Last Chance Mate: Tate (Paranormal Shapeshifter Mystery Romance)

by Anya Nowlan

  Tate gave her a long look, making her fidget in her seat.

  “What? Did I say something wrong?” she asked.

  “No, just the opposite,” he said, pushing the plate of pancakes closer to her. “Now I know you might not feel like eating, but your body needs fuel.”

  It was an abrupt change of subject, but Tessa got the feeling now wasn’t the right time to prod. Anyway, Tate wasn’t obligated to tell her anything. They were little more than strangers, after all, despite the fact that they didn’t feel like strangers.

  “I guess…” she sighed, grabbing a knife and fork.

  “You can get back to reading the book after we’ve eaten. It’s not going anywhere,” Tate assured her, digging into his steak.

  “At this point, I wouldn’t even be surprised if it did vanish right in front of our noses,” she replied, stabbing her stack of pancakes and plopping a bite of syrupy goodness into her mouth.

  Her hunger returned as soon as she did, stomach growling. Whiskey might be good for drowning your sorrows in, but as dinner, it wasn’t that great. Tate gave her a knowing look as she shoveled food into her mouth, washing it down with coffee.

  “I need a change of clothes,” Tessa said around mouthfuls. “I know it’s not the best plan, but could we swing by my apartment? Just for a few minutes? If I wear this shirt for one more day…” she trailed off.

  “I don’t know…” Tate hesitated.

  “In and out, real quick,” she promised. “Please?”

  It might have been stupid to risk running into a demon for the sake of clean clothes, but it was more than that. She had already been run out of her mom’s shop, and hounded in her sleep.

  It wasn’t much, but a clean set of her own clothes could go a long way in helping her feel just a little bit more normal. It was the small comforts, like pancakes and coffee in the morning, that were helping her hang on to her sanity, after all.

  “Well, it is probably the last place Loch would expect to find you right now,” Tate conceded. “And I can smell him coming if he does decide to make an appearance.”

  “Great,” Tessa beamed at him.

  She finished her breakfast before him and sipped on her coffee while he cleaned his plate. Watching his shoulders bunch beneath his shirt as he sawed through his steak made her think about last night, and the way she woke up in his arms.

  Having Loch invade her mind had been terrifying in more ways than one, but as soon as Tate climbed in next to her, a calm had fallen over her.

  And I don’t even like cuddling. Or at least I didn’t…

  He had been a perfect gentleman, of course, but when she woke up in the middle of the night to his hard chest pressed against her back and his arm over her waist, she couldn’t help but snuggle even closer.

  Is that wrong? God, I don’t even know anymore…

  There seemed to be a mutual attraction building between them, stronger than she had ever felt. But could it be it was just the circumstances pushing them together? Would the chemistry between them be just as strong if they had met in a different way?

  There was no way for her to know.

  All she did know was, she was going to have a hard time saying goodbye once this was over.

  Twelve

  Tate

  “This is it,” Tessa announced, as they came to a stop in front of an apartment building not far from the diner.

  Tate sniffed the air, his senses already on high alert. Someone was cooking bacon, and a couple was arguing loudly about whose turn it was to do the dishes, but that was about it.

  “He’s not here,” Tate said, and Tessa visibly relaxed.

  “Come on then,” she replied, pushing the door open and bounding up the stairs.

  He followed her to the third floor, and watched her unlock a door at the end of the hall. Keeping his guard up, he stepped inside after her, coming to a stop at the edge of the living room.

  “Just a minute,” she said.

  Tessa’s place was nice, airy and open, with a minimalist feel to it. She disappeared into the bedroom while he stayed behind, wondering how she kept her white couch and matching set of dining chairs so clean.

  He could hear her pulling open drawers in the other room as he leaned against one of the walls.

  “This doesn’t look like the home of an antique store owner, if you don’t mind me saying,” he called out.

  “Well, fascination with old things was always more my mother’s thing,” Tessa replied. “I don’t mind the business side of things, but if it weren’t for mom, I’d probably know nothing about antiques.”

  “But you still run the store,” Tate remarked.

  Tessa emerged from the bedroom, a small duffel bag slung over her shoulder.

  “That store was my mom’s life’s work,” she shrugged. “I couldn’t just sell it.”

  “But it’s not what you really want to do?” Tate asked, backing up into the hallway.

  Tessa frowned as she followed him, closing and locking the door behind them.

  “How many of us really do what we want to do?” she countered.

  Heading for the stairs, Tate went down first, listening to her footsteps behind him.

  “I’m doing what I want,” he shrugged. “People had expectations of me. But I didn’t want to go along with something I wasn’t sure of.”

  Tate hadn’t meant to get on this topic, but the words just tumbled out. Being around Tessa was too comfortable, sometimes. And if he were being honest, what he had left behind had been weighing on his mind more and more lately.

  “And you’re happier now?” Tessa asked as they stepped back onto the street.

  Clouds were gathering, now, blocking out the sun that had been beating down on them just moments earlier. A wind picked up from seemingly nowhere, making passers-by clutch their jackets tighter around them and squint up in the sky.

  “I don’t know if ‘happier’ is the right word…” Tate started, but stopped in his tracks when a familiar scent suddenly hit his nose.

  Bitter and pungent, it was a smell he recognized immediately. His wolf snarled, fighting against being kept at bay.

  “What is it?” Tessa asked, aware that something was wrong.

  Sniffing the air, Tate grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her away from the building, rushing to the other side of the road. There, he dipped into a hardware store, where he finally let go of Tessa’s arm.

  “He’s here,” he said, eyeing the apartment building intently.

  “I figured,” Tessa replied, rubbing her arm.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Tate started, but she shook her head.

  “It’s fine,” she said. “I’m the one who should apologize for dragging us here in the first place.”

  “I didn’t see him, so there’s a good chance he didn’t see us either,” Tate replied, crouching down near the window facing Tessa’s apartment building.

  The hardware store was mostly quiet, with a few footsteps echoing out from between the shelves here and there. The scent of metal and sawdust hung in the air, a familiar smell. Tate glanced over at the magnetic wall over to his right, with rows of screwdrivers and wrenches stuck to it.

  At least I’ll have no shortage of weapons if I should need them.

  Crouching down next to him, Tessa’s eyes were darting around the street opposite them. Her features were tense, her fingers still curled around the strap of her duffel bag. Tate placed a hand on her shoulder, making her jump.

  “Hey,” he said quietly. “It’s going to be okay.”

  She nodded, but her jaw was still locked, and her heart beating a mile a minute. When she drew in a sharp breath, Tate’s eyes snapped back onto the street. And there he was, Loch, still in his three-piece suit, but a wine-red one this time.

  He walked right up to the door of Tessa’s building and stopped there, glancing up at the windows. Tate watched as a woman appeared in the doorway, rummaging around in her purse and almost bumping into Loch.

 
; “That’s Vicky, from the second floor,” Tessa whispered.

  Vicky smiled at Loch, saying something Tate couldn’t hear, and started to brush past the demon when Loch stepped in her way. Vicky looked confused at first, then afraid. The wind began to howl out of nowhere, whipping Vicky’s dark hair all around her face.

  Tessa leapt to her feet, but Tate reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her back down.

  “Don’t,” he said.

  “But what if he hurts Vicky? I can’t just stand by and watch,” she argued, a frantic look in her eyes.

  “Just… wait,” Tate replied, his gaze trained on Loch.

  Vicky was shaking her head and trying to back away from the demon, but he surrounded her, using his large frame to trap her against the building’s wall. Tate could only see his back as Loch interrogated the poor woman, probably trying to find out where Tessa was.

  Tessa squeezed his hand as seconds dragged on. Finally, Loch backed off, and Vicky ran down the street, not looking back once. Loch stayed for a moment, standing very still, his hair and coat unmoving despite the strong wind throwing discarded newspapers down the street.

  When he started to turn around, both Tate and Tessa dipped their heads down, away from the window.

  “Did you leave the amulet in my room?” Tate asked.

  “No,” Tessa replied, eyes wide. “It’s in my jacket pocket.”

  “Shit,” Tate muttered under his breath.

  “I didn’t want to leave it unguarded,” Tessa whispered. “What if Loch found out where it was and just took it while we weren’t there?”

  Well, at least then he wouldn’t have to kill us to get it.

  Thirteen

  Tessa

  Tessa didn’t even dare breathe, hunched down beneath a window, hoping against hope that when she looked up, she wouldn’t see Loch’s face grinning down at her.

  Tate was still holding her hand, which did help her feel less like she was going to faint. She snuck a glance his way, noting his clenched jaw and the grim line of his mouth. His nose was slightly ridged, like in anticipation of a snarl. Tessa knew he was ready for a fight.

  Yet even at that moment, when he was more predatory than she had ever seen him, he was still also absolutely beautiful. The savageness that sometimes emanated from him, and his whole I-chop-down-trees-for-fun vibe only added to his attractiveness. Just thinking about him letting his animal side loose sent an excited shiver down her spine.

  Her ogling of him was cut short when someone cleared their throat behind them, making Tessa yelp and tumble backwards, falling on her ass.

  “Excuse me,” a male voice said, and Tessa steadied herself enough to look up at the man. “But may I ask what exactly you’re doing in my store?”

  A tall, lean man with graying hair stood above her, wearing a plaid shirt and jeans with oil stains near the bottom. Tessa recognized him immediately.

  Didn’t mom go on a date with him, once?

  “Mr. Keller,” she said, forcing a smile on her face. “It’s me, Tessa.”

  At her side, Tate popped his head up over the edge of the window before getting on his feet and pulling her up with him.

  “He’s gone,” he whispered, and she gave him a quick nod.

  Keller gave her a quick once-over before his face erupted into a bright smile.

  “Little Ms. Mayberry. Of course,” he said. “I heard you were back. I’ve been meaning to come by the store…” he ran a hand down the back of his neck.

  “That’s all right,” Tessa waved a hand. “We’re all busy.”

  “And who’s this gentleman with you?” Keller asked.

  Before Tessa could open her mouth, Tate stepped forward, reaching out to shake Keller’s hand.

  “Tate Silver,” he said. “A friend.”

  Tessa wanted to slap her forehead with her palm. In all the chaos, she hadn’t even thought to ask Tate what his last name was. Not that it was that important, but still. Her grandmother was probably rolling in her grave at how rude her granddaughter had become.

  “A friend, eh,” Keller gave Tessa a knowing look. “And who are you two hiding from? Or was there something on the floor you found particularly interesting?”

  “Uh…” Tessa stuttered.

  ‘We are trying to avoid a demon’ would probably be the wrong thing to say.

  “I thought I might have dropped my phone and Tessa was helping me find it,” Tate said, giving Keller a polite smile. “All good now.”

  “Okay,” Keller replied, not sounding particularly convinced. “So, Tessa, what brings you around?”

  “I’ve been thinking of doing some repairs around the shop,” she replied, letting her mouth run the show as her brain caught up. “A fresh paint of coat here, a new shelf there, you know,” she shrugged. “But now I remember I have a prior engagement, so I have to run. But it was nice seeing you,” she rushed over her words, saying the first things that came to mind.

  “I’ll be happy to help you out. Come back anytime, and we can go over what you’ll need,” Keller replied, the lines around his eyes crinkling when he smiled at her.

  “Thank you,” she smiled back, turning to leave.

  It was another memory pricking at her heart, the kind of warm affection her mother always seemed to inspire in people, even when it didn’t end up working out.

  Tate held the door open for her and they made their way outside, looking left and right as they did. Loch could still be lurking around, but staying put wasn’t really an option, either. The quicker they got away from her apartment building, the better.

  “I don’t smell him anymore,” Tate said. “He must have vanished again.”

  “If he can just pop in and out of our realm, what does he need the damn necklace for? Or does he want to get inside someone’s mind with it? God, I feel so out of my depth,” Tessa sighed.

  “Maybe we’ll find something in the book,” Tate replied as they rounded a corner, leaving her building out of view.

  The clouds were starting to part, disappearing as suddenly as they had arrived. Could Loch have brought on this sudden change in weather? Another question Tessa didn’t have an answer for.

  “I’m just relieved he didn’t hurt Vicky,” she said, rushing to catch up with Tate’s long stride.

  “At least he doesn’t know where you’re staying, or he wouldn’t be staking out your building,” Tate remarked.

  “Do you think it’s a coincidence Loch showed up when he did? The timing was awfully convenient. Had he gotten there just seconds earlier, we would have been toast,” Tessa replied.

  “He could have had some magical tripwire in place, something to tell him if you returned,” Tate shrugged. “Because you’re right – it was way too much of a coincidence.”

  How nonchalant discussing magic of all things had become. Demons and different realms and getting your dreams hijacked… what a world to live in. That damn amulet probably wasn’t even supposed to end up in her shop.

  Someone had to have tossed it in with the rest of the costume jewelry by accident, unaware of its importance. To think, that one mistake had now totally upended her life. Yet, when they got on to the main street and Tate slowed down to take her hand in his, she couldn’t feel totally terrible about it all.

  I must be losing my mind.

  But she couldn’t deny it – meeting Tate was turning out to be the one thing that had her truly excited. Being so focused on her mom, and then the store had barely left her with enough time to have a life. Dating had definitely been the last thing on her mind.

  Not that we’re dating or anything, she quickly backtracked.

  There was something going on between them, though, evidenced by how easily she let him hold her hand, and how often he reached for it. He gave her strength, along with a serious case of butterflies in the stomach.

  “Here, let me,” Tate said, pulling her bag off her shoulder and slinging it over his as they walked toward the center of town.

  The streets wer
e more crowded with people here, some of them giving her a quick wave or a nod as they passed by. The tremble in her gut, there ever since they had seen Loch from Mr. Keller’s window, was starting to subside. There was safety in public places, right?

  They passed by the diner, still hand-in-hand, and in no time, they were back in Tate’s room. The plastic cups they had drunk whiskey out of were still on the table, and the bed unmade. Something about that made Tessa smile to herself.

  “Time to hit the book,” she said, crouching down to grab it from under the bed where she’d stashed it earlier. “It might take me a while to get through it.”

  “I’ll stay out of your way,” Tate replied. “We’d be wasting time if we tried reading it together. Just let me know if you need coffee or food or anything.”

  “Thanks,” Tessa smiled. “I just hope I don’t wind up finding out demons can turn into dragons or that they can set you on fire with just a look or something like that.”

  “I would think if that were true, whoever wrote that book would start with something like that, and not bury the lead,” Tate remarked. “Though I think dragons would take personal offense if they were tied to demons at this point.”

  Fingers crossed.

  Fourteen

  Tate

  Tessa had been sitting behind the table, Thompson’s book in front of her, for so long that Tate was getting worried she might get stuck in that chair. Sometimes she’d frown, or mutter something under her breath, but whenever he would ask what’s wrong, she would just wave her fingers at him or mumble something incoherent.

  He had learned to just let her do her thing.

  But as night was beginning to fall, and they hadn’t eaten since breakfast, he snuck outside, unsure if Tessa even noticed him leaving. The diner was still open, so he grabbed a couple of burgers and sodas to go, keeping his eyes, ears, and nose open the whole way there and back.