Page 16 of My Boyfriend Bites (A Moonstruck Mating #3)

Dante had never spoken truer, and it led to Selene hugging him tight enough she almost cracked a rib.

“I’m so happy we found each other,” she murmured in reply. “I thought I was doomed to spend my life alone, but with you, I found a happiness I never expected. But…” She paused.

“But what?”

“What happens when the ship docks?”

A question he’d not yet even thought of. “I think we’ll find a way to make things work.”

“Don’t you live in Europe?”

“Technically, yes, but I am not often there. I travel quite a bit.”

“Oh.”

He rolled to his back and dragged her atop him as he said, “I would dearly love a companion.”

“Come with you?” The idea excited and terrified.

“I’ll show you the world if you’ll let me.”

“It would mean giving up the rabbits and helping my mom.”

“I can hire aid if she requires it. Same for the rabbits.”

She snorted. “Mom would be appalled if you offered. As for the bunnies, they were my main source of income. And don’t tell me you can support me.”

“But I can.”

“I know, but it would feel wrong to just be a kept woman.”

“Why?” He asked quite sincerely.

“We just met for one.”

“And? You don’t seem to realize that when I say I’m rich, I am ridiculously so. I could give you millions and never notice.”

She snorted. “Not helping. I’m a girl who buys her clothes on sale, remember?”

“I guess the question is, do you want us to stay together once the cruise ends?”

“Yes.”

“Then we’ll make it work. It would be nice to have a lover who will accompany me on my travels, who can aid me in my investigations.”

“Don’t you have Renard?”

“I don’t want Renard sharing my bed.”

Her laughter warmed. “Good point.” She snuggled her face against his chest. “Guess I should be more worried about how I’m going to present you to my family and explain we’ll be going off together.”

“They’ll object?” He held in the part where he wanted to shout they’d better not.

“I don’t know what they’ll do. I mean, Mom did tell me to find someone on the cruise. So, technically, I am obeying.”

“And your siblings?”

“I think Athena will be happy for me. But my brother… I expect he’ll pee on something of yours to prove he’s the bigger man.”

“Um…”

She chuckled. “Just kidding. He’ll probably pull some ‘don’t hurt my sister shit,’ but I know he wants to see me happy.”

“We will visit your family often,” he promised.

“And what of yours?”

“My mother will be ecstatic to see me finally in love.”

She stilled. “Love?”

“What else would you call it? Two strangers who meet by chance, who are drawn to each other, who fit together as if they were always meant to be.”

She sighed. “Someone should put that in a card because that was beautiful.”

She was beautiful. And smart. And funny. Also wickedly pleasing in bed.

Out of bed.

In the shower.

A good thing Renard found another place for the night, as they spent the next few hours making love until they fell asleep together.

Around midday, his beautiful Selene placed a kiss on his lips and whispered, “I’ll be back in a bit. I want to see what’s happening.”

Renard returned not long after her absence with a report that had Dante looking grim in moments.

“People can’t stop talking about the events of yesterday,” Rennie stated from where he’d flopped in the chair across from Dante. “Lots of chatter about the rabid dog on board. A couple of passengers are swearing up and down the captain was a vampire. Apparently, the soucouyant wasn’t being careful toward the end about hiding her activities. In better news, your name hasn’t come up, nor has Selene’s. No one’s seemed to have made the connection between her and the wolf.”

“Their stories will be hard to prove without the bodies.” A good thing he’d had Renard dump them.

“Couldn’t do much about the blood left behind, though,” Rennie commented. “Although the red wine I dumped all over the place will help mask it.”

“Brilliant thinking.” Dante paused then added, “Selene might be joining us after we leave the ship. But that won’t change our arrangement.”

“Figured she might. About time you found someone.”

“Says the perpetual bachelor.”

“I like my freedom!” Rennie declared. “Even better, I guess we won’t be sharing suites on our trips anymore, which means I can bring the party back to my room.”

Dante shook his head. “Glad to see you’re taking this well.”

“We’ve been together a long time.”

“What is it, forty years now?” Dante mused aloud.

“Long enough to know you’ve been lonely. You found yourself a good one. She’s spunky and that wolf… fine-looking creature. Savage too. She took out those pirates damned efficiently. Kind of impressed.”

Not an easy feat given Renard’s own skill.

“How long until we dock?” Dante asked.

“Was supposed to be this afternoon, but I managed to delay things by claiming I saw somebody in the water.”

“Please tell me you didn’t toss someone overboard.”

“Mannequin actually. But it held us in place long enough that we’ll now be docking just after dark.”

“Excellent.”

“Where to after that?”

“Selene’s home. She’ll want to check in with her family.” It would also be a good time to introduce himself. “Then, on to our next mystery.”

“Glad to hear you’re not giving up the hunt. I’ve got my eye on a situation in Russia. There’s been some social media claims about a man claiming to be Rasputin causing trouble.”

“Intriguing. I’ll expect a report.”

“Already working on it.”

Renard left, and Selene returned, her lips turned down. “So many people saw me.”

“Saw your wolf,” he corrected.

“I know, but I’m worried. What if some government officials figure out there was a werewolf on board and start investigating all the passengers?”

He tugged her onto his lap. “They can look all they want; they’ll never find you.” He’d already had her, himself, and Renard wiped from the ship’s manifest. On top of that, Renard had cleared the surveillance tapes for the cruise. Every single one when accessed came up blank, and if anyone dug deeper, they’d discover the storage disks corrupted.

She leaned her head against him. “You know what would make me feel better?”

He did. And he made sure she felt better twice, all they had time for since the ship docked and an order came through to disembark.

Authorities were waiting to interview the passengers. Not Dante, Selene, or Renard, though, as he mesmerized their way past the grim-faced officers.

They’d brought their luggage with them but still had to exit via the baggage area, crowded with people who’d come to greet their loved ones—those who survived—from the ill-fated cruise. Ill-fated, of course, for everyone else. Dante thought it the most splendid trip ever.

As they neared the doors with the taxis lined up outside, Selene stiffened by his side and murmured, “Uh-oh.”

“What’s wrong?”

“That’s my family over there.” She inclined her head, and he had no trouble picking out her brother and sister. Similar in appearance to Selene, but it was their focused stare on him that truly made them stand out. Other people stood with them, including a woman who could only be Selene’s mother and a much older couple.

“They must have heard about the troubles on board and flew down to Florida.” He’d seen mention of the pirate attack on the news.

Indeed, as they neared, her family converged, the women crowing, Selene’s brother checking her over, but the old lady planted herself in front of Dante and had a blunt message, “Hurt her and I will hurt you back.”

“Grams!” Selene squeaked. “Be nice to my boyfriend.”

The word boyfriend had everyone blinking. Then the questions started. Dante found himself swept in a family tsunami.

He didn’t exactly hate it.

Renard did what he always did, flirted—with Selene’s mom—which led to the brother switching his glare from Dante.

The old man didn’t say much as they progressed from the terminal to the pair of large SUVs her family had rented. But as they disembarked at the hotel they were staying at, the old fellow, everyone called Gramps, sidled close to whisper, “Don’t think I don’t know what you are. And just so you know, I’ve staked your kind before so don’t fuck up.”

Dante had never been more surprised, or impressed, but he did wonder, “How did you figure it out?”

Gramps leaned close and whispered, “I know your grandfather.”

A vast world full of billions of people made small with just a few words.

Dante murmured back, “Then you should know I’m a man of honor.”

“Better be or else…”

The brother was the next to find a moment to corner Dante with his own warning. “That’s my baby sister you’re dating, and while I don’t approve, so long as she’s happy, we’ll be cool.”

“Why don’t you approve?”

“Because I can tell there’s something off about you.”

Dante had never been in the presence of so many who guessed his secret, and when he mentioned it to Selene that night, their hotel room blessedly dark, the blackout curtains taped to the wall, she replied, “Guess I should have warned you the family is good at figuring out secrets.”

“Do I need to worry?”

“No, they can be trusted. Besides, they know if you ever break my heart, I’ll rip your throat out myself.” Said so sweetly he couldn’t help but laugh.

And love. Because this vampire had finally met his match.