Nicole (The Mate Series) Book #1

by Teresa Gabelman

  “Smashed and gone.” Mitch thumbed through the file. “As soon as you didn’t come back, I took that sucker outside and with every curse word I knew, I smashed it.”

  “Wow, very mature of you.” Nicole snorted, already planning on a new jar which would look great right on the corner of his desk. She glanced up at Mitch who was glaring at her over the file. “What?”

  “Don’t even think about it,” Mitch warned, then continued reading the file. “There isn’t a caseworker assigned to this case. And no follow-ups marked.”

  “I’m adding my name and follow-ups starting tomorrow.” Nicole leaned back with a tired sigh feeling exhausted, and that was saying something since she was a damn vampire. She wasn’t supposed to get tired, but mentally, she was exhausted.

  “Jesus.” Mitch slammed the file on his desk. “What the hell is going on out there, Callahan? I don’t have enough staff to cover every single kid that needs help out there. I’m even working cases and honestly, I don’t know how much longer I can keep up the pace.”

  Nicole really looked at Mitch and realized how tired he looked. She hadn’t been gone from the agency that long, yet he looked older, much older. “I may have some help coming.”

  That got his attention. “Who?”

  “Some of the mates are wanting to come on board.” Nicole held up her hand before he could start. “I’ll train them. Pam is even coming back part-time. She’ll help. So just shut up and say, Thank you, Nicole. You are not only the most beautiful employee, but the smartest.”

  Nicole had laid her head back and closed her eyes. When Mitch didn’t respond, she lifted her head to look at him. He stared back at her, and she saw in his eyes how much he appreciated her being there. Knowing Mitch, he was having a hell of a time getting it to leave his lips.

  “It’s good to have you back,” he said without any sarcasm.

  “It’s good to be back, Mitch.” Nicole nodded, then stood.

  “And if you tell anyone I said that, I’ll fire your ass,” Mitch grumbled at her back as she headed toward the door.

  “See you in the morning.” Nicole gave him a backward wave without turning around.

  “Don’t be fucking late.” Mitch growled, then added, “And no, we still don’t have a five-minute window, so be on time.”

  Nicole smiled as she walked to her office, grabbed her bag, and turned out the lights. Her smile faded as she headed toward the door. With a sigh, she pushed onward, not knowing where her personal life was heading. Feeling sick, sad, and overwhelmed, she charged forward with a small glimmer of hope.

  Chapter 14

  Nicole pulled up to the house, noticing right away that Damon wasn’t there. Her stomach clenched painfully as her eyes filled with tears. Swiping them away, she got out of the car and headed into the empty house. Empty was exactly how she felt. While she had walked inside their home alone before, she’d always known Damon would be coming soon. Tonight, she didn’t know if he would be home at all. Uncertainty clawed at her chest, breaking a little piece of her heart.

  When inside, she put her bag down and strolled through the house without turning on a light. Heading upstairs, she went directly to the shower, turned it on, and undressed. Once inside the glass enclosure, she let the hot water rain down on her. The day’s events played over in her mind, returning to Damon over and over again. Had she made a mistake? Was she asking too much? Shaking her head, she quickly washed, rinsed, and shut the shower off. She stepped out and planted herself in front of the mirror.

  Staring at her reflection, Nicole frowned, seeing just a slight peek of her fangs. Being immortal had appealed to her. Now, it terrified her. Her eyes lowered and shifted to the side, seeing Damon’s things laid out neatly on his section of the sink. Spending eternity without Damon wasn’t something she thought she could ever do.

  With one last look at herself, she turned away from the mirror and without drying off, or a towel wrapped around her, she made her way toward their bedroom. One thing she missed about being human was sleeping. A real deep sleep that rested not only her body but her mind, stopping all thoughts. She headed down the hallway and listened to her surroundings, hoping for the hint of his presence. She heard nothing but the normal sounds of the house. With a sigh, she reached the bedroom and opened the door. Even though she didn’t need to sleep, she was going to rest and try to shut off all thoughts for at least an hour.

  Nicole found herself in the closet, unable to resist going straight to Damon’s clothes. Grabbing one of his few dress shirts, she removed it from the hanger and held it up to her face. His smell clung to the fabric, sending her emotions all over the place. At first, the familiarity calmed her. All too quickly, loneliness overpowered the calm. Her chin quivered, emotion bubbling in her throat. Unable to resist slipping the shirt on, she only managed to fasten two buttons when she turned and looked up.

  Damon.

  Her breath caught. He stood in the doorway of their walk-in closet. His eyes traveled from her face and wet hair, down her body and then back to her face. The house was still dark, but they could both see as well as if it were lit.

  As she stood staring at him, she knew how easy it would be for her to fall at his feet and beg him to forgive her, not to leave her like many in her life had left her before. But she wouldn’t do that. Couldn’t. As much as it hurt, Nicole needed to stand her ground. She had to be strong. Just as suddenly, the urge to punch him overtook her, but she didn’t move a muscle.

  “If you need this shirt, I’ll take it off.” Nicole broke the silence, figuring he was coming to get his things.

  Damon didn’t say anything for a long time, or at least it seemed like forever. “Okay.”

  Oh God. That one word hurt more than a knife plunged into her back. He was there to get his things. With a defiant lift of her chin, she unfastened the two buttons, slipped the cotton shirt off her shoulders, and let it fall to the floor. With a proud tilt of her head, she walked toward him, grabbing a robe hanging next to the door where he stood. But she didn’t attempt to put it on. Instead, she started past him, but he grasped her arm, stopping her.

  Slowly, she peered up at him. “I’ll find a place as soon as I can,” Nicole whispered, tears filling her eyes and distorting her voice. She glanced away quickly. Every strong female instinct swiftly abandoned her. She felt as if she were that young girl who was once again being abandoned, left unwanted because of the way she was. Was that fair to Damon? Probably not. But it was her true feelings at that exact moment. She was giving in to those feelings, and instead of being a burden, she was giving up and making sure she’d be the one who’d take control of leaving and finding a new place. It was who she had been in the past, and it seemed her old life was catching up with her.

  Reaching out, Damon lifted her chin so her eyes met his. “You are mine.” His voice was a low rumble through the closet. “I fight for what is mine. I’m fighting for you, Nicole.”

  Her damn chin quivered again. “But—”

  His thumb caressed her lips, stopping her words. “I know what was said.” Damon removed his thumb but continued to cup her chin. “I am that someone who will walk beside you, be your partner, but you have to understand that whenever you are in danger, my protective instincts take over. I don’t expect you to change who you are for me, just as you cannot expect me to change who I am.”

  Could this really be happening? Was he really here, or did she actually fall into a deep sleep and was dreaming? Damon never said this much. Ever. He was a man of few words. It meant every single word he shared held meaning.

  “We are going to fight as we already have, but at the end of the day… you are mine.” Damon’s other hand reached around her, pulling her against him. “Nothing will ever change that, Nicole.”

  The robe dropped from Nicole’s hand as she stared up at Damon. “I know this isn’t easy for you.”

  “No, it’s not,” Damon agreed with a grunt. Slowly, he reached down and picked her up, cradling her against him. Hi
s lips smashed down on hers. Her heart lightened, emotion racing through her. When he pulled away, he said, “I know how important this is to you. That matters to me, even when I’m trying my best to protect you.”

  “I love you.” Nicole kissed his chin as a tear slipped from her eye. His words meant more than even she could express. She wanted him to understand her need to be herself, and hearing him say those words made her love this man even more than she did. Shock rolled through her at the thought because her love for him was already so deep. “And I promise to do everything I can not to put myself in danger.”

  A chuckle escaped from Damon, the sound comforting as it came from deep within his chest. “Danger finds you, Nicole.”

  She was tempted to roll her eyes despite the truth of his words, but the moment warranted her whole focus, her whole heart. “I promise to be careful,” Nicole whispered as Damon’s hand began to roam.

  He moved them from the closet toward the bed. Remaining silent, he placed her on the bed, undressed quickly before spreading her legs, and poised above her. His fingers teasingly touched her core, and she moaned at the contact. She was more than ready for him. “We’ll talk more in the morning,” Damon growled, and he slowly entered her body.

  At that moment, all Nicole cared about was the man above her, the man who came back and stayed. She hated the insecurities that seemed to creep up at times when she was vulnerable. It was easy for those who were always left behind to fall into the feelings of not being good enough, and it was far too easy to listen to that voice during times of struggle with those she loved.

  Pushing all that aside, for now, Nicole used her strength to roll Damon, knowing in truth, he let her take control. Slowly, she began to move, aiming to drive him crazy. His large hands held her hips, but he didn’t overpower her to the speed she knew he wanted.

  “Get out of your head, Nicole,” Damon ordered, his voice low and rougher than usual. Though it was his eyes that held her captive. They saw everything from the surface to her soul. “I will never walk away from you.”

  She swore her tears would eventually stop, but for right now, his words meant so much that she let them flow as she gave Damon what he wanted. She moved with purpose, giving him everything she had to give, and he opened himself up, accepting it all.

  To have a man she could be strong in front of, but then lose herself behind closed doors too, and have him understand without having to say a word to him was something that was hard to find. Connected with Damon, she made a promise to herself that her insecurities would never again be the reason she gave up fighting for him. Today proved to her how much he loved her, because he’d stayed. To Nicole, that said everything she needed to know about the man she would spend her life with. Her mate.

  On the way to the agency, Nicole couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. Last night had been… well, it had been magical, as corny as that sounded. They’d talked, made love, talked some more, they’d had sex that had blown her mind, and then made love and showered together, getting ready for another day.

  Glancing in her rearview mirror, Nicole peeked at Damon as he rode behind her on his way to the compound. Clicking on her blinker, she waited for a few cars to pass, then realized she was still staring at Damon when a smile appeared on his face. She glanced at the road in front of her, seeing that it was clear to turn, and probably had been for a while. Rolling her eyes, she pulled into the parking lot, then beeped her horn as he passed.

  Maybe they should fight more often. That thought brought another smile to her face. She felt like a teenager with her first real crush. Since she had left the agency, only doing little odds and ends for them, they really hadn’t fought. She knew that was because she mostly wasn’t putting herself in situations that Damon didn’t like.

  Finding a space, Nicole parked, grabbed her stuff, and got out of the car. Glancing at her phone, she cursed. She was late. “Shit!” Hurrying toward the door, she noticed all the cars, but shrugged it off.

  “Here, let me get that for you.” A man’s voice startled her. A handsome man with blond hair and the bluest eyes she’d ever seen reached around and opened the door. He was tall, well built, and dressed in an expensive-looking business suit.

  “Thanks,” Nicole said as she keyed in the passcode to the next door leading into the agency. Another safety device the Warriors had installed. “Are you here to see Mitch?” She frowned, stopping before going inside. There was a passcode for a reason.

  “Ah, no.” He stared down at her. “Lana Fitzpatrick told me to meet her here.”

  “Lana?” Nicole’s frown remained.

  “Michael.” Lana’s voice pulled Nicole’s attention away from the man. Lana headed toward them with a huge smile on her face. “Thank you for coming.”

  The man reached out, taking Lana’s hand. “Lana, it’s been too long.”

  “Yes, it has.” Lana smiled, and glanced at Nicole’s cocked eyebrow. “Oh, this is Nicole Callahan DeMasters. And this is Michael Eastman.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Nicole juggled everything in her arms to shake his hand.

  “He owns EEPT,” Lana said, then added at Nicole’s clueless stare, “Eastman Executive Protection Training.”

  “Callahan!” Mitch’s voice reached them, and he didn’t sound happy.

  “Uh, okay.” Nicole glanced between this new guy and Lana, still confused about what was going on. “Give me a second to calm the beast.”

  They followed Nicole, who rushed down the hallway. Hearing loud voices, she stopped at the larger of the conference rooms. Inside were Jill, Pam, Angelina, Katrina, Tessa, and Kira. Turning back toward Lana, she frowned. “What’s going on?”

  “You needed help, and well, here we are.” Lana smiled. “Your help.”

  “And him?” Nicole nodded toward Michael, who stood patiently behind Lana, his blue eyes staring at her.

  Before Lana could answer, Mitch bellowed again.

  “Hold that thought.” Nicole hurried inside, setting her stuff on the table. “Hey, ladies. I’ll be right back.”

  Slightly frazzled, Nicole rushed down the hallway and into Mitch’s office to see Ben staring at her wide-eyed and Mitch’s face a blazing red. “What in the fuck is going on?” Mitch hissed and indicated for her to shut the door, but as angry as Mitch looked, she didn’t think closing the door would help since she was sure everyone in the building was going to hear her get her ass chewed.

  “Uh, not sure,” Nicole replied, then glanced at the clock. Yep, she was late. “I mean, I knew they wanted to help, but didn’t know they were all showing up this morning.”

  Mitch sighed, cursed, and rubbed his hand down his face. “God, help me, but we need the help.” He stood, throwing a glare her way. “Let’s figure out what the hell is going on so we can get to work.”

  Nodding, Nicole opened the door with a glance at Ben, and then walked out, heading toward the conference room where women’s voices were traveling down the hallway.

  “And don’t think I didn’t notice you’re late,” Mitch growled behind her.

  Instead of shooting off a sarcastic remark as she usually did, Nicole walked into the conference room, slipping past Michael.

  “Okay, tell us where to start,” Jill said, taking a seat at the table. The rest of the women followed suit, except for Pam, who moved to stand next to Nicole.

  “Ben, run to the administrative office and grab some new employment forms.” Nicole figured with Mitch breathing down her neck, she better do this right. “Lana, while he does that, why don’t you explain what Mr. Eastman is doing here?”

  “Sorry I’m late.” Mira hurried in with Steve following. She glanced at Pam. “Duncan and Daniel approved of Gwen. They will be absolutely safe with her at the compound.”

  “Great, thank you so much. And if Daniel approved, then I know she’s good. That boy knows more than we do.” Pam chuckled with a shake of her head, then glanced at Nicole, who was giving her a discreet nod at Mitch, whose head looked ready to explode
. “Ah, yeah. Who needs a pen?”

  “Who is that guy?” Mitch leaned over, asking Nicole.

  “Not sure yet,” Nicole whispered, then realized her mistake.

  “Who the fuck are you?” Mitch glared at Michael, who stood observing everyone closely. She then noticed Steve shooting daggers at the man.

  “Yeah, who’s the suit?” Steve frowned, and glanced at Nicole with a cocked eyebrow.

  With a sigh, Nicole cursed under her breath. This was going to be a long day. Her fingers itched to text Damon to meet her back at the house, start last night over again and then begin a new day. Hearing Mitch say her name took her away from that fantasy and back to reality. Welp, this was what she’d wanted, so she needed to suck it up and do what she did best.

  “Lana, why don’t you introduce Mr. Eastman,” Nicole said, smiling toward the man who Mitch and Steve had been so rude to.

  “Call me Mike.” His deep voice filled the room, and Nicole actually heard a few womanly sighs. This was not going to be good. Glancing at Steve, whose eyes became black, proved that thought right. Yep, there was definitely a shitstorm brewing.

  Chapter 15

  As Lana introduced Mr. Eastman, Nicole slipped next to Steve. “I’ll make sure Mira gets back,” Nicole whispered, trying to usher Steve toward the door. “I know Sloan has you all busy, so you can leave.”

  Without budging, Steve crossed his arms and stared at the man Lana was talking about. “I’m good,” Steve whispered back, then gave her a sideways look and nod before once again looking toward the man who had begun to speak.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Mike said as he looked around the room. “As Lana said, I’ve known her for years, worked with her and the police providing protection training through my company EEPT. We know the dangers of what you all face out there, and I would like to come on board to give you all the training you will need in your fight for the children.”