He cuddled her tighter against his body, putting his lips close to her ear. “I’ll always be here for you. We’ll share everything together. You have a mate. Accept that and cherish it. I do.”
She parted her eyelids, staring at him. “You are evil.”
“Why? Because I make sense?”
“No, because you don’t play fair.”
He smiled. “I’m a VampLycan. I’ll do whatever it takes to get what I want.”
He was honest. She’d always give him credit for that. And blunt. She should be too. “We’re so different. Doesn’t that worry you?”
“I’ve heard that opposites attract. We’re proof that’s true.”
“Do you have an answer for everything?”
“I think so.”
“Fine. What about all my belongings in Oregon? I don’t even own clothes anymore, just ones Kira leant me. She’ll want them back at some point. I don’t want to write off my stuff. How will I support myself? I have a car. My lease isn’t up for another four months on my apartment. I have some savings but not enough to pay off—”
“That’s all easy to take care of.”
“Really? Tell me the wonders of the world, oh great know-it-all.”
He snorted, smiling again. “I’ll send my father to pack the belongings you want and have them shipped here. I have money, which makes it yours too. He can pay off your car and sell it for you. I’m certain your city vehicle wouldn’t survive one winter here.” He frowned. “I’ll drive you anywhere you need to go that a vehicle is required. You won’t need one of your own.”
“That sounds so sexist.”
He grinned. “It’s not. We had to walk to our cabin, remember? No roads.”
“I’ll want to go grocery shopping and stuff. That means I need a car to get to a town at some point.”
“Never without me at your side. Humans don’t like us, Glen. It wouldn’t be safe. They distrust anyone from a VampLycan town. They believe we’re some kind of religious cult.”
“Why?”
“We keep separate from them except mail and supply runs. It’s always been that way.”
“To keep your secret,” she guessed.
“Yes.”
“I can’t have your dad packing my underwear. Not to mention, he won’t want to do that.”
“He’ll do it because you’re my mate and your safety comes first. I won’t allow you to return to your home. The master is no longer a threat but that doesn’t mean other Vampires won’t be hunting for you. He was working with their council. It’s possible he shared your name and his plans with them. At some point, they are going to realize he’s dead.”
“I don’t have keys to my place, which means I have to get another set from the landlord. I have to pay off my lease and give notice that I’m moving.” He had no idea how the real world worked. That was obvious. “Your father isn’t me, so they aren’t going to let him do any of that.”
“You forget what we can do.” His eyes began to glow.
“Mind control.”
The yellow of them faded to the natural color. “Yes. My father can gain access to your home, pack whatever you want sent here, and do so safely. He’ll go in during the day and can handle any humans he needs to deal with on your behalf.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“It is, Glen.”
“What about my mom? I still call her every so often.”
“We do have phones in Alaska. Just don’t tell her where you are. The Vamps could use your family to track you.”
It made her go still inside. “They’re in danger?”
“Doubtful, especially if they have no information on where to find you. To kill a human in a city draws too much attention so they tend to avoid doing that.”
“What do I tell her?”
“That you met the man of your dreams.” He grinned. “I swept you off your feet and I’m incredibly handsome. Any mother would love to hear that.”
He was impossible—and all hers.
It hit hard. He really was hers.
He chuckled. “Breathe, mate. Don’t faint on me.”
“Fuck you. You’re so bossy!”
“I can do that.” He kissed her.
Chapter Twenty
Veso chuckled, watching Glen dust his mantel. She turned her head, shooting him a dirty look.
She amused him. He was mostly grateful that she wasn’t attempting to sneak out of the cabin to escape. He worried she’d change her mind about being his mate. Her muscles were probably sore though, since he’d celebrated their mating with lots of sex.
“Dust isn’t funny. There’s layers of it. Don’t you sneeze a lot?”
“It’s one chore I hate. The house is clean.”
“Except for your shelves and the surfaces above the floor and counters.”
“You did want a job.” He grinned, enjoying riling her. She was really attractive when she got mad.
“Ha ha ha. Bite me.”
He rounded the counter, stalking toward her.
She completely turned and held up the dust rag, pointing a finger at him. “Stop. I didn’t mean that in the literal sense. You have big fangs.”
“I’ve got big everything.” He stopped a few feet from her and glanced at her upheld hand. “I’m just trying to show you I’m a good mate by doing what you demand.” He let his fangs extend, showing them off. He ran his tongue over the tips.
“You’re so not funny.”
“I disagree.” A sudden sound outside had him tensing, moving quickly for the door. “Stay here.”
He unlocked it and exited fast, his claws extending too. The sight of his father made him relax. “What’s wrong?”
“Lorn has decided to announce your human is part of our clan. He wants you and Glen at the back of the lodge within the hour.”
“That’s not a good idea.” Veso wanted his mate to be safe. The thought of putting her in the midst of a full clan meeting didn’t sit well with him.
“I agree,” Glen said from behind him.
He turned, growling low when he saw her standing in the open doorway. “I told you to stay inside.”
She parted her eyelids, staring at him. “You are evil.”
“Why? Because I make sense?”
“No, because you don’t play fair.”
He smiled. “I’m a VampLycan. I’ll do whatever it takes to get what I want.”
He was honest. She’d always give him credit for that. And blunt. She should be too. “We’re so different. Doesn’t that worry you?”
“I’ve heard that opposites attract. We’re proof that’s true.”
“Do you have an answer for everything?”
“I think so.”
“Fine. What about all my belongings in Oregon? I don’t even own clothes anymore, just ones Kira leant me. She’ll want them back at some point. I don’t want to write off my stuff. How will I support myself? I have a car. My lease isn’t up for another four months on my apartment. I have some savings but not enough to pay off—”
“That’s all easy to take care of.”
“Really? Tell me the wonders of the world, oh great know-it-all.”
He snorted, smiling again. “I’ll send my father to pack the belongings you want and have them shipped here. I have money, which makes it yours too. He can pay off your car and sell it for you. I’m certain your city vehicle wouldn’t survive one winter here.” He frowned. “I’ll drive you anywhere you need to go that a vehicle is required. You won’t need one of your own.”
“That sounds so sexist.”
He grinned. “It’s not. We had to walk to our cabin, remember? No roads.”
“I’ll want to go grocery shopping and stuff. That means I need a car to get to a town at some point.”
“Never without me at your side. Humans don’t like us, Glen. It wouldn’t be safe. They distrust anyone from a VampLycan town. They believe we’re some kind of religious cult.”
“Why?”
“We keep separate from them except mail and supply runs. It’s always been that way.”
“To keep your secret,” she guessed.
“Yes.”
“I can’t have your dad packing my underwear. Not to mention, he won’t want to do that.”
“He’ll do it because you’re my mate and your safety comes first. I won’t allow you to return to your home. The master is no longer a threat but that doesn’t mean other Vampires won’t be hunting for you. He was working with their council. It’s possible he shared your name and his plans with them. At some point, they are going to realize he’s dead.”
“I don’t have keys to my place, which means I have to get another set from the landlord. I have to pay off my lease and give notice that I’m moving.” He had no idea how the real world worked. That was obvious. “Your father isn’t me, so they aren’t going to let him do any of that.”
“You forget what we can do.” His eyes began to glow.
“Mind control.”
The yellow of them faded to the natural color. “Yes. My father can gain access to your home, pack whatever you want sent here, and do so safely. He’ll go in during the day and can handle any humans he needs to deal with on your behalf.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“It is, Glen.”
“What about my mom? I still call her every so often.”
“We do have phones in Alaska. Just don’t tell her where you are. The Vamps could use your family to track you.”
It made her go still inside. “They’re in danger?”
“Doubtful, especially if they have no information on where to find you. To kill a human in a city draws too much attention so they tend to avoid doing that.”
“What do I tell her?”
“That you met the man of your dreams.” He grinned. “I swept you off your feet and I’m incredibly handsome. Any mother would love to hear that.”
He was impossible—and all hers.
It hit hard. He really was hers.
He chuckled. “Breathe, mate. Don’t faint on me.”
“Fuck you. You’re so bossy!”
“I can do that.” He kissed her.
Chapter Twenty
Veso chuckled, watching Glen dust his mantel. She turned her head, shooting him a dirty look.
She amused him. He was mostly grateful that she wasn’t attempting to sneak out of the cabin to escape. He worried she’d change her mind about being his mate. Her muscles were probably sore though, since he’d celebrated their mating with lots of sex.
“Dust isn’t funny. There’s layers of it. Don’t you sneeze a lot?”
“It’s one chore I hate. The house is clean.”
“Except for your shelves and the surfaces above the floor and counters.”
“You did want a job.” He grinned, enjoying riling her. She was really attractive when she got mad.
“Ha ha ha. Bite me.”
He rounded the counter, stalking toward her.
She completely turned and held up the dust rag, pointing a finger at him. “Stop. I didn’t mean that in the literal sense. You have big fangs.”
“I’ve got big everything.” He stopped a few feet from her and glanced at her upheld hand. “I’m just trying to show you I’m a good mate by doing what you demand.” He let his fangs extend, showing them off. He ran his tongue over the tips.
“You’re so not funny.”
“I disagree.” A sudden sound outside had him tensing, moving quickly for the door. “Stay here.”
He unlocked it and exited fast, his claws extending too. The sight of his father made him relax. “What’s wrong?”
“Lorn has decided to announce your human is part of our clan. He wants you and Glen at the back of the lodge within the hour.”
“That’s not a good idea.” Veso wanted his mate to be safe. The thought of putting her in the midst of a full clan meeting didn’t sit well with him.
“I agree,” Glen said from behind him.
He turned, growling low when he saw her standing in the open doorway. “I told you to stay inside.”
