17. A new housemate?

"Gift?" I frowned "I don't understand"

"You wanted me to kiss her, didn't you?" His words were soft. I'm sure he was trying to mock me, if only I could figure out the reason.

"I did" I replied steadying myself on my foot trying to shrug away the unwarranted anger I felt. I will be damned if I let him mock me "So did you find out?"

"Find what?"

"How much you liked her" I placed my index finger over his shirt and tried to push his towering body away "Isn't that why I asked you to kiss her?" I raised a brow at him trying to keep the sense of victory from showing up in my expressions. I don't have a good poker face.

"Ah!" his frown turned into a smirk "I guess I forgot the purpose of it. I should do it again. This time with intent"

"Good for you" I kicked him hard on his knee which made him stumble back and I found my escape.

I barely took a step away when fingers wrapped around my wrist stopped me "We aren't done here" he hissed straightening up to glare at me through his obvious pain from the assault.

"I'm sorry that I don't want to have a civil conversation with a man who humiliated me in front of my friend and may I add, an entire pub?" I breathed audibly "and by the way, you are touching me" I tilted my head to indicate his hand caging my wrist.

"And you aren't puking" He pointed out "So it's fine"

I frowned, forgetting for a moment that I'm trying to get the upper hand here. Why am I not puking? My stomach rumbled at that exact moment and never felt happier with the idea of bile rising my throat. Ah! The familiar comfort.

"Not again" Arthur groaned and I would have laughed if I could. Before I could shrug his hand off, he was picking me up like Keith had earlier "I can't deal with this. It's hurting my ego" he complained rushing us up the stairs.

"Put me down f*cker, my head's spinning. Get away from me" I kicked him harder than I did Keith but he didn't let go. I should demand a refund from the self-defense instructor I trained with four years ago. That was a lot of money.

My spinning head barely made me register that we were now in my bathroom. Before I could complain, the glass-door to the shower slid open and Arthur dumped me unceremoniously under the shower and switched it on.

"You are heavy" he declared heaving and turned to leave.

I shrieked. I was dizzy, cold and very angry "What the f*ck is wrong with you?" If looks could kill, Arthur would have been a pile of ashes by now.

"Shut up" His voice boomed above mine "This will clear your head and also that disgusting stench you have been carrying all evening. Take your time, get rid of it. I'll be out hunting for most part of the night so you have the house to yourself" He walked out and closed the glass barrier between us.

"What's my fault in the you bastard? Why am I the one always suffering" I yelled after him, quivering now that I am drenched completely, my blue dress clinging to my skin making me want to cry. I am so f*cking tired. "You are the one who kissed another woman. How dare you play the victim here"

I almost jumped out of my skin when the glass slid back and Arthur stuck his head back in.

"What?" I asked blinking the water droplets away and then defensively taking a step back. I didn't like the way he was staring at me. A typical predator, that's what he looked like. I'm sure cannibalism isn't allowed in our land. He wouldn't get away with this one.

He chuckled "So what you mean to say" he drawled "is that you didn't like my gift"

"You have a strange fetish if you like people watching you kiss"

"That's not an answer to my question" He took one step in.

The shower room isn't big, another step and there wouldn't be any space between us. I could take a step back but that would mean his victory. I'm not doing that no matter how dizzy his closeness makes me.

"Get out" I hissed.

"Answer me" His golden eyes narrowed in concentration, searching my face.

It angered me, his face and the nonchalance in his actions. Wasn't he supposed to be physically incapable of touching anyone other than his mate? How could he do that and still have the heart to flaunt it?

"It will make you happy if I say I didn't, won't it?"

"Yes" he breathed out.

"And will it change anything between us?" I feel so tired.

"No" was his instant reply.

"You are a bastard"

"I know"

"Stay away from me"

"I can't" he took one small step towards me and I cowardly took a huge one back taking the support of the wall behind me.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath trying to calm my nerves very much aware of the hot tear sliding my face.

"I'll talk to her" I said "Try to pace things up even though that's not the ethics I work with"

"That will probably help" He agreed still making no effort to get away.

"Now that your animal's satisfied that I care, leave"

"I should" he muttered.

"You should" I repeated finally finding the strength to look at him.

I regretted doing that immediately. With his eyes trained on my lips, I didn't have to be a genius to guess what his beast wanted.

"I know I'll regret this"

"So don't"

He responded by closing the space between us and wrapping his fingers around my nape, his other hand resting on the small of my back. I stiffened.

"Arthur"

"Shhh..." he whispered "I'll live with the regret but I think I'll stop breathing if I don't kiss you right here"

"You are forgetting Re..."

His mouth shut me up this time. F*ck. He's kissing me.

"Shut up" He muttered against my lips.

I did. I effing obeyed him. I let him kiss me. That's so wrong on so many levels yet I wasn't stopping him. His kiss, his hot demanding lips, his..........blood.....blood....blood.....his lips...

I found the strength to push him away and stumbled towards the sink in a rush before throwing up.

"F*ck" Arthur growled.

I heard glass shatter somewhere behind me but didn't have the strength to check what he did to my shower. I had to hold on to the sink for support. Fainting now will be embarrassing.

Arthur saved me the embarrassment by rushing out of there. It wasn't long before I heard the front door slam shut. I slid down on the bathroom floor and leaned against the wall like my life depended on it.

This is a mess. My life is a f*cking mess.

___________

"Bring me Rhea Wright's file" I told Jasmine first thing in the morning before entering my office.

A furious Sophie and an apologetic Mia were waiting for me on my couch. After going through a kidnapping last evening and then puking my liver out and a sleepless night to top that, how can I be excited about the prospect facing Sophie? And the kiss? How the f*ck am I supposed to get that out of my head.

"Hey" I greeted them softly, hoping to put enough pity for myself into that word.

Mia's face immediately turned sorry but it didn't fool Sophie "Twelve years?" she hissed "Twelve f*cking years" her voice soared.

"Soph"

"Don't call me that. You have no right"

"You are being dramatic" I sat down on the couch opposite to them. Spirit knows I need some sleep. I feel like a dead log id dead logs could feel, that is.

"Did you hear her?" she turned to Mia, bewildered "She thinks I'm being dramatic when she's the one who tolerated a predator's tortures for over a decade without seeking help. He could have f*cking killed you" She rose to tower over me for the last sentence.

"I'm his mate. He couldn't have killed me"

"There are worst things than physically killing someone Amy" she hissed "Predators are violent species. You read Rhea Wright's files last month didn't you?"

A pang of guilt hit me at the mention of that. After what she went through, I should not lie to that woman. Granted hiding the truth from her wouldn't hurt her one bit. Once Arthur and she mate each other, I wouldn't matter to him. She will have him and he will be able to love her completely. But the damn stupid guilt isn't going away.

"He is nothing like Rhea's mate" I told Sophie firmly "Him and I have a contract in place. I can handle him"

"Yeah I saw that last evening" she scoffed.

"Did something happen last night?" Mia asked "After he took you back?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle" I smiled at her "His animal's acting up now that he's trying to get closer to Rhea"

"So that's your plan?" Sophie frowned sitting down next to me "Can you cut the connection with that?"

I nodded "That's what the werewolf Olivia did remember? I got the idea from her"

"And Leoline agreed?"

"Eventually. His idea was sh!ttier than mine. He had no other choice" I shrugged.

"Mr. Leoline didn't want to mate someone else but he also didn't want to claim her. His plan was to wait this life out" Mia elaborated for Sophie.

"So he was mentally torturing you, not physically" Sophie concluded.

I sighed in frustration "Soph please don't punch him when you see him next. Harvey's already done that"

"Harvey knows?"

"No" I looked at Mia.

She shook her head "I didn't know whether to tell her or not"

"Tell me what?" Sophie perked up "There's more?"

"Yes and Mia will tell you" I stood up "I have a meeting with Jason Price and then I'll go home from there. I need sleep. I'll see you guys tomorrow" I wasn't planning on that but I feel a headache coming.

Sophie stood up immediately and hugged me "You scared me" she said softly.

__________

I finished the meeting and then went to pay my brother a visit just to be sure he wasn't planning on ratting me out anytime soon.

It was almost eight in the evening when I reached home. I didn't want to go in there. I felt like stalling it forever. The lights from the living room clearly ruined any hope I had of Arthur not being in there. I didn't see him this morning so I was hoping he would be too angry at me to come back but that's clearly not the case. I prayed to the spirits one last time before opening the front door with my card.

"What the....." My voice faded out at the weird sight in front of me.

Two heads snapped towards me from the couches opposite to each other, one a very familiar obvious one and the other not so much.

"Caroline?" I frowned walking towards them.

"You know her?" "You know him?" Arthur and the little mergirl spoke together glaring at each other.

"What are you doing here?" she was the last person I would expect to be here "Where are your parents?" Her eyes snapped to me guiltily and I rolled my eyes "You ran away from home again didn't you?"

"I had to talk to you Ms. Philips" she pouted.

"What's going on and whose kid is that?" Arthur asked looking suspiciously at Caroline.

"I'm not a kid" Caroline looked at him in distaste.

Arthur ignored her "I found her sitting outside on the steps with that" he pointed at a large backpack nest to the couch.

"Wait! How do you know where I stay?" I frowned at her.

She pouted a little more this time making sure to look like a kicked puppy "I have my sources Ms. Philips"

I let out an exasperated sigh "What's with everyone stalking me these days?" I groaned.

"This little...." Arthur rose to his feet.

"Arthur sit down" I said tiredly "she's not a treat to you"

"She's a water creature" He said in distaste "They have no morals. No rules. I don't trust her"

"Who is he?" Caroline asked the dreaded question "What's he doing here?" She moved a little closer to me which spited Arthur further.

"I'm her mate and I have every right to be here since I live here and all that you see" Arthur didn't wait for me to answer.

Caroline's pretty eyes widened in response.

"He's kidding" I told her.

"No I'm not" Arthur promptly disregarded me "And if you get any closer to my mate, I'll bring some water and throw that on you"

"He's mean" Caroline decided.

"You have no idea" I agreed "But I need to call your parents sweetheart"

"You can call them" she replied.

"I can?"

She nodded "I wrote a note to them before leaving. It's summer break at my school. So I informed them that I am coming to you to learn business" she said in a no-nonsense tone "I wrote them that I'll have you call them and confirm my location so I can spend my break with you"

"And what if I don't want you to spend the break here?" I asked.

She frowned in displeasure and then spared a glance to Arthur with a smirk "He said he's your mate and you guys live together"

That little b*tch.

____________

A/N: If you don't remember the runaway Mergirl, she shows up inn Chapter 2 :) and she's here to kick Arthur's butt :P

Happy reading :):):)