Page 76 of Savoring Her Snake

“I’m taking Bane and Hunter. Micah and Quinn will stay here with you. The wolves want to stay, and I’m sure Sally won’t leave your side.” He cups my face. “If you feel uncomfortable, stay down here. The list of passcodes is on the table. If you need to, lock the door. Micah is the only one who knows them.”

“What about Rylee?” I can’t imagine how she is feeling.

“She will stay here,” he says, sliding his hand to the back of my neck. “Try not to worry.”

“Be safe,” I whisper.

“Darling, nothing can keep me from coming back to you,” he growls and kisses me. I lose my breath as he dives deep. I grip the back of his shirt and pull. Losing myself in his possession, I push away all the fear and just feel. His hand roams my back, hips, and thighs. His touch causes my body to heat and my heart to pound. I slide my hands to his chest and up to his neck, one hand cupping his jaw and the other tangling in his hair.

This is where I’m supposed to be. He is my home.

“No,” I protest when he pulls away, both of us breathing hard.

“I have to, or I never will,” he hisses and steps back. “Fuck, mate.” He runs his hand through his hair and exhales harshly. “I want you to talk to Ava.”

“Why?” She is a wolf shifter and mated to River and Kerian.

“She was human. She chose to complete the bond,” he says. I hop off the counter. “A human changing into a vampire isn’t the same, or else I would suggest Marie or Serenity. Maybe she can ease your fears in a way I can’t.” Serenity is mated to Ryker, and Marie is with Bash.

“Alright.” I’ve barely spoken to her, but she seems nice.

“Do you want me to tell her to come down?”

“Yes, I don’t want to discuss it in front of everyone,” I decide.

“Stay here. I’ll be back.” He kisses me hard and fast. “Be good, mate.”

“Be quick, mate.” He nods, and I don’t move as he leaves the room. Fuck, I don’t want to let him go. I tip my head back and put my hands on my hips. The pull to be near him is getting powerful. I want to follow him. Shaking out my arms, I try to calm my nerves. I’m not going to talk to Ava in the bathroom, so I force my feet to move and leave the room. As I leave the bedroom, I see her sitting on the couch.

“I’m sure you aren’t looking forward to talking to a stranger about becoming a shifter,” she says, grinning, and I relax. “I thought I would share some of my story first. I think we are a little alike.”

“Thanks.” I sit next to her and prop my arm on the back of the couch. “Did Heath demand you talk to me?”

“Hardly,” she snorts. “Once you get to know me better, you will realize I don’t respond well to demands.” Her face softens. “Well, maybe from my mates. Heath gave you the basics of the bond.”

“Yes.”

“I knew about this world. I dated a shifter and about peed my pants when he shifted. I thought he was human. Swearing I wouldn’t date one again, I decided to ignore their existence. Life went on until my best friend came to live with me. She got a job at Ryker’s club and found out she was his mate. I wasn’t thrilled about it. I didn’t trust him or the life he wanted to give her. She fell in love, and after some time, I got used to the idea. I saw how the bond worked. She turned into a vampire, and I was reluctantly stuck in their world. I love her and want her to be happy.” She sighs. “Then I was best friends with a vampire. The crew started to grow on me, but I still didn’t want to be too involved. Then I met Kerian and then River. They claimed I was their mate, and I didn’t want to believe it. I was independent. I didn’t want to be a shifter. I tried to fight it. I ran from them and denied my feelings for as long as I could. Dealing with shit from my past, family trauma, and trust issues, I pushed them away.”

“What did they do?” I ask, leaning forward. Her past is similar to mine.

“Fuck, they wouldn’t let me go. They fought for me, and what’s a girl to do? You’ve seen them. I eventually gave in. They are just so sexy and promised to love me no matter what. They rescued me in more ways than one. I was kidnapped, held in a cage, and chased,” she says. My eyes widen. “I won’t get into all that.” She waves her hand. “It worked out in the end.”

“You decided to become a wolf.” I’m curious now and hope someday I can learn everything.

“How could I not? I couldn’t be without them. I loved them. Once I decided, it felt right.” I nod, knowing how it feels. “Completing the bond is powerful. It’s like you are joining souls with another person. You can feel everything they do. It’s magical and profound.” She smiles dreamily. “That is until the pain starts. Your human body will change from the inside out. It’s bound to hurt. To Heath, it will look like you are sleeping, but inside, you are changing. He will never understand how it feels. I want to warn you, though, that you will meet your shifter.”

“What the hell? How?” I frown.

“It’s actually beautiful, but I didn’t know it was going to happen. I’m glad I can warn you because I thought I was going crazy. A wolf was in a bare room. She spoke directly in my head and knew things she couldn’t. I had to accept her and the new me. I named her Cinnamon. It felt weird calling her by my name,” she snorts. “She is me, but not. It’s still hard to explain. At least you won’t be as shocked as I was.” I think I’ll still be shocked to be faced with a snake. “This world is magical and is filled with things you never thought possible. But we are still people. Once I was a wolf, my feelings didn’t change, and I was still the same person, just enhanced. The people here will love you and watch out for you. We have BBQs, go to the bar, and have quiet nights at home. We are a family. I always wanted one.”

“Me too,” I whisper.

“You found one,” she whispers back. “Everyone values the bond and the family we formed. We don’t care about the breed of shifter or if you are a vampire. We accept every mate who joins us. We get to choose this life. I loved my mates enough to look past my bad experiences and live forever with them.”

“You’ve never regretted it,” I state.

“Never. I have two men who love me desperately and would kill anyone who threatened me. I have a daughter.” Her eyes brighten with tears. “She didn’t come from my body but my heart. I can’t imagine life without her. She is beautiful. I couldn’t have children. I thought my mates wouldn't want me because of it. I was wrong. We adopted Revel and are planning to adopt again soon.” She reaches out and cups my hand. “Blood means nothing. We choose our family. All of us will welcome you into it and protect you and your bond with Heath.”

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