How to Meet your Alpha

by C. E. Black

  “You’re finding yourself wanting…?” I whispered.

  “You,” he replied simply. He reached across the table to run a finger softly across my cheek. I shivered, leaning into the caress.

  “I’m drawn to your essence like a beacon, and I don’t want to fight it,” he said.

  And I was puddle Kate once again. This man could turn me into goo with only a sentence and an innocent touch.

  After a few lost moments, I finally shook my head, a breathy chuckle crossing my lips.

  “Too intense?” he asked, a note of worry in his voice as he pulled his hand away.

  “No,” I assured him, then laughed. “Well, maybe a little. But I’m not complaining.”

  I glanced around the terrace. We weren’t alone, but the tables were spaced enough apart to give the illusion of privacy. I noticed we weren’t the only couple to have gotten lost in one another. However, there were a few others who were clearly not having the same experience.

  “I wish everyone could feel the way I do right now,” I murmured.

  “How do you feel?” Bram asked softly.

  My feelings were all over the place. Confused, excited, nervous, giddy… But they all cumulated into one thing.

  My gaze still on the other couples, I whispered, “Happy.”

  There was a pause, then gently, he spoke my name. The intensity in his eyes hadn’t diminished, but the smile on his face was breathtaking. Literally. I was pretty sure I gasped. But I was too dizzy to remember.

  Bram tore his gaze from mine and studied the couples. “I agree. They should all be as happy as we are right now.”

  He refused to let me pay for my half of dinner, which irritated me at first, until he said, “You can get the next one.” How could I argue with that? He’d admitted there would be another date. That was all that mattered.

  Bram stood and reached for my hand, which I gave to him, of course.

  “Care to take a walk?” he asked. “I have something I want to discuss with you. And I’d like a little more privacy.”

  My pulse leaped at the word privacy and my stomach tightened with anticipation. As we walked hand and hand out of the restaurant, I thought back to our first kiss, then wondered how long before we could do it again. If I had any say, it would be soon. As in, right away.

  6

  Bram

  Such a perfect night. The twinkling stars dancing among the full moon, the crisp summer air, and the company of a beautiful woman. There wasn’t much more a vampire could ask for. Nights like this made eternity seem worthwhile.

  “So, what did you want to talk to me about?” Kate asked, her dulcet tone evoking a warmth in me I hadn’t felt in years.

  Right. That. A part of me wanted to ignore everything else and simply walk with her while taking in the sights and sounds. Of course, with my hearing, I could pick up on so much more. Like the sound of two gators battling over a fresh kill out in the bayou.

  “Unless you just brought me out here looking for dessert…”

  I blinked, then glanced down at her, noting the impish twinkle in her eye. “Ha, ha,” I quipped. “Dessert is usually saved for date number two.”

  “Ah. Of course,” she teased. “Why bite when you can buy, right?”

  How true. Half a century ago, New Orleans had gone above and beyond for their undead clientele by providing us a new source of blood. True Bloody Mary’s had a little extra flavor. A bit of A+ mixed in with the tomato juice. Myself? I preferred a little blood mixed into the wine. Sweeter to the taste.

  “A genius business decision, if you think about it,” Kate continued. “Keep the vamp clientele coming back for more.”

  I chuckled under my breath. “The selection isn’t just limited to vamps.”

  She shot me a curious look. “Seriously?”

  “Some humans love to pretend. And they love the idea of bragging to their friends that they tried a real Bloody Mary.”

  “Well. Guess you really do learn something new every day.” Shaking her head, she tucked into my side and rested her head against the swell of my arm. “So, what did you want to talk to me about then?”

  “Do you remember what we discussed at the bar last week?”

  The corners of her lips curled. “Hmm, shrimp, cheating men, vampire blood as an aphrodisiac…”

  Of course she’d remember those. With a soft laugh, I leaned down and brushed my lips against the top of her head. My ancient heart sputtered to life when hers skipped an entire beat and her breath quickened. I had to admit, I loved her reaction every time I touched her. It didn’t matter that we’d only known each other for a week, or that we’d only shared one kiss. She was it for me. I would be a lucky vamp if she felt the same way.

  “The website,” I said once her pulse returned to normal. “The online dating site we briefly mentioned.”

  She froze, then cocked her head to stare up at me. “Oh, my God.”

  I lifted a brow. Not exactly the reaction I’d hoped for.

  Until she squealed with excitement and practically jumped into my arms. “You’ve been thinking about it, too?”

  “I assume that means you’ve thought of it?”

  “For the entire week. You’ll probably think I’m crazy, but I made a couple mock-ups of what the website could look like. And since you know so much about investments and portfolios and whatnot, I kinda thought…” She fell silent and blinked up at me. “I mean, that is…if you’re interested. I know we only just met. And maybe this is insane.”

  “Completely insane,” I said.

  A flash of disappointment darkened her eyes, betraying her real emotions on the subject.

  “But I’m interested,” I continued. “If you are.”

  Her fingers gripped my arm. “I am if you are!”

  “Well, then it sounds like we’re both interested.”

  Kate practically dragged me over to the nearest bench. She sat with a delighted hum and fished her phone out of her little purse. Before I could utter a word, the bright light blasted me in the face. Grunting, I blinked, then peered at the screen where tiny images stared back at me.

  “Um, I thought we could play it up to the paranormal community. We’re in desperate need of a site like this. Humans would be allowed to join as well, of course. I know quite a few who’ve chosen humans as their partners, but they wouldn’t be our primary audience.”

  She flicked to the next page, showing me a deep blue screen with a woman perched next to a glowing moon. The colors were really quite attractive with an assortment of blues and yellows that drew focus to a beautiful woman—though, not as beautiful as Kate.

  “Meet Your Alpha,” I commented, reading the text on the screen.

  “Too cheesy?” she asked, her heart on her sleeve.

  “No. Just right, I think. And quite literal, when you think about it.”

  Kate pointed at the screen. “So, we could call the online dating portion of the site Alpha Singles. It’s pretty self-explanatory. You enter your information and the site pairs you off with someone. I want perfect matches, though. Most dating sites eventually give you a good match, but they’re mostly just out to make money. Which is all well and good, but I don’t think making millions should be our goal here. Matching them with their perfect mate will increase the chances of them suggesting us to their friends. Meaning more business for us.”

  The corners of my mouth curled upward. I loved the sound of this, but more particularly I loved how she used the word us in her sentences. As though she already thought of this business as ours. I certainly didn’t mind that. If I had it my way, there would be a great deal more of us, we, and ours.

  “Here’s where I hit a snag,” she said with a sigh. “Putting together the right colors and typography to design an eye-catching website? Easy peasy. I can even write code if needed. But surveys and mathematical algorithms? So not my thing.”

  “Ah,” I mused, seeing how I fit into this scheme of hers. “Mathematician, remember? Algorithms and I go way
back.” The sound of her laugh distracted me for a moment before I forced myself to continue studying the website. “And what’s this? Cruising with Alphas?”

  A blush colored her cheeks. “Okay, so, I might have mentioned this to my friend Joni. And she suggested something that I thought could give the website an edge. She’s a travel agent, and she said we could also use the matchmaking website for people who want to go on cruises. You know, like singles cruises and whatnot. She told me there’s a massive market for such things right now. Apparently, she meets plenty of single men and women who book these cruises looking for a good time, and to hopefully meet someone while there.”

  I rubbed my chin and contemplated the idea. I knew very little about matchmaking websites, but it seemed as though Kate had taken the idea and ran with it. The cruise line concept, however, was brilliant. As a vampire, I wasn’t particularly interested in them. All that nasty sunlight and whatnot. Although…

  “Night cruises,” I murmured.

  Kate’s head snapped up. “What?”

  “For vampires. I’ve never heard of such a thing before. Do you think that’s something that could be done?”

  She nibbled her bottom lip as she thought on my suggestion. I swear, I could see the gears spinning a million miles a minute. I found it engaging to watch her mind work.

  “I think it’s definitely possible. Sail during the days, make port at night. Focus on specific vampire-centric locations. Blacken out the windows. We would need a specific ship for this.”

  And this was where my expertise came into play again. “There are a few options open to us. Partnering with an existing cruise line and pitching the idea to them is likely the best bet.”

  Her mouth split into a wide grin. “Are we seriously thinking about doing this?”

  Even my head was spinning now. Writing up algorithms, approaching the appropriate outlets and people, arranging the deals and mergers. I could handle that. If needed, I also had my own wealthy little fund we could dip into, with a return on profit, of course.

  “Bram?” she whispered.

  I slowly nodded. “Yes, I definitely think this is something we should do.”

  Elation lit up her face, and with a small squeal, she grabbed my jacket and wrenched me toward her, bringing our mouths together in a heated clash. My amusement quickly flared into passion the second her tongue slipped between my lips. Groaning, I combed my fingers through her hair and slowed down the kiss, savoring every second.

  “Bram?” a shrill voice practically shouted in my ear.

  Kate and I both jumped. So caught up in our embrace, neither of us had heard anyone approaching. I lifted my head, my eyes narrowing the second I spotted Denise.

  “What the hell is this?” she raved. “You’re two-timing me? What the hell?”

  Two-timing? Did people even talk like that anymore? And, Jesus, what was she even doing here?

  “Bram?” Kate’s soft voice interjected Denise’s angry tirade. I turned toward Kate, her entire body tightening as her gaze darted between Denise and me. Pain dimmed her eyes, her mouth a grim line as she studied me. “What’s going on?”

  “That’s what I would like to know!” Denise shouted. “I thought we were together, but here you are, sucking face with some tramp!”

  I shot to my feet, teeth bared in anger. Denise staggered back, her eyes widening when she caught sight of the enraged vampire in front of her. I opened my mouth, about to rip her a new hole, when I caught the distinct sound of a muffled sniffle. I glanced back at Kate, my heart breaking at the sight of her watery eyes.

  “I’m out of here,” Kate said, her voice thick with tears.

  Shit.

  Thankfully, vampires generally trumped shifters when it came to speed. Before she’d made it three steps, I had her by the hand and spun her into my chest.

  A sharp breath blew past her lips, her other hand curling into a fist. “Let me go.”

  “Let me explain first.”

  “There’s nothing to explain—”

  “Kate, meet Denise,” I said, interrupting her. I needed her to understand. I wasn’t like the juvenile assholes she’d dated before me.

  “I really don’t care about her name—”

  “Denise,” I stressed. “As in, the woman who thinks she’s a witch, but really is just insane.”

  Kate froze in my arms, my words registering with her. The ice melted from her eyes and her body slackened against mine.

  “Excuse me?” Denise snapped. “What did you just say?”

  I rolled my eyes and shot Kate a helpless glance. “We don’t know each other well yet. But let me start off by promising you that I’m nothing like those boys you’ve dated. I would never betray someone I care for. And I certainly wouldn’t be caught dead dating someone like her.”

  “Bram!” Denise shouted.

  “Oh, stuff a sock in it already,” I snarled, tired of her antics. I hooked my finger under Kate’s chin and lifted until her beautiful jade gaze met mine. “I promise you. You’re the only one for me.”

  Her mouth quirked, and I knew right then, I’d won her back. Thank God I’d never actually lost her to begin with. But damn, Denise was a walking hazard.

  “Bram, if you don’t get the hell away from that little bitch right now, so help me… I told you what I did to my last ex. Just imagine what I can do to you.”

  A low growl reverberated in Kate’s throat, a sound that widened my eyes. “How about you let me take care of her?”

  For a brief second, I pitied Denise. But not enough to say no.

  I kissed the tip of Kate’s nose, then released her. From the sight of the gold rolling over her eyes, it seemed I was in for quite the show.

  7

  Kate

  As I stepped away from Bram, I popped my neck, letting my other side take over. I knew when my eyes changed, because Denise gasped and my fox sneered with approval.

  Slowly, I stalked my prey, circling the blonde-witch-wannabe who dared to threaten my mate. I blinked at the sudden territorial instinct, but a warmth settled in my chest. Mate. Yes, he was my mate and I would let no one come between us.

  I continued to circle Denise, my glare fixed on her. Her eyes were wide and wild as she backed away from me. It had been too long since I’d shifted, and my fox was itching to get out, but I waited. Because though I wanted to teach Denise a lesson, she looked like she was ready to tuck tail and run. I really didn’t want to get caught—and then fined—for shifting in public. And I wasn’t particularly looking forward to messing up my dress. It was new, and I liked the way Bram had looked at me all night. Like he couldn’t wait to take it off.

  Denise tripped a little and looked back. A pile of garbage and line of waste containers kept her from going any further.

  “Bram…”

  The sound of Denise’s small voice had my lips pulling up into a smile, no doubt showing off two rows of very sharp teeth.

  “Bram, do something,” she said again, and I snapped.

  “You have no business talking to my mate,” I said, my voice deeper now, almost a growl. “Might be best if you run along now, Denise.”

  Suddenly, Denise found her spine again. Her shoulders pulled back as her chin lifted into the air. “Don’t tell me what to do. I have powers. I’ll show you!”

  When Denise reached into her purse, I crouched, prepared to pounce if she pulled a weapon. Instead, when her hand came back into sight, she held not a gun or a knife, but a leather pouch.

  Though her expression was triumphant, her voice trembled. “S-stay back!” Denise pulled her arm back as if to throw the bag at me. “You’re right,” she said. “I’m not a real witch, but one did give me this hex bag and I will use it on you!”

  “What kind?” Bram asked at the same time I said, “I don’t believe you.”

  “I’m telling you the truth!” Denise shouted, her eyes ping-ponging between Bram and me. “It’s a death curse.” She pulled her arm back even further as though to throw it at me
, but at the last minute, turned to Bram. “If I can’t have you, then—”

  She didn’t get to finish the sentence. As she’d been mouthing off, I’d opened myself up to my other half. My dress drifted to the ground and I shot forward, my fox ready to take care of business. I might not have been a big predator, but I had speed, agility, and a cunning mind. I leaped onto Denise’s shoulders, grinning wildly when she began to scream. She reached back, slapping me while spinning in circles. I hung onto her hair until she stumbled back right where I wanted her.

  I jumped to the pavement, then dove in and out between her legs until, with a gasp, she began to fall backwards. Her arms pin-wheeled for a half second, her heels barely keeping her upright before she toppled, right into the garbage bags full of rotting food.

  The smell wafted up from where she’d landed, and I barked out a laugh, until I realized she wasn’t holding the hex bag any longer.

  Turning quickly, I searched for Bram, my heart thumping like mad. He stood where I’d last seen him, and I sighed. My relief was short lived however when I noticed the hex bag on the ground, open, its contents spilled out at Bram’s feet.

  Uncaring of my nudity, I shifted back into human form to rush toward him, but stopped about a foot away, my concern turning quickly into amusement. Not only was his expression a mixture of confusion, shock, and lust as his gaze wandered over my naked form, he was now covered in pink glitter. His hair, his face, his suit… He looked like he’d been dipped in the sparkly stuff.

  Bram’s eyes narrowed when I sucked in my lips, swallowing my laughter.

  “Don’t,” he groaned, and I slapped a hand over my mouth, my stomach tightening with the effort of holding back.

  He pointed a finger at me. “Kate… If you know what’s good for you—”

  I doubled over, giggles bursting forth. I couldn’t help it. It was so messed up. The whole freaking thing. Denise had thrown a glitter bomb at him. The thought started another round of giggles until my stomach hurt and tears were streaming down my face.