“Doesn’t matter which. They both need to die.” Jolie had never heard her mother sound so fierce, and as both men agreed with her, Jolie knew that if anyone could keep her safe, it was the people in this room. Not that she wasn’t still livid with her mother for all of the secrets.
“Dad, Jolie needs to talk to her mom about … things. Let’s take a walk around the property and give them some space.”
She could kiss him. He saw her need and made it happen. A girl could get used to that.
His father agreed and off they went, promising to be within shouting distance, but not earshot. It sounded to Jolie like she had a lot more to learn about her shifter boyfriend—stepbrother—mate—whatever he was. They waited a good five minutes before either began to speak. Jolie let her mother lead the timing. She knew better than Jolie when they might be out of eavesdropping distance.
“So what are you mad at?” Her mother cut right to the chase.
“Honestly, I don’t even know any more. Everything, yet nothing.” Part of her understood why her mother had done what she had, but a larger part of her wished she had chosen differently. “Let’s start with the dreams.”
Her mother drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly as she played with the clasp of her bracelet. “The dreams. I didn’t realize you were having them until recently. If I had, I would have come to you.” The fidgeting continued, and Jolie wanted to tell her mom to cut it out. It only made her more nervous than before.
“When you were little, I told you stories about the dreams. I figured when they happened you would tell me about them because you would be excited to be like the girl in the story. When you never came to me, I figured you had more of your father’s genes than mine and let it go.”
Well, there went some of her anger. Her mother’s logic was sound. She always wanted to be like the little girls in all of the stories. She even pretended to be a frog for a week after reading a book about a girl who turned into a frog when she kissed a prince instead of turning a frog into a prince.
“What about the part where you were still with my dad?”
“That’s complicated.”
“Dumb it down for me then, Mom. I never knew him, and it sounds an awful lot like I could have.”
Jolie thought she saw something move out of the corner of her eye, but when she looked more carefully she realized it was simply a bird nesting on the bush in front of the window. This people trying to kill her thing was turning her paranoid.
“He couldn’t have been in your life. You have to know someone in order to get into their dreams, and I’m not powerful enough to draw two people in. I tried for years with less than zero success.” Her mother came and sat beside her. “My grandma would have been able to do it, but she was gone before I even knew you were coming. She was much more powerful than I am. She could even tell bits of the future.”
“I sort of can do that.” Jolie faced her mom. “I sometimes get feelings, but I've never been able to interpret them before it is too late.”
“You are so much like my grandma. She told me she wished she never had the power for all the good it did.” That sounded oh too familiar. “I really would have helped you meet your dad if I could; you have to believe me. We pretended to break up when I found out you were coming and developed the appearance of a serial dater. It worked for so many years, and then when he died, I was so selfish. I wanted it to be safe for you, and I brought you to the funeral. That has to be how they found out.” Her mother had tears running down her cheeks. “I-I am the reason you are in danger.”
She pulled her mom into a hug. “No, Mom. Evil is the reason I am in danger. You are simply the reason I am pissed off.” That got a halfhearted smile from her mom. “Seriously, how long did you know you were going to marry Garrick?”
“That’s complicated.”
“Because the rest of this is easy?”
“No, because he is the alpha.” Huh? Not where Jolie thought this had been going. “When Jesse’s mom died, he was crushed, and the pack was on him to take a new mate even though they all knew that he was not going to ever find a true mate again. They only get one.”
Jolie wanted to ask how Jesse’s mom died and why the pack gave a rat’s patootie, but now didn’t feel like the best of times to do so.
“When your father died, I agreed to help Garrick out. I have always loved him in a way. Not at all the way I had loved your father, mind you. No one could fill that void, but he is a good and true friend.”
Jolie pulled back from her mother.
“When did you find out about Jesse and me?”
Her mom went back to playing with her bracelet again. “I sort of knew … after prom.”
“What?!” Jolie stood up out of her mother’s reach.
“It was only a guess, but Garrick was so happy that his son found his mate … in a dream wearing a blue prom dress with an old fashioned hair comb.”
Something was not right about this whole thing. “Wait, how did I get in his dream if I never met him?”
“My guess is because you’re mates, but that is only conjecture. It never happened to me or any of the women in my family.”
Jolie began pacing as her mother had been earlier.
“So, is this only a woman thing?”
“I don’t know for sure. Maybe? As far back as I can tell, there were no boys born on my mom’s side.” Jolie was sure she saw a wolf in the distance and gave a wave. Might as well let them know that no blood was being spilled. “That is why we are all Skulds. To keep the name going. Some as middle names, or in our case, as a last name.”
“Can you teach me to control my dreams?”
Her mom shook her head. “I wish it were that easy. You already have better control over yours than I do. It took me a year of being away from your father before I could connect with him, and you found your mate before you even met.” Not the answer Jolie was hoping for, but it explained why her mom had not tried to do more than let her know powers existed. Her mother was not even in control of her own.
“We’re done,” Jolie shouted.
“Are we?” Her mom stood to join her. “I really did try to do right by you.”
It broke Jolie's heart to see her mom like this. “I know, Mom, and I’m not mad. It is just a lot to take in.” Truer words were never spoken.
“And Jolie ...” Her mom hugged her tight and leaned close to Jolie’s ear, whispering, “Don’t let him bite you until after we figure this all out. There is a possibility someone at the funeral is responsible for part of this, and we don’t need to draw that kind of attention to you. Mother and daughter being mated to the Alpha and Beta when the daughter is of legends could be a bad thing.”
The door opened before she could respond. Why had she called them already? She wanted to kick her own chunk.
“Glad to see no one is bleeding and all the furniture is in one piece,” Garrick teased. “Jesse and I talked, and we think that if Liv and I go home as if nothing is going on, that would be for the best. You and Jesse stay here for the night. Eat and rest for tomorrow. We need to come up with a fool proof plan. No way am I letting my son lose his mate before they have a long life together.”
Jolie could hear the longing in her stepdad’s voice. To lose your true mate had to be horrific. Maybe he and her mom could make something of their life together, but both of them would always carry their hearts in pieces. She hurt for them.
“Sounds like a plan.” Jesse was now beside her. “We will meet tomorrow for brunch.”
They said their goodbyes and relief filled her when they drove away. She loved her mom and appreciated all that Garrick had done for her family, but pretending to hold it all together was tiring. She didn’t know if it was the mate thing or his personality, but she didn’t feel that burden around Jesse.
Tonight she wanted a good meal, a hot shower, and some even hotter lovin’. Not necessarily in that order.
Three Hots, of the Very Best Kind
“I thought they
would never leave.” Jesse’s breath was hot on her neck and her knees almost gave way. “Whoa, let’s get you something to eat.”
Jolie turned in his arms so she faced him. “That wasn’t due to hunger.” Her voice gave away her meaning even if the words did not.
“Oh, sweetling.” He pulled her in close and rested his head on hers. “You’re killin’ me. I am over here working so hard to take care of you and you say things like that.” The bulge now pressing against her belly gave no room for insecurity to settle in. He really was trying to be a nice guy. Darn him.
“Fine.” She faux pouted and pulled away. “Let’s see what is in this kitchen that qualifies as both fast and a meal.” She walked toward the kitchen and stopped as a hand landed on her shoulder.
“I can cook, you know.”
“Of that I have no doubt.” They had quickly passed by the kitchen of his house on the way here, and it was fit for a world class chef. “But I have been in the dorms eating cafeteria food and only had kitchen facilities good enough to make insta-noodles. I would love to get my hands on this kitchen.”
“Together?”
“Together.” She liked the sound of that. It had been a long time since she had had someone to do things together with. Her roommate last year was a last minute fill in and not what she would call hitting the jackpot.
They looked through the kitchen, and she was amazed by how well stocked it was. Garrick and Jesse must need to get away often. It was probably necessary due to them being alpha and beta, not that she knew what those titles meant more than a ton of responsibility.
She didn’t know a lot about wolves, and most of what she did know was from stories, so they were probably not all that accurate. Well, except the ones from her mom. Those were probably spot on. She had to give it to her mom; she was creative in her education, and it made the transition into this crazy a lot easier, even if it had pissed her off initially.
They were able to pull together a quick meal of fresh—well, frozen but fresh-ish—pasta with chicken and a homemade Alfredo sauce and a salad. She enjoyed cooking with Jesse, even if the meal was a simple one. He really did know his way around the kitchen, and they ended up with a dish worthy of guests.
They chatted about everything from school to politics to what kinds of things there were to do in Twin Oaks. It felt very much like a typical first date. Not that she wanted a typical first date. She wanted to eat, bathe, and get naked in any order, and if she played her cards right she would repeat those steps before their brunch in the AM. Maybe twice.
“Can I ask you something?” Jesse asked between bites.
“Anything.” And she meant it. This connection they had, be it fate or happenstance, was getting stronger by the second. The more time she spent with him, the more time she needed with him.
“Why do you live at the dorms?”
Jolie looked at him, trying to figure out what he was getting at.
“I mean, you and your roommate don’t even know each other. She didn’t think twice when I said who I was, and a true friend would have seen a red flag at a new relative she had never heard of showing up.”
“Truth. We’re not friends, but the person I was supposed to room with ended up transferring last minute and she was a fill in. She’s not so bad though.” He laughed at her blatant lie. “Well, she could be worse. She wasn’t a druggy or anything.”
Jesse grabbed some more pasta. He probably hadn’t eaten since breakfast either. “You still didn’t answer my question, Jolie. Why the dorms when off campus is cheaper?”
“Well.” She put down her water glass. “If I stay in the dorms, I have to come home at breaks and during the summer.”
“And …”
“And my mom can’t argue with the dorms being closed, but she would argue with me leaving my responsibilities. I didn’t want her to be alone. I didn’t know about my dad, and she was always working or home.” Jolie put her fork on her plate after taking her last bite.
“What about now?”
Ahh, so this is what he was getting at.
“Now, I have no idea.” It was the truth. If people were still trying to kill her, she wasn’t going to bring that kind of danger into the dorms, and if the danger was gone, could she be that far away?
“When I said I was there for work, the day I was snooping in your dorms, I wasn’t lying. I was offered a huge project to create an off campus housing complex.” That sounded promising. “It will take at least two years if I accept.”
If. That was the crux of it, wasn’t it? “My mom says you’re a beta.”
“I am Beta, but that doesn’t mean I need to be here all of the time. It means I am second in charge and need to be ready to help or take over in crisis, and that one day, barring any challenges to my birthright, I will be Alpha.”
“So you are going to be in the same town as me?” She liked the sound of that. It would definitely heat up her year.
“I was hoping to. I don’t usually even look at projects of this scope, but Mama told me to.” He took his last bite. Dinner was almost over. Thank goodness. She loved the chatting, but being this close but not close enough was almost overwhelming. “I had already talked to them a few times when we met at the funeral. When Dad told me to check on you at my last meeting, it was like I hit the jackpot. Of course he meant from afar, but …”
“Mama knew.” Jolie was going to have to spend some quality time with Mama. Maybe she could help her figure out her powers a bit more.
“Yeah, Mama knew.” He picked up his plate and started to stand and she did the same. “I can get your plate, you know.”
“This is faster.” She replied with a wink. No playing coy tonight. Who knew what tomorrow would bring?
They had the table clean and dishes done in a flash and reality was starting to sink in. She was doing this. Not in a dream, but in real life. She walked over to him, stood on her tippy toes, and gently placed her lips in the spot just below his ear. She gave a slight kiss before asking, “So what do you want to do now?”
He scooped her up and was down the hallway before what was happening registered. He seemed to have no trouble carrying her excessive curviness, and she relished in the feeling. As they reached the bedroom door, the reality of what was about to happen hit her. She was going to be with Jesse, for real, and unlike the lust induced haze that had her practically here twice before, this time she had some rational sense left.
“What’s wrong, beautiful?” He must have sensed her nerves kicking in. He walked over to the chair and sat down, never letting her go. “Jolie? What happened between the kitchen and here?”
“Nothing happened.” It was a bold faced lie, but what can you do? It was embarrassing.
“Jolie, I could feel it the moment it happened.” Well, boo on that, he was not letting it go.
“Fine.” She sighed sounding like a childish brat. She reined that in quickly. “You’re right. Something happened, but not really. I just thought about what was going on and panicked.”
“Panicked? I don’t understand. I thought this is what you wanted.” He pulled her in close. “We will never do anything you don’t want. You know that, right?”
Great, now he thought she was worried about him being a rapist. She was getting this all messed up.
“Oh, Jesse, never in a million years would I have thought that.” She pulled on her imaginary big girl panties. “The thing is, that first day I met you, hormones were overwhelming and I couldn’t keep away my hands off of you.”
“I remember.”
She was sure that if she looked up he would be smirking.
“I was the same.”
“That was very unlike me, you see, and it freaked me out once you left and the hormonal magic was gone.”
“I didn’t know you regretted it.” His voice was heavy.
“Oh, heck no, I didn’t regret it. It was amazing, well, until you told me I was a dick.”
“I believe I said it was a dick move.” A hint of humor w
as in his voice.
“Yeah, well, anyway.” This next part was going to be more embarrassing, but he needed to know. It was only right. “When you were in my room, my tiny, tiny room, with the door shut, the hormones were even more powerful.” She felt his erection beneath her. Oh, he remembered. “And then we got all naked and sweaty and you asked me for a condom.”
“I remember.” He gave her backside a playful smack. “You didn’t have any and effectively cock blocked us both. Not that I had one either.”
“Yeah, why was that?” She had thought it odd at the time, but lust made all brain power pretty fuzzy that evening.
“Why would I have condoms?”
“Umm, you’re a dude?” Wasn’t that their job?
“Well, that is true, but I didn’t carry any because I didn’t need any.” He kissed the top of her head. “I wasn’t planning on doing more than spotting you from a distance that day. I still hadn’t figured out how this mate thing and stepbrother thing could possibly work, so I planned to stay away until I did. Besides, I haven’t had a condom in my wallet in years.”
“Years?” Please don’t be one of those guys who has unprotected sex.
“Yeah, since you came to me in your blue dress. I knew then that I had to stop being a boy and become a man. You were coming, and I needed to be worthy.”
She may not have remembered that dream, but Jesse not only remembered it, he changed his life around because of it.
“You knew?” She could feel tears welling in her eyes, and she tried to will them away. “You knew from that one dream, one I am horribly sad I can’t remember. You changed everything from that brief moment in time when I came to you in my silly prom dress with hurt feelings.”
“Pretty much sums it up.” He tilted her chin so she was forced to look at his face. “I think we got off topic, love. What were you trying to tell me?”
“Well, I was trying to tell you that …” This was even harder while she looked at him. She was such a sexual being in their dreams, and in real life she had only less than no experience. At her age, she might as well be a unicorn. “I didn’t have any condoms that day because I didn’t need any … well, except right then.”
Beyond The Veil: A Paranormal & Magical Romance Boxed Set Page 69