Unwrapping Tess (A Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance)(Vegas Mates Book 5): Christmas Encounters (2 page)

Jason was huge—nearly seven feet tall. He had muscles growing out of muscles and a voice like warm honey. Tess wasn’t surprised that Leslie had fallen for the handsome man. Hell, she had a harmless, little crush on him herself. She
was
surprised that Jason had fallen for Leslie, the little techie, Goth, wolf with purple hair. Talk about robbing the cradle, though. He was thousands of years old and Leslie was like, thirty.

Leslie smiled up at Jason as they sank into one of the oversized armchairs opposite them. Tess grinned as Jason arranged Leslie’s waif-like form on his lap.

“Glad to see you made it safely in from New York, girls.”

“You too, Jason,” Tess answered. “It’s so nice of you to let Leslie have a break from building the network to have some Christmas fun.”

He chuckled. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“He really wouldn’t. In fact, I don’t think he would’ve left without me,” Leslie added, a wicked grin on her face. “He calls me
his
, but really it’s the other way around. He’s all mine.”

The group laughed and even Jason’s smile widened. “I never thought to find another I could be so happy with. Fate has truly blessed me.”

Voices coming from the stairs caught Tess’s attention. Her sister, Nicole, appeared with her leopard mate, Aaron, right behind her. Chase followed along with Sam, her oldest sister. Tess breathed deeply. Nicole and Aaron lived in New York with them, but she hadn’t seen Sam since their mom died. Sam and Chase led the Las Vegas branch of the pack.

“Hey!” Sam hollered. “So glad you both joined us outside earlier. Great surprise!”

Tess stood from her seat and hurried to meet her sister. As she and Sam embraced, she could feel emotions welling inside. “It’s so good to see you.”
 

“We need to be sure not to wait so long next time,” Sam murmured in her ear. “Love you, little sis.”

“I love you too, Sam.” She released her sister and gave her brother-in-law, Chase, a hug. Then she stepped over to embrace Nicole.

“I think I just saw you,” Nicole said, throwing her head back with a laugh.
 

“Probably because I was the one who dropped you two off at the airport last week,” Tess returned. She gave Aaron a hug and moved with the group back to the great room.

More hugs and greetings were exchanged. Nicole and Aaron had returned to Woodhaven a week ago, but Sam and Chase had just arrived yesterday, as had Jason and Leslie.

Scott stood from the couch and helped Margaret to her feet. “Sarah and Chris will be here shortly. But in the meantime, is anyone hungry?”

“Are you seriously asking a room full of shifters if they are hungry?” A deep, unfamiliar voice bellowed from the front door.

Tess turned to see a giant of a man filling the front doorway. His piney scent filled her lungs and her magick prickled with excitement.

“Patrick!” Scott walked to the doorway and embraced the newcomer. Margaret waddled her way over as well and was instantly enveloped into the two grizzly bears’ arms.

“Another bear?” Hallie whispered into her ear.

“I bet it’s his brother,” Tess said.

“Patrick, this is my wife, Margaret. And that crowd of friends in the great room,” Scott gestured to the group, “is part of the Vegas and New York Demakis wolf packs.”

“Good to meet you, Margaret.” Patrick’s voice carried through the room. “Scott can’t ever stop talking about you when I call home.”
 

Patrick gave Margaret a quick kiss on the forehead and the three of them moved together toward the great room.
 

“Everyone, this is my brother, Patrick. I didn’t say anything before, because we weren’t sure if he’d get his discharge papers before or after Christmas.” Scott proceeded to introduce him to each person in the room.

Tess followed his every movement and drank in his tantalizing scent. When Scott introduced her, Patrick’s beautiful blue eyes settled on her and all processing capabilities fled her body. All she managed was a squeaked “hi” and a lame wave.
 

Moisture pooled between her legs and her mouth went dry. Visions of them naked and entwined in sheets danced through her head.
OMG!
What was wrong with her?

“It’s him,”
her wolf whispered.

Him who?

“Our mate! This is what we’ve been waiting for. The spark of energy you feel is your magick connecting with his.”

He’s a bear. I want a nice wolf to settle down with in New York and have a family, so we need to just get over this.

“Bullshit! You don’t want to live in New York and you know it. As far as the bear thing, Margaret doesn’t seem to be complaining.”

Tess shivered and she could’ve sworn Patrick’s eyes twinkled.
Shit. He can feel it too, can’t he?

“Of course he can. No sense in trying to ignore it now,”
her wolf chuckled.

Tess stamped her foot and felt heat rise in her cheeks as the room fell into a dead silence.
 

The first to break the silence was Scott’s brother. He extended his hand to her and flashed a smile that made her insides flush and her sex throb.
 

“I hope another bear in your midst won’t be too much trouble for the holidays, Tess. I look forward to getting to know you and your family better.”

Oh, gods. I’m in trouble.

Her wolf didn’t respond, but Tess could feel her holding back her amusement.

CHAPTER THREE

Patrick squeezed Tess’s hand gently, his bear rumbling with pleasure at the connection between them.

“Who knew you and your brother would both end up with a wolf. She is a pretty little thing,”
his bear chuckled.

Shut up and let me concentrate or I’ll be stamping my foot in a minute like she did, trying to clear my head.

“Whatever you say, but right now the only thoughts I can hear racing through your mind are about stripping her down and tasting her. All of which, I’m quite on board with.”

Damn, you.
Patrick smiled again and tried to talk down the erection growing in his now not-so-loose jeans.

The little blonde stared up at him, speechless, with the same conflicted emotions conveyed through her eyes. No one was ever prepared when they ran into their fated mate, but it was always more awkward when surrounded by people—especially family. One of them was bound to pick up on the connection quickly if he didn’t snap out of his stupor right now.

The next moment, a baby cried and all the focus shifted to the couple walking in the door behind them. Even the spellbound Tess scampered away and cooed over the wailing baby.

Patrick moved out of the way as a stampede of women pushed past. Scott sidestepped the herd as well and backed up a few paces. Patrick followed him and leaned against the wall next to his big brother.

“Sarah, Chris, and baby Rylan, just FYI,” Scott said, his voice low and nearly drowned out by the squeals of the women in the lobby of the inn.

“So who is related to whom?”
 

“Nicole is married to Aaron.” He followed his brother’s hand as he pointed to a tall, leggy blonde and the man standing behind her who was bigger than most cat shifters he’d ever run across. “Her sisters are Sam, Tess, and Hallie. Sam is married to Chase. She and Chase are the Alphas of the Vegas pack.” Scott shifted a little and pointed further. “Then Jason Demakis is over there behind the purple haired little one. She’s one of the latent turned wolves. They are a pair and I do not recommend flirting with her. Jason is the Demakis Original.”

“Holy shit,” Patrick whispered. “Really?”

Scott nodded.

“I didn’t think they existed anymore.”

“You’ve missed a lot while you were gone, baby brother.”

“Pfsst. I needed to burn off some energy for a few years. It was good for me.”

“I’m sure it was.”

“So are Sarah and Chris related to anyone?” Patrick asked.

“Yep, Chris is Chase’s little brother. Sarah and Chris also live just down the road from Margaret and me.”

“He’s the one running the training for the latents you told me about on the phone.”

“Yes, he helps them connect with their wolf side and shift for the first time.”

“It’s good to be home, man. Is there a particular place I can go toss my stuff before dinner?” Patrick hoisted his burlap bag to his shoulder.

“Yeah, of course. Go up the main stairs,” Scott pointed, “swing a right on the second level and take the big room at the end of the hall on the left.”

Patrick nodded and slipped away from the sounds of laughter and family. It was good to be home again, but he’d been looking forward to the quiet of the mountains, not an inn full of wolves.

He clomped up the stairs, swung a right and then turned left down the hall. The last door on the left was closed, but not locked. He went in and took a deep breath.
Her
scent filled his nostrils and his dick stood at attention within moments. Taking a step back into the hall, he recalled his movements, but this was the room Scott told him to take.
 

Patrick glanced around. No luggage. No sign of her anywhere. He opened the closet. Empty. Tossed his bag to the floor and sat on the bed.

Why does it smell like her?

“Got me.”

He lay back and drank in her soft, floral scent and moaned. “I’m never going to be able to sleep in here …”
Without her.

A thud at the door made him sit with a start. It was her! Gods, that’d been close.

“This is the best room on the floor. But if you don’t want it, I’ll trade with you.” Tess smiled and leaned against the doorframe.

“Why is it the best?” He stood slowly, not wanting to spook her. Her scent was intoxicating and the last thing he wanted was for her to run.

She pointed to the ceiling. “Water pressure. This room is closest to the new hot water tank. Plus, it has a huge shower. Scott hasn’t renovated all of them yet. Most of the rooms still have the old claw-foot tubs with a curtain shower.”

“I’ll share.” He cocked his head and stepped closer.

Her whole face blushed the prettiest shade of pink. Even her ears brightened.

Another step brought him nearly face to face. He could hear her heart racing and smell her arousal. Gods, she smelled as sweet as the mountain air had when he stepped off the plane in Logan.
 

He reached out and slipped his hand along her cheek and back into her hair, gripping the base of her skull. Then pulled her closer as he bent to capture her mouth. Energy surged between them and his bear growled with satisfaction as he thrust his tongue into her mouth.

She tasted as sweet as he’d imagined.

For a brief moment she returned the kiss, then pulled back. He released her reluctantly, but would never force something on her she didn’t want.

“I …” She took a step back. “I have to go.”

“You can feel it, can’t you? The bond?”

She shook her head and fled down the hall without another word.

Damn.

He leaned against the doorframe and sighed. There was no doubt in his mind that she could feel the exact same attraction he could. They were fated mates. Perfect matches. But it was her choice. If she rejected him, that was it. He wouldn’t press her again.
 

CHAPTER FOUR

Tess bounded down the main stairs two at a time. No one noticed her because they’d all moved to the dining hall, but food wasn’t on her mind anymore. She didn’t stop running until she made it to the back porch.
 

The kiss had been fantastic. Hot. Sexy. A melt-your-panties kind-of kiss. What was wrong with her? Was she really so selfish that she would pass up a fated match because he wasn’t a wolf? Because she would have to move away from the pack?

Margaret left the pack for Scott. She seemed to be dealing with it just fine. But Margaret wasn’t a Demakis and Tess knew her Aunt Melinda would be disappointed if she didn’t come back. She’d been training her to help take over when she mated. All that work and investment would mean nothing if she stayed with Patrick. Bears did not live in New York. It just didn’t happen. There wasn’t enough space. Wolves could make due with small parks and bits of forest here and there, but bears need room. A lot of room.

Rubbing her hands up and down her arms, she sucked in a deep breath of the cold winter air.

“Maybe you should talk to Margaret.”

Maybe I’ll just take another run and clear my head.

“Or that,”
her wolf snorted.

She peeled off her clothes and folded them on the bench next to the wall. The cold air made her skin tighten and pimple, but with her magick coating her like a shield, the brunt of the cold was repelled, even in human form.

The air shimmered around her and she sank to all fours into wolf form. The change was invigorating and as much as her wolf thought she was dodging the Patrick issue, her wolf also loved the fact that she was getting to run twice in one day, when it’d been weeks since their last run.

Leaping from the porch, she tore through the newly fallen powder and took a quick roll. It was fun to be a wolf and she wasn’t above enjoying the pure freedom of being an animal. She stood up and shook. Snow flew in every direction.

After a couple more ear flaps, she trotted toward the trees and wandered aimlessly through the woods. The scent of pine cleansed her memory of the big city’s smog and other pollutants. Out here, it was just clean, mountain air, animal scents, and trees. It was a balm for her when she’d stayed here after everything that happened with her parents.

She and Hallie might be identical twins, but they really couldn’t be more different. Sam and Nicole thought that she and Hallie both loved the spotlight and city living, but mostly it was Hallie. Tess followed her sister anywhere she asked. And she’d never been opposed to the fancy clothes, rock star dates, and living it up on the strip or in the Big Apple, but her heart wasn’t in it for the long haul like Hallie’s was.
 

Hallie would make the perfect Alpha female. She was demanding, stubborn, and inspired a following. In truth, it was difficult to imagine leaving her sister’s side now, even for a fated mate.