“Barf.” Aria made a gagging noise, then winked at Ginny. “Him. Not you. I really gotta say, for a chick who passed out in my bathroom a couple nights ago, you have made remarkable progress in the whole monsters exist thing.”
“You can tell?” she asked.
“Kinda obvious. With the whole, you know, you not being passed-out thing.”
“Hmm.” Ginny beamed. “Guess it’s in my blood.”
Aria’s nose wrinkled. “Huh?”
“My father owns a tabloid.”
She looked no less confused. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“I dunno. Maybe it made me more open-minded. Now what did that mate business mean?”
The witch took another moment to look from Ginny to Razor and back again, then shrugged a shoulder, apparently willing to drop the subject for now. “Pretty much what you’d expect it to mean. Wolves mate for life. Apparently when you walked into the club the first time, something in him just fixed on you. And you fixed back on him because, according to the articles I read…he’s not a natural wolf. And neither are you.”
Ginny cleared her throat. “I… Unless I’m mistaken, I’m not a wolf at all.”
“Exactly.”
Razor and Ginny exchanged a glance. “You know,” he said, “that makes the kinda sense that doesn’t.”
Ginny snorted. “You noticed that too, eh?”
Aria heaved a sigh. “Look, there’s a lot less out there on the interwebs concerning humans-turned-wolf than wolves from birth. My guess is what happened to you, Raz, was probably an anomaly.”
“An anomaly,” he echoed.
“Right. Bearing in mind I could be wrong—”
“And usually are,” he muttered.
Aria leveled a glare at him. “You know what, jackass? I’m here because I did you a favor. A thankless favor, as per ushe. But unless you want me to flush all the info I uncovered, can you can the asides and let me talk?” Without waiting for a response, she turned back to Ginny. “Packs are extremely independent and self-sustaining, and they have no trouble keeping their numbers up the old-fashioned way, so new wolves are rarely made the way Razor was. I don’t yet have a good reason as to why you responded to him the way a wolf would. Maybe there’s just something in you. Maybe you were meant to be a wolf, the way Razor was.”
Razor exhaled, his stomach bottoming out. He’d never once considered his path predetermined. Though now, right now, standing where he stood with Ginny at his side, he couldn’t claim regret for where life had led him. That was a first.
An earth-shattering first.
“Either way,” Aria continued, “welcome to the family.” She nodded at Ginny, then aimed a glare at Razor. “And you’re an ass.”
“What… I…” He shook his head and looked to Ginny. “What does this mean?”
“Are you kidding me?” Aria yelped. “I just told you!”
“Yes, but what does that mean?” Razor frowned, his eyes falling on the bite he’d left on Ginny’s throat. The beauty mark, as Aria put it. He’d been driven by a need to taste her, stake his claim, but that hadn’t been singular to their lovemaking last night. Every time he was with her he was driven with an urge to possess her fully. It didn’t make a lick of sense for someone he hadn’t known.
Not that it made any more sense for a woman he’d known only a couple days, but that didn’t seem to be the point.
Aria groaned and clasped her hands together. “Next time you’re doing your own goddamn homework. Like I said, from the top, wolves mate for life. There’s some debate on whether or not the mates are predetermined or whatever, but all signs point to you two simply being pulled together in a cosmic case of right-place-right-time. Some wolves are sexually active before finding their mate, and others are only tied down to one. Seeing as you two have been like fucking magnets since you started—well, fucking—I’m going to speculate that the pull has been on this side of mystic.” She held up a hand. “I don’t know everything. I hardly know anything. That’s just what twelve hours of internet research were able to yield, and some of the sources conflict with each other. All I know is with that mark on your neck,” she nodded to Ginny again, ”and the accompanying words of ownership, you two are all with the mystical bond. Still, and I can’t stress this enough, this does not give you the right to blow me off.”
Razor grumbled and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “I called in to let you know I wasn’t coming in last night.”
“A three-second phone call ten minutes before stage-time does not constitute a conversation!” Aria huffed and grasped her amulet as though trying to ground herself. She was becoming much too dependent on that thing, but this didn’t seem to be the appropriate time to share that opinion. “Especially after I hauled ass across town to bring you steak and an overnight bag. You could’ve told me then.”
“I did.”
“No, you didn’t.”
Ginny aimed an accusatory glance his way. “You didn’t?”
Razor shook his head. “I could have sworn I did.”
“No,” Aria said, shaking her head. “That didn’t call didn’t come ’til later.”
“Well, you should’ve figured when I asked you to pack a bag. If I was coming in, I could’ve done that myself.”
Aria’s brown eyes darkened a shade. “Do you have a death wish or something?”
“Stop acting like you’re not happy for me.”
The witch huffed again but opted not to pursue the discussion. Instead, she demanded, “Are you or are you not playing tonight?”
“I’m playing tonight,” Razor said, nodding. He wasn’t through with the whole “mate” conversation though. No, he had a feeling that discussion wouldn’t be over for a good long while. “And Ginny works here.”
Aria shrugged as though this was old news. “Yeah, I figured.”
“How did you figure?” Ginny asked. “I didn’t even agree until this morning.”
“Well, put it this way. If he hadn’t offered you a job, I would have. You two being apart right now is not a good idea. I’ve actually been searching Amazon for the sturdiest-looking fold-out couch they have for your office.” Aria snickered. “For someone who didn’t plan on getting much action for the rest of his life, you’re probably gonna die of a broken dick.”
“Love the imagery.”
The blonde grinned. “I do what I can.”
“I still don’t understand what you mean by natural wolf,” Ginny volunteered. “How is Razor not a natural wolf? He seemed natural enough to me.”
“It means he wasn’t born a wolf,” Aria explained. “Lycanism was forced on him.”
“And there’s a difference?”
Razor nodded. “Yeah, we didn’t talk about this much.”
Aria snorted. “I’m getting that.”
“She found out I was a werewolf by accident.”
“You accidentally wolfed out on her?”
“No,” Razor snapped, suddenly defensive. “I did not accidentally ‘wolf out’ on her. Let me be absolutely clear that did not happen.” He looked to Ginny for support, but received only a narrow look and an arched eyebrow. Perhaps he was being overly aggressive. He turned back to Aria and sighed, his shoulders dropping. “Except…yes, that’s what happened.”
Aria laughed again and shook her head. “I tell you, when you fall, you fall hard.”
“No one invited you to speak.”
“Oh go play with a chew toy. I’m just answering the girl’s questions.” Aria sighed and looked at Ginny. “Don’t mind him,” she said, batting a hand. “He doesn’t mean anything by it.”
“I don’t really know what to say to that,” Ginny responded.
“At least you’re honest,” the blonde stated. “Anyway, as I was saying, Razor’s not lycan-by-birth. There are any number of mystical creatures whose…well, mysticism is communicable via bite. And there are just as many, and likely many more, whose mysticism—like, say, mine—isn’t contagious. W
ith weres, you’re either born one or made into one…unlike with vamps, when no one is born one. Does that make sense?”
From the look on Ginny’s face, it made enough sense for a few things to trouble her. She reached up and fingered the mark at her throat. “I’m not going to become one, am I?” she asked. “Or—”
“No,” Razor supplied, though in truth he didn’t know. The possibility hadn’t even occurred to him until that moment, and the sudden fear in her eyes made his stomach clench. Yet aside from gut reaction, the possibility itself seemed remote. His transformation had been immediate and unpleasant—the sensation of an alien presence inserting itself under his skin and contorting his insides. Ginny hadn’t looked at all discomforted in the time since biting her. In fact, she’d seemed rather…happy. “No, that—”
“It’s okay if it did,” Ginny whispered. She blinked once, then drew in a deep breath and shook her head as though to convince herself. She capped the sentiment with a nod before meeting Razor’s eyes and offering him a reassuring smile. “Human life hasn’t done me any favors anyway. Might be better off all wolfy.”
“Aww, that’s sweet,” Aria said, recapturing his attention. She shot him a grin. “You found yourself a keeper.”
“You have no idea.”
Aria turned back to Ginny. “Sweet as your selflessness is, it’s unneeded. From everything I’ve read it wouldn’t be so much a mystery if you were actually infected.”
“I don’t like that word.” Ginny crossed her arms. “Infected. He’s fine.”
Aria inclined her head. “That’s what I’ve been saying. Maybe since he sleeps with you, he’ll listen.”
Razor shifted his feet again, his cheeks warming. “No, Aria, this isn’t awkward at all. Thanks for asking.”
“Anytime.” The blonde’s annoying grin widened a notch or so. “All sources indicate a claiming bite is different from a transition bite. One means to take in—that is, Razor takes in Ginny as his mate—and the other means to spread. It’s all in the intent.”
“And what does it mean?” Ginny asked. “I mean, to be mated. It sounds kind of…”
“The word you’re looking for is permanent. Again, what the books say. And I still haven’t heard a thank you for all my research.”
“Thank you, Aria,” Razor snarled. “What do you mean permanent?”
“I mean you and honey-bunch better sure as fuck like each other, because she’s pretty much it for you.” Aria looked back to Ginny. “In essence, when he bit you, he pledged himself to you. If you haven’t claimed him back, you’ve essentially doomed him to pine for you for all eternity until you reciprocate. And by the way, this is the time to mention I’ll beat you to death with a rusty hammer if you hurt my Razor.” She shrugged. “No hard feelings though.”
Ginny smiled weakly. “Oh…”
“Yep, that’s pretty much the full of it.” Aria wedged her free hand into her pocket, the other remaining attentive at the medallion. “And on that note, goodbye.”
Razor’s brow furrowed. “What?”
“I mean I need to sleep.” She gestured at Ginny. “She can do my job tonight.”
“Aria!”
“Hey, if she’s getting a job, she might as well start tonight.”Aria’s eyes narrowed and set into an angry glare. “I mean it, Razor, I’m beat. Between cramming on all things wolf-related and adventures in your sex life these past couple nights, I need to rest.” She waved a hand at Ginny again. “She can fill in for me. Hell, she can run the show. It doesn’t take much, and if you keep it in your pants between now and show time, you can pretty much give her the rundown on what to do.”
Aria was clutching the amulet so tightly her knuckles had turned white, which was not exactly the most encouraging sign, but Razor again opted not to mention it. Instead, he lowered his gaze to the ground and stepped aside as she barreled past. Truthfully, it might be better for everyone if Aria went home. From experience, a cranky witch could introduce an uncertain element—the last thing he needed was his amplifier flying off stage and sending some patron to the hospital.
Again.
Besides, from the look on Ginny’s face, Aria’s information had yielded them no shortage of things to talk about.
For the zillionth time in two days, Ginny’s head was overrun by an onslaught of information. She had no idea where to start.
There were things she should be worried about—of that she was certain. Issues that should head the front of a very long line of questions, perhaps even accusations, about the events that had transpired last night. For starters, she hadn’t known Razor’s bite meant anything other than a rough, exciting addition to their bedroom play. And from how Razor had replied to Aria’s announcement, it was news to him as well.
Heady news.
How exactly else could one take the possibility of being chained to one woman for the rest of his life? No matter what was said beforehand—no matter how much he might love her. Love was a revelation she found herself believing, no matter how incredible it seemed. As Razor himself had said, stranger things had happened. His loving her wasn’t the only shock the past couple days had provided.
Yet loving her and devoting his life to her over a bite and a couple shared words were two different things. Especially when he hadn’t realized the significance of what he’d done. Of what he’d said.
Ginny inhaled sharply, her butt finding a seat against the stage. She hadn’t even felt herself move.
If nothing else, the past couple days had been an exercise in acceptance and courage. Acceptance of the things she could not change, as the mantra went, and the courage not to judge the future based on the past. This time last week the prospect of standing so close to a man—a man to whom she was sexually drawn and one she knew intimately—would have scared her witless. That part of herself had pieced itself back together again. Perhaps the first step had been admitting to herself she came to this place because of a sexual attraction rather than in spite of it. God knew how much time she spent trying to keep her distance from personal relationships.
All until now. Until Razor.
And that was the truly frightening thing. His loving her was the easier pill to swallow on the cusp of turning around and facing her fears rather than continuously dodging them. The truth about his nature—this brave new world she was just now discovering—didn’t frighten her at all. After the initial shock wore off she’d been nothing but intrigued, and yes, a little turned-on. Facing anything after staring down her greatest fear seemed a remarkably easy feat. And in that—in opening herself up to the possibility of revisiting a hurt she’d never fully escaped—she’d more than faced her ghosts. She’d accepted them.
Razor had helped her do that simply by being the guy she couldn’t chase away. And in all things, he’d been nothing but gentle. The gift of his love was something she’d never thought to reach for, but something she’d cherish as long as he let her.
She didn’t know what came next. A lifelong commitment seemed crazy—seemed beyond crazy. But in looking at his calming face, she wasn’t afraid. The only thing she had to fear was the possibility he didn’t find the future as optimistic as she did.
Ginny swallowed hard and met his probing eyes. The light hit his scar in such a way it seemed to cast a shadow. “So…”
He nodded. “So.”
“You…you claimed me.”
“Seems that way.”
“How do you feel about that?”
He took a step closer, his eyes darkening just a hair. “How do you feel about it?”
“Razor—”
“No, this is important. I need to know, Ginny.”
“And I don’t?”
He shrugged. “I know how I feel about you.”
She released a trembling breath, her hands grasping the stage’s edge. “You love me,” she said. Then again, softer. “Still? You still love me?”
Razor frowned. “What do you mean, still?”
“I mean…you didn’t know what you
were doing. When you…when the mate-thing happened. If you didn’t mean it—”
“Didn’t mean what? Didn’t mean that you’re mine? That I love you? Do you think those words mean nothing to me?”
“No, that’s not what I said—”
“Then spell it out for me.”
“Dammit, I would if you’d let me get a word in!” A hot shard of anger slithered down her spine and she grabbed it with both hands. Amidst all this uncertainty, the emotion she was most accustomed to expressing seemed the safest option. “I know what you said. I know you mean it. But meaning it and meaning forever are two different things.”
He took another heated step forward, his dark gaze pulling her in. “Not to me,” he growled. “I’m yours, Ginny. Fuck if I know how it happened—or understand half the things Aria said—but I am. The only thing that matters to me is that you’re in my life—right here in my life. When I claimed you last night, I meant forever, even without knowing it meant forever. That hasn’t changed, no matter what.”
Her vision blurred. Shit, she was so sick of this crying crap. “You mean it.”
“One of these days, you’re going to have to take me at my word.”
“No, you really mean it. Me, as I am. The shit in the past—”
“We both have shit in the past,” Razor countered. “And I’m tired of living in it. The future is so much more interesting.”
She nodded, her eyes falling to his lips. “It is.”
“So long as you’re in it.” He sighed, then looked away. “I can’t promise it’ll be fun. I still have most of the packs this side of the Mason-Dixon line looking to skin me alive for what happened to Natalie. And then the hunters… I’m guessing my family won’t let me live happily ever after.” Razor paused. “But I’ve lived in fear of them…of myself…too goddamn long.”
“You shouldn’t.”
“I killed a girl, Ginny. For all I know, being afraid of that side of myself has kept me alive.”
Insatiable Craving: 2 (Insatiable Nights) Page 16