by R. E. Butler
“I’m beginning to,” Kelly said, glancing toward the hall where Bellamin had disappeared.
They turned their attention to the clothes on the table. Eynd had brought a number of complete outfits, from a long-sleeved olive dress with black heels to a pair of fashionably ripped jeans and an off-the-shoulder sweater in a pretty blush color.
“I can’t help but notice you look confused. Or worried?” Eynd said as she knelt next to the coffee table.
“I don’t know what to pick,” Kelly confessed. She looked at the Valkyrie. “You’re dressed really sexy. But I’m not used to that. It’s more my sister’s taste than mine.”
“So what kinds of things do you like?”
“At home I like to hang out in leggings and comfy sweaters. When I’m at work, I like long skirts and pretty tops. My boss says I dress very boho-chic, whatever that means.”
“Well, Mishka likes the females who work for him to dress a certain way. I happen to like it, but I also go through spells where I change things up and wear more feminine, softer things, like long dresses or pants and tops. He’s kind of antiquated in his opinion of what females should wear, but he’s also five hundred years old. So is there anything here that appeals to you? I can always go back to Gretel’s and ask for different things.”
Kelly lifted the jeans. “These are actually perfect. I was just wondering if they were too casual since you’re dressed pretty fancy.”
“Well, I have a date in an hour, and I didn’t want to rush around getting ready, so I just got dressed first before I left for Gretel’s.”
“Is it a first date?”
“Yeah. He’s human, so I don’t think it’ll work out between us, but I could use a fun night out.”
“Why won’t it work out?”
“I can’t make anyone immortal, so if I did end up mated to a human, someone else would have to turn him and I don’t know.” She blew out a breath. “That just feels weird to me. So I want to find a vampire or another immortal type.”
“Who else is immortal besides vampires?”
“Let’s see, there’s Pegasus, but they’re almost never in this realm. Some types of elves, muses like Harmony, Mishka’s beloved mate, and fallen angels.”
“There are fallen angels?”
“Of course. They have to give up their wings, but they retain their immortality. I know of two in Cleveland, a female named Allisandrea and a male named Darien. He works for Mishka collecting things for his library.”
Kelly’s ears perked up at that. “Mishka has a library?”
“He’s a collector of antiquities and has a huge collection of artifacts and books that’s supposed to be quite amazing. Only a few people know where it is, though. It’s a heavily guarded secret.”
“That would be so awesome to see.”
“So what are your plans tonight? Maybe that will help you pick an outfit.”
“I don’t know, actually.” She called for Bell and he appeared moments later. “Are we going somewhere?”
“Anywhere you like.”
“Okay, that’s helpful.” Kelly rolled her eyes.
“Well, my friend Merrix said his father could get us tickets to a show at the theater downtown. There’s a play that starts at eight.”
“You could wear this dress to the theater,” Eynd said, pointing to the olive one. “I have some jewelry that would fancy it up a bit.”
“Can we do that, Bell?” Kelly looked at him, and he smiled, leaning over and kissing her.
“Of course. Whatever you want, love.”
“Aw,” Eynd said. “You two are so sweet together.”
“Let me call Merrix and then I can request someone to drive us. We can even eat out afterward at the coven’s restaurant next to the club.”
“That sounds perfect.”
Bell disappeared back into the bedroom to make the arrangements, and Eynd lifted some boxes out and set them on the table, showing Kelly the jewelry. She also gave her a bag of makeup, and a pink and white striped bag from a local lingerie store. “Are you going to meet Mishka?” Eynd asked.
“Bell said we could check in at my work Thursday night and then meet Mishka and Harmony afterward. I’m nervous, I’ve never met a master vampire.”
“He’s great. Very old fashioned. And his mate is really sweet and friendly. You can wear this to meet Mishka,” Eynd pressed her finger to a tan suede skirt and a chocolate colored collared shirt with a pretty silk scarf in shades of peach and beige. The shoes were suede ballet flats the same peach as in the scarf.
“What do I owe you?” Kelly asked, looking at the three perfect outfits that Eynd had brought. She’d never seen such fancy clothes.
“Not a penny. Mishka provides clothing for the coven free of charge.”
“But I’m not part of the coven.”
“You and Bellamin are mates, whether you’ve officially mated or not.”
“You can tell we’re not mated?”
“Aside from the fact you have no mating bite on your neck, I can also feel that you’re human still. It’s part of being a supernatural creature, I can kind of just tell what someone is. You’re still human. But don’t worry about that, you and Bellamin aren’t under any kind of timeline to become mates, it’s whenever it’s right for you, okay?”
“Thank you,” Kelly said. “Thank you for everything.”
“It’s my pleasure. And maybe you and I can hang out sometime.”
The two embraced, and Kelly smiled. “I’d like that.”
“I left my cell number in the lingerie bag. Let me know if you need anything else.”
Kelly walked her to the door. “Good luck on your date tonight.”
“Thanks.”
She shut the door and turned as Bell came back into the family room. “A car is picking us up at seven and will take us to the theater, and then we’ve got a reservation for dinner at Bistro Rouge after the play.”
She ran to him and hugged him tightly. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
She looked at him, cupping his face with one hand. “For everything. You’re taking such good care of me, and I can’t even tell you the last time that happened.”
“It’s my honor, sweetheart. You’re my beloved. You’re everything to me.”
She could feel the sincerity of his words, and she was humbled to her core. It was tempting to say that she wanted to become his mate right now, but she decided to wait until after their night out. Once they were back here, she thought she’d be ready to be his forever.
She couldn’t think of anything better.
* * *
By the time they watched the play and had an amazing dinner at the restaurant, Kelly was one hundred percent head over heels for Bellamin. Even though it felt fast to her, she couldn’t deny that it felt very right too. She suspected it was because they were meant to be together. When he’d first told her that, she hadn’t really believed him. She was brought up to believe in tangible things, and love at first sight was not one of those things. She was crazy about him, though.
“I’d like to call my sister,” she said as they walked into the apartment.
“Sure. I’ll give you some privacy,” he said. He kissed her cheek and walked into the bedroom, leaving her in the family room alone.
She sat on the couch and slipped off the tall heels, wiggling her toes in the plush carpet as she pulled her phone from the adorable sparkly purse that had been included with the clothing Eynd had brought.
The call rang twice before Selma answered. “You working tonight?” Kelly asked.
“Not tonight, but tomorrow. I’m watching a movie and doing laundry. Living the dream, you know.”
Kelly chuckled. “I’m at Bellamin’s. We went to the theater tonight and then to the vampire restaurant.”
“Wow. What did you think of the restaurant?”
“It’s pretty amazing. Very beautiful inside. And the food was spectacular. Bell just drank SyBl while I ate, which I thought would be
weird, but the food smelled too good and I didn’t care after a while.”
Selma chuckled. “I’m glad you had fun. So when are you coming home?”
Kelly settled back in the couch. “I feel like I’m home already.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. He says we’re beloveds, which is different than being truemates.”
“I’ve heard of that,” Selma said. “It’s pretty rare, but there seems to be a lot of coven members suddenly finding their beloveds which is awesome. Is he going to turn you?”
“Beloveds don’t get turned, they just share blood and it gives the human or shifter their immortality. So I’ll still be able to go out into the sunlight and have real food, but I’ll also have to feed from him once a week.”
Selma whistled. “That’s awesome. Are you happy?”
“Very.”
“Well, I’m happy for you. So I guess that means you’re moving in with him at the apartment?”
They’d talked over dinner about the living arrangements, and he’d invited her to move into the complex whenever she was ready, but they had to meet with Mishka and Harmony first. “I’m meeting the head of the coven tomorrow night and then yes, I’ll be moving in. We haven’t figured out all the logistics yet, and I’ll have to make a decision about the bookstore too.”
“I’m sure Margot will miss you.”
“I’ll miss her too. But I get Bell forever, and that’s worth whatever comes, you know?”
“I can’t believe you filled in for me and found your forever guy. He’s lucky to have you.”
“I’m the lucky one, trust me.”
She said goodbye to Selma, promising to find her on Thursday night so they could talk for a bit on one of her breaks.
Picking up her heels, she rose to her feet and turned toward the hall, where Bellamin was waiting for her in the bedroom. She hadn’t told him she wanted tonight to be the night they became beloveds because she’d wanted to surprise him.
Walking toward the bedroom, she smiled at the butterflies in her stomach as she opened the bedroom door and found her sexy guy sitting on the bed waiting for her. Tonight was the first night of her new life, and she couldn’t wait to see what the future brought.
Chapter Twelve
Kelly smiled at Bell as she dropped her heels by the closet. Moving to him, she stood between his legs and cupped his face. She brushed her lips over his, giving his bottom lip a nibble before she lifted from him.
“I want to ask you something,” she murmured.
“Anything.”
“Will you make me yours?”
His brow drew down. “What do you mean? You’re already mine and I’m yours.”
“I mean I want us to become beloveds. I’m ready. Will you make me yours for real? Forever?”
He sucked in a sharp breath and his eyes darkened from the chocolate she loved to a deeper brown that bordered black.
“Are you sure? It can’t be undone.”
“I’m one hundred percent positive. I’m crazy about you and I want to be with you forever. It’s fast, but it feels right too. I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”
“You never have to, sweetheart. I’m yours forever.”
He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close. She climbed onto the bed and straddled his lap, sinking her hands into his hair. Her body was on fire and her mind was spinning as they kissed, their tongues dancing together. He groaned and eased back onto the bed, pulling her down with him. His hands wrapped around the backs of her thighs underneath the dress, his fingers making a hot path up her legs and pushing it up with the motion. She undid the decorative buttons on the front of the dress. Bell helped her pull the dress off completely.
“I wasn’t wearing anything under my clothes,” she said as she kissed the corner of his mouth and moved down his jaw. She nibbled his throat, giving him a love bite as she worked the buttons of his shirt open.
He cupped her bare bottom and slid his hands between her cheeks, brushing her folds. “I could have been playing with you the whole time? I must be the most idiotic male in existence.”
He moved one hand between their bodies and pressed his thumb to her clit. She arched up and pushed his hand away. “I want to come with you, not by myself.”
His fangs were bared. “You can come more than once. I want you to. I crave the sound of your pleasure.”
He was the sexiest male on the planet, and the sweetest. No man had ever cared that she was satisfied in bed, but Bell did.
“This time,” she said as she reached for his belt buckle and undid it, “I want us to come together. I’m so hot for you already, I don’t think I’m going to last. But I don’t want to wait any longer to make you mine.”
Softly growling in his throat, he lifted his hips and shoved his trousers down his legs, freeing his rigid length.
“I won’t last long either, beautiful.”
She sank down on him, her body stretching to fit his as they connected fully, and she let out a gusty groan. Had anyone ever felt such bliss? His hands cupped her breasts and she dropped her head to look at him, shifting her hips and rocking against him. His thumbs played with her nipples until they were taut little nubs that ached, tingles of heat racing over her skin.
He grasped her hips and helped her move on him faster. She leaned forward and planted her hands on his chest, angling her hips with each thrust until she found the right place, where each press of his cock into her heat made electricity zing up and down her spine. She closed her eyes and sank into the feelings surrounding her. So much heat. So much passion. So much everything.
Bell cupped her face. “Keep your eyes open. Let me see those beautiful eyes.”
She pressed her hand to his and gazed down at him, her climax thundering down on her suddenly like lightning in a clear blue sky. As her body locked up in pleasure, she felt him follow her. He rolled them, sinking a few hard and fast times into her. He pressed his wrist to her lips, and she felt his blood before she opened her mouth and sank her teeth into his skin. He’d scored his wrist, so his blood filled her mouth.
He dipped his head to her shoulder and stuck. She groaned at the strange feeling of his fangs in her neck. It hurt but it also didn’t hurt at the same time, a weird mixture of pleasure and pain.
In a heartbeat, her body locked up in a spiral of pleasure that was so deep and perfect, she didn’t think she’d ever experienced anything so amazing in her entire life. Heat flooded through her as she swallowed his blood and it slid down her throat, rounding into her stomach like a caress.
Then she froze as his life flashed in her mind. The scenes of his life were a like a movie, from his childhood to his turning to the moment when he sighted her in the club and knew she was his. It wasn’t just that she could see his memories, but she could feel the emotion tied to each one. He practically loved her on sight and didn’t care what he had to do to make her his. While he’d had his prejudices, he was overlooking them to be with her, and she was humbled by how much he adored her.
She eased away from his wrist as he disengaged his fangs from her neck. He licked the mark tenderly and then licked his wrist, mixing their blood on both wounds. The mark on her neck tingled, and the scenes of his life, now firmly embedded in her brain, faded as his face came into view.
“You’re mine, Kelly. Our lives are tied together forever.”
“You’re mine too, Bell. I can feel it all the way to the center of my being.”
He nodded and kissed her before rolling to his back and beckoning to her. She moved until she was pressed against his side, his arm around her shoulders, and her head on his chest. Exhaustion filled her suddenly, and she yawned.
“I’m so tired,” she whispered.
“I think it’s bonding us as beloveds,” he said, his voice fading to an echo as she drifted off to sleep. She heard the last words he said. “I love you.”
She said them back, her voice slurring at the end as everything disappeared and there was nothing bu
t her and Bell, and the sweet call of sleep.
* * *
Bell woke slowly, his mind spinning with all he’d learned about his beloved mate while they slept. He hadn’t realized that they’d pass out after they shared blood, but then again, he hadn’t asked any of the beloved mates what happened during the process. It was like watching Kelly’s whole life on fast forward. He saw everything, from her earliest memories as a young child to the loss of her and Selma’s parents to seeing him at the club that first night. To his dismay, he also heard himself say in his sleep that he hated her being paid food and felt her anguish at walking away. He’d already felt terrible for that, but now that he witnessed first-hand how it actually went down, he felt far worse. He’d caused her so much pain, when that was the very last thing he’d ever wanted to happen.
He rose up onto one elbow and looked down at his beautiful mate. She was his now and he was hers. Forever. He’d never need to feed from anyone else but her again, and the idea that she could feed from him too filled him with pride. Originally, he thought he’d turn her and have to watch her feed from others forever, the same as she’d have to watch him. That they could feed each other was amazing.
He honestly couldn’t believe how fortunate he was to have found his beloved.
She stirred and made soft grumbling sounds. A glance at the clock told him it was nearly sunset, which meant they’d slept almost twelve hours.
Her eyes fluttered open and she peered up at him, then gave him a sweet smile. She pressed her hand to his cheek, and he covered her hand with his.
“Hi, sweetheart,” he said, his voice rough with emotion.
“Hi. We passed out, huh? I didn’t realize I was so tired.”
“I think it was from us becoming beloveds.”
She made a humming sound. “You got to see all my memories like I saw yours?”
He nodded. “What did you think?”
“It was strange. But very cool too. I feel like I’ve known you forever. And also, you’re old! Two hundred years of memories is a lot!”