting his mouth. “And you’re fucking hot. Even if a little too thin.”
I snorted and shook my head in humored exasperation.
“Really.” He pointed at the food on my plate, only half eaten. “You need to put more sustenence in your body. You eat like a bird.”
“My stomach is still adjusting to actually having food.”
“I know. I was trying to be polite about it.”
I chuckled then. “So, what are the perks of being a mate?”
“Other than you get to be with me?” He winked when I rolled my eyes. “You’re now immortal too. Only the seer or I can kill you. You’ll always come back to life.”
My jaw dropped, and I squealed, “Are you serious?”
“As a coffin.”
With shocked, wide eyes, I held up my right hand to him.
Laughter danced in his golden orbs as he high-fived me.
“Damn. I got a sweet deal,” I murmured.
He ran his fingers through his black hair. “How’s that?”
“Well, I fucked a seriously hot man. Became immortal while having an orgasm. And I get to fuck him anytime I want.” I pointed at myself. “Because you like me, and no man wants to piss off a woman they’ll be connected to for…eternity.”
He blinked. Stared.
I laughed and rubbed greedy hands together. “Does this mean your money is my money too?”
“Fuck.” His chest started shaking, attempting to contain his mirth. “You’re going to be a handful, aren’t you?”
“Maybe.” Innocent eyes.
He chuckled, grabbing at his chest. “Lord, help me.”
Gradually, my eyebrows puckered while his laughter died down. “Really though. How do we do this? Are we going to attempt to date each other?” I cleared my throat and rubbed at my forehead. “I don’t even know where to begin with that.”
His cheeks puffed out with a heady breath, and then he turned around, hollering, “Finn! Get your ass in here. We need some advice.” He turned back around in his chair and hitched his thumb over his shoulder toward the doorway. “He’s mated. He can help us figure this shit out. Because I’m pretty sure a funeral shouldn’t be our first real date, and that’s all I can think of.”
My nose crinkled. “We’re pathetic.”
“Eh, the magic picked well. Neither of us has any expectations.”
“Amen to that.” I held my hand up again.
He high-fived me once more, then stated, “And as far as your father goes, do you want to kill him or do you want me to do it?”
I blinked. “We really suck—because that’s all I could think of for a first date.”
Rune stared a second before he twisted in his chair again. “Finn, goddammit, get in here!”