Argus: Accepting the Challenge

by Jana Leigh; Kerri Good

  This is why having a man was not a good idea. She refused to put herself in that position again. As long as she kept moving, Bob would never find her the way he threatened he would. Then she would settle in a small town where everyone knew one another. It was a dream of hers. She could do a little self-service for a few years; she thought and then remembered that she needed some batteries. Making a quick reminder to herself to grab them from the gas station next door, she looked back up at the man.

  “Name?” She asked.

  “Uh…. Shit, Jacob Tread.” The man said and then frowned.

  Skye smiled and went into the kitchen and told the girl who was supposed to be sitting at the cash register that she had a customer. Shaking her head from the thoughts of the sexy man, she went back to work. She had three more orders to get out or she would not have any tips tonight to buy those batteries.

  Her boss barked at her and she waved her hand and took out the next order forgetting the delicious looking man who had already left. She was on a mission. Skye needed to make enough money to get the hell out of here. She wanted to go to Colorado; she had never seen the mountains, still, something about them called to her. That was where she had hoped to end up when she left Florida, but she had not made it far enough.

  Sighing she went back to work and daydreamed about telling her boss to fuck off as she walked right out the door.

  ***

  Argus finished pouring himself a drink and had just settled back into his chair when his door flew open. Thank the Gods he had been sitting down, or he would have dropped the glass of really fine 20 year old whiskey.

  “Jacob, what the fuck?” He bellowed and looked at his best friend, and future mate.

  “Get off your ass; we are going out for dinner.” Jacob grinned at him excitedly.

  “You dork, I sent you out for food.” Argus grumbled and put his head in his hands. Sometimes Jacob could be an airhead. A gorgeous airhead but an airhead nonetheless.

  Argus looked back up at his friend and groaned. They had similar looks; it was the lion in them. Both had shaggy blonde hair and blue eyes, both were tall and broad, their muscles were defined. That is where the similarities ended. Jacob had an amusing sense of humor and his smile lit up his face. Argus was more serious and rugged. Although, Jacob said when he smiled he almost looked human.

  “If I said the word, mate and found. Would that get your ass up off your throne, oh majestic one?” Jacob said and threw his jacket at him when Argus bound up from the desk.

  “What?” He said and snagged his jacket out of the air and paused. “Hang on.” He yelled when Jacob would have walked out of the door again. “Slow down, what are you talking about.”

  “The sweetest little woman I have ever seen. She has long brown hair and a luscious body that makes me want to grab, and never let go. That is what I am talking about. She is perfect, small, hell tiny even. I almost didn’t leave. I wanted to grab her and run. But she was a little skittish. I wished you had been with me. You’d have thought you died and gone to heaven. I swear I almost lost it. One whiff of her and my cock was so hard I could have drilled nails.” Jacob groaned.

  “Shit, are you serious. What’s her name?” Argus asked and shrugged his jacket on. Finally, they were going to meet their mate. It seemed like a lifetime, and now he wanted to get to her fast.

  “Uh.” Jacob said and looked at him sheepishly.

  Argus paused and looked at Jacob and rolled his eyes. “Seriously! What if she’s gone?”

  “Shit, I was too excited. Let’s move it.” Jacob said urgently and pulled Argus along behind him.

  “Dumbass.” Argus said and allowed Jacob to pull him out the door.

  Argus was just as excited as Jacob was, but he needed to stay cool. Jacob, with his boyish enthusiasm, probably scared the shit out of her. Jacob said she had long brown hair. He thought about it spread across their pillows while they claimed her and he got hard. Damnit he hadn’t even seen her yet. Jacob babbled on and finally he began to listen.

  “She was perfect; her mouth has this natural pout to it. When I sniffed her, I almost creamed my pants. She smelt like vanilla and caramel all in one, reminded me of a sundae, one that I would love to have for dessert.” Jacob said.

  “Was she a lion?” Argus frowned. Most lion female shifters were tall and thin. Jacob said she was tiny.

  “No, she’s a human. Could have knocked me over with a feather. This whole time we have been looking for a lion and our mate was human. I have no clue why, and don’t care. She is perfect.” Jacob gushed and fired up his large truck and peeled out of the drive.

  Argus was quiet as they drove back to the restaurant that Jacob had just come from. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw his dinner lying in the bed of the truck. Argus noticed the name of the place and smiled. They were close, only a few miles. It was just on the edge of their gated community. Not the best area of town, but not the worst. He wondered where their little mate lived? Where she came from? Hell, everything about her. He was not patient and almost told Jacob to speed it up; then he looked over and saw they were already pushing the limit as it was.

  Finally, they pulled into the half empty lot, at least there wasn’t going to be a crowd watching them drool over their mate. Argus thought as he got out of the cab of the truck, he looked around and frowned. Really, not the best neighborhood for their mate to be working in. Well, he was going to take care of that tonight. She was coming home with them, no questions asked. He decided and followed Jacob through the door of the restaurant.

  It was dark; Argus had to let his eyes adjust to the dim light as he scanned the restaurant. There were a few tables full of people and Argus ignored them. His mate worked here, Jacob had said and looked for someone in a uniform. There were three women on the floor. Not one of them was appealing. A tall blonde woman approached them and tried to look sexy.

  “You back for more, big guy.” She said to Jacob who blushed and looked at Argus.

  “Um, no, I brought my friend here to try the place; I dropped the food off at my mother’s house.” Jacob lied to the woman who was looking at him like he was her next meal. She smiled and nodded like they were old friends.

  “Here I’ll give you the best seats in the house.” She winked and then grabbed a few menus and led them to a table, trying to shake her thin, flat ass as she walked. Some men may like thin women, but neither of them did. They had often talked about their mate, and hoped she was full figured. They liked to cuddle up to a real woman at night. When they were younger and discovered that they were mates, it had been easy to continue as they meant to live. Over the years, they had shared a lot of women, trying to find their mate. None of them came close to the small little woman who pushed her way into the dining room as they walked by the kitchen with a tray of food that easily should have knocked her over.

  Argus stepped back before he realized who she was. Then he caught her scent as she walked by, his cock went hard and he had to stop himself from following her. But he did hear himself let out a small growl. Jacob turned to see what his friend was growling at and smiled.

  “I told you so.” Jacob laughed and slapped him on the shoulder and pulled him along. Argus allowed himself to be led once again by his friend, with his eyes never leaving their mate; somehow, he made it to the table safely and sat down. The woman who had brought them to the table lingered and pointed out the specials to the men. They both of them ignored her and watched their mate serve the family across the room.

  “What’s her name?” Jacob asked.

  The woman frowned and looked to where the men were staring. “Who? Skye?”

  “Skye.” Argus said with almost a reverent tone.

  “Ya, she is new. A little short and dumpy if you ask me, but she serves pretty good. Ronnie says the fat ones are the best workers on account of they have no life.” The woman laughed and then turned back to them. She frowned when she saw the fierce look on their faces. How dare she insult their mate, they both thought an
d apparently, she got the hint, because she stammered and left them quickly. Telling them their server would be with them soon as she walked away.

  Jacob and Argus sat silently watching her move around the room checking on her tables. She turned and must have caught them out of the corner of her eye, because she poured two glasses of water and came to their table.

  “Welcome, to Ronnie’s Tex Mex. What can I get y'all to drink?” She said never looking at them.

  Jacob cleared his throat and she looked up, her eyes widening at seeing the strange and handsome man again.

  “Well, I guess you just loved the amazing atmosphere and had to come back right away? She said and held up her pad of paper and waited.

  Jacob grinned at her and said. “I did not come back for the food baby girl. I came back for you.” He said smoothly and then grinned when he saw her eyes widen again. When he first saw her, he was tongue tied; now he was ready to win her over.

  Argus just sat silently and looked at their mate. She was perfect. Hell, she could probably fit in his pocket she was so tiny. He loved how delicate she was. He wanted to scoop her up and take her away. Then Jacob and he would pamper her and take care of her for the rest of her life. She was going to be theirs. The thoughts she inspired made his cock even harder. Dang, he had to get himself under control before he had to stand up. Everyone in the place would see the woody he was sporting if he didn’t.

  “I’ll have a Johnny Walker Blue Label.” Argus said and watched as she wrote down his drink order. She was trying to look at the paper instead of them, it wasn’t working. He could smell her desire and see the small little pulse at the base if her neck beating fast.

  “And you?” She asked never taking her eyes off her paper.

  Jacob chuckled and then said. “Same baby girl, when do you get off?”

  Skye blushed and said. “Not for a long time.” And she walked away.

  “Damn, Argus, she is fine.” Jacob said as they both watched their mate walk to the bar and put in their order. She turned to the side a little and Argus chuckled when he realized she was watching them out of the corner of her eye.

  “Yep, but she’s human, and more than a little afraid. I don’t know if it is us or something else but she’s as jumpy as a deer at the waterin’ hole.” Argus said and sat back.

  “How are we gonna approach this? I can’t wait another day. We have to get her to come home with us. Once she is there, then she will stay.” Jacob groaned when he saw her lick her little lips. “I am gonna fucking come in my pants like a teenager at this rate.”

  Argus laughed and looked at his friend. “I think we are gonna have to get her out of here and away from these people. We can’t very well announce we are shifters and she is our mate, now can we. She would probably run screaming for the hills. We know her name is Skye, we need her last name. If we can get some background on her it may be easier to approach her.”

  Jacob nodded and knew that their little mate was not going to offer information freely. She looked like she was ready to run out the back of the restaurant and hide. He looked to the skinny tall female who had hit on him. Shit, he was going to have to talk to her again. FUCKIN piranha.

  Argus laughed when he saw Jacob stand up and walk to the restrooms, he made a little detour and whispered something to the woman who had seated them. When the woman reached around and grabbed Jacobs’s ass, his mate jumped and protested, Argus laughed. Skye came and set his drink in front of him and then looked to what Argus was laughing at and frowned.

  “She will never let him go if he keeps talking to her. Shelly is known for taking more than one customer home.” Skye said dryly.

  “Oh, he’s not going home with her sweet thing, if we were going home with anyone it would be you. No, he is just asking for a little information. So, tell me something? How long have you been in town? Jacob and I come here often and I’m sure I would have remembered you.” Argus said.

  “I started last week, and I’m not going home with anyone but myself. What can I get you all for dinner?” She said briskly, not wanting to make a fool out of herself with the handsome man.

  “We’ll have the specials. How do you like Dallas?” Argus said wanting to keep her with him as long as he could. His lion was butting his head inside him trying to get him to claim their mate. Argus could smell her and wanted her more than his next breath.

  “Sure, okay two specials. I will be back when they’re ready.” Skye said and wrote down their order on her pad.

  “Wait” He called and tried to think of something to say. He was not good at this, Jacob was the smooth talker. Argus was more serious. “When do you get off?”

  “I told you. Later.” Skye said over her shoulder and kept walking. Argus looked at her swinging backside and smiled. So their little mate had a spine after all. When he first saw her, he thought maybe she would be a quiet obedient mate, he was wrong. This one spelled trouble and he was just the cat to make her purr.

  Shaking off the need to chase his mate he sat and waited until Jacob finally came back to the table. He shivered and said. “That chick is all hands. Damn. Okay. Her name is Skye Thomas. She is from Florida, car broke down a week ago, and she is staying over in the motel across the road.”

  Argus frowned and thought about the business they had passed. The only motel was across the street that rented by the hour or week. It was run down and he was sure the local prostitutes ran their business out of it. Shit, there was no way he was leaving his mate in this neighborhood overnight. He pulled out his phone and called one of his Warriors.

  “Cedric, I need round the clock protection on a female staying at the motel across from my GPS location. Send our best, she’s our mate. I want hourly updates, even through the night. She’s currently working. If you get someone over there to check out her room before she gets off, let me know what they find. Also, run a background check on Skye Thomas, from Florida. Email it to my phone.” Argus ordered and then gave a few more orders and hung up. “Warren is on his way, and Ari and Junior will be following.”

  Jacob nodded his head. He was the one who took care of the Warriors training and assignments. He knew that Warren, Ari, and Junior were their best Warriors. She would be safe. Although he frowned and thought about what that meant. She was not coming home with them. Damnit this sucked. Jacob was going to have to take a long cold shower tonight. His lion was not going to be happy.

  They sat silently and waited for their food; each of them thinking about their mate and what it meant now that they had finally found her. They were both thinking of the BIG tip they would be giving her.

  ***

  Skye leaned against the counter in the back of the kitchen. Damn there were two of them and they were absolutely gorgeous. Of course, they would never actually look at her. She was sure the new one was asking her questions about when she got off because then they would get Cherry as a waitress; she was a beautiful redhead who was working the next station over. When Skye punched out Cherry would take over. But she was gonna make sure she got her tip from Cherry; it would be the last of the money she needed to get the car out of hock.

  She fanned herself and looked at the clock. Only a few more minutes and she was off. Cherry would get the hot guys and she would get the vibrator. Par for the course, she thought and cleaned up her station and checked her tabs. Everyone but the two men had paid and settled up. She would give them their check and turn them over the Cherry, that way she could avoid any further embarrassment. Then she would get her tips and be on her way. It had been a long day. She quickly got their bill and waited while she calculated what the tip should have been.

  Calling to the other waitress’s, she turned over the table and smiled when the woman chuckled and kissed the order. Yeah, she paid her the tip money in advance just so she could have to table. They were gonna get lucky. Pulling out her receipts, she counted her tips and went to the manager’s door. “Ronnie here are my tips.” She said softly, waiting while the huge poorly hygienic manager and
owner looked over her totals. She rolled her eyes. He just wanted to feel like a big man.

  Finally, he made a noise she assumed meant that she could add correctly and pulled out the money bag and counted her tips out for her. Before she could reach for them, Ronnie grabbed her wrist and held it. “I hear you need to make money fast? I need someone to work late tomorrow night, a special party.”

  Skye looked at the disgusting man and then frowned. “No really, I’m doing fine. I will just stay with the regular schedule.” And she pulled her arm out of his hold.

  “Okay.” He said and held up his hands. “Well if you need some extra cash, let me know.”

  Skye rolled her eyes; she knew what she could expect from that offer. The sleazy man asked all the waitresses to work after hours for his group of friends that came over and had poker parties after hours. They were all just as disgusting as Ronnie was. She had seen them coming and going in the middle of the night when she could not sleep. At first, she thought that Ronnie was a drug dealer, but then she got a look at the men that were coming out of the place. They were all the same and none of them druggies, though they were drunks. And she was not going to put herself in a situation like that again.