Mischief's Mate (The Immortal Mates Book 1) (13 page)

Savannah stood outside the club her eyes alight with laughter. Never had she met a guy that she could share her secret with and tonight the Sisters had dropped Bragi into her lap. He might not be her Fatum Anima, but at least he was easy on the eyes. Who knew, maybe she could have a little fun before the night was over.

Long ago she had learned that some men could not be trusted. That by the time you found out which ones they were, well it was too late. Your heart was already broken, but Savannah had been a fast learner. Once you got over the fact that some people frown on the way she acted toward men, it was easy. She couldn’t care less what they thought as long as her heart was safe. Hey, if they wanted to judge her who was she to argue. Just let them try to walk a mile in her shoes; because they would have said screw it too.

Her mother hadn’t really been a mother at all. She was too drunk on whatever her drink of choice had been at the time. The men that she had allowed to come in and out of their life had taught Savannah all she needed to know about guys.

Of course at thirteen she couldn’t fight back. She was easy pickings. After the first time, she had learned to just lie still and take whatever was coming to her. Most of the guys who hurt her, liked a good struggle; she refused to give them even that.

Then when she had turned sixteen and the letter from Raven’s Heart Academy came, her mother was too happy to send her. She wouldn’t have to feed or clothe her for four years. Not to mention her boyfriend of the moment wouldn’t be distracted by Savannah. At that time her mother had begun to notice that the men in her life were giving Savannah too much attention. Attention that was meant to be her’s. So with an eagerness born of jealousy she sent Savannah packing.

It had been a blessing. At the Academy, Savannah had learned a lot about herself and life in general. She was taught to defend herself, with all manner of weaponry. Something she had become very proficient at.

“What are you thinking about, poppet?”

Savannah looked up into his handsome face and wondered if she could use him, just like the rest. What if he was the one man who was meant for her? Shrugging her shoulders, she decided that was a moot point. If she was his mate then there was no way any other would do for her. So what was the harm in giving him a go?

Savannah patted his arm making sure to feel his well-developed muscles. “I was wondering how many hours of training you put in a day, to get so strong?”

Bragi was about to answer her when the door to the Serpent’s Den flew open and out marched a very pissed off looking Chantelle. She was closely followed by a dark haired man. Savannah moved toward her friend but Bragi pulled her back.

“We should let them be.”

She eyed him wondering if she should trust him. Something deep inside told her that the man chasing after Chantelle had every right to be with her. Shit! Her gift was telling her that Chantelle had just found her destined mate.

Folding her arms over her chest Savannah decided to wait and see what happened. Standing there they watched the unfolding scene. This all had Savannah feeling a sudden urge for buttered popcorn.

Loki caught Chantelle just as she exited the club. He spun her around to face him. They were far from finished and it looked like she wasn’t going to get away with walking away from him. The look on Loki’s face told her that he was going to demand her respect.

“Do not ever compare me to a mere boy again.”

Chantelle wanted to laugh and scream all at the same time. Who did he think he was? Coming out of nowhere and making demands on her; acting as if he had a right to her. Well he did, but that wasn’t the point. Right now she was pissed by the fact that he was treating her as if she belonged to him.

“Why not? You’re acting like one.”

Her eyes almost fell out of her head when he pulled her flush against him. The evidence of his desire pressed against her hip. It left nothing to her imagination and she couldn’t look him in the eyes. His length was hot and heavy pressed against her. Chantelle wondered what he thought he was going to do with it. Because there was no way in hell they would fit together.

“I can assure you pet, that I am all man.”

A blush crept up her cheeks at the double meaning of his words. Chantelle felt the lean muscles of his body through the fabric of her dress. Being this close to him reminded her of safety and passion; it had Chantelle wanting nothing more than to melt into him.

Loki had woven a spell around her with just his presence. Too bad he decided to keep talking. One moment it was like she was in a deep sleep and then it was like someone had decided to throw cold water on her.

“Besides, he had no right to even hold your hand.”

“And you do?” Her question came out far too breathy for her liking.

His jade eyes sparkled and Chantelle felt herself falling into them. It was like he had some hypnotic power over her. Loki was the pied piper and she was willing to follow blindly.

He leaned down, his breath ghosting over her ear, “Of course I do. You belong to me.”

His cocky words had her bristling. Chantelle jerked away from his grasp, putting much needed space between them. He was far more dangerous than she had first thought.

“Should I faint now from your sheer masculinity? So you would need to come rushing in to save the day?”

Loki looked taken aback by her outburst and she was glad. Let him feel a little off balance. Ruffled. Because the Sisters help her, she always felt that way around him. Even in her dreams.

“If you need saving than I of course shall come to your aid.”

Chantelle just shook her head in disbelief. Here was a millennium old immortal telling her he would charge to her rescue. She didn’t know how to deal with that. What she did know was that sarcasm seemed the best course of action.

“And all this time I thought my knight in shining armor wasn’t coming.” Loki puffed up his chest at her seemingly sweet words. “But obviously he had only gotten lost and was too proud to stop and ask for directions.”

His smile fell. “You should not talk to me in such a way. I am warning you no good will come of it.”

Hot damn; did he really just say what she thought he did? Telling her that she should mind her manners, this wasn’t some medieval courtship. She knew her place well, and it was standing on her own two feet.

Chantelle tapped her chin, “You don’t scare me.”

They stood toe to toe. Neither one backing down. One more stubborn than the other. Loki wanted to put her in her place. But he seemed he wasn’t sure how to punish her for her cutting comments.

He moved so fast Chantelle didn’t see him coming. Loki fisted his fingers in her hair, pulling her lips up to his. With a fierce hunger he took her mouth. It started as a slow burning kiss. Loki’s lips moving over her own, building the heat. Then his tongue darted out, seeking entrance.

Chantelle parted her lips to let out a satisfied moan and he took the chance. Dipping his tongue into her mouth. Little flames danced across her skin as he stroked her tongue with his own.

As he deepened the kiss, her hands fluttered against his chest. Her lust spiking when she felt him press her back against a car; her heart coming to life. This is what she had been missing. His kiss. His touch. As if Loki was reading her mind, one of his hands slid from her hair to caress the side of her breast.

Arching up, she began to explore his mouth as he had hers. Chantelle felt drunk on the taste of him. It was a heady mix of rum and magic, causing her to become emboldened.

He brushed his thumb over her hardened nipple and a gasp left her. Chantelle was shocked by his touch, pulling away. She fought to gain control of her body. But everywhere he had touched her she ached for him. She felt her nipples harden even further, at the memory of his touch.

“See, pet. You are mine; even your body knows it.”

Loki tried to caress her again but Chantelle pushed against his chest. Feeling her unease he held himself in place. His hand gripping her hair, their foreheads touching.

“Please.” Chantelle pleaded.

Not quite sure what exactly she was pleading for. She wanted him to stop, but was afraid that if he did she would never feel this way again.

“You are free to go.”

She must have misheard him. Was he turning her away after the moment that had passed between them? Had she displeased him with her hot and cold behavior?

“What?” It was nothing more than a whisper on the wind.

Loki stepped back from her. Letting his hands fall to his side, where they could not drag her back to him. He knew that they needed to stop. If she didn’t turn around now and leave there was no telling what would pass between them and he couldn’t allow that, not while she was still mortal.

In the heat of the moment he had forgotten that she was everything he had sworn to hate. That she could be a part of the race that had sown the seed of hatred in him. But the fact remained that she was and he needed to keep his distance for now. He watched through half lidded eyes as Chantelle searched the parking lot. No doubt she was looking for her friend.

A sigh escaped her lips, “I don’t know what the hell you’re thinking? But I don’t belong to anyone, let alone you.” Chantelle moved off toward her friend throwing her parting shot on her way, “Whatever you heard, mortal chicks aren’t easy. So stay away from me, creep.”

Loki watched as the two women climbed into the car. Chantelle looking as if she wanted to kill him. He watched them drive off. Bragi and Hoder walked up to him, once again flanking him on either side.

“Let’s return to mother’s house and discuss this evening’s events. I would like to know where you went off to Bragi when I had asked you to take care of the bouncer.”

He was going to answer but Loki held up his hand and with a look about the parking lot, he made sure no one was about. He waved his hand and in a flash of magic the parking lot was now empty of the immortals.

The door to Frigga’s house flew open and in marched a very angry Loki. Bragi and Hoder followed close behind deep in their own conversation. It seemed that tonight at The Serpent’s Den, Bragi had found a woman he wanted to bed. They were all too caught up in their own drama to realize that Frigga had a guest.

“Mother, we need to speak.” But as soon as his jade eyes spotted Emma on the couch he cursed under his breath.

So it had been his mother that had allowed Chantelle to go to that club. He should have known someone needed to watch over her sister while she was out. He just did not think it was his mother. She had known what went on in a place like that and still she had let Chantelle go. What had she been thinking? He was so angry with his mother that he had forgotten all about his two brothers behind him. Forgot until they came to stand just behind him effectively blocking the doorway.

“Loki what’s…” But Hoder’s words died on his tongue when he saw Emma through Loki’s eyes.

His world froze and everything around him seemed to fade. Once all that mattered was his duty to his family and the Council, now this young woman before him had wiped that all away. For all that mattered to him now, was her happiness and her well-being. In an instant this little mortal had turned his world upside down.

He tried to move past his brother but Bragi stopped him. There was no need to complicate things more than they already were. There was no doubt in any of their minds that Chantelle was fiercely protective of her sister, and if the way she had handled Loki at the club was any indication, then they best tread carefully.

Besides the girl before them wasn’t even of age, she had at least another two years before she could be shown. Another four before she could be claimed. There was no way Frigga or Odin would allow him to claim his chosen, not now. Hoder would be lucky if he was allowed in the same room alone with her from this night forward.

He inhaled and noticed that even from across the room Emma had a hint of magic in her scent. Hoder knew that she had been made just for him and if he had to, he would wait. When she turned twenty they would have eternity. It never once crossed his mind that she would try to fight their mating bond. She was his as he was hers; so arrogant the immortal men were.

Loki eyed his brother. He knew the look Hoder bore meant that he had just found his mate. That meant Emma was the woman he had waited his entire existence for. Much longer then Loki had.

This was not going to go over well with Chantelle. She didn’t even want to accept that she was Loki’s woman. So what made any of them think she would accept Hoder’s mating claim on her sister? From what Loki had seen earlier today she was protective of Emma. It seemed to him as if she was all Chantelle had in this world.

He wondered where her parents were. Why weren’t they there caring for Chantelle and her sister? Loki wondered how long she had been raising Emma. Surely not four years? Perhaps longer.

He needed to find a way to defuse the situation. “Bragi, bring Hoder upstairs. I need to speak with our mother and Emma.” Loki’s eyes never left the women before him.

“I should be the one to explain to her.” Hoder tried to move deeper into the living room but Bragi’s hand on his arm stopped him.

Loki turned to him, his eyes flashing in annoyance. He was the acting prince while they were here and now Hoder was arguing with him. That had been a direct order; it wasn’t something up for debate. First Bragi disappearing at the club; now Hoder going against his wishes. Did cavorting with mortal women kill brain cells?

“I did not ask for your opinion, brother. There shall be no explaining tonight.” Or any night, Loki added in his mind.

Emma stood from the couch, just moments ago she had been laughing with Frigga. All thoughts of whatever they had been discussing were out of her mind the moment she had laid eyes on the man before her.

The three immortals had walked in and her world froze over as if it had been hit by an ice age. It hadn’t been when Loki or the man he called Bragi entered the room. Yet something in her soul seemed to have shifted when the silver eyed man name Hoder walked in.

There was something about him that seemed to scream mystery and who didn’t love a good mystery now and again? He reminded her of a fairy-tale prince with his long flowing brown hair. The image was so vivid that she found herself stifling a giggle.

Hoder nodded in her direction and then his eyes jumped to Loki. “I shall do as you ask. But I warn you not to overstep your bounds, brother.”

They were talking in some kind of code. Emma realized that they were evading what they really wanted to say because she was in the room. What the hell was the big secret?

Her heart pounded in her chest when she realized he agreed to go upstairs. She felt as if she would never see him again. It seemed that whatever he wanted to tell her, Loki did not want her to know. Maybe he would keep him away from her.

Rationally, Emma couldn’t explain it, but she felt safe around him. As if her life up until now had all been one long nightmare. That in a few moments the front door would open and her parents would walk in, embracing her once more. She could just imagine going upstairs into the bathroom and seeing her reflection; no longer drawn and sick. Now a bright eyed woman would be looking back at her.

Her eyes followed them out of the room, and then they came to rest on Loki. Emma wondered if she could make a dash for it and get around him. It would only take a moment to follow Hoder upstairs. But then she wondered if in doing so she would get him in trouble. No she was better to leave well enough alone.

Loki stood before her in Frigga’s living room as regally as if he were in a throne room. She no longer saw the good looking man that had been eyeing her sister today, now she saw an arrogant man who would stop at nothing to get what he thought was his. Emma knew all of this was going to push Chantelle over the edge.

Loki cleared his throat, “Mother, Emma, please sit.”

She eyed him skeptically but seeing as Frigga was already sitting, she followed suit. What could it hurt to listen to whatever he had to say? After all, Frigga had told her. Chantelle was Loki’s Fatum Anima, whatever that was. Emma hadn’t gotten that far in her studies with the Academy tutor.

Loki began to pace the length of the living room, his hands crossed behind his back. He needed to broach the subject of Chantelle carefully. The young lady sitting next to his mother was her sister and what affected Chantelle’s life affected her as well.

Never in his long life had he worried about mortals so much. Normally he would just wreak havoc on their lives. Now he found himself trying to cause as little trouble as possible where his mortal was concerned.

He had known after their meeting this afternoon that Emma was sick. Loki very seldom ran into illness among immortals, so he wasn’t sure what was wrong with her. Their race very rarely fell ill. But if the young woman was as sick as he thought, then that explained why Chantelle seemed so protective of her.

It also told him that the young woman before him held sway over his intended. For him that could either be a good thing or a bad thing. When he had met her today he instantly took a liking to Emma. But if he informed her of what happened at the club she would side with her sister, he had no doubt about it.

“What is it, son? Is something the matter?” His mother had leaned forward in her seat trying to see his face.

He turned then to face them, “Yes mother something is very wrong. Not the least of which, is you allowing Chantelle to go to that club.”

“Chantelle is a grown woman and she can do as she pleases. You have no say in that, son.”

Loki just eyed his mother, an annoyed look crossing his face. “Yes well, be that as it may, that is no place for her. It has influenced Chantelle in a bad way.”

Emma spoke up then, “How so?”

How was he supposed to tell her that he had screwed up? That where Chantelle was concerned he was a creep. A lot was wrong and Loki with his silver tongue didn’t know where to begin.

“Chantelle does not want me. As a matter of fact she preferred the affections of a very muscular blond. He was too much like Thor for my liking.” Knowing that his mother would come to Chantelle’s defense he waved his hand dismissively.

Emma shook her head, “Did Chantelle say that to you, Loki?”

She couldn’t have; he must have been mistaken. Emma knew he had haunted her sister’s dreams her entire life. There was no way she would have chosen someone else over him. She had heard Chantelle speak of him with so much adoration the other day, so what could have changed her heart?

“Not exactly.”

Loki resumed pacing; the whole situation seemed to be getting the better of him. Emma realized that he liked to be in control and with Chantelle he wasn’t.

Emma let her laughter spill over her lips. Was he kidding her? There was no way Chantelle was going to turn Loki down. Especially for some buffed up blond guy. She knew her sister better than that. And the tall, dark and mysterious man that was pacing in front of her was exactly what Chantelle went for in a guy.

That left her with one question, what went on at that club? Surely Loki must have tried to muscle his way into her sister’s life. There was no way Chantelle would stand for that.

His green eyes flashed in her direction, “What is so amusing?”

“Well, let me see...” She tapped her chin with her index finger a habit she had gotten from Chantelle. “Did you go all, I’m a mighty all powerful being so you best listen to me, at the club?”

A sheepish look overtook Loki’s features; that was all the answer she needed. The rest she could piece together herself. If she knew anything about her sister it was all Savannah’s suggestion that she dance with a juicehead gorilla.

She gave Frigga a knowing look, if he had tried to be a he-man they had their work cut out for them. “Well, why would you go and do something like that?”

“Because that mortal boy had no right to touch her.”

Emma fought hard to hold in her laughter. Finally with great effort her will won out. “I sure hope you didn’t say that to ‘Telle.”

When he didn’t answer she just motioned for him to take the seat across from them. Loki needed to get his head on straight if they were going to figure out what they had to do. With his attitude and medieval thinking they needed to do some serious damage control. If he had made a fool of himself, getting Chantelle to fall in love with him would be harder than planning D-Day.

Emma poured him a cup of tea from the service before them. She hoped it would calm him down enough to think clearly. There was no telling what had gone on at the Serpent’s Den tonight. But if a messenger from The Council of Immortals wasn’t there yet that was a good sign. An angry mate they could deal with. It might take some serious convincing but it would work. She wasn’t so sure that dealing with a pissed off Council would turn out well for any of them.

Frigga had said they were already gunning for Loki. Perhaps it was because his mischief had taken on a dark tone these last few centuries. But now that he had found his chosen one, all that would change. She would bring the balance back to his soul. Or at least that’s what Emma was told.

“Son, calm down and tell us exactly what happened.”

Slowly, as if walking through quicksand or waking from a dream, Loki began to tell them what had transpired that evening. He didn’t spare any details, even the ones that had him wanting to murder someone.

It was a good thing Savannah had driven to the club, because Chantelle was shaking. There was no telling what she would have done if Loki had come after her. His arrogance just rubbed her the wrong way. They were living in the here and now, not some trumped up bodice ripper. She was even more annoyed at the way she had reacted to his kisses. The way she had let him touch her as no man ever had. She was beyond upset about all of this.

There was no telling what would come out of her mouth right now if she opened it. So she just sat there and watched the dark streets pass by the car window. She had never felt so angry in her entire life.

They had been having such a good time at the club and then that jerk had to go and get grabby. Chantelle could have handled Steve with no trouble and then she would have just carried on with her evening. But no, life had other plans for her.

Loki had been there to witness the whole thing. Not only had he witnessed the scene Steve had made, but he had to charge in and try to save her. As if she needed saving from a guy with the thought process of a Neanderthal.