The three had the decency to look guilty. “It’s not our place to tell you, Sammy. This is between you and Dre,” Maribell said soothingly.
Sammy arched an eyebrow. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re here to chew Dre out because you think he’s not good for me. Why are you suddenly on his side?” He looked at Dre. “What can’t you tell me?”
Dre sighed and took Sammy’s hands in his. “It’s not that I can’t or don’t want to tell you, mo grah thu. It’s just that I think it’s too soon. Today is only our fourth date and I don’t want to overwhelm or burden you.”
Sammy stared at Dre with his mouth hanging open. “I appreciate that. I really do. But I’d appreciate it even more if you’d tell me what’s going on. I know we still have a lot to find out about each other. Hell, I don’t even know if you have siblings or what your favorite color is. All I know is that I like you, a lot—enough to call it love, even though I’ve never been in love before. It hurts, Dre, when you’re keeping things from me.” With an angry gesture, Sammy wiped away the tears threatening to spill over. He didn’t know why he’d become so emotional all of a sudden, probably because this was all new to him. Under the watchful eyes of the witches, Dre kissed Sammy’s tears away.
“I could never hurt you, mo grah thu. Never. It’s just that I’m so afraid myself. You see, demons very rarely find their fated mates. I’ve been hoping to meet mine since I was old enough to understand the concept. The problem is that demons can only know for sure about their mate when they have sex and bite the person. I think you can see why I didn’t want to put additional pressure on you. It’s bad enough that I’m pressuring myself. I so want you to be the one, my forever, and I’m terrified what it means for us if you aren’t.”
Sammy realized he had been gripping Dre’s shirt harder and harder while the demon spoke. The thoughts whirled around in his head, too fast to grasp one of them for closer examination. Dre thought they could be true mates. Sammy knew how sacred that concept was for paranormals. Dre was afraid to find out they weren’t. It was similar to Sammy’s fear of falling in love with somebody who would inevitably leave him because he was mortal. Even though they were a demon and a human, their fears and hopes were the same. The thought gave Sammy hope.
“What happens if you bite me and I’m your mate?”
Dre glanced briefly at the witches. “Maybe we should discuss this matter in private?”
Mavis and Maribell shook their heads vehemently. They had been watching their exchange with gleaming eyes. “Are you out of your mind, dear? I can’t remember when we last had this much fun outside the bedroom. Go on. Don’t mind us.” Mavis snuggled up to Maribell as if they were in a cinema, watching a film. Sammy shot them a dirty look that they conveniently ignored.
“I guess that’s what you get for being friends with witches.” Dre chuckled lightly before he turned serious again. “When I bite you during sex, I inject a venom into you. It’s not deadly or anything, so don’t worry. It only reacts to my true mate. If you are the one, the venom will spread in your body and start to change it so it becomes compatible to mine. You will get the same tattoos I have on my body, as the outward sign that you belong to me.”
“Why isn’t my body already compatible to yours if I’m your true mate?” Sammy was puzzled. Dre opened his mouth, clearly not sure what to say, when Maribell chimed in.
“When you have sex with a demon, things tend to get heated in the truest sense of the word. They are the children of fire, after all. Usually, demons can control it and have normal sex without burning their partners from the inside out, but not when they are with their fated mate. That’s why your body needs to change. It has to be made fireproof. Just imagine the fun you could have!” Maribell grinned broadly, looking like a young woman again.
Sammy hid his face in Dre’s chest. “Can’t you make them go away?”
Dre’s chest rumbled with laughter under Sammy’s cheek. “They’re your friends. And they’re right.” He caressed Sammy’s hair. “We don’t have to rush, mo grah thu. Let’s go on our dates this weekend. Let’s read the book together. We can experiment, have some fun. And when we both feel the time is right, I can give you my bite. I’d be more than honored if you’d go on this journey with me.”
“Of course I will, Dre. Of course I will. I just need some time to think about it all. It’s a lot to take in.”
“Yes, think about it, Sammy. And while you think, have fun with your demon boyfriend. You have our blessing.” Mavis leaned over the table to pat Sammy’s arm. “I guess we won’t need those spells now.” She pulled the knitting needles and knitwork from her basket to reveal an assortment of glowing orbs at the bottom, neatly stacked in what appeared to be two egg cartons. Maribell sighed.
“What a waste. They were good curses.” She blew on the orbs and they vanished.
“You were ready to fight me over Sammy?” Dre sounded surprised.
“Of course we were, dear. Sammy is family to us…kin. We would never allow any harm to come to him.” Mavis winked at Sammy, whose throat constricted. He was still loved. Even though he had lost his parents, he had managed to find a new family, a family willing to protect him, even against a superior enemy.
“Thank you,” he croaked, which earned him another pat on the arm.
“We’re on our way, dears. You surely have things to discuss.” Mavis kissed Sammy on the cheek before she motioned Dre to lower his head so she could do the same to him. “Have a nice evening. And be prepared to be interrogated again during the book club meeting. The others love Sammy just as much as we do.”
After Maribell had kissed them both as well, the witches left the shop. Not in the mood to deal with another customer, Sammy closed the door, even though he still had about thirty minutes until official closing time. From where he was leaning on the door, he stared at Dre.
“Wow.”
“Yeah. Wow. We survived the inquisition.”
“That too. I think I need some sugar.” Sammy went for the counter where the muffins were stacked. He felt Dre’s gaze on his back.
“Do you want me to leave, Sammy?”
“What? No. No! It’s just… You know, I’ve been thinking about us together, about the long-term, how it would play out with you being immortal and me being mortal. I had some very sad Lord of the Rings associations in my head. Then you come along and tell me there’s a chance I could be yours forever. I know how fast paranormals move when it comes to their fated mates.”
“You mean, things just got real?”
Sammy put the blueberry muffin down that he had taken from the tray. “Very real. Don’t get me wrong… If I am your mate, I’d be thrilled, though there are a few doors closing that I wouldn’t want to.”
Sammy looked at Dre and saw the understanding in the demon’s eyes. Immortality meant he would never see his parents again. “And if I’m not your mate, I would have to live with the heartbreak of letting you go one day.”
“I would never leave you, mo grah thu. Never.” The absolute conviction in Dre’s voice reassured Sammy.