Pick Your Poison

by Jeanette Lynn

  “No problem.” The witch grinned back. “You kids have fun.”

  Handing one of my sizeable burdens over to my sexy groom, I tossed her a wink. “Don’t worry, I will.”

  “And I won’t?” my mate murmured wryly.

  “Eh.” I shrugged. Smothering a grin, I peeked at him from over my shoulder to pat his cheek, going for nonchalant. “You can watch, if you’re a good little dead boy.”

  Divit snorted, shaking his head as he headed straight into the portal. A low growl built in his throat when I made a sympathetic noise, smoothing my hand over his back as if to placate him, which just served to make me laugh. So, naturally, he snarled.

  “You heartless little... I’ll teach you what happens in Vegas, sweetheart. Just wait ‘til we get to the room,” could be heard right before the portal closed, followed by a resounding smack and an indelicate squeal.

  And then they lived happily ever after and some shit...

  The End

  And yet... just the beginning...

  Back at Daunte’s

  Callie

  I walked back out front, smiling a little to myself, more than a little relieved it had all worked out for them in the end.

  Not sure what exactly had gone wrong with the charm when I’d cast it, or why it had gone so thoroughly off the rails to begin with, unease slowly crept its way back in, forming a tight knot in my belly.

  A sharp pain hit me then, right between the eyes and around my temples, so hard it made me dizzy. Pausing by the counter, I blew out a long breath.

  There was always a price with magick. The more I used, the higher the price. Shaking myself out as the worst of it subsided, I set my bag by the register and made my way over to Duncan, Spira, and Stefan’s booth along the back.

  Hopefully Divit and Genie would like the gift I planned to have sent to them, as soon as they were holed up in their room—a sort of have a happy honeymoon treat. Genie will either, laugh, freak, or maybe a bit of both. Divit would probably spend the better part of their trip trying to talk her into trying everything out.

  Hah. Forget laughing or freaking, she’s going to kill me.

  My lips tipped up slightly before they fell. I was so glad they’d found their ever after in each other, just as I’d hoped.

  “That’s settled, then.” Sliding in smoothly, a big smile on my face as if all was right in the world, I felt anything but. The pain was back tenfold, but my smile held firm, no one the wiser.

  This was all my fault. While it was all fine and dandy for Divit and Genie in the end, they should have had the right to choose. I’d expected them both, and everyone else for that matter, to hate my guts, never speaking to me again after all this. Everything is just... shit. My life it shit. I have to fix all this somehow.

  “Has anyone heard from Contrary?” Stefan murmured quietly, shining a napkin canister on his shirt sleeve to peer into it and check his teeth.

  “Mary?” Duncan asked, blinking. “No. Not that she would talk to me much, if at all, anyway.” Shifting in his seat as an uncomfortable look crossed his face, his gaze darted to the elderly group of stamp collectors across the way.

  Blinking, a sheen of sweat forming along his brow, he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. As if pained, he tensed, wincing, but finally relaxed.

  Swallowing hard, Duncan let out a long breath and opened his eyes. “Uh, any of you, uh, spoken to her?”

  Spira stilled next to him and grunted, her jaw flexing. The fiery look in her eyes slowly smoothed out as she grunted, stilling, and rolled her shoulders. Movements a little jerkily, she let out a slow, even breath. Tendrils of smoke curled from her nostrils and she shook her head. “I have not heard from her or Byron.”

  All eyes turned to me and I gulped. “No. I haven’t seen her but those few times we were all together after that night. Since the last time...” I trailed off.

  “You think she’s still Byron’s bitch?” Duncan asked curiously, wincing as he said the words. “I mean, uh, pack terms wise, erm, speaking.”

  And yet another reason why I felt like a giant bitch myself. Yet another thing that was all my fault.

  “God, I hope not,” I whispered quietly, imagining how many strips of hide Mary was going to peel from my ass when she got her red tipped claws on me.

  I’m a dead witch walking, I thought, glad Duncan couldn’t break past the barriers I’d built in my mind to read my thoughts.

  Duncan and Stefan, however...

  “Oh, now I don’t know if she’d kill Callendra. That’s kinda harsh,” Duncan began earnestly, offering me a quick, sympathetic look. “I mean, and, uh... erm... How long could Byron want to keep Mary as his... ? What was it you said? Dog toy?” Shaking his short, wayward black locks, Duncan made a face. “That’s demeaning and mean, Stefan. You shouldn’t think things like that. If you’re going to be crude, at least be honest. Say Alpha Bitch, since it’s an actual pack title.”

  “Stefan.” Burying my head in my hands, I groaned pitifully. It’s official, I’m dead. Even Stefan thinks so, so it must be true.

  “Oh... Tellie-path.” Spira covered her hand with her mouth, her cheeks kicking up as her eyes danced a clear indication she was laughing behind those small, slim fingers of hers—the traitor.

  Again though, could I blame her? Honestly, I should be kissing her scaly feet, thankful she hadn’t spit fire in my face and turned into a giant, angry dragon to roast my bum to ash.

  While I’d frozen the charm before anyone else could be sucked in after Byron and Mary, getting the general idea of just how badly that had gone for Divit and Genie, we still had to finish it sooner or later, no matter what. The charm had been made, the spells cast. It was done. The will, once accepted, had to be followed. And we’d all accepted.

  Good normals’ god... what had I been thinking!

  And the longer we waited... Well, I didn’t even want to think about it.

  “I’ll think whatever I damned well please, freak!” Stefan raged. “Stay out of my head, you friggin’ mental case!”

  Just then the bell clanged and the door slammed open, and Mary came barreling in. Two tall, lean men built like brick shit houses came closing in behind.

  Glaring at her entourage, Mary’s lips pursed, her long nails digging into her purse as she practically ran up to us.

  “Oh, look! A seat! My, I haven’t missed anything, have I?” Shoving my ass aside to squash me in with Stefan, who grunted at the tight fit, the demoness made herself nice and comfortable.

  “You missed it,” Duncan said slowly, lowering his voice as his eyes darted between the skinny giants trailing Mary.

  Staring at the soul sucker for a long moment as she forced a smile on her full, ruby red painted lips, he nodded and glanced away to lean down and murmur something into Spira’s ear.

  “Damn, my lipstick smudged. Could I have a napkin, please?” Tittering nervously, swiping her fingers over her mouth, the demoness was so unlike herself, her fingers trembling as I reached over, nabbing one up, and went to hand it over.

  Our fingers clenched as she gripped mine tight, and then she yanked me towards her. “Help me.” Her words were muttered so low I could barely hear them, my eyes widening as they registered.

  Letting me go as if nothing happened, the bug-eyed, desperate look on her face smoothing out, she glanced at her two unwanted companions and let off a short snarl. “Can I help you, or are you just going to stand there all day and stare at me? Hmm? Why don’t you go make yourselves useful and, I don’t know, go get me something to drink.”

  Glancing at each other, the two men jerked, tripping over themselves to run to the refreshment table as we all watched in stupefied fascination.

  “You need help from...Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dumb?” Stefan snorted sarcastically. “Looks like they’ll be needing help from you, kid vicious.”

  Jaw clenching, Mary gritted her teeth. “I don’t need help from them.”

  “Then from who?” I whispered, leaning in close so sh
e didn’t have to talk so loud.

  “From my Mary’s mate,” came the gruff reply, and all eyes shot up to meet the pained look on Byron’s somber face as he strode up.

  “Her mate?!” I squawked, my eyes widening to saucers as Mary swallowed hard, trepidation in her eyes, and yet another shadow fell over us.

  “I think my friend here means me,” the rich, deep bass of the sharply dressed man rumbled out, his hand sliding over Mary’s shoulder in a proprietary manner as her skin pebbled at his touch.

  To be continued...

  Epilogue

  The honeymoon

  “It’s terrible,” I whispered, dropping my bag at my feet to trail into the room.

  Divit followed after me, closing the door quietly behind him. “The other one was booked, but I thought you might like this one. Callie did offer to produce another charm to replicate the last spell-”

  He paused when I stilled and glanced at him. We shared a look, to which I quickly shook my head.

  His eyes crinkled at the corners as his lips tipped up. “She was as reluctant to even consider it as I was to hear it, so I went with this one.” Dropping his bag next to mine, he walked over to a black and white armchair and made himself comfortable. Kicking out of his shoes, he settled back into the cushy seat. “Does my lady like?”

  “Your lady loves.” Hazel eyes twinkling with delight, I had to touch everything, all of it. My fingers trailed over the ruby red, silky comforter and flashy, lip shaped pillows, to the matching hot pink, glossy, glittery nightstands. “They don’t have many places like this, do they? It’s like they’re intentionally horribly decorated.”

  “Oh, they are,” he agreed. “It’s apparently a thing. A very costly thing.”

  Flopping back onto the bed, I pulled a lip pillow to my stomach and laughed. “You’re kidding? You mean this wasn’t a tacky interior decorator flunky’s experiment gone mad?”

  “Sadly, no.” Divit’s voice drew closer and soon he was standing over me, grinning down into my upturned face as I blinked up at him. “Even worse, I think Callendra has a thing for it.”

  “I just bet.” She would, knowing her.

  That witch always has gravitated towards the odd and unusual. Must be why she calls our crazy bunch hers.

  Speaking of crazy bunches... “You know, we’re terrible friends. I am, at least. I never bothered to ask anyone how their turn at Pick Your Poison went.”

  My vampire lover arched a brow. “We’re vampires, sweetheart. Haven’t you heard? We’re vain, selfish, heartless, narcissistic creatures. Callendra not included, who ever said I was any of their friends?”

  “Divit!” Rolling my eyes, I tossed my lip pillow at him. He dodged it, shrugging. “Be serious!”

  “But I am, love.” His teasing smile was anything but.

  “You’re a horrible partially alive person,” I grumbled, giving him the stink eye as my arms crossed. The move pushed out my bosom, to which I ignored.

  Divit, on the other hand...

  “Stop staring at my titties, stiffit. I’m mad at you and your cold, lifeless heart.”

  The old vamp glanced at the small alarm clock on the nightstand, tsk-ing. “And only minutes into our honeymoon. Must be a record or something.”

  My lips pursed, lips twitching ominously as I cleared my throat. I was determined not to break, not just yet. “Or something.”

  “I think you forget another something, Mrs. Giddh.” My mate’s lips tipped up into a sexy smile as his gaze heated.

  Red tinged eyes traveling down my neck to the swells of my breasts and then back up again to meet my eyes, his chest rattled hungrily.

  Inhaling deeply, dragging in his scent, I swallowed audibly, squirming under his intense regard. Mine. “Oh?”

  “Yes.” The tips of his fangs peeked out as he bent over me, wedging his thighs between mine to make room for himself. Spreading my legs, I welcomed him, wiggling my hips until my ass was at the edge of the bed.

  “Mmm. You’ll remind me of this... forgotten something?” I fairly purred, enjoying our little dance.

  Wide, masculine hands slid up my thighs, pushing the puffs of my skirt aside. A hiss escaped his throat when he glanced down. “Ah, sweetheart, is this for me?” His fingers trailed over the small, heart shaped patch of neatly trimmed dark curls before dipping lower, my underwear mysteriously absent. Whoopsie. Must’ve forgotten.

  “Who else would it be for? Whoever’s going to make use of that stripper pole in the corner of the room later, perhaps?” Huffing, I snorted, clucking my tongue as my eyes narrowed fractionally.

  My mate had the gall to glance up at me innocently.

  Shaking my finger at him like he was a naughty school boy, I taunted, “Oh, yeah, don’t think I didn’t see that. Daunte’s ribbing isn’t getting to you, is it?”

  As if to distract me, his gaze dipped back to my sex, his thumb strumming over my clit idly. Peeking up to gauge my reaction, his fingers circled my entrance before sliding two deep as I gasped and left off a short moan. Reaching up with his free hand, he ran the tip of a nail across the side of his throat, pressing in until the skin broke. Blood welled, that iron rich, spicy sweet, throat burning smell perfuming the air.

  Nothing more than a small droplet trickling out to trail down his chest, it was more than enough to set me off and he knew it. There was nothing that got me wilder than the scent of my mate’s blood.

  “Cheating,” I mumbled, my fingers itching to reach out for him, tug him towards me and sink fangs deep. If I didn’t know better I’d say he was betting on it.

  The sexy vamp teasing me so deftly chuckled darkly. “Me? Cheat you, darling? Never.” He slid in a third finger to join the first two as they pumped into me, bending his tall frame closer as he worked his magic over me.

  Wrapping my legs around his lean hips, hooking my ankles at his back, my hands lifted to rake through his hair.

  “Forward tonight, are we?” Amusement threaded his voice as his hips pulled back, fingers sliding away, and the sound of rustling as he moved hit my ears.

  “When am I not impatient?” I muttered, huffy. My vision was already tinging and my gums were throbbing, but this was all part of the game and I wasn’t going to forfeit.

  “So true.”

  “Oh, ha-ha.” Glowering up at the male, my fingers slipped free to slide down his torso. Gripping his vest, I gave it a sharp tug. The action brought us face to face and I hissed. “Shut up and kiss me before I change my mind.” Growling under my breath, I was already beyond impatient and he was thinking to take his sweet assed time.

  His fangs dropped fully, right before my eyes, and he grinned his most charming grin. Planting his elbows on either side of my head to support his weight, he hissed as the underside of his shaft pressed into my heat.

  Brushing his nose along the side of my cheek, eyes closing briefly, a happy, rumbling sound rattled his chest. “Is that what you want, sweetheart?”

  “Hmm. How do I put this...?” Swiveling my hips until the head of his shaft nudged my sex, slipping through the wetness there until he was slicked up and ready to go, I pressed up.

  Impaling myself slowly on his thick cock, I wasted no time showing him exactly what I wanted, delighting in the tight fit.

  Tapping his ass to get him going, I smirked. “Divit, my love. Fuck. Me.”

  Eye’s such a deep crimson there were no traces of warm brown in sight, he snarled, hips pulling back, and rammed home. “As you wish.”

  Clawing at his forearms, I cried out, arching my hips to meet him as he gave another hard thrust, hard enough to send us sliding across the satiny smooth comforter.

  “Bite me. Bite me now,” I whispered, tilting my neck in offering right as my sex started to ripple around his turgid length.

  That was right about when there was a knock at the door.

  Divit stilled atop me, snarling at the intrusion. “There’s a sign on the door!” he called, referring to the do not disturb placard.

&n
bsp; I wasn’t so subtle, bellowing for whoever it was to screw off, smacking at his chest as the beginnings of what could have been a glorious orgasm quickly died out. “No! No!” I hissed. “What are you doing? Don’t stop!”

  Two more knocks sounded. “Sorry to disturb you. We have a delivery. From a... Miss Callendra Brangwen. I was given specific instructions to... Ahem, deliver it at all costs. Apologies. She paid extra.”

  Divit growled and made as if to get up, grunting when I held on tight.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” I demanded.

  Watching as he winced at my iron grip, my nails dug a little deeper into the gouges I’d already put there before I finally let go. Unhooking my hands from his arms, I flopped back. My legs loosened to dangle on either side of him as he stood up, hiking up his pants, and marched for the door.

  “You could always check that later, you know. Like... afterwards? Three minutes from now, maybe.” Muttering under my breath, I rolled away, having a little well deserved pout as the door creaked.

  “This is Callie, sweetheart. Do you really want to leave whatever she might have sent sitting out there?” Voice deepening meaningfully, he muttered, “Think about it.”

  Mm. He had a point, I had to admit. Facing the gold and black trimmed headboard, thick white material with fat, shiny gold buttons gleamed at me as I eavesdropped.

  “I’m sorry to- I... Gah-yah- Uhm...”

  “Exactly.” Divit hissed. There was a creaking, groaning noise, the sound of something heavy exchanging hands. Divit grunted as what sounded like cellophane and tissue paper crinkled.

  Curiosity getting the better of me, I rolled back just in time to see Divit slam the door on the deeply green colored, diminutive man gaping up at him, an enormous, blood red wicker basket crooked in my mate’s arm.

  “Goblin?” I guessed, though I’d yet to see one under six foot before.