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“And? And? And that’s it?”
Shrugging, Gunnar got up from the table, started making his sandwich, and nodded, “Yep, that’s it. If you want to find your Mate, then go find her.”
“Because it’s just that easy?”
“Nope, I didn’t say it was easy.” Slowly shaking his head as he spread mayonnaise on a slice of bread, the Viking continued, “It’s not gonna be, but if you don’t ever get your ass out there, you’ll never find her, right?”
“Okay…”
“I mean, all you ever do is work. The only women you’ve been around for as long as I can remember are Bonnie and Maggie Sampson, the Ancient One, Sydney Kavanaugh, and the Mates of two of our Brethren.” Opening his eyes wide and scowling, Gunnar kept right on going, “It’s no wonder you haven’t found the one the Universe made for you. I mean, what were you thinking? That she would just come knocking on the door of your office.”
“Well, I…”
“Oh, yeah, she can’t do that,” Gunnar stressed the last word as he stopped building his sandwich, lifted his head, and gave Creed a steely eyed stare. “Because our base, the place where all the Paladins – those of us who haven’t as yet been lucky enough to find our Mates and have then been given permission to reside elsewhere – live in a very secret place. A place that is so magically hidden from everyone without the Mystical mojo to find us, and/or the Dragon Blood needed to get through all the wards.” Tilting his head to the side and nodding like his neck wasn’t quite right, he added, “Did I get it right? Can I have a gold star?”
“Yes, but…”
“But you believe the old adage about not finding your Mate in a bar or a coffee shop?”
“I don’t remember anyone ever saying coffee shop. I’m pretty sure, it was…”
“Oh. My. Great. Goddess. It was your mom and she said you would find your Mate in your Clan during worship. She said the woman the Universe made for you would be demur and sweet and never utter a cross word.”
“How did you…?”
“Because that’s what my mother said to me about three hundred years ago.” Snapping his fingers, the Healer scoffed, “Get over it. We’re old. Times have changed. Women were never demur. Hell, no one would’ve ever used that word to describe your mom – or mine, for that matter.”
“Yes, times have changed, but I…”
Holding up his index finger and moving it back and forth, Gunnar growled, “If you say, ‘I haven’t changed’ then I will be forced to throw my sandwich at you and that will really piss me off because I amreallyhungry.”
“You’re always hungry.”
“Yes, I am, and do you know why that is?”
“No, enlighten me, oh, Wise One.”
“Well, thank you for recognizing my unofficial title. I’m always hungry because I have the proper appetite for love and lust and…”
“Have never met a woman you couldn’t charm the panties off of?”
“I resemble that statement,” Gunnar laughed. “Now, have you been feeling any signs of the Mating Call? Has that Old Dragon King, Alastair, woken up and told you to get your groove on?”
“Would I be sitting here and talking to you if it had?” Shaking his head, Creed huffed, “And as far as Alastair is concerned, well, it’s just that…”
Barking with laughter and slapping the table, Gunnar wheezed, “He told you to get out there and find your Mate. I bet the old guy even told you to have a little fun while you were at it.”
“Yes, I did,”the Dragon King with whom Creed shared his soul adamantly agreed, talking so loud the Dragon leader was surprised his friend couldn’t hear.“Go on, tell Gunnar that I agree with him, and you need to get off your arse and find our Mate. Do it, lad. Don’t make me get tough with you.”
Pulling from his memory and his heritage, Creed put on his best Scottish brogue and repeated aloud, “Aye, I agree with ye, Gunnar. This daft eejit needs to get off his arse and get to lookin’.”
“I don’t sound like that.”
“Yes, you do.
“Well, at the very least, I’m more distinguished.”
“In real talk, that means older.”
