Batty for You (7 page)

The family was horrified. Daniel asked, “They shifted in public?”

Bets nodded. “Yup. All of them. Jerry led the way, and they bit the proprietor of the local diner. He got the better of them.”

Weller snorted. “You are omitting your involvement.”

Wendy blinked. “Did they attack you, too?”

“No. I have some sub-talents from previous generations of bats. Not all related to my current fruit bat status and very irritating to wolves and others in the same species family.”

Tristan leaned forward. “Show us.”

Wendy held up her hand. “No, I think we are good knowing that you have a line of defense if any of the local packs do not greet you appropriately.”

Bets smiled brightly. “That I do. Can I go put my clothes on now?”

Tristan grinned. “Weller is going to take charge of your wardrobe. The outfit you were wearing when you came in wasn’t flattering. You need something that accentuates your neck and highlights the curve of your waist.”

The entire room full of adults looked at him in surprise.

Tristan blushed and shrugged. “I pay attention.”

Laughing as she climbed the stairs, Bets realized that these wolves were not quite what she had been expecting. She loved this kind of surprise.

Dark Knight’s’ logo was out for the day, but Bets had called ahead to make sure that Teelion was up and around.

Weller’s palm was damp.

“Seriously? You faced my family with good humour, but now you are nervous?”

“Bethany, there are two large red eyes glaring at us from behind the smoked glass. Reason enough to be nervous.”

She grinned and pushed into the building, turning to hug her supervisor. “Teelion! You are looking well.”

He laughed, a rich, deep sound that echoed in the empty building. “Bethany, you are looking very well. You are glowing with happiness.”

She kicked her feet a little, and he set her down.

“I have found a mate. Teelion, this is Weller Umbridge. Weller, this is my boss, Teelion of the Drow.”

Teelion was wearing dark slacks and a black shirt that made his charcoal skin look sinister. The red, glowing eyes didn’t help, but he had neatly braided his hair at the temples for the meeting. Bets smiled. He was trying to make a good impression on Weller.

“You are the clothing manufacturer.” Teelion inclined his head as they shook hands.

Weller nodded. “That is correct. You have a lovely establishment. I have been here as a guest on a few occasions.”

“I know. When Bethany gave me your name, I checked our records. You are a solid businessman who has never made an unwelcome move on any of our employees. Please, come this way. The private room has been prepared for this little meeting.”

Bets frowned. It seemed that there was something going on under the surface that she wasn’t familiar with. The private room was used for negotiations with suppliers.

Teelion poured tea for them and he sat back. “So, how can I convince you to let Bethany stay?”

Her head snapped from the apple tart on the tray to her boss. “What?”

“He is your husband now. In my traditions, that gives him a say in where you work.”

Bets put her hand up. “We are mates, not married.”

Weller mumbled around a cookie, “The wedding is in two months; you are getting an invitation this week.”

Teelion blinked. “Regardless, you are a valuable member of our staff and we would like you to remain here in your senior hostess capacity. The club doesn’t function properly if you are not here. The last week has been hellish.”

Bets chuckled. “Poor baby. Was Hilary hitting on you again?”

He shuddered. “Yes. My boots have scuffs older than she is.”

Weller looked over at Bets. “You don’t have a thing for elves.”

Teelion blinked as if he was surprised that Weller didn’t know.

His tension now made a little more sense.

“No, Weller, I don’t have a thing for elves. My lack of sexual interest makes it easy for me to be a friend and keep the young hostess away from the management.”

Her mate relaxed and both she and Teelion caught on.

Teelion said, “Since Bethany started here nine years ago, the amount of spurious law suits and harassment claims that we have had to file has almost come to nil. The women are stopped before they can build up to an obsessive point. For many women, the touch of the fey becomes addictive. We had one hostess who chronically ripped up her paycheque just so she could return and touch the hand of the payroll officer. Bethany stopped that by moving us to electronic payroll and instituting a shifter human resources manager that broke the direct contact. He is delightfully efficient if a little slow. I had never worked with a tortoise before him, but it has become a good relationship.”

* * * *

Weller looked at the man who looked like he ate iron for breakfast and the completely relaxed posture of his mate. She was confident in her proximity to the elf and she felt needed here.

“Bethany, would you like to continue working here until we have a child? I am not in a hurry to start a family but would be a little nervous with you here while obviously pregnant.”

Teelion stiffened. “We would defend her like our own if she were with child.”

Bethany looked at them both, and Weller grinned at the frustrated glare on her features. “Yes, I want to continue working here, but, Teelion, this isn’t a great environment if I am growing a little person. My shifting might become unpredictable, and while the fey are out of the closet, so to speak, the shifters are not. Humans don’t need to see my ears sprout or my fingers turn into partial wings. I am currently not pregnant and don’t plan on it for the next few months, but if I go into heat, that could change.”

Weller was relieved that she was planning on having a family with him. They had never discussed it, but for him, it was always something in his mind. He wanted kids; he just had never been able to put a wife into the picture, until now.

Bethany sighed. “If I get knocked up, I will find and train a replacement with my particular sensibilities. We don’t want women you don’t invite in climbing all over you in the shower…again.”

Weller blinked. This place was far more interesting than he had imagined. “Wait, did you pry the woman off him?”

Bethany grinned. “He couldn’t do it himself; he was all soapy.”

Teelion laughed out loud. “She heard me shouting for help and that is when I learned how strong a shifter female can be. The woman was in a headlock and out the door before I could thank her, then she came back in and handed me a towel.”

Bethany snickered. “I don’t want to sleep with him, but he is pretty. Don’t worry, Weller, you are the only guy I want to see naked from now on in a shower capacity.”

Weller wasn’t mollified, but Teelion’s genuine amusement with no hints of lust did a good job of calming the jealousy that he never thought he would feel.

Bethany must have sensed something, because she scooted toward him and took his hand. “We are mates, but we are partners. I will work here for now because we are getting to know each other, but when we are wed, things might change. I don’t know, Teelion. I have never been in love before.”

The elf gave in. “That I can understand. Very well, I look forward to attending your wedding. You are a gem, Bethany Leyhey, and I entreat you never to forget it.”

Weller sighed in relief.

“Oh, and, Weller Umbridge, a man should never be separated from his mate by social strictures, so you are hereby given full membership access to the Dark Knight’s Club. Come anytime and ask for your mate. She will be produced.” He winked and disappeared in a swirl of dark smoke.

The membership card and key was sitting on the table in front of them. It was a fifteen-thousand-dollar gift.

Weller was amazed. “Just like that?”

“Elves are funny that way.” Bethany pulled him to his feet.

She retrieved the card and key and pressed them into his hand. “You know what this means?”

He slowly shook his head as she brought her lips to his. “You, dearest, most beloved, Weller…are one of the family.”

She pressed kisses across his cheeks and lips, whispering in between, “You…are…now…family …with…the…Drow…here…and…Dromer…at… the…diner…do…you…know…what…that… means?”

He slowly shook his head, the blood rushing to engorge his erection.

She smiled and showed teeth that were ever so slightly pointed. “Free apple pie.”

A laugh sounded from the hallway, and Weller kissed his mate, resigned to the invasion of the fey into his life and the woman who dragged them in her wake. There were benefits after all. He got pie.

So, I wanted dessert when I finished this book. Could you tell? Now, I am off to find pie.

A Life Less Pink
will be the next book up at Extasy Books on Oct 1. A flamingo who is tired of the pink jokes goes in search of any other species to mate with.

Zenina Masters

[email protected]

http://www.zeninamasters.com

Zenina Masters was born in Canada and lives in Canada. She has a regular job and does nothing particularly exciting with her life. She enjoys fishing, silence and the ability to pick and choose friends she can trust. Life is too short to watch your back all the time.

Her writing life is a teeny bit of escapism, she would probably chicken out if confronted by three naked men and looks forward to one day finding out.