Page 33 of The Maestro's Mates
“Linda.” Justin searched for some inner calm, something to ground him amidst all the anxious alarms blaring in his body.
He found it in Sebastian’s brown eyes. The witch lookedon with nothing but care and encouragement, and the warmth there was contagious. Seeing it, Justin’s body settled enough to allow him to find his confidence.
“We haven’t even known each other a week,” Justin continued, a sudden strength in his voice. “I have some…doubts about completing the bond. But if and when we do, it will be a decision we make, us and our other mate, and we won’t be consulting you.”
In that moment, Sebastian leaned too far back in his rolling office chair. He let out a yelp as he grabbed the top of the desk to keep from toppling over.
Linda glared at her son, but Justin couldn’t stop himself from laughing. There was something about his normally composed mate becoming clumsy and uncertain around his mother that was absolutely adorable.
“Sorry,” Sebastian said, after he’d recovered his dignity slightly. “You caught me off guard.”
Justin smiled. It was nice to be the one who was causing a little bit of chaos for a change. Besides, hewaswarming to the idea of having a mate. Slowly. He still worried about all the things he’d messed up in the past, but maybe this was a chance to do better.
Linda turned back, and despite her attempts to intimidate him, the corners of her mouth curled up in the hint of a smile.
“I’m not here as your son’s potential mate,” Justin said, not giving Linda a chance to respond. “I’m here to represent my coven—whoyoureached out to for help. So tell me what’s going on. What happened, and what do you need from us?”
Linda’s eyebrows shot up at his words. “The little vampire has fangs. That’s good. Come on.”
She shot up and went to the door. “Let’s have tea,” she said, as she disappeared into the hallway.
Justin stood, as did Sebastian. “Your mom is a lot,” Justin said, coming in close and whispering in his ear. They were so close now, and Justin was overcome with a desire to kiss the witch’s pale, exposed neck, but he stopped himself.
“She is. She, um, likes you.”
Justin couldn’t keep the disbelief off his face. “What?”
Sebastian nodded. “You offered a solution to her problem, and you stood up to her. Some of her witches haven’t managed to do either of those things after a lifetime in the Circle.”
“Okay…”
“I don’t think she’ll suddenly be happy about my mating a vampire and a gargoyle, but it’s a step.”
“It’s none of her business,” Justin said, unable to keep the tinge of anger out of his voice. It was instinctual. The thought of someone standing in the way of his mating enraged him, even if he hadn’t yet decided to go through with it.
Sebastian reached out and grabbed Justin’s hand. The witch’s palm was soothing and warm against Justin’s cool skin, and there was a surprising desperation in the move.
“Did you mean what you said? That we would make the decision to mate together?”
Justin pressed his lips together into a line as he considered his response.
“I don’t… Maybe I shouldn’t reject it out of hand. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but maybe I could do it right this time, with my actual mates. I’m willing to consider it.”
Without warning, Sebastian wrapped Justin in a tight hug. He was so close now, and there was something sorightabout it, Sebastian’s warmth against Justin’s vampiric coolness. He only came up to the witch’s chest, and being enveloped in the tall man’s solidity was a comfort. He rested his face on Sebastian’s sternum, and the witch kissed him gently on the top of the head.
“Thank you,” Sebastian said. There was a raw honesty there, absent his usual mischievous playfulness, and it tugged at Justin’s heart.
“Remember, I haven’t decided yet,” Justin said, but he didn’t even consider removing himself from Sebastian’s embrace.
“You two coming?” Linda called from the hall. “Don’t fuck in my office!”
Sebastian let out a long-suffering sigh and led Justin back into the hall. A few doors down on the right was a room with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves on all sides. A metal track ran along the top of the walls, allowing for a rolling ladder, like some kind of Victorian university library.
Linda sat enveloped in an oversized pink velveteen armchair with a plain clay mug in her hand. The snap of burning twigs snuck out from the small brick fireplace next to her.
“A library?!” Justin couldn’t help but be excited. He adored libraries. “It’s so cozy! And I love a fireplace.”
“Well, sit down, then, vampire. Have some tea.” Linda gestured to the identical chair on the opposite side of the hearth.
