Romancing the Paranormal

by Stephanie Rowe

  Chapter Fourteen

  Veda

  Infuriating monster.

  I’m aware of how the bears have treated their women for centuries. I’m also aware that Mandy has made great strides in righting the wrongs. At least until it comes to her father. And that’s only the beginning of my problems. He claimed me. He can’t do that. He shouldn’t have been able to do it. Now, my power is tied to his. I can feel the pull. Does he know? I don’t think so. He’s not the brightest man alive. How can he possibly think calling me woman is romantic? It’s degrading… I think. I’ve been called witch and Veda in my life. Oh, and Becky calls me sugar. Stupid bear. I prefer Veda.

  I stop a foot from the bear standing at the end of the hallway. He’s young and doesn’t appear as self-assured as most bears. “Where is your vampire?”

  “Umm, Dmitri. He’s not here.”

  “Tell him I no longer need his protection, but his bear might.” It’s very unsatisfying to see the young man’s fear. I know he won’t pass on my message.

  To hell with the bears and their vampire. I storm past him and head to the front door. No one stops me as I make my way back to the diner.

  ***

  Tyboll

  I’m back at my cabin in bear territory with a gallon of moonshine. I lift the jug and slosh it into my mouth. Honey’s voice pops into my befuddled brain.

  “May I enter?”

  Since when did a fellow brother bear need to ask? “Get your ass in here,” I growl.

  Honey stalks inside and slams the door behind him. “Damn wolf.” He holds up his hand before I can say anything. “I know she’s your daughter, but I need to let off steam. And what the hell happened to your beard and hair?”

  “Your damn she-wolf,” I say with a hiccup. “If you think you have problems, you’re wrong. I have problems. I’m mated to a witch who leaves me every chance she gets.” I hand Honey the jug and watch him swallow a healthy dose. It’s about time the pussy-whipped bear grew a set. “I don’t understand that woman.”

  Honey chugs more of the moonshine. “For once we agree on something. I don’t understand any woman.”

  Before I know it the entire story is pouring out of me. From the minute I touched Veda and discovered we were mates to the reason I’m here drinking my gut raw. By the time I finish my story, Honey’s as drunk as I am.

  “So wha’d’ yathink?” I slur.

  “You donwannahearit,” is his sloppy reply.

  “YeahIdo.”

  Honey sits up from his reclined position. I ignore his stumble when he stands because I know I can’t walk at this point. He weaves to the front door, walks outside, and pisses off the porch. Now that’s a real man. I just wonder when it happened. My daughter’s had him twisted around her finger since she kidnapped him. He walks back inside and takes his seat on the couch.

  “If we’re gonna solvesanyfing weneed t’ stop drinkin.”

  He has a point and I don’t feel so good. I let out a loud belch and close my eyes when the room spins more.

  “I’ll make coffee,” Honey says.

  Our beastkind blood will absorb the alcohol quickly. That’s why when I need to get drunk, I do it by the gallon. The next thing I know, Honey’s hitting my shoulder.

  “Wake up, old man. Here’s some coffee.” He places the cup in my hand. I sit up and take a small sip of the black tar.

  “I prefer moonshine,” I say as the liquid burns my tongue.

  He sits down and clasps his mug between his hands. We remain quiet as we absorb the coffee into our bloodstream.

  “Do you like sex?” Honey finally asks.

  I spew my coffee. “What kind of question is that?” I demand.

  He gives me a look I can’t decipher. “I like sex. I like when Mandy likes sex. She goes all soft and cuddly and it’s the only time she’s not scheming some mad shenanigan. I know she’s safe when she’s in my arms. I know you think I’m weak. Maybe I am. But. I. Like. Sex.”

  “Humph. So I need to be pussy-whipped to have sex with my mate? I don’t think so.” I’m shouting by the time I snap out the last syllable.

  Honey shouts back. “You call it pussy-whipped, I call it lucky.” He lowers his voice. “It took me a long time to figure out that my mother has the iron fist when it comes to my father. He is alpha, but he doesn’t control my mother. He loves her. He wants her happy. I want the same for my mate. It’s called love.”

  I fight rolling my eyes at the stupid bear. “That’s the difference. The Goddess threw Veda at my feet without giving me a choice. I. Don’t. Love. Her.”

  “That’s the dumbest thing you’ve said tonight. Veda didn’t land at your feet. She stands beside you. If you keep thinking that way she’ll never love you. And you love her, you dumb-ass. You wouldn’t be drinking yourself silly if you didn’t. I don’t know why love happens so suddenly when you discover you’re mated, but it does. Your problem is that Veda doesn’t have the same reaction. And before you ask how I know that, it’s because she wouldn’t be able to walk away from you if she did.”

  “I don’t want that crazy woman to love me,” I growl petulantly. Even I hear the lie in my voice.

  Honey walks to the kitchen and refills our cups. He speaks again when he returns. “Tell me those rules once more and let’s discuss them now that my head isn’t spinning so badly.”

  Oh, those damned rules. “I can’t call her woman.” It comes out as a whine.

  Honey shakes his head. “For sex! You aren’t willing to give up calling her woman?”

  It sounds stupid when he says it. “Of course I’m willing,” I mutter. “What about number two? Calling the power?”

  Honey scratches his head. “You claimed her. The power is always highest during the claiming. It happens only once. She’s a bear as well as a witch and the same rules apply. Tell her you won’t claim her again. She doesn’t need to know you can’t. This should pacify her.”

  Why did Honey sound so smart all of a sudden?

  He stares intently into my eyes. “I remember the third rule. And that’s a hell no. You need to go and get her. She can’t be a true mate and live in the city. Pick your battles, old man. This one’s worth fighting for.”

  He’s right. She belongs here with me. I will find her and bring her home.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Veda

  Why is the pull to a mate so strong? I pour over the great texts expecting the answer it usually offers. Nothing. I’ve read sections about mating, but they don’t offer a solution to the problem.

  Mating is a bond that only death can sever. A witch’s power is not stronger than the bond and a witch shall not interfere with a mated pair.

  Blah, blah, blah. My mother told me not to mess with a mated pair. I understand this. But now I’m part of a mated pair. I need answers about a witch mating and there is nothing.

  A witch will take a human male into her body. A female child will form from this union. You will know the time to search out your human. Do not call the power of your beast when in the human’s arms. Control your beast or bear the consequences.

  It’s too late for that. Tyboll and I allowed our bears to rise when we mated. Now I feel Tyboll pulling my power from me. Can he feel it? He must. The texts are written for a human and witch. Not a beastkind and witch. I flip through the pages until I find the other passage that worries me.

  Our power is a gift. Females harness the power, males destroy.

  Just great! Maybe I can take back the power if we don’t mate again.

  I get ready for work and make my way downstairs to begin my day. Most people don’t think much of this job. To me it’s a lifesaver. I lived for so long with no human contact and very little beastkind interaction. No more. Being here and working has brought my needs up front and center. With or without Tyboll, I will no longer be a solitary witch.

  Becky shouts from behind the kitchen half-wall. “Hey, stranger, did you enjoy your day off?”

  I don’t wish to lie, but there’s
little else I can do. “Yes, it was quite relaxing.”

  She takes a closer look at me. “You don’t look relaxed. Is some guy giving you problems?”

  Most definitely yes. “No, I’m fine. Just a bit tired.”

  “Well then I hope your exhaustion comes from a hot date.” She winks and goes back to cooking.

  It’s slow, so I fill salt and pepper shakers, prepping for the rush. The diner begins to fill up an hour later. The great thing about this work is that we’re usually busy and I can forget about my troubles. The nagging thread pulling on my power takes a backward seat to orders, spilled drinks, and continuous coffee refills.

  I’ve just finished delivering food to a young couple and pick up a fresh pot of coffee. Everything inside me tenses. I don’t need to turn to know Tyboll has just entered the diner. I feel him. The pull on my power is no longer an irritating tug. It ripples from me to him. I turn slowly and see shock on my mate’s face.

  “What the hell?” The words snap into my mind, though Tyboll’s lips don’t move.

  I can hear telepathic communication for the first time in my life and I almost drop the scalding coffee I hold.

  “What are you doing to me, witch?” Tyboll stumbles. He’s absorbing my energy and I don’t know how to stop it.

  I walk quickly to him and he steps back with a look of distrust in his eyes. “Sit,” I whisper. Being so close to him lightens the pull. There’s an open table and Tyboll manages to pull out the chair and plop down before he falls. He’s acting like I did when my mother transferred her power to me at her death. Is Tyboll stealing my power?

  This cannot be happening.

  “More coffee, please,” requests a customer a few tables away.

  I give Tyboll a stern look then I realize I can communicate with more than my eyes. “I’ll be back. Stay where you are.” I need him calm while I handle the morning rush. His eyes bore into mine. He’s not happy and there’s nothing I can do about it. I go back to work and it’s forty-five minutes before things quiet down enough for me to request a break from Becky.

  “Yeah, sugar, take all the time you need. Is that your man out there scowling?”

  “Something like that,” I mutter as I remove my apron and head back to Tyboll’s table. “Follow me,” I tell him telepathically as I head out the door. I go straight to the outside stairs and climb. I turn and look. Tyboll is walking sluggishly up the stairs behind me, his hand gripping tightly to the rail. I can speak aloud now, but I like the ability to communicate into his mind. “I can help you.”

  “Don’t touch me, woman.”

  I roll my eyes. I hadn’t expected him to accept my help. I unlock the door and open it. Stepping inside, I move to the side so he can pass. “Sit down before you fall down, you idiot.”

  “Humph,” he says as he makes his way to the couch. “You are using your witchy ways on me. Am I dying? Is this how you plan to sever the mating bond?”

  I take the chair across from him and pull oxygen into my lungs to calm myself. He needs to know what’s happening even if I don’t want him to. “This is a direct effect of us claiming each other as mates. You are pulling energy from me and I don’t understand how it works. But no, I don’t think you’re dying.”

  He leans back against the couch and closes his eyes. I can’t help but admire the strong line of his jaw, the defined muscles bulging beneath his shirt, and… oh my. I look down and see the outline of his erection pushing against his jeans. I want him. Need him. He feels the same.

  “You may be taking all my power,” I say in a ragged voice. It’s a scary thought. “You need to allow my touch. It’s the only way to possibly figure this out.”

  One of his eyes peeks open. “I came to apologize and this is what I get?”

  He’s sulking and I bite my lip to keep from laughing outright. “When my mother died, her power transferred to me. I felt as you do now. I’ve looked through the great texts trying to discover what’s happening. There is nothing that explains this. When I touched my mother while she was alive, I felt the energy link between us, though it never transferred.”

  He closes his eye and splays his knees farther apart. His hands lift. “Come.”

  I walk to him and just as I bend to touch his arm, he grips my hips and pulls me between his legs. The energy is tangible. I fall forward and stop myself with my hands on his shoulders. His lips are so close I can taste them. Slowly, he opens his eyes. “I need you before I die,” he whispers gruffly against my lips.

  I ignore his dramatic declaration. It’s me who puts an end to our torture. I lean in and press my lips to his. Instantly, my entire being finds balance. The pull against my power equalizes. It’s now a steady link of energy between us. A low growl escapes his throat and his hands leave my hips so he can wrap them around my waist and pull me closer. His fingers skim upward until they stop at my breasts.

  Too many clothes separate us and I growl in frustration. I open my eyes and he watches as he kisses me. I’m not sure if he’s reading my mind or feels the same way I do, but his hands grasp the material of my shirt and rip it apart so my breasts escape from the tear he created. Next, he rips my bra. It’s the only one I have and must be washed each night. I don’t care. I need to feel his bare skin against mine. I reach for his shirt. The material tears beneath my powerful fingers. His mouth never leaves mine.

  Suddenly, he stands and lifts me. I wrap my legs around his hips and my arms around his shoulders. The kiss goes on and on. The taste of him rockets through my senses. He finally leans forward slightly as he unlocks my legs from his back so he’s able to discard my jeans. He walks me backward until I’m pressed to the wall. He lifts me and my legs circle his waist again. He fumbles between us and I hear the slide of his zipper. Then all I do is feel.

  Each stroke.

  His heat.

  My need.

  It consumes me. Consumes us both. His hands return to my breasts. They ache for his touch. He’s not gentle as he molds them with his palms. I don’t want gentle. I want all of him, including his beast.

  I realize our power is building. We shouldn’t do this. And the thought flitters away as he slides back inside me, hitting just the right spot and driving me wild. I rake my nails down his back and growl deeply in answer to his snarl. We’re lost in desire, completely buried beneath the emotional need we feel. How do I know? His thoughts are mine. Our bodies are one with our minds.

  The driving force builds and there’s nothing I can do but let the magic explode. We don’t shift. That’s a very different magical entity. The essence of our beasts collide and meld into one. The burn encompasses us, but there is no pain this time. We accept it because it is us. Mates. One person made from two.

  When I’m finally aware of our surroundings again, we are lying on the wood floor. Well, I’m on top of Tyboll and his back is on the floor.

  He smiles up at me. “I shall never call you woman again.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Tyboll

  The feelings running through me are impossible to comprehend. It took hours to drive to Dmitri’s club and another hour to track Veda’s scent and find the diner. The closer I came, the more insistent an inner… well… buzz intensified. When our eyes finally met, I felt as if a mountain had crumbled over me. I fought collapsing at her feet. I knew it was her witch’s power and wondered if she cast a spell that made it difficult for me to come close to her.

  I continued thinking this until her lips met mine. Now we’re on the floor and she’s wrapped in my arms. Words that turn me into an utter pussy slip from my mouth and I don’t care. If it bothers her so much that she leaves me, I won’t call her woman. Though, she is. A beautiful woman.

  “I can hear your thoughts,” she sighs against my neck. “Maybe the word woman is not so bad.” She lifts up slightly and stares at me. “I’ve never done this, Tyboll. I’ve had very little interaction with anyone. I never thought to have a mate. You must help me.”

  Of all the things she could s
ay, her words are music. “You’re coming home with me, woman.” Her laughter trails over my skin and I love the way it tickles. “You need to inform your human you will not return to work. My mate belongs with me.” I tighten my arms and bring her closer.

  “Another waitress will arrive shortly. Becky will understand when I don’t return. Please take me home.”

  My shirt is torn and I could care less. Thankfully, Veda has a shirt she can change into. I’ve decided I don’t like female underclothes. At least not on her. I do like the fact that she wears none as we make our way to Dmitri’s club. We pick up my truck and I drive toward my cabin. We barely speak the entire way. Having her so close in the confines of the cab of my truck soothes me.

  When we arrive at my cabin, she walks inside and rests her backpack beside the door. Patreous will remain with Mandy and Honey for a few more days. We need to talk about my son, but I will save that for later. Because she hears my thoughts, I’ve purposefully closed them down. There is a time and place for mind reading. Right now I need to think things through so I don’t chase her off again.

  “The master bedroom is through here,” I wave my hand in the direction of my room. Her face goes pink and I turn away with a smile so she doesn’t see it. She’s asked for my help because she’s unfamiliar with the way of mates. If I play this right, I will train her to be the mate I desire in all things. I pick up her bag and lead the way.

  A very large bed takes up most of the space in the room. There’s a dresser and a door that leads to my private bathroom. I open it and she walks in.

  “Oh my.”

  She’s looking at my tub. It’s much more luxurious than anything else in the cabin. She backs up and runs into my chest. I wrap my arms around her. “We will have a bath later. I’m hungry and we must find something to eat.” She presses her hands to my forearms, holding them there. I lean in and draw her scent into my lungs. She turns in my arms and reaches her hands to either side of my face.