The Cat And The Bird Parlay
Iwake up, looking around wildly. I am not… damn him. I’m here with no warning again. “Taurus?”
The room is dark, and he’s back lit by moonlight on his pale skin. He looks like a paranormal romance novel cover again. Bastard. He’s doing that on purpose, so my brain short circuits. “I’ve thought about it. I haven’t thought of anything else since I left you. It’s lame, but it’s true.”
I blink myself awake, trying to follow his conversation in my hazy state. I don’t sleep a lot because of nightmares, but when I do, it’s pretty damn deep. I usually need several hits of caffeine or morning sex to have such a serious conversation.
“The irony is that my biggest concern was Talia’s reaction. It was surprising to find out that she’s confident enough in us to know that she can’t be replaced. She thinks you’d make a colorful addition to our family. My primary actually said that she knows you make me happy, which goes a long way with her. She even said that she respects you enough to trust you with me. Talia’s done her best to protect me—albeit mostly from myself—from all the backbiting bints with attitude problems.”
Looking confused—as Talia and I have met a grand total of four times—I nod, waiting for the punchline.
“She seems to believe that you’d do the same, regardless of what toes you’d have to step on. I don’t know how she got the opinion that I need protection.” He frowns, looking irritated.
“You don’t, but I think she knows I’d do it if I thought you needed it.” I’ve protected more than either of them knows for weeks. Keeping everything quiet and low key with him was not just to make him comfortable; it was to make I sure I didn’t set off panic alarms around the community.
The legend of Taurus and Talia is a boogeyman story now; I had to keep people from panicking.
“Anyway, my goddess accepts any decision I make. What I don’t know is… how does this type of thing work with your people? Are they okay with it?”
I chuckle. He really does not know how families work here. I might be the only one who even informs my mates of my intent with shit like this. “Rafe told me this evening that he knew this was where we were going. He didn’t know why he felt that way or when it would happen, but he knew it would. He would never stand in the way of something that might make me happy.”
Taurus looks confused. “Rafe knew we would… What?”
“When I told him about the marking—I asked him before I said yes. He said that’s when he knew that we’d end up here, eventually.”
“That’s who you were talking to! I didn’t think to clarify then.” He snaps his fingers and studies me closely. “Are you sure that he doesn’t mind? I’m not the easiest clone to be with because I don’t play well with others. As your primary mate, though, I will always treat him with respect. If I ever meet the bugg—uh, bloke.”
“Because all the other clones I’ve mated with are so easy to deal with.”
“I’m usually much less ‘angsty soap opera’ than the rest of those rotters.”
“He’s too laid back to worry about that. From the beginning, Rafe has always shared me. He trusts me to do what makes me happy, and that’s what makes him happy. I do the same with him. We’re extremely secure about our relationship—Taurus and Pisces fit together like puzzle pieces.”
He snorts at the Zodiac reference, and I wince. He’s going to have a really hard time with my magick. The Universe has far more options than he’s been taught and I’m fairly certain that I’m going to rock his world after the Beltane ceremony if he thinks astrology is hoodoo.
Wait until he finds out that everything he was taught is fluffy garbage exists.
I realize that I’ve tuned out on him again, and curse mentally. I have to stop doing that.
“…that brings me to problem number two.”
I sigh, knowing that I can’t rewind to problem one now. Hopefully, it’s not actually a problem. “What is that?”
“I’m not laid back. I love and trust you. I want you to be happy. But I can be a jealous sod. I got that way with Talia in the past, and we went rounds over it. I haven’t felt that with you yet, but we’ve been shut up in our own world. It may not be a problem because I know that you already have several mates, but I don’t know. I just want to be honest about it.” He turns to look out at the moon, almost as if he can’t say that to my face.
Although, maybe he simply enjoys looking dramatic. Either is a valid possibility.
Shaking my head to clear it of that nonsense, I consider what he said. I can’t decide whether to be offended that he might not be jealous or worried that he might be too jealous. Finally, I settle on cautiously neutral. “I don’t mind possessive, though I rarely experience it when it’s actually about me. I’ve dealt with jealousy before. If you’re honest about it, you’d have the advantage over others.”
“You’ve seen the chest thumping and dick swinging, though, not as bad as it can be. The one thing I can assure you about is that if I have a problem, I’ll let you know. I don’t play games like that.” Done posing for the moment, he pads over to the couch and sits next to me.
“That’s a lot less likely to turn rotten, so I can deal with it.”
“I play some games, but not those kinds.” His grin turns into a frown suddenly. “You sound like you’re already decided, kitty.”
Shit. I do, right?
I had that long conversation with Rafe and found my Zen in it. I’m probably being too easily convinced. “I told you earlier that whatever your decision was, I’d go with it. I let you mark me, so it’s not a surprise that I’d go a step further, is it? I love you and you’re mine. This would underline that in big, bold ink.”
“What do you want is the real question? You keep saying that you’ll go along with me, but I don’t want a kitty on a leash. I want to know if you want this.”
My eyes narrow and I dig deep, finding the girl Rafe, and I discussed. “I don’t follow; I lead. I told you what I’d like to do, and I meant it. I do nothing this permanent if I don’t want to. But I didn’t want to put pressure on you because you were so conflicted.” I do lots of other things under duress, but nothing like this.
Mating is not something that you let peer pressure decide for you; I learned that the hard way.
His brows furrow. “Telling me what you want is not the same as pressuring me. I know the difference, so I want you to tell me what you need without worrying about that, okay?”
My eyes widen and I feel the panic setting in. This is scary and I haven’t been the sassy, confident vixen in a while. I’m having trouble keeping her from taking off at a gallop. “I was being careful. I’m gun-shy about emotional commitment after a few mis-steps.”
“Fair enough. The recent past has scarred both of us in ways that don’t heal quickly. I’m suffering, so I can imagine you are as well. Gun-shy is a good word for it.” He pauses and holds up two fingers, looking apologetic. “Two more things, but they are important.”
“Okay,” I say, feeling the tough girl edge away again. It’d be awful helpful of the beast inside of me to help tie her down while I deal with Taurus. The slumbering predator huffs what might be a laugh and I groan. I’m on my own until I get to the bloody shit.
Great.
“One of them is more to let you into my head, so buckle your seatbelt and take your Dramamine,” he says, winking.
I pretend to brace myself against the couch. “I’m ready.”
“In my mind, this place where we meet is separate—disconnected from everything else. When you come here, I don’t see the marks on you, other than mine and Rafe’s. It’s like they disappear. Maybe that’s why I don’t have the jealousy and rot with the others. I don’t see them.”
That little tidbit is interesting, but I don’t think I should tell him it’s not a trick of his imagination. He can’t see my marks, bruises, or scrapes because of the glamours. Some of it is visual, and some are via auditory cues I’ve implanted during phone conversations. He hasn’t a clue I’m using magick and neuro-linguistic programming to cover up everything that would make him upset.
Taurus gestures to the surrounding room. “This is our oasis—a quiet place beyond all the shit. It relaxes and comforts me even when you’re not here.”
I didn’t know he came here when I’m not here. I’ve only done that a few times while waiting for him. But he’s been escaping to our place just to hang out. “I understand.”
“When you’re here with me, you’re mine — all mine and I’m all yours. The others don’t factor in. It might change for me after I drink from you. My sense of honor prevents me from blocking this place from your Rafe or my Talia. I’m not saying they’d want to intrude, but I’m honor bound if they do. Does that make sense?”
Honor bound. Have we stepped into the Wayback Machine and gone to the middle ages?
I consider asking, but he’s clearly serious about this. That is doing nothing for my nervous tummy. “I wouldn’t want you to keep the family out if they wanted to be here.”
“Nor would I, but Rafe is the only mate that I feel comfortable having here.”
“I wouldn’t expect to bring extended family here,” I say, giving him a wry look.
“I’m not entirely sure who’ve you have taken to you. There was a fucking army on your lawn that night. But someone like the boozy socialite—Philomena, isn’t it? She’d be fine. In fact, I’d kind of like to meet her. I think we’d be aces, pet.”
“Philomena is rather bossy and arrogant, so probably.” I chuckle. They’d get along about as well as anyone can get along with Philomena. “The people who are actually mine—not necessarily through mating—are Rafe, Hex, Leo, Philomena, Siren, and Sandrine. Caesar and Victor live with us now, but they’re—well, they’re mine now.”
“Damien or Theodora may drop by from time to time.” He waits for a response and when I seem okay, he continues. “Rafe’s like me, I know, but Leo, Hex, and the rest are droids?”
“Yup. Hex is all Eighties punk rock, but don’t let it fool you—he’s the major domo of our house. Leo’s laid back and casual unless you mess with his kitchen. You’ve heard of Philomena, our swilling socialite. Siren is an elegant hunter with ethics much like Talia’s and Sandrine is tough, fun, and surprising at every turn. She has a huge genetically engineered spider named Buzz that she’s not allowed to have out around me. Lily’s droid, Mercury, bio-engineered that beast and I’m lucky I can sleep at night just knowing that he exists.”
“Leo reminds me of my brother—not Alistair, but Trey. That bastard could cook. The only thing I never understood about Trey was why he hated wearing clothes. He almost never put them on. Thinking of him cooking bacon gives me the wiggins. Of course, there was also that incident with the vacuum cleaner, but I digress.”
I snort. The image is perfect. “My guys stay clothed now if there are guests around. Rafe and I…not so much.”
His eyes gleam. “That works for me.” As if he just realized he said that out loud, he clears his throat. “Moving on.”
I giggle, pursing my lips in amusement.
“Immediate family’s fine, but not extended family. I would kill Wilde and even Alistair if they tried to come here.”
“I wouldn’t invite them here, baby. I get enough of their garbage everywhere else. If anyone ever says I invited them, they’re lying.”
“Okay. But um...” He stops for a moment, looking at his hands as if he’s nervous. “You wouldn’t mind me meeting your family?”
Mind? Hell, I figured we would hide in the shadows for all time. He’s nuts. “Of course not!”
“I have to ask this, but don’t get mad. Do you want me to socialize with your crew—the extendeds and such?”
I frown, tilting my head. Why would I get mad about that? It’s a valid question. “What do you mean, do I want you to?”
“I’m nervous. You’ve got this complex world with an excellent information network, and I’m not sure you’ve got room to squeeze me in.”
“Oh!” I beam and scoot closer to him. “It’s an enormous world, but there’s always room for someone I love. Anyone who doesn’t like it can shove it.”