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

tell me who she was, about her family and the life she’d led, it only made me want her more. I would make up any excuse to see her. I spent many hours at the bar; even if she never saw me, I was there. The night that started the change between us was the night I took it upon myself to pull the spark plug out and pop the wires off the battery under her hood.

She had no choice but to let me bring her home. That night changed so much. I really got to see her in her own space. How at ease and carefree she could be. It made my wolf want to curl himself around her and bury his face in her hair. We wanted to mark her with our bite, put our scent all over her. Claim her. Mark her so every other male knew she was taken.

It wasn’t but a few weeks later that my apartment building had a fire. The place was trashed. It was a good thing I kept most of my belongings at the office. I really only slept at the apartment. After the fire, I’d slept on the couch in my office a few nights before she asked if I wanted to use her spare room. The howling of my wolf had drowned out my inner thoughts. There was no way in hell I’d ever say no to that offer.

Three and a half years later, we were still roommates, though my wolf and I really wanted more. I was biding my time. I could be patient. I loved a good hunt. My little witch made the perfect prey.

Coming home from a run with Ty and Liam, I shook off the unease that had been nagging me all night. If I hadn’t known better I’d have said someone was watching us. I hadn’t caught any errant scents, but not being in wolf form kept me at a slight disadvantage. Slight. I still had a damn good nose.

I kicked my trainers off on the porch and left them by the door. They would need to be scrubbed down tomorrow thanks to the rain that started a half hour ago. I was soaked to the bone. My wolf loved it, though. He was an odd fucker, that’s for sure.

I stepped into the house; Mia’s scent wrapped around me like a warm blanket. I took in a lungful of her scent and smiled. She calmed me and my beast.

I heard the television playing in the living room so I made sure to take easy steps around to the hall and went to the bathroom. I needed out of these wet clothes before she scolded me for dripping all over the place.

Once I’d showered and had on clean, dry clothes I padded out to the living room. As expected, Mia was asleep on the couch. I leaned against the doorframe and watched her—something in me easing even more. Her legs were pulled up, a blanket haphazardly draping over her. She was a beautiful sight to behold. I needed to move her to her bed, though. If she stayed the way she was all night, her neck would kill her tomorrow.

I turned the TV off, pulled the blanket off, folded it back up and laid it across the back of the couch, and gently scooped her up.

Her warmth filled my arms and a chill ran through me. She truly had no idea what she meant to me. The instant contact sent me and my wolf into a state of calm unlike any other. I nuzzled her temple and brushed my lips softly against her forehead.

Letting her go was hard. I just wanted to hold her all night, but that might have weirded her out. I didn’t want that. I tugged her covers down and settled her into bed, brushing her hair from her face and placing a gentle kiss on her forehead again.

“Sleep well, love,” I whispered as I pulled the sheets up over her. I wasn’t ready to leave her, so I moved to the chair in the corner of her room and sat. I’d watch her for a little bit, then I’d go back to my room and try my best to sleep. Knowing she was right here, so close, made it hard to think of anything but crawling in bed with her and holding her while she slept.

One day that would be a reality for us both. I’d see to it. I just had to make my move at the right time. I didn’t want to scare her off. I couldn’t survive without her; that I was sure of.

4

Mia

A couple of days later, I walked into the bar and moved quickly out of the way as Angus came rushing past me.

“Do something about her, will you?! She is fucking crazy!”

Holding my hands up, I called after him, “If you’re stupid enough to go behind the bar while she’s setting up, then that’s on you!” He cursed and I turned to look at Jayden. She shrugged. I shook my head. “Scaring them again?” She just laughed.

“Hey, he came back here and tried to touch shit. You warned them, they didn’t listen, so he got a glass thrown at his head!” I grabbed the broom and swept up the broken glass before taking the dustpan and picking it up. I dumped it in the broken glass bin, knowing every night we were gonna have more.

“Just give me a heads up if I need to restock the bar with glasses, okay?” I nudged her shoulder as she gave me a mock salute.

“Yes, boss.” My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw Sy’s number on the screen. Jayden made a face. “You’re on your own with that one.” I don’t know why, but Jayden couldn’t stand him. I wondered if there was something there that I didn’t know about, but decided it was best not to go there.