by J. S. Scott
~*~The End~*~
If you enjoyed “Ethan’s Mate” I hope you’ll check out the other stories of The Vampire Coalition:
Book 1 – Ethan’s Mate
Book 2 – Rory’s Mate
Book 3 – Nathan’s Mate
Book 4 – Liam’s Mate
Book 5 – Daric’s Mate – To be released in Winter 2013
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The following is the first chapter from Rory’s Mate (Book Two: The Vampire Coalition)
Chapter 1
Callie Marks sighed as she looked at the wedding cake on the table next to her. She really wanted a piece. It was from one of the best pastry kitchens in the city of Denver. Chocolate marbled with a mousse filling and chocolate frosting.
No. No cake. She had already eaten enough from the incredible gourmet buffet at this reception to feed an army. The last thing she needed was a piece of that cake with enough calories to add a little more jiggle to her ass.
Callie had always been what one of her nicer foster mothers had called “curvy” when she was a teenager. Callie called it what it was…she was plump. She was constantly battling an extra fifteen pounds that she didn’t need on her body and was generally defeated by the call of delicious chocolate, rich foods and scrumptious appetizers.
I certainly went into one of the best fields to keep my weight down. I just had to be a chef.
She was head chef for a very highly regarded restaurant. Quite an accomplishment for a woman who was only twenty-seven years old. She loved her job. She loved to feed people. There was nothing better than creating a new gastronomical delight.
Callie pushed her plate away from her. It was completely empty. She sat back in her chair at the bride’s table to watch the bride and groom dance.
Brianna Cole was her best friend. She had just gotten married after a whirlwind courtship to Ethan Hale, a rich, gorgeous and charming man. They looked so incredibly happy. Ethan looked entirely enchanted with his beautiful, slender, blonde haired bride.
Callie let out a long breath and tried not to feel a twinge of envy. She loved Brianna like a sister and wanted her happiness more than anything. Bri had been suffering from a rare form of leukemia that seemed to be in remission. Callie prayed it wouldn’t return. She still had nightmares about the dark days of Brianna’s illness and trying to come to terms with losing the only person she had who was like family to her, even though they weren’t blood-related.
Being even the slightest bit jealous is just selfish after what Brianna has been through. She deserves this fairy tale wedding and the man of her dreams.
Callie acknowledged that she was a tiny bit selfish. She just couldn’t help it. But she genuinely was extremely happy to have her best friend happy and healthy.
She smoothed down the skirts of her blue maid of honor dress. It was a lovely pale blue with shimmering accents of pink. Brianna had let her pick the style, a fact for which Callie was highly grateful. She had chosen a high waisted, elbow length style that would hide her plump figure. Callie loved the dress. Too bad she would probably never wear it again.
She frowned at the thought, reaching up to tug at a stray curl of her dark, wayward hair. She had swept it up in a chignon, but it was curly and long. Tendrils escaped and curled around her face. She hadn’t looked in the mirror, but she was pretty sure her hair was a disaster.
With her dark brown eyes, hair and fair skin it was hard to detect what her origins were. Callie really didn’t know because she was a foundling. Abandoned in a local park and never claimed, she was turned over to children’s services and had gone the rounds of foster parents. She had never been adopted.
Callie jumped as a large, dark hand slid a plate across the table that stopped directly in front of her. She had been so engrossed in her thoughts that she hadn’t seen the man even approach the table.
Her eyes lifted to see Rory Hale sit down directly across from her, a piece of cake big enough to feed ten people sitting in front of him. He slid a smaller piece--maybe only big enough to feed five people—closer to her.
“I don’t want that,” she told him, irritated now that she had to actually stare at the pastry in front of her.
“Why not?” Rory cocked his head and shot her an I’m-so-confused smile as he started eating his piece with obvious enjoyment. “It’s fantastic.”
Callie rolled her eyes, trying not to be charmed by the incredibly gorgeous specimen of manhood. For God’s sake, did the man have to look so damn perfect? He had eaten more in one evening than any normal man ate in a month, and he still didn’t look like he held one ounce of fat on his body. It was disgusting. Still…she tried to be polite. He was Brianna’s new brother-in-law. “I’m trying not to eat sweets, Rory. I have to watch what I eat.”
Rory continued to grin as he consumed his giant sized piece of cake. “Why watch it when you can eat it?” He paused to shoot her a curious look. “How do you know that I’m Rory? Liam was sitting here earlier.”
“Who else would you be? We were introduced at the rehearsal.” She shoved the piece of cake to the middle of the table as she answered.
“Liam and I are twins. We’re identical,” he answered, polishing off the mammoth pastry and setting his fork on the plate. He stared at her curiously.
They weren’t identical, Callie mused. Not really. Although they were both incredibly handsome with midnight black hair that just touched the back of their collar and very dark eyes, Rory was just…different. Yeah…they were dressed in matching tuxedos and they looked very much alike…but she would never mistake one for the other.
She shook her head as she answered, “You aren’t really exactly alike.”
Rory looked perplexed. “Most people can’t tell us apart.”
Really? Liam was attractive, as was his brother Nathan, but Rory…was a walking temptation. She looked around for Liam, but didn’t see him in the crowd. She didn’t have anything for comparison but she was doubtful she would ever confuse the two. Liam didn’t make her edgy and nervous. Rory definitely did. It was like she could feel the male hormones coming across the table, making her want to jump the table and attack.
Callie crossed her arms in front of her and answered defensively, “I just don’t think you’re alike, that’s all.”
“Does that mean I’m the handsome one?” he asked hopefully, smiling brightly.
It was strange, but he wasn’t flirting. It was almost as if he wanted validation. Callie refused to give it to him. His head was probably already fat enough. “No comment.”
Rory’s face fell. “I guess that means I’m not.”
Callie searched his face for signs of conceit, but she didn’t see anything except raw honesty. As she took in his perfect features and glanced at his wavy mass of dark hair with one little stray strand that seemed to separate from the others, she wanted to reach out and brush it back in place.
Come on, Callie. Get real. The guy has to know he’s incredibly gorgeous. Don’t feel sorry for him.
“I guess not,” she answered, feeling even guiltier when he looked even more dejected. Wanting to see him smile again she offered, “Have my cake.” She pushed it in front of him.
He pushed it back. “I know you want it.”
“I don’t,” she answered firmly.
“You do.” He started to smile again.
“Don’t,” she insisted.
“Come on, Callie. You were looking at the cake table like a tiger looks at raw meat. You wanted it. That’s why I brought it.”
Oh, shit. She groaned inwardly. Was she really that obvious? “I’m a chef. I was just checking out the competition.”
“You wanted to taste the competition. Admit it.” He took the plate from her and set it in front of him. Grabbing a clean fork, he scooped up a bite of the irresistible confection, reached over the table and held it to h
er mouth. She opened automatically and he dropped it gently between her lips.
Callie closed her eyes as the silky chocolate slid over her taste buds. She nearly groaned. It was perfection. She opened her eyes to see him holding out another bite. She slid her chair back. “No, Rory. I can’t.”
He looked perplexed. “Why?”
Callie was getting pissed. Did she need to spell it out for him? “In case you didn’t notice, I can’t afford the calories.”
Rory sat back in his chair, dropping the fork back onto the plate. “I didn’t notice. You look fine to me.”
If I looked so fine, you would be asking me for my phone number. You would ask me to dance. Why did you have to say that with nothing but confusion and detached interest?
It wasn’t his fault. He just wasn’t interested. Callie couldn’t even blame it on the fact that he was attached. Brianna had said all of the brothers were single and unattached. Rory just didn’t want her.
She grabbed the plate of cake and pulled it in front of her. What the hell! She would be careful tomorrow.
Rory picked up a clean flute glass and filled it with champagne, saluting her before he raised it to his mouth. He didn’t quite smile, but his lips were twitching.
God, he was irresistible. Rory may not be interested, but he was sweet. Her instincts were telling her he was completely genuine and he was certainly unusual. She could see a certain insecurity in him that spoke to her and she knew what that was like. It didn’t matter that he was outrageously attractive, charming, genuinely kind. He just didn’t believe he was anything special.
“Rory?” She queried softly between her luscious bites of cake.
“Yes,” he answered in a low voice as he refilled his champagne and topped off hers.
She leaned slightly across the table, as if she were about to give away a huge secret. He leaned in slightly.
“You are the best looking of all the Hale brothers,” she whispered softly, just loud enough for him to hear.
His smile started with his lips and moved to his eyes. His whole face lit up and his eyes sparkled mischievously as he leaned over and she leaned in to hear his secret.
“Callie…you don’t need to lose weight. You are the most ravishingly beautiful woman here.” Still no interest, but his voice was sincere. He might have said it matter-of-factly, but he truly meant it. He hadn’t said it in a suave, artificial way that she would have doubted. He stared her directly in the eye, his gaze almost bashful, but straightforward.
She blushed and tried to look another direction, embarrassed that she was flushing like an adolescent teenager.
When her face cooled down, she sneaked a look in his direction. He was watching her. Rory lifted his champagne flute and she raised her glass to his in an unspoken salute, a silent agreement.
With the clink of the glasses, a tentative friendship was born.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Epilogue
Book 1 – Ethan’s Mate
Book 2 – Rory’s Mate
Book 3 – Nathan’s Mate
Book 4 – Liam’s Mate
Book 5 – Daric’s Mate – To be released in Winter 2013
Chapter 1