Page 7 of Loched in Love

The hulking man’s muscles bunch under his fancy suit and I watch as Bernadette edges closer to him as if to comfort the large male, leaning her body against his.

“The last large spell I witnessed, she barred everyone from her home in New Orleans, even me. She said she was working with a lot of magic and didn’t want anyone to bother her. I sent the staff carousing in the nearest town, but stayed close to keep watch. That very night she accidentally created over a hundred ghouls in some sort of magical fit of power. They all manifested as if out of thin air, and when they all became sentient enough to ask her what they should do, she told them she didn’t have time to babysit and fled,” Frank states coldly, his pallor turning orange.

“So, that’s why you built the village,” Bernadette murmurs, “but what about those people we saw last week, at the gala?”

Frank nods down at his mate, and his gray gaze meets mine. “Humans turned ghoul take weeks to fully turn. Odette’s magic simply made them out of thin air, the same way I came into existence. Whatever magic she works with is unnatural and it can’t help you.”

It’s true that magic is never free. I know that more than most, and the immense amount it would take to create beings would put anyone into a deep rest.

If what he says is true, could it be that she somehow inadvertently cursed my new mate that night long ago?

The only thing that matters is waking her. “If I can’t call Odette, then how am I to wake her?”

“Have you thought about kissing her?” Aubrey’s soft voice calls out, as if it’s a simple thing to do to kiss an unconscious woman.

“What?” I blurt, my stomach flipping in response.

“Well, that’s what worked in Snow White and Sleeping Beauty right? True love’s kiss breaks the spell. I mean, it works in most fairytales,” Aubrey says with a shrug, crossing her legs over the other while she perches on Vlad’s lap.

“Except, this isn’t exactly a fairytale,” Bernadette mutters back to her friend.

“It’s worth a try, though,” Whitley announces.

My stomach lodges somewhere in my throat at the thought of our first kiss having such an audience, and I swallow roughly.

“Wait! We need a plan,” Aubrey shouts, and her cheeks warm when we all swivel to look at her. “All of us found out we were supernatural mates in weird ways. Shouldn’t we give Lachlan time to tell her who and what he is on his own?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Vlad grumbles behind her.

“It means, I found out you were a vampire when you bit me, and it was the same for Whitley with Connor. So, I think we should at least try to buy Lachlan some time, don’t you think?”

Vlad sighs heavily, grumbling under his breath as he crosses his arms over his chest.

Aubrey gives him a smile. “It could be fun.”

“Pfft, I give Vlad less than forty-eight hours before outing himself,” Connor calls out from his seat across from the couple.

“I’m not playing your aggravating games or pretending to be human,” Vlad fumes from his chair.

Frank clears his throat loudly. “We don’t need to be here for this. We could head home,” he says, nudging at Bernadette’s back.

“I’m not missing this for the world. Besides, we can’t leave yet. Aubrey and Vlad are coming with us to visit in a couple days,” Bernadette replies up at him with a grin, sending Frank’s jaw dropping while Vlad sputters.

“Connor and I will be here either way to help. We’ve got to be here for the construction crew,” Whitley offers shyly, before joining her mate by his chair. “We’re renovating the cathedral and turning it into a home for us.”

Joy effuses me at finding my friend so happy and comfortable with Connor, especially with how tumultuous their relationship first began, and it dawns on me that it’s not been long since the couples in the room have come together. Despite that, they all seem to have a strong attachment to one another.

It gives me hope that my matehood will be the same, except I’ve no intention of making the same mistakes these bloody idiots made of themselves. I’ll be open and honest with my lady.

“So, everyone is on board then? We can all try to be normal for a few days and it’ll give them time to get to know each other,” Aubrey says.

Agreements go up around the room, and warmth spreads through my being at how easily they’ve accepted me into the fold. I’m touched by how much the women want to help, it’s not something I expected, but the idea of pretending to be something I’m not, doesn’t sit well with me.

Even though I can concede why they think the lady would need some time, starting our relationship on a lie isn’t how I want to let this play out.

I understand my mate is human, and one should ease into these sorts of things, but I’ve also watched how quickly women can forgive. Every couple in this room is a working case on the subject, and each had their own issues to overcome to be together.

I’ll do what I must to ensure my mate is happy, but I refuse to make their mistakes.