“He thinks I’m ruining my life for you. He doesn’t understand. He doesn’t have the entire picture, Oklahoma. Ruka is being the protective brother. He doesn’t know you’re a vampire or that we are fated mates. Or that pregnancy would happen so quickly. To be honest, I’m still wrapping my head around that. So yes, you have changed my future from what I imagined it to be, but that doesn’t mean I’m not happy with the change.” I step closer to him and take his hand again.
“The way I see it, my future is the same, but it only took on a different shape.” I trace the sharp edge of his cheek, watching my vampire relax in real time.
The garnet embers recede to a beautiful blue. His cheeks fill, and his fangs retract. The human part of him takes over, handsome and rugged, while his vampire is dangerous and exhilarating. I’m in love with him. Either side of him. He is mine; no matter what anyone has to say about it.
“I don’t care what he says, Oklahoma. He could yell at me from sun up to sun down about it, but if I still show up, there’s nothing he can say to prove me wrong. He’s only worried.”
“He doesn’t need to speak to you that way if he’s worried,” he sneers, taking off his cowboy hat to wipe his forehead on the back of his head. “There’s a way to go about it. He will respect you when he speaks to you, Nariko,” he says it in a way that leaves zero room for argument.
I drag him by the hand, needing him to walk again. I still want my tour of this gorgeous property.
“I know him. He doesn’t get this way unless he is scared. He probably thinks he is losing me. We are very close. We always have been. When we were kids in Hawaii, he protected me. He’s been my best friend. There has never been anyone else in my life. It’s just been the two of us and our parents. We’re close with them too, and they helped invest in Dust Bunnies, so there is more pressure to succeed than you think.
“Being a chaser isn’t easy. The money is hard-earned, and this is what we love to do. They are my family too. It’s important I take care of them and do my job.”
“We.”
“What?”
He spins me around, and I thud against his chest. “We. We will take care of them because if they are your family, they are my family too.”
“My Kokoro.”
“What’s that mean?” he asks, twirling me again, and this time, the warm sun hits my face. The morning dew splashes onto my legs with every twirl.
“It means, you’re my heart. And we can’t live without our hearts, can we?”
He tugs me to him again, his hard body against the softness of my own. “No. No, we can’t.”
“We’re fated, right? Our souls have always been connected.”
“That’s right.” The sun’s rays reflect off his eyes and specs of red glimmer, the part of him that’s waiting to make himself known.
A loud noise interrupts our moment. I freeze, knowing exactly what that noise belongs to.
Kevin.
I spin around to see the black, red, and white feathered rooster charge at me with his wings spread. I scream and jump to the left to get out of his way.
To my surprise, I’m not one of his targets today.
“Ah, Kevin! Damn it.” Oklahoma could use his abilities to run away from the rooster, and yet he doesn’t.
I suppose it wouldn’t be as fun that way.
“You’re so damn temperamental. What the fuck!” Oklahoma jumps over him, Kevin shouting his anger. “Marvin! Come get your friend. Marv!”
I cover my mouth with my hand to stifle a laugh, but it’s too much to hide. I’m doubled over laughing at Oklahoma running away from Kevin.
Marvin saunters out of the barn, chewing hay that is hanging out of his mouth. He stays in the shade, his little tail swiping back and forth. Marvin sits as if he is watching the show.
Do pigs laugh? Because I swear, the squeals have shorter intervals.
“I’m going to cook you, Kevin! I’m sick of this behavior!” Oklahoma shouts when Kevin soars through the air, fluffy feathers floating to the ground.
That’s all that’s left behind in his rooster fury.
Dust clouds kick up as Oklahoma dodges left and right, turning at sharp angles to keep Kevin on his toes. My mate slides right and launches himself across the ground, snagging the rooster in his hands. Oklahoma holds Kevin’s wings down and walks towards the chicken coop where the hens are.
