Page 13 of Druid Dreams

“Did you give her a fake name?” That was what he usually did. He said it was to distance himself from them, but I honestly didn’t understand. It’s his thing though, not mine. He just flashed me a big smile in answer. I honestly think he enjoys making me do this shit. That was why he always hid out in my room. Briggs would let her cry on his shoulder as he told her the truth. Palmer would make her breakfast and send her on her way after calling a cab to come get her. Stone would carry Novak out of his room and throw him back on his own bed with his naked issue.

Me? Well, I had my own way of dealing with his shit. I wasn’t fast enough to catch Novak and use Stone’s method. I also wasn’t nice enough to handle it the way Briggs and Palmer would. Which, in a nutshell, is why he came to me. Every. Fucking. Time.

“Let me get the naked girl out of your bed so you can at least put some fucking clothes on. Later, after I’ve slept for a few hours, we can make some plans to go out tonight. Sounds like we all need a good night out.” I strode out of my room as Novak started muttering to himself. Probably talking to his dick, that was my educated guess. I swear, we need to buy that Vampire a chastity cage.

Novak

Saturday Morning

I listened to Vaughn through the bedroom walls while I scolded myself. I’d probably already met my mate and was just too drunk to notice. We’ve all said it before. I seriously needed to slow down on the drinking before I really fucked my life up. We’ve all said that too. What if I had already met my mate? No. I would’ve known if I had. I hadn’t met her yet, but I thought I may know who she is. If I was right though... Man, it was gonna get a little weird around here. Total mindfuck of the interesting variety.

Vaughn’s room was on the other side of mine, so it wasn’t too hard to hear him while he put on another one of his best performances. Academy Awards here comes Vaughn Winter. He happened to be great at running them out. It was one of the reasons why I always came to his room when it didn’t work my way. I mean, that and he made it so funny to listen to. I almost felt bad for the chick in my room, but then I remembered that I asked her to leave and she refused.

“What are you doing in my bedroom?” He demanded in a voice that sounded like a war general on a tangent. I could picture him with his eyebrows drawn over his cold blue eyes, looking totally offended while staring at the naked, human woman in my bed.

He wouldn’t even glance at her fake tits, or notice that she used lip fillers, or that she had grey contacts to hide her naturally brown eyes. He didn’t give a shit about her or her feelings.

That was the other reason why I hid in his room when I couldn’t get the bitch to leave. I didn’t use that word lightly when describing a woman. It was just... she refused to leave.

Slapping my forehead, I dragged my hand down my face in a rare moment of self-flagellation. I was such an idiot. I knew better than to sleep with humans. That shit always fucking happened, and it blew up in my face every time. Fuck me. I have got to stop thinking with my dick.

A human woman. I scoffed at myself. That was where I fucked up. They couldn't tell that I wasn’t like them, unless I was hungry or showed my powers to get a fright out of someone. I didn’t even feed off of them. I’m a bit of a blood snob. The chick in my bed, especially, had no self preservation. I bet if she knew that I was a vampire then she’d beg me to turn her. No fucking thanks.

“I didn’t... I didn’t know this was your room. Where is Noah? He’s the reason I’m here.” She simpered, probably batting her fake eyelashes at Vaughn. She was as fake as the nut I busted last night. I should’ve left her at that shitty wanna-be vampire bar instead of bringing her home. To our actual home. I knew better.

“I don’t know who the fuck Noah is. I'm gonna be nice and give you five minutes to collect your shit and get out of my apartment before I call the police and ask them to come pick you up for breaking and entering.” I couldn’t help the snort that came out. He was so full of shit. I used a fake name every single time I brought someone home. He kicked them out with the exact same act when I couldn’t get them to leave. He had the routine perfected at this point. This happens more often than I’d care to admit.

“Okay, okay. No need for the cops. He had a key, I think. He said it was his place. I didn’t know! Just... just let me grab my clothes and I’ll be gone.” Oh, she was frantic now. Vaughn could be a dick when he needed to be. I bet he was standing in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at her with those icy, emotionless eyes.

He should’ve kicked that she-wolf, Anna, out when Briggs brought her home. We all told him to leave her alone, and look at him. Eight months wasted on her when he could’ve been looking for his mate. She was cheating on him for six of those months. Until Stone caught her shacking up with some business man in Atlanta, when she was supposed to be on a girls trip with her sister. That’s a long story for another day.

Stone had a lovely interrogation with the guy after he video-called Briggs so he could see her with him. Briggs had been camping for the last six weeks. It was his code for running through the woods and killing whatever was in his path. He had more shit to sort out before finding his mate than I did. I had a feeling we’d be meeting her soon though, so he needed to pull his head out of his ass. He’s a good guy, don’t get me wrong. He just picked the shittiest women to fall for.

After a few moments I heard the front door slam and then I knew Nikki, or Jasmine... or was it Kara? Whichever. It didn’t matter. The bitch is finally gone. Thank the Devil. I meant, the Fae. Yes, thank the Fae. Just don’t say “thank you” to the Fae.

Vaughn opened his bedroom door and sighed. “Your room is yours again. Now, get out so I can take a nap.” He was grouchy, but he had a fuck load of shit on his plate. AND he found his mate? Nahhh, that’s crazy. I believed him though. I knew all about that pulling in his chest. I wouldn’t tell him. Not yet. He needed to know that his feelings were his own.

The mate bond pulled you together. It would drive you insane with the need to protect. It wouldn’t make you lust after or fall in love with your mate. Those feelings were all your own. The instant attraction is the same that you’d feel if you had seen a hot chick at the bar, however; the potential mate bond does intensify the feelings that are already there. Or so I’d been told.

“With pleasure.” I mock-saluted him. “I’m going to head out for a bit. Do you need anything?” I wasn’t going anywhere, except straight to Palmer to sort all this shit out. I wondered if he thought the same thing I did.

“No, but be back by ten tonight so we can go out. I was thinking about seeing if I could get us all into the club I went to last night, but I don't know if that would be wise. The woman I think is my mate is part owner with her dad or something,” He declared while shaking his head. He took off his shoes and then threw himself onto his bed. I slid the curtains closed on his window and tossed his shoes in his closet while I waited for him. I’m such a good friend. He would hate that I didn’t line them up properly, but whatever. I’m not the OCD one.

“And...” I finally pushed. I knew he wanted to say more. He’d either tell me now or he’d tell me later, but he always told me.

“And” he sighed again. Uh-oh. “Her dad just bought CBP from Caplin. And,” he sighed louder, like he just couldn’t deal with all the bullshit that was his life, “Taylor Caplin is stalking her. I don’t know if I want to kill him or watch her kill him. You know I hate that guy. He was waiting by my car this morning when I left the club and he had a gun with iron bullets. Why did he have iron bullets? It’s not like he knows what I am.” He shrugged before powering through his rant. “If it wasn’t for her horse shifter friend I might be dead right now, and, well, I don’t like the idea of that guy being anywhere near her if I’m being honest.”

“Well now, that is intriguing. I’ve never met a horse shifter, but that’s not important. What’s her name?” I inquired. I was bubbling over with curiosity. I wanted to know everything. Also, horse shifter? What the fuck?

“Sloane. Sloane King.”

“Oh. I know her.” He raised his eyebrows, skepticism clear on his face. I bet he thought I’d fucked her too. I hadn’t, but I definitely would. For sure. “I mean, not her, but I know two of her Dads. Nathaniel and Charles King. You know that job I had a few weeks ago? When I took out the rogue tiger shifter while I was in Asia? Yeah, Charles hired me. He’s head alpha, big shit,” I nodded my head energetically before continuing. “He controls the shifter factions across the world. All the faction alphas are under him. I bet Briggs knows who he is.” I knew for a fact that he did.

I waited for Vaughn’s reply for a moment. I thought he’d fallen asleep with his eyes open. He was just lying there staring at the ceiling. It looked like he was holding his breath. If I couldn’t hear his frantic heart beat then I might have mistaken him as being dead. Just as I stepped out of the door to his bedroom, he bolted upright in his bed. Confused. Frantic. About 64 other emotions pass over his face, never settling on one for more than a second.

“What?” He demanded loudly, “Her dad is a shifter? But... but... I would have noticed that. Surely. She seemed to be part demon.” He scrubbed his hand up and down his face in quick succession. “I’m sure she was part demon. I mean, she even said her dad runs a demon boarding school.”

“You really don’t know, do you?” I asked him with a small smile playing at my lips. “We need to have a talk, my man. Come to the living room before you fall asleep. I’ll gather the troops.” Oh, this is definitely going to be a mindfuck. Why? Well, I’ll tell you. Because I was pretty sure that Nathaniel King’s daughter was my mate, and that was why he’d been training me to take over his position as High Coven Master. Though, now that I happened to think about it like that, maybe it wasn’t to be the head but to help the head. With head. Yeah. I could totally handle that.