They'd won.
Eleanor was dead. The threat she had posed was over. They could finally breathe again. But now what were they going to do?
"Mandy?"
She glanced over her shoulder to see her mother stirring. Her expression was dazed and confused, but she was moving. Mandy did start crying then, adrenaline and fear and relief all mixing in together. Her mother's pale features turned green and she turned over, vomiting. Adam crawled over to Martin and gently shook him. The light-wizard moaned.
Mandy collapsed against her alpha, sucking in deep breaths.
"Shhh." Daniel stroked her hair. "We've won. Eleanor is gone."
"I know," she whispered back. "It's over. After everything that happened, it's over."
Daniel brushed the hair from her face and kissed her gently. She kissed him back with more fever, her heart beating hard, reminding her that she was alive. Their tongues clashed and they grasped at one another, reassuring themselves over and over that they were, in fact, alive. It only stopped when Mandy's mother loudly asked what was happening.
Mandy broke off and glanced at her mother. She looked small, terrified and vulnerable. A sigh escaped her lips. Eleanor was gone, but it wasn't fully over. They still had to pick up the pieces. They still didn't know the extent of the damage Eleanor did. She leaned against Daniel, shivering. Across the room, Martin and Adam swapped tender kisses. The knot in her stomach eased.
There was still beauty that survived despite this. And that was all she had to concentrate on. They would get through this. She just had to hold on and hope.
Chapter Sixteen
Daniel
Four Months Later…
Everybody around him grinned like fools and as they downed various alcoholic drinks. Music blasted through the air, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Daniel was certain that the children who had been sent to bed had their faces pressed against the windows, wanting to catch sight of the colored lights, rather than actually sleeping. Which was where he'd rather be, really. He was forcing himself to engage in conversation as it went on around him, determined not to put a damper on the events. It was his brother's wedding, after all.
He glanced over at the two grooms. Eleanor's attack hadn't just brought him and Mandy together, it had also gotten his brother to find his mate. It was a happy occasion.
He had been surprised when Adam returned one day from a road trip with Martin to announce they were getting married, although really the signs were all there. Daniel had been too busy cleaning up the mess Eleanor left to pay much attention, though. Two clans lost their alphas, but it turned out that Eleanor didn't kill the people she fed on. It was a relief to hear that, although all her 'volunteers' needed some extra therapy and none of them could stand things touching their necks.
All in all, though, things were healing. There were deaths, but not nearly as many as he feared. A wedding was just what the clan needed to move past the fear that had been instilled in them.
Daniel caught sight of Mandy weaving through the crowd towards him and he smiled. He had wondered if Adam and Martin were moving a little too fast, but when mates found each other, things went at light speed. He'd been dragging his heels with Mandy, to make sure that it was right for both of them, but that didn't mean everybody had to.
She gave him a smile when she got to his side. She wore a cute halter-top red number, with rhinestones sewn into the waist. The skirt only hit mid-thigh, and he longed to inch it up a little higher still, to check if she was wearing satin or lace. He coughed to cover up his moan as he imagined the silky texture of her skin.
"How are you doing?" she asked, threading an arm around his waist.
The angle allowed him to look deep into her cleavage. She wasn't wearing a bra. His gaze heated, and he wrapped an arm around her waist. He twirled her away from the crowd, practically carrying her as he hurried off into the woods surrounding the open-air dancefloor. Many other couples were sneaking away as well, and Daniel finally understood why.
He quickly found them a secluded area and lifted Mandy up. Her soft body molded against him as he gripped her thighs. Her legs were so perfect. Thick enough to hold, strong enough to squeeze when they were wrapped around his waist, like they were now.
He kissed her hard, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as his hand ran up her thigh. A grin crossed his lips as it cupped her ass.
"Lace. My favorite."
"I know." Mandy's eyes twinkled. "Why do you think I decided to wear these ones?"
He wanted to tear them off and press her against the tree, but when he moved towards it, Mandy clung to him and twisted away from the bark, a look of disgust crossing her face. Daniel stopped, arching a brow at her reaction.
"What's the matter?"
"I don't want to get sap all over my new dress."
Daniel pressed a kiss between her two full breasts. "Guess we'll just have to take it off, then."
Mandy's eyes widened. "We're out in the forest, right in the open!"
"So?" He traced his tongue up her breastbone. "Nothing we haven't done before."
Mandy squirmed. "Not when so many people were around!"
With a sigh, he set her down. "My place, then?"
"Maybe I want to go back to the wedding." Daniel groaned, making her laugh. She shook her head. "Eager to do some wedding-night preparations yourself, huh?"
"Something like that." Unexpected butterflies swarmed his stomach. They hadn't talked about marriage at all. There was no doubt in his mind that Mandy was his mate, but he hadn't even said that. After learning about her past, failed love affairs, he was determined to go at her pace even if it killed him. If she was talking about marriage now… "Is that something you want?"
Mandy nodded. "In a proper bed where nobody can walk in on us, yeah."
"No, I mean marriage."
A flush reddened her snowy cheeks, and she started playing with the hairs on the back of his neck. "Well… yes. I wasn't going to say anything, though. I know that you like to take things slow."
Daniel threw back his head and laughed. "Me?"
Mandy jumped in his arms, then swatted his shoulder. "Yes, you. Don't laugh, you haven't even said 'I love you' yet."
That sobered him quickly. He kissed her tenderly, then pulled back with a smile. "I love you."
"Good." She smiled. "I love you, too. Now, as for getting married—"
"Tomorrow."
Her jaw dropped. "Really?"
He nodded. "Tomorrow."
"Uh… no. Not yet. I want to look fabulous in my dress, so not until…" Her face lit up as she trailed off. Daniel arched a brow in confusion. Mandy giggled as she continued. "Not until after the baby is born."
"The—" Daniel's breath caught in his throat. Warmth spread to all his extremities, and he laughed again.
This time he spun Mandy around and began to hoot and holler with excitement. He knew he was probably disturbing the other couples sequestered in the woods, but he didn't care. After everything that had happened, this was what he needed most. Undeniable proof that life moved on. He kissed Mandy again, his heart bursting with joy.
Mandy laughed, flushed, when the kiss broke. "So I take it I can start packing my things to move in?"
"Honey, I'll get the clan to pack your things," Daniel said. "I don't want to miss a minute with you. I love you." It was such a relief to say it out loud. "I love you!"
Mandy kissed him, giving him all the reply he needed. He pressed her against the tree and this time she didn't seem to mind the sap or the possible watchers as they joined together, again and again. Daniel held her tightly, smiling down into her eyes. He was never going to let her go. Never.
*****
THE END
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About Jasmine Wylder
Jasmine Wylder is a Real Estate Agent by day and an emerging Paranormal Romance Author & Adventurer by night. Hailing from California, her passion for sultry stories, steamy scenes, and all-things romance began early on and it has stayed with her ever since.
When she isn’t creating captivating storylines, Jasmine loves spending time in the great outdoors, practicing yoga, painting, and treating herself to fine cuisine. She is also an avid animal lover (dogs in particular) and is the proud owner of a Husky named Luna and a Yorkie named Anya.
Whether it’s out-of-this-world love (literally), dragon shifters setting your heart ablaze, or unquenchable vampiric desire, Jasmine has you covered!
Currently, Jasmine is in the midst of crafting paranormal romances and tries to escape to the countryside every so often to get the full writer’s experience.
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Jasmine’s Other Books
Savage Brotherhood MC Series
Tornado (Book 1)
Blizzard (Book 2)
Thunder (Book 3, coming Q3 2018)
Hurricane (Book 4, coming Q3 2018)
Typhoon (Book 5, coming Q3 2018)
Separated by Time Series
The Dragon King's Prisoner (Book 1)
The Dragon Warrior's Baby (Book 2, coming Q2 2018)
The Dragon Beast's Virgin (Book 3, coming Q3 2018)
The Dragon Prince's Second Chance (Book 4, coming Q3 2018)
The Dragon Guard's Princess (Book 5, coming Q3 2018)
Rocky Mountain Shifters Series
Alpha’s Desire (Book 1)
Beta’s Destiny (Book 2)
Alpha’s Love (Book 3)
Beta’s Second Chance (Book 4)
Rocky Mountain Shifters (Complete Series)
Dragon Secrets Series
The Dragon’s Secret Baby (Book 1)
The Dragon's Secret Bride (Book 2)
The Dragon's Secret Prize (Book 3)
The Dragon's Secret Son (Book 4)
The Dragon's Secret Queen (Book 5)
Complete Series (Coming soon)
Fated Bears Series
The Bear Shifter's Virgin (Book 1)
The Bear Shifter's Second Chance (Book 2)
The Bear Shifter's Nanny (Book 3)
The Bear Shifter's Baby (Book 4)
The Bear Shifter's Mate (Book 5)
Complete Series (Coming soon)
Bound by Fate Series
The Vampire's Bride Awakening (Book 1)
The Vampire's Secret Baby (Book 2)
Standalone Stories
The Billionaire Wolves’ Virgin
Her Dragon Professor
The Vampire's Nanny
The Wolf Prince's True Mate
Bonded to the Alpha Wolf
A Secret Baby for the Vampire
Claimed by Two Navy Shifters
Her Two Dragon Princes
The Billionaire Shifter’s Secret Baby
The Alpha Bear's Magician Page 10
