Page 22 of The Guardian's True-Mate

“Yeah. He thought it was cute.”

“Better a cub than an enemy,” I shrugged. “He didn’t even try to eat you.”

“Bears don’t like to eat other predators,” Terrick said.

“Tell that to all the bears mated to wolves and dragons,” Dakota teased, and Terrick cracked a smile as he picked up one of the glasses full of bloodshake.

“I’m going to see if he wants breakfast,” Terrick said, picking up a second bloodshake.

After he disappeared down the hall, I kissed up and down the side of Dakota’s neck as he tended the stove. I wasn’t usually a non-blood food guy for breakfast, but I got the appeal of waking up to someone else in the kitchen cooking. Dakota leaned back against me, bringing my dick to life. We didn’t have long before Terrick returned to the kitchen, but I decided we’d cross that bridge when we came to it.

“Hey,” I said as the bear cub spirit crossed my mind again.

“Yes?” Dakota asked, turning off the stove and moving the pan to a cold burner.

“Have you heard ghosts before last night?” I asked, still holding onto him.

“Once or twice. I’ve worked with magic a lot,” Dakota said. “Never heard one I couldn’t see, but there’s a first time for everything. Why do you ask?”

He twisted in my arms and stole a good morning kiss before I had the chance to answer.

“I almost forgot why now,” I teased him and glanced over my shoulder down the hall before stealing another longer kiss.

“Did that help you remember?” Dakota grinned when the kiss broke.

“Actually, it did. I’ve always heard them, and Terrick has always seen them. You hadn’t mentioned anything about ghosts or spirits beforehand and---”

“You’re used to being the only one who hears them without seeing them?” Dakota arched a brow, and I kissed it because I could.

“Sort of,” I admitted.

“Well, you’re in a village full of magical people now. Wait!” He paused for a second. “Are you telling me that in a coven full of vampyric elves there wasn’t a lot of magic?”

“There was plenty of magic,” I said, reaching behind him and picking up a piece of bacon. “Most of it was life magic or at least not death magic.” I held out the bacon for him to take a bite.

“I could get used to this,” he grinned before taking a bite.

“I hope so. You’re stuck with me,” I teased.

“I think they all just gaslit you guys,” he shook his head.

“Because they didn’t see or hear the dead?” It was my turn to be confused.

“It just seems like more of them would see them or something. Don’t most spirits want to be seen?” Dakota asked. “I’m going to make your brother a plate to make sure he eats.”

“I’ll get his. You make one for yourself.”

“Thanks,” Dakota said and stole another kiss before turning away from me.

I made plates for Terrick and Scott before loading down one of the serving trays with all but one of the remaining bloodshakes and took it to their bedroom. Scott wanted to go back to sleep, but Terrick was encouraging him to drink ‘just one more sip’ of the bloodshake. I left the serving tray on the nightstand and slipped out before I could disturb their bonding time.

“I don’t think it’s that common to see dead people,” I said, rejoining Dakota for breakfast.

“I think it’s more common than you think. Sure, some spirits can’t make people without some sort of sight see them, but lots do.”

“Believe me, if they saw some of the dead guys, I heard my brother arguing with I’m sure they wouldn’t have been able to hold their silence. Someone would’ve said something,” I shrugged.

“Okay, then maybe it’s more common for shifters. I don’t know,” Dakota leaned back in his chair.

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