Page 22
Story: Seth
Chapter Thirteen
Aubrey
Aubrey had been lost in her thoughts on the short drive from Seth’s home to Kai and Liv’s, so when she found herself outside the front door, laughter and loud noises brought the present into sharp focus.There were voices—some were laughing, with snarls and growls peppered into the cacophony.Seth had put a hand on the small of her back, moving her forward into the most chaos she ever experienced.
The men who were eating took up a vast amount of space at the huge rectangular dining room table next to the kitchen.Her eyes traveled over the group and landed on the one vampire she knew.Liv leaned into the arms of the vampire she assumed to be Kai, and her breath caught at the familiar look of love on Kai’s face.It was similar to the one Seth gave her.
Taking in the couple in front of her, she hadn’t been aware that the talking had ceased.When she pulled her eyes from Liv and Kai, she jerked back in Seth’s arms as she met the gazes of several people staring at her.Despite Seth’s reassurances that they had already acknowledged her as his mate, she didn’t expect to be accepted so readily.
Kai wrapped his arm around Liv’s waist and together they walked the short distance to where Seth held Aubrey in a similar fashion.Letting go of Liv for a moment, Kai wrapped Aubrey up in a hug, that again, felt familial.Hesitating only for a moment, she wrapped her arms around the muscular vampire and laid her head on his chest.
Seth snuck his arm around her waist and before she was ready, she had been pulled from the hug and back into Seth’s arms.
“It’s nice to meet you, Aubrey.I’m Kai.”
“You…too.”
Liv hugged her next, but Seth refused to let her move from his arms, so Aubrey laughed as Liv squeezed her for a second and let her go.
As Liv stepped back, Aubrey scanned the rest of the room and felt her eyes widen as she took in the group of assassins.
“Holy shit.”The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.
The men were larger than Kai by several inches, muscular and fit, but everything about them screamed predator.The way the held themselves, ready to pounce at any threat she posed, had her tense in Seth’s arms.He held her tighter against his chest, and when she happened a glance back, his face was taut and his eyes flashed as she sensed someone stepped closer to them.
“I’m surprised how big they are.There is no way they could pass as human.”
Seth relaxed at her words, but he didn’t let go of her.
Curious, her gaze returned to the group and she took her time studying them.She could tell the difference between the shifters and the vampires.Shifters were bigger; they also had a distinct scent.Not to say that the vampires weren’t as impressive.Both groups radiated strength and danger.
“Seth, is it okay?”A shifter with piercing green eyes and jet-black hair looked at her curiously.
“Yeah.”
“Hi, I’m Hunter.”Without waiting for her reply, she was lifted off her feet and into the warmth of the giant shifter.He smelled of the woods and she smiled as he squeezed her once and moved her into the arms of a slimmer man, this one with sandy-brown hair and hazel eyes.
“Gunnar.”
There was Ara, a beautiful dark-haired woman who then introduced Aubrey to her mate, Reaper.The wolf shifter had a lazy smile and although he hadn’t hugged her, he took her hand in his and squeezed it, before she stepped back for the remainder of the introductions.She met Ghost, the assassins’ boss.He had a shock of white hair and his easy smile and hug made Aubrey feel warm.Then came the three other vampires.Kane, Thomas, and Isaac.She could sense a sadness in Kane and remembered Seth’s story about Liv’s kidnapping.Without being obvious, she drew him into a hug, tightening her arms a bit, before she released him.His answering smile and Seth’s brought a smile to her face.
As she turned to meet a blond man, who introduced himself as Axel, she raised her brows at the look on his face.Sultry was the only word that came to mind.When he stepped forward to hug her, she gave him a warning.
“Hands above the waist, handsome.I would hate to have to break your fingers.”
The pout on his face was priceless, but when he picked her up and settled her against his chest, she smiled.Back on her feet, she turned and caught another with white hair, but when she gazed into his coral-blue eyes, she could sense sadness.It was different from Kane, who had lost his mate.Without thinking, she walked right up to him and hugged him.
“This is Xander.”Seth answered her silent question.
For a reason she couldn’t understand, she connected with this shifter.“It’s nice to meet you Xander.”
When she pulled back from the hug, not letting him go, he gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.She leaned toward his ear.“After nearly ten years alone, I found Seth by happenstance.Maybe it’s not your time yet, but you will meet your mate.”She hugged him once more before she moved back to Seth’s arms.
Xander stopped her movements when he gripped her hand for a second.“Thank you.”
She smiled at him.Seth wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a flash of red that moved closer to them.Turning fully to the sight, a beautiful redhead with a fabulous smile made a beeline toward them.Well no, toward Seth.An instinct she wasn’t familiar with settled inside her and she stepped in front of Seth, a protective hand on his wrist, keeping the beautiful woman away from her mate.
Aubrey
Aubrey had been lost in her thoughts on the short drive from Seth’s home to Kai and Liv’s, so when she found herself outside the front door, laughter and loud noises brought the present into sharp focus.There were voices—some were laughing, with snarls and growls peppered into the cacophony.Seth had put a hand on the small of her back, moving her forward into the most chaos she ever experienced.
The men who were eating took up a vast amount of space at the huge rectangular dining room table next to the kitchen.Her eyes traveled over the group and landed on the one vampire she knew.Liv leaned into the arms of the vampire she assumed to be Kai, and her breath caught at the familiar look of love on Kai’s face.It was similar to the one Seth gave her.
Taking in the couple in front of her, she hadn’t been aware that the talking had ceased.When she pulled her eyes from Liv and Kai, she jerked back in Seth’s arms as she met the gazes of several people staring at her.Despite Seth’s reassurances that they had already acknowledged her as his mate, she didn’t expect to be accepted so readily.
Kai wrapped his arm around Liv’s waist and together they walked the short distance to where Seth held Aubrey in a similar fashion.Letting go of Liv for a moment, Kai wrapped Aubrey up in a hug, that again, felt familial.Hesitating only for a moment, she wrapped her arms around the muscular vampire and laid her head on his chest.
Seth snuck his arm around her waist and before she was ready, she had been pulled from the hug and back into Seth’s arms.
“It’s nice to meet you, Aubrey.I’m Kai.”
“You…too.”
Liv hugged her next, but Seth refused to let her move from his arms, so Aubrey laughed as Liv squeezed her for a second and let her go.
As Liv stepped back, Aubrey scanned the rest of the room and felt her eyes widen as she took in the group of assassins.
“Holy shit.”The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.
The men were larger than Kai by several inches, muscular and fit, but everything about them screamed predator.The way the held themselves, ready to pounce at any threat she posed, had her tense in Seth’s arms.He held her tighter against his chest, and when she happened a glance back, his face was taut and his eyes flashed as she sensed someone stepped closer to them.
“I’m surprised how big they are.There is no way they could pass as human.”
Seth relaxed at her words, but he didn’t let go of her.
Curious, her gaze returned to the group and she took her time studying them.She could tell the difference between the shifters and the vampires.Shifters were bigger; they also had a distinct scent.Not to say that the vampires weren’t as impressive.Both groups radiated strength and danger.
“Seth, is it okay?”A shifter with piercing green eyes and jet-black hair looked at her curiously.
“Yeah.”
“Hi, I’m Hunter.”Without waiting for her reply, she was lifted off her feet and into the warmth of the giant shifter.He smelled of the woods and she smiled as he squeezed her once and moved her into the arms of a slimmer man, this one with sandy-brown hair and hazel eyes.
“Gunnar.”
There was Ara, a beautiful dark-haired woman who then introduced Aubrey to her mate, Reaper.The wolf shifter had a lazy smile and although he hadn’t hugged her, he took her hand in his and squeezed it, before she stepped back for the remainder of the introductions.She met Ghost, the assassins’ boss.He had a shock of white hair and his easy smile and hug made Aubrey feel warm.Then came the three other vampires.Kane, Thomas, and Isaac.She could sense a sadness in Kane and remembered Seth’s story about Liv’s kidnapping.Without being obvious, she drew him into a hug, tightening her arms a bit, before she released him.His answering smile and Seth’s brought a smile to her face.
As she turned to meet a blond man, who introduced himself as Axel, she raised her brows at the look on his face.Sultry was the only word that came to mind.When he stepped forward to hug her, she gave him a warning.
“Hands above the waist, handsome.I would hate to have to break your fingers.”
The pout on his face was priceless, but when he picked her up and settled her against his chest, she smiled.Back on her feet, she turned and caught another with white hair, but when she gazed into his coral-blue eyes, she could sense sadness.It was different from Kane, who had lost his mate.Without thinking, she walked right up to him and hugged him.
“This is Xander.”Seth answered her silent question.
For a reason she couldn’t understand, she connected with this shifter.“It’s nice to meet you Xander.”
When she pulled back from the hug, not letting him go, he gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.She leaned toward his ear.“After nearly ten years alone, I found Seth by happenstance.Maybe it’s not your time yet, but you will meet your mate.”She hugged him once more before she moved back to Seth’s arms.
Xander stopped her movements when he gripped her hand for a second.“Thank you.”
She smiled at him.Seth wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a flash of red that moved closer to them.Turning fully to the sight, a beautiful redhead with a fabulous smile made a beeline toward them.Well no, toward Seth.An instinct she wasn’t familiar with settled inside her and she stepped in front of Seth, a protective hand on his wrist, keeping the beautiful woman away from her mate.