by Julia Mills
“Come in,” Tessa called, after almost jumping out of her skin at the knock on her door.
“Hello again. Getting settled?” Gerri asked, her blue eyes sparkling in the glow of the Tiffany lamps expertly placed throughout the room.
“Oh, yes. Thank you so much.”
Pulling out the chair beside the dressing table, the matchmaker was barely seated before Tessa asked, “Are you sure you can find a mate for me?” She hung up the red silk dress her mother had given her as a gift for her last birthday. “I mean, it’s not like I’m a shifter…well, not really and Charlotte said shifters were your specialty. It’s just that…I…well…I’m not…”
“You’re feeling anxious and more than a little nervous now that you’re actually here and the prospect of meeting your mate is freaking you out. Also, even though Charlotte is happily mated to not one but two shifters, you doubt that’s in the cards for you. Then there’s the fact that your two oldest sisters are happily mated, the other two have careers, and you’re still looking for what will make you happy in the long run.” Gerri smiled as she picked a piece of lint off her slacks. “Have I about covered it all?”
“Pretty much,” Tessa chuckled nervously.
Looking up, the matchmaker’s eyes took on a golden glow as she asked, “Tell me about your past relationships. Were any successful? Did you at least have fun?”
“Oh yeah,” Tess quickly responded, slipping out her heels and making her way to the bed. Sitting on the edge, she continued. “I’ve gone out with a few really nice guys, but…” She looked out the window and sighed, “In the end, we were just friends. There were no sparks, nothing…magical.”
Tessa looked at the floor as she felt her the heat of her blush. “I know you think I’m a real goof talking about sparks and magic.” She looked up to find Gerri looking at her with a knowing smile and nodding, so she went on. “But I want it all. I mean, I’m gonna live a really long time, don’t I deserve to be happy, loved…accepted.” She whispered the last word, shocked she’d actually finally said it out loud.
“Yes, dammit, you do!” Gerri was adamant in her response, jumping to her feet and coming to sit beside Tessa. Patting her knee, the matchmaker reassured, “You have every right to be accepted for what, who and how you are and to hell with anyone who thinks differently.”
Feeling more confident the longer she was in Gerri’s presence, Tessa nodded, “Thanks for that. It’s hard enough knowing your family thinks you’re a freak, I really don’t think I could take my mate agreeing with them.”
“Please tell me the jerks you dated didn’t tell you that because you are part vampire and part shifter that there’s something wrong with you?”
“Yeah, it’s been mentioned a time or two and the fact that my animal to call is a black panther only added to the weird comments. Oh and let’s not forget that I’m curvy with a big chest and butt.” She snorted sarcastically, “If I had a quarter for every time someone called me Chunky Elvira or said, ‘here kitty, kitty’, I would be rich.”
“You have got to be kidding me?” Gerri asked, her eyes now narrowed and an icy blue that made the hairs on the back of Tessa’s neck stand on end. “What jerks,” the matchmaker growled. “Well, you won’t have that problem here. All my guys are interested in finding a woman with curves.”
“Really? All the shifters I’ve ever encountered look like fitness models.” Tessa fanned herself with her hand. “Their muscles have muscles.”
“Yeah, true. But that doesn’t mean they can’t want a beautiful, strong, confident woman who embraces her curves standing beside them for all eternity, does it?”
Slowly shaking her head, liking what she heard, Tessa answered, “No, not at all.”
Looking her right in the eye, Gerri asked, “But know this, Tessa, you have to be confident with your body. I know the world as a whole thinks we all have to be five-foot-ten and weigh a hundred and twenty pounds dripping wet – well, that shit is not reality. I mean, I applaud the girls who can do it. God bless them. But most of us live in a reality with Snicker bars and oatmeal raisin cookies.” The matchmaker grabbed Tessa’s hand. “You, my beautiful girl, gotta embrace the you that you are and be happy in your own skin.”
“Yes, ma’am. You are so right,” Tessa whole-heartily agreed then laughed. “I once had a guy ask me if I was really gonna eat an ice cream sundae when the waiter sat it in front of me.”
“What? You have got to be kidding.”
“Nope,” Tessa chuckled, remembering her response and the look on his face. “So, I took a huge bite and with whipped cream on my lips said, ‘I’m sure as hell not letting it melt’. I laughed and kept eating, he left, and that was that.”
Shaking her head, Gerri tsked,” Let me guess, he was a vamp?”
“You got it.” Tessa looked out the window, thinking about the last conversation she’d had with her mom. “My parents think I should look for a nice vamp to settle down with, but they don’t get it. I inherited the soul of a panther from my great-grandpa. I’m not like them. I’m still alive. I can have kids. Sure, I still look like I’m dead during the day while I’m resting and I have to drink a little blood here and there, but I’m really not a vampire. I won’t have to die on my three-hundredth birthday, only to rise again. I can still eat real food, and dammit, I like it. My curves have curves, and I wear them well, if I do say so myself. I have great hair, know how to put on makeup and love to dress up. I think I’m a catch.” She stopped and looked at the floor again. “Well, most days, but then there are some…”
“Oh, I know. We all have them, but let’s not dwell on that.” Gerri patted Tessa’s knee again before getting up and returning to her chair. “So, what are you looking for in a man?”
Taking a deep breath, Tessa thought for a moment then answered, “I want a guy with a good sense of humor, who isn’t afraid to laugh at himself and me. He has to be ready to fly by the seat of his pants, content at home or out on the town. I love to explore and have fun. Life is to be lived, and I don’t want to miss a minute of it.” She took a breath then dove in with both feet. “I want fire and passion. I want to look at him and feel the excitement all the way to the tip of my toes. I want to hear his voice on the phone and count the seconds until he’s home and I’m in his arms. And also, tenderness and thoughtfulness. I want roses and candy. For him to remember my birthday, our anniversary, Valentine’s day, Sweetest Day, all of it.”
She stood, too wound up to stay seated and walked to the window. Looking out over the gorgeous scenery, Tessa saw Gerri in the reflection just watching, and the Vaepanther smiled, “I want it all. The whole sweet, sappy, love-of-a-lifetime, wrapped up in a bow with sugar-on-top-of-it mess. I’m easy on the eyes and a helluva lotta fun.” She spun around, “A real catch, ya know?”
“You are. Absolutely no doubt about it,” Gerri laughed out loud. “I like you and your attitude, but I have one more question.”
“Fire away,” Tessa grinned, feeling happier than she’d been in a long time.
“What about sex? Does it mean a lot to you?”
“Yes, yes and yes,” Tessa nodded emphatically.
“Fiery hot, all night long loving, huh?”
“Yes, please, with a side order of gasoline and no fire extinguisher in sight.”
Laughing out loud, Gerri stood and stepped next to Tessa, “Oh girl, I think I have just what you’re looking for.”
“Really?” Tessa tried not to act too excited. Just the thought of finally meeting a man she could spend the rest of her very long life with was overwhelming, exciting, and downright exhilarating.
“Oh yes, really,” Gerri winked before turning and heading towards the door. Stopping with her hand on the knob, the matchmaker looked over her shoulder and added, “Get some rest. I’ll be back in a little while. I need to talk to a badger about a honey.”
Chapter Three
“Why are you sitting over here mopin’? Look at all the women.” Kayne took a huge gulp of his bee
r while flinging his free arm to the side.
“Yeah, I know but…” Lenn took a swig off his longneck. “They’re just not what I’m looking for.”
I remember hearing you say something about ‘Miss Right Now’.” The demi-god leaned against the bar and swatted the mad bomber on the arm. “There’s a whole damn bar full of them. Or am I missing something?”
“No, you’re not missing anything,” Lenn grumbled. “Except that, I’m full of shit and Pearce was right - I don’t need to get laid, I need to find my mate.”
Lifting up Lennox’s arm and looking under it, Kayne asked, “Do you have an expiration date I don’t know about? Did I miss something?”
Pushing himself up, the mad bomber shook his head, “Yeah, you missed the fact that I want to find my mate. I want to settle down. I want to meet and fall in love with the one woman made for me by the Universe. I want kids, a white picket fence, a garden, the whole damn kit-and-caboodle. Hell, even a nagging mother-in-law. Is that too much to ask?”
Frustrated beyond his own belief, Lennon turned so fast he almost missed the bar with his empty bottle, to look at the women in The Sundowner. They were all very pretty, probably even nice, but not a damn one made him or his dragon stand up and take notice. “Look at that,” he swatted Kayne’s shoulder with the back of his hand. “A sea of beautiful women before me and I still feel like I’m the shark-surrounded island.”
“Good grief,” Kayne snorted while shaking his head, “The mad bomber has become a philosopher.” Turning, the demi-god leaned back against the bar. “If you are serious about finding your mate,” he paused and took a drink of his beer while eyeing a tall blonde with curves for days who couldn’t take her eyes off him. “I might know a way you can find her.”
Jerking his head to the side so quickly the room was a blur, Lennox blurted out, “What the hell? Tell me!”
“Simmer down, young’un.” The demi-god slowly turned towards him. “I have to be sure you are truly ready because once you contact this little woman.” Kayne snickered, took a drink of his beer and then added, “Well, there’s no going back.” He looked Lenn right in the eye. “Ya’ get my drift?”
Opening his mouth to speak, the mad bomber’s words were stolen from his lips as the scent of orchids and water lilies invaded his senses, wrapping both man and dragon in a warm blanket of yearning and desire. His eyes snapped to the door as a tall brunette with hypnotic brown eyes, curves that his hands longed to explore and lips so kissable his mouth watered walked into view.
“You were saying?” Kayne chuckled before waving his hand in front of Lenn’s face and teasing, “Hello? Hello. Anybody in there? See something you like?”
Unable to look away, drawn to her like a moth to a flame, Lennox leaned back and asked Janice, the bar owner and head of the Honey Badger Clan, “Who is that?”
“No clue, but I would bet she’s one of Gerri’s friends from the look of it,” Janice responded, wiping the counter before conspiratorially grinning at the demi-god. “You know what that means, Kayne.”
“Oh yeah,” the demi-god snickered then snapping his fingers next to Lenn’s face. “It means the dope here needs to pay attention.”
Holding up his hand and half-heartedly waving it at Kayne, the mad bomber mumbled, “Yeah, yeah, I’m listening.”
But he wasn’t. There was no way he could. Kayne’s ramblings were like annoying static in the background as Lennox took in every detail of the lovely creature whom Fate had seen fit to put in his path.
Thank you, my friend. Sorry I ever doubted you…
His heart beat faster with every step she took, his beast rumbled, and his feet were ready to run to her side. Hell, the poor Guardsman was sure she’d fried his brain when as she sat down and crossed her legs, her knee-length black skirt lovingly baring just the slightest bit of her beautifully rounded thigh. Never had there been a woman as lovely, as alluring… as perfect as her.
Jumping to attention when a bar towel hit him in the back of the head, Lennox spun around and sputtered, “Wh-what the h-heck was that for?”
Motioning with his thumb, Kayne raised his eyebrows. “Don’t look at me. Janice threw that at you.”
“Damn right I did. Pay attention when I’m talkin’ to you.”
Holding up his hands in surrender, Lenn appeased, “I’m sorry. I was…
“You were drooling over that female and I was telling you to be careful. If ole Gerri gets her hooks into ya’, you’ll be a goner for sure.”
“Good! That’s exactly what I want.”
Shaking her head, the honey badger picked up her towel and continued wiping down the bar, “Yeah, well, just be careful what you wish for. Fate and the Universe have truly warped senses of humor.”
Turning back around while Kayne once again began talking about this mysterious woman named Gerri, the mad bomber’s heart took a nosedive when he saw the chair where the woman of his dreams had been sitting devastatingly empty. Searching the bar, Lennox once again inhaled her scent, but this time followed the tantalizing aroma towards the back door.
Stepping out into the cool night air, the mad bomber stalked across the dirt alley, past the dumpster and into the tall weeds he knew led to the river. Using his preternatural senses, Lennox slowly scanned the area, moving farther into the darkness.
Finally, the sound of a twig snapping under a paw alerted him to movement just under a huge weeping willow. Zeroing in, he saw the sway of an ebony tail a split second before he watched the most elegant black panther leap into the tree and disappear from sight.
“What in all that’s holy are you doing out here?” Kayne yelled from the door of the bar.
“Just looking,” Lenn replied as he turned around and headed back towards the light.
“Well, get back in here. I was talking to you.”
“I’m coming.”
Oh yeah, I’m coming for you my pretty little panther. You may have gotten away this time, but never fear, I’ll find you…
Chapter Four
“You did what?” The matchmaker screamed.
“I left the bar. He was staring at me.” She shifted from one foot to the other. “I smiled, even crossed my damn legs and he just stood there staring at me like I had two heads.”
Shaking her head and taking a deep breath, Gerri asked, “Was he tall with dark hair and green eyes – the kind that make you swoon?”
“Yes.”
“And had a friend with shoulder-length blonde hair who looked like a god come to life?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
“The blonde was Kayne.” The matchmaker took a seat. Tessa could feel Gerri calming down and finally felt comfortable taking off her heels and heading for the chair facing the matchmaker. “He’s actually a demi-god, but that’s not important. It’s the other one I’m interested in. He didn’t say anything? Didn’t even smile back?”
“Nope, not a thing,” Tessa admitted to feeling an instant surge of attraction and wanted to change into her cat and rub all over the long, tall drink of water with emerald eyes and arms like pythons. She could smell that he was dragon and couldn’t help but wonder if he burned hot and tasted like flames.
“What a dope. Was there a woman behind the bar? About my age, with a ponytail, ordering people around?”
Tessa chuckled, remembering the way the bartender had thrown a towel at the dragon. “Yep. She pelted him with the cloth she was using to clean the bar when he didn’t answer her right away.”
Laughing out loud, Gerri nodded, “Yep, that’s Janice. Love that woman to death but those kids of hers.” She raised a hand. “Don’t get me started.”
Wondering where all this was going and if by chance she’d met her mate, Tessa was surprised when Gerri stood up and headed for the door. “I have some calls to make. You get some sleep. Won’t be long til sunrise. We’ll get after this tomorrow evening,” the matchmaker called over her shoulder as she walked into the hall.
“Oh, okay,” Tessa answered
the closed door.
Getting ready for bed, the Vaepanther could think of nothing but the dragon at the bar and the way he’d looked at her. The heat in his eyes had been mesmerizing. She’d scented his arousal and was sure he’d smelled hers.
Sliding into bed, Tessa couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to have those muscular arms wrapped around her or to kiss his amazing lips. Feeling the pull of the rising sun, she rolled onto her side and groaned, “And what did you do? Go for a run. Nice move, Tessa. How the heck do you expect to find a man that way?”
Grumbling as she drifted farther and farther into the day sleep of her vampire side, Tessa was disgusted and disheartened.
“When have you ever been shy?” She brushed her hair out of her face, irritated she’d forgotten to braid her long, dark locks. “Never. Next time…if there is a next time, you will walk right up to him, introduce yourself and kiss him right on the lips. Let that sexy dragon try standing still then.”
Drifting off to sleep as she felt the first rays of the sun touch the mountains just beyond her window, Tessa murmured, “Yep, I’m gonna kiss that man. Then I’ll know for sure. No use beating around the bush.”
Waking to what she could only assume was a buzz saw coming towards her neck, Tessa sat straight up in bed and looked for who to kill first. Finding no one in her room, but having to cover her incredibly sensitive ears to keep them from bleeding, the Vaepanther threw her feet over the side of the bed and padded towards the window.
Slowly opening the blackout curtains, Tessa was surprised to find the gardens empty. Looking farther towards the mountains, she still found no cause for the obnoxious noise. Promising herself she would go find it and murder whoever was making responsible as soon as she brushed her teeth and combed her hair, Tessa sighed, “At least it’s dark out. Won’t have to get out the umbrella, dark glasses and gloves. Not sure anyone out here in the sticks would appreciate my Jackie O. look.”