Mated To Magic (Stark Creek Shifters Book 1) by Barb Shuler (free ereaders .TXT) 📕

to get the entryway to the bar roped off into two lanes. The boys will need a good setup for tonight. Liam and I tweaked the security system and added a new camera, which he’ll be installing tonight in order to see the bar area itself. This way we can see if the girls are safe.”

I watched as she put her fork down and eyed me.

“What?”

“I told you they can’t come into the bar. Only you and Liam!”

“No shifter other than Jayden, Liam, and myself will be in the building at all. We will be behind the scenes as much as possible. The pack will be set up outside. They’ll be holding down the front door. This way no one else slips in unnoticed. Simon and his men, all of which are human, will be inside, two in the club/bar area, out of the way, and the other on the back entrance.

“Angus will be in charge of what’s done and not done in the club/bar. I trust him with you and the girls. He’s really stepped up and been willing to take our advice, and the training has gone great. Nick will be stationed closer to the bar to watch the girls, and Max will be on patrol of the perimeter. He’s been told to be invisible.” I smiled as I leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “We’ll not break your rules, but we will do what’s necessary to keep you all safe and in business. Did I mention, safe?” As I spoke the last words I pressed kisses to her cheeks.

“You think you’re smart, don’t you?” She was fighting a smile.

“Well, I do have these moments of genius clarity. They don’t happen often but—” The oven beeped. Turning, I pulled it open, grabbed the pot holder, and removed the tray.

“Thirty-six berry filled muffins says ‘I’m sorry,’ right?” I looked at the muffins that had already been pulled from the pan, cooled and ready to put in something in order to get them to the bar.

“She knows you didn’t mean to be an asshole.”

“I—he scared her. I never meant to do that. I lost control and it almost ended badly. He’s settled now that the bond is complete.” I pressed myself against the cabinet as I leaned into her. “I guess it’s a good thing she had enough of her senses working to grab the water sprayer. By the way, that water is fucking cold.”

Mia laughed and shook her head, wrapping her arms around my neck. “If she hadn’t have done that, I’d have stopped you; it just would’ve hurt more.”

“I’m glad it didn’t come to that, I hurt enough already. This old body isn’t what it used to be,” I joked, grinning.

“Old, huh? You didn’t seem very old last night.”

“Hmm…” I leaned in and kissed her softly, a growl rumbling through me. “Last night was…fun. I hope to have many repeat performances.”

“If you’re a good puppy, maybe.”

My eyes blazed as the wolf in me took note of the challenge in her voice. I leaned in, brushing my lips down her neck, nipping at the scar there. “Mine.”

I was interrupted by my cell chiming. Ugh. I was going to skin someone. I pulled the phone from the charger and brought it closer. It was a message from Satan, which meant it was Sy. I grinned to myself. I was a clever puppy.

I fought back the need to roll my eyes. Now I was calling myself a puppy. What were these girls doing to me?

Satan: Transfer in progress. Be in NC in 1 week.

I flipped the phone around and showed it to her. “Sy will be here in a week… Yay.” I did a fake, half assed, halfhearted cheer. Mia slapped my chest and sighed.

I wasn’t going to pretend I liked him. I didn’t. I didn’t trust him fully. There was something about him that just rubbed me the wrong way.

“Guess he’ll be up my butt…”

“Behave. He’s good at his job.”

“I know, now eat up and get dressed. We have things to do.”

With another quick kiss, I turned to the mess I’d made and started cleaning up the kitchen.

16

Mia

While talking to the girls about the new security plan, I tried to ignore the glances between Melody and Phoenix. I hadn’t told them why, just that I was beefing up security and that was all they really needed to know. I didn’t want to stress them out by telling them I’d had a close encounter with a serial killer. We had filled Jayden in on everything when we gave her a heads up about the changes to the door so that she could steer clear. Dalton gave her his peace offering of muffins, which I had put in a basket for him rather than just putting them into a container. As a gesture, she asked me to take them out to the boys to see if they wanted one because she would never eat them all on her own.

My phone vibrated in my back pocket. I pulled it out and saw Sy’s name on the screen. D had told me that he was moving here in a week, so I had been waiting for this call.

“Sy, how are you?”

“Mia, my darling. I’m good, how are you?”

“I’m good, just getting my girls ready for work. We’ve changed things a little, so I’m filling them in.”

“How’s the bar doing?”

“We’ve had a few issues over the past few nights, but nothing that my security can’t handle.”

“Well, I can see for myself in a week’s time.”

“Mmmhm.” I don’t know what it was about that sentence that made me uncomfortable. He’d helped me find this place, but that didn’t mean he had a right to come in and check on me.

“I need your help.”

“Oh, with what?”

“Would you be able to check out a few places for me? I trust your judgement, and if you like the look of one of them, I’ll sign the lease.”

“I guess I could