Ever’s brow furrows. “What cameras?”
Leaving him to fend for himself, I step back into the shadows and slip into the back of the concession stand. They don’t see me thanks to my shadows, which works out well since I don’t trust them not to poison my food. It’d be one thing if people simply hatedme, but I can’t have that fallout affecting my mate. Pre-packaged food or something I prepared, or it’s not going in her face.
I take my first-mate duties seriously.
And Ledger maaaaaaay have read me the riot act when I told him about my plans for tonight.
Arms laden with snacks, I return to find Ever and Bellamy deep in conversation with a man and two women flanking him in the seats directly below us. “Oh, you’re a gamer?” the strangerpractically purrs. “Avery is too! There’s an arcade bar on 7th Avenue, you two should come with us after this and check it out.”
I thought sirens were supposed to be cunning? So why the fuck is this one stupid enough to think that being a center is enough to protect him from me after using his powers trying to seducemymate?
Stepping out of the shadows behind her, I don’t bother hiding my smirk when the siren pales and stammers a hasty excuse, taking the women’s elbows and running off with his tail between his legs.
Ever sighs heavily, turning in her seat to face me. “How am I supposed to make friends if you keep scaring everyone away?”
“You’re not, fuck that guy. Wait, no! Fuck me instead.”
Her lips twitch before she shakes her head, leaning up to kiss my cheek and take her drink from my grasp. Bellamy startles in surprise as I drop a few bags of chips and a bottle of soda in his lap.
I may not like that he crashed my date, but nobody’s going to accuse me of starving the mimic baby. These two are my responsibility tonight, and I don’t take that honor lightly. Ever’s mine, and he’s hers. It’s my job to protect our bondmates, even if they’re so temptingly stabbable some days.
The only people that die on my watch are the onesIchoose.
He gives me a strange look I can’t decipher. “You know, you’re drawing way more attention by acting like a savage guard dog. Flying under the radar and deescalating situations before they turn hostile is safer for her.”
Is he stupid? Shit, no wonder Ledger decreed one of us always had to be with him when he left the house.
“Killingthreats is even safer,” I explain. “Can’t touch you if they’re dead, and their corpses warn other people away.”
He rolls his eyes, turning to Ever and continuing where she left off on her friendship complaints. “You have four best friendsalready, andwecome with benefits. No need for any more; Kiara is enough of a liability as it is.”
At least we’re on the same page aboutsomething.
I pass Ever two of the tiny shot-sized bottles I snuck in, soaking up her smiles as she discreetly tips them into her soda and slips me the empties. Nobody would be stupid enough to say shit, but I like feeling like we’re partners in crime. When Bellamy raises an eyebrow, all‘seriously?’I offer him a few.
Dude needs to lighten the hell up.
As the event kicks off, the lights in the stadium dim down, and some of the tension seeps from my muscles.Thisis my element. The world entrenched in shadow, countless corners to hide. Nobody flinching away when they meet my eye. Nobody glaring at me like I’m going to murder their puppy. Nobody staring at my mate.
She’s the center ofmyuniverse, not theirs.
They can find their own damn mate, I already called dibs. Got the tattoos to prove it and everything.
While Ever watches the event, I watch her. Every twitch of her lips as one of the idiots below chases that deranged raccoon, trying to catch the beast and score themselves a spot in the witch’s bond group. Every time she bites her lip anxiously as one of them gets mauled or falls off a platform. But more importantly, every time she looks at the magic they fling around in awe, reminding me how much I’ve taken for granted in my life.
People suck, but they can do some cool ass shit before they die. Might not mean anything in the grand scheme of things, but to someone raised outside of the supernatural world? The little things mean the world.
As two of the men dive for the tiny heathen and crash into each other, Ever bursts out laughing, the sound tightening my chest and healing a small, repressed part of me in a way I didn’tknow desperately needed it. She’s not ashamed of me. Didn’t hesitate to take my hand at the hospital that first day, and even knowing who I am now, still easily sits beside me in public, losing herself in the moment. Having fun and trusting me to keep her safe.
She isn’t going to get rid of me if I’m not perfect. All she wants is someone to keep her, too.
Gonna marry this girl so hard.
“Holy shit.” Her hands fly to her mouth in shock, and I glance at the arena, cackling.
That raccoon sure didn’t appreciate the shifter trying to herd him into a corner and lost hisshit.Mauled the fox’s face damn near clean off. I tilt my head in respect when he bolts after the menace without waiting for his face to heal, more determined than ever.
Anything less, he doesn’t deserve to stand beside his potential mate.
