Page 30

Arson

“ Y ou need a break, and I need to get out of this house before I stab someone. Come on, I have a brilliant idea.”

Sliding a hand between Ever’s forehead and the table she’s thumping it on in frustration, I pull her to her feet.

My brother’s lost the fight, slumped over and passed out on their workbench, snoring softly.

I’m even nice enough to scribble him a note so he doesn’t freak out when he wakes up to find our mate missing.

So what if it says we ran off to Vegas to get married? He’ll know she’s with me and safe.

And I missed out on years of getting to fuck with my little brother.

“Well that sounds like ominous last words before everything explodes in our faces,” the love of my life counters, but internally, I preen. Because despite her words, she’s getting to her feet and stretching out her stiff muscles, preparing to follow me without demanding details first.

Might not mean much to some people, but when my girl has trust issues for days? That go-with-the-flow attitude that knows I won’t let her get hurt in whatever scheme I’ve cooked up is like a red flag to a horny bull, or whatever the phrase is.

Just as I prepare to shadow walk us out of the basement, Bellamy appears at the top of the stairs with a fierce scowl. “Oh, hell no. You and Myles have been glued to her side all week, it’s my turn to take her out on a date.”

Fucking cockblock.

“I’m not interested in babysitting tonight, it’s the wolf’s turn to watch you.”

He stiffens. “You don’t have to fucking babysit me, jackass. If anything, someone should come along to keep you under control.”

As the tension rises to suffocating levels, Ever blurts, “So we all go. See? Problem solved. Easy peasy.”

Slitting his throat would be more easy peasy.

Grumbling to myself about the attention hog crashing my date, I stuff down the worst of my murderous feelings to marinate for later and send a shadow to snatch his ankle and drag Bellamy’s stupid face along behind us.

If he dies while we’re there, that’s on him. I can console our mate through her grief and buy her a puppy to replace him.

We step out in the stands surrounding an arena, Bellamy landing on his back with a curse, and I immediately scan our surroundings for threats while my mate soaks up the change in scenery. “What is this place?”

Similar to a hockey arena layout, they have a few elementals on hand to change the terrain depending on the event to spice things up depending on who booked the space.

“A witch rented it to host a mate game for the right of first bonding.”

Twelve potential suitors, one witch, and a greased up raccoon. If something doesn’t go wrong, I’ll be woefully disappointed.

“It’s amazing,” she breathes, looking around the various terrains in awe as people flit about in the stands, finding their seats.

It’s like a wilderness survival obstacle course; rocky pillars, quicksand, icy ravines, and a patch of trees so dense, I’m not sure how we’ll see anything happening within them unless they have camera equipped drones.

Picking a good vantage point, I wait until they’re settled in the bleachers, noting with satisfaction the wide berth the crowd is giving us, eyeing me nervously.

Oh good, they remember me. I was worried they’d get too comfortable while I was gone.

Pulling two of my knives, I press one into each of their hands.

“I’ll go get us some drinks.” Meeting Bellamy’s eye, I narrow mine in warning.

“Anyone bothers you, stab first, then shout. I swear, if there’s so much as a hair out of place on her head when I return, I’ll break every one of your cameras. ”

Ledger will kick my ass if anything happens to either of them on my watch. But as annoying as the interlopers are… I’m starting to appreciate the benefits of having them around.

Ever’s brow furrows. “What cameras?”

Leaving him to fend for himself, I step back into the shadows and slip into the back of the concession stand.

They don’t see me thanks to my shadows, which works out well since I don’t trust them not to poison my food.

It’d be one thing if people simply hated me , but I can’t have that fallout affecting my mate.

Pre-packaged food or something I prepared, or it’s not going in her face.

I take my first-mate duties seriously.

And Ledger maaaaaaay have read me the riot act when I told him about my plans for tonight.

Arms laden with snacks, I return to find Ever and Bellamy deep in conversation with a man and two women flanking him in the seats directly below us.

“Oh, you’re a gamer?” the stranger practically purrs.

“Avery is too! There’s an arcade bar on 7th Avenue, you two should come with us after this and check it out. ”

I thought sirens were supposed to be cunning? So why the fuck is this one stupid enough to think that being a center is enough to protect him from me after using his powers trying to seduce my mate?

Stepping out of the shadows behind her, I don’t bother hiding my smirk when the siren pales and stammers a hasty excuse, taking the women’s elbows and running off with his tail between his legs.

Ever sighs heavily, turning in her seat to face me. “How am I supposed to make friends if you keep scaring everyone away?”

“You’re not, fuck that guy. Wait, no! Fuck me instead.”

Her lips twitch before she shakes her head, leaning up to kiss my cheek and take her drink from my grasp. Bellamy startles in surprise as I drop a few bags of chips and a bottle of soda in his lap.

I may not like that he crashed my date, but nobody’s going to accuse me of starving the mimic baby. These two are my responsibility tonight, and I don’t take that honor lightly. Ever’s mine, and he’s hers. It’s my job to protect our bondmates, even if they’re so temptingly stabbable some days.

The only people that die on my watch are the ones I choose.

He gives me a strange look I can’t decipher. “You know, you’re drawing way more attention by acting like a savage guard dog. Flying under the radar and deescalating situations before they turn hostile is safer for her.”

Is he stupid? Shit, no wonder Ledger decreed one of us always had to be with him when he left the house.

“ Killing threats is even safer,” I explain. “Can’t touch you if they’re dead, and their corpses warn other people away.”

He rolls his eyes, turning to Ever and continuing where she left off on her friendship complaints. “You have four best friends already, and we come with benefits. No need for any more; Kiara is enough of a liability as it is.”

At least we’re on the same page about something .

I pass Ever two of the tiny shot-sized bottles I snuck in, soaking up her smiles as she discreetly tips them into her soda and slips me the empties.

Nobody would be stupid enough to say shit, but I like feeling like we’re partners in crime.

When Bellamy raises an eyebrow, all ‘seriously?’ I offer him a few.

Dude needs to lighten the hell up.

As the event kicks off, the lights in the stadium dim down, and some of the tension seeps from my muscles.

This is my element. The world entrenched in shadow, countless corners to hide.

Nobody flinching away when they meet my eye.

Nobody glaring at me like I’m going to murder their puppy. Nobody staring at my mate.

She’s the center of my universe, not theirs.

They can find their own damn mate, I already called dibs. Got the tattoos to prove it and everything.

While Ever watches the event, I watch her.

Every twitch of her lips as one of the idiots below chases that deranged raccoon, trying to catch the beast and score themselves a spot in the witch’s bond group.

Every time she bites her lip anxiously as one of them gets mauled or falls off a platform.

But more importantly, every time she looks at the magic they fling around in awe, reminding me how much I’ve taken for granted in my life.

People suck, but they can do some cool ass shit before they die. Might not mean anything in the grand scheme of things, but to someone raised outside of the supernatural world? The little things mean the world.

As two of the men dive for the tiny heathen and crash into each other, Ever bursts out laughing, the sound tightening my chest and healing a small, repressed part of me in a way I didn’t know desperately needed it.

She’s not ashamed of me. Didn’t hesitate to take my hand at the hospital that first day, and even knowing who I am now, still easily sits beside me in public, losing herself in the moment.

Having fun and trusting me to keep her safe.

She isn’t going to get rid of me if I’m not perfect. All she wants is someone to keep her, too.

Gonna marry this girl so hard.

“Holy shit.” Her hands fly to her mouth in shock, and I glance at the arena, cackling.

That raccoon sure didn’t appreciate the shifter trying to herd him into a corner and lost his shit. Mauled the fox’s face damn near clean off. I tilt my head in respect when he bolts after the menace without waiting for his face to heal, more determined than ever.

Anything less, he doesn’t deserve to stand beside his potential mate.

Ever pivots in her seat to ask Bell, “Hey, can you do me a favor?”

He doesn’t even miss a beat. “Of course I’ll marry you and support our 2.5 children.”

Not if I beat him to the punch.

She snorts. “As flattering as that offer is, I’ll settle for you watching my drink while I run to the bathroom.”

I jump to my feet before he can. “Perfect, I need to piss too.”

Bellamy gives me a strange look as he follows suit. “Same. Safety in numbers and all that, right?”

Pretty sure the risk of getting murdered is higher if you’re in a condensed group instead of fanning out, but what the hell do I know, right? Not like I’m a professional assassin or anything.

As we reach the bathrooms, Bellamy catches the door before it swings shut, the two of us following her inside the women’s room.

“What the hell, guys?” she demands.