The doorbell rang and he was up on his feet in one smooth movement. He checked outside. “Pizza.” Turning, he said, “Remember to keep the system armed, Desi, okay?”
He was likely a bit paranoid, but she knew how protective male shifters were. “Okay.”
As he paid the driver, she fetched paper towels and plates from the kitchen, adding some parmesan cheese and chilies. The red wine beckoned, but of course, she couldn’t drink so filled a pitcher with water and ice cubes.
Tahl dumped the box on the coffee table and went to the fridge to pull out a beer. “I sometimes eat in the living room.”
“Sure.” She and her mom rarely ate at the table unless they had company.
It was far from the awkward experience of the previous evening and she cautiously let herself enjoy the affable atmosphere. Tahl didn’t even turn the television on to some sports channel, though Desi liked football. And rugby.
In the next moment, she wished he’d been distracted.
“Can we talk about us, Desi?”
“I thought we were.” The thin crust turned to cardboard on her tongue.
Wiping his mouth, he took a swig of beer. Was he searching for courage or buying time? She schooled her features.
“You talked with Jett last night—”
“And he blabbed to you. God, and women get a rap for gossiping.” She crumpled her napkin on her plate and made to rise.
“Desi. He’s our Alpha and as such—”
“Maybe we should video our sex too. Let him critique it.” She stood and carried her plate to the kitchen, shaking the detritus into the trash before clattering the china in the sink.
He followed her, standing too close for comfort. When he set a hand on her arm, she shook him off. “Don’t.”
“It’s twofold, baby. He’s your brother too. He’s concerned, as is River. I can’t tell you how I feel.”
“Then, don’t,” she said, infusing her tone with sweetness. “We’re mated, I’ve accepted it and yet you keep pushing.” Okay, maybe not so sweet. “What is it you want from me?”
“Honesty. A confidence. Let me in so I can be there for you as your mate.”
It hovered on the very tip of her tongue, a ridiculous urge to blurt it out. Hey, Tahl. I can influence a person’s future simply by giving voice to it. And look! You got what you deserved. It didn’t work out with Peyton because of me and see who you ended up with! Uh, no. He’d come to believe her, because of who her mother was, and hate her for his loss and his resulting gain.
She might not have wanted this mating, but she couldn’t face him, day after day, seeing his anger and disgust, let alone the impact on their children. Pressing a hand against her lower belly, she sent a fervent, soothing message to the baby, promising her child she’d do anything to ensure its safety. Male shifters were protective, but nothing compared to a female when it came to her pups.
Glancing at Tahl, his chiseled lips set in a straight line, she knew he wasn’t going to give it up. She lifted a hand to ward him off, and nearly screamed at the blood staining it. Her head swam and she reeled. He was there in a heartbeat, drawing her into his arms, hard against his chest where his steady heartbeat grounded her.
“What’s wrong? Is it the baby?” He half carried her to the couch and sat with her on his lap.
Waiting for her breathing to steady, she shook her head, drumming up something that wouldn’t involve the truth of what she saw. “I got a bit lightheaded.”
“Fuck. I’m sorry. I keep upsetting you. I’ll quit, Desi. I’m being selfish, wanting everything right fucking now.” He stroked her hair and tucked her closer. “I’ve had a long time to envision this and you’re just catching up.”
She’d never catch up. He loved her and envisioned this… Her heart ached. It was all false, built on Fae magic. A sob wracked her body and she fought against tears. On top of everything, he didn’t need to comfort her.
With a massive effort, she said in a credibly calm voice, “I’m okay now. And I appreciate you not pushing anymore.”
“You need time,” he agreed. “Just know I’m here for you. Please, baby?”
“I know.”
He helped her to her feet when she set a hand against his chest, and she managed a controlled walk back to her chair. He frowned at the distance but said nothing.
“Is there football?” she asked.
****
With Desi making an early night of it, Tahl slumped back on the couch, swinging his feet up to stretch out. She’d fixated on the game, calling out critiques of the plays the way she used to when he watched football at Jett’s, growing up. To a casual observer, nothing seemed awry, but he was far from casual, especially when it came to his mate.
What in hell had happened? The first thing that leaped to mind was something happening with their child, and he cursed himself again for stressing her. Though she seemed in a constant state of agitation with whatever it was weighing on her mind. But her pallor, and the stark fear in her eyes, as well as the fine trembling of her entire body spoke to something equally as bad, or close to it.
He desperately wanted to get to the bottom of it and share the burden. Whatever it was, surely sharing it would ease her. Calling his Alpha would only worry him and his mate, although he’d likely share her reaction with Jett the next day. He hoped River had reached Marlene.
Securing his home, he walked the perimeter, a vague, intangible worry gnawing at his gut. When he stripped for bed, she stirred and drew the covers higher. Climbing in, he debated between giving her space or encroaching on it. His need to comfort her pushed him closer and he held her in a loose embrace. Sex was the furthest thing from his mind. “It’ll be okay, baby.”
Chapter Nine
“Mom, you need to call me right fucking now. I need you.” Where was she? Desi tossed her phone on the desk. Marlene wasn’t anywhere she said she’d be and hadn’t answered anyone’s call. Jett had already sent out a message to the pack in that area and would ask for local law enforcement support soon.
She’d gotten through the past few days on limited sleep, her nerves stretched to the limit, doing her job and her mother’s. True to his word, Tahl hadn’t pushed, but she caught him watching her, speculating, and could only hope he didn’t reconsider.
Acting normal and pretending to settle into her new role was wearing, although now she couldn’t drum up such outrage and indignation against poor, misguided Tahl, adjusting as his mate was marginally easier. They lived together quite easily, better than her and her mom.
He didn’t initiate sex, seemingly content to merely hold her at night until he fell asleep. His interest was apparent in his jutting erection, but he didn’t make a move to address it. And she told herself it was for the best, that she didn’t need it either.
Perhaps being taken out of her head by some mind-blowing orgasms would feel great in the moment, but she’d never initiate it. Her guilt weighed too heavily.
Her cell dinged and she snatched it up. Finally. “Mom? Where are you?”
Sounding weary, Marlene said, “Out of cell coverage, honey. I’m sorry to worry you.”
“What’s going on?” She got up and went to push the door closed. Michelle was with a customer but tended to eavesdrop.
“I don’t want to get into it over the phone, but I think I found someone with some understanding of the Fae.”
Air whooshed out of her lungs and she propped a hip on the desk. Jett had taken a careful look around for other Fae, but keeping Marlene’s abilities under wraps was paramount. Enough shifters knew she wasn’t human as it was, although it had never been a problem. Their Alpha owed a lot of his ability to rule at such a young age to his genetic inheritance. Brilliant was the best way to describe him when it came to governing. He hadn’t been cursed like her…
“Who is it?”
“I’ll tell you when I get home.” Her mother’s tone was laced with caution, making Desi’s intuition prick. “Now you tell me what provoked that phone messa
ge.”
“Another vision, well, the same one,” she whispered. “I was upset with him again.”
“Do you think you’re going to kill your mate?” Marlene’s voice held nothing but interest, and Desi wanted to scream.
“No! I mean, he makes me nuts, but once I accepted the inevitable I calmed down. Some.”
“Really.”
Sighing, she said, “He said he loves me. What am I supposed to do with that?”
“Finally.”
“What?”
Her mother laughed. “I told him to tell you what was in his heart.”
“What he thinks is in his heart. He loves Peyton.”
“Maybe.”
“Mom. Please.” Unbidden, tears sprang to her eyes. She wanted her mother to fix things.
“It’s only true if he didn’t love you before he met her.”
“He didn’t.” Or he wouldn’t have left.
“Ask him.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
Hope unfurled in her chest and clumsily stitched together her heart. Could she ask him, take that risk? And if he had feelings for her before, as her mother seemed to think, there might be an explanation. But if it wasn’t the case… He wouldn’t necessarily have to know what she’d done, but she’d know for sure instead of suspecting, and it would torture her even worse. Damn her mother for giving her the wrong answer.
“I don’t want to know.”
“Right. Then you need to think on it some more.” Ever practical, that was her mom.
“What about the vision?”
“I don’t know.” Gravity weighed in Marlene’s voice. “I doubt it’s true, at least the way you think it is because you still love Tahl and it sounds like you don’t hate him anymore.”
She didn’t. Maybe she never had, merely hid behind antipathy to survive. One thing she felt was that if something happened to him, she wouldn’t want to continue. “If it’s true I’ll follow him.”
“Don’t be stupid. Drama used to be your middle name. I thought you’d outgrown it.”
Her mother’s harsh words like a cold splash of water in her face, she replied, “Tahl makes me regress.”
“Think of what you saw as a warning. If it happens, it won’t be such a shock.” With that sage advice, Marlene’s voice faded and the call dropped.
In turn, Desi dropped her head in her hands, trying to pull herself together. She’d need a padded cell if this kept up. Dialing Jett, she informed him their parent was alive and well and might have met another Fae. Or at least someone with knowledge. He was as incredulous as she and urged her to let Lizbeth know.
“When is she back?” he asked.
“The call dropped before I established that, but I think she’s on her way.”
“Contact me if you hear from her again,” he ordered. “Our mother never ceases to amaze me. Buying trip. Right.”
Maybe Marlene had one of her visions or something. Desi hoped it hadn’t been generated because of her union with Tahl. Or maybe it was a good thing. Hell, she had no idea and her brain was turning to mush.
“Desiree?” Michelle rapped on the door.
Setting her questions and issues aside, she went to help the other woman with an ordering issue, seeing as the customer was so thin she required a size yet unknown to shifter or humankind.
The flowing red waves seemed familiar, but it took a second glance to confirm the other shifter’s identity. Always slim, Peyton’s body was thin to the extreme, her face drawn so tightly over her bone structure her sly smile was haunting. She’d been a strikingly pretty female and now exhibited a strange kind of beauty, ghostlike. Vampire.
Desi stepped back, quite involuntarily before her rational mind assured her vamps were but a myth. Shifters were real, as obviously were the Fae if most of the latter were now beyond this realm, but vampires were the stuff of childhood fairy tales. Scary tales. Michelle regarded her, an uneasy expression twisting her pretty face.
“Peyton was in the area and stopped by. She wants the Abbott in the window, but we don’t have it in her size.”
“Hello, Peyton.” Desi ensured her tone was professional, natural. “Let me see what I can do.”
“Desiree,” the other woman purred. “Michelle tells me congratulations are in order.”
“Thanks.” No sense in prevaricating. No percentage in saying the best female won… Because she wasn’t sure that was true and never would be.
A flash of teeth dazzled her for a moment before Peyton said, “I wanted to add him to my collection. Permanently. But it wasn’t meant to be.”
Suddenly desperate to know what transpired at Dawnfall, she fought her curiosity. “Apparently not. Are you around for the next week? Or should we send the dress to you?”
Peyton’s eyes glowed, her wolf close to the surface, and Desi’s own animal pressed hard in response. She’d never seen eyes that color before, a bluish red, and it took an effort not to flinch. But she’d never backed down in her life, so she maintained her smile and demeanor. Females didn’t shift, with rare exceptions, and this wasn’t one of them, despite the intense emotions making the very air thick and heavy.
“I’ll be around,” Peyton finally said. “I want to catch up with some shifters I met here before.”
Did that include Tahl? Did she expect an invitation to dinner? The bitch wasn’t setting foot in her house. Tahl’s house. Unless she already had… “Enjoy your time in Blue Star. Leave your contact information with Michelle, would you? Nice seeing you again.”
Her nose didn’t grow and she wasn’t cut down by lightning, so the blatant lie passed, even if Peyton visibly scoffed.
“I’ll do that, Desiree. You take care.” There was an implicit threat in that comment, evil licking along its edges.
“And you.” Holding her composure, Desi moved back to her office, careful not to give any impression of retreat, at least outwardly. Peyton laughed, a high, brittle, tinkle of sound before Michelle spoke, asking for the information.
Carefully shutting the door, Desi considered her plan of action. Should she tell her mate Peyton Leaf was in town? There was no need, she decided. He’d hear about it soon enough and it hadn’t really mattered to her. Peyton? Yes, she stopped by the boutique, Tahl. I totally forgot.
What had he said? That she didn’t have to carry her burdens by herself anymore? Except this wasn’t a burden. That shifter meant nothing in the scheme of things. Desi shivered. The other woman looked as though she ate small children for breakfast, nastiness oozing from every pore. Tahl would be vastly unhappy with her if he found out Desi had jinxed him, but Peyton would— She laughed out loud. Being fanciful again. Yet her skin still crawled and her wolf paced, alert and highly protective.
Jett should know that a member of another pack was in town. It was a courtesy for one to advise the Alpha, and surely River would have told her if she’d known Peyton was visiting. So she should tell her mate, as Jett’s lieutenant he also should be made aware. Her mental gymnastics complete, she placed the call.
“Desi?” Pleasantly surprised described his response. She supposed she’d never called before.
“Hey. You probably don’t know this, because if Jett knew he’d tell River and River would tell me—”
“Baby. Slow down.”
Taking a deep breath, she said, “Peyton Leaf is here. Visiting.”
Silence. The blood rushing through her veins sang in her temples, and she realized she was holding her breath.
“Stay away from her. Close yourself in your office. I’ll be right there.”
Holy shit. He wasn’t the boss of her, but damned if she didn’t want to obey him. This once. Her rational mind protested the paternalism, but her animal embraced her role in the pack. “Okay.”
“Desi, I can’t tell you what it means that you’re willing to listen to me.”
It occurred that seeing them together might give her the answers she sought. “Don’t get used to it,” she muttered.
A short bark of a laugh echoed in her ear, followed by the slamming of a door. “I’ll be there soon. I’ll give you a call when I’m outside. Call me if she gets … difficult. Otherwise, stay off the line.”
She analyzed his tone, alternately staring at the door and at her phone. He was rushing to see Peyton, but she’d detected no sense of excitement—maybe a little concern. Call me if she gets difficult. Something else, then, deeper than concern. Worry? Fear? Dread, her wolf offered up. That felt right, and way past a failed courtship, wasn’t it? No matter why it failed…
It was awfully quiet in the main part of the store, and, slipping off her shoes, she moved silently to crack the door and peer through. Nothing moved in her narrow line of vision, so she pulled it wider. Michelle was unfolding some cashmere sweaters, holding one out for Peyton’s perusal.
A scarlet tipped hand pinched the fabric between two fingers and Desi could feel the distaste all the way across the room.
“Maybe one of the vests?”
“Do I look like I hike? Maybe Desiree can tell us when new merchandise is coming in.”
About to venture out, her cell vibrated and she leaned sideways to the wall, out of eyeshot. “Hello?”
“I’m outside.”
This had gone past a male trying to keep an ex and a current apart. “She’s giving Michelle a hard time. I can’t let it continue.”
“Stay in the office. Please. At least for a few minutes.”
“Okay.” She didn’t like it, but he’d said please.
Carefully easing the door nearly shut, she listened as she heard him enter.
“Tahl!” Michelle poured it on. “Desi’s in the office.”
“Hello, Peyton.”
“Hello, Tahl!” Two words and they seethed with lust and something else she couldn’t identify.
“That’s right! You too know one another.” Had Michelle actually clapped her hands?
It was like hearing a play unfold. Like merely a few days ago, Michelle hadn’t rubbed Desi’s nose in the fact he and Peyton had been an item. Tahl couldn’t expect her to hide in the office. She hustled to get her shoes, stepping into them and making her way quietly into the store.
Undone By Destiny Page 11
