Salvatore
By the time we’d eaten, both Angelina and our breakfast, it was heading for ten in the morning. We chose to walk to Diane and Michael’s cottage, even though our mate had wanted to fly. She looked so cute when she pouted. It only took a couple of passionate kisses to make her change her mind.
Angelina sighed and squeezed our hands. “I’m so happy that I want to fly into the heart of the city and tell everyone.”
“Not one of your better ideas.” Luca laughed.
“We have to tell her about the welcome ceremony, Sal. We should have done it before.”
I agreed with my brother’s statement. God knows how she’d feel about it. Angelina came to a halt and pulled on our hands.
“Hey, you two are talking about me. Look, if we’re going to be together for the rest of eternity, you have to communicate with me.”
She was right. “Sorry, it was rude of us. There’s something we need to tell you.”
“There’s an event, a kind of celebration, to welcome a new Hybrid into our community.” Luca rubbed at his temples.
Her face fell. “What kind of event?”
“Well, as you know, our parents are on the Hybrid council. They host a party where Hybrids from all over the world come to welcome you. Plus, you’ll meet vampires and angels as well.”
“Sounds like a wacky Halloween party.” Her attempt at humour failed miserably; she was anxious.
“It isn’t as bad as it sounds,” I assured her.
“No,” she responded, “it’ll probably be worse. I hate public gatherings. Can’t you go without me?”
I cupped her face between my hands, Luca rubbing her back with gentle reassuring caresses.
“The only formality is when the head angel for Earth, Clement, vampires, and our parents as Hybrid leaders, welcome you.” My words only seemed to unnerve her.
“I have an idea that may help,” Luca volunteered.
“Like what? Taking a cardboard cut-out in my place?”
“Do you remember Antoine?”
“Yes.”
“Well, he’s only recently mated. Donna was human too before she met him.”
“And?”
“What if we invite them over for dinner? That way she can fill you in on what she thought of the ceremony.”
Her face muscles relaxed a little and she became less tense. “That might be a good idea.”
I laughed. “You’ll get on very well with her.”
“How do you know?”
“Because,” I continued to chuckle, “like you, she’s stubborn and can smell bullshit a mile away.”
“Sounds like my kind of girl. And yes.” She smiled at us in thanks. “It would be great to meet someone else I could have as an ally to tell me how to keep my mates in check.”
“Bella,” Luca said, kissing her cheek soundly, “all you have to do to keep us in check is to satisfy us in bed. So far, you’re doing a fantastic job.”
My brother’s shit-eating grin caused me to laugh out loud.
Angelina shook her head slowly, returning his grin with one of her own. “Nope, you have to satisfy my needs, or I’ll make your eternal life hell. Now,” she continued as she headed up the little pathway to the cottage, “enough of this talk. I want to see Diane and Michael.”
* * *