Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
MIKO
After pacing my flat for hours, squeezing the shit out of Belle, unable to think of anything else but the fae, I stormed down to James’s door.
Cate answered after ten seconds of my fist pounding the wood, bleary eyed, her hair all over the place.
“Sir?”
“I have to speak to James. Please wake him up.”
“Of course. Come in.”
“I’ll wait here.”
Without question, she fetched her husband.
James arrived in a vest, an orange cap and some red shorts. He yawned then said, “You look like you’ve seen twenty ghosts.”
“Come with me.”
He followed me to my flat.
“Make that a hundred ghosts, sir. What the hell’s happened?”
I paced again, arms folded so tight my muscles threatened to pop. “I think… I think… Fuck!”
James didn’t flinch under my booming tone. “Take your time, sir.”
I paused. “I don’t even know if I want to say it.”
“Hope you do, seeing as you got me out of bed at two in the morning.”
“Is that really the time?”
“Yep.”
“I haven’t been to bed yet.” The storm echoed in my mind, the bursting stars of that place still at the periphery of my vision.
“Is it Lance?”
“I wish.”
“Do you want a glass of water? A shot of something? A beer?”
“Do we have beer?”
“No. But I’d like to take you for one right now.”
I shook my head, pacing again. “I don’t want anything but an explanation you can’t give me.”
“You’re scaring me now, Miko.”
“Sorry. I’m trying to wrap my head around this.”
Poor James, being dragged out of bed to listen to me spiral.
I came out with it. “I think I’ve mate-bonded with Orion.”
If his jaw really could’ve hit the floor, it would’ve. “You what?”
I described the meadow, the storm and stars, all of it. Even licking the blood from Orion’s fingers, which set my cock to craving.
Damn.
“I need to sit down.”
“I’m not surprised.”
He sat, taking long breaths.
“That’s what we see, isn’t it?” I asked. “Those elements in some form? You did with Cate.”
“I-I did. Yes. We both did. Not the blood part, though.”
“‘Upon finding a mate, the storm shall rage, the touch of love shall be left upon them,’” I quoted the ancient words all shifters shared when it came to finding a mate.
A mating bond came unexpectedly, with tweaks to the stormy scenario for each couple.
I’d killed any notions of finding a mate in this world.
Love in these days? Let that be for everyone else.
“Bloody hell,” James muttered. “Bloody hell.”
“And he’s not a werewolf. He’s fae. We don’t bond with—” I stopped myself, remembering a few instances of shifters bonding to humans and a few trolls. Rare, but possible.
“This can’t be happening,” I said. “This can’t be fucking happening.”
“Is that why you dreamed of him, sir?”
“It can’t be. This isn’t happening.”
Those sparks, those jolts…
“It would make sense,” James continued. “I once dreamed of Cate. I actually saw her face clearly, unlike you, but I did.”
I kept pacing, my heart a jackhammer. “No, James. No fucking way.”
“Why not?”
A shot him a scolding glare. “Because…” I failed to summon an answer.
So close to his lips…
So damn close…
James stood up, stroking his chin. “But then there’s the golden gift thing. Did he offer you anything golden?” He chuckled.
“What’s funny?”
“Nothing. I’m a child.”
“What? Tell me.”
“Golden shower?”
“What?”
“Nothing, sir. Stupid joke.”
I caught up. “Why would he offer me a golden shower, James?”
He chuckled again. “Sorry. As I said, I’m a child.”
“Then please try to grow up.” I turned my back on him, frustrated as hell. “I really want to punch something.”
“Don’t do that, sir.”
“Wouldn’t you?”
“After a bonding? No. I wanted to kiss Cate and make love to her all night. Are you not feeling the same?”
I spun on him. “No.”
Maybe…
“And you knew Cate for half a year before that happened. For fuck’s sake!”
He backed away. “Okay, sir. Calm down. It’s okay. I get you’re shocked, and I’m sorry for the lame golden shower bit. But is this really a bad thing?”
“How can it be good?”
“It’s lo—”
“Don’t finish that sentence. I’ve known him only a couple of days.”
“Love is a funny thing.”
“Bonding is a funny thing, you mean.”
He shook his head. “My dad always said the path to your mate is never wrong.”
“With respect, James, these are different times. Maybe there are a lack of wolves or a glitch in the system because of Dawn. Either way, this can’t happen.”
He folded his arms behind his back. “Sir, I really think you should calm down.”
I stilled, rage kept on a simmer. “This is wrong.”
“Why is it wrong?”
“Because it is. The universe fucked up here. I can’t… I can’t be his mate.”
“Sir, I’m confused by your reaction. You seem too angry.”
I took deep breaths, blocking out the memories, the pain, the screams from that night. Everything about that night.
“Sir?”
Deep, easy breaths. “Go back to bed.”
“But—”
“We’re done here. I’m sorry for waking you up.”
I heard him want to protest. “At least talk to the poor guy about this.”
I said nothing more and my beta left, knowing better than to push me.
This was all on me. Drawn to him when I shouldn’t be, letting my guilt get the better of me.
I might not be able to break this bond, but I could block it.
Damn. I hated that the idea hurt so much.