Free Faerie Godmother: Mythic Series, Book 1 by Abbie Zanders Page B

twice a year, and for those couple of days, we just make ourselves scarce or hole up somewhere so we don’t tempt the males.”
    Dani paused, shooting Ana an uncomfortable glance. “I don’t really know if there’s a right way to tell you this, so I’m just going to say it, okay? Matt’s trying to stay away from you because you are fertile right now and it’s driving him nuts. It’s one of the reasons his mating scent is so strong in here — he’s using it to mask your scent from the others. All they can smell is him.”
    “But you know,” Ana said, her words barely audible. She felt as if she were on the verge of total mortification.
    “Because I’m a female,” Dani said logically. “Females have a better sense of smell.”
    Oh. “Should I leave for a few days?”
    “No,” Dani answered, but her tone lacked conviction. “I suggested that, but Matt shot me down. He wants both of us to stay close by. I’m not sure why, exactly.”
    “I’m sure he has his reasons,” Ana offered. And she was pretty sure she knew what they were.
    “Yeah,” Dani agreed, “but it’s still a pain in the butt. I don’t think he’d object to a small road trip to Bransonville, though. It’s the closest thing we have to a big city around here, only about a two hour drive. We can make a day of it! I need some stuff, and it would be nice to have another girl’s opinion. We could have lunch there, maybe get our hair and nails done. What do you say?”
    Dani looked so hopeful Ana didn’t have the heart to turn her down. And maybe a day away from Mythic would help her clear her head and sort out her thoughts.
    “I’ll check the schedule, but I think it’s pretty light tomorrow. A couple of early morning check-ups, nothing major. As long as someone’s here to page me if an emergency comes in, it should be doable.”
    Satisfied, Dani stifled a yawn and made a nest for herself on the sofa. “Awesome.”

Chapter 10 – Well, That Was Unexpected
 
    T here were only a few events that resulted in a blood bond between a vampire and another being. The first involved turning a human or other inferior creature into a blood slave. Vampire blood could have an intoxicating effect upon those who drank it, and if ingested often enough, was as addicting as modern day heroin or methamphetamine. In exchange for “fixes”, the blood slave agreed to some level of servitude. The longer the agreement continued, the more dependent the recipient became. As a result, the period of said indenture usually lasted for the remainder of the creature’s natural lifespan.
    The second was obvious – when a vampire sired another by draining his or her blood and then replacing it with his own. That was a lifelong commitment, and one taken very seriously by his kind since their lifespan could continue indefinitely.
    The first method involved no death and small exchanges of blood over an extended period of time. The second involved death and a massive exchange of blood. Neither applied in this situation.
    Which left a third possibility that nearly brought him to his knees: he had met his true, fated mate.
    It was such a rare occurrence that he hadn’t even considered it. In the case of true, fated mates, a dormant bond snapped into effect with only the slightest interaction and exchange of bodily fluid. It could be something as simple as a kiss... or the single bite of a vampire upon the one the Fates had chosen for him and him alone.
    It was a staggering thought. After five centuries, was it possible he had finally crossed paths with the one who would complete him? Or was this, like his temporary return to mortality, some kind of cruel trick?
    He briefly considered sending Kristoff, Jason, or Zarek to her as a precautionary test. If one of them bit her and experienced the same strange phenomenon he had, he rationalized, then he would know that something unnatural and devious was afoot. He nixed that idea almost immediately. Just the thought of another