Page 102 of Grave Beginnings

“How? Why?” Fuck, he was my mate. Not the Australian sort either, but like in romance novels. Bound. Did that mean he could read my mind? Would he know about all the terrible things I’d encountered in my past? And I’d raised something. He hatedthat, didn’t he? This was so bad, and still I wanted it like I’d never wanted anything before.

He gently brushed my hair out of my eyes, fingertips caressing my cheek in the barest of touches. The calm that came flowed through me like a breeze, taking the edge off my panic. “Okay, that’s nice.”

Angel held open his arms, inviting me to take the step forward for a hug. I sucked in air and stared at him, wanting it bad, but also afraid. Mate bond. It sounded like something mythical, and yet, like everything I’d ever wanted. “You don’t like SVs.”

“I like you.”

“But I raised something…” How did that work? Did it go back into the ground without me? What if there were zombies wandering around the city?

“The team is handling that.”

“I raised zombies?” I stared at him with wide eyes, the panic rising again, though he still stood in front of me with his arms out, waiting for me to accept his comfort. I stepped into his embrace and let his arms wrap around me. He burrowed his face into my neck, scenting me. The terror seeped away, not gone completely, but manageable; as if letting him in gave me an ally to control not only my power, but the overwhelm of my emotions due to the chaos of change.

“It’s okay,” Angel said. “You’re safe. Ivan is safe. Peanut Butter is here.” He hugged me, carefully, not restricting. “Whatever happens next we can face together, if you’ll let me.”

“Sorry,” I whispered.

“Nothing to be sorry about.”

“What about this mate bond thing?”

“It helped you heal.”

Which was amazing, but what did it mean for him? Was he stuck with me? “Are you mad about that? Am I making you do that or something?”

“No, never. I’m angry at the cops for hurting you, but not atyou. Right now, I think there is more of my magic running through you than yours. You were pretty wiped and might need a few days to recharge.”

“I shouldn’t have complied.” All I had thought about was protecting Ivan.

“That could have gone a lot worse. Maybe, next time they try to pull you over, call me first and get to somewhere with people?”

“Yeah. I mean, I know that. I don’t usually freeze like that. I was thinking about Ivan. Didn’t know Cassidy was there until they switched places.”

Angel’s hold on me tightened for a half second, then relaxed. “Did you recognize the first cop? Ivan says there were two, maybe more that didn’t get out of the cars behind you, but he didn’t know either of them.”

“I didn’t recognize the first one. But he didn’t follow protocol. I’ve never been a traffic cop but I know the law and how it’s supposed to work.” I shivered. “He had his gun unclipped, hand on it. Taser on the other side. Fuck, I should have known better. It’s not like it’s the first time.”

Angel said nothing for a few minutes, his touch soothing as his magic warmed me from the inside out. “I don’t want to scare you, Jude. Will you talk to me? Answer questions, instead of shutting down?”

“I don’t know what you want from me,” I admitted.

“Is wanting you safe too much to ask?” He sighed, but pulled me closer to him, his hug enveloping me in a warmth I couldn’t ever recall feeling in my life. It took a few minutes, but the tension vanished and left me feeling like jelly in his arms. We crawled back into bed, him spooning me as he tugged the blankets up.

“This magic mate thing is intense.”

“In a good way or a bad way?” Angel asked.

“You could probably do anything to me right now and I wouldn’t protest.” I realized he wore sweats even though hischest was bare, and someone had put me in a pair of pajamas with shorts and a t-shirt top. “Did you clean me up and dress me?”

“Yes.”

“Thanks for the PJs.”

“I want you to feel safe, Jude.”

“You’re not real,” I said, sleepily.

“I am.”