The vision ended. I pressed my hands to my eyes, confused. Give me more, brain, come on.
It was hot, and weird. I couldn’t imagine Xavier letting me have full control. I liked it, but I was also confused. Still—goddess? Not bad. Maybe I’d convince him to play out that future now.
Nothing was going to make me miss out on the hunky slab of hotness currently sleeping in my bed. After washing my face, I returned to the covers to snuggle up with my ex.
13
XAVIER
Morning light crept through Kelly’s bedroom curtains. After the hottest sex of my life on the stairwell, I’d carried her over my shoulder to her bed, where I’d made her come two more times before letting her sleep. At that point, I’d texted Clyde, trying to keep him from showing up in Forbidden, or sending someone else. They wouldn’t understand.
Kelly’s face looked angelic and sweet, but her breathing had changed and I could tell she’d be waking soon.
As content as it made me feel to give her pleasure, uncertainty still lingered.
She peered up at me through her thick lashes. “Awake already?”
With a stretch, her naked breasts pulled against the sheet, nearly slipping out into the cold morning air. I was tempted to take a breast into my palm, rub a thumb over her nipple and watch her arch her body against me. I could go for another round.
“Xavier?” She spread her fingers over my chest.
My voice came out like gravel as I responded, “Yes?”
“We didn’t talk about what happened,” she said.
“Do you want to?”
“Hell no,” she said. “But say...hypothetically, if two people had a terrible past, they’d be worried that their future could be terrible, too, right?”
“Hypothetically, people could change, and learn from their past mistakes.”
“True, true. But one could see how nerves might cause one to make bad decisions, before one realized things could be different, right?”
A smile pulled at the corners of my mouth. Was this an attempt at an apology without actually saying she was sorry?
“In the same way that one could understand how hard it is to not get a real apology from one’s mate?”
She dropped her jaw and sat up in bed, pulling the sheet off of me to wrap it around herself. Shit. I’d screwed up.
“I get it,” I said. “It’s work. But with as hot and cold as things have been between us—”
“It’s not your request for an apology that has me shocked, Xavier Matthew Breene.”
I rolled to my side. “Then what?”
Kelly’s gaze roamed over my nakedness, then she cursed under her breath and narrowed her eyes at my face. “You said the biggest, baddest, most weight-filled word in shifter vocabulary.”
“Mates.” I shrugged it off like it was nothing. “I thought we were speaking in hypotheticals.”
“Nope. You don’t get to throw around that word and pretend it means nothing.”
“Okay,” I said. “Just as soon as you tell me straight about the dildo.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. You’re impossible, you know that? But I’m not going to let you bait me into a fight when I’m trying to talk about feelings.”
“Me bait you?” I bit my tongue. Nope. I didn’t want to fight. “I’ve tried giving you space, let you set the rules and the boundaries. And if you want to push me away, I’ll take it. I love you, Kelly Flowers. I always have, but it wasn’t right for us before. We weren’t right together. I know that. Now, I can’t imagine my life without you, and I don’t care if it’s scary, because it’s the truth—you are my mate. You’re it for me, even if you don’t feel the same.”
She grabbed my face and kissed me hard, stealing my words and my breath. Then she leaned her forehead against mine. “You said I had to tell you first, but I didn’t.” She laughed, pulled back and did a little dance. “I win.”
“That’s what you want to say when I bare my soul to you?”
She nodded and bit her lip like she was holding back another chuckle. “Yep. But don’t worry, I feel the same.”
I sat up and pulled her into my lap, having to hold her in my arms. “Tell me,” I said.
“I was afraid.” She put her hands on my shoulders, sliding her palms down over my collarbones.
“That I would smother you.”
“No. I mean yes, at first. But that’s not what I meant. That’s why I got the dildo. I needed an out, one that didn’t involve violence or confrontation. I needed to know that when this—” She gestured between us. “Got messy, that I didn’t have to fight with you over why we needed to stay apart. And I didn’t want it to be me who had to leave.”
“I won’t make you leave,” I said.
“I know,” she said. “But I didn’t then. And when I said that I was scared, I meant when you left. I needed space, but I didn’t want you to leave. When you did, I had a vision.”
“A vision?”
“Yeah, I see the future. It’s my vampire thing. Like how Peter can give people diseases, and Marla can manipulate people with her mind.”
“Right,” I said, still a bit confused. What else had she seen about our future?
“So in my vision, I saw a vampire hurt you. I was scared that I might lose you, because I love you.”
I let those three words sink in through my skin, through my head, my chest, and my soul.
“Tell me again,” I said.
“I love you.”
I kissed her, and I held her, and I pinned her to the bed and showed her exactly how I felt with my tongue.
KELLY SWAYED on her feet as she half-walked, half-danced across the room. Her hair was wet from her shower, which she did not let me join her for, much to my dismay. She’d said she needed time between bouts of orgasms, and as I’d promised to let her set boundaries, I’d obeyed and showered first, alone.
“You’re probably starving,” she said.
“I can always eat.”
“We should pick something up for you, especially after I fed on you. We can’t have you walking around all anemic and tired.”
“You’re worried about me,” I said.
“Never,” she teased, even though she’d already admitted the truth in bed. “Just looking out for my food source.”
“Oh, is that all I am?” I asked.
“Would it be a problem if you were?”
“No,” I answered honestly. “You biting me was hot as hell.”
It had surprised me that I didn’t mind, but I was more than down to do it again, as often as she liked. It was a new way to care for her, which soothed my inner wolf, and it was definitely my kink.
“There are at least a few other things I like about you,” she said.
“Just a few?”
“I don’t want you getting too cocky,” she said as she grabbed her coat. “Now let’s go get you some protein. Another burger, perhaps?”
“I would never say no to that.”
We headed downstairs and out the front door. Peter was silent in “his” room. I guessed that was a good thing.
Out front, there was a line of cats on the sidewalk, all sitting exactly the same way, like soldiers awaiting orders.
“This is...different,” Kelly said.
“It’s His Lordship King Snugglebumpkins,” I whispered, as if the cats would hear and somehow that would mean something. “I know you don’t believe me, but I’m telling you, something is off about him.”
“I know,” she said. “Look at him.”
At the end of the line, His Lordship lay on his back purring while Snowball licked his bean-shaped toes. On His Lordship’s other side, Meowcus Anthony licked the no-longer-scruffy cat’s tail.
“They’re grooming him,” I said.
“He hates grooming,” Kelly said. “Hey. King Kittyface.”
His Lordship turned his head, giving her a lazy look as if he wasn’t sure if he was planning on getting up or not.
“What’s wrong with yo
u?” Kelly asked, putting her hands on her hips.
He mewed, rolled to his feet, and flicked his tail at us before bolting.
“Hell no,” Kelly said, and took off at a run after the cat.
I couldn’t believe we were chasing a cat for being too clean, but here we were.
“What are you going to do when you catch him?” I asked Kelly, keeping pace by her side.
“Roll him in some mud maybe. See if that changes his tune. He’s not supposed to be like this. What if he’s possessed by the Opposite Demon?”
“The thing that made Peter flowery?”
“Yeah.”
Watching the gleaming cat race ahead of us, I asked, “Would that really be such a bad thing?”
Kelly punched my shoulder and rounded a turn down into an alley a few blocks from the tattoo parlor. His Lordship sat down, waiting for us with something shiny in his mouth. He purred and approached.
Kelly tensed beside me. “What does he have?”
His Lordship dropped a set of keys on the ground. There was a keyring attached—burned wood in a rectangle. I didn’t have to read the words to know it read The Stakehouse.
“Those are my keys,” I said.
“Did he steal them?” Kelly asked in a hopeful tone.
His Lordship nudged the keys toward us with his paw.
“I must have dropped them,” I said. “Looks like he’s returning them.”
“That bastard,” Kelly said. “Get him!”
We raced forward and tried to grab the cat, but he swerved between our legs, and down Main Street.
Kelly grabbed my keys, tossed them to me, and ran after her cat. “It is on.”
14
KELLY
His Lordship lounged in front of Eden Groceries, where he rolled on his back and allowed random strangers to pet his tummy. And instead of immediately snapping his claws over their hands and chewing off their fingers, he was purring.
“That is not my cat,” I said. “Something must be done.”
“I agree.” Xavier wore a grim expression.
“Well, let’s get him and bring him home.”
I’d thought it might be difficult to grab His Lordship, but when Xavier bent down to pick him up, His Lordship snuggled into Xavier’s arms and rubbed his cheek against Xavier’s chest. I didn’t blame the feline for his affection, because I wanted to do the same thing to Xavier on a regular basis.
But this sweet-natured kitty was not the same as His Lordship King Snugglebumpkins, who would normally be tearing apart any man who dared pick him up.
We brought him back to the tattoo parlor, where Xavier set him down. He twined about our ankles, begging for cuddles.
“We’ll have to call Yelling Man,” I said. “There’s nothing else to be done. Marla and Grayson will be back tomorrow, and I want this resolved before then.”
On the phone, Ben shouted that he’d be along shortly. When the tattoo parlor door jangled open seconds later, I looked up in shock at his speed. Did he have a teleporter or something? But it wasn’t Ben—it was a couple.
Marla and Grayson had returned.
My vampire sister was bundled up like there was a blizzard outside. Her hat and scarf covered most of her face, letting only her bluish-green eyes peek out between them, along with piles of her long blond hair. Always-brooding Grayson looked a bit less grumpy than usual, with his frown lines smoothed over, even as he carried in all of their bags.
“Hey, you two!” I said, false cheer in my voice. “How fun! You’re back a day early!”
Marla side-eyed me. “You don’t sound happy. Hey, who’s this?”
Xavier stepped forward. “You must be Marla. I’m Xavier.”
Marla looked from me to Xavier, and back to me. “I am assuming that since you aren’t struggling to keep him in a headlock, you’re okay with his presence here?”
I laughed maniacally. “Yes. More than okay.”
Xavier shook Grayson’s hand as well, and the two eyed each other like the apex predators they were, evaluating strengths and weaknesses.
“So, um, why don’t you two go upstairs and settle in?” I said, before remembering that Peter was still squatting in Marla’s apartment. Crap. “I mean, you know what? I just heard that Eden Groceries is having a big sale. Maybe you should stock up on food before settling in.”
“I don’t eat,” Marla said. “And we have plenty for Grayson in the cupboards.”
“But there’s a big sale,” I said.
“Okay,” Marla said slowly. “Would you mind telling me what’s going on?”
My shoulders slumped. “Everything. Everything is going on.”
A loud bang echoed from upstairs.
“That sound came from my apartment,” Marla said. She moved toward the stairs, but His Lordship intercepted her. “Hey you,” she said.
He purred up at her.
“Weird,” she said. “I guess you missed me?”
He resumed his ankle-twining and purring, and rubbed his face against her shin.
“This is wrong,” Marla said, pointing at His Lordship. “What the heck did you do to my cat while I was away?”
“Nothing!” I held up my arms.
“You're the worst pet sitter ever.” Marla picked up His Lordship, who gave her an affectionate lick on the cheek.
“I know,” I said. “I’m sorry.”
“I think he’s improved,” Grayson said.
Marla glared at her mate and thrust the purring cat at him. “This is not an improvement. This is an abomination.”
“So here’s the thing,” I said. “You might want to sit down for this.”
I explained the events of the previous few days, starting with Peter and Xavier’s arrival, and Peter’s possession, and Yelling Man’s involvement in solving the problem. Then I moved into His Lordship’s current predicament.
“Hold on a second,” Grayson said. “Are you telling me your vampire brother has barricaded himself in Marla’s and my apartment?”
Marla hit him. “I don’t care about that, I just want His Lordship to be well!”
“He seems fine,” Grayson said. “I’m a little more concerned about where I’m sleeping tonight.”
Xavier spoke up. “I’ve been watching the cats, and His Lordship isn’t fine. I mean, I agree, he’s a lot easier to get along with, but this isn’t really him.”
The door swung open, and Ben walked in, his white beard leading the way. Once again, he carried his golf bag and wore a pirate-style shirt. The ruffles fluttered in the breeze from the door.
He pointed at each of us. Just like last time he came here, he labeled us according to our supernatural categorization. “Vampire. Shifter. Vampire. Shifter.”
“Who’s this?” Grayson asked, looking like he was ready to defend his mate and territory, his shoulders hunched up bigger, his eyes narrowed.
“Relax, watchdog,” I said to him. “That’s Ben Griff. He does that late night radio show…” I wasn’t sure how to say Ben was Yelling Man without possibly offending Ben. Thankfully, Grayson got the hint.
“Ah, nice to meet you,” Grayson said, striding forward and shaking Ben’s hand. “I hear your show from Kelly’s apartment every night.”
I shot Marla an apologetic look. I hadn’t realized the radio was that loud.
“Sensitive ears,” she said, pointing to her own ears.
“Ah, gotcha,” I said.
“You caught me just in time,” Ben said, shaking everyone else’s hands. “I’m on my way out of town.”
“Oh, vacation?” Xavier asked, his voice a comforting rumble next to me.
“No, no,” he said. “I’m off to the Scrote convention, up in Cincinnati.”
“Uh...what?” Xavier said, cocking his head to the side.
Ben nodded. “Yes, S-C-R-O-T-E. I mentioned it last time I was here, although not by name. Members call it Scrote, for short.”
I mouthed the letters. “SCROTE. That’s a rather interesting...what’s the word for
that?” I asked.
“Oh shit, here we go again,” Grayson said.
“No, there’s a word. Not abbreviation, although it is that,” I said. Damn it, this was going to bother me.
“It’s an acronym,” Grayson said, before turning to Ben. “What does SCROTE stand for?”
“It’s the Society's Central Radio for Otherworldly Terrifying Exorcisms,” Ben said proudly, “and I’m the keynote this year.”
“Oh,” Marla said with interest. “What will you be speaking on?”
“Yelling in Style: Convincing Small Towns of the Demonic Dangers of the Universe,” Ben said. “Here’s a brochure, in case any of you want to join SCROTE.”
“Oh, um, no thank you,” Marla said, but he was thrusting it at her like a fencing foil, so she had no choice but to reluctantly take it from him.
“Hand it over,” I said. “I might want to start a radio show and fight demons.”
A cartoon illustration covered the front of the brochure. It looked almost like Ben, with his scruffy beard and straight white teeth, wearing headphones and holding a mic. A glow surrounded the cartoon Ben, and beyond it were demonic-looking faces glaring at him with frustrated expressions. I flipped the brochure over to the back, to find a logo with a radio tower, and at the base of it, two rounded hills. It was definitely phallic, but I wasn’t sure that was the logo’s intent. Beneath it was a bit of text. The Society's Central Radio for Otherworldly Terrifying Exorcisms was founded by Dr. Benjamin Griff and currently boasts several members. Join today! Visit our website for more information.
“Boasts several members?” I said aloud.
Ben ignored me and fiddled with the edge of his golf bag.
I opened up the brochure and scanned the contents. The list of topics stuck out at me, each one in bold, red writing.
Radiowaves and Demonic Possession
Thwarting Evil, One Show at a Time
Exorcisms on Air
Transdimensional Portals and the Demons That Love Them
Random Mayhem or The End of Days—A Beginners Guide
Exes and Exorcisms Page 8