Page 21 of The Bookseller and the Alpha
“Why do I need to collect Pompy? You can drop me off at my place and I’ll be out of your hair.”
“You’ll be staying here with me.”
“Thank you for such a kind invitation, but I’d prefer to stay in my own home. I’d hate to be an imposition.” I put enough syrup in my voice to choke him.
My fingers were gripping the coffee mug so hard it hurt. Blindly, I put it on the counter and turned to the toaster. I would be calm. I would be calm. My fingers tapped against my knee. I stilled them. I stared at the toaster and waited for the toast to pop up. Tears blurred my eyes and I brushed them angrily away. C’mon, c’mon. How long could it take? I wouldn’t stay here a minute longer than I had to.
Chapter 25
Luc
Beast roared with pleasure at the sight of Calypso in my clothing. It was an effort of will to stay in my chair rather than cross the room and crush her against my body. Staying seated also hid the evidence of my erection, my cock pushing hard against the fabric of my pants. I choked out something stupid about breakfast, and the plans for the day. I dropped my eyes, staring at the words that swam on the screen. I imagined inhaling her scent, licking her skin, walking her backwards until she was pressed against the counter, lifting her up. My hands clenched on the table.
Her reply surprised me. She thought she was an imposition. I was fucking this all up. And somehow, I’d hurt her feelings. Was it because I’d avoided looking at her since she’d first padded softly into the room? Had she misunderstood me?
“You’re not an imposition,” I said, trying for a professional tone. Failing badly. My voice was deeper than usual. I looked up to watch for her reaction.
All the hairs on my body lifted. Calypso’s coffee cup floated in mid-air beside her, within easy reach. She was oblivious, her attention on the toaster. Looking anywhere rather than at me. “Calypso,” I said, my voice low. It was never a goodidea to startle a Witch when their talent was emerging. She ignored me. The toaster popped. A plate floated to her side and she put the toast on it. Calypso had failed the Magic Tests. I’d read her file yesterday. Extraordinary magic had manifested in her twin, but none in Calypso. She had flunked all the Tests, but she was controlling two things with no idea she was doing it. I gently pushed my chair out from the table and stood slowly. If I startled her now, she would likely lose control and drop the plate and the mug. My gaze flicked to her bare legs and feet. Pottery shards were sharp and the coffee was hot. She might hurt herself.
“Calypso, put the plate down.” My voice was a deep rumble, Beast speaking with me. I took a careful step forward. Not close enough. She muttered something under her breath, that sounded suspiciously like “bossy boots” but did as I asked. “Sweetheart, turn around.” My voice was rough, gravelly. The butter knife clattered to the bench and she whirled.
“What do you want?” She hurled the question at me. Then she saw her coffee mug floating in the air and her eyes opened wide. The mug dropped like a stone, shattering into pieces on the tiled floor. But not before I’d reached Calypso’s side and swung her into my arms. The coffee splashed harmlessly against my trouser leg. “What was that?”
“That was your magic.”
Her forehead creased. ‘Bullshit. I don’t have that much,” she said, her voice a little breathy. Keeping her in my arms, I crossed through the kitchen in two strides and stepped into the living area. The three-seater couch would be just right. Calypso had started to shake against my body and I lowered myself into the seat, cradling her against me. “You do now, sweetheart.” I made a mental note to ring my father and ask if there were any records of Witches coming into their powers in adulthood.Mate has magic.Good mate. Beast sounded smug.
She clung to me, her breasts pressed against my chest. I inhaled sharply and shifted her body slightly to one side, away from my raging erection. Gods, I was so hard it hurt. But now wasn’t the time. Her talent was emerging and she was vulnerable and frightened. “It’s alright,” I said, trailing my fingertips up and down her back. Soothing her. Soothing me. I needed to touch her. My head swam, my heart beating a tattoo in my chest as her scent wound around me. I only had to lift her onto my lap. Free my cock. Push aside the shorts that covered her cunt. I would plunge into her, fill her. Beast battered at my mind.BITE. CLAIM.
My gums ached as my fangs prepared to descend. The pain snapped me out of my lust-filled stupor. No. I would not lose control. I was better than this. Beast was strong. Much stronger than I had ever expected. But I was stronger. I just needed to control myself and the Beast that lived inside me.
NOT NOW. I shoved all of my mental strength into the order.
SHE IS OUR MATE, I felt his anger, hot and familiar. I was used to it. It was what I sensed from him every time I stole his power to use for myself. I took and took and took. But past the anger, deep inside my soul, there was something new. Something different. Something I’d believed to be impossible.
Hurt.
Pain.
Betrayal.
Holy Fuck. My Beast was hurting. The lack of a mate bond washurtinghim.
I grunted in shock and my fingers stilled against Caly’s back. Calypso murmured a question against my skin. “Hush,” I reassured her, resuming my rhythmic strokes.
Then, for the first time in my life, I voluntarily offered reassurance to the Beast that lived inside me. The Beast who hadfeelings. Emotions.She is our mate,I told him. I promise that she will be ours. But she needs to be soothed and protected now. She’s scared about what’s happening to her.
Beast didn’t reply immediately, but I could feel his surprise. When he spoke to me again, his voice lacked its usual anger. Our touch will soothe her.
He was right but he still didn’t understand.
And I am touching her. But I need you to co-operate with me a bit here. If you keep pushing for our mating I’ll be fucking her against the wall until she can barely walk.
What’s wrong with that? Beast’s voice turned sulky.
There’s nothing I want more, buddy, but there’s a time and a place, and this is neither. Calypso needs us to be calm.
The longer you wait the worse it will be,he said. But he pulled himself back in tight inside my mind and suddenly I could breathe again, his urgent demands to fuck, to dominate, settling back under my skin, until there was just me and Calypso. My dick was still as hard as stone, but I was in control.
