I'm in the kitchen figuring out what Iwant for lunch when Sam comes in, “Hey are you ok? Your friend shouldn't have outed you like that.”
I sigh, “I'm used to it.”
He squeezes my hand, “You shouldn't have to be. Because it still upsets you. I can feel it.”
I feel so comfortable around him, “I guess a part of me envies how she can just bounce from one lover to the next. She can just live in the carnal moments and be content with that. I can't. I have tried. I can't just have sex. It has to mean something to me, he has to mean something to me.”
“I think there's more to it,” he says.
I nod. I get out the ingredients and we start cooking.
“So tell me the story behind it,” he says.
I sigh, “My love died when I was 19. I watched it happen. He made me promise to go on living and find love.”
Sam nods, “He wanted you to be happy even at his death. Seemed like he was a good man because I would want my mate to be happy after I died.”
I feel like I can tell Sam anything. I have this a bit with Vin too as I told him about Kevin after only just meeting him and moving in.
Honestly, I feel like I have lived here for years now. I got true sleep, something that has eluded me for a very long time.
So I tell him why I am the way that I am, “He was. I tried to date. Most went no where. A few led to a relationship but ended badly. The last was the worst. He changed after we became intimate. He got controlling, manipulative, and abusive.
Being who I am, I decided to investigate. I convinced him I was staying in at his place. I put on a
disguise and left my phone at home in my room in my apartment with the location set to his apartment. I had
been going between his place and mine. But anyway, I enabled my burner phone to
get everything my normal one would. So if he checked my location it would look like
I was home and I could respond right away. I tracked him to a hotel bar where he met two women.
Their conversation was anything but business. So I made a plan to ruin his threesome.” I smirk and Sam chuckles.
He says, “Remind me never to be on your bad side.”
I continue, “I followed them to their room. I went to the sofa at the end of the hall and took a pillow. I put it under my dress. I removed my wig as
well. I jammed the key reader on the door so it opened easily. They were nude on the bed but hadn't had sex yet. I burst in and yelled 'Honey, my
water broke it's time! Our babies are coming!'”
We hear laughter from the living room and then Eric trying to coverup why. Sam is laughing so hard. His eyes are crinkled and tears are streaming down his handsome face.
He barely says, “And then what?”
“The ladies left so fast trying to dress as they were running away that it resembled one of those crazy cartoons. A soap opera played on his face. He eventually settled on anger. He came at me. I kicked him in the balls and then hit him over the head with a lamp. I ran home and called the cops. I got a no- contact order against him and then moved back in fully with Katie.”
Sam gets a serious expression, “Well he's dead if he touches you again!”
I don't want him killing anyone for me not even Victor Van Clay, “So I'm not experienced and what little I've had since my
first love has ended very badly. So if we can undo this mate thing we should. I can't..”
He pulls me to him, “Eva please stop.”
He turns me around from the stove to look him in the eyes, “Yes, a Were can reject a fated
mate but at a huge price. It would weaken him and since I'm a.. well since I'm me, it would affect my whole pack. Even if it wouldn't weaken my pack, I would still be your fated mate. So it can't be undone even if we wanted. Plus, I'd have approached you even if I wasn't instantly drawn to you. You'll accept this in time.”
He kisses me. It erases my doubts. I'm so not used to this. We pull away and he rests his forehead on mine. He smiles, “Everything is fine.”
A calm just washes over me. He balances me. Maybe he is right. All of this is meant to be and everything
will be fine, but I can't shake the feeling that there's more to it. I can't shake the feeling that something is building…something that could destroy us.
I kiss him once more, “Thank you. Let's go set the table and call everyone to lunch.”
We made a ton of food so that everyone got their own appetizer, bread, pizza, pasta, and dessert.
Katie rubs her belly, “If you keep cooking like this I'm going to need to live in the gym.”
I laugh, “Sorry I worked up an appetite earlier.”
She wiggles her eyebrows, “I bet with all that unproductive skinny-dipping.”
I roll my eyes, “Not that, geez. We hiked, swam, jumped off a waterfall, and ran ho..back.”
Vincent smirks, “Give up and say home.”
I drag out my response, “Nope!”
Katie beams, “Waterfall!”
Vincent softens, “Yes the grounds are quite beautiful both day and night. Why I chose to live here.”
I add, “The butterflies on the lake were lovely.”
Katie asks, “When was that?”
I say, “Last night while you were sleeping. Don't even look at me like that!”
She huffs as she points at Vincent and Sam, “Nighttime walks alone, skinny dipping and you've done nothing with these two! Come on, live a little!”
I beg her with my eyes, “Just stop.”
But she doesn't, “You're single and you're not a virgin. If I were you I wouldn't even be here right now I'd be off screaming in ecstasy with one, both, or perhaps all three of them.”
I cringe, “Ugh I'm not that girl. My experiences…”
But she doesn't let me finish, “Yeah the few you've had, that's the problem you won't let yourself be free. You chain yourself to a guy until he f*cks you over as Victor did. Not all guys are ill like Kevin was or are cheating assholes like Victor.”
“I don't need a ton of partners, I take care of myself just fine. Victor taught me what to look out for. I will not f*ck a guy unless we are both on the same page,” I say.
She clicks her tongue, “The shower sprayer isn't a partner. You need cock.”
“Not really. If used right it can be even better than cock. It takes orders without question, it's always ready, it lasts as long as you need it to, it doesn't speak, and most importantly it never cheats!” I reply without thinking.
Eric looks at Vincent as Sam laughs.
Vincent says, “Yes man they're always like this.”
Eric chuckles, “Never boring.”
Katie turned her attention from me to them, “We just speak the truth to
each other no sugarcoating. Why do they call you Prince?”
He says, “Out of respect. This area used to be rough. I helped clean it up.”
“Through charities and parties like that Gala we met you at?” she asks.
He nods. He's one of the good ones, but if she only knew them as I do. I'm going to have to tell her at some
point but how? Will she fear or hate me?
The guys all look at me. “I see that look on your face Eva, just stop!” Vincent commands.
Sam looks into my eyes, “Everything will be fine.”
Katie looks around, “What’s wrong?”
I sigh, “It’s the story.”
Eric supports me, “It's linked to me and my philanthropy.”
Katie abruptly stands, “Oh ok. I'm feeling kinda sleepy. I'm going to nap and read so you guys can get back to work.”
I bet Vincent is doing this. I understand why but I hate hiding from her.
I answer her, “Ok, if you need something text. We might be outside.”
Once she was safely in her room, we talked freely. I turn to the two vampires, “I know one of you compelled her. Which one of you did it?”
Eric holds up his hands, “Vincent started to but she kept on so I took over. I figured it was the easiest way to get her away for us to talk before she asked questions we hadn't discussed.”
I nod because he is right.
Sam rubs his face, “First, let me say that I thought my teenage cousins were sex-crazed, but Katie…just wow!”
I shrug, “She's always been a bit much but I love her.”
“But Eva, she's very persistent. She's not letup since last night,” Vincent says.
I nod. Eric suggests, “We need to find her a manly distraction.”
I snort, “Good luck with that. She changes men more often than she does her underwear.”
Vincent smiles, “You're the complete opposite of her.”
I try to explain why Katie is Katie, “I had the luck of finding love once, she never has. No decent guy has given her his heart. She doesn't see love as I do because she still needs to experience it.”
Vincent takes my hand and kisses it, “Don't feel bad. I know you do because you had Kevin and now us three.”
I sigh, “It's hard not to especially now
considering all of this. I have powers because I am not human. I have three mates who have yearned for me for centuries. How can I not feel bad?”
Sam lightly strokes my forearm, “I thought I'd never find it to the point that I didn't believe that I had a fated.”
Vincent nods, “Same to the point that I gave up women completely.”
“Eva, maybe her mate is veiled like you were. There's hope for her,” Eric reassures me.
“I just…” but I don't finish my sentence.
Vincent interjects, “Worried about her resenting you or thinking you're a monster.”
I nod.
Eric says, “If she does, then she's not a real friend to you. You know that I'm right.”
Vincent turns to Sam, “Let's change the subject. What did you find out wolf?”
Sam flatly states, “She has our traits and some abilities like strength and smell.”
Vincent asks, “Eva what do we smell like to you?”
I answer him, “You smell like a spiced musk mingling with the sea. Eric yours is more of an oriental spiced vanilla mingled with leather. Sam yours is more like a fresh linen that was bathed in a jasmine pine scent.”
“How does Katie smell to you without her perfume?” Eric asks me.
I say, “Like sweet cloves.”
“How most humans smell and a few witches. Well either like that or repulsive like excrement,” Vincent says.
Sam responds, “Humans to us have an earthy smell. Witches have that mixed with either a spice or floral note.”
Vincent suggests, “I'm curious if we only smell that way to her because we're her mates.”
Eric says, “Worth an experiment.”
Vincent asks me, “What else did you discover on your outing into the woods?”
I look away, “Um, I can jump from a waterfall to the ground and it barely hurt.”
He redirects my gaze, “Anything else?”
I huff, “Fine I'll show you!”
I think float like a cloud or feather as I levitate to the ceiling.
Vincent smirks, “So maybe it wasn't just me when we kissed?”
He's so cocky, “No that was you. I have to think light thoughts to do this!”
Then I try to comedown but am anything but graceful. Sam catches me, “Easy.”
“Sorry.”
Eric gets my attention, “Stop, all of this is new to you. Things will get broken, don't worry about it. We will all be learning now.”
I look at him, “I worry it's what I do.”
“You can't control everything,” he says.
“Well, I can damn sure try,” I tell him.
Vincent laughs.
Eric puts his hands up, “You both are too much alike!”
“I like and need control,” I say.
“We all do,” Eric adds.
I look at the three of them, “How are we not going to kill each other?”
Vincent laughs, “What the fated bond can't prevent, that's what lots of brandy will be used for.”
Eric looks at Vincent, “We should teach her to fight too.”
“Why she'll just cheat like Sam said,” Vincent adds.
I laugh, “It's called adapting.”
Vincent chuckles, “What are we going to do with you?”
I grin, “That's only if I allow anything.
Damn, I'm hungry again!”
Eric says, “You used your powers maybe it's your body's way of refueling like how we need blood.”
“We eat,” Sam added.
“Well, I want cake!” I announce.
Sam chuckles as he grins, “Don't we all!”
We all laugh as Sam and I go to the kitchen. I like them getting along like this. It makes my heart sing and I want to do little things for them like, cook. I am starting to not just care about them but for them.