by M. L. Briers
Then she’d finally managed to track down her grandmother, only to realise that had been a very bad idea …
Now a mate.
I need a plan.
Get up.
Get that damn tyre fixed, and get the heck out of here.
You do not need any more complications in your life, and this complication is a damned big one.
Just look at the size of him.
A mate.
A wolf.
A shifter, all muscles, and very, very little brain…
Bet ya didn’t expect to find an instant family, complete with a damn pet wolf, did ya?
Serves me right, I guess.
Never cannonball the damn water until you’ve at least stuck your toe in it to gauge the temperature.
First rule of not being an idiot – don’t do stupid things.
Jaxon is going to be so damn miffed when he figures out I’m gone, and a rampant vampire is never a good thing.
Hopefully, I can get back before he even notices that I left.
No harm – no foul.
I should never have come…
What did I think was going to happen – Granny was going to welcome me with open arms and bestow her aged wisdom on me after all of these years?
Fat chance.
No chance.
The woman had abandoned my mother when she was pregnant – enough said.
The proof is in the pudding, and it tastes rotten to the core.
“How about we beg to differ?” Fallon offered up to him.
She was still more than distracted by the hard length of his body against hers, not to mention a certain hard length that was pressed against her stomach, now that one was distracting.
He was leaned over her like he was about to devour her in all the best ways possible … that wasn’t what she wanted or needed, and neither was bringing Jaxon to their door.
The old woman might have stood for everything that had gone wrong in her life to date. Her mother dying when she was young – having nobody but her father in her life, and the man wasn’t exactly the warmest … but she’d still feel damned guilty to bring them all onto Jaxon’s radar.
“How about we go somewhere with a big bed and continue this conversation…?” Jamie gave her a suggestive wiggle of his dark eyebrows, and a smile that was as sexy as it was tempting … and tempted she was, right to the point where her body flared with excitement at the thought of it.
Why the hell does that thought sounds so good to my ears that my toes are curling?
I need a life…
“Dream on,” Fallon bit out as she tried once more to use sheer strength and determination to push him away from her.
Like the solidity of the mountain that she found herself on – he didn’t move one inch.
“I see how this is going…”
“Do you?” Fallon sighed.
She didn’t want to have a conversation with the man, she wanted him to move his backside and get the heck off of her. Pronto.
“I do.”
“Oh, do share. After all - I’m riveted to the spot by some big mountain shifter man that is too stupid to get the hell off me.”
“That’s harsh, after all, it was you that put you in this situation with me, and not the other way around.” He teased, and she sighed again.
“You’ve got me on that one.”
“I’ve certainly got you,” his grin got a whole lot sexier in his victory. His eyes shone brighter, and she was sure that if he shifted into his wolf then his damn tail would be wagging. And she hated him for it.
“Maybe, I’m just lulling you into a false sense of security.”
“Maybe, but I think not.”
“Oh, you think?”
“It’s been known.”
“Just not often, right?”
“You’re mean.”
“Thank you.”
“It wasn’t a compliment.”
“I know.”
“So … you’re thinking about me naked right now, right?” Jamie teased, and she might have given him a look like he’d just slapped her with a wet fish, but her eyes said guilty as charged…
“It will be your own fault if I vomit on you…” she bit back with a deeply dry tone.
“Me naked, you naked, us wrapped around each other as I…”
“Seriously going to vomit at the thought…” she warned him, but in truth there was a deep warmth within her that was spreading outwards to every inch of her body as her skin tingled and her womb decided to dance to his tune…
She hated that so much more.
“I think you like that thought just fine,” Jamie said with so much conviction that she believed he could read her mind.
Busted. She berated herself.
“I’d say bite me, but you being a dog and all…”
Jamie’s wolf didn’t like that comparison much, and it grumbled and growled within him. The beast tried to push forward once more – like it had been challenged by her words…
CHAPTER TEN
~
“Don’t upset the beast, sweetheart – they can be so unpredictable when they get antsy.”
Jamie warned her as he slammed the cage shut on his wolf, and she snorted her contempt for him.
“Much like men,” Fallon offered back.
“I’m not just any man – I’m your mate.”
“Did you have to say that?”
“No.” He grinned, so damn sure of himself that she wanted to hit him over the head with a club or anything heavy that came to hand.
The trouble was – there was nothing to hand.
Fallon didn’t much like being reminded of the fact that she was a mate. His mate.
Not that she really needed reminding when her body was jumping and jiving with a tingly good sensation that she knew wouldn’t go away, at least, not until he did.
But did she want him to go away?
Fate said no.
Her body said no.
Her mind was undecided and so was her pride.
He was so damn full of himself that she wanted to slap him just for being so presumptuous.
Fallon knew that she still had so many problems to deal with that his presence was just going to stack them all right up there until she couldn’t see the damn top of the pile.
She wasn’t even sure what it was that she was feeling, not deep down within her soul where it truly mattered.
A mate.
Home.
A family of her own … that was scary stuff, but it warmed her inside – took away some of the frost that sat there taunting her.
“You can get off me now,” Fallon’s no nonsense attitude should have given him more pause for thought, but he chose to ignore it.
“But you’re just so damn comfy…”
Jamie felt the knee to his balls and lost all will to even try to move, to breathe.
The pain screamed through his body, deep into his guts, like one of his juvenile brothers had delivered a sucker punch.
Nausea rolled through him like he’d been bobbing up and down on a stormy ocean, and then she was tossing him off of her – with a little help from her magic…
Jamie’s back thumped against the ground. His head bounced off the hard earth.
He found that he could do little more than reach for his balls, and his eyes were just a teary mess, as if he was a female watching a chick flick…
“There now,” Fallon said as she pushed up to her feet and brushed off the grass from her body in an attempt to show him just who was boss at that moment in time.
He groaned.
His wolf whimpered for his pain.
“Geez,” Chloe said. She placed her hands on her hips and eyed the downed shifter, resisting the urge to throw back her head and laugh. “And I thought I was the queen bitch around these parts. I hand you my crown – take it with you when you climb on your broomstick and head off back to hell.”
“Speaking of hell,” Fallon tossed back, more than ready with
her magic to take the vampire down if she needed to. “I’m sure you’re missed.”
“Now – now, claws in.” Monty appeared between the two women before anything resembling a catfight could ensue.
It wasn’t that he was opposed to watching two hot females screaming and trying to pull each other’s hair out … he knew that in this instance, neither female would draw the line at some hair tugging…
“I think he’s speaking to you as you’re the only dog around here,” Fallon sneered at Chloe, and the vampire narrowed her eyes, and took a quick, deep breath in that she didn’t need…
“Oh, I’m going to…” Chloe started towards the witch, but Monty turned to face her … and she pulled up short as he blocked her way…
“We had this conversation about witches – remember, you used to be one, and you were truly a very big pain in the …”
“Finish that sentence and I swear, Monty, I will …” Chloe warned him.
“Calm down a little?” Monty asked with a small smug grin.
“No, I just figure I’ll kill you first, and then her,” Chloe offered back to the sound of a growl that rumbled through Jamie’s chest.
“I take it by that your balls are feeling better,” Chloe offered down to the beta. “Growl at me again and I’ll kick them so hard you’ll be wearing them as ear muffs.”
“That’s…” Monty considered it for a long moment. “Not an image I wanted in my head.”
“You take a step near him and you’ll be flying without wings,” Fallon hissed her warning.
She felt the magic spark at her fingertips. She was more than happy to deliver on her promise.
“Can we just all try to get along?” Monty asked…
“Not likely,” Chloe sneered.
“That you’ll try, or succeed?” Monty scowled back at her, and she snatched her glare away from the witch and towards her mate.
“What?”
“I asked if you’ll try to get along…” Monty shrugged.
“No.” She snapped back.
“No?”
“Why should I play nice when she’s a bitch?” Chloe tossed up a hand in Fallon’s direction…
“Someone’s been looking in the mirror,” Fallon shot back.
“See. My point exactly,” Chloe shrugged.
“Could you all just give it a damn rest?” Jamie growled.
Then he rolled over onto his stomach and braced himself for the excruciating pain that he knew he was going to feel as he tried to push himself upwards.
He grunted, and managed to get to his hands and knees before he gasped in a breath, and then groaned it out again at the pain…
“That’s gotta hurt…” Monty winced for him…
The one thing that you can always rely on with men was their solidarity when it came to one of them getting kicked in the balls.
“Oh, ya think, Monty?” Jamie growled out.
He flicked a glare towards his mate, and she made a point of looking everywhere but at his bright red face and those accusing black, puppy dog eyes…
“My kind of a witch,” Chloe grinned.
“Do not equate me with anything that you’d do…” Fallon bit out.
“Ah, truth hurt, sweetie?” Chloe tossed back.
Fallon snorted her contempt for the woman. A vampire, was a vampire, was a vampire in her book. It didn’t matter what shape, size, or sex they were – she disliked them all equally.
“Bite me,” the witch hissed out.
Chloe felt the rush of desire to taste the witch’s blood upon her tongue at that invite, and she took a long first step towards her that was blocked by her mate as he wagged his finger at her…
“She invited me,” Chloe bit out in disbelief.
“If she invited you to run at something sharp and pointy, would you?” Monty grumbled.
“Different,” Chloe said with a song in her voice.
“Not by much,” Monty sang back. “Either one will lead to your untimely end.”
“Says you,” Chloe snorted.
“Seconded.” Jamie bit out.
“Says a whole pack of wolves if you feed on one of their own,” Monty reminded her.
“I’m not…” Fallon scowled, and stopped at the sound of another loud rumble that came from Jamie… “Oh, I see your point and I’ll raise you a sharp and pointy for your mate.” She offered Monty.
“Uncalled for,” Monty offered back.
He flicked a quick look back over his shoulder to offer the witch a scathing look, but it didn’t matter how fleeting the look was, by the time that he’d turned his eyes back to where Chloe had been – the newbie vampire was no longer there.
“Crap!” Monty bit out.
“She went left,” Fallon offered, and even pointed the way in case the man had no sense of direction.
“Tell-tale-tit!” Chloe called out from somewhere unseen, and Monty dropped his head forward on his neck for a brief moment…
“I’m suddenly feeling my years,” Monty said.
“Brutal for someone who was around Vlad the damn Impaler.” Jamie growled…
“You’re lucky you’re already down,” Monty grunted in annoyance, and then he was gone, leaving her alone with one ticked off shifter.
Jamie turned his eyes up to his mate, and in turn, she scowled down at him.
“Don’t get up on my account.” Fallon shrugged, and the beta groaned once more.
“You really are…” He ground out the words, but he managed to stop himself before he finished that sentence and said something that they might both regret.
“So I’m told,” Fallon offered back with something of a teasing grin. There might have been a small pang of guilt inside of her, but the witch found that easy to dismiss.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
~
“Well, you’re too old for menopause, and there’s no way in hell that you’re pregnant … so, I’m guessing that you either have some kind of hormonal problem or you’re just plain surly.” Hank announced.
He shrugged his broad shoulders at the elder witch and the woman bit down on the need within her to zap him a good one. Maybe two, probably three, but who was counting…?
“Well, if I’m so damn surly then go take a long walk off a short plank!” Dorothy bit back.
“Love too!” Hank grumbled a growl.
“Be my guest. I don’t see me rushing to stop you anytime soon,” Dorothy tossed back.
“I don’t see you rushing anywhere without putting out a hip,” Hank snorted.
“Oh really?” Dorothy’s hands went to her curvy hips and the man should have taken that as a warning of intent, but he didn’t…
“Yes, really,” He leaned his head in on his neck and eyed the woman with a dark glare.
“Fine!” She tossed up a hand in his direction and then did what she felt was right and zapped him hard…
Hank bit down on the pain that felt to him as if he’d been damned stupid enough to lick an electrical socket … his eyes went wide, and the growl that rolled through him rattled the windows in the frames…
“Ok, now stop it!” Sarah said, tossing up her hands and berating the both of them with just a look.
“He started it!” Dorothy grumbled, releasing the man from her magic and replacing her hand on her hip.
“How’d I start it?” He snapped back.
“By claiming I was your mate!”
“That’s…” He tossed up his own hands in frustration … the woman was a nightmare…
“You’re both acting like children, and for elder’s – I have to tell you – it isn’t pretty!” Sarah said, with just the right amount of berating and frustration to match exactly how she felt inside.
She’d thought Angela finding out that she was a mate was bad enough, but Dorothy…!
“I can’t be dealing with this … man now,” Dorothy said, stumbling over her words for just a moment.
“This man?” Hank growled. “You mean your mate, don’t you?”
; “Oh, go chew on a stick!” Dorothy bit out, as she turned on her heels and started away from the pair of them.
“Another insult,” Hank said, tossing up a hand after her and watching her go.
He did like the view of her walking away. Those shapely hips swinging from side to side …
The front door flew open and Fallon stalked inside. The look on her face said that she was fit to kill … and as Jamie limped in after her – Sarah could imagine why…
“Because I’m not sorry…” Fallon said, tossing up a hand in the exact same way that her grandmother hand done.
“Well, that’s just great!” Jamie announced with a low, deep growl and the shake of his head in frustrated disbelief.
“What’d that one do?” Hank asked on a scowl.
“I’m sorry grandpa, do I know you?” Fallon shot back…
“That’s actually somewhat ironic,” Sarah muttered, and Hank twisted his head on his neck and glared back at her.
“Nooo, but I know you, Missy!” Hank grumbled.
He could scent her fae essence in the air and she reminded him of Dorothy with her attitude, and after what Sarah had said, well, he wasn’t slow at putting two and two together.
“Ya think?” Fallon snorted.
“Witch!” He bit out. “Enough said.” He grumbled a growl.
“Yeah!” Jamie snorted a miffed off chuckle, and Fallon shot a look back over his shoulder at him.
“Well, hell. If that’s the way you truly feel,” Fallon offered back.
“Wait, what?” Jamie growled.
“Loud and clear, buddy,” Fallon said, and then she stalked away.
Jamie took a long moment to consider what had just happened. Then the realisation hit him and he rolled his eyes in his head and a growl rumbled through his broad chest…
“Damn it,” he grumbled…
“Smooth move,” Hank berated him.
“You started it!” Jamie tossed back with a whole heap of accusation in his tone.
“Did not.”
“Did too!”
“Oh, I so want this day to be over,” Sarah sighed as she sidestepped Hank and started after the two witches, leaving the males to bicker back and forth like they were in a schoolyard.