by M. L. Briers
“Old family friend…” Caleb said – watching with amusement as the vampire squirmed under the witch’s magic. “And when I say old…” He shrugged.
“Oh.” Rachel pulled her magic back and heard the vampire groan.
“So not only are the wolves vomiting Christmas this year – but now they’re collecting strays.” Jeff huffed.
“Watch it.” Caleb bit out on a warning growl and Jeff rolled his head on his neck and his eyes in his head.
“Oh no… not a damn mate.” Jeff gave an overly dramatic sigh.
“Be nice.” Dani growled and backed it up with something of a death glare.
“We’re going to be life long friends and braid each others hair.” Jeff announced with a little too much enthusiasm. Then he was dead pan again. “My life long is obviously better than yours.” He smirked.
“Where’d you dig this one up from – the looney bin?” Rachel curled her top lip in disdain.
“You’d think, but no. We sort of inherited him.” Caleb chuckled.
“Watch it, pup.” Jeff folded his arms across his chest and frowned back at the beta.
“So, he’s like a dusty old heirloom that you can’t sell at auction because nobody else wants one.” Rachel nodded.
“I’ll have you know that I’m a valued member of this pack.” Jeff tossed back. He kind of liked the witch – she was feisty, and he liked feisty.
“With an identity crisis. Has anyone tried explaining to him that he’s not a wolf?” Rachel whispered up to her mate.
“I think he’s gone a little senile.” Caleb whispered back to the sound of Dani giggling again.
“This is going to be so much fun.” She enthused.
“Yes.” Jeff eyed the ceiling. “Like super special torture.” He grumbled.
“You’ll have to excuse Jeff, he doesn’t do well with change.” Dani grinned.
“For a few hundred years now, I’m guessing.” Rachel shot him a mischievous smile. “But what’s a witch or three between friends?”
“Three!” He spat out. “Oh, say it ain’t so.” He turned pleading eyes towards Dani.
“Ha! Read ‘em and weep. I’m not the only female in this house anymore.” Dani crowed.
“Excuse me while I go outside and hang myself from Santa’s sleigh… several times.” He turned and stalked off.
“Don’t mind him. He’ll grow on you.” Dani chuckled.
“I always wanted a moving target to practice my aim at.” Rachel tossed up a shoulder. The sound of Caleb’s chuckle drew her eyes towards him. “Now I have two.” She smirked. “Would you look at that! I guess Christmas came early this year.”
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“This is what I call sudden.” Mary frowned as she eyed the bedroom. His bedroom. His clothes scattered around – his bed… she eyed it as if it was a serpent about to strike out at her.
“I just thought you could use some alone time.” Ned frowned.
While he wanted nothing more than to get to know her better, in every sense of the word, he wasn’t about to rush her into anything.
“Did you now?” She cocked just one eyebrow in his direction. “Me or us?” She leaned in a little and eyed him with a look full of suspicion.
“Both, if you’re interested.”
Ned wasn’t going to lie to her. He didn’t want to start their relationship off on the wrong foot – anymore than it had been – he liked to call it as he saw it, and right now, he saw his mate and he knew that if he wanted to woo her – then he’d have to do it right.
“You’ll keep your paws to yourself?”
“All four of them.” Ned smiled, and that made her insides flutter with excitement.
It was kind of a strange feeling to know that she didn’t need to question if this was Mr Right. Fate said he was. It felt kind of surreal that there was no pressure in the sense of wondering if this was the one – if you would make it past the first few drinks to the meal stage… if he secretly had his mother locked in the attic…
Nope, she kind of knew what she was getting right from the word go… ish.
“Is that a promise?” Mary’s lips quirked when he looked a little uncomfortable and shuffled on his feet just enough for her to know that he was having a problem with that one…
“How about I say… for now?” Ned gave her a wicked smile.
“How about I say… until you’re asked?” Mary shot back.
“That still kind of takes the whole anticipation, surprise, and suspense thing out of it, don’t you think?” He gave her a hopeful, slightly wolfish grin, and she could see his beast just under the surface…
“Not for me.” She grinned.
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“Why would he take the damn bear?” Ernod grumbled.
“Why wouldn’t he take the bear? The man was injured and it shows a compassionate side to your alpha. If anything – I would have thought that was a bonus for you winning the bet.” Lucky snorted.
“That’s how you see it, is it?” Ernod scowled. If she was happy then he wasn’t. His instincts were right. “Nothing to do with the fact that this just puts another obstacle in the way of their mating?”
“Don’t be silly.” Lucky snorted as she fluttered in place.
“I trust ye not.” Ernod grumbled.
“It’s not like I threw the bear under the car!” Lucky protested.
“You threw the bear at the car?” Ernod’s bushy eyebrows shot up on his forehead and his nose twitched in annoyance.
“I did no such thing!” Lucky scowled back at him hard.
Ernod grumbled. He didn’t know whether to believe her or not.
Maybe she had and maybe she hadn’t. But he wasn’t about to hold his breath for her to admit it.
Well, two could play at that game.
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
~
“Oh, don’t look so damn smug.” Jeff said as Dani stalked outside the house and turned to look at the Santa’s sleigh and reindeer.
“Stop pouting, vampy – it’s only a handful of witches.” Dani grinned.
She liked Jeff, she’d been nipping at his heels since she could walk – he was kind of like the crazy Uncle that she’d never had…
“A gaggle of witches.” He folded his arms across his chest and leant against the wall. “What harm could they do?” He grumbled and rolled his eyes.
“I’m guessing not as much as a bat-tallion of female vampires.” She watched his eyes narrow and he slowly shook his head.
“Do I have to start with the mutt jokes?” He shot back and she chuckled.
“No.”
“Good. Then let’s agree to disagree.” He sighed…
“I thought you said one of my reindeer had lost their head?” Dani scowled as she turned back to the display on the front lawn.
“Wishful thinking on my part – or maybe I’m just precognitive – who can say?” He gave her a wicked grin, amusement flashing in his eyes.
“I can say that if one of my reindeer loses their head – someone will be sitting on the naughty step on the roof through Christmas dinner.” Dani berated him with just a look.
“Well, you just took the fun out of Christmas for me.” He sighed again, and she went to speak, but he held up his hand. “No – no, totally ruined it. What can I say?”
“Too much as usual.” She bit back on another scowl.
“Bah humbug.” He offered before he took off on fast legs and she snorted a chuckle.
Crazy Uncle indeed.
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~
Shaun might have been stronger than a human, but even he struggled to carry the sleeping bear shifter that he had tossed over his shoulder into the barn. He’d much preferred Carrying his mate like that.
Nessie was snapping at his heels as he went – not only a back seat driver, but a back seat walker too.
“Be careful. Don’t damage him any more than you already have!�
�� She protested and Shaun growled.
“He’s a shifter – he’s healing already.” He said, turning at the barn door to try to get her to stop fussing.
The sound of a heavy thud signalled that Riley’s head had bounced off the doorframe and that sound made Shaun grimace. Not because he gave a damn about the shifter’s head, but because Nessie’s eyes widen.
“I’d say that’s lucky for him being around you.” She offered as she placed her hands on her hips and questioned him with her eyes.
“None of this is my fault.” Shaun protested and she sighed.
“Gotta love a man who can’t take responsibility for his actions.” She snorted.
“It was your girlie car and your backseat driving that got us here in the first place.” Shaun growled.
“Yes, almost in one piece. If I’d left it up to you we’d be dead at the side of the road – probably along with the bear.”
Shaun grumbled a few curse words under his breath as he turned into the doorway and thudded the shifter’s head off the door frame again. She gasped. He froze, and then he grumbled some more as he pushed into the darkness inside.
“Why don’t you just toss him over a cliff – it’s more humane.” Her voice carried into the darkness with him.
Shaun grumbled and growled as he tossed the bear shifter down into a pile of hay. The man groaned in pain and Shaun froze again, his eyes snapping over his shoulder to see if his mate had heard that…
“I heard that!” She snapped.
“Nothing wrong with your damn hearing then.” Shaun grumbled.
“Heard that too.” She snapped back.
The alpha rolled his eyes in his head once more and took a long, calming, deep breath. His mate was trying his patience, and yet, he couldn’t kill her…
He stalked back towards the door and pushed outside and she took a few steps back to make room for him.
“That’s it?” She demanded and Shaun scowled.
“That’s it, what?” He frowned.
“You’re just going to dump him in there and leave him like that?” She demanded and watched as his eyes flicked about as if he was looking to pull the answer to that one out of thin air. Then he held up his finger…
“You’re right.” He turned back towards the door and yanked it closed. Bolted it. Then he turned back towards her, grinning.
“Asshole.” She muttered, turning on her heels and stalking back towards the car. Her car. Her poor, damaged car.
“What, you want I should get him a pillow and blanket?” He snorted. “Cabin’s this way.” Shaun said, pointing to the side of the barn.
“Sure it’s not a cliff you wanna accidentally push me off?” She muttered, but her feet changed direction and he followed on behind her.
When she rounded the barn she saw it – all of it – Christmas!
“Holy, hells bells!” Her eyes took it all in and she didn’t know where to look first.
Shaun took in the sight too. He grumbled and growled some more – it sure hadn’t looked like that when he’d left the house earlier…
“You do Christmas!” Nessie cheered right up.
“We – do – Christmas.” Shaun agreed – half grateful to his sister for putting a true smile on his mate’s face – and half wanting to kill Dani for making their cabin look like a winter wonderland at the North Pole.
If an old guy with a white beard and dressed in red came strolling along – he was so going to let his wolf eat him.
“Yea!” Nessie clapped her hands together and started for the cabin on a slow walk that allowed her to take in all of the display… “Santa’s sleigh and reindeer – it’s so cute…” She chimed up and then shot him a scowl. “Don’t go near the reindeer.”
He reached up and scratched at his head. He was still feeling a little guilty over what he’d done to her toy.
“Can’t say my wolf won’t pee up a leg or two.” He grinned, but the icy glare in her eyes made him clear his throat and drop that grin. “Or not.” He muttered.
“I guess you have a tree.” Nessie asked as she started for the cabin door.
“Oh yeah.” Shaun held onto the growl that threatened to rumble through him at the thought of all that tinsel. “Thanks for reminding me.” He muttered again.
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“It’s a bedroom.” Rachel shrugged her shoulders.
With the biggest damn bed in it that she had ever seen. A person might need a map to navigate their way back out of it. Not that the thought of getting out of bed concerned her right then – she was more interested in what would happen if she climbed into it with him.
The man was definitely eye candy, and if he’d been a one night stand then she might have hopped right into that enormous bed and did what came naturally, but this man wasn’t a one night stand or a holiday romance – he was for life.
That gave her pause for thought.
No more city living – no more Sunday mornings – we’ll more like brunch by the time that she’d dragged her backside out of bed – in the local coffee house, she highly doubted that they even had a local coffee house. No more freedom to do as she pleased with her time and energy, not that she thought she’d have much energy after a night in bed with him…
The ball and chain.
The worst half.
Him indoors…
Those thoughts worried her as much as they excited her.
She’d flown by the seat of her panties for most of her life and now she wasn’t supposed to think about the biggest decision of it? She was supposed to just trust in fate – Pah!
“It’s our bedroom.” Caleb offered her another pantie dropping, sexy grin, and she rolled her eyes away from him, because it was just so tempting to get lost in those soulful eyes of his.
“Then I want that bed in our divorce.”
“You want a divorce?” He chuckled.
“Sure. I mean. It’s been fun, but it feels stale. Maybe it’s me and not you… no, it’s you. I’m just not getting that same buzz that I used too.” She shrugged her shoulders again and flicked a look out of the corner of her eye at him – he was still grinning.
“Maybe I help you with that?”
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
~
It hadn’t been meant as an invitation.
Caleb was behind her in a heartbeat and she caught her breath as her head flicked to the side and she caught a look at him out of the corner of her eye – still grinning – only now there was a low, deep growl rumbling through his chest, and she could feel the heat of his body through her clothes.
He was the whole package. Sexy – funny – a man’s man. He had strength of body and strength of character – and he could be very charming…
But a mate was for life…
“I’m good, thanks.” Rachel wanted to step away from him, and yet, just like his wolf, she didn’t want to be seen as weak, backing down, running away…
But he was dangerous, she could already feel her body trying to melt against his…
That damn mating pull!
“You ever do anything just because you were told not to?” Caleb asked against her ear and his heated breath against her skin made her shiver inside – her stomach flipped over, and a rush of something potent shot straight to her womb.
“Sure.” Rachel’s brain was having a short circuit. She knew the moment that the word was out that she wanted to snatch it back…
“Don’t kiss me.” Caleb whispered at just the right level that her ears had to strain to hear him, and that opened up her body to knowing his, getting that much closer, because she’d attuned herself to him…
“Does that line work?” Rachel slapped herself right back into the real world.
“Don’t know yet, but it’s looking good from where I’m standing.” The sound of his deep chuckle seemed to roll over her skin like a lover’s touch, and oh what a touch that was..
It felt good.
So good.
Too good, and she wanted more.
“I think that you think that you’re irresistible.” Rachel scoffed.
“I think, given enough time together, we both know that I am.”
Never had a truer word been spoken. That mating pull would be working on her psyche no matter what she did.
Given enough space she might have been able to fend it off, tell herself it wasn’t there, but… and it was a big but… did she really want to waste all of that time and energy fighting her fate?
“So, you’re either going to charm my knickers off or wait until they fall off of their own accord?” She said.
She was getting used to the idea. It didn’t ping all of her alarm bells at once anymore.
Maybe because she knew that there wasn’t a damn thing that she could do to stop that from happening. Fate was fate.
“Personally…” He breathed against her ear once more and every hair on her body stood to attention. “I’d like to rip them off.”
Oh, he certainly knew exactly what he was doing – that description became a thought – that thought became an image – and that damn image slammed into her mind and fixed in place, playing on repeat over and over again.
Her womb didn’t just do a happy dance – it was twerking like a she-demon after a few bottles of Sambuca…
“Would that be with your teeth?”
She could have slapped herself upside the head – but that super sexy image that kept playing in her mind – over and over like a damn GIF that you couldn’t swipe away from fast enough – had made her super stupid…
Caleb didn’t answer – because he couldn’t – because he was sure that he was drooling at her words and the image that was flashing in his mind like a billboard on overdrive.
The hungry growl that rattled through his chest would not be suppressed even if he was drowning in the ocean – he’d go down gurgling away, but boy would he be a happy man with a damn big grin on his face…
“Witch got your tongue?” She crowed.
That was when she made her second mistake. She turned on the spot to look up at him – she wanted to see his face – if his growl was anything to go by then she’d blindsided him, in a good way.