by Tl Reeve
“Wait. Don’t go. I’ll come with you. Keep you safe. I promise.”
Bibi glanced over Samiyah’s shoulder, her mouth fell open on a gasp. “Yes, okay please come with me. We must go now though. No more delays.”
“What happened?” Samiyah trailed Bibi as they wove their way through the crowd. “Wait. I can’t leave yet.” She grabbed her things from the attendant. “I have one quick thing to do.”
Bibi tucked her lip between her teeth and nodded. Her energy was off. Anxiety mixed with fear and a hint of something else. Her scent had been off, almost noxiously so. It didn’t make any sense to Sam, but then again, the girl had been through enough shit to gag a dung beetle in the last few days.
She opened her purse, retrieved a business card, then wrote her cell phone number on it. “Can you please see that Wilhem Bosse receives this card.”
The attendant nodded. “I will. Enjoy your evening, Miss.”
She grinned. “Thank you.”
When she turned to gather Bibi, the girl was already gone. She hurried outside and found the young hyena stepping into a cab. She held her hand up, to catch the girl’s attention, but she was gone before Samiyah could stop her or the car. She looked behind her and spotted Edmundo coming straight for her.
“Where did she go?” The god glowered. Energy, more powerful than hers sparked around him.
“I’ll remind you, you’re with humans. On the human plane. Whatever happened, showing yourself now won’t fix this situation.” She instinctively took a step away from him, praying to Ra, Saturn would gain control of himself.
“She has taken my ring. Your assistant will pay for this.”
Samiyah closed her eyes. Of all the nights for Bibi to do something stupid. “I am sure it was a mistake. You can find her at my office in the morning. You have my word.”
Edmundo stared at her for a moment. “I will be expecting the girl in the morning. Do not interfere, goddess. My kindness extends only so far and for so long.”
“Understood.” She turned to walk away. Then pivoted. “Saturn?”
“Yes?”
“Be gentle with her. Things aren’t what they seem.” She wouldn’t give Bibi a free pass. The desperate girl did something stupid and dangerous. Whatever punishment the god doled out, the hyena deserved.
“I will take your words under advisement, goddess.” With a snap of his fingers, Edmundo disappeared.
“Child, what have you brought upon yourself?”
Chapter Six
Wilhem woke to a raging headache and a hard-on so painful it ached worse than toothache. He groaned as he rolled over and adjusted himself. He hadn’t run into the woman again. Her scent had disappeared into a cloud of pheromones and horny women. He’d tracked her as far as he could—to the road outside of the vineyard castle.
When he’d asked Christoph if he’d seen her, his brother had been tight lipped and off. He barely looked at Wilhem and there was a hint of recrimination to his scent along with sorrow. Neither made sense to him. He pushed the sheet from his hips as he sat up. His time was up. Today he had to find his mate or else his brother took over as alpha-apparent. Could be why he’d been off last night.
But, they talked about everything and Christoph didn’t want the position. No, there was more there, what, he didn’t know. For now. Later, he would ask his brother. After a shower and coffee to dull the ache in his head. One problem at a time. He padded out to his kitchen, uncaring of his state undress.
Shifters had no issues with nudity, and if he could walk around without clothes all the time, he would. He stood in front of his coffee maker and simultaneously cursed the machine as he praised it for being automated. When it was finished, he grabbed a cup and poured some. He blew on the hot brew then took a sip. The caffeine hit his system pushing back some of the sleepiness. By the third swallow, he felt a little more human and less run over by a truck.
Wilhem scratched his chest as he leaned against the counter and stared out the balcony window, overlooking Cape Town. Today, he and Christoph turned thirty-five. Shit, they were getting old. He smirked. Not really, they could live a couple of hundred years and never show their age. Neither of them knew their father’s exact age other than he appeared to be seventy.
“Good genes,” he’d tell them.
Shit, thinking about the old man reminded him of his problems and allowed the dull pounding of his headache to return. How did he find his mate, when he didn’t even know her name? She’d been a vision in cream and gold. He dreamed of her. The way her dress flowed around her, giving him a glimpse of her mocha skin, and the full curves of her tear-drop shaped breasts… shit, he even dreamed about the chocolate depths of her eyes. The way her lips curved in a smile. He even dreamed of her naked, arching to him as he claimed her.
His balls throbbed. Shit, stop thinking about it. He couldn’t though. He wanted her with a single-minded determination. Wilhem growled. Thinking about her and finding her were two different things. Later he would reprimand her for walking away without at least telling him her name. After pouring the remains from his cup, he set about getting ready for work. Just because it was his birthday didn’t mean he didn’t have work to do. They had three more events for the weekend and three parties for the following week. Most were already set, however a few were still missing some key components.
He showered quickly then dressed. As he grabbed his wallet, a knock came at the door. He snorted, Sandy. He grabbed the handle, and opened it. “You should— Bro?”
Christoph pushed into his apartment, and shut the door behind him. “I meant to call but I thought doing this in person was more important. The attendant thought I was you last night and gave me this.”
He produced a business card. Wilhem took it. Samiyah Lisimba, advocate, lawyer. He stared at it. His fingers traced the bold embossed script. He brought the card to his nose and inhaled. The lingering scent of jasmine and sage filled him.
“Her number is on the back,” his brother informed him.
“No. We’re not going to call her. I’m going down to her office to find out what happened last night.”
Christoph bobbed his head. Again, his scent changed. “Good, you should be happy.”
Wilhem narrowed his eyes. “You said something last night that I should have asked you about.”
His brother took a step back. “Oh, what?”
“You, without prompting, told me what she smelled like. Jasmine and sage. Is she your mate?”
Christoph’s eyes went wide. He shook his head vigorously. “No. She is yours brother. I’m sure it was a perfume, nothing more.”
No. It hadn’t been. He tasted the bitterness of his brother’s lie and frowned. “Then you don’t have a problem with me claiming her as mine own?”
“None. She is the woman for you, brother. She will make you happy, and you will become alpha, appeasing our father.”
He said all the right words, yet Wilhem couldn’t help but hear the note of sadness in his voice, like he’d given up. “You’re lying to me, brother.”
Christoph shrugged, not meeting his gaze. “It is what it is.”
He turned to walk away and Wilhem stopped him. “It doesn’t have to be.”
His brother laughed. “If only. Take your mate. Go visit father. Give him tons of grandbabies so the remainder of his years are plentiful and filled with happiness.”
Shit. “I won’t unless you are there. I can’t.”
“You have to. It is your sworn duty.” Christoph exited his apartment, the soft click of the door closing sounded like a gunshot going off in his head. His brother was hurting.
He caused it, though he hadn’t done a thing. “Shit.” He flipped the card over and ran his thumb across the phone number written there. He had to fix this. There were no rules about sharing a mate. However, they’d never done it before, and the implications of such were unknown. Would it also mean he’d share the alpha duties with his brother? Would Christoph be Wilhem’s second? Did it matter?<
br />
No. It didn’t. He only cared about his brother and this stupid whatever the hell was going on between them. The fact he could lie to Wilhem so easily disturbed him on a baser level. He and Christoph never lied to each other before now. They’d always been open about their feelings. Their wants and wishes.
He’s doing this for you. The thought stabbed Wilhem in the heart. He couldn’t bear the thought of watching his brother step back to give him what, in some respects, he wasn’t sure he desired. He loved his father greatly, but to be alpha would also mean giving up the things he built with his brother.
He sat on the couch. What did he do now?
***
Samiyah sat at her desk unable to concentrate. Bibi hadn’t shown up for work, and she hadn’t heard from the twin lions from the night before. Her inner kitty was growing restless by the hour. Last night had been fun. Different and a bit out of control in some respects. She enjoyed playing with the humans who hadn’t realized they were in the presence of a goddess.
They didn’t go out of their way to appease her or ask her for guidance, and they accepted the gifts she gave them freely without demands to stop or give them more. She fed off of it too. She’d be lying if she said otherwise. If children were born out of her little enhancement, well, their offering of praise would be enough. Some still believed in her.
She glanced at the clock on her laptop and frowned. She’d sat there for three hours, doing nothing. Staring out into space, why? She didn’t understand her perplexing situation. She never dawdled when it came to work, however today, she couldn’t concentrate on anything sitting before her or on her computer.
A soft tap came at the door and she lifted her head. “Yes?”
The door opened, and there he stood. All six-foot plus of him. His blue-eyes darkened, swirling with intent and purpose. His sandy-blond hair lay on haphazard directions as though he’d been running his fingers through it. The grim set of his lips didn’t bode well for her though, as his powerful body pushed through the entry of her office.
“Why did you leave so abruptly last night?” No pleasantries. Interesting. Wilhem took a seat across from her. “It would have been nice to hear you say your name, Samiyah, instead of reading it this morning.”
She dipped her chin. Yes. She should have introduced herself. Hindsight was twenty-twenty though. “My apologies. My assistant became ill at the party and had to leave. I followed her to make sure she’d be okay.” Not all of the truth, but also not a complete lie either.
“The girl who followed you around?”
She nodded.
“Is she okay?”
The words were on the tip of her tongue to explain it all, but it would bring Wilhem into a situation neither of them had any business intruding on. She’d given Edmundo her word. “I believe so. I haven’t heard from her this morning though.”
He sat for a moment, staring at her. The intense scrutiny heated her skin, while also making her want to crawl out of it. It aroused her to the point of pain. To the point she’d dare to ask what he wanted of her and she’d give it. If only to feel his hands on her, instead of his eyes.
“You are my mate,” he whispered.
She took a second to be sure she heard him right. “Yes. But no.”
“You are Christoph’s as well.”
She gaped and glanced up at him. The darkness fled from his blue eyes, leaving their crystal clarity. “Yes.”
“I’m glad you didn’t lie like my brother did,” he replied. “We have to figure out the best way to approach him.”
“Approach him?” It didn’t make sense. Then she remembered last night. The way he held himself apart from her after the soul aching kiss he bestowed on her. “Yes, I agree. He seemed… intense last night.”
“I think you mean lost.” Wilhem chuckled. The sound wasn’t happy or sad. It was just there. Almost as though if he didn’t laugh, he’d rage and destroy things. Funny how she knew such things without truly knowing the man.
“Perhaps,” she answered. “What do you require of me?”
Chapter Seven
Christoph sat behind his desk, making the last few calls he had to before leaving. Sandy had come in to talk him out of taking off. It was time though, he and Wilhem had been connected at the hip for years. They were their own men. Thirty-five, today as a matter of fact. Shouldn’t they want to be individuals instead of twins?
He rubbed his chest where his heart lay, hating the idea of leaving Wilhem behind, but what more could Christoph do? They couldn’t share a mate. They had never truly shared anything before. He was the afterthought for his parents. Though they loved him, he never held their attention.
Shit. Now he sounded like a spineless bastard, crying about his mommy never loving him or caring about him. His parents were good people, caring people. They did everything in their power to make both him and Wilhem happy. None of this was their fault. Their father deserved to live out the rest of his days in happiness.
Christoph frowned. Why couldn’t he have fallen for their new assistant? Why did he have to fall for his brother’s mate? He could go around and around on this subject, but nothing would change. He’d continue to ask the same damn questions and get the same damn answers every time.
Still, the niggle at the back of his neck told him he made a mistake trying to leave. He should stay and fight. However, laying claim to the alpha-aparent’s mate could also end in his death. Shouldn’t he at least consider it? It would be better than throwing his life away. He’d die with dignity. Some peace in knowing he stuck up for himself.
Yet, he couldn’t do it. He’d already tucked his tail and gave up so much. To put this out there could backfire in his face. What if she didn’t feel it too… No. She did. The way she pressed against his body, each of her curves molded to him, engulfing him in a warmth he’d never experienced before. He groaned. Just remembering last night, the fleeting moments with the woman who turned him into a spineless lion, turned him on to the point of pain. He had to get the fuck out of there. Soon.
“I’m sorry you can’t go in there,” Sandy called out. “He’s busy.”
“He’ll see me,” a woman… the woman. The velvety sound of her voice had his dick throbbing behind the fly of his slacks. “He has to.”
He pushed away from his desk as the door opened, and there she stood. His breath left him on a whoosh. She was dressed in black pants and a white silk blouse. His mouth went dry. Today she left her hair down. The spring curls begged for him to run his fingers through them, and the hint of something more in her dark-brown eyes had his gut knotting with anticipation.
Last night she’d been stunning. Standing there now, she left him utterly speechless. He followed the deep line of her shirt’s lapels and swallowed hard. His heart thundered. His palms were sweaty. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.
“Miss, you shouldn’t be in here,” Sandy implored, knocking Christoph out of his stupor.
“It’s okay, Sandy. I know her.” He motioned for the chair in front of his desk. “Please. Sit.”
Sandy gave him a look. “Are you sure?”
He nodded. “Yes. I must speak with her.”
“Samiyah,” the woman answered.
“Yes, Samiyah,” he replied. “Sandy, why don’t you order some lunch, and we’ll discuss the other business later.”
“Of course. Right away,” she replied, hurrying from his office.
When the door finally closed, he turned his attention to Samiyah. “What are you doing here?”
“To apologize for last night. I believe I didn’t explain myself well enough. Maybe.” She folded her hands and laid them on his desk, sitting forward slightly. “We got off on the wrong foot.”
“The kiss and the spell. I understand. I didn’t tell my brother if that is your worry.”
She shook her head. “No. The spell didn’t affect you. I played with the humans last night.”
“And the kiss?”
“Incredible,” she
answered.
Christoph growled, not wanting to entertain her follies any longer. “Do not play with me.”
She arched a brow. “Careful, kitty. Don’t insult me with your disdain.”
Christoph frowned. “You caused unrest last night. Threw my body out of whack, and now I need to be careful of what I say? Like you were careful with what you did to all of us? Was any of it real?”
“All of it,” she murmured. She sighed. “You and Wilhem are my mates. I can’t explain how or why, but it is the truth. You realize this, but you fight it. Why?”
“Because you messed with us. You cast a spell and messed with everyone’s libidos. Made it so everyone would fornicate. How do I know you didn’t do the same to me?”
“I would never.”
“So if we would have fucked last night, you would have stayed by my side and told my brother?”
She sat there for a moment, studying him. He hated it. His lion clawed at his insides, demanding he be let out to show her the error of her ways. Instead, he gripped the arms of his chair and held himself in place.
“Yes, then I would have taken both of you to my bed and claimed you as mine.” The determined set of her jaw matched the challenging glare in her eyes. “Would you like to see for yourself, now?”
Fuck yes. “No. It does neither of us any good. I have a trip planned. Perhaps when I return, you and Wilhem will be established well enough to forget about me.”
“You’re a hard-headed male, aren’t you?”
“I am a lion after all,” he snarled. “You deserve my brother. He will take care of you. Love you. He will give you cubs and a happy life.”
“I don’t want only him,” she snapped. “I need you as well. I want your cubs as well. I want to be happy with you too.”
“Sorry, it doesn’t work that way. My brother is about to become the alpha of our pride, and his mate will rule by his side. I can’t interfere in this. I have to finally step aside so he can take his rightful place of honor.”