Ezra jumped at his voice."What?"
"You have your things in a bag as if you're going somewhere.You're not."
Wide, dark eyes met his."But maybe you want me out of your space soon."
Rourke's eyebrows climbed his forehead without his permission."Out of my space?"He shook his head."What do you know about matings?"
"We'll be mated until I die."
Rourke didn't speak for a couple of seconds.The casual way he said it had unease slither through him."What makes you think you'll die before I do?"
Ezra huffed, and it was so at odds with how twitchy and nervous he always was, it made Rourke smile.
"You're a shifter.Everyone knows you live for an eternity unless you're killed."
"Yeah?"
Ezra nodded and pulled his braid through another cuff.
"What about mates?"
Ezra narrowed his eyes."What about them?"
Rourke reached around him, put a hand on his belly, and splayed his fingers, covering most of it.It made Ezra freeze, but he didn't pull away."How long do mates live?"
"Eh...I was hoping for eighty-five or something."
Rourke nuzzled his throat on the same side as the braids.Reveling in the scent of his mate, the feel of him.The heat in his chest demanded he touch him."No.You're mine forever, and you're gonna live far longer than eighty-five years."
Ezra leaned away a fraction, not trying to escape, but enough to be able to see Rourke's eyes."I'm not a shifter.I know shifters live for a long time, but I'm not a shifter."
Rourke nuzzled his cheek, and Ezra made a strangled sound.
"You're tied to me."Rourke was about to brush his lips over Ezra's when there was a knock on the door followed by its opening.Ezra pushed to get away from him, a flush spreading on his cheeks, but Rourke held him in place with the hand on his abdomen.He'd have to tell people they couldn't walk in without having been given the go-ahead anymore.And he had to be better at locking the door.
Geri strode toward them, not so much as blinking at Rourke being in his underwear in bed, more or less hugging Ezra.And why should he?Rourke was with his mate.
When the scent of fear filled his nostrils, he glanced between Ezra and Geri.They'd been fine the night before, hadn't they?Why was he afraid?He tugged Ezra a little closer, which had him try to push his hand away.Rourke huffed.
"I'm heading to the animal shelter now, figured I'd grab some groceries while I'm out."Geri was eying Ezra with a frown, he too must be able to scent the fear emanating from him.
"Didn't you do it last night?"Rourke had believed the cat was taken care of.
"There was no one there when I arrived, so I kept it in the car."He looked at Ezra."It can't do any magic in the car, right?"
Ezra stared at him, then at Rourke."Eh...no.It's a normal cat."
"You said it was a familiar."Rourke didn't understand.The cat had smelled of magic.
"It is, but the cat in itself is a normal cat until someone uses it for magic."
Geri nodded as if he understood.Rourke wasn't sure he did, but maybe it made sense, and he was being slow.
"Right, I'm off then.Anything you need?"
"Ezra needs vanilla extract."
Geri frowned then shrugged."Got it."As he walked out, Ezra stared at Rourke.When the door closed, he opened his mouth, then snapped it shut, and gestured at the door.
