Page 6 of Daring Her Vampires (Embracing The Bond #12)

Chapter Four

Sally

R ushing into my bathroom, I turn on the shower and dump my purse by the sink.

It was torture listening to my phone ding with repeated texts and not being able to answer it.

On the drive, I attempted to calm my nerves and accept this new development.

It seemed like a good idea to challenge my mates, but what I said was true.

They are important. This isn’t a fun night with someone.

Our relationship will last forever, and I don’t want to fuck it up.

I’ve been waiting too long to find them.

My hands shake as I unlock my phone and take a deep breath.

The desire is still pounding through my blood.

Our encounter wasn’t long, but it was powerful.

I wasn’t prepared to be so drawn to them.

They don’t have to touch me for me to want them.

Being alone with them, their scent seeps into my home, and my body pushes me to complete the bond now.

I don’t have any doubts about fulfilling my fate, but I want them to know me and the crazy family.

I project a strong personality, and so do they.

We all have hidden issues that have made us who we are, and I want to know theirs.

The problem with that is I’ll have to talk about mine.

Opening the group text, I’m shocked to discover that Bash started it.

Bash: Micah almost killed them. I’ll finish it.

Ava is River’s mate and had a rough beginning with Bash. I’m not surprised when she snaps at him.

Ava: You can’t kill Sally’s mates.

Bash: I can.

Heath: I’ll help.

I’m stunned at Heath’s participation; he hates texting.

Saphira: No one is killing anyone.

She chimes in with the voice of reason.

Her mate, Kingston, joins the conversation.

Kingston: If they fuck with her, we all will.

Roxanne: Sally, why didn’t you call? I am your best friend.

She is one of my best friends. I have so many friends. Why should I choose just one?

River: She took them home. I’m sure she’s busy.”

He knew I would be busy.

Micah, my protector.

Micah: I don’t want to think about that.”

River: Dude, she’s a grown woman. She has sex.

Micah: Wolf, fuck off.

Marie: What are they like?

Daisy: Hot.

She is asking for trouble.

Micah: Pet.

I can imagine Daisy running away.

Las: Do we know anything about them?

Las is a lion shifter, and he and his two brothers are mated to Breeane.

Saphira: Apparently, they're hot.

She was recently mated to two brothers who are super protective.

Kingston: Careful, Firefly.

Saylor: What the fuck?

Saylor: Sally met her mates?

Saylor: I was taking a nap.

Saylor: Sally? Where the fuck are you?

Saylor: Why aren’t you answering?

Saylor is a cheetah shifter, and the reason I moved to town. She was in trouble, and I felt compelled to help. Her mate, Elijah, is a cheetah shifter also and got her pregnant. She’s almost ready to pop.

Bash: She’s with them.

River: We need to go out.

Blue: No.

Quinn: No.

Ryker: Absolutely not.

Elijah: Saylor can’t.

Saylor: Excuse me?

Serenity: Let her spend time with her mates.

Serenity is mated to Ryker.

Bane: I agree. Leave her the fuck alone.

I knew he would be on my side.

Harmony: She needs time.

She is a panther shifter and was the first of the family to find her mates. So really, she started everything.

Bash: We need to check them out.

My eyes start to water at his statement.

Heath: No.

Saphira: It’s Sally….

A tear slides down my cheek.

Bash: Yeah. Fine.

After he agrees, I drop my phone, unable to continue reading as they make a plan.

Dropping my head, I swipe angrily across my face.

I hate crying. It’s been years since I've allowed my emotions to get the better of me. Their love sinks in, and I’m touched.

I’m loud, intrusive, and can be annoying.

People either love me or hate me. They’ve never made me feel as if I wasn’t a valued member of the family, but I’ve had doubts.

I wear my confidence like a badge of honor.

Life is too short and too valuable to dwell on shit that doesn’t really matter.

Everyone has a little voice in their head, pushing the negative thoughts in.

Every day, women are forced by outside influences, telling them they aren’t good enough.

As I strip, I think about all the shit that is said about a woman's body. I like mine. I’m skinny but have some curves.

My breasts are nice, not big, but not small.

I’m on the short side but proportionate.

When you reach a certain age, you realize it doesn’t matter.

The key to life is to love yourself. No one is perfect.

I was given a gift of my rabbit and a body I like.

I know how to dress it to the best advantage.

Stepping into the shower, I toy with the idea of making myself come, and run my hand down my stomach.

I have no problem pleasuring myself and have several vibrators that help me.

My fingers work too, especially with the scent of my mates swirling through the air.

I don’t like being told what to do. Once, I allowed a man to dominate me, and I had to force myself not to laugh through the entire experience.

I believe as long as you want it, and it’s consensual, do whatever the fuck you want.

I don’t judge others for what gets them off.

As I touch my clit, I growl, pissed that Atlas’s words stop my downward slide.

I remove my hand and start my showering process.

I don’t linger on any body part, knowing I will end up more frustrated when it doesn’t give me any relief.

The touch of my mates is the only thing that will satisfy me.

The bond is a bitch like that. It’s the universe's way to ensure you complete the bond and continue growing our world. You may think, because of my age, I couldn’t get pregnant, but you would be wrong.

We age, but extremely slowly. A shifter woman doesn’t have the limits of a human.

Our bodies are young. Even though I thought I found a little wrinkle the other day, don’t worry.

I rubbed it, and it turned out it was an impression from my pillow.

Mates are sacred; finding them and continuing to populate is the goal.

I rinse out my hair and turn off the water.

Shit. I could have kids. I suck in a sharp breath.

Would I be a good mother? Sure, I’m good at gathering friends and taking care of them.

I accepted the fact that I wouldn’t have kids a long time ago.

I didn’t think I would find a mate who could accept me, for me.

The universe hasn’t been kind to me in the past, so why would it start now?

What would mine be like? My vision goes fuzzy, and my palm slaps the glass door.

A picture of a little girl with long, curly blonde hair running across a room flashes in my head.

She’s laughing, loudly and unapologetically.

My breath comes in short bursts, and my heart elevates to dangerous levels.

She looks over her shoulder and smiles blindingly at me.

One second after she appears, she’s gone, and my mind clears.

Holy shit. My body wakes as if I were dreaming, and I shake my head.

I don’t have to be sleeping to have visions.

My gift is always random. That was not. It seemed pretty clear to me.

I’m going to be a mom. I don’t know how to feel.

How will my mates feel? I don’t know them and can’t predict how they will react. For now, it will be my secret.

I hear the water in the spare bedroom stop, and I hustle out of the shower.

Wrapping myself in a towel, I shove my vision away to think about later.

One thing I take away from it is that I do have a future with the two vampires.

I have to trust the bond and go with the flow.

I know it won’t go smoothly—it never does—but I will be happy in the end.

I slather on my lotion. It makes my legs shine, and it has a light scent.

Starting with my makeup first, I decide to go dramatic, using my black eyeshadow to create a smokey eye.

I’ve had years of practice and could do it in my sleep.

Luckily, despite the wrinkle scare, I don’t need foundation.

I’ve used it before, but it irritates my skin.

My enhanced sense of smell makes it difficult to find scents that don’t annoy me.

I can smell everything; unlike my hearing, I can’t dim it.

Taking out my favorite red lipstick, I apply it quickly and smack my lips together. Perfect.

I grab my brush, drop my towel in the laundry basket, and leave the bathroom.

Walking into my closet, I run the bristles through my hair as I contemplate my clothing choices.

I look longingly at my jean skirt. No. As much as I love it, I need something special tonight.

I have dresses in every color and for every occasion.

I think I need some sparkle. I wish my gift would help me pick an outfit for the night.

I want something to drive my mates to desperate measures in our game.

Yet it needs to be subtle enough that they don’t kill anyone for looking at me. Tough choice.