Chapter 4
She makes me want to be a better man. A man who isn’t afraid to live—to truly live—and I’m wondering if fate has been trying to prepare me for this day.
I’ve known her all of a few hours, and she’s caused more destruction in my soul than any storm ever could.
My life was full of emptiness and resentment, hating the weather that changed my life forever, but I never moved away. I’ve been waiting for nature to finally take me too.
The wait is over.
And I have no idea what to do now.
“Dixie,” I greet the longtime server here at Twisted Tina’s as I pass her. “Your booth is free now.” Dixie doesn’t know, but she’s fed me a few times when she’s gotten off work.
I don’t take too much. Just enough to get me by, and when I mystify her, it’s simple with no mental fight. She doesn’t remember a thing. The thought of her blood now makes me sick, though.
In fact, the more I think about blood, the only kind I want runs through Nariko’s veins.
I head over to my table, rubbing my chest when I feel the ache of me walking away and the pain is coming from her.
“You okay?” Jazz asks, sipping on a coffee. “So? Is she your mate? You’re sure?”
Like a magnet, I’m pulled to turn my head so I can look at her again. Fuck, she’s so goddamn gorgeous it takes my breath away. “I’m sure. I’ve never been more sure about anything in my entire life.”
Nariko must feel me watching her. Her gaze finds mine, and all I want to do is take her on this fucking table and drown myself in her while her blood pours across my tongue.
Fuck. I’m a goner.
“And how are you with her being a storm chaser?” Westin kicks back in the booth, settling in the corner, and draping his arm across the back.
Those two words have me breaking eye contact with my mate, my breath taken from my lungs as if Westin just kicked me in the stomach.
I grit my teeth, curling my fingers on the tabletop. My claws dig into the wood grain, ruining it with long scratch marks. I jerk them away and hide them in my lap.
“I’m still coming to terms with it,” I force the words out.
“Maybe she’ll quit. For you. I mean, the fated mate bond is like that, right?” Jazz asks.
“And I thought you wanted to look into breaking the bond?” Westin toys with the toothpick in his mouth.
“Even with how much I hate storm chasing, I’d never have her quit it for me. She deserves to have what makes her happy. I don’t exist to take her dreams away from her.”
“Why do you think you exist, then?”
Once my claws retract, I rub my temples. Suddenly, my vision blurs, and my hunger heightens. I don’t know how much longer I can be in this diner with Nariko here.
Her scent is fucking everywhere. It’s becoming stronger since we share the same space, and out of all the hearts pumping blood, hers is the loudest.
My fangs lengthen on their own, her blood causing my mouth to water and my eyes to shift.
“Oakley, keep it together,” Jazz warns in a whisper. “Your eyes have shifted. Your fangs are out.”
“I fucking know. I can’t stop them. Don’t you think I would if I could?” I turn my head to hide my face, not wanting this to be the way humans find out about vampires—especially Nariko.
That’s a conversation I’m not ready for.
“Sorry about the wait, fellas. It will just be a few more minutes, and your to-go order will be ready,” Dixie updates us.
I cover my mouth to hold in a growl. I push down the desperate need to run to Nariko and give us the pleasure we are both aching for. My erection presses against the hard teeth of my zipper, throbbing to be set free by my fated mate.
“Oklahoma, are you okay?” Concern laces her emotions. Dixie is one of the sweetest, caring people in this state. “Do you need water or anything, sweetheart?”
“A water would be great.” Jazz hurries to interrupt her when he hears a growl come from me.
“Sure. Coming right up.” Dixie’s heels click away, and I’m able to let out a breath, relieved I’m finally alone without a human too close.
I groan, pressing my forehead against the cool window.
My skin is becoming hot and feverish. I need to get out of here.
I can’t be in this diner with her. Trusting myself is too difficult.
I’m too close to stealing her away from her friends and throwing her in my bed, not allowing her to leave, ever.
“I can’t. I can’t. I can’t,” I whisper to myself, sounding mad and outlandish. I roll my forehead back and forth when everyone’s emotions seep into me—not just Nariko’s.
I’m losing control. Feeling too many emotions incapacitates me.
“You can’t what, Oakley? What’s going on? Talk to us. We can help,” Jazz says quietly, but his voice is like nails on a chalkboard, and I flinch.
All the people in the diner are carrying on their own conversations. My enhanced hearing allows me to hear the couple in the corner fighting over bills again.
“No, I told you not to spend that money because we have to pay rent. What are we going to do now?”
“It’s a hundred bucks. We’ll be fine.”
“We are short five hundred instead of four now. I’m sick of this life. I’m sick of you not taking it seriously.”
Sweat forms on my forehead and drips down my temples as another conversation cuts through the noise from another table.
“I think we should break up. This isn’t working.”
“What? What did I do? What can I do? Don’t do this to me. Don’t give up on me. Let me try. Let’s figure this out.”
And another.
Only this time, Nariko’s name leaves another man’s lips, and I hate how it sounds. How dare he speak her name when it doesn’t belong to him?
I focus on him, his voice, his emotions, and what I feel has me sitting up straighter. The pain is still there; the agony of not having her in my arms is a live wire in my bones. An awareness I know I’ll always have for her.
He hates Nariko. His emotions are vile; his hate for her runs so deep, it burns like acid, eating away at my blood.
“We will do everything we can to stop Nariko and her damn Dust Bunnies. I don’t care what it takes. Give me the knife, Ray.”
“No, fucking way. I’m not getting involved in your bullshit. If you want it done, you fucking do it, Evan.”
I’m out of the door so fast, I’m nothing but a brisk breeze and a curious thought as I sprint by customers.
“What is it?” Westin is next to me, and Jazz takes my other side.
I focus, wading through the emotions and doing my best not to focus on Nariko. She’s always there now, a constant shadow in my pulse.
There’s a break in the rain, and a slight drizzle is all that falls into the pothole puddles that are in the parking lot. Two bright pink vehicles to the left have the Dust Bunnies name in big block letters on the side. Those vehicles belong to my mate and her crew.
I dislike how a group of men is standing too close to their cars.
I snarl, and Westin’s hand flies to my chest to stop me when I take a step.
“Get your hands off me, Westin,” I warn, every word more lethal than the last.
“You can’t go making a scene, Oakley. Do you already want to jeopardize your relationship with your mate? She doesn’t need to see—”
He’s interrupted when Nariko and her crew come flying out of the diner.
“Get the hell away from our cars, Evan!” Nariko yells, her shoulder bumping into my back as she pushes by me.
I grin, loving how strong and feisty she is.
“Just wondering when you’ll move these pieces of bubble gum to the junkyard to make room for real storm chasers, Nariko.”
My claws break the skin as I curl my fingers into my palms, still hating how he says her name. I want her name to belong to me.
“Says the guy who can’t seem to find north without following me.
” Nariko and her friends stop in front of the all-male storm team.
“Face it, Evan. You’re nothing but a jealous, envious, seething asshole with wishful thinking because no matter how hard you try, you’ll never be as good as us.
We have proved it over and over again. Your fragile masculinity can’t handle that we are better than you.
The sooner you realize that, the easier your chances will be at finding a career where you’ll be actually good at something.
” She points a finger in his face, getting closer with every word she spews.
Jazz doubles over laughing. “I think she’s got it handled, Oklahoma. She doesn’t need saving.”
I cross my arms, smiling at my mate. I’m proud of her for sticking up for herself.
I’ll need to be careful when it comes to Evan.
I want to kill him, and it wouldn’t be difficult to drain him, then blame it on the weather.
The last thing I need is for Nariko to get suspicious of me, and I doubt she’d want me to kill anyone.
My tongue licks my fangs, slightly annoyed that I won’t be able to stop him from existing. Seems everyone’s lives would be better if he didn’t.
Evan steps closer to Nariko, nearly chest to chest, and I’m walking over to them before I think better of it. Ruka is already ahead of me. He pushes Evan away, taking a protective stance in front of his sister.
“Don’t even think about touching her, Evan.”
I stop just behind Nariko, towering over everyone, including Ruka and Evan. Being so close to Nariko has the tightness in my skin fade and the heat in my veins reducing to a light simmer. I’m able to take a breath.
The sway in the emotions fills the air, a mixture of hate and relief. Her back nearly touches my chest. I inch forward, the tips of my boots touching the back of hers. The wind blows the scent from her hair, and I close my eyes to inhale.
Spring flowers.
I have to hold myself back from burying my nose in the soft strands. I’m dying to wrap an arm around her waist to pull her close to me, close enough that her skin is against mine.
It’s painful being so close, yet feeling so damn far.
I snap my eyes open, not wanting to miss any details when it comes to this confrontation.
Evan and his friends tilt their heads up when they notice me, and I allow my irises to flash red. It’s so quick; they are probably wondering if their minds are playing tricks on them.