Iron Master – Jennifer Ashley Page 0,60
mate claim?” Peigi’s question held trepidation.
Stuart felt his smile come. “No. I made it because you’re seriously hot.”
Peigi didn’t laugh as he intended, remaining worried. “You shouldn’t joke about that. Do you know what a mate claim does to a Shifter?”
“Makes their friends want to throw a party? With hugging. Lots and lots of hugging.”
“It triggers the mate frenzy.” Peigi’s breath touched his lips. “You’ve never experienced Shifter mating frenzy.”
“I’ve seen Shifter mates barely able to keep their hands off each other. Is that what you mean?”
“Do dokk alfar have mating frenzy?”
Stuart drew closer. “If you mean deep, all-consuming need, then yes. I’m kind of feeling that right now.”
Peigi’s eyes darkened. “Trust me, it’s nothing like mating frenzy.” She rose on tiptoe and licked his ear. “I’m very strong.”
Heat shot through Reid’s body, and his heart banged. “So am I.”
“Uh-oh.”
Reid jerked his head up and glanced around, thinking someone was coming upon them, but Peigi had her gaze fixed on him.
“Uh-oh what?” he asked nervously.
“We’ll have to have Shane or Nell stay over again. Because once the frenzy takes hold, we won’t be doing anything else for a while.”
Reid growled in his throat, a very Shifter sound. “I am so looking forward to that.” He was tempted to start immediately, but he knew that if Graham expected them, he’d storm around and pull Reid out of the house, even if Reid was deep in bed with a mate-frenzied Peigi.
“I’m looking forward to it too.”
Peigi’s whisper chased the fires already burning inside him. Reid kissed her, harder this time, fingers threading her hair, but instead of relieving tension, the kiss only ramped it up.
When he eased from the kiss, Peigi gazed up at him, a half-smile on her lips. Reid knew that if Peigi refused him it would be the hardest thing he faced in his life. Even the hoch alfar dumping him in the human world and sealing him from his home would be nothing in comparison.
Peigi unwound their fingers and walked on, her back view enticing. Reid waved at the Shifters he knew lingered behind the window, and quickly followed her.
Graham was at home, as Eric had said, dealing with a cub thing. That turned out to be Kyle and Matt on the roof attempting to set up a skateboard run. They’d already constructed a few ramps, Misty told Peigi and Stuart when they arrived, which Dougal, Graham’s nephew and second, quickly dismantled, but Kyle and Matt rebuilt as fast as Dougal tore down.
Graham stood on the roof yelling at everyone, but Misty was in the kitchen, calmly making tea. Her cub, a boy called Hamish, sat in a high chair, slamming his fists against the tray, threatening to topple the baby bottle on it and making almost as much noise as Graham on the roof. Hamish had a thick quantity of black hair on his head and penetrating wolf-gray eyes.
“Want some tea?” Misty asked cheerfully after she invited Peigi and Stuart inside. “I heard Stuart made the mate claim.”
Peigi halted, eyes widening. “How did you know that?”
“Nell called me, right after you left Eric’s.” Misty’s smile widened. “She also told me to keep it quiet, as you hadn’t given your answer yet, but I thought I should warn you. All Shiftertown will know within the hour, I’d bet.”
Stuart showed no alarm at the prospect. “I don’t mind.” He brushed the back of Peigi’s arm, sending pleasant tingles through her. “Think Graham’s in the mood to chat?”
“I think he’s in the mood to chain the cubs in the basement. Not that chains would keep them in.” A huge bang on the high chair caught her attention. Misty rescued the bottle that six-month-old Hamish had smashed to the tray, and set it upright. Both tray and bottle were made of sturdy material, built to withstand the strength of a baby Shifter. “You can always try. You’ll have to go up on the roof, though. Graham won’t come down until the cubs do.”
“I can deal with that.” Stuart kissed Peigi’s cheek. “Be right back.”
He vanished with a pop. Peigi, used to it, didn’t even blink in the rush of air he left behind. Hamish stared, wide-eyed, then he squealed with laughter and banged the tray with gleeful enthusiasm.
“He wants an encore.” Misty went to Hamish and brushed a tender, motherly kiss to his head. “So, the mate claim,” she said to Peigi. “Are you ready for that? Everyone at Eric’s was trying to push you into it, right?”
“They were.” Peigi sighed,