Kaleb’s pretty blue eyes widen with shock. More emotions travel through our bond, but he has no idea he is sending them my way. He turns to fully face me now, but I don’t want his pity. Except, I don’t feel pity radiating from him. Instead, it’s… trust I feel. He’s thankful that I’m sharing something so personal.
Gods. I knew the fated mate bond would start working quickly, especially now that all our shared dreams and memories are starting to make sense, but I have to remind myself that some witches are closer to human. They don’t understand what a fated mate means to a shifter.
He might be wildly attracted to me, or at least I hope so, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to fall in love with me quickly. Feelings always develop over time, even if we are soulmates. There are still a million ways I can screw this up before it’s even started.
“Will you take me to meet my parents?”
I glance over at Kaleb. “Of course. It’s why I’m here. We can head that way tomorrow. They live in a town called Heart’s Hollow, about two hours away from—”
“Why did you approach me in the club?” he asks suddenly, placing Cleo on the sidewalk so he can face me head-on.
Worry and anger are still present. I reach for him, but he steps back. The move causes me to wince, and I can tell he instantly feels bad.
I stare at him for a long moment. His mental walls start to go up, and I know I need to say something before I lose his trust. “Do you want the entire truth? Because it might sound crazy.”
Kaleb gives a determined nod, looking all kinds of stubborn and adorable. “Yes. Just tell me the truth. Tell me everything that went through your mind when you saw me.”
“If I tell you everything, we’ll be here for quite a long time.” I chuckle. “Thousands of thoughts and feelings slammed into me the moment I saw you.”
He narrows his eyes, still waiting for a real answer.
Sighing, I decide to lay it all out there for him to pick through. I nod my head toward the street, indicating we can walk in the direction of our cars. “I told you that I used to be a tracker for the Elite Guard. I used to help protect humans and other paranormals from rogues.”
I glance his way and he nods, understanding. Even if he doesn’t know what a rogue is, Kaleb is giving me his full attention. Cleo is listening too.
“My specialty is tracking. Your parents were able to cast a spell that picked up on your magical signature,” I explain. “The magic led me to Rubinsville, and then to Club Sip. Your magic was hidden and suppressed for years, thanks to a spell. But now, that spell is wearing off.”
“Wearing off? What does that mean for me?”
“It means that all that suppressed magic that has been shoved down deep inside of you is finally boiling over. It flickers in and out before bursting from your body.”
He gasps. “Oh gods, like the way it erupted from my fingertips and slammed you against the wall.”
I nod. “It’s not your fault. I was a little…distracted when you accidentally did that.” I grin. “Plus, I know you didn’t mean to do it.” We walk past a little boutique, and the need to show Kaleb my new home is strong. What would he think of Heart’s Hollow?
“I would kiss you all over again if I had a redo,” I admit.
“And you kissed me to help drain some of my magic that was trying to boil over,” he says, straight to the point. My kraken preens in my chest. We have a smart mate.
“Yes,” I reply, not wanting to explain that we are fated mates just yet—and how that means I’m the only one who can help him like that. If it weren’t for my ocean magic twining with his, I’m not entirely sure I would have been able to.
Kaleb frowns. His disappointment is clear through our connection. “So, you only kissed me because you had to.”
Ah. Understanding washes over me. I tug on his hand, pulling him into a nearby alcove where no one can see us. I push him against the brick wall. Once my body is pressed against his, I tip his chin up. “The moment I saw you, you took my breath away. That’s why Iwantedto kiss you.” My voice is husky. I run the pad of my thumb over his bottom lip. “Your magic was just the catalyst.”
Kaleb shivers, and his eyes darken.
“The moment I saw you, my mission flew out the window. Your magic might have guided me toward you, pointing me in the right direction, but I had no ideawhoyou were. By the time I saw you, your magic had flickered out. I thought you were human, and I didn’t care. All I knew was that I needed to have you.” I lower my head and kiss his jaw.
He sucks in a deep breath, leaning closer. My kisses slowly trail up to his ear in a seductive sweep. “I saw you in that pretty mer costume, and I swear you’d picked out that outfit for me.”
“Wh-what do you mean?” His fingers grip my biceps.
I chuckle at how dazed he is already. “Your lithe little body dancing on the floor, teasing me and making me hard. The way your gorgeous blond hair was swaying. Those sexy leggings and that tight top. Your beautiful ocean-blue eyes. You looked like a fucking offering from King Poseidon himself.”
My kraken was convinced he was doing a mating dance, for fuck’s sake. A mating dance!
Unable to help myself, I suck on his earlobe, wishing it were the suckers from my tentacles marking him instead.
