Free Charlotte & Sebastian by Leanne Crabtree Page B

near”
    Charlotte's brain worked overtime as his description sunk in. He seemed to know a lot about it for someone who hadn’t experienced it. Suddenly it clicked. “You found her; your mate.”
    “I did,” he agreed, meeting her gaze. “She was like a breath of fresh air, light in a world that had turned dark and gloomy.”
    She wasn’t afraid to say she was jealous of the woman he was describing. “What happened to her?”
    Seb's brows drew together as he stared at her, the look on his face almost what she'd class as confusion. “She changed,” he finally said.
    Changed? What the hell did that mean? And where was she now?
    Palms clasped her face and urged her gaze to meet his. “Charlie,” he sighed, sounding almost amused, “she was changed into a vampire by me. Almost two years after we first met and she came to work here. She was a bad arse before she was turned but now she's deadly. She's getting really good with her vampire senses and is going to become amazing at resisting blood that she doesn’t get from me or out of a bag.”
    She gasped, realising he meant her.
    His eyes roamed her face, his lips pulling up into a grin. “Yes, I mean you. I knew from the first time I set eyes on you that there was something about you by the way my senses went haywire. I wanted to drink from you and I wanted to protect you in equal measures.”
    “ I'm your mate?”
    “ You are. We, uh, bonded the first time we made love and that has complicated the mating somewhat. We've been drawn to each other from the first meeting. That's how it works. If you'd still been human at the time, you'd have protected me at all costs but if I'd died, you'd have felt pain but nothing you wouldn't have been able to get over. Since you were a vampire, it's more in depth and now, basically, if I die, you die and likewise.”
    Her eyes widened. “Oh, God.”
    “That's why I want us paired for missions, so I can watch your back for you from both enemies and supposed allies.” Blue eyes took in her expression, “You're okay with this?”
    “ Just gives me more incentive to stay alive, I guess.”
    A warm chuckle left his lips, “Yeah.” He sobered quickly, “I'm sorry I dumped all this on you at once.” Sebastian ran his thumbs across her skin in a soothing gesture and she let out a long breath as the realities of what he'd just told her sunk in.
    “I did ask,” she said wryly.
    His lips quirked and then he pulled her into his chest and rested his chin on the top of her head, his hands stroking up and down her back.
    Charlotte's eyes closed.
    She had a lot to think about now.
     

Chapter Fourteen
     
    Charlotte pulled on her mission clothing of black long-sleeved t-shirt, black combat trousers and black boots and stared across her room at the bag of weapons. Should she arm herself? Or was she enough of a dangerous weapon already?
    She sensed Sebastian heading towards her room and walked over to open the door before he knocked. This was their first mission since she'd been turned—a week since she'd woken in Sebastian's bed—and they'd been practising every night with her abilities and she'd improved a lot.
    His brows rose as she opened it. “You're getting better.”
    A slightly smug smile curved her lips, “I know.”
    Blue eyes twinkling happily he stepped into her room, his arm circling her waist and pulling her against his chest as he walked her backwards and nudged her door shut. Tangling his free hand in her hair, he pulled her mouth to his and kissed her longingly. When they finally came up for air they were both breathing unsteadily.
    “Hello to you, too,” she said huskily.
    His chest vibrated beneath her as he growled warningly and she bit her lip to hide her smile.
    It was amazing how well she'd grown into the idea of them being mates. It had been a shock at the time but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense.
    When she'd been human she'd often wondered why she was drawn to him and now she knew why.