Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Solan couldn’t recall the last time he was nervous, but tonight, as he waited in the living room for Kaeli so he could take her on their first real date, he was definitely nervous.
He wanted it to go well. He wanted to spoil her, treat her like a queen, and all the other clichéd things males said when they wanted to make their mate feel special.
Because she was so very special to him, and they’d been through hell and back since they met, and she deserved every good thing he could give her.
Like a real date outside of Thorn Hollow.
She walked into the room like a dream come to life in a short black skirt and a gauzy, feminine top that showed just enough cleavage to make his wolf growl. Her hair was curled at the ends, and her eyes were bright with excitement.
He drew her close and kissed her. “You look amazing.”
“So do you,” she said, giving his tie a gentle tug. “I’m so excited for tonight. What’s the plan?”
“Dinner first, then something special.”
“Lead the way, sexy.”
Now that the danger to the pack was gone with Brent Foley and the H.A.S.
assholes fleeing Ohio, the town of Thorn Hollow was open once more.
Instead of one road in and out of town with posted security, the other roads had been opened, and no one needed security escorts to leave town.
The whole pack seemed to be breathing more easily, and part of that he knew was because Kaeli was working on protection spells for the territory that would work in place of Cinder’s magical abilities until she had the baby and could use her lygisa power once more.
Solan drove a half hour away from Thorn Hollow to a restaurant Brick had suggested and that Jade had loved.
The Golden Maple was a tavern that looked like it had been plucked from a fairy tale.
With a white stucco exterior and dark wood, it was partially covered with ivy, had cobblestone pathways, and frosted windows.
Solan held the heavy wooden door for Kaeli, and they walked inside.
There were candles and oil lamps everywhere, lending a golden glow to the interior.
A hostess led them to a corner table and handed them menus, and while they looked over the offerings, a server appeared and took their drink orders.
“This place is incredible,” Kaeli said. “It’s like a step back in time.”
“I think so too.”
After getting their spiced cider from the server, they ordered their food. Solan chose short ribs and fried potatoes, and Kaeli picked herbed chicken and rice pilaf.
When they were alone again, he reached across the table and linked their fingers.
“How was spell casting today?” he asked.
He’d been on patrol duty, using a golf cart to drive around the neighborhoods before walking the entire perimeter of the town.
It had been a quiet and rather boring day for him, but after the danger their people had faced recently, he didn’t mind quiet and boring.
“Lorene video chatted with me, and she said I need to work more on combining both of my magics instead of just relying on one or the other. They are working together inside me, but one is always stronger. Of course, aside from Cinder, there aren’t any dual magical people, and her magic is different from mine. So I’m kind of on my own.”
“That sucks, but I know you can figure it out.”
She sighed and smiled. “I will, I just wish I could fast-forward through this learning process. I know so many spells from my early training days, but I can’t use them.
I think I was able to do so much when we were in danger because my magic was trying to protect us, and it flowed more easily through me.
Now I’m not stressed or in danger, so I have to plod through it all a spell at a time. ”
They talked more about the spells she was casting and how she was working on protecting the pack’s territory until Cinder got back to her magical abilities. When the food arrived, neither of them spoke for a few minutes, and then they shared bites and gushed over the delicious food.
For dessert, they shared a warm apple cake with cider glaze.
She took the last bite when he held it up to her lips, her eyes shining with happiness.
He’d told her she was beautiful. That he was having the best time with her.
But he hadn’t told her he loved her. Because he wanted that to be special, too. Not just him blurting it out randomly, but something that they’d both remember forever.
He’d never said the words to a female before, and he was glad he’d saved them for her.
He just needed the right moment.
And then he’d tell her he’d fallen head over heels for her.
He tucked cash into the small black folder with the bill and said, “Are you ready for part two?”
“Does it involve the bed?”
“That’s part three,” he said.
She giggled. “On to part two.”
He drove them to Lykos, the shifter-owned bar, and parked in the back. A line had formed at the front door, but that was pretty normal for a Friday night.
“That’s a long line,” she said when he opened her door.
“Sure is, but we don’t have to wait. High-ranked shifters are given access to the back door and have reserved tables.”
“Fun,” she said.
“Being high-ranked has its perks.”
He knocked on the back door, and after a few moments, a male opened it. “Oh, hey, Solan. Welcome.”
“Thanks, Vinnie. This is my mate Kaeli.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said. “Have fun.”
Solan took Kaeli through the kitchen and into the main room, where a long bar was manned by several bartenders, and the dance floor was crowded. Music thumped loudly, strobe lights and lasers painting the bodies as they moved to the music.
They made their way to the bar, and he waved at Paris, the manager.
“Hey,” Paris said, resting his hands on the bar. “Nice to see you, Solan. Who’s this?”
“This is Kaeli, my mate. This is Paris, he runs the bar.”
“Nice to meet you,” Kaeli said.
Paris nodded. “Nice to meet you too. What can I get for you?”
“Just a soda,” she said.
“Same,” Solan said.
Paris filled two glasses with ice and soda and slid them across the bar. “Holler if you need anything. Have fun!”
They carried their drinks to the table with the sign claiming it was reserved for pack members and sat down. She scooched her stool next to him so their thighs were touching, and hooked her hand around his biceps. “I’ve never been to a shifter bar.”
“It’s a safe place for our kind,” he said. “It’s neutral, which is why Paris is the manager.”
“Why?”
“He’s a fallen angel. He isn’t allied to any one group.”
Her brows rose, and she looked toward the bar where Paris was filling another drink order. “I’ve never met a fallen angel before.”
“There are a few in Northern Ohio, including one who works for the vampire master of the city. Paris is a good male, and he’s not someone who takes shit from anyone.”
She took a sip of soda and leaned on his shoulder. “Fallen angels and wolves and witches and vampires. Dove mentioned a few other shifters. But what else is in Northern Ohio?”
“There’s a bear den,” he said. “And the dragon clan, and of course the tiger pride.”
“Don’t forget falcons,” a male said.
Solan looked up and found Glacier and Frost, standing in front of their table.
“I was getting there,” Solan said with a chuckle. “The falcons and white lions live in Bishop. Kaeli, this is Glacier and Frost, falcons. Guys, this is my mate, Kaeli.”
She shook their hands. “You look familiar.”
“We were on the bluffs during the equinox as guards,” Glacier said.
“Oh, right, I remember seeing you before my magics went nuts.”
“What are you guys up to?” Solan asked.
“We thought we’d come here and see if we might find our mate,” Glacier said.
Frost was scanning the room, his gaze narrowed, and his lips pressed into a thin line.
Solan had known them for a long time, and the twins were identical in looks but not in personality.
Glacier was more outgoing, and Frost was the silent type.
They were well known as tech gurus, and the wolf pack had utilized their abilities when needed over the years.
“Our mate?” Kaeli asked. “You’re going to share one female?”
Glacier nodded. “We’ve known since we were younger that we were destined to share a mate.” He smiled hopefully. “I don’t suppose you know any good love spells that could lead us to her?”
Kaeli shook her head. “Love spells almost always go wrong.”
Frost elbowed Glacier. “Told you.”
“Hey, can’t fault a guy for asking,” Glacier said. He looked around the club and then said, “I don’t know why we came here. The females who frequent this place look at shifters like novelties. And when they find out we’re a package deal, they practically run away screaming.”
Solan could relate. He’d come to the club from time to time and found females asking what kind of shifter he was, or how high he was ranked. It was the shifter equivalent of a buckle bunny for a cowboy.
“If I could cast a spell to help you find your mate, I would definitely do it,” she said.
“But I’ve always thought the reason they don’t work is because they’re not supposed to.
Love is supposed to take time and be worth the wait.
If everyone could cast a spell and skip the wait, then it wouldn’t be special. ”
Glacier nodded sagely. “I like that explanation.”
Frost turned to his brother. “Ready?”
“Yeah, we’re going to head home. Nice to meet you, Kaeli. See you around, Solan.”
“Bye, guys,” Solan said.
“Two guys and one girl, huh?” she asked.
He narrowed his gaze at her. “I already told you that I’m all you get, Nightling.”
She giggled and took a sip of her drink. “You’re exactly what I need.”
“Damn straight.” He couldn’t imagine sharing Kaeli with another male, but for some shifter groups, it was normal. Like the falcons, white lions, and bears.
“They’re so earnestly hoping for their mate,” she said. “I hope they find her soon.”
“You were worth the wait,” he said. He reached under the table and gave her thigh a squeeze, feeling her soft, warm skin.
She smiled sweetly at him. “Timing is everything with fate. You were definitely worth the wait, too.”
The music changed, a slower song coming on, and he took her hand and slid off the stool. “Let’s dance, Nightling.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
They found space on the dance floor and embraced, swaying to the music and holding each other close. He felt like the whole world dropped away, and it was just the two of them. He looked down at her, and she smiled up at him, her eyes dancing.
“This has been the best first date ever,” she said.
“I wanted it to be special because you’re so special to me.”
She tilted her chin up a little more, and he kissed her, slow and deep. Her fingers curled into his shirt, and her body arched into his.
They moved together through the entire song and into the next, never changing their swaying pace even when the beat of the music sped up. He was utterly and completely lost in the moment with her, and he wanted to savor every second.
Then she whispered in his ear that she was ready to go home, and despite the crowds, he picked up the scent of her arousal, sage and honey, and his body reacted fiercely.
“Then let’s go.”
He took her hand and led her off the dance floor, waving goodbye to Paris on the way out the back and into the cool night. She stumbled on a stone, and he swept her up into his arms, carried her to his truck, settled her on the seat, and closed the door.
When he was behind the wheel, he turned on the engine, and she leaned over, her hand squeezing his thigh as she made a soft, humming sound in her throat.
He saw her eyes flash as the scent of her arousal grew more intense.
She took his hand and settled it between her thighs, at the bottom of her skirt, as her hand pressed against his erection through his pants, and every thought fled from his mind.
He backed out of the parking spot and moved deeper into the back lot, finding a secluded place in the shadows, with no other vehicles around.
He leaned over and kissed her.
And the whole world dropped away once more.