by R. E. Butler
“Well, I don’t have to tell you how traditional Mom and Dad are. Hell, they’re not just hoping you’ll like Rocco. They’re expecting you two to get mated.”
Aeryn grimaced. “I know. But it’s my life, and I’m certainly not going to walk away from my truemate because they’d prefer I mate a tiger.”
“And you’re one hundred percent positive that Merrix is your forever guy?”
“A thousand percent.”
Gavin smiled and hugged her. “You don’t need my blessing, but you have it. I’m glad you’ve found your truemate, and I’m glad it’s a good male like Merrix.”
His phone buzzed, and he looked at the screen. “Dad wants to pick me up in ten for work, so you should probably head over there before he leaves.”
“Okay,” she said, downing the last bit of orange juice and setting the glass in the sink. “Thanks for your support.”
“Anytime.”
Aeryn grabbed her phone and walked out of the house, turning left and heading toward her parents’ home. They lived on the same street but at opposite ends, so she had about a half-mile walk to get her thoughts together. Their house came into view, and she saw her dad walking out the front door and called to him.
“Good morning,” her dad, Theo, said. “Why are you up so early?”
“I need to talk to you and Mom.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yes, but it’s important.”
“I’m supposed to pick up your brother for work.”
“I know. It won’t take long, but it needs to be right now.”
He turned and opened the front door. “All right.” He called for her mother. “Aeryn needs to talk to us, dear.”
“Aeryn? It’s early.”
She snorted at how everyone commented that morning on how she was never up at this time of the day. Before she’d started working at the restaurant, she’d been an early bird. Now she was a night owl. It had taken some getting used to, but she liked being up at night. And she usually got to see the sun rise on her way home from work.
She followed her dad into the kitchen, where her mom was seated at the breakfast nook and reading something on a tablet. She kissed her mom’s cheek and gestured for her dad to sit. She wanted to remain standing because she was too keyed up to sit still.
“Can I get you something to eat?” her mom, Lucille, asked.
“No, thanks. The reason I wanted to talk to you guys this morning is that something wonderful happened last night at work.” Well, terrible at first, but then wonderful.
“Oh?” Theo asked.
“I met my truemate.”
Their brows rose simultaneously, and it would’ve been comical if it hadn’t been so serious. “At work?” Theo asked, his eyes filling with suspicion.
“Yes.” She inhaled and gave herself a moment to think. She didn’t go into a lot of detail about her injury and the young vampire but did make sure they knew Merrix was her hero.
“He saved you,” Lucille said. “That doesn’t make him your truemate. It just makes him johnny-on-the-spot.”
Aeryn braced herself on a chair. “He’s not my truemate because of that, Mom, for cripe’s sake. He’s my truemate because I feel it to the center of my being, and my cat is in full agreement. I got up this morning to tell you the good news, not to get the third-degree.”
Her father cleared his throat. “You have to admit it’s a little strange. You’re a tigress.”
“So? Vampires and shifters mate. Cyrus and Cella are together.”
“He’s not our child,” Lucille said sternly. “And what about Rocco? He’s coming all the way from West Virginia to see you tonight. There are expectations to be met.”
“Whoa,” Aeryn said. “Pump the brakes. I made zero promises about Rocco, aside from going on one date with him. And the fact that I found my truemate means I have no interest in seeing him at all. As soon as I’m done here, I’m calling him to cancel. If you have expectations about our date, then that’s on you. Everything changed when I met Merrix, and I’m not about to betray him by going on a date with someone else just to make you guys happy.”
The silence in the kitchen was heavy. It made Aeryn feel even more tired.
“Well, we need time to think about this,” Theo said.
“Take all the time you need,” she said. “But Merrix is my guy, and if you don’t like it, that’s not on me. I don’t want to leave the ambush, and I hope I don’t have to, but I won’t bring him here if you guys are going to be awful.”
“There’s no need to take that tone with us,” Lucille said. “I’ll remind you that you’re still eighteen.”
Aeryn rolled her eyes so hard that she was surprised they didn’t burst from her head. “I’m eighteen plus five, which makes me technically twenty-three. I don’t live under your roof anymore, and you don’t pay for anything for me. I’d like your support, but I’m not changing my mind about Merrix just because you want me to be with a tiger.”
“What about cubs?” Lucille said, rising to her feet. The chair scraped backward loudly, and it made Aeryn cringe.
She hadn’t really thought about it. Merrix couldn’t have cubs because he was a vampire. Shaking her head, she said, “It doesn’t matter. What matters to me is that he’s mine, and he’s a good guy. Ask Gavin or Cyrus. They worked with him at the restaurant.”
“We don’t approve,” Theo said, “but you seem to have made your mind up.”
“I have.”
“Your mother and I need to talk.”
The way he said the words sounded very final to her, almost like he was saying goodbye, so she took the hint and left. She wanted to cry because she’d hoped that they’d at least be happy for her to have found her truemate. She’d gone to their house hoping for the best, but she certainly hadn’t gotten it.
“Aeryn?” a male voice spoke from the road, and she startled, nearly running into a mailbox.
She looked and waved at Midas. “Hey.”
“You okay?” He stopped the work truck and got out, joining her on the sidewalk.
“Yes and no.” She gave him a quick overview of the last few hours of her life.
“Wow.” Midas cleared his throat. “Your parents can’t force you to mate with Rocco, of course, just be sure you cancel with him. I don’t want to have to deal with his alpha if he shows up here, and you’re not around.”
“I’m calling as soon as I get home.”
“As far as Merrix being part of the ambush, we need to put a pin in things for now. I’m all for it. I think tigers should mate whoever they want, but your parents could rally some of their friends to oppose another vampire joining our ambush. If they get a big enough group together, I may have to make that concession to keep the peace.”
“So, he wouldn’t be allowed in the territory?”
“Not if there’s opposition to the joining. It doesn’t mean you can’t mate him. It just means that if you celebrate the full moon with us, then he won’t be able to join you. Most males—particularly mated ones—wouldn’t like the idea of being away from their mate like that, so keep it in mind.”
“I will.”
“Give them some time, Aeryn. They’re probably just shocked by the turn of events. I know they didn’t like you working at the restaurant, and you deciding to mate a vampire is probably one of the main reasons for their objection.”
“I hadn’t really thought about it, to be honest. I figured I’d meet my truemate whenever it was right, and it’s never mattered to me what he was.”
“That’s a good attitude, but it clearly isn’t shared by your folks. I’ll let you know if they come to me, but for now, just focus on the fact you found your truemate. We should all be so lucky.”
Midas was single. He was one of the most eligible bachelors in the States when it came to tiger shifters—good looking, powerful, and a great leader. She’d always been surprised he hadn’t taken a mate yet, but she had a feeling he was waiting for his truemate.
S
he was certainly glad she’d waited for hers.
“Thanks, Midas.”
“Take care, Aeryn. And congratulations.”
She continued her walk home and decided to call Rocco on the way, making sure he understood her reason for canceling. He was clearly annoyed, but he didn’t argue with her. She was glad she’d gotten the call over with.
When she got home, she stripped and climbed into bed. Picking up her phone, she was tempted to text Merrix, but she was worried she’d wake him since he was a day sleeper, so she decided to wait until she saw him tonight to tell him what happened. While it sucked that her parents’ first reaction to her news wasn’t happiness for her finding her truemate, she hoped they’d come around eventually.
Closing her eyes, she ordered her cat to let her sleep so she would be well-rested for their date, and she hoped to hell the prickly beast listened.
Chapter Six
Merrix hardly slept at all during the day. Aeryn consumed his thoughts. The need to be with her was nearly overwhelming. He understood why she didn’t go home with him, but he damn sure wished she had. Just to be with her would’ve soothed what felt like an angry beast within him. He’d paced in his apartment until she texted that she’d arrived home safely. They’d texted back and forth for a bit, and he’d been partly soothed by the conversation that he must’ve read a dozen times over the course of the day.
I’m so tired, lol. But I feel like I’m wired too, she texted.
Me too. I think it’s because we found each other.
Probably. Is it crazy I miss you?
Not even a little bit. I miss you too.
I want to talk to you, but I think I won’t get any sleep and then I’ll be a mess when I see you.
It’s all right, sweetheart. Rest well. I’ll see you tonight.
I’ll be there with bells on.
He read the conversation once more and smiled, then headed to bed. He could at least try to get some rest. He put the phone on the pillow next to him and rolled to his side, attempting to catch some sleep before he needed to get ready for their date. He didn’t want to be tired, but he couldn’t seem to turn off his brain. Forcing himself to think about anything but the alluring Aeryn, he finally dozed for an hour, waking when his alarm went off.
He was partly refreshed from the nap but hoped that Aeryn would be willing to come home with him after their date so he wouldn’t have to spend another mostly sleepless night without her. Even if they just slept, he’d feel better knowing she was with him.
After a quick shower, he dressed in black slacks and a dark green button-down shirt. He put on his smartwatch and checked the time—he still had thirty minutes before he could leave the apartment building. Summers were the worst for being a vampire because the sun rose early and set late. He preferred winter when the nights were so long. He fixed his hair, checked his reflection once more, and then hustled back to the bedroom to make the bed.
He was hungry, but he was planning to have something to drink in the bar, so he skipped his usual SyBl. And it had been a week since he’d last had real blood anyway, so he would most likely have a glass of the real stuff. His thoughts strayed to Aeryn. He’d love to feed from her tonight, but if things led to the bedroom with them, he didn’t want to risk binding them together as mates before she was ready, so it would be better if he drank real blood for his meal tonight.
His phone buzzed, and he saw a text from Aeryn. Just got to the club. Cyrus was waiting at the front door for me. Thank you for arranging that.
Of course. I didn’t want you to have to wait outside with the crowd to get into the club. I’ll be over as soon as the sun sets.
I’ll be waiting.
He knew he was grinning broadly as he left his apartment. Aeryn was there! She was waiting for him! If he wouldn’t get severely burned by the sun, he’d race over to the club right now. But then he’d be in pain, and that was no way to spend a first date, so he settled for waiting in the lobby, which was still enclosed by light-tight shutters. Leighanna, a bartender at the club, was chewing her thumbnail and pacing by the front door.
“Hey,” he said.
She paused mid-pace and looked at him. “Hi. How’s it going?”
“Good. You okay?”
“Yeah.” She smoothed her hands down her sides and gave him a tight smile. “Mishka texted me tonight and asked me to tend bar in the family room.”
“Oh? Is that bad?”
“No, I’ve just never done it before.”
“What happened to Tyler?” The male was the main family room bartender. The family was Mishka’s inner circle, and they were the only ones allowed in the second-floor, glass-enclosed room within the club.
“He’s out of town for the weekend. The family is watching Harmony’s band on the new stage tonight, so they wanted to make sure the bar was covered.”
“You’re a great bartender,” he said. “What are you worried about?”
“Ah, it’s just all of them at one time. It’s one thing to talk to Angie or Harmony or get a bottle of SyBl for Temple, but it’s an entirely different thing to be around Brone and Mishka. They’re just so powerful.”
He chuckled. “I understand the feeling. Mishka’s a great coven master, but he’s also intimidating, especially coupled with Brone.” Brone was a thousand years old, and in his younger years, he had been part of a group of vampires called The Scourge. He was not a male to be trifled with in any sense of the word.
Their conversation paused when the gears kicked on, and the exterior shutters began to open slowly. If his heart could beat, he was certain it would be pounding out a fast rhythm in anticipation of seeing Aeryn.
“You heading to the club, I’m guessing?” Leighanna asked.
“Yep. I found my truemate last night, and she’s meeting me in the office.”
“Hey! That’s awesome, congrats.” She smiled at him. “Why are you meeting in the office?”
“I didn’t want her standing around outside the apartment complex waiting for me, so I figured the best place for her was within the safety of the office. She’s Cyrus’s cousin, so he’s waiting with her.”
The shutters finished retracting fully, and Merrix had to stop himself from flat-out rushing out. He grabbed the door and held it open for Leighanna. “Thanks.”
“You’ll do great tonight,” he said.
“I hope so. It would be nice to be able to fill in up there more often. The club can get crazy on the weekends.”
He nodded. He’d never worked in the club, but he’d spent plenty of time there, feeding from the humans who worked as paid food or grabbing a bottle of SyBl with his friends.
“It’ll be crazier tonight since Fluffy Venom is back on the stage.”
“Good point. Well, I’ll be glad to be up in the family room then. My eardrums will be thankful too.”
He laughed. Vampires had sensitive hearing, so it took a bit to adjust to the loudness of the club. They walked across the street together, bypassing the line stretched across the front of the building, and headed inside through the employee entrance. He wished her a good night and parted ways at the coat check, pausing for a moment in surprise.
“Hey, Eynd.” The redheaded Valkyrie was leaning against the counter and smiling.
“Hi, Merrix.”
“What are you doing at the coat check?”
“Since Avery got promoted, Cella needed someone to hang out tonight, and I was free, so I said why not?”
“I wouldn’t think there would be many coats this time of year.”
“There’s not, but there are a few. She only wants it open on the weekends.” She gave him a curious smile. “You look like a male on a mission.”
“I’ve got a date.”
“Well, I won’t keep you then. Have fun.”
He nodded and strode down the hall, his nerves kicking in the closer he got to the offices. They were closed tonight, so the regular guards who would be standing outside the door were absent. He saw Aeryn and Cyru
s through the glass, and he grasped the handle and opened the door.
Aeryn rose to her feet and smiled. There was a brief pause where neither of them moved, and then she was in his arms, and he was holding her tightly, breathing in her sweet scent. He could feel her cat purring, and it made him feel warm from the inside out.
“I missed you,” she whispered. “I missed you terribly.”
“Me too, sweetheart.”
Cyrus cleared his throat. “I won’t be offended that no one missed me.”
Aeryn giggled, and Merrix smiled at his boss. “Sorry. Nice to see you. Thanks for waiting with Aeryn.”
“My pleasure. I think you two have a lot to talk about, and my mate is waiting for me in the family room.”
“Thanks, Cy,” Aeryn said.
“You bet. See you two later.”
When they were alone in the reception area, they sat on a comfortable couch and faced each other. Their hands were linked, and he could feel the connection between them as mates growing.
“You look beautiful,” he said. She was wearing a short floral dress with a jean jacket rolled at the cuffs and cowboy boots.
She fiddled with the hem of the dress. “I didn’t know what to wear, so I video chatted with Cella, and she helped me pick out something so I wouldn’t feel out of place in the club.”
“Why would you feel out of place?”
She shrugged. “Everyone dresses so sexily and sophisticated. I’ve been to other bars and dance clubs with my friends, and they don’t hold a candle to what the Fang patrons wear.”
“You look amazing, I promise.”
“You look good too.” She blew out a breath. “I had trouble today because I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”
“Trust me. I did too.”
“You did?” Her eyes got wide, and her face lit up.
“Of course. If it wouldn’t have been dangerous for me to be out in the sunlight, I would’ve camped out in front of your house just to be close to you.”
“I totally regretted not going home with you last night.” She pursed her lips and then said, “Not that I wanted us to have sex last night, well, I mean I did, but—gah!” She covered her blushing face with her hand.