Page 81 of Only Human in Strangeville

Oliver shrugged. “It’s not so much that I understand the words he’s using as much as the intent. He apologized for peeing inside. Even if it was on someone who deserved it.” He gave Nimbus another scratch. “And I apologize for eavesdropping, though I also believe it was warranted.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “No worries.”

“How did you mark Bridger? That’s quite astounding.”

“Um, I don’t know. It was something with my magic. It just offered it.”

“Excellent. Mark me.”

This widened my eyes. “Um.”

“Only if you want it. But I do.”

I glanced at Bridger. He nodded encouragement.

After a quick look up and down the hallway, I stepped back into my apartment and gestured for Oliver to join us.

The shade followed, and we ended up back in my small dining area staring awkwardly at each other.

Nimbus nudged my leg, and I cleared my throat.

“So, uh, I was kissing Bridger.” I blushed, wringing my hands.

Oliver took my hands in his and soothed away the tension. “Yes, that is good. Mates should kiss. Then what?”

“Well, my magic reacted to him.” As if summoned by my statement, my magic rose and tingled across my skin where Oliver touched me. “Yeah, kind of like that. And then Bridger just, well, accepted it.”

Oliver stepped close, one hand going to my cheek and the other sliding up my arm. My breath came short, and my heart sped as the heat from his body warmed me and the magic tingled through me. He looked deeply into my eyes, and I was caught by the intensity in his gaze and the absolute yearning to be marked.

“I accept,” he murmured before pressing his lips to mine.

I returned his kiss, parting my lips and opening my heart. The magic rolled between us, melding us together as our lips danced. Though I was expecting it this time, the snap of connection between us still dropped Oliver and me to our knees.

Trembling, he held me tightly, and this time I saw the shine of tears on his cheeks. After a moment, Bridger kneeled next to us. He put a hand on each of our shoulders. The connection between all of us hummed with energy and sparked when Nimbus pushed his way into the middle, so he was touching everyone.

“See,” Bridger whispered. “More powerful.”

I shivered as I nodded. “I don’t even know what to do with it all.”

Nimbus grumbled, and this time I understood that he meant he would help.

“Thanks, buddy.” I buried my fingers in his ruff.

“Okay, we should get over to the coffee shop. The sun will be down soon.” Bridger stood, breaking the intense connection between the four of us.

Reluctantly, Oliver stood then held out a hand for me.

I let him help me rise, legs a little wobbly after all the emotion and magic.

“Yeah, we should.” I rubbed my hands together, again. Nervous at how Katsuro would react to all of this. I knew Nimbus could take a werewolf, but a centuries-old vampire? That might be a different story.

***

The others, including quite a few vampires and werewolves, Mayor Henrietta Clifton—who was one of Davin’s wolves, and Clare were already gathered when we made it over to the coffee shop. We’d gone to the back room, though there were guards watching all the exits.

That Katsuro merely gave Oliver, Bridger, and me an appraising look made me think that Davin had to have warned him. That helped my nerves some, and I focused on our current task, which was sorting out what to do about Vito’s threat to the town.

We talked for hours without coming up with a real plan. However, I got the impression from my link with Oliver that he expected we’d form a specific plan once everyone left. The people we’d invited into the room were trusted, but then, we’d been betrayed before by someone who had been trusted. There were a lot of good ideas and intel thrown around and everyone agreed it was time to take the fight to Vito. We just had to figure out when, where, and how.

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