by R. E. Butler
“Promise.”
She chuckled as her mom looked out at the shop again. No sexy Prince Charmings in sight.
But she’d find him. Someday.
* * *
So much had changed in the pride in the last month that Diesel hardly recognized it. Last weekend, Duke had officially taken over as alpha, along with his human heart-match Ree. She was the first human alpha female in the pride’s history, likely the first one for any lion pride ever. The pride laws relating to member’s mates had been changed, allowing males and females to mate freely with whoever they chose – whether they were different types of shifters, humans, or other paranormal beings. No matter what their mate could or couldn’t shift into, they would be welcomed into the pride as members. A pride family had tried to keep that from happening, but they’d been exiled, and all seemed to be settling down once more.
“Man, I forgot how boring it is to sit out here all shift,” Titus said, rolling his neck as he took a human male’s ID, gave it a quick look and handed it back. “Head on in, man.”
“Thanks,” the man said.
“You get used to it,” Diesel said.
“Well, I’m glad you’re happy to do it. And I’ll be doubly glad when we find someone to pick up Saturday nights for Barron.”
Barron had been given the choice of weekend nights off to spend with his new mate Mercy, and he’d picked Saturdays. They were a little short-staffed for bouncers, and Titus had put an ad online and on social media.
“Any bites on the job post?” Diesel asked.
“A few. I’ve got interviews next week, so we’ll see. No one in the pride wants to do it. Especially since we’re heading toward fall and then winter and colder temps.”
“That makes it a little uncomfortable out here, but at least we’re not as affected by the cold as humans.”
“Good point.” Titus glanced at his phone. “You ready for break?”
“Sure.”
“Send Hemi out here.”
“He says he’s keeping track of how often he has to stand in for me on break and he’s going to call all those favors in some day.”
Titus chuckled. “Better you than me, brother.”
Diesel snorted and walked into the bar, heading straight for the counter. “I’m taking a break.”
Hemi, who was a huge male even by shifter standards, arched a dark eyebrow. “And?”
“You know what that means. Titus is out there waiting.”
“I’m keeping track,” Hemi said, tapping the side of his head. “I’ll be calling in favors for years from this.”
“You should be keeping tabs on the favors for Barron. He’s the reason you have to fill in on Saturdays.”
“Good point.”
“Stop keeping track of that,” Demi, Hemi’s twin sister, said as she set a tray full of dirty glasses on the counter. “People think you’re a thug.”
“I am,” Hemi said, cracking his knuckles.
“Oh, okay,” Demi snorted. “I’ll help back here while you’re at the front door.”
“Thanks, sis,” Hemi said.
Diesel clocked out in the employee break room at the back of the bar, grabbed an energy drink, and decided to sit outside. His cat was restless, and he couldn’t really peg why. He’d been fine when he’d gotten up that morning, but once he’d come in to work, his cat had been agitated, as if there was some other place he needed to be instead of work. It would be handy if he could actually communicate in words with his beast, but all he could do was go on the feelings. And right now, his cat was agitated.
The question was why.
* * *
“I can’t believe we’re finally here,” Kathy, the maid of honor, said as she stood next to a beaming Chloe. The restaurant was bustling around them, but the private room offered some quiet. “When you and Tommy were voted Best Couple senior year, I just knew you’d end up getting married. I’m so honored to be here today supporting you. I wish you all the best in the next chapter of your lives, and I hope you and Tommy are together forever.”
Kathy lifted her glass a little higher in cheers and Emberly followed suit. The toast – one of four planned – had taken ten minutes and made Em wish she’d brought earbuds. Not that she didn’t like Kathy or anyone else at the table, but she was bored stiff. Thank goodness they were planning to go to somewhere less stuffy after this. At least the food had satisfied – while she’d not been a fan of the goat cheese and fig crostini, the filet was amazing, and she’d practically licked the plate clean.
As the toasts continued, Em nibbled on fresh fruit and madeleines and wondered if it would be rude if she suggested she leave early and meet them at the bar.
“Thank you,” Chloe said after the final toast, her eyes glittering with happiness. “I love you all so much, I’m so happy we’re together. In less than a day I’m going to be married. So now it’s time to have some fun!”
Breathing out a sigh of relief, Em stood and tugged on the hem of her dress. She’d chosen the cute mid-thigh dress because it accentuated her curves and was her favorite shade of jade green.
“Party bus is waiting!” Kathy said, leading the way out of the restaurant with a little sparkly pink flag emblazoned with the word bride.
The interior of the bus was lit up with neon strips and twinkle lights. Once everyone was inside, they started on the trip to the bar. Thirty minutes later, the bus pulled into a parking lot and Chloe let out a wail of despair. “Oh no!” The bar was clearly closed for business – the windows were boarded up and the sign was off.
“Didn’t you check to see if it was open?” Chloe asked as she turned to face a suddenly flustered Kathy.
“I... I thought it was! I’ll find another place.”
Kathy spoke to the bus driver, then faced the group. “The driver said there’s a great bar on the other side of town, and since it’s Friday, it’s ladies’ night so we can all drink free.”
The group cheered and Em smiled. It was going to be an interesting night.
“I noticed your ring finger is still naked,” Chloe said as she sat down across from Em.
“Oh no, really?” Em lifted her hand in mock surprise. “My ten-carat diamond must have fallen off.”
“Ha ha,” Chloe said. “You never said if you were bringing someone or not, and I saved a seat for your date. Tommy’s boss has a nephew who’s going to be at the wedding. I can put him next to you.”
“That would be okay,” Em said.
“Good. I want you to be happy. I get to marry my best friend tomorrow.”
“I want that, too. But maybe I’ll meet my Mr. Right tonight.”
“Yeah, right. At a bar? Aim a little higher.”
“You’re such a snob,” Em said with a chuckle. “I remember hearing about Tommy peeing in someone’s front yard when he was drunk after graduation.”
“Oh gosh! Don’t talk about that!” Chloe swatted Em on the shoulder.
Em snickered.
Chloe reached across the aisle and squeezed Em’s hand. “I’m so glad you’re here with me. You’re my oldest friend.”
“I’m glad I could be here, too.”
The bus stopped and the dozen women cheered. Chloe trooped up to the front where Kathy waited with the sparkly flag, and Em waited her turn as the group exited and headed for the bar.
Two men were at the door – one with blond hair taking IDs, and the other a huge man with dark hair and a deep frown.
“Hi, ladies,” the blond said as he checked each woman’s ID. “Ladies drink free tonight. Looks like you’re celebrating. Who’s the bride-to-be?”
Chloe waved. “Me!”
“Congrats. Have fun.”
Inside, Em took in the scene. It was a typical bar with a live band and a dance floor in front of the stage. Tables and booths surrounded the dance floor, and behind a long counter were two bartenders fielding orders.
“It’s interesting,” Kathy said. “Not exactly a classy place.”
“It’s
fine,” Chloe said, waving her hand dismissively. “Let’s get a table, do some shots, and dance!”
Em groaned inwardly, not wanting to do shots. She’d had one glass of champagne for the toasts, but had insisted on water instead of wine with the meal. She wasn’t much of a drinker.
Following the group toward an open table, Em caught the scent of something enticing. She paused, tilting her head and sniffing. Something smelled wonderful, the best men’s cologne she’d ever scented. She wanted to find the source and just hold on to it.
Turning her attention back to the party, she looked around the bar, noticing the couples dancing as laser lights dotted and swooped across them. She had the urge to walk away, her brain suggesting she find whoever smelled so good. She was sure it was a person. But it wasn’t like she could just go around sniffing random people. They’d think she’d lost her marbles.
“Oh no,” Chloe said suddenly.
Em turned and looked at her friend. Her eyes were wide, her mouth open.
“What’s wrong?” Kathy asked.
“We need to go. Now.”
“What? Why?” Em asked. She didn’t want to leave the place where the sexy smell was.
“This is a shifter bar,” Chloe said, her voice low and her upper lip curled.
“Oh no, it is? Damn it,” Kathy said. “I’ll call the bus back to come get us. We’ll find another place to go.”
“What’s wrong with this place?” Em asked. “Why do we have to leave?”
“Shifters are bad news,” Chloe said. “I won’t stay here and be harassed.”
“Who’s harassing you?” Em was beginning to think Chloe was the one losing her marbles. Granted, Em had only ever met two shifters in her life – the elderly wolf couple who came into the coffee shop once a week. They were the sweetest people. Once, when Em had had a cold, the woman had come back the next day and brought her a container of homemade chicken noodle soup, promising it was an old family recipe that would make her feel better right away. And it had.
Em knew there were humans who didn’t like shifters for one reason or another, but she’d never had any reason to be fearful or mistrusting of them. She wasn’t sure what Chloe’s problem was.
“We’re going and that’s that,” Kathy said. “Let’s wait outside for the bus.”
The group walked away from the table, but Em stayed behind. She couldn’t get her feet to move.
“Em?” Chloe said, her heels clicking rapidly as she came back to her. “Let’s go.”
“I think... I’d like to stay,” Em said. “I’ll call for a car to pick me up.”
“Why would you stay by yourself? It’s dangerous here. You can’t trust them, too much animal mixing around in their brains.”
“I’m kind of surprised you feel that way. I want to stay.”
Chloe’s eyes narrowed, the fake eyelashes making her eyes seem far bigger than they were. “Just don’t be late tomorrow. Three p.m. on the dot.”
“I’ll be there,” Em promised.
Chloe spun and strode away, her shoulders straight and her head held high. Em shook her head at her friend’s curious behavior. She put her hand in one of the pockets of her dress and pulled out her phone, whose case doubled as a wallet. Inside the pocket, she’d tucked her ID and some cash. She was about to head to the bar to get a drink when the hairs on the back of her neck rose, goose bumps raced down her arms, and her stomach flipped.
The enticing smell had returned, wafting toward her.
She turned around, aware that someone was watching her.
Across the room, she locked gazes with a man with dark hair.
Holy hell, he was sexy.
She licked her lips as he made his way to her, stalking toward her like she was prey and he was a big beast. Which, considering she’d just learned this was a shifter bar, was entirely likely. She wasn’t afraid, but damn, she’d never wanted anyone more than she did in that moment.
He paused a few feet from her and inhaled deeply, his eyes a brilliant gold that made her think of shiny coins. He smelled like the cologne she’d loved, spicy and sweet with a hint of the woods in the fall.
She’d smelled him.
She was inexplicably drawn to the towering man in front of her.
She was glad she’d stayed.
Chapter Three
Diesel felt a pang in his chest, his heart giving a quick double-thump that made him straighten. His cat was pacing and snarling in his mind, urging him to get off his ass and move.
Rising to his feet, Diesel drained the last of the drink and tossed it in a can by the back door. He walked inside, his cat stretching and clawing within him. He was running on autopilot, walking straight into the crowded bar. He stopped at the edge of the dance floor and scanned the people. He could feel a pull from within him across the room, and he stared in the direction he felt something. Someone.
Then he locked gazes with her.
He felt an immediate connection to her like a punch in the gut – strong and overwhelming. His cat was right under his skin, rubbing and purring, and he wouldn’t have been able to stop himself from crossing the dance floor to get to her for anything. He stopped in front of her, looking down at her gorgeous features. She had chocolate eyes surrounded by dark lashes, and her long hair was a deep brown. She was petite and curvy, wearing a pale green dress that hit mid-thigh, dipping in the front to give him a tantalizing view of her cleavage.
“Hi?” she said.
He blinked and smiled sheepishly. He knew he was staring, but damn she was beautiful.
And more than that...she was his. His heart-match.
His cat was right there letting him know she was the one for him.
The. One.
“Hi,” he said, grimacing when his voice cracked. “My name is Diesel Cowan.”
She smiled. “I’m Emberly Greer.”
He inhaled silently, sorting through the scents around him. She smelled amazing, like sunshine and honey, and underneath that he found her to be human. But he didn’t care.
“Are you here with someone?” he asked.
“I was. My friend’s getting married tomorrow. Tonight was her bachelorette party. The bar they wanted to celebrate at was closed and we came here, but my friend...” She trailed off and her eyes darted to the side, guilt flashing in them.
“Your friend what?” He ran his fingertips lightly down her arm and captured her hand with his. His cat was swiftly calmed by touching her.
“She doesn’t like shifters, I guess. The party bus driver recommended this bar, but once Chloe realized who was here, she wanted to leave immediately.”
Diesel had seen his fair share of bigotry from humans over the years. While it was against the law to discriminate against someone because they weren’t human, it still happened. There were people who were afraid of shifters or didn’t like them simply because they weren’t fully human. There wasn’t much he could do about it except to just ignore it and move on. Life was too short for grudges.
“You stayed, though.”
“I felt like I should. It was so strange, really. The minute I walked in, I felt like I was supposed to be here. When Chloe said we had to leave immediately, I knew I needed to stay.” She lifted her free hand and touched the bar’s logo embroidered on the left side of the shirt. “You work here?”
He nodded. “I’m a bouncer.”
“You weren’t at the front door when we came by.”
“I was on break. Have you been here before?”
“No. I live in Cabot’s Mill. If you work here, and it’s a shifter bar, then I take it you’re a shifter?”
“I’m a lion.”
“Cool.”
He smiled. “You’re human.”
“Yep. Do you have to go back to work?”
He glanced at the clock over the wall. Damn it. “I’d actually like to talk to you for a while. Are you planning to stick around?”
“I was. I could use some company.”
“Give me two mi
nutes. Do you want a drink?”
“Lemon-lime soda would be great, thanks.”
He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Be right back.”
“I’ll be here.”
He walked swiftly to the front door where Hemi and Titus were checking IDs. “Great news, guys.”
“Oh?” Titus asked as he waved in a human couple.
“I found my heart-match.”
Both males looked at him as if he’d sprouted wings and horns.
“You did? Where?” Hemi asked.
“Inside the bar just now. Her name is Emberly and she was with a bridal party.”
“We saw them come in and leave a few minutes later,” Titus said. “They looked pissed.”
“They don’t like shifters,” Diesel said, lowering his voice.
“But your heart-match does?” Hemi asked, arching an eyebrow.
“She does, and she stayed behind because she said she felt like she needed to. I wonder if she felt me? If there was some part of her that recognizes what I am to her?”
“Well, that’s great. Congratulations,” Titus said, clapping Diesel on the shoulder. “I bet you raced out here to ask for the night off.”
“Damn right.”
Titus pulled his phone from his back pocket. “When are you on again?”
“Tuesday.”
“So that gives you a couple days to be with her. If I could give you a bit of advice?”
“Anything.”
“Be honest. Beating around the bush about what you are and what you believe she is to you isn’t going to do either of you any good. And before you mark her, you need to make sure she knows one hundred percent what it means.”
Diesel nodded. Marking during sex was like marriage for their kind. The thought of sinking his fangs into Emberly’s neck made his gums throb and his cat purr.
“Thanks for the advice.”
“Does this mean I have to fucking stay out here all night?” Hemi asked with a grunt as he folded his arms.
“Sorry, not sorry,” Diesel quipped.
He rushed to the bar and grabbed her a lemon-lime soda and rummaged for a bottle of water for himself. He couldn’t believe his good fortune to have his heart-match show up at the bar. Now he just had to give her a crash course in shifters and being the mate of one and ask her to be his forever.
