Sebastian.
Fuck.
“I’m sorry,” I spit out before he can say a word and crush my soul. “I have to do this.”
He smiles at me and lifts his shoulders noncommittally. “It’s okay. I’ll join you.” He interlaces his fingers, pushing them out to pop them in an ‘I got this’ gesture.
“You don’t have to. I know you hate it,” I say with a wince. Every time he has ever bartended with me, he spills more drinks than he pours and gets grumpy about all the orders being shouted at us.
“Sorry, babe. You are stuck with me tonight,” he replies, trying to spin a bottle in his hands that I quickly grab before he manages to drop it to the floor. I look as Dean walks around, directing people and holding his phone to his ear. Every once and a while, he glares over at me.
“How long do you think he’ll be pissed at me?” I ask Seb, still staring at Dean.
“Oh, he’ll be fine. You know how much he feels the need to control everything. Before, it was with his fucking rules about us not being with you for your own safety. Now, it’s this shit about protecting you from the world,” he explains.
My frown deepens. “I don’t fucking like it. I didn’t like it then, and I don’t like it now. I kept myself alive for years before I met you guys, and I’ll continue to keep myself alive even after meeting you.”
“Everything is different because you aren’t a human anymore, and now that your life is entangled with ours, it has the chance of being more dangerous,” he defends before smiling at me again. “I do agree that he is being a tad overprotective.”
“Just a tad,” I complain. The lights in the room shut off, and the club lights turn on, changing the atmosphere of the room. An atmosphere I am more comfortable with. People will be entering soon, and then I can move back into a sense of normalcy.
“Where do you stand with all this, Seb?” I ask, looking to the calmest of my men to give me an inkling about how I should feel about this. Am I scared? Maybe, but not really. A brick through a window is a lot more volatile than the bogus fines, but is it any reason to panic? Sure, I was kidnapped only a few months ago, but that was when I was human. I’m faster and a hell of a lot stronger now. I can protect myself, can’t I?
I notice the prolonged silence and look to Sebastian, catching a frown on his face. “I don’t know, it could be nothing. I think that before, I wouldn’t have been worried. I would’ve laughed and carried on like I usually do, but it’s different now. Everything is different.”
“How is it different? The vandalism?” I ask, uneasy about this change in manner.
“It’s because of you, Rose. Everything is different because of you. I care more. We all do. If shit hits the fan, then it’s not just going to affect us. I can’t just let this shit slide off my shoulder anymore because if anything happened to you, I couldn’t stand it. I would fucking lose my shit, Rosalie.” He gasps the words, looking strained at just the thought. I grab him and pull myself into his arms.
Sebastian
I'm not a fan of life on this side of the bar. It's chaotic and rude. I like sitting in my cushy VIP section and listening to music. Instead, I am trying to remember what the fuck a Sex on the Beach is and refraining from punching a man that keeps yelling 'beer' at me. Rose is in her element. She moves quickly—pouring drinks, sliding them to their owners, and snatching their payment like a pro. Whenever someone hands me a card, I cringe because that fucking card machine hates me.
"Beer!" screams the man again. Only this time, he enunciates the word with a pound of his fist on the bar top.
I stare directly into his eyes and peg him for a bear shifter immediately, and not the polite kind like Amber's bear shifter mate, Wes. No, this fucker is glaring at me like he has a fucking death wish. "I fucking heard you, mate, and you'll wait for your fucking turn," I growl at him, letting my lip curl a bit so he can see my fangs. Rose slides in between us and places a beer bottle in front of him.
"Here you go, sir. Have a wonderful night," she says sweetly, though her smile doesn't reach her eyes.
"About fucking time," the bear growls, grabbing his beer and turning around. "Fucking vamps."
I freeze at the last part. Fucking vamps. The words of the female cop, about us being targeted for being vampires, rattle around in my head. Could she be right? I let my gaze float around the room at all the different supernatural beings at the club tonight. A group of shifter firefighters sit in a booth, nodding their heads to the music. On the other side of the room, a few witches dance together as Randal plays his beats. A witch stands close to Finn, her hand on his arm as she speaks to him. It takes me so long to realize who the witch is that I don't have enough time to react before I see Rose stomping off to intercept.
"Minerva, what the fuck are you doing back in town?" Rose growls as I rush after her, giving one of our newer bartenders, Logan, a look of apology as we both abandon him. He raises one black pierced eyebrow in question but nods us on with a smile.
"I was just saying hello to my friend. That is okay, isn't it?" she sneers at Rose, then looks to Finn. "You know what they say about overprotective women, Finn. It means they are insecure in the relationship. Maybe your little vamp is hiding something."
Rose hisses through her teeth, and the word vamp echoes in my head.
"What are you doing here, Minerva? We've spoken to Amber. I'd think that you wouldn't want to be seen after what you did." I look at her with disgust, wanting nothing to do with the psychotic witch.
"Oh, yes, I'm sure that Amber's story was one-hundred percent true as well. Everyone believes perfect Amber. No one sees her for what she truly is—a talentless shapeshifter that tricked a bunch of men into thinking they are her mates. Much like someone else." Minerva glares at Rose.
"That's it, I'm gonna rip her fucking face off," Rose growls, and I look at Finn with a ‘please help me’ expression.
"I've never been one to break up a catfight," he says with his typical ‘I don't give a fuck about anything’ shrug. He looks at Rose, then sighs. "Minerva, just go. None of us want you here, and it doesn't look like you came with any friends." He puts a lot of enunciation into the word ‘friends,’ causing Minerva's face to pale a bit, but she does the smart thing and turns on her heel to storm off. Before leaving though, she flicks a finger, causing a bulb above Rose to explode and shower her and some others around her with shards of glass. I see red and grab Minerva with a loud snarl.
"It's you, isn't it? Do you think you can fuck with Jewels Cafe and Vee? You have some fucking nerve." The words come out quickly and angrily, but all I see is fear flash across the small witch's face as I pin her to the wall. Then a hand grabs my shoulder, and I freeze, knowing it isn't one of my brothers or Rose. I swing my head around and see the same fucking bear shifter from earlier, and there’s a snarl on his lips as he pulls me away from Minerva.
"Get your fucking hands off her, you fucking freak," he growls, and I fucking snap.
"Is it you? You got a fucking problem with vampires, buddy?" I yell at him, throwing a punch straight at his jaw. He growls, and his eyes flash to a dark golden-brown color as I see him fight his beast within him. Suddenly, Finn and Reg are at my side, grabbing ahold of the large bear and throwing him out.
" OUT!" I yell, allowing my voice to echo within the room. "Get the fuck out, all of you!" Randal's music stops, and everyone stares at me. The supernaturals look perturbed, whereas the humans look scared and confused. The ward on the town wouldn't have allowed them to see anything off, but they would still be able to see and hear my anger—to recognize that I am a threat.
When I look over and my eyes connect with Rose's, I see fear in them, and it fucking breaks me. I don't want her to ever be afraid of me. I growl loudly and stomp off to behind the bar, then rip open the door leading to the stairs and go up to our loft. I need to fucking get out of here, to separate myself from all these fucking people.
I get upstairs and sit down on the couch, leaning forward and putting my fac
e in my hands. What the fuck is happening?
I hear as the music starts up again downstairs, and I feel a touch of relief that things are potentially going back to normal down there. That my outburst didn't cause everyone to flee for the hills. I begin to relax at that thought when the door flies open, and an outraged looking Dean comes in with Rose and Finn on his heels.
"You mind telling me what the fuck that was?" Dean yells, looking at me like I'm off my fucking rocker. Maybe I am.
"It seems like our brother had a bit of a moment. Kind of like what you are doing right now," Finn says, feigning speaking under his breath.
"I'm not having a fucking moment. I'm trying to keep this shit together, to portray an even front. To make everything look like business as usual. Which no one will believe after your fucking episode, Sebastian!" Dean slams his fist against the table before sitting down. "I knew that letting you bartend was a bad idea. It always makes you grumpy, but Rose insisted on being fucking heroic, so I was left little choice."
"This isn't me being fucking grumpy or throwing a tantrum because I had to do something I don't like," I growl, barely heard over Rose's screams.
"How is doing my fucking job being heroic? You are the most infuriating fucking man in the world, Dean Whitaker!" Rose yells, pointing at him like she'd rather be throttling him. Get in line, honey.
"Excuse me," says a deep voice from the doorway as a hand pushes the slightly ajar door the rest of the way open. A man walks through the door, the light brown color of his skin revealing mixed ancestry. He wears a tight black shirt and black pants, dressed very much like Reg. Dark tattoos litter his arms and neck, and his short black hair leads directly into a close cut beard and mustache. "Reg sent me up to check on you guys and ask if we should be closing the nightclub."
I glare at the man distrustfully, even though it is clear he works for us. Dean catches my eye and growls before pointedly introducing the man to all of us.
"This is Landyn, one of our new bouncers. He will be doing security very closely with Reg. He comes very highly recommended by our friend," Dean says, his tone changing back to that of the stern boss and away from outraged brother.
"It's nice to meet you all," Landyn replies, still looking to Dean for direction on what to do about the nightclub.
"Business should go on as usual. There are still a couple of hours left until closing. Direct your team to keep the club open, but stay vigilant. Anyone that looks like a threat should be bounced immediately and reported back to me," Dean demands. Landyn nods and turns back towards the door, exiting our loft.
"He seems nice," Rose says quietly, turning back towards us and looking exhausted from the fight. "You said he is one of Reg's friends?"
"Yes, he is," Dean replies, looking at Rose warily as if he’s having an internal battle on whether to protect her or let her have her way.
"Very attractive as well, don't you agree, baby?" Finn teases, once again embarrassing our mate and causing her to glare at him.
I ignore him and move on to more important matters. “But who is he? What is he? Can we trust him?”
Dean looks at me curiously. “What has gotten into you? You have never been this distrustful.”
I look at him and see the confusion and concern on his face, then see it mirrored on Rose’s and somewhat on Finn’s. What is happening to me? I pause and try to gather my thoughts, to figure out how to share them with the people closest to me without seeming insane.
“What if this is because we are vampires? What if it's our high-profile life that has resulted in us putting Rose in danger? Say there is someone targeting vampires, wouldn’t we be an excellent target? Everyone in town knows us, and taking us down would surely prove a point.” Even as I say the words, I know they aren’t landing correctly. Finn looks at me like I’m crazy and being foolish. Rose looks pissed; there is no other way to take the anger on her face. I expected her to look like this, and I honestly prefer anger over her thinking I’m insane. Dean seems skeptical but studies me like he is trying to understand.
“If you believe this, truly believe that this could be because we are vampires, then that is reason enough to keep Rosalie out of sight. No more working in the bar, no more going anywhere alone. Not even Jewels Cafe. We should also probably talk to Sapphire,” Dean finishes, wincing in preparation for Rose’s response. I’m sure her angry screams are heard all over town as she yells her outrage.
Finn
It’s not that I don’t agree with them, I do. Protecting Rose is the most important thing in the world. I’m just not the one telling her that she is now under lock and key. Nope, that is all Dean and Sebastian. I wince as her screams of outrage hurt my ears, but then I smile slightly at knowing that it isn’t me who her screams are directed towards. I will be the only one not on the shit list, and that makes me very happy. It also makes me an asshole, but I can deal with that just fine.
“Who the fuck do you two think you are?” Rose screams, pointing her finger at them, her face twisted in anger. “I’m not a fucking cockatoo that you can keep locked up in a cage. I’m a fucking woman, and I’m your fucking mate!”
“This is for your safety, Rose. It’s not safe, and we don’t know who we can trust. How can we protect you against an unknown force if we don’t know what it is, and you are gallivanting around town?” Dean is trying to persuade her, but it’s clear that his words are doing nothing to calm her down. Her hands are clenched into fists, and she looks dangerous. She also looks fucking sexy as fuck. It’s hard to ignore my slowly hardening cock as I take in the sight of her with her hair in a high ponytail on the top of her head, sinfully tight skinny jeans, and a top that displays her tits perfectly. I imagine her long pink nails dragging down my back, and I have to shake my head to get my thoughts back in the game. My brothers do a lot better job of not being a horndog around her twenty-four seven, and I have no idea how. Maybe they are just more mature than I am. Heh.
“Finn!” Rose yells, snapping her fingers in front of my face. “Will you get your mind out of the fucking gutter and help me out here?”
I shake my head again and blink my eyes, knowing that they are black with lust. “My mind is just fine, thank you very much, darling,” I say with a smile, hoping to soften the hard lines of anger on her face.
“Tell them that this is all outrageous! Tell them that I can take care of myself, and I don’t need a babysitter,” she demands, glaring at me.
Fuck. So much for my ability to stay on her good side.
“Well…” I start, letting the word drift off as I try to gather my thoughts. I have to tread carefully, unlike my idiotic brothers. “Maybe we are overreacting.”
Now the glares are coming from Sebastian and Dean, but I can handle them better than glares from my mate. “Your inability to take anything seriously should not come into play now, especially when it comes to our mate,” Dean growls at me, and I frown at him.
“Right, brother,” I growl back. “You know what they say—if you love something, smother it. Lock it up and take away its freedom.”
Dean and Sebastian flinch at that, and Rose straightens a little as I come to her rescue. Sebastian points at me threateningly. “That is bullshit, and you know it. You can’t take the safe side in this, and this is more than just appeasing Rose. We could all be in danger, and she has only been a vampire for a few months.”
“We aren’t going to solve any of this shit tonight. Rose doesn’t want to be locked up, and you two aren’t budging. Let’s just sleep on this, and then tomorrow, we can figure out where we stand,” I say, melting a bit when I see relief flash on Rose’s face. I don’t want her to feel fear with us, to feel trapped. That is exactly what she’ll feel if Dean and Sebastian have their way in this mess. We protected her in secret before, when she was a human. She didn’t know it then, and we can do the same now.
Rose comes over to me and sinks into my side, and I put my face in her hair, breathing in her scent before kissing the top of her head.
> “Thank you, Finn,” she whispers against my neck, trying to keep her words from my brothers. I know they can hear them anyway, and I feel a sort of pleasure that they are witnessing her finding comfort in me.
“Anytime, my love. Always.”
Rose
It’s been days since the vandalism and subsequent fight, and nothing else has happened. Not a single thing. It’s very hard not to gloat, but I refrain due to the toll it’s been taking on my mates. Finn is fine—he has taken all of this in stride, and I love him even more for it. I need him to be my rock when it seems like my other two mates are losing their footing. It’s terrifying to see these strong men falter under this unknown threat. Sebastian has deteriorated before my eyes. He has become distrustful and angry, and he now spends all his time monitoring the security footage or questioning our employees. I even saw him looking at Reggie suspiciously one night, and that fucking crushed my soul a bit. Dean, on the other hand, has stepped up his leader game. He has hired more security employees than a small nightclub could possibly need. More men and women are being seen walking around the club in their all-black uniforms, looking terrifying and scaring away many of our human patrons.
I begin to learn more about Landyn, Reg’s friend. Finn was right that first night; I do find him very attractive, but I am in no way looking to add to my harem of controlling men. At least they aren’t controlling in a psychotic way, just a protective way. Still, my inner feminist wants to stab ‘em in their sleep. But I refrain. Landyn is the epitome of attractive, and I’m so surprised that he is still single. He is tall, dark, and handsome, and his eyes are a really light brown color that are very beautiful. I also found out that he is a rare shifter, something I couldn’t believe is real—a griffin. Mind fuck. I feel like right when I wrap my mind around vampires, chameleons, and regular shifters being real, then blam! This shit comes in. What next? Is Santa Claus real? What about the abominable snowman?!
Rose- Feelin Thorny Page 4