As he said my mother’s name, he cringed. Whether it was because he didn’t want me to fly off the handle at him again or because he was anticipating pain from the secrecy spell, I wasn’t sure. But it solidified how harsh I’d been with him earlier.
“Okay, so, Bridget.” I heaved a deep breath and smiled at him tentatively. “I owe you an apology. I totally overreacted earlier, and that wasn’t fair to you.”
Caleb started to say something, so I held my hand up to silence him.
“Just... let me explain. Or rather, not explain because it’s pretty cut and dry. You didn’t do anything that deserved that sort of reaction from me. It was just... a lot. All at once. First the pain from the bonding, then Vic showing up and dropping that truth bomb... I let my anger and fear drive my actions, and for that I apologize.”
“Kitty Kat,” he groaned, scrubbing a hand over his face and through his hair. “You have nothing to apologize for. You really didn’t react that badly, unless you count storming out into Los Angeles in the middle of the night when you know bad guys want to string you up and drain your blood. Other than that, it was kind of understandable.”
“Uh, so I’m also apologizing for all the things I thought but didn’t say. So... sorry!” I gave him an awkward sort of smile, and he chuckled.
“I’m sorry too, babe. I never ever should have accepted that stupid spell in the first place. If I’d have been in my right mind, I would have known it couldn’t end well.” He leaned forward in his seat and took my hand in his, tracing a pattern across my skin. “It’s been eating me up inside this whole time, not being able to tell you and knowing how mad you were going to be.”
“You won’t believe this”—I laughed a humorless laugh—“or maybe you will, seeing as you know her better than I do, but Bridget found me tonight. After I left here, I went to a random bar, and she showed up with Mr. Gregoric.”
“What?” Caleb exclaimed. “What did she want? I was always so careful not to give her any info on you, Kitty, I swear.”
“No, I know. I do trust you.” I linked my fingers with his and gave him a squeeze of reassurance. “A lot of what she said smacked of bullshit, but she did make it pretty clear you weren’t to be blamed for the whole situation. Did you know she was drugging your tea to make you keep going back there?”
Caleb’s jaw dropped slightly, and his brows shot up. “What the fuck?”
“Ah yeah, so... I really can’t blame you for seeing her behind my back. You didn’t actually have any free will to refuse.” I shrugged and gave him an apologetic smile. “But on the upside to all of this, the amulet she gave you really does seem to be working.”
“Yeah?” He ran his fingers over the gold chain and then gave me a half smile. “I’m glad. I didn’t have any reason to think she was lying about this, but then I also didn’t think she was magically drugging my tea.”
I snorted a laugh. “I know, my mother seems like a real piece of work.”
“You really scared me earlier, Kitty Kat,” Caleb murmured in a serious voice. “The way you reacted after our bond... I thought I’d broken you or something. All I could think was that I hadn’t been ready after all. That my magic was going to cause you even more shit, all because I was so desperate to break the NDA and tell you about Bridget before Vic could get here.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered back, cupping his cheek in my hand. “The bonds were already getting worse each time, but I still want them all. It’s only temporary, the pain I mean, and I have no doubt it’ll be worth it in the end. Maybe it was just because you’re my fourth and three was supposed to be the limit?”
He nodded, looking thoughtful. “That’s true. So it could have happened with one of the others too?”
“Exactly,” I confirmed. “I should have said this earlier instead of throwing a tantrum. Thank you for everything you’ve done to control your magic. I know you never wanted this life and I sort of forced it on you. But I am really happy to be bonded to you now.”
He gave me a slow smile. “Me too, Kitty Kat. You know I’ve been head over heels for you ever since that night with the thunderstorm?”
“That long?” I gaped at him. “Damn, Cal, I was still in the he’s pretty hot and kind of growing on me stage then.”
He laughed. “Yep, that night when I held you and you told me why you’re scared of thunder, I thought to myself... I am totally in love with this girl already. How can I keep her forever?”
A broad grin spread over my face, and I gazed into his emerald-green eyes. My walls were still locked hard in place against the guys’ emotions, so I knew without a doubt that the warm, fuzzy feeling of love rushing through me like bubbles through champagne was all mine.
“I’m in love with you too, Caleb,” I whispered, and he kissed me gently but with so much raw emotion that I worried my eyes might start leaking.
“Now.” I cleared my throat as we separated. “What in the hell is going on inside?”
Caleb cringed and sat back in his seat, shooting an angry, almost fearful, glance inside.
“Uh, so in all the confusion after we bonded, with your magic trying to tear you to pieces and then Vic showing up, we sort of didn’t notice my familiar had shown up.”
“What?” I exclaimed. “You got your familiar? How the hell did we miss that? And why is it under the couch?” I assumed that was what Cole was trying to coax out with his soft words. “And why is Cole trying to get it out and not you?”
A light blush stained Caleb’s cheeks as he met my eyes. “Because it’s a snake... and I am so sure I already told you, but snakes scare the shit out of me.”
Biting the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing, I stared back at him for a long moment, not totally sure what to say. Clearly any jokes were not going to be received well and we had just kissed and made up, so I should probably refrain from being a dick so soon.
“You think I’m being a pussy, don’t you?” he deadpanned, and I had to fight even harder not to laugh.
“No, hon, not at all.” I glanced inside, then back to Caleb. “I think Austin is a pussy, but that’s a whole other thing. You know, because... tiger...” I grinned, and he just glared back at me. “Okay, not the time. Uh, well, I still don’t understand why your viper—if I assume correctly—is under the couch.”
Caleb huffed a sigh. “Well, there was all the noise and people and everything when he first showed up, and it turns out that because I’m scared of him... well, he’s scared of me too. Or all humans.”
This time I really couldn’t bite my cheek any harder, and a few little chuckles bubbled out before I could rein them in. “Ah, how do you know that?”
He looked seriously unimpressed as he replied to that question. “Because we can communicate telepathically. When anyone gets close, he’s all curses and threats about biting. He’s a real fucking asshole, Kitty Kat; I have to be honest.”
Oh, God. This keeps getting better.
“So, um,” I chuckled, not trying to stop myself anymore. “Why is Cole trying? He’s not the friendliest human we have.”
Caleb rolled his eyes like the answer should have been obvious. “No, but he’s a reptile. Surely they can, like, recognize their own kind or something?”
“Of course,” I snickered. “How silly of me. Do you want me to try? I actually like snakes. They’re cool creatures.”
Caleb looked aghast. “Kitty Kat... they have no ears!”
“Well, it’s a good thing you can talk telepathically then, isn’t it?” I grinned, standing and sliding the door open to head back inside. “Come on; let’s get your familiar out so he can meet everyone. You two still need to sort out his home, don’t you?”
My big bad Blood Mage cringed but nodded. He knew as well as I did, or better, that a familiar was a huge honor for a Mage to receive, and its sole purpose was to increase his magic. He needed to work through his fear of snakes and make it work; there were no other options on the table.