“Are we letting him stand there until Yule or are you going to get this over with?”
“If you want me to ride your Rudolph later, you’d better behave.”
Multiple gasps and several chuckles came from their neighbors.
Joe had accidentally said that much louder than he’d intended. “It’s from a book.”
“Does Uriel have it in stock?” Eldon asked. “Sounds fascinating.”
“Eldon,” Joe gasped. “What…what…uh….”
“Joe bought the only copy,” Uriel said.
That deserved an elbow. “You’re turning away business here. This is a golden opportunity for sales.”
“Is it, though?”
Joe huffed. “Okay, this needs to be done. Focus, Joe. Show’s over, everyone. Shoo. Go on. No more nosy neighbors or I’ll put you on my No-da cone list. That’s like the naughty list, but with no Snowda Cones.”
Everyone looked around but no one moved.
“You know I’ll do it. Eldon trained me.”
There were several grumbles, but everyone turned to leave.
Joe tapped Uriel’s arm, and he moved it aside. Once the area had cleared, Joe walked over to Javier. “I don’t want to be cruel here, but the restraining order should have been enough. We’re done, Javier. I don’t want to see you ever again. I’m happy, okay? Go home.”
Joe didn’t wait for a reply. Instead, he turned and walked back to Uriel. He held out his hand and Uriel took it.
“That felt really good,” Joe said.
“I’m glad.”
“I really should stand up for myself more often.”
Uriel snorted. “You don’t seem to have that problem with me.”
Joe grinned. “That’s cause you’re my mate.”
“That you are.”
Uriel stopped him in the middle of the street and kissed him senseless. Then they walked back to Uriel’s house…where Uriel’s cousins stood on his porch.Riding Rudolphwould have to wait.
Uriel made a weird noise. It sounded very much like one of his satisfied grunts from the night before. Joe liked those sounds, but this one wasn’t directed toward him.
“Do I want to know?”
Uriel’s smug grin was answer enough. “Don’t be scared. York deserves this.”
“Deserves—”
Uriel’s eyes sparked red, and Joe swore he could feel something swell up from the ground and through his body. Then the biggest freaking terrifying black dog flew out of a flaming hole in the air and ran straight toward the porch.
York screeched and shoved Gabriel behind him. The black dog snarled before shifting into a big, freaking terrifying man with flaming eyes. “York Lad, you revealed our secret and betrayed our kind. Prepare to die.”
Joe almost panicked.Almost.“You’re totally Inigo Montoya-ing him, aren’t you? How are you doing that? That’s evil, Uriel. He looks like he’s going to crap himself.”
Uriel chuckled as the red sparks disappeared from his eyes. The scary dog man vanished. “Magic,” Uriel said. “And now that you’re my mate, I can tell you all about it.”
