Sealed With a Hiss Read online

  Gerry shuddered – no he did not want Jessie’s five-year-old sister to see him naked again. She ran and told her parents that Gerry had a thingy just like her brothers - that meant he was a boy. And because he was a boy he shouldn’t be sleeping in the same room as Jessie, who had a vagina. Jessie’s mom tried to explain that it was like her and daddy sleeping together, but Hayley didn’t look convinced on that – that was something only mommies and daddies did. Hayley already went around telling everyone that she had vagina – it was the way she answered the phone. He’d prefer that the young squirrel stay away from the discussion on his sexual organs.

  He pulled on some sweats and followed Jessie downstairs. He was enjoying Christmas he really was, but hey, five more minutes in bed with his mate – there was no contest.

  Breakfast was the usual chaotic scrum for food, chatter, and laughter interspersed as neighbors and scurry members popped in through the back door to say hi or ask to borrow something. Barb told them foot traffic was high as they wanted to get a glimpse of Jessie’s young man.

  Gerry tried not to scoff when she said that. He was actually the same age as her parents – he didn’t have the heart to correct her. If his age bothered them they didn’t say; they seemed to be warier of his python.

  So far, as a family, they had been out Christmas shopping five times – he was highly sought after for shopping as his strong, lithe frame was excellent for winding its way through crowds.

  They had cut down the Christmas tree. Again Gerry had been given the honor given his height and strength. Jessie’s dad was five-foot-six and paunchy and was glad to let someone else take a turn.

  They then decorated the tree and Gerry, as the tallest, was tasked to put the star on the top. But on seeing Hayley’s sad little face, he lifted her and let her do it. She insisted she sit next to Gerry for every meal now, even in spite of the ‘thingy’ incident.

  He’d played football with her younger brothers, and then with her younger sisters who insisted they get a turn but didn’t want to play with their brothers because boys smell.

  He’d learned how to make gingerbread men with her mom – because Jessie mentioned something about how sexy it was to have a man who cooked, and because Gerry was all for impressing both his mate and his mate’s mother. Brownie points and all that.

  He’d even spent some time with her dad out in his workshop where he liked to make furniture. Gerry was hardly skilled with his hands, despite the lewd comments Jessie made on that subject, but he enjoyed spending time with Bill who treated him like a son despite being only a few months older than him

  They naturally had a heart to heart where Bill asked him his intentions towards his daughter. Gerry immediately said he loved her and wanted to mate her. Bill seemed pleased and said he hoped it went this well with his other daughters’ future mates.

  Bill even let Gerry have a go with his woodworking tools. He was terrible. The wooden Christmas ornament he made was supposed to be a French hen from the Twelve Days of Christmas song. It kind of looked like a hen, but one that had been crossbred with a duck and had been run over with an SUV. He presented it to Jessie who loved it and told him she’d treasure it.

  Yes, Christmas with the Duchamps was like a real-life scene on a Christmas card. Rather than a scene from a Russian novel – like at his house growing up. To be fair to his parents, the hotel had to stay open for Christmas. They didn’t have time to care whether their sons were enjoying Christmas. In his family, the usual feeling was of diffidence at each other’s presence.

  But at the Duchamps’ house, everyone was happy and glad of each other’s company – it was unlike anything he’d experienced before. It was a strange sensation actually to feel accepted and to indulge in the festivities.

  “Now, Gerry,” said Barb, Jessie’s mom. “I was talking to my friends in my book club about your family’s money troubles.”

  There was also no hiding anything in Jessie’s family, and they then went out and passed it on to everyone they knew. In his family, repression was the key.

  Barb tossed another pancake onto his plate and nudged the maple syrup in his direction. “And we would like to help. We were thinking about holding a bake sale.”

  Jessie patted her hand. “I don’t think that’s going to be enough, Mom.”

  “How much money is it?”

  “Two and a half million,” said Gerry.

  There was a collective ooh from the rest of the table.

  “Ah… I can see we’re going to have to think bigger.”

  Gerry smiled. She was sweet. He could see where Jessie got it from.

  His phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and groaned. “Excuse me.”

  “Who is it?” asked Jessie.

  “Juliet.”

  “Ugh.”

  “Who’s Juliet?” asked Barb.

  “Our vampire boss.”

  “Ugh.” The table gave out a collective shudder.

  He stepped outside the house into the cool air. “Hello.”

  “Where the heck are you?” came Juliet’s irritated voice.

  His snake rumbled, but Gerry didn’t take any offense. He was far too happy for that. If he didn’t know it wasn’t so, he’d swear he’d taken some happy pills. “Merry Christmas to you too, Juliet.”

  “Gerald,” she warned.

  “I’m at Jessie’s parents’ house. I’m still on suspension remember?” He was just waiting for the firing phone call.

  Juliet let out a long, unnecessary breath. She must be stressed. She only breathed when she was stressed. She hadn’t actually needed to for centuries. “Right, yeah, well we’ve been having a fun time in your absence. Grant Collier’s been kicked off the Council.”

  He had heard that. Edith phoned him to ask where he wanted divorce papers sent to, and she happened to mention that fact while thanking him for freeing her brother. Not that he had much to do with that. Catching Cora was down to luck, and his mate almost being murdered. Grrr.

  “Now the Council is sending someone to audit us thanks to Cora’s shenanigans,” complained Juliet, with just a hint of bitterness in her voice. “But at least, it’s not just us. Cora worked at three other SEA branches before descending on us. They’re also being audited, and they’re combing through their cold cases to see if any can be attributed to her.”

  “How’s the crisis with the airport?”

  “Not that bad, they managed to close off the affected parts, and they’re still using it. Basically, she just destroyed the gift shop. Christmas vacationers may be pissed that they can’t buy a travel pillow, but they won’t be delayed. But I didn’t call about that. When are you coming back to work?”

  Gerry raised his eyebrows. “I still have a job?”

  “Of course, you do,” she snapped. “I doubt anyone will even remember you trying to throttle Barry now.”

  Shame he hadn’t killed him at the time thought his snake in annoyance. Although, they may not have caught Cora so quickly if he had. Yeah, he was in two minds about that. But on the plus side Barry was out of the picture. The agents were probably throwing a party in celebration of him leaving.

  “So,” said Juliet testily, “when can I expect you back?”

  Gerry’s immediate reaction was to say as soon as possible. But his snake stopped him. Before now he’d worked every hour possible. He caught sight of Jessie through the patio door, and she blew him a kiss. Hayley saw him and did the same.

  If he went back to working the same crazy hours again, he’d miss out on things like this. Could he really go back to his boring, monotonous life again? Even if he wanted that – which he didn’t - he owed his patient little mate more.

  “I don’t know.”

  “What?”

  “I don’t know if I want to come back.”

  Juliet was silent for a few moments. “You’re joking right?”

  “No.” He was met with more silence. Nobody could manage silence in the way a vampire could. He cracked before she did. “Look
, Juliet, I used to work nearly every hour of every day, but I can’t keep doing that. If I were to come back, something would have to change. I have other priorities now.”

  “Well… we can work around that…”

  “Half it.”

  “Pardon?”

  “Half the job. Bring in another director to oversee half the teams, and I’ll still cover the other half. I’ll still cover the Alpha and Beta Teams…”

  “Keeping an eye on your squirrel,” she teased.

  He ignored her. “But I won’t cover all the teams. I’ll work nine to five, five days a week. I can be flexible when I need to be, but for the most part, I need it to be a regular job.”

  “Jessie’s not pregnant is she?”

  His beast almost spluttered in shock. “No! At least… no.” Not that she’d told him. “I mean, maybe one day. Not right now.”

  “Well, I suppose it would work,” she said slowly.

  “You agree to that, and I’ll come back.” He wanted to go back to work, but he wanted to spend time with Jessie more. Otherwise, he supposed he could get a job at the insurance company again.

  “Agreed, on Monday we’ll…”

  “Nope, no can do.”

  “You’re kidding?” she drawled.

  “Nope, I’ll be back on January 2nd. I’m afraid I’m all booked up until then.” He wasn’t joking. He had potluck meals, parties, an engagement party and a couple of baby showers penciled in from now until New Year’s Day. “Take tonight, for example, I’m attending a Christmas sweater party.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I have no idea, but I’m looking forward to finding out.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  “Gerry, what are you doing up here?”

  Jessie found Gerry in their temporary bedroom frowning in the mirror. She pursed her lips to stop herself from laughing.

  “You look very handsome.”

  Gerry raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “I love you, but you’re a dirty, rotten liar.”

  “No, I love it. Really.”

  “Is the point of this torture party to wear the ugliest sweater?”

  “No, it’s to wear the most fun and Christmassy sweater, and I think you have a shot at winning.”

  “People will think I have a paunch.”

  “So what if they do?”

  Gerry grunted and pulled at the collar. Her squirrel chuckled. He really did look cute. The sweater had Santa’s body, complete with a fake paunch, right up to the neck. It looked like Gerry’s head was on top of Santa’s body. It was fun!

  “Why do you get to wear that and I have to wear this?”

  Jessie giggled. “My sweater is at least as embarrassing as yours.”

  It was a sweater on a similar theme. Except hers had the body of an elf.

  Gerry grasped her hips and pulled her to him. “No, you look sexy in yours. I look like an idiot.”

  She leaned up and nipped his chin. “A gorgeous idiot.”

  He caught her lips in a kiss and wrapped his arms around her. He trailed kisses along her cheek and down her neck. “Mmmm, the house is so quiet. Why isn’t Hayley running in to ask why my hands are on your ass?”

  “Everyone already left for the party. They’re helping my aunt set up.”

  He stilled. “So we’re all alone?”

  “Mmmm hmmm. We don’t have to leave for another half hour.”

  His hands dipped under her sweater. “I wonder what we can do for a half hour.”

  “Watch TV?”

  “Hmmm, no.”

  “Talk?”

  “Nuh uh.”

  “Oh, I’m fresh out of ideas.”

  “Think harder.”

  He pressed the hardness of his arousal against her, and she giggled.

  “When are we getting married?” he purred into her ear.

  “The ink’s barely dry on your divorce papers.”

  “I don’t want to wait for you to be mine.” His fingers found her bra and unclasped it. Like a magician, swiftly he managed to withdraw it without taking off her sweater. She was very impressed the first time he did that.

  “I’m already yours,” she gasped as his hands roamed over her breasts.

  Gerry murmured some indistinct objections about that.

  “Well, maybe we should bond,” she suggested shyly. His hands stilled, and she added, “We don’t have to if you don’t want to, I don’t mind.”

  “No, I mind. I want that.”

  “Maybe when we get back to Los Lobos…”

  “Now,” he growled, pulling the sweater over her head.

  “Now?” she breathed, excitement coursing through her body.

  “Now.”

  “Here?”

  “Here.”

  “Here and now it is!” she beamed as her squirrel jumped for joy.

  In seconds flat, she was out of her jeans and socks while Gerry was still trying to pull the Christmas sweater over his head. A naughty thought flitted through her mind. Well, he did need help getting undressed. She undid his belt and pulled down his pants.

  Hmmm, no underwear. How risqué. She thoroughly approved.

  “What are you…” came his muffled voice from somewhere in the sweater.

  Jessie gripped his hips and took his hardening manhood in her mouth. Gerry let out a garbled cry as she sucked on the sensitive head. She laved her tongue over his skin and started bobbing her head up and down his length, taking as much of him as she could. He hardened even more under her loving ministrations. She moaned around his flesh, enjoying the feel of him in her mouth. She’d never thought that this could be such a turn-on for her. But giving him pleasure, tasting him, making him groan and shudder with excitement almost made her come. She could feel the moistness growing between her thighs as he gently began rocking in and out of her mouth. She reached down between her legs and gently stroked a finger over her tender clit, making her throat vibrate around him.

  There was a ripping sound as Gerry finally gave in and tore the sweater in two. She looked up and found him staring down at her with wild black eyes.

  “Mate,” he rumbled in a voice that was surely more animal than man.

  Jessie mewled as he pulled himself free from her mouth. Kicking his pants away, he bent down and hooked her under her arms, dragging her up his body. In two long strides, he had her pinned against the wall by his hips.

  He reached a hand between them and sank two digits inside her drenched channel. He grinned as she tried to contract her muscles around them, trying to suck at his fingers, to give her what she needed. He removed his fingers, and she growled at him. He sucked her juices from his hand and delighted as she squirmed against him, desperately trying to wriggle her hips and sink down on his erection.

  “Please,” she whimpered. “I need you.”

  The smug look died on his face, and he gave her a serious look. For a second, she worried she’d done something wrong. “No, my love,” he told her hoarsely, “I need you. From the moment I saw you, I knew I couldn’t be with you.”

  “Love you,” she panted.

  The smug look was back. “Love you more,” he growled and impaled her on his throbbing length.

  She cried out as he filled her to the brim and before she even got her breath back, began driving himself inside her with long, hard thrusts. She wrapped her arms and legs around him as he pounded into her. She whined, moaned and squeaked as he took her with a ferocious possessiveness she’d never felt before. He chanted the word ‘mine’ over and over, and she found herself saying it back to him.

  He was hers. He was hers forever. He belonged to her, and he would always belong to her. Her squirrel howled, and her tiny claws pushed out of her fingertips. Jessie dug them into his shoulders. He snarled in pain and sped up his movements, crashing into her at a furious speed.

  Her tiny fangs pushed forward, and as her release cascaded through her body, she plunged them into his neck. She moaned as his sweet blood danced over her tongue. Gerry roared and
stilled as he exploded inside her. She felt the slight prickle of pain as his sank his own teeth into her neck. Feelings of bliss flooded her mind as their bond was completed. She could sense his own emotions surrounding hers and her beast chittered in happiness.

  She licked the small drips of blood from his shoulder as their bodies slowly calmed. After sealing her wound, he carried her over to the bed and collapsed onto his back, his member still softly throbbing inside her.

  “I ruined the sweater,” he murmured with a chuckle.

  “I’ll let you off; I was being quite distracting.”

  “Indeed, you were, mate.”

  Jessie kissed his chest and tried not to giggle as she felt him twitch inside her. “Do you think we’ll actually make it to the Christmas sweater party?”

  “Well, the night is young.”

  She teased his nipple between her teeth and he groaned before flipping her onto her back. “But no, perhaps we should stay here and have a Christmas naked party.”

  Jessie beamed. “As long as we’re the only guests, that sounds good to me.”

  “Merry Christmas, my love.”

  “Merry Christmas, mate.”

  Mine.

  Epilogue

  January

  Zane Matthews focused on not snapping his phone in two. “But you’re not…”

  “Enough!” snapped the cold voice of his former boss. “The director will not be interested in a case about teenagers stealing underwear from clotheslines. Report it to the LLPD and stop wasting my time.”

  The snake shifter slammed the phone down, and Zane counted to ten before he slowly replaced the receiver back in its cradle. He was calm, he was relaxed, there was no reason to get angry and throw his desk chair out of the window like his bear was goading him to do. After a few minutes, Zane relaxed back into his chair and smiled. Yep, his weekend hobby was paying off. His bear snorted and turned his back on him, and Zane mentally flipped him the bird. Hey, it was the bear and his damn anger problems that got them into this mess in the first place.

  Almost a year ago, he’d been a proud SEA agent. Then, because of his short fuse and a very unfortunate series of events, he was unceremoniously fired and kicked out on his butt. At first, he’d been furious, blaming everyone but him, but now he saw it was his fault. He’d behaved like a bull-headed asshole. His bear grumbled, but Zane shushed the beast. It was his fault, there was no denying it, but thanks to all the personal growth he had achieved since then, he was a whole new person. Well, he was a good person… he was somewhat improved? And it was all thanks to his hobby.