Page 3 of Charisma
My lips turn blue with the lack of fresh air.
My hair still grows after I cut it, as do my nails, and I still have to shave my legs and pits… something I groaned about when that was a discovery I made shortly after my maker turned me. I mean, as a divine being, shouldn’t that be a menial task that should be nixed? It should be a perk of my new way of living… but no, Mother Nature has a sense of humor it seems.
I got a wild hair up my ass after that revelation and invested my life savings into the Bic razor company. I receive a monthly supply of razors and my bank account has a nice stipend cushion. Just one small perk of being immortal, I suppose.
Little by little I started investing my money into different businesses and my funds have blossomed. It’s how I help my new coven of people and support the beguiled village we’ve built.
We’re invisible to the general public, only those passing by who seek our help can locate us, but they can only find us if their need is genuine. If they’re in a trance, or controlled by another, our forcefield keeps them walking in circles. They’ll get a mainstream location if they scry for us but will be blind to our community.
Since most of the males here tend to be somewhat antisocial except toward their mates and close friends, it’s a good thing for us to have in place. Especially now that babies are blooming everywhere, or so it seems. There’s no way the men here would go out on a job for the Rogue Enforcers if they couldn’t ensure their women were wholly protected. Of course, some of the women have their own unique abilities. Still, I can’t see any of them willingly leaving their children unless whatever was happening would have a dire impact on the human race if they weren’t there.
Thankfully, Esmerelda knows her shit and she put the shield over our little community. She has also warded it against every type of supernatural being who might try to invade our homes and possibly steal away Maverick and Leigh, who are a unique blend of hybrids making them valuable and sought after by those who havelessthan good intentions.
“Woman, you’ve got to the count of three before I do something drastic,” Baldwin rumbles out, staring down at my prone figure.
Taking a shuddering breath in an attempt to control myself, I start giggling then compound it by snorting as the past few minutes plays in my head once again. He doesn’t realize it, but his dry, somewhat growly demeanor doesn’t faze me one bit. I know he’s got a soft spot for each of the men’s mates; he’s beyond solicitous of each of the pregnant women, often going out of his way to procure something he overheard them saying they wanted.
Reality smacks me in the face, causing my humor to fade as if it was never there. Something akin to jealousy skitters over my being, causing me to shiver. I want that; I want someone to think the sun rises and sets in me, their beloved. I crave a mate who will cherish me, rub my back when it aches, understand when I’m in a mood, and love me tirelessly for the rest of eternity.
Only… I’m alone.
Utterly, wretchedly alone.
I smile and laugh with my friends, and am genuinely happy for each of the women, especially given how each came to be part of their mates’ lives. Hell, Paxton nearly lost Landry before he ever really had her; if he hadn’t turned her, she’d be worm food by now. Maverick was a crusty, cranky hermit until Connelly came along. Even the overly dramatic, in your face, Leigh managed to find her perfect match in a polar bear, Ice. A good, stable man who is her exact opposite in every way, but somehow, they just work. Then my witchy best friend found her true love in another damn icy bear.
“I’m fine, Baldwin,” I finally say, as I attempt to sit up from my laid-out position on the floor.
He reaches out and grabs my hand with his beefy paw, gently pulling me upward until I’m upright on my feet. When he notices me unsteadily wobbling, he lightly grips my hip, slightly digging the tips of his fingers into my flesh, then leads me back to the couch where I flop down and partway sink into the comfy cushion.
“Are you sure? You don’t look too good.” At my narrowed glare, he tries to backpedal, but only manages to dig himself into a deeper hole. “I mean, you’re really pale, your lips are a blueish-purple color, and you were flopping around like a fish out of water. I thought vampires didn’t need to breathe, Charisma, so what the fuck was all that about?”
“I don’tneedoxygen anymore, you overgrown fuzzball. But mybodyreacts like I’m still a living, breathing, mortal.” Totally disgusted right now with his stereotype behavior, I maneuver off the couch then stomp my way over to the door. “Landry, write down what you’re thinking in regard to adding to the nursery, I’ll talk with you later.” Glowering at Baldwin over my shoulder, I make sure to yank the door open, yet close it with a muted finesse. Sometimes, a point is more resounding with soundless gestures than over-the-top, dynamic ones.
Right now, I need to be alone. Well, I mean, Iamalone, but I need physical solitude away from those I’ve grown to consider as family. My feelings are hurt, and I have a tendency to lash out. Better to head out for some peace and quiet than to nut punch the arctic puffball.
BALDWIN
I know my mouth is hanging agape as Charisma marches through the door. In a matter of mere minutes, I watched her whole demeanor shift. One minute, she was laughing so hard she fell off the couch, the next she acted as though she was offended by my very presence.
Way to go, moron,my bear rumbles as he flops onto his side. Our whole encounter went from friendly and playful to a blundering fiasco in two point five seconds.
I growl, low and deep, which has Landry and Connelly looking at me with concern coloring their faces. I feel like I slid into another dimension. “What the fuck just happened? How did that teasing skirmish get so completely jacked up?”
“You yelled at her, Baldwin,” Landry taciturnly replies. “She may look like she’s tough as nails, but she’s not. She’s soft inside, Baldwin. I think you hurt her feelings.”
“Yeah, I think so too,” Connelly calmly concurs. “Hope she doesn’t say anything to Esmerelda or not even Beast will be able to save your ass. She’ll use your innards for gator bait, dude.”
“Do we even have gators around here?” Landry muses. “Paxton!” she yells, causing him to run back into the room.
“We’re trying to train,” he complains, even though he still rushes dutifully to his mate’s side. “What’s wrong? Why are you shouting?”
“Are there gators around here?” Landry presses, looking ready to bolt if he answers with anything other than a resounding no.
“Why the fuck is this important?” he shoots back, his eyes lasered in on his female.
“Because Baldwin upset Charisma so we’re worried Esmerelda will use his guts to feed gators. You know how she likes purses, so if we have some around, can you and Maverick relocate them? We kind of like Baldwin. Plus, gators have teeth, really big, ferocious chompers.” She shivers with that announcement.
The phrase,the better to eat you with my dear, floats through my mind, but this time, I keep my trap shut and refuse to badger the women. It seems I’m already in deep water as it is. Note to self, sneak into Esmerelda’s house and hide her cauldron before she figures out, I have foot to mouth disease and pissed her bestie off while I was at it.