Her Mortal Mate

Chapter Forty Two: Nervous

Adam

Even though I’d stayed up with Jadea, I didn’t have one tired bone in my body. I was jittery. Wound so tight I doubted I would be able to calm down and relax until the day was over.

I closed my eyes and tried to relax as we waited to cross the street, remembering how we had dragged one of the big hotel chairs before the window and shared it while we watched night bleed into dawn. The sunrise has been beautiful and I was looking forward to sharing so many more with her.

Jadea’s hand tightened around mine at the memory and I just knew she was thinking about it too.

I don’t think any of us ate this morning.

When the band had started waking up, Jadea had pulled me into our room to get dressed and ready for the day. Out of her bag, she’d pulled a very thick, fitted biker style leather vest. I was surprised it fit me so well.

As much as I’d wanted to ask where and when she got it, I never got the chance. She was a whirlwind as she helped pick out my outfit and even helped me get dressed. A long sleeve sapphire blue button down shirt was tucked into dark jeans. The vest she left open. Then, she knelt down and buckled new linesmen biker boots on my feet. She strapped a sheathed wicked looking blade against my ankle inside of my boot with a strict warning not to touch the blade.

“You will only use this knife in an emergency,” she’d explained, her gaze pinning me to the spot. “It has been dipped in hellhound venom. It will kill you—or any opponent—in a matter of seconds if you so much as nick yourself. You will not touch this unless it is your last option. If you must use it, you do not have to stab your opponent or cut them in any certain place. Anywhere you can reach will be good enough.”

I remembered the venom. Or rather hearing about it. Before I had a chance to even be a little nervous she was tucking a small P320 SIG into the built in holder on the inside of the vest. “I would prefer you to use this first,” she admitted in a gentler tone. “Because you own a gun and you know how to use one. The bullets are silver hollow points with a small dose of demon’s blood in the tip. It will slow your opponents down and give you time to escape.” She tucked two full mags into another part of the vest.

The weapons made me nervous.

Not because of what they were, rather it just made everything so real. The danger factor had always been there, but it still seemed unreal. Or, possibly hard to imagine. But now as she prepared me for war, I had to wonder what exactly I’d gotten myself into.

Suddenly, her lips were pressing hard against mine in a distracting kiss. “Everything is going to be fine,” she whispered against my lips. “This is only a precaution, because I’m paranoid.”

How could I blame her when I completely understood her paranoia? I’d seen it all laid out in her mind.

It had been the reason she hadn’t slept last night.

Grabbing everything she needed, she disappeared into the bathroom to get ready. While she was busy, I snatched the wolf ears she’d gifted me and tucked them into the vest. I couldn’t explain why I had the urge to take them, but I knew better than to go against a gut feeling.

I nearly wore a hole in the floor from pacing before she burst out of the bathroom. She looked stunning in a black high waisted pin up pencil skirt. It outlined her curves perfectly and I had a hard time dragging my gaze away from her perfect ass. I swallowed hard as my gaze moved up to a white, buttoned slit lantern sleeve blouse tucked into the skirt. The shirt had lace around the wrist and a line down the front where the buttons were. She looked sharp and unique. It was an outfit befitting of her personality. It was edgy and it was ‘professional’ yet it was completely her.

Her short white hair had been straightened to perfection. She’d donned bright red lipstick that matched her bright red platform pumps. The smokey eyed look bringing it all together along with the dazzling diamond earrings and necklace.

“Holy hell.” I knew she cleaned up well, but … hot damn!

“Don’t give me that look, Adam.”

“What look?”

“The ‘I’m going to devour you’ look. We don’t have time for that!” She winked at me as she sailed right on by, picking up a small red leather handbag before sashaying out of the room.

With her heels on, she stood an inch or so taller than me.

But, what the hell was I thinking… that didn’t matter!

As I walked along beside her when we left the hotel on foot, I’d just felt … so out of place. She was this gorgeous creature and I was just a mere mortal who by no means should have even had a shot at this woman.

“Adam,” her voice filled my head disapprovingly at my inner monologue.

“Stay out of my head woman!” I teased. I knew she hated it when I down talked myself like that. But I wasn’t done with the inner monologue: Any sane woman who was in her shoes wouldn’t have given me a chance, let alone given me the time of day…

I heard her snort but she kept her commentary to herself.

…Yet, somehow, someway, the universe brought us together. I was the luckiest man alive.

Now, all I could hope for was that I survived today’s trials and tribulations so I could rush her back to that hotel room and rip those stockings right off of her. I was so desperate, so caught up on her that I knew I wouldn’t be able to patiently get her out of those clothes.

Her smirk let me know she had been privy to my thoughts. And so, I decided to give her a show. To distract both of us from the inevitable for just a little while longer.

When she blushed at the very vivid images I was imagining of doing to do to her, I felt Garret’s hand smack the back of my head. “I thought I was the man w***e of the group but, gawd damn!”

And then it was my turn to be embarrassed.

The rest of the group broke out in laughter, including myself. Even though there were embarrassing moments like these, I had never felt more at home than when I was with Jadea and her band.

“We are almost there,” Jadea announced in our minds, before reaching out to connect with Lance. He was supposed to meet us at the entrance to escort us to where the debate would take place.

Taking a deep breath, I looked over my shoulder and glanced at the others. They were stoic, their expressions unreadable. They were dressed in a mix between my look and hers. Their eyes shifted to every shadow, nook and person. Looking for any danger.

I couldn’t remember a time when they had all been so alert and on edge.

“We’re here,” Jadea announced, as she planted herself before a little hole in the wall shop.

I looked askance at her, expecting this to be some kind of joke.

“Garret. Derrick,” she ordered.

Both of them broke away and entered first. Then her and I while Blade and Briar brought up the rear.

As we approached the teller, Jadea spoke something in a different language. Perhaps an ancient wolf language?

The lady smiled and said we could find what we were looking for in the next room behind the counter.

Without missing a beat, we moved through the shop in a single file line. Garret moved a rug and pulled open a heavy wooden door in the floor. “After you,” he said to Derrick. Blade moved next. Jadea took my hand and led me into the darkened tunnel.

“I need you to take a deep breath, vanilla. You won’t be able to see. There are only stairs for a few steps and then it’s smooth. It is a rather steep decline, so prepare yourself. When Garret closes the door, it will be pitch black. I will be your eyes. Trust me.”

Taking a deep breath and forcing myself to remain calm, even as the darkness enclosed me on all sides, was easier said than done.

What felt like an eternity passed before I saw a smidgeon of light at the end of the tunnel. When we emerged, my jaw nearly dropped to the floor.