Page 107 of Grave Beginnings

“Soothing isn’t how I would define it. Whatever. Just go do your thing. Don’t get beat up, and be nice to your mate.”

I saluted him. “Yes, sir.”

He made a disgusted noise at me as he made his way to Keanan’s side. I gathered up my mental shield and prepared for visiting an empty lot I’d probably driven by a dozen times and never once thought could be a dumping ground for bodies. Then there was the whole fated mate thing, which still sounded like a fantasy to me. “So, a typical Tuesday: bonding with my fated mate, identifying murder victims, and corralling my personal zombie. Can I ask for a refund on this timeline?”

36

Angel drovewhile I contemplated how to broach the topic. “So, fated mates and shifter fading?” I asked, hoping to prod him to confess. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, but that was his only reaction.

“It’s not instantaneous.”

“Uh…”

“You said yes to our bond.”

“Before I knew it could be lethal to you.”

“I know you need time. I plan on giving you as much time and space as you need.”

Which was super sweet and thoughtful but also made me wonder what sort of contact was required to keep him from fading. My presence? Sex? A fully bonded relationship? He barely knew me, and as Ivan had pointed out, I was a lot. How could he be sure he wanted to keep me? Just because some supernatural deity had decided to place some invisible tie between us?

“Ask what you want to know,” Angel said.

“Fated… it’s not a choice?”

“It’s always a choice.”

“For me. But not for you?”

“No, but yes.” He sighed. “I could have asked Sarge to switch you to another team and avoided you as soon as I knew.”

“My winning personality made you decide otherwise?”

He frowned. “Honestly, it was more how you interacted with Wade than anything else. Lots of people look at him and see a big, dumb ginger. He’s quiet and reserved around everyone but you.” A long minute passed as we waited at a light before he continued. “The second I touched you, I knew, but you made him laugh and smile. Then you tried to be friendly to everyone else instead of instantly judging them.”

“I’m polite, and that makes you want to give me a chance?”

“Notpolite. Merrill is polite, icily so. You were friendly. You threw yourself into the job with the idea that you wanted to help, not because you were forced onto our team, but to make the best of the situation. You didn’t look at me like I was beneath you.”

“Why would I?”

“Andthatis why I kept you.”

“Like I’m a pet fish.”

He snorted. “You read too much manga. Fate picked you for me. I’m too old to throw that away.”

“Tell me how this thing works? We date? If you don’t see me for twenty-four hours, you turn into goo?”

“Not goo. You’d have to be gone awhile for that to happen.”

“Gone, like dead?”

His hands tightened on the wheel again, and I worried he’d break the damn thing, but he steered us through a few more lights before gliding up behind a slew of flashing lights and cop cars spread out in the field I’d only left a few hours before. “Nothing is going to happen to you.”

“Okay.”

“Can we talk about this more after we are done here?”