by M. L. Briers
“Me?” He mouthed back as he placed his hands on his chest and gave her the kind of innocent look that she’d hoped to achieve.
Jenny guessed that he’d had more than enough years to get that look just right.
“Can I help?” Karl asked as Bonnie turned with a plate in each hand and found herself looking at the brick wall of his body.
“By sitting down and not blocking the way,” she said, and smiled so that he wouldn’t think she was being mean again, or moody, or salty, or anything other than just nervous about the situation that she found herself in.
She had a mate – and that was strange enough – but she had also invited a damn vampire into her cabin, and even with the best will in the world; she knew that she couldn’t un-invite him.
“You do have a habit of being … large…” Bailey said, and Karl shot him a curious look.
“It’s not a habit, I am large…”
“Yes, but you don’t have to flaunt it.” Bailey tossed back.
“You’re annoying me,” Karl grumbled, but that time he remembered not to growl.
“Then that makes it all worthwhile,” Bailey shot back.
“Do they seem like an old married couple to you?” Jenny snorted a chuckle at their antics.
“I still think this whole thing is a little … weird,” Bonnie offered back. “I’m your mate – ok. What’s that about?” She whispered back.
“You read how it works … they just know…” Jenny whispered.
“Yeah, but what if they’re lying?”
Karl cleared his throat right behind Bonnie and she jumped in place once more. She hated that she’d jumped, but she didn’t think she was ever going to get used to the situation that she’d found herself in.
She grimaced at Jenny, and her friend giggled like a schoolgirl…
“Turn around…” Karl said.
His deep voice seemed to cut right through to her psyche and it made her feel something close to excitement as it collided with a warmth that somehow managed to burst out from the heart of her every time that she was in his personal sphere.
Bonnie steeled herself and turned to face his chest – she craned her head back on her neck and realised just how close the man was. So close that she could feel the heat coming off his body.
She scowled up at him ... wondering just how much he’d overheard of her conversation with her friend…
“Give me your hand…” Karl said with a small shrug of the broad shoulders that blotted out the rest of the room behind him.
“I don’t see how…” Bonnie tried to wriggle her way out of it, but he cut her off before she even had the chance. He took the plates from her hands and put them on the table.
“Exactly … trust me … or maybe that’s the wrong turn of phrase to use with you…” He offered gently, but there was an element of a challenge in his tone, and she heard it.
“I – sort of – kind of trust you – some…” Bonnie offered back, as she stretched her body to its full height and rolled her shoulders.
Then she cleared her throat, just a little, just enough to gather a smidgen more time in order to steel herself for whatever he was about to do. When she lifted her arm and held out her hand between them, she knew she was ready to face his challenge head on – at least, she hoped that she was.
She offered him an expectant look. She wasn’t entirely sure why she was standing there like a child waiting for a sweet to be placed in her palm, but still, she waited…
Karl lifted his hand and slowly, very slowly, he brushed just his fingertips from her wrist to the tips of her fingers. He watched her try to stifle a shiver, but try as she may, she couldn’t manage to keep it at bay – his touch was just too potent.
“It tickles…”
Bonnie gave a small shrug off her shoulders; as if to brush that feeling away. She wasn’t entirely sure what he’d hoped to prove by his efforts, but that could have happened to anyone.
“It tingles…” He corrected her.
“Fine, the tingles tickle, and…?”
Karl placed his palm against hers, and she felt it – those same tingles were more intense and they raced up her arm and over her body. From head to toe it felt as if her skin had come to life like never before – taken on a life of its own, and was gentle pulsating with something that felt so damn good that she felt the rush of something more inside of her – desire.
Bonnie yanked her hand downwards, breaking the skin to skin contact with him, and she snapped it behind her back. Then she reached around with her other hand and scratched her palm, all whilst trying to look innocently up at him with brightly flushed cheeks…
“Itchy?” Karl grinned, and boy it was one hell of a sexy grin that stared back at her – it was like a magnet for her eyes – she couldn’t seem to look anywhere else.
“A little…” she said, and stopped trying to scratch that feeling away.
Busted. Bum!
“You can’t scratch it away – you can’t wish it away – it’s not going anywhere…” Karl informed her as he leaned in and whispered low enough that she had to stretch her head on her neck in order just to hear his words…
That movement only brought her further into his sphere – into his personal space – and once he had her there she felt even more of a connection to the man … to the mate.
“Noted.”
Karl leaned in so close that for one long moment she wasn’t sure if they were going to bump noses or if he was going to kiss her.
Her heart hit her ribs trying to escape towards him.
A jolt of excitement tore through her and made her stomach flip and then flop.
Heat burst out from deep within her and rushed through her body filling every inch.
Her womb kicked her sex into action and that tingled too.
Her feet curled, just a little, and so did her fingers … and she caught her breath in her throat in anticipation of what came next…
“And that’s how you know that you’re my mate.” Karl’s voice was deep, velvety smooth with just a touch of gravel to it, and oh so tempting as it drew her in…
“I…” Bonnie wanted to say so much but there were no words that would come out of her mouth. There were plenty that were pinging around in her mind, and some of those she wouldn’t choose to repeat – others were just dirty by nature…
His dark eyes had mesmerised her, captured her in some kind of spell, and it took a snigger from Jenny to snap her mind back into action and realise what he was doing, and she yanked her head back on her neck and scowled at him…
“I thought only vampires could do that eye – mind thingy,” she said, eyeing him with a big dollop of suspicion.
“Yes, we’re special,” Bailey offered. “You were truly dazzled by your mate.”
Bonnie didn’t like the sound of that, and yet, her body liked it just fine.
Tingly fine.
Hot fine.
She was surprised that she wasn’t drooling on her own chin and panting like a mutt … That thought hit her hard.
Oh God, tell me I’m not!
Drooling is just so…
She reached up and brushed her fingers over her chin. She almost sighed when she found nothing…
God, what’s wrong with me?
Of course I’m not drooling – who does that?
That’s not to say I won’t be if he takes of that shirt and shows off his nice hard body…
Whoa!
“Let’s eat!” Bonnie announced.
She was suddenly feeling somewhat paranoid that she was going to do or say the wrong thing when her subconscious mind decided to fly the coop on her. It was bad enough that she was having naked thoughts about him, she didn’t need to broadcast it out there…
“Who can I eat?” Bailey grinned a toothy grin, but he decided to keep his fangs firmly locked up.
Bonnie shot him a double take and he grinned harder.
“You’re … weird,” Bonnie muttered on the shake of her head as
she dismissed the vampire.
She only wished that she could dismiss her mate that easily. Now that her body had been attuned to his; she felt his presence right beside her, and it was even stronger than before.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
~
“Well, I’m taking Jenny into town,” Bailey announced. “Ma’s is having a barbecue tonight, and for a moment there I thought that she was going to stampede over the top of me to get to the front door.”
“Hey!” Jenny called out as she yanked the front door open. “If the barbecue is as good as their cakes, I’m going to be in hog heaven.”
“She is a bit of a pig…” Bonnie offered dryly.
“I heard that,” Jenny called out.
“Can’t deny it though, right?” Bonnie called back, and she heard the sound of muttering, but there was no rush to denial.
“Do you want to go?” Karl asked Bonnie.
“A double date.” Bailey teased.
“Strength in numbers,” Jenny called. “We can muscle everyone out of the way.”
Bonnie chuckled. She could eat, and she thought that she could always eat Ma’s cakes, and it sounded as if Jenny might need some hand holding and maybe not from the vampire.
“Sure,” Bonnie swivelled her head on her neck, not committing herself fully.
“I’ll drive…” Bailey offered.
“I’m not squeezing myself into your clown car,” Karl grumbled.
“It’s a sports car, and expensive sports car,” Bailey offered back.
“That was designed for women,” Karl said, pushing up to his feet and absently offering his hand down towards Bonnie to help her from the kitchen chair.
Bonnie frowned at it … she wasn’t sure if someone had turned the clock back a century, or if he thought she was that old that she needed a hand up, but either way…
“It was styled for quality, unlike that box of a truck on wheels that you drive that was meant for …” Bailey waved a finger at the shifter.
“How long will it take for that finger to heal if I break it?” Karl growled.
“Faster than your arm if I…”
“Seriously?” Bonnie said, pushing up to her feet and eyeing the two of them with disbelief. “Is everything a contest with you two?”
“Yes…” Bailey said after a few seconds thought as Karl shook his head.
“No.” Her mate answered at the same time.
“Men,” she huffed. Walking towards the kitchen door and out into the living room. “I’m taking my car.” She tossed back over her shoulder.
“Now see what you did,” Karl growled.
“Woo her into yours then, Yogi,” Bailey shot back.
“I’m going in Bonnie’s car,” Jenny announced as the two men appeared from the kitchen…
“Ha!” Karl spat out at Bailey, but the vampire bit down on his need to tell the shifter where he could park his head.
“Fine, we’ll all go in Bonnie’s car,” Bailey announced.
“Seriously?” Karl growled. “Have you seen it?”
“What’s wrong with my car?” Bonnie said, miffed.
“Nothing – if you’re a city living girl.” Bailey shrugged. “See, I can take one for the team.” He whispered towards Karl.
“Shut up,” Karl grumbled back.
“I think the words you were looking for were thank you,” Baily shrugged.
~
~
~
Karl had spent most of the journey into town with his knees practically up around his chest in the small confines of Bonnie’s car. Although, on the plus side it had amused his mate. Every time that she shot a look in his direction; her eyes sparkled with amusement, and she giggled mercilessly.
It took him a moment or two to unpeel himself from inside the front passenger seat when they’d reached town, and he actually groaned in thanks as he stretched out his body.
“Maybe we should have taken your truck,” Bonnie chuckled, feeling a flash of guilt for his uncomfortable journey, even if it had touched her funny bone more than once.
“But torturing your mate is all part of the wooing experience,” Bailey offered as he wrapped a hand around Jenny’s waist, wrenched her towards him – hip to hip – and started off for the crowd that had gathered in the small market square around the aromatic stalls that were already busy…
“That smells so good…” Jenny’s sights were fully focused on the food…
“Yes, you do,” Bailey grinned and she snorted a chuckle.
“Food first and then maybe we can see about other stuff…” She teased back, and Bonnie grimaced at the thought of being fed on by a vampire – she was glad that she wasn’t in that positon…
Luckily shifters only bit once – or so the internet said. Wolf shifters bit down, but bear shifters dragged their fangs through the skin, scratching a bonding mark into their mate’s skin.
None of that really sounded like fun time was had by all to her, but if she had to choose, which she didn’t because she had a bear for a mate, then she guessed that his mark sounded a lot better than the alternatives.
Bonnie couldn’t believe that any such thoughts were going through her mind. Was she really contemplating mating with Karl?
She’d only known the man for a few days, and had only really spent one day with him over that time, and yet … she couldn’t explain the pull that she seemed to feel towards him.
The internet said that there was supposed to be a thing called the mating pull that affected both mates, but she wasn’t sure if that really was a thing. She guessed that there was always love at first sight, but she didn’t think what she was feeling applied to that one. After all, when she’d first seen the man she’d wanted to run in the other direction.
Although, there was an element of attraction for him, both then and every damn time she laid eyes on him.
“Food?” Karl offered her his arm, and for one long moment she just stared at it as if he’d offered her a dead rabbit or something. “I promise not to bite.”
Bonnie’s eyes snapped up to his face and he offered her a drop dead gorgeous, teasing grin, complete with dimpled cheeks. Her mouth opened to form a word, but she closed it again on a small chuckle.
“Fine,” she said, linking her arm with his, and she felt that skin on skin tingle once more…
“We’re really going to have to work on getting that word out of your vocabulary.” He teased.
“Fine. No more fine.” She offered back, then sniggered.
~
~
~
Jenny looked over the picnic tables to where Bonnie was sitting with her mate. The woman seemed to have found a new lease on life since she’d met Karl. She was laughing and grinning from ear to ear as the two of them leaned in towards each other to chat over the noise that came from the chattering all around them.
Jenny was glad that Karl had made her forget her troubles. She hadn’t seen Bonnie opening up to anyone like that in a very long time.
A heartbeat later and someone must have thrown a switch as thousands of little twinkling fairy lights that had been strung around the area came to life against the backdrop of nightfall, and everyone cheered, including Bonnie, who loved Christmas light with a vengeance.
Jenny gave the area a once over before she turned her attention back towards Bonnie and noted that she was pushing up from her seat. Karl stood up like the perfect gentleman from an old black and white movie, and Jenny couldn’t help but smile…
“Hey, big ears,” Jenny nudged bailey in the ribs and the vampire leaned in…
“She said; I don’t need an escort to go to the bathroom…” he told her without prompting.
“I like this…” Jenny motioned between them. “You get me.”
“Yes I do, sometime soon…” he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her and Jenny chuckled.
“Well, right now I’m going to the bathroom, and I don’t need an escort either.” She teased as she pushed up and started away from
the table in Bonnie’s direction.
She might just have wiggled her hips a little more than necessary as she walked away from her mate – giving the man something to think about as he watched her go, but what else was a girl to do?
~
~
~
Jenny noted the sign for the bathroom that hung from a pole, and the arrow pointing in the direction that Bonnie had disappeared, and she rounded the corner to follow her friend. Her eyes took in the scene in front of her and her heart jumped into her throat.
Bonnie eyes were wide with fear.
His strong arms were wrapped around her in a death grip, and he had a hand locked over Bonnie’s mouth, and she was struggling to try to break free from him.
The moment that Bonnie saw Jenny, she shook her head against his hold, and with muffled words against his hand – she urged Jenny to run.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
~
“Let her go…” Jenny demanded as she started towards them…
Bonnie bit down hard into the flesh of his hand and found some level of satisfaction in the deed of doing him harm. She tasted his blood in her mouth a moment before he cursed and yanked his hand away…
“Get out of here!” Bonnie shouted at Jenny. She was more than desperate in her need to know that if anything happened then at least her friend was safe.
Jenny did the opposite.
Instead of running from him she ran at him, but that was her first mistake. With a grunt of anger at Bonnie’s attack, and being caught red-handed; he backhanded Jenny hard across the face…
Bonnie struggled for freedom as Jenny was knocked backwards. She couldn’t take her eyes from her friend, even when, with a fist in her hair and an arm around her waist; he wrenched her backwards away from her.
Jenny went down hard. Bonnie was sure that she heard the thud of her friend’s head as it hit the wall, and she cried out in anguish before his hand came down over her mouth once more.
Jenny slid the rest of the way to the ground.
