“Artemis created the shifters. We are her soldiers. The first generation of shifters protected her, kept her alive, and were rewarded with the ability to tell their true loves after they join together. This was passed on through the generations. We all have the ability to know our soul mates, the one person created as a match to the man and the calm to the beast.”
I stared at him. “And you know I am that person?”
“Yes.”
“That is an awful lot to put on a woman after just one night.”
He turned me toward him and pulled my chair closer. “I know. It’s not fair, really. I’ve been given a month to find my mate. If you were supernatural you’d be more accepting of the situation, but you’re human and mystical love is a tool of fiction. I get that.”
“A month?”
“Yes.”
“And what happens if you don’t find her in a month?”
“Thankfully, I’ve found her.” He avoided answering the question.
“Tucker, what aren’t you telling me?”
He caressed my cheek. “Nothing that matters. After breakfast, I’d like you to pack a bag, and come and stay with me for a while.”
“I can’t do that.”
“I want to make sure you’re safe. The only way I can do that is if you stay with me at my den.”
“Callie gave me that elixir last night. It makes my blood poison to the assassins.”
“To the vampires, yes.”
“And they aren’t able to enter my home without my permission.”
“Right.”
“And didn’t you and Callie make a deal with the witches?”
“We got the hit removed from your head, yes.”
“Why were the assassins sent after me?”
“Because the witches’ council believes Callie told you her secret. They decided you were a threat. One human was expendable in the grand scheme of things.”
“But she never told me.”
“We know.”
“And now that I know?”
“You’re a shifter’s mate. I told them you were under my protection, and you would not tell anyone about this world.”
“And they believed you?”
“With some persuasion.” He sipped his coffee.
I nodded. “Okay, so I am safe.”
“For the most part.”
“So tell me again, why do I need to come and stay with you?”
“Because until I know for sure everyone got the message, I’d feel better if you were under my protection.”
“No.”
“No, what?”
“No, I won’t come and stay with you. I have a job, friends, and a life here.”
He growled, showing his frustration. “Your life is with me, at my side.”
“No.” I stood up and walked to the coffee pot, needing an escape from his close proximity.
“Ashlee--”
“No, Tucker. You can’t just throw all this on me and expect me to fall in line. I need time to sort things out. I need to know what I feel for you is real.”
“So what are you saying?”
“I’m saying I need space.”
“Help me understand what that means.”
“It means you need to leave, and I’ll call you when I sort everything out.”
“Are you breaking up with me?”
“I can’t break up with you when we aren’t even going out.”
“But, last night--”
“Last night was fun, but we didn’t wake up in a relationship this morning.”
“Ashlee--”
“Please, Tucker. All I am asking for is space to figure things out.”
He stood up. “Okay.” Without another word, he left my apartment. The moment the door slammed, I felt an emptiness that struck me to the core.
***
Tucker
He sat in his car, watching the apartment until she went to work, dressed in a pair of black slacks and green blouse he knew matched her eyes to perfection. Tucker closed his eyes and forced the images of their lovemaking from his mind. He needed to focus on protecting her, making sure she wasn’t in danger anymore.
He wasn’t worried that she’d tell, she wasn’t that kind of person. His promise made to the council last night would hold strong. That wasn’t his concern. He just needed to know she would be safe.
The lack of sleep from the night before weakened him. He needed backup so he could get a few hours of sleep. There was only one person he trusted with her.
He called Gray. “I need you to come and keep an eye on Ashlee again.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can get back into town.”
“Great, I’ll meet you at her work.”
Chapter Fifteen
Ashlee
EVER SINCE THIS TERRIFYING NIGHTMARE happened, I found myself looking at the world through different colored glasses. I had spent the majority of my life living in a fishbowl. Now the world seemed odd, strange, full of the ‘things that go bump in the night’. The things I had once thought were fiction, were a reality now. It was like the world had turned upside down overnight.
One of the worse side effects of these new glasses was my inability to trust, really trust and believe my best friend. Callie was no longer the girl I knew. I questioned everything she did. At least, silently in my mind, I questioned her actions. I found myself wondering if there were ulterior motives or if she ever really liked me in the first place. Was it all just an act? Were we even real friends? So when she showed up at my apartment that night with a carton of my favorite ice cream and other junk food, as well as some ‘feel good’ movies, I had to wonder what she was playing at. What would she get out of this night?
She saved my life, as far as I could tell, so I owed her the opportunity to fix things. It was the only reason I let her in. As the night progressed, we laughed and we cried at the romances on ‘Jerry Maguire’ and ‘Failure to Launch’, and I started to see a theme that ran through them. There were lies, miscommunication, and deceit that tore the couples apart, but love brought them back together.
I sighed, and stopped her when she went to put the third movie in. “I get it.”
Her fingers froze over the button on the DVD player. “Get what?”
“I get why you hid the truth from me.”
She sat back down. “To protect you.”
I nodded. “So why did you take me to that dating mixer?”
“I didn’t know it was a supernatural mixer. My aunt suggested Aphrodite’s Love Connection. I liked the name, so I thought it might be fun.”
“It makes sense. Especially if your aunt was in on the plot to have me killed.”
Callie’s eyes moistened with unshed tears. “Seriously, Ash, there was no way I could’ve known. I mean, I get vibes when I’m around other supernatural creatures, and I was vibrating when we walked into the party, but that isn’t new. There are far more supernatural creatures out there than you realize, hidden in plain sight. I get them when we go to the coffee shop, to night clubs, the grocery store. I truly had no idea what we were walking into.”
I nibbled on a chip. “Have the people responsible paid for what they did to me?”
She nodded in the affirmative. “They were arrested. There will be a council judgment on them in a week or so. They will be punished.”
“So it’s over.”
“It’s over. And, in a way, you are protected even further now that you have magic blood.”
“Does it ever wear off?”
“No. I created the potion to latch onto your DNA.”
“So I am changed.”
“In a way, but not in a bad way.”
A new worry took hold of my soul. “Can I infect others?”
“No. I took some of your blood from the injury Andre gave you and used that specifically to create the potion.”
“What about all the other creatures?”
“Like the bear shifter?”
I felt my cheeks burn red.
“I suppose.”
“Is it true he is your mate?”
“I don’t know how much I believe in all the soul mate stuff, but he believes it.”
“So?”
“So we’re on a break until I can figure out what to do about it.”
Callie’s eyes took on a dreamy, faraway look. “I wish I could find a mate like him. He is handsome and brave.”
“He is a Neanderthal.”
She looked surprised. “You don’t like him?”
“I’m not saying that. I mean, he has some great qualities too, but I barely know the guy.”
“Love in the supernatural world is a little different than love in the human world. They don’t play games, they don’t have time to play games. They live in a dangerous world.”
“And therein lies my issue.” I ate another chip. “If I choose to be with him like he wants, which seems like a forever kind of commitment... I mean the guy wants to move in together already after one night.”
She looked surprised again. “You guys made love?”
“All night long.” I couldn’t keep the grin from crossing my lips as I blushed.
“I am so jelly,” she admitted, and we both laughed.
“But if I choose to be with him, won’t that put me in danger?”
“Knowing about this world already puts you in danger. At least with him, you’d have more protection.”
“To a point,” I agreed
She shook her head. “I know people who are mated. They would lay down their lives for each other. No questions asked. If you were in peril, he’d save you or die trying.”
“See, I can’t understand that. It makes no sense to me.” I looked at her. “Besides, I am a weakness to him.”
“I doubt he thinks of you as a weakness.”
“He wants me to pack a bag and move out to the wilderness with him so he can keep a better eye on me,” I explained.
“Most girls would give their right arm to have that kind of adoration from a man like Tucker.”
“I’m not most girls.”
“No, you’re not. But you love the wilderness. Is it really that big of a sacrifice to go stay with him? Maybe you should just give it a try and see what happens?”
“Yes, I mean, yes it is a sacrifice and no, I’m not ready to give it a try.”
“Truly?”
I hesitated. “Yes.”
She frowned and shook her head. “I don’t think you’re being honest with yourself.”
“Maybe, but regardless, I am not ready for that kind of commitment. If, and that is a big if -- if this goes somewhere, it will have to be at my pace.”
***
Tucker
Watching Callie enter Ashlee’s apartment made Tucker nervous for about an hour. He didn’t see any magical lightshows from her window across the street, so it was safe to assume they weren’t fighting. Once he realized Ashlee wasn’t in danger, Callie’s visit gave him a little hope. If she could forgive Callie, maybe Ashlee could get used to the idea of a relationship with him. He knew she needed space, but being apart from her like this, after last night, was miserable. He couldn’t get her out of his mind. The way they explored each other’s bodies was like they wanted to memorize every inch. He couldn’t stop thinking about the way she responded to him. So open and easy. It was like nothing he’d ever experienced with a woman before. He didn’t want to lose that. His instinct was to fight for her, but he suspected that would drive her away. She asked for space and he needed to respect that.
“You’re not going to find your mate sitting in a car staring up at a window.” Artemis appeared beside him in the car.
“I already found her.”
“You did? So when is the wedding?”
“She’s human. It is going to take her a while to warm up to the idea of being a bear shifter’s mate.”
“Need I remind you the clock is ticking?”
“I found her, and I’m working on making her mine. Doesn’t that count for something?”
“Not until the commitment ceremony has been performed. Otherwise you can let this go on for years and that defeats the purpose.”
“Okay, how about an extension?” He figured a compromise was in order. Getting Ashlee to commit to a lifelong relationship in three weeks was going to be tricky, especially with her need to have space.
“No.” And with that, Artemis disappeared.
Chapter Sixteen
Ashlee
THE PHONE’S RING TONE CUT through my sleep, like a knife through cotton sheets, tearing me from the wonderful dream I was having about Tucker. My blurry eyes came into focus on the clock. 3:40 a.m. Who the hell was calling at this ungodly hour?
The caller ID read unknown. I considered ignoring the call, but was awake and ready to deal some nastiness to whoever would call in the middle of the night.
“This better be good,” I snapped when I click connect on the phone.
“Oh, it is. I have your friend. If you ever want to see her again, meet me at her place. And come alone.” Andre’s familiar cold voice carried across the phone receiver before he hung up.
“Shit!” I jumped out of bed, threw on some clothes, grabbed my keys, and headed out the door. Logic wasn’t home in my mind. All I was concerned with was helping Callie. The chill of the night air hit me as I walked from my apartment building to my car. It was one of the darkest hours of the night. Figures a vampire would call around this time. At least the streets were empty. I turned the ignition and started driving to my best friend’s house. I just prayed she was okay.
***
Tucker
He watched as she left her apartment building, got in her car, and drove away. Tucker could sense something was wrong. There was no need for her to be driving around at three in the morning. He put the car in gear and followed. All sorts of things ran through his mind. None of them seemed logical or good. The worry he saw on her face before she drove off chilled him to the core.
When she pulled into Callie’s apartment complex parking lot, he started to feel at ease, that is, until he saw the frantic concern on her face. It was probably nothing, but he wasn’t willing to take the chance. He waited until he could hide in the shadows and followed her. The only place she could be going was Callie’s apartment and he’d been there the day before.
***
Ashlee
I ran up the stairs to Callie’s place, taking two steps at a time. It wasn’t until I was right outside her door that I considered calling Tucker. What was I thinking going to a vampire kidnapping without any back up, weapons, or means to protect myself? We didn’t know if the poison in my blood would really work. I didn’t know if Callie was alive or dead. I just reacted like an insane person, and now I realized I was in a dangerous situation.
I texted Tucker for help. Just as Andre opened the door, my finger pressed send.
“Come in, Ashlee.” His voice and eyes were empty of any emotion. The dark-haired vampire stepped aside and waited for me to enter.
My first instinct was to run. Run where? Callie was either dead or alive in her apartment, the vampire answering the door was enough evidence of that. I’d managed to get a message to Tucker and something told me he’d come. I might be able to buy enough time for him to rescue me. The vampire couldn’t drink my blood, but did that mean he couldn’t kill me?
Despite the fear that gripped my heart, I bit my lip and crossed the threshold of Callie’s apartment. A small amount of relief flooded me when I saw she was still alive, tied up and gagged, but still breathing.
“The hit has been called off, Andre. Why are you here?”
“Because I crave your blood.”
“Right, but drinking it is poison to you now.”
He grabbed me from behind. Ice cold fingers gripped my neck and squeezed, stealing the air from my body, slowly. “Callie can reverse the spell.”
Callie shook her head. She looked like she’d been tortured a little. Her face was bruised and bloody. She’d been c
rying, her makeup was smeared, and there were teeth marks on her neck. God only knew how much more pain the vampire had inflicted on her. She was obviously trying to protect me.
“Callie,” my voice squeaked out past the vice grip on my throat, “can you reverse it?”
Tears fell down her cheeks and she shook her head again. Her eyes told me she was lying.
“Do it,” I told her.
“What was that?” Andre asked, a wicked glint of satisfaction shone in his dark eyes. He loosened his grip.
“Release her so she can work the spell,” I told him.
He tossed me on the sofa and laughed as he untied and un-gagged Callie. “You heard her.”
“I won’t,” Callie insisted.
“You will or I will kill her and then you.”
Callie looked at me and I nodded. “It’s okay.”
“But…”
“Now,” Andre roared.
Callie ran to the kitchen, leaving me alone in the living room with the monster.
“The hit has been removed. Why are you doing this?”
“I told you, I crave your blood.” He started pacing the room.
“But surely you’d get over that after a while.”
“I’ve never tried, but perhaps. I also want to make Tucker pay for his two day torture fest, and you seem like the best option for that payback.”
“So you plan to kill me.”
“After I have fun with you,” he nodded. “It’s nothing too personal though. I just enjoy playing with my food.”
I believed him. A shiver climbed up my spine. “And Callie?”
“She’ll die too. Drinking from both of you is like drinking ambrosia.”
The door slammed open and slid off its hinges. My glorious hero, Tucker, stood on the threshold. “I’m sorry I’ll be putting a damper on your fun.” He growled and stormed into the room, vengeance clear on his face. “Are you and Callie okay?” He asked, not taking his eyes off of Andre.
“Yes.”
“Good. Grab her and get out of here. Get some help. Callie will know where to go.” Tucker slammed his fist into Andre’s face.
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