Page 23
Story: Seth
Ignoring the warning Aubrey tried to send, the redhead stalked closer.With her vision narrowing on the woman, her fangs elongated and she bared them at the woman.When that didn’t get through as enough of a warning, a loud, vicious snarl ripped from Aubrey’s throat.The shifter stopped in her tracks.
“Not you, too.Look, I’m Jade.I’m just saying hi.We’re friends—just friends.”
Aubrey snapped out of her defensive position and blinked.She stood straighter, only to have Seth move his arms back around her waist, this time tighter than before.
“Jade really is just a friend,” Seth assured her.
“Of course her name is Jade,” Aubrey mumbled.
Everyone in the room laughed.When she met Jade’s amused face, Aubrey nodded and watched with tension running through her body as Seth pulled Jade into a short hug.Seth turned to her as he released the beautiful woman and Aubrey walked into his outstretched arms, and she shivered when he lowered his lips to her ear.
“It’s okay, gorgeous.Mates always feel possessive about each other.I didn’t like it when you touched the shifters, but I know that vampires and shifters aren’t compatible as mates.”
“I don’t know what happened.I spotted her coming toward us and I felt rage.Does the possessiveness go away when the human mate transitions?”
“It hasn’t happened so far.”
“What do you mean, transition?”Hunter asked.
Seth glanced up at his family and smiled.“I’ve found my mate and I want to be with her forever.I’ve asked Aubrey to change me, and she’s agreed.You won’t have to worry about me being a breakable human for much longer.”
“We’re happy for you, Seth.Let us know if you need anything,” Ghost said.
Aubrey couldn’t believe how accepting they were of Seth’s decision.Although she struggled with it for so long, his family loved him and supported him, no matter his decision.And they accepted her without an interrogation that she thought would take place.
She grew more relaxed with Seth’s family as the hours passed.They were so comfortable with each other.Although she could sense that the assassins could pounce at any moment if they were threatened, all of them together, laughing and joking was a natural as breathing.Never being part of a family wasn’t something that she’d missed being on her own all these years, but now that she had a taste of it, she wouldn’t be able to let it go.She could see how much they loved Seth, and how much he loved them.And with that one spectacular realization, she knew how lucky she’d been to take a chance on Seth.
Several hours later, she could sense a shift in Seth’s demeanor, and when she lifted her gaze to his, he nodded.They had planned to make the transition after he spoke to his family.All of her qualms about changing Seth had vanished with the acceptance from those closest to him.For a split second, she felt a small twinge of sadness at leaving.
Seth pulled her close and whispered in her ear.“We’ll see them soon.Trust me, your part of the family now, good luck ever getting rid of them.”
Everyone chuckled at Seth’s words, but agreed with him.After another round of hugs, and a kiss on the cheek from Xander, Kai and Liv walked them to the door.
“Here’s my cell number.If you have any problems or doubts, or you just want to talk, we’re here.”Kai slipped the paper in her hand.
Tears welled up in her eyes, but before she could wipe them away, Kai pulled her into another familiar hug.She smiled at Kai’s reaction before she stepped back and looked at Liv.
“Here’s several vials of morphine.You’ll be able to tell when he’s in pain, but don’t give him more than fifteen milligrams every four hours.You can do this, Aubrey.I know you can.”Liv hugged her tight.
“Would you like to be there through his transition?”
“We trust you.It’s intimate to drink from a mate, and unless you run into something abnormal, we want to give you the space you’ll need.”
Those three words gave her strength, and with one last hug for both Kai and Liv, Seth pulled her close and they walked to the SUV.All her worries had been purged after talking with Seth’s family.She vowed to make Seth’s transition as painless as possible.With one last smile at Kai and Liv, they headed home.
“Not you, too.Look, I’m Jade.I’m just saying hi.We’re friends—just friends.”
Aubrey snapped out of her defensive position and blinked.She stood straighter, only to have Seth move his arms back around her waist, this time tighter than before.
“Jade really is just a friend,” Seth assured her.
“Of course her name is Jade,” Aubrey mumbled.
Everyone in the room laughed.When she met Jade’s amused face, Aubrey nodded and watched with tension running through her body as Seth pulled Jade into a short hug.Seth turned to her as he released the beautiful woman and Aubrey walked into his outstretched arms, and she shivered when he lowered his lips to her ear.
“It’s okay, gorgeous.Mates always feel possessive about each other.I didn’t like it when you touched the shifters, but I know that vampires and shifters aren’t compatible as mates.”
“I don’t know what happened.I spotted her coming toward us and I felt rage.Does the possessiveness go away when the human mate transitions?”
“It hasn’t happened so far.”
“What do you mean, transition?”Hunter asked.
Seth glanced up at his family and smiled.“I’ve found my mate and I want to be with her forever.I’ve asked Aubrey to change me, and she’s agreed.You won’t have to worry about me being a breakable human for much longer.”
“We’re happy for you, Seth.Let us know if you need anything,” Ghost said.
Aubrey couldn’t believe how accepting they were of Seth’s decision.Although she struggled with it for so long, his family loved him and supported him, no matter his decision.And they accepted her without an interrogation that she thought would take place.
She grew more relaxed with Seth’s family as the hours passed.They were so comfortable with each other.Although she could sense that the assassins could pounce at any moment if they were threatened, all of them together, laughing and joking was a natural as breathing.Never being part of a family wasn’t something that she’d missed being on her own all these years, but now that she had a taste of it, she wouldn’t be able to let it go.She could see how much they loved Seth, and how much he loved them.And with that one spectacular realization, she knew how lucky she’d been to take a chance on Seth.
Several hours later, she could sense a shift in Seth’s demeanor, and when she lifted her gaze to his, he nodded.They had planned to make the transition after he spoke to his family.All of her qualms about changing Seth had vanished with the acceptance from those closest to him.For a split second, she felt a small twinge of sadness at leaving.
Seth pulled her close and whispered in her ear.“We’ll see them soon.Trust me, your part of the family now, good luck ever getting rid of them.”
Everyone chuckled at Seth’s words, but agreed with him.After another round of hugs, and a kiss on the cheek from Xander, Kai and Liv walked them to the door.
“Here’s my cell number.If you have any problems or doubts, or you just want to talk, we’re here.”Kai slipped the paper in her hand.
Tears welled up in her eyes, but before she could wipe them away, Kai pulled her into another familiar hug.She smiled at Kai’s reaction before she stepped back and looked at Liv.
“Here’s several vials of morphine.You’ll be able to tell when he’s in pain, but don’t give him more than fifteen milligrams every four hours.You can do this, Aubrey.I know you can.”Liv hugged her tight.
“Would you like to be there through his transition?”
“We trust you.It’s intimate to drink from a mate, and unless you run into something abnormal, we want to give you the space you’ll need.”
Those three words gave her strength, and with one last hug for both Kai and Liv, Seth pulled her close and they walked to the SUV.All her worries had been purged after talking with Seth’s family.She vowed to make Seth’s transition as painless as possible.With one last smile at Kai and Liv, they headed home.