by R. E. Butler
“We’re sorry that the night took the turn it did,” Vex said with a sigh.
“Don’t be. We did something really good here.”
“You did something good,” Rage said. “If you hadn’t been at the factory in the first place, you wouldn’t have scented that couple and stopped whatever devious plan the church had for us.”
“Another attack?” she asked.
“It seems likely,” Vex said. “Why else would they be instructed to take pictures of the interior and guards?”
She shivered and then smiled at her mates. “I like Arissa’s idea.”
“Are you sleepy, beloved?” Rage asked.
“Not in the least,” she said, dropping her voice low. “But I do want you to take me to bed. Someone needs to feed, and someone else needs a whole lot of pleasure.”
“Our beloved has the most amazing ideas, true?” Vex asked. He lifted Angie into his arms and kissed her.
“No one’s are better,” Rage said. He walked next to them as they left the War Room, his body strung tight and his eyes alert for danger.
It had been a strange but wonderful night. Their first date, an engagement, and hindering the church. Of all the activities that had occurred that night, she was excited for the engagement and the pleasures that lay ahead before the sun rose, but she was most grateful that she’d had the presence of mind, and the extra senses, to thwart a potential hazard to the people she now considered her family. Not her born family; not like the pack. But her immortal family, who she’d come to care about greatly in a short amount of time.
Chapter 18
The full moon came quickly, the weeks passing by with a speed that rivaled any in Rage’s memory. He thought it was because they were so busy, but it might have been simply because he was content for the first time in his life. He was blessed to be mated to such a beautiful and amazing female. She delighted him on a hundred different levels, challenging him to see the world in new ways. As a shifter, she was anxious for the coming full moon, and the decision that faced her – to attempt to hang out with pack or go to one of Mishka’s properties and hunt with him and her parents.
They’d just moved back into their renovated chamber, combining his and Vex’s chamber into one massive one. The workers had hustled to finish as fast as possible. Along with a family-room style area with comfortable couch and flat-screen TV mounted on the wall, they’d installed an electric fireplace and a mini kitchen complete with a refrigerator and electric cooktop. The cabinetry was dark wood and matched the coffee table, nightstands, and sleigh bed where they planned to rock their sweetheart’s world as often as they could.
She’d loved the chamber, from the plush navy carpet to the sconces on the walls that looked like real flickering candles. But what she didn’t know, was that while they were remodeling their chambers, he and Vex had been spending time on the club’s roof, creating what they hoped would allow her the freedom of shifting without needing to leave home. He’d gotten the idea when they’d been on the roof earlier that month waiting for the dragons. It was easy to see how fascinated Angie was by the rooftop view of the city. Several stories up in the air, it was free of the noise and crowds below.
He woke before sunset and spotted Angie pacing in the long closet of their newly renovated chamber, chewing on her thumbnail with a furrowed brow. She was troubled by the choice she had to make. Her parents were waiting for her decision, and so was her brother the alpha.
Rage slid from the bed, his feet resting on the navy, plush carpet Angie had chosen. He stalked to the closet and leaned against the doorway.
“Beloved,” he said.
She spun and faced him, her eyes swiftly taking in the fact he was still naked. His body responded, but he ignored the heat of passion that flared within him every time she looked at him.
“Did I wake you?”
“No,” he said, holding out his hand. She took it instantly, linking their fingers, and he led her from the closet and back to the bed, where she flopped next to Vex. Rage joined them, resting his hand on her stomach.
“You’re troubled,” Vex said.
“It’s the full moon. I woke up two hours ago. I wanted to... I don’t know, exactly, but I went into the closet to get dressed and all I did was pace. I don’t know what to do about tonight. My parents are waiting to hear from me, but how can I tell them that I just don’t know what I want to do?”
“What does your wolf say?” Rage asked, tracing a circle around her navel.
She giggled and shoved at his hand. “To stop tickling me. I can’t think straight when you’re touching me.”
“Sorry,” he said, kissing her swiftly.
She sighed. “I’ve had a month to make this decision and I waited for no good reason other than I don’t know the right choice.”
Vex looked at Rage and nodded. Rage climbed from the bed and went into the closet, returning a few moments later with clothing. “Let’s get dressed, there’s something we want you to see.”
“Oh?” she asked as she sat up and took the clothes he handed her. “Is it a magical decision-making machine?”
He chuckled. “Perhaps.”
“Ah, now I’m very curious.” She dressed in her traditional full moon clothes – a tank top and skirt made of lightweight, stretchy material that was easy to remove before shifting. And in the off-chance she shifted while clothed, she could get out of them herself without too much trouble. They had the added bonus, in his mind, of showing off her amazing figure. Just looking at her curves made his fangs throb and his body tighten with need.
She inhaled and let out a growl that sounded like a purr. “You guys smell so good when you’re turned on. Like spiced wine and honey.”
He grinned and hooked his arm around her waist, drawing her close. Dropping his face to her throat, he licked the column of her neck and smiled as she shivered. “You smell especially delicious when you’re turned on as well, beloved.”
Pressing her head to his check, she fisted her hands and sighed. “I wish we never had to leave the chamber.”
Vex chuckled. “As do we, sweetheart.”
“Come,” Rage said. “The surprise awaits.”
Vex pulled a blindfold from the shelf that they’d stored there for this occasion. She grinned, excitement sparkling in her lovely eyes. “You don’t trust me not to peek?”
“Not remotely.” Rage laughed as she swatted his shoulder.
They affixed the blindfold, grabbed their cell phones, and left the chamber. As they walked, he could sense her turmoil through their beloved connection. It was easy enough to access her memories, to know how much she valued her time in her shift on the full moon and the camaraderie with the pack. She wrestled now, not only with her mated status, but also the fact she wasn’t entirely wolf anymore. As she liked to say, she was “other,” and sometimes “other” meant she was no longer welcome.
She’d spoken to her parents the night before, who had promised to go wherever she wanted on the full moon. She’d also spoken at length with Adam and Cinder. But by the time the sun rose that morning, she still hadn’t decided, and judging by the dark circles under her eyes when she’d awoken that afternoon, it hadn’t been a restful sleep in the slightest.
“Adam said that a couple of families are threatening to leave tonight if we show up,” she said.
“How do you feel about that?” Vex asked.
“Pissed mostly. A little sad, too. I’ve known the pack members my entire life. It’s weird that they suddenly don’t want me around simply because I’m mated.”
“Mated to vampires,” Rage pointed out. “We can’t control what we are, but they are most likely betting that you could choose not to be mated to us.”
“If they heard what I said about our mating, they’d know I couldn’t, and I wouldn’t choose anyone but you two.”
Rage kissed the top of her head and stifled a sigh. He hated that she was torn up by her pack’s behavior. In his mind, they should have celebrated the fact
that she’d had mating dreams and finally found her truemates and welcome him and Vex into the pack. Instead, several had rebelled against Adam’s orders as alpha, going so far as to attempt a coup. He couldn’t imagine trying to dictate who Mishka or any other family member mated. The heart wanted what the heart wanted, and truemates shouldn’t be ignored.
They reached the stairs, and Rage lifted her into his arms and carried her up to the roof. Vex opened the door and Rage stepped out, setting her gently on her feet. He turned her to face him and Vex and said, “Vex and I wanted to give you a third option for the full moon.”
“Um, okay?” she said with a chuckle.
Rage tugged the blindfold off and shoved it into his back pocket, thinking it would be fun to play with another time. Angie blinked a few times and then gasped, her eyes roving around the roof. He and Vex had spent the last month converting it into a forest sanctuary. A path made of cobblestone wove through the trees and plants sitting in large containers that were covered with moss to appear natural. A fountain bubbled off the main path, providing not only a haven for birds but also a cistern to collect rain which would be used to irrigate the plants.
“How did you... when?” Her eyes were wide as she stepped away from them and reached out to a tree, grasping the branch. “It’s real!”
Rage chuckled. “It’s self-sustaining,” he explained. “One of the coven members has a landscape business, and he helped us choose trees and plants that would thrive here with minimal care. We wanted to give you the forest.”
“Oh, it’s... I can’t even describe it.”
“You can’t hunt,” Vex said, frowning. “I mean, you may find birds up here, but it’s not meant to be a hunting ground. We weren’t sure if your wolf would be content here without hunting. If it’s not what you need or want, we can–”
She screeched in dismay. “What? It’s exactly what I want!” She leaped at them, and they caught her, the happiness pouring through their beloved connection. “Is it really mine? Is it for us?”
“Yes,” Rage said, cupping her face. “A thousand times yes.”
She looked up at the sky and the full moon rising in the distance. “I think it’s perfect. My wolf is doing cartwheels right now, she’s so happy. I don’t think I need hunting, I just need to commune with my pack. You two are my pack.”
Rage was humbled by her sweet words. “You’re our family, beloved.”
She beamed at him. They gave her a tour of the rooftop forest, from the stone fountain with a carved wolf in the center to the gas firepit that would mimic the bonfire she was used to. There were wooden lounge chairs around the fire pit, a chest full of blankets and pillows for those nights when they wanted to sleep under the stars, and strings of solar lights between the trees for illumination. The family had helped them with the landscaping, and Rage and Vex had promised to throw a party on the roof to share it with them. After Angie enjoyed it first, of course.
Vex pulled her into his arms. “I can’t tell you how happy we are that you’re pleased, sweetheart. We worried that you’d feel obligated to like this, even if your wolf wasn’t content.”
She reached for Rage and pulled him to her back. She loved to be held by both of them, surrounded by them.
“I promise I love it, and so does my wolf. In case you didn’t notice, I’ve been really torn about this night. I was willing to fight for your right to be there, but it wasn’t fun for me to consider going to hunt while you waited by the bonfire. When I fantasized about being with you before we actually met, I always thought we’d be out on the full moons together. It hadn’t occurred to me that the pack might take issue with you being vampires.”
“We wish things could be different for you with the pack,” Rage said.
She shook her head. “It’s fine, really. I think it’s supposed to be this way, anyhow.”
“What do you mean?” Vex asked.
“I’m immortal. Even if Adam is alpha for centuries because of his long life, I’ll still outlive him. He and Cinder will have children and one of them could take over, but the pack isn’t a hereditary alphaship. It doesn’t pass from father to son, it passes to the strongest. I can’t guarantee that the next alpha will be willing to allow things to continue.” She wiggled from between them but kept hold of one of each of their hands. “This is perfect. It guarantees that my wolf and I don’t have to worry about where we’ll spend the full moons, and that you’ll always be with us.”
She released their hands and grasped the hem of her top. Vex laughed and stilled her hands. “You should call your parents first, perhaps?”
“Oh, right,” she said with a laugh. Rage handed her cell phone to her. “Can I invite them to visit our rooftop forest? Not tonight, but another night?”
“Of course,” Vex said. “The roof is very stable. When Mishka had the club built he designed it to be a part of the club, and he’d wanted it to be very secure.”
“That would be neat,” she said. “Why did he scrap the idea?”
“The coven was smaller then, and it wasn’t feasible to split security up for the rooftop,” Rage said.
She eyed the space. “He doesn’t want it back, right?”
Rage grinned. “No. In fact, he gave his blessing for us to enjoy it.”
“Good. I love it. I wouldn’t give it up, even for the master of the coven.” She smiled sweetly and pressed her cell phone screen. Through the speaker, they could hear the call ring. Her mother answered.
“We were wondering when we’d hear from you,” she said.
“Sorry to make you wait,” Angie said. “I wasn’t sure what to do, but Vex and Rage built me the most amazing forest on top of the club.”
There was a pause, and then her mother said, “Say that again?”
Angie said, “Hold on. Let me call you back on the video app.”
After another few swipes of her finger, Angie’s mother appeared on the phone screen. Angie pressed the button to turn the camera the other direction, and moved around the roof, pointing out all the interesting things they’d done for her. Rage and Vex followed behind, both smiling as she shared their new full moon meeting place with her mother. Her father joined in the call, his face curious and impressed.
“We’ll have you up to visit soon,” Angie said. “But I guess what I’m saying is that I don’t need to come to the pack tonight. I have my pack right here, and a wonderful place to hang out.”
“You won’t miss hunting?” her father asked.
“I don’t think so. I didn’t hunt last month and felt fine. Maybe being immortal has changed my wolf in that way as well. But if I do need to hunt, they can take me to one of Mishka’s properties. He has a cabin up north on wooded land. From the pictures, it looks amazing.”
“Well, we’re very happy to hear that you’re happy,” her mother said. “If you need us, you only have to call and we’ll come.”
“I know. Thank you so much,” she said. “I love you both.”
“Happy full moon,” her father said. “We love you, too.”
With a smile, Angie ended the call and handed her phone back to Rage. “I’m ready to shift. My wolf is itching to explore. I just hope the people down on the sidewalk don’t get worried when they hear me howl.”
Rage grinned. “Howl away, beloved. The night is yours.”
* * *
Christmas Eve was two days after the full moon. As soon as the sun set, her mates had taken her to her family’s home to celebrate. She’d eaten her fill of honey-glazed ham and all the trimmings at sunset and then opened gifts next to an enormous tree. She’d adored sharing her family’s holiday traditions with her mates. Vex and Rage hadn’t celebrated Christmas in any form aside from Mishka’s annual holiday party in centuries.
Her parents had given her art supplies, and Adam and Cinder had given her a gift card to an online store. Her family had given Vex and Rage handcrafted bulletproof jackets that looked like suede coats. Rage’s was black and Vex’s was dark brown. They were so ple
ased with the jackets that they immediately put them on and flashed Angie the sweetest smiles.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever made anything out of bulletproof material,” Lucy said. “Your father ordered it for me and I got your sizes from Angie. Cinder also added a protection spell to it.”
Angie had learned that vampires couldn’t cry when her mates had asked her to marry them and she’d teared up, but they hadn’t. What did happen, though, was that their eyes brightened when they were emotional, making it appear as if they were glowing. Rage with his chocolate brown coloring and Vex with his bronze, lit up like they were juiced with electricity. It was beautiful to witness.
“You might be able to start a business,” Angie said as she touched the soft suede. “I’ve only ever seen bulletproof clothing that looks like a tactical vest.”
“Now that would be fun,” her father said. “This might be the new chapter of our lives.”
After the gifts had been exchanged and they spent some time with her family, she and her mates returned to the club for the party, which didn’t start until 11 p.m. Already coven members were milling about in the winter wonderland that had been created by the day workers while everyone had been asleep. There were thousands of twinkle lights, piles of wrapped packages, and numerous decorated trees.
The club was closed to the public for the night. Only the coven was allowed inside. Instead of the live food, Mishka had created a “blood bar” to serve donated blood and SyBl in pretty glasses. He’d enlisted Angie to paint the glasses, and she’d spent several weeks decorating them, from whimsical snowmen to beautiful poinsettias to glittery stars. It had been hard work but also a labor of love. When Mishka suggested that the coven could take their favorite glass home as a gift, she’d been even happier to know that her creations were going to be used and not simply wiped free of paint and stored for another occasion.