Mischief's Mate (The Immortal Mates Book 1) (14 page)

At that moment her cell buzzed signaling she had a text. Pushing the message icon a little harder then was necessary, she noticed it was from Arabella.

‘’Telle, go easy on the guy. He’s old school. ;)’

Furious, she texted back, ‘You knew he was going to be there. That’s what all that cryptic shit was about?’

Arabella’s answer came faster than she expected. It seemed she knew what Chantelle was going to say. Maybe foresight wasn’t such a bad gift after all?

‘Don’t shoot the messenger. :) Besides, I have something to tell you.’

Oh no. Not another prophecy. Chantelle could not take any more crap on her plate. Tonight had been the last straw. Yet she found herself wondering what Bells could have to tell her.

‘What?’

‘A blue eyed witch will seek her revenge. Claiming all that the dark immortal holds dear. Reflect her dark spell back upon her. Together the yin & yang shall stand strongest.’

Chantelle just stared at her iPhone. What the hell was she raving about now? She could make more sense out of a Dr. Seuss book.

‘Explain.’

Her screen lit up. ‘You know I can’t. Luv, Hell’s Bells.’

Frowning at her screen she didn’t even bother to answer. Chantelle knew that she wouldn’t get any more out of Arabella. Sometimes her friend annoyed her more than most people. After one of her visions or prophecies you were left with more questions than answers. Anytime you asked her to explain, Arabella would say she wouldn’t.

Chantelle knew it was more like she couldn’t. When one was burdened with the gift of Foresight they were not allowed to meddle. Sure they could give you Lady Cleo answers, but anything more and you were on your own.

“If you keep up all that thinking you’re going start a fire.”

Chantelle could only glare at Savannah. She was having a hard enough night without her joining in.

Savannah nodded toward the phone, “Was that Bells?”

“Yeah, she was being her normally cryptic self.”

As they drove down the quiet stretch of road Savannah asked her, “So what was that all about back there?”

Chantelle eyed her as if she had grown another head. What kind of question was that? Didn’t she understand that he had embarrassed her? That by trying to be her hero he had set all women back about six centuries. Or maybe it was just her.

After all Savannah seemed to like guys who would fight for you. For as long as they had been friends the willowy blond beside her had gone for the cave man type; all brawn and no brains. She had asked her once why that was, Savannah had answered that they made her feel safe and wanted.

“Really, ‘Telle what’s wrong?”

She turned then to face her friend wondering just how much she should tell her. Should she let Savannah know that she was Loki’s Fatum Anima? Knowing Savannah the way she did, she knew that was not the best idea. She would be making wedding arrangements before the night was over. But if she couldn’t tell her then who could she confide in?

“He thinks I’m his mate.”

Oh God, there it was out in the open, Chantelle wanted to cringe. She had treated him so badly and he had let her. Not once retaliating. Absently, Chantelle ran her fingers over her kiss swollen lips. Her thoughts returning to Loki.

He could have carried her off into the night and not broken a sweat. Yet, when she had pulled away from their heated kiss he had let her go. All but telling her to leave before the choice was taken from her.

“That’s a… great.” Savannah shot her an odd look.

“Why don’t you sound convinced?”

Chantelle was hoping that Savannah would tell her it was a mistake. She had a gift of her own. Savannah could tell exactly who was destined to be together. When they were at the Academy, the headmistresses told her friend that she needed to keep her gift a secret. Because there was a group that was rising up that would hunt her for her power. They wanted to know which mortal Halfling belongs to which immortal. They would stop at nothing for the information. Even if it meant killing all those she loved and making her watch.

“Oh, I’m more than convinced. I just think you could have handled it better.”

Chantelle gave her a dirty look. “Well how would you have handle it, oh great temptress?”

Savannah waved her hand, “No need to be snide. You love him and that bothers you. It’s cool. None of us are perfect.”

That was crazy. Chantelle knew she couldn’t love a man she didn’t know. There was no such thing as love at first sight. That was the stuff of high school crushes. When you wrote your name and their name in little hearts all over your books.

But at almost twenty-five it was time to put away such flights of fancy. To stop dreaming of your prince charming and work with what life gave you. She refused to believe in fairy-tale romances; even when her life was so steeped in magic.

Savannah was still waiting for her reply and she still couldn’t think of anything to say. How could she begin to explain that she hadn’t pushed Loki away because of the whole Steve incident? Chantelle had become angry with him because he was acting as if he had some screwed up right to her and for some strange reason her soul seemed to agree with him. Now he had Savannah backing his claim. She was so screwed.

No, that couldn’t be right. Chantelle was a person not a possession. There was no way he was just going to waltz out of her dreams and into her life, as if he belonged there. Loki could just go back to wherever he came from for all she cared.

“You don’t believe me about him?” Her eyes never left the road. But they didn’t have to; Chantelle heard the impatience in her voice.

“Loki. His name is Loki.”

Chantelle only waited a heartbeat of time before Savannah was pulling the car to the shoulder of the road. She cut the engine and turned to stare at her.

“Damn girl. You couldn’t pick any old immortal could you? You had to go and snag yourself a badass. Leave it to you to pick a troublemaker for a man.”

She put her head in her hands, admitting defeat. Savannah was right, of course. She had a big problem on her hands. Loki was a prince. He would expect her to treat him with deference, not how she had tonight.

“I’m in deep here.” She rubbed her arms, her heart aching for him already. “I think I love him.”

Chantelle said it so fast, she wasn’t sure Savannah had heard her. She really hoped she hadn’t. Regretting the words the moment they were out of her mouth.

“You what?”

“God, help me, I think I love him. How can I not? I’ve known him since I was five. Maybe not on the physical plane, but still I know him.” Her friend didn’t say anything, just shook her head so Chantelle knew she was still listening. “I find myself drawn to him. It’s as if he is the other half of my soul.”

A nervous laugh left her as she waited for Savannah to tell her she was crazy. That some guy she’s never met; except in her dreams doesn’t just walk into your life one day. Acting as if he’s always been there and has some claim on you.

“So you love him. You’re supposed to. Or did you sleep through all those lessons about Fatum Anima?”

“I was wide awake, same as you. I just can’t have this in my life now. Emma needs me.”

“That’s a lame excuse and you know it. He can only see to your happiness. Emma is included in that you know?”

Chantelle knew she was right. If making sure Emma was taken care of was important to her it would be important to Loki too. One mate could not hurt the other. They were two halves of the same soul. Destined long before either was born. He would complete her and she him.

Tonight had only been an example of how fiercely he would protect her and when he had let her leave she knew it had torn at his soul. But she needed space and he could only give it to her.

Savannah started the car and pulled back onto the road. “I think you’ve had a long night. We’ll go pick up Emma and you’ll go home and get some sleep. Tomorrow everything will be clear.”

All Chantelle could do was nod in agreement. There was just too much to think about. If Loki was really her mate, then things would be changing. She was too afraid to hope it was for the better. Besides, Arabella had warned her about a blue eyed witch. She did not need to deal with crazy immortals on top of her mate.

The sapphire mustang pulled to a stop in front of the cream colored Tudor. Savannah cut the engine, both women exiting the car laughing. Each of them had hoped to dispel the thoughts of the conversation from moments ago.

There had been too much shared between them in the space of only an hour. Things that once they had admitted to could never be taken back. Savannah had coaxed Chantelle to admit to feeling a need for Loki.

That wasn’t what troubled them; it was their theory of exactly who the man was to her that made them worry. Even if their theory was right, Chantelle didn’t know if she could just accept the alpha male claim of her Fatum Anima. Really? There was no amount of schooling the Academy could have given them that would prepare them for this. They were modern women. How were they supposed to handle centuries old men?

Chantelle had always had her suspicions about Frigga. What if she really was the Norse queen? That would mean one of two things. She had either known about Loki’s connection to Chantelle and lied. Or she was mortal and had no idea about any of this.

She was hoping it was the latter, because there was no way Chantelle would stand for anyone lying. Not even a millennium old queen. Sorry, there were somethings you just could not allow.

Chantelle quieted as she pulled Frigga’s house key out of her pocket. “I don’t know if they’re sleeping. The lights are on in the living room, so who knows.”

Both women finished their conversation in hushed whispers, just in case Frigga and Emma had fallen asleep watching TV. Often times Chantelle would come out of the kitchen to say dinner was ready to find them asleep on the couch with the TV on and forgotten. She smiled at the memory. Chantelle opened the door and let them in. They tiptoed into the hallway trying not to make too much noise.

“Chantelle is going to be so pissed.” Emma sounded nervous and Chantelle was willing to let her language pass this time.

Both women stopped where they were so they didn’t alert anyone of their presence. Whatever was being discussed in the other room seemed to be some kind of secret. If Chantelle knew her sister there was no way she would get it out of her other than eavesdropping.

The sound of the conversation taking place in the living room did not bode well for the rest of the evening. Chantelle wondered what Emma thought she would be pissed about. Maybe something had happened at the tutors that she hadn’t told her. She hoped her baby sister wasn’t fighting with other kids, no that didn’t make sense Emma never fought. She was too even keeled. Maybe she liked a boy and didn’t want Chantelle to give her the birds and bees talk?

It was the next voice that halted her worry over Emma. As a matter of fact it had her seeing red. All thoughts of her baby sister’s nonexistent love life forgotten.

“Be that as it may, she is my female and will be returning home with me this evening.”

His voice flowed over Chantelle like warm honey from a dripping hive. The old world elegance of his words made her long to give into his every demand. Yet the smugness behind them set her teeth on edge. How dare he assume that she would just drop everything for him? He may be her mate, but that didn’t give him the right to lord it over her.

Loki sounded as if she would blindly do whatever he wished. As if he could snap his fingers and she would come running with his pipe and slippers. Well, let him just try it and see if she didn’t throw the damn things at him.

She turned then to look at her friend, “Are you with me?”

Savannah lifted one finely arched brow, “With you? I’m gonna skip beside you, with a Louisville slugger, singing, ‘someone’s gonna get it’.”

Even annoyed Chantelle found herself chuckling at her antics, “They sure are.”

They moved into the living room and the conversation died faster than a fish out of water. Loki caught her eye and nodded in her direction. Chantelle turned her nose up at him, not bothering to acknowledge any of the three before her.

Just who the hell did he think he was? Ok, that was a stupid question, because he was claiming to be her mate. So he was practicing under the assumption that she should be on her knees worshiping him. Well that practice went out with the golden calf, so he could keep dreaming.

Her body betrayed her at the thought of worshiping him. The images of her on her knees before him flashed through her mind. She could see herself doing things to him with her mouth she wasn’t even sure were possible, at least with his size. Chantelle felt annoyance flare as soon as the blush painted her cheeks.

Damn her treacherous thoughts. There was no way she should he thinking about Loki like that. She was pissed at everyone in this room and there was no way her hormones were going to make her forget that she had been lied to.

Chantelle was getting ready to let him have it, but movement to her left caught her attention. Frigga stood up and opened her arms as if to embrace her. Chantelle shook her head, too afraid to speak.

She worried her bottom lip, afraid she would cry because of Frigga’s betrayal. Here she finds her with Emma and a man who thinks he has some kind of claim on her. He had even gone so far as to plan on spiriting her away, with their help. In her book that was considered aiding and abetting.

Or at least that’s what he had been telling her baby sister before she had interrupted their little meeting of the minds. Speaking of Emma, just how much did her sister know about all of this? Was that why she had been so eager to have Chantelle go out tonight? Did she know Loki would be at the Serpent’s Den?

Chantelle held up her hand, “Don’t. I deserve an explanation.”

The anger and hurt rolled off of her, slowly filling the room and its occupants. She felt Savannah tense beside her, waiting for the thunderclap after the lighting. But Chantelle’s inner storm was building slowly, like heat lightning on a hot summer night.

She prayed that one of the three people before her could come up with a plausible excuse for what she had walked in on. If not, she was done. Chantelle would wash her hands of Frigga. She had no qualms about walking out of the older woman’s life and never returning.

After working so long for her, she had thought of Frigga as family, someone she could trust with her life. Funny how the person you would take a bullet for is usually the one pulling the trigger.

“Chantelle, you need to calm down.” Emma whispered not daring to look her in the eyes.

Chantelle was ready to lose her cool. Calm down? For what she had just heard, Chantelle was as close to calm as she was going to get. Besides, who in their right mind would let a cover-up the size of Watergate go unpunished.

“Why? I just found out that two people I hold dear stabbed me in the back. I can only wonder how long this has been going on.” She gestured about the room; just to be sure they knew what had her so upset.

And stab her in the back they had. Chantelle could feel her heart break at the looks they both were giving her. She knew that whatever they had to say she wasn’t going to like it.

“We just wanted you to be happy. To have someone to take care of you for once.”

Emma’s voice held steady, even though Chantelle knew she wanted to cry. She could feel the sorrow rolling off her sister.

“You are just a child and don’t know any better; so I’m going to let this slide. But Frigga, I want to know what you have to say about all of this?” She gestured between them.

Chantelle saw that Emma wanted to answer her. To plead her case. Maybe to plead all of their cases, but with one look her sister clammed up. A very wise choice.

When the older woman looked at Chantelle she was ready to cry. Chantelle could see the remorse in her eyes; almost taste it. In that moment she wanted nothing more than to soften and forgive her.

“Perhaps I should explain, mother.” Loki’s green eyes flicked between the two women.

He looked as if he wanted to ease her tension. Loki had worry written all over his face. What he didn’t know was that it was his last words that sent Chantelle over the edge. After today in the shop she had suspected but Chantelle thought to cast it aside as being paranoid. Now she knew better. She guessed that a lesson learned too late was better than one that was never learned at all.

As soon as his soft words fell on her ears her ire rose, “You’re his mother? Of course you are. I should have known.”

Savannah who had been standing beside her friend in silent support even flinched at the sound of her voice. Chantelle was never this angry. Most times it was Savannah telling her she shouldn’t be a doormat.

“Oh damn, someone is going to get it!” There was shock soaking her words.

Frigga’s eyes were glazed over with unshed tears, “Chantelle, I really should have told you sooner. If you will allow me to explain, then everything will be clear.”

Chantelle longed to hear what she had to say; to just forget everything. What she wouldn’t give to turn back time and never have overheard their conversation? To simply act as if nothing was different.

But that was the weak version of Chantelle. Someone she had been long ago. Long before she had the responsibilities she had now. The new and improved Chantelle wasn’t going to stand for any of this.

“Do you think?” When Frigga sat back down in stunned silence, Chantelle continued, “Forget it; you don’t need to explain anything.” She waved her off.

Loki took that as his cue to praise his mate for her good judgment. “I am glad you have come to your senses.”

Emma turned to stare at him as if he was the three headed dog that guarded the gates to the underworld. Loki just looked at her wondering what he had done wrong. He didn’t realize that it would have served his cause better had he stayed quiet. Because now Chantelle’s eyes shot fire in his direction. Come to her senses? Was he joking? Surely he couldn’t think his caveman attitude would endear him to her?

“Get your coat Emma, we’re leaving.”

“But you have to…” She didn’t get a chance to finish her protest.

“There is nothing that I have to do. Now go get your coat.” Chantelle didn’t even spare Emma a glance.

She had never raised her voice in anger to Emma. Chantelle’s angry words caused tears to spring to Emma’s eyes.

Jumping to her feet, Emma sent Chantelle her parting shot, “Nor anything you want to.”

Chantelle just let her go. She knew there would be time enough tonight to argue with Emma; to make her see reason. But what Chantelle didn’t know was that her sister was thinking the same thing.

Frigga stood from the couch as if she was going to go after Emma, but Chantelle stood tall blocking her way out of the room. There was no way she was going to allow Frigga near Emma again. She had done enough damage here tonight.

Her eyes never wavered from Loki’s. “As for coming to my senses, you’re right I have. And I can see exactly who my true friends are.” She turned then to face Frigga, “I’m sorry but I’ll no longer be able to work for you.”

Chantelle nodded to Savannah and they left without a backward glance. She had to walk away quickly before the tears spilled down her cheeks. She would not show either of them how hurt she was. Tears showed weakness and she had cried her last a long time ago. Besides why should she cry over any of them? If they truly cared about her, there would have been no lies between them. Nor betrayal.

Once they were in the car Savannah’s eyes jumped to the rearview mirror. She was watching Emma look out the small back window. The young girl’s eyes never left the house even when the engine roared to life. Her cheeks were pink and stained with tears.

“You ok, ‘Telle?”

Chantelle turned her doe eyes to look at her friend. “Sure. Fine. Just peachy.”

There was nothing either of them could say to ease the hurt in Chantelle’s heart. She would have to get beyond the pain on her own. After the incident tonight it would be a while before Chantelle trusted anyone again.

As they drove further from the house Chantelle’s anger began to cool and was replaced by something else. It was a pulling in the area of her solar plexus. As if her soul was reaching for something else. Something she was leaving behind.

Loki watched as the three woman piled into the little blue sports car. He stood with his hands behind his back by the front window, hoping that Chantelle would come to her senses and come back to him. But the moment the car pulled away he fell to his knees and clutched his chest.