Page 44 of Blood and Magic
“No,” I snapped.
“Oh, just like nothing happened last week, too, huh? Did you take another bike ride with the Vanderbilt princess?” He clapped and hooted.
“Fuck off, Fenris.”
“Whatever, dude. I can’t wait to see the look on Orion’s face when he finds out you’re his new brother-in-law.”
“It’s not like that,” I said. “I’m no good for her, and she’s too young for me anyway.”
He scowled. “Not any younger than Sol, and the mating bond doesn’t care about that anyway.”
In our world, the magic would pair shifters to their match based on compatibility. Things like age and gender didn’t matter. If the magic believed two shifters would make good partners, it would force a bond. Then, it would be up to the animal side to accept it. I’d only heard of a rejected mate once or twice in my life, and in those cases, the shifter either went rabid or ultimately bonded to someone else years later.
“Can we get to work?” I suddenly felt too small for my skin, like I’d burst from the seams any moment and go screaming for the hills.
CHAPTER 13
Maeve
I sat in meetings with bureaucratic asshats all day, listening as they whined and complained about stock prices. I tried to pay attention, I really did. But the look in Vermillion’s eyes when he climbed on top of me last night haunted me. I traced it on a piece of notebook paper while the corporate bootlickers argued among themselves. I was probably supposed to have an opinion about all this, but after the way he left me last night and his subsequent ghost act this morning, my headache had reached an all-time high. I almost took today off. I probably should have.
“Maeve?” came the sound of one of my directors. “Any concerns with moving forward?”
I came off mute to say, “No concerns,” and returned to my drawing.
The day crept by at a glacial pace. I checked in with Ava, who was busy living her best Paris life, and I finally got a return call from Guin.
“I asked Mill to watch over you,” she said. “It’s for the best.”
“You could have said something,” I replied.
“Oh, so sorry I forgot to tell you my every waking move,” she said. “I’m busy running a multimillion-dollar empire here.”
I rolled my eyes and sighed.
“How is everything going?” she asked. “Any other signs of the Scorpions?”
“No,” I replied and explained Mill’s warning. “They’re poking at the perimeter, waiting for the right moment to strike. We’re playing it safe.”
“Good,” Guin said. “How are you? How are you feeling?”
“Fine, just stressed. I’ve had a headache for a few days, and I think I might be getting sick.”
Guin stayed silent.
“It’s nothing,” I continued. “I’m sure I’ll be okay in a few days. The ranch is fine. They’re moving the cattle out to the far pasture tomorrow and?—”
“You’ll tell me if you’re not feeling better by the day after tomorrow, right?” Guin sounded panicked, and for someone who typically presented a calm and bitchy front, that made me nervous.
“Of course,” I said. “Guin, what’s going on? I know you and Sol are keeping something from the rest of us.”
“We’re not,” she said. “It’s nothing you need to worry about. Just…get some rest, okay? I’ve got to go.”
“No, wait!” But she’d already hung up, and I inhaled deeply to calm myself when I put the phone down.
“That bad, huh?” came a voice from the door to my office.
Startled, I glanced up at the tall, hulking form leaning against the entry. He was nearly as tall as Mill with dark hair and bright blue eyes, almost as light as mine.
