Chapter 14 Colette
Colette
Nostrils flaring, he looks back at the bookshop, then at me again. “Who critiqued you? What did they say? What did they look like? I will take care of this.”
I grab his hands. “No, Archer. It’s silly. They aren’t right and I know that. It just hit me for some reason.”
He looks down at the snow between our feet. New flakes sparkle from the clouds and land in his ebony hair. The wind stirs, and his spicy scent fills my nose. My fingers twitch, wanting to hold on a bit longer.
Finally, he exhales and meets my eyes. “All right. Your choice. But if you change your mind…”
I force myself to drop my hold on his large fingers. “You’ll what exactly? Tear their heads off? Drain them dry?” I grin and give his arm a little pinch, trying to lighten the mood.
But his eyes darken and his lips part, showing his fangs. His throat moves in a swallow and I don’t know whether I want to run from him or climb him like a tree.
“Of course, I wouldn’t,” he says quietly.
I don’t believe him. The gentleness is gone from his features, replaced by a wild sharpness. He is all hunter right now. I tug my cloak tightly around me.
“I’m sorry if I offended you. I didn’t mean it. I know you wouldn’t.”
“Vampires are dangerous, Colette.” Head turned, he keeps his focus on our surroundings. “I am only half vampire, so I am less unpredictably violent, but you should watch what you say around my kind.”
He sounds genuinely concerned, not like he’s being a typical male and arrogantly over-explaining things I already know. Worry laces his words and tightens the edges of his eyes. I don’t like the tension in his slightly lifted shoulders. He still seems ready for a fight.
“I will. I promise,” I say.
His fingers find mine once more, squeeze gently, then let go. I take an unsteady breath. If I lean forward, his mouth will be just inches from mine.
“Good,” he says, his voice even. But he doesn’t appear relieved as the word suggests. He is agitated.
“Merrrrooooowwww!”
The inn’s door swings open and Mossette trots out. The inn shuts its front door once more and the kitten begins to wind around Archer’s ankles. Some of the tense lines around Archer’s eyes soften. He bends to pick up the kitten, a question in his eyes.
“Hello, Mossette,” Archer says.
“She isn’t very careful around you.”
The little cat rolls until her belly is showing and she claws at Archer’s hand.
Archer grins with one side of his handsome mouth as he strokes Mossette’s green and orange belly. “I wish this tiny fellow could fix all my problems,” he says, his voice so quiet that I can’t truly tell if that’s what he said or not.
I wonder what deep problems he has and if he’d ever talk to me about them. I try to keep my foot from bouncing, to be still and patient. “If you need someone to listen…”
“Thank you, Colette. I appreciate it.” He hands Mossette over and I accept the bundle of fur and purr.
Before I can think of what else to say, Archer gives us a quick, casual bow of the head, and then he leaves.
His cloak swishes over the snow drifts like a dark spell.
The winter wind lifts his ebony hair. I don’t fight the sigh that leaves me.
I want him to stay here, playing with Mossette and talking gently to me.
I love looking into his dangerous red-brown eyes.
The inn’s door swings open wide and warm air that smells like freshly baked chocolate mint cookies welcomes me inside.
I truly hope Archer doesn’t go back to the bookshop and cause trouble. My stomach turns again. I wish I hadn’t lost control of my emotions in front of him. I should have focused on being grateful for the event despite the naysayers.
Mossette crawls to my shoulder as I make my way through the inn’s front room. Dew greets us with the cookies I smelled, and she fills me in on everyone who has checked in for the night.
“So nothing needs to be tidied?” I ask because yesterday the inn didn’t magically launder and replace the bed linens as usual for some yet-to-be-known reason.
“The inn is taking care of everything nicely again. Aside from checking folks in and out, I haven’t had much to do at all.”
I scratch the underside of Mossette’s chin and her purr grows loud against my ear. “I wonder why the inn was agitated yesterday.”
“Is it tied to your emotions now that you’re the owner?” Dew asks.
“Possibly. I heard it could be that way. I guess I had better go enjoy these cookies and have a nice cup of tea by my fire so both the inn and I are happy!”
“I like the way you think, boss.”
“Are you off for the night then?” I ask her.
“Aye. Thanks! See you in the morning.”
I wave to Dew and head up the stairs. Mossette is fully asleep and sliding off my shoulder by the time I get to my door. I let her fall into the crook of my arm and reach for the door when a strange tingling erupts across my chest.
I drop back a step and Mossette wakes.
She jumps down and meows at my feet, obviously concerned. I tug my corset and dress down a bit to see if I have a rash or some sort of crumbs between my breasts…
Oh no.
It can’t be. I hardly know him.
I hurry into my room, Mossette at my heels, and slam the door.
With trembling fingers, I unlace my corset, wiggle it off, then stand in front of my mirror.
Easing my dress down farther, I can easily see my new accessory, so to speak.
Sweat beads on my upper lip. A thrill of desire shoots down my spine despite the madness of this.
I have a mate mark.
And when I study the shape of it, I am certain who Fate believes I should be with.