She let him bully her into the shower and stood while he bathed her. He enjoyed doing it, so she let him. Once she was clean and he had attended to the bite marks, he wrapped her in a fluffy towel and set her on a chair while he dried her hair.
He was the vice president of his family’s company, and despite his carefree life as a playboy, he did have a work ethic. Two hours every morning were spent on work, and the rest of the day was his to play with. As he mentioned, if you hired competent people and paid them well, you could afford to take time off now and then.
“I do love your hair, Mina.”
“I have noticed that, Robar. You curl up with it while you sleep.” She snickered.
“It is just so soft.”
“I know. Difference between cat and dog. I am silky but deadly, and you are all cute and fluffy.” She winked, and he tugged her locks.
“I will give you cute and fluffy.”
“I thought you just did.”
He sighed. “You are putting something on the list already.”
She grinned. “I know.”
They agreed not to discuss their bedroom when they were outside of it, but if there were any innuendo or sexual challenges, they would just refer to it as adding it to the list. It was circumspect, and while folks would figure it out, it did allow for a bit of public flirtation.
A knock at the door called a halt to the verbal fencing. It was time for Mina to get the wardrobe she would need for her new life.
Chapter Eleven
The wedding was a strange blend of cats and dogs. The Lancasters were only too delighted to attend the marriage of one of their own, but the Pickwiks were unsure of their newest member.
Nana and Mina’s mother helped her with the beaded white gown.
“Thanks for coming, Mom. Nana has been wonderful, but I needed some more cats here on my big day.”
Nana beamed. “It has been a delight and a pleasure, Mina. Your family is so delightful and lively. As long as I remember to guard my tail during runs, all is serene.”
The Lancasters had arrived two days earlier, and a joint shift had been declared necessary. The foxes had been surprised to find out that they were all considered cat toys and only self-control kept the Lancasters from chasing their new in-laws.
Robar’s mother had been less than pleased to meet her new daughter-in-law. She had been hoping for one of the ex-girlfriends to make it through the Crossroads. Mina was resigned to not winning her over. She had nana and Johann on her side and that was enough.
A voice from the doorway interrupted their moment. “I need to speak with Mina Lancaster.”
She looked at the door through the mirror, her reflection wearing pearls through the long red locks and a thick necklace cascaded down the front of her bead-covered silk gown. “Who is it?
A man turned the corner, and she stared at the familiarity before his identity clicked. “Oh. Nana, Mama, please give us a moment.”
He gave a new meaning to tall, dark and handsome. Thomas Flicker had become a stunning man where the shy child had stood.
“Mina? You look amazing.” He smiled, and the shy expression was the one she remembered from all those years ago.
“Thank you. I really doubted that I would ever make it to my wedding day. This was a bit of a journey for me.”
He nodded and ducked his head. “It was mostly my fault. I am very sorry. My parents thought that if they ignored my training, the power would just evaporate or something.”
She nodded. “I understand. I managed to find my way, but I had some help.”
Thomas bobbed his head. “I understand that, too, but I am here to remove the last vestiges of the curse and give you a blessing instead.”
“That is not necessary.”
“Actually, it is. I have to restore the balance or I will suffer for it in my next life. You would be doing me a favour.”
She extended her hand to him. “I hold no ill will toward you. I am happy today, and I want everyone around me to be happy as well.”
“That always was part of your charm, so now, it will become part of the charm. You will make friends wherever you go, as you always have, but no one will ever think ill of you.” He smiled and took her hand, sending a rush up her arm that lit up her soul.
She laughed, “Thank you. I swear it has been difficult being a shifter with a curse on her.”
He blinked. “Yes, I just learned that. I had no idea.”
“I know. I had no idea you were a human magic user. It isn’t like we wear signs.” She grinned and leaned up to kiss his cheek. “Thank you for doing what you could. Many men have had miserable moments around me in the last few years. Even my mate.”
“If you are mated, why the wedding?”
“We are mated spiritually, but the human world has its requirements. A licence and ceremony are one of them.”
“Ah. May I stay for the wedding?”
She grinned. “Of course. Just know that everyone here is some kind of shifter. It will make things easier on you.”
He inclined his head and kissed her cheek. “You really did grow to be beautiful.”
“You are not too bad yourself. If it wasn’t for that smile, I would be hard pressed to recognize you. You have grown.”
He grinned. “That happens over the years.”
“It does.”
Music started and she jolted. “Oops. Get to a seat. It is show time.”
Nana and Mina’s mother came back in and shooed him out. They finished her lipstick and settled the veil down over her features.
The mothers left her alone, and she waited for her cue with a bouquet of pale pink roses.
She stepped out when her music started, and her gaze locked on Robar. It was their moment.
* * * *
Thomas watched the expressions on many of the guests turn from sneering to supportive and delighted as Mina passed by them.
It was the least he could do for the extensive chain of disaster that he had pinned to his childhood crush. Mina had been charming, friendly, outgoing and lovely. Everything that Thomas wasn’t. When she had refused to go out with him again, he had taken it as a complete rejection of him, rather than a statement that she was not ready to commit to anyone. He had overreacted, and she had paid the price.
When he told his parents what happened, they could no longer ignore the magic that swirled around him at all times. They had taken him close to a tutor and set him up with a curse master who taught him to control his energies. He had been forbidden from going back to see Mina. His curse master had foolishly thought that it was a one-time spell that was cast on her dates. If Thomas had simply had enough nerve to make the full extent of the protection spell known, he might have saved Mina years of agony.
Making everyone think of her the same way that he did was the least he could do. He saw the way her mate looked at her and winced as he realised that the couple he was watching had shattered his spell together. Robar would never think of his wife the way that Thomas did and that was for the best.
To Thomas, Mina was a glowing statue of all that was good, and she was one of his best memories. He sighed and looked around at the other guests, and to his surprise, he saw a woman with bright green eyes looking at him shyly.
Her hair was black, her skin was pale and her lips were deep red. They locked gazes, and he saw the shell on her back, recognizing her as a turtle shifter. He didn’t care. She was perfect, and when she smiled softly, his heart skipped a beat.
The wedding blurred by until the dancing began. Thomas got up from the table where he had been sharing absent-minded conversation about import treaties, and he crossed the hall to stop next to the table where the woman of his dreams was waiting.
“Excuse me. Would you care to dance?” He could not believe that he was asking this elegant creature to dance.
“I would. Thank you.” She rose to her feet, and her head was even with his collarbone. Perfect.
>
He walked her to the dance floor and tucked her against him, swaying slowly. “My name is Thomas.”
“I know. My sister recognized you. You are a mage,” she spoke slowly.
“I am.”
“My name is Lizzel Lancaster. I am Mina’s cousin.” She looked up at him, her bright green eyes meeting his for a moment before she looked away.
“Lizzel. I am pleased to meet you. I think I may have been waiting for you all my life.”
She grinned. “I know. My beast got my attention, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since I saw you.”
“Do you always listen to your inner beast?”
“It is best. She doesn’t move fast, but she never steers me wrong.”
Lizzel smiled and shifted closer to him, sending blood pooling below his waist with a pounding pulse.
Thomas knew that he had found the woman for his life, not his dreams. So what if mages and shifters weren’t supposed to blend. Rules were made to be broken and fate was leading the way.
* * * *
Mina sighed and swayed against Robar. “Lizzel has got him. I knew that he was meant for someone else, but you can’t explain that to someone without a beast.”
Her husband held her tight and whispered in her ear. “You can’t explain it to someone with a beast, you simply have to experience it for yourself.”
“I like the experiences my beast leads me on.”
“I know. I have added a few things to the list since seeing you in that dress.” He leaned back and smiled.
She kissed him and laughed. “I have a list as long as your…arm.”
He swung her around, and she went where he led. There would be time enough to take charge and assume control. It was on her list.
Author’s Note
An ocelot, a curse and a fox with a fluffy tail. The story didn’t write itself, but it did do most of the heavy lifting.
In the next book, Little Prick, a shy porcupine seeks love in the Crossroads and finds it in the arms of a honey badger with an aggressive attitude who has to temper his instincts to coax her in close.
Thanks for reading.
Zenina Masters
www.zeninamasters.com
[email protected]
About the Author
Zenina Masters was born in Canada and lives in Canada. She has a regular job and does nothing particularly exciting with her life. She enjoys fishing, silence and the ability to pick and choose friends she can trust. Life is too short to watch your back all the time.
Her writing life is a teeny bit of escapism, she would probably chicken out if confronted by three naked men and looks forward to one day finding out.
Shifting Crossroads 8 - Ocelot of Trouble Page 6