Chapter Ten

Atlas was glad his shift was almost over. They'd stayed late at Morgan and Sam's, and once they were back at Kellen's, his mate had been ravenous. They'd had sex three times before Atlas had collapsed into sleep.

Which made Atlas drag ass at work.

Despite the late hour, there were still some customers eating at various tables. Atlas recognized some of them. Deputy Davis and his boyfriend, Zayde, as well as Tillman—the guy who owned the candy store—and his boyfriend, Laith.

"Did you talk to your sister yet?" Mason asked as he joined Atlas behind the counter.

Atlas wasn't taking a guest if Kellen decided not to go. His mate still hadn't said anything about it after their talk in Morgan's living room, and Atlas hadn't brought it back up.

And honestly, as much as Atlas wanted to flip off anyone who frowned at him bringing a guy as his date, he truly wanted his sister's day to be perfect.

Which meant not upsetting his mom.

"Not yet."

"You said your mom doesn't want you going solo. You have to either talk to your sister or ask a female to go with you." Mason shrugged. "Unless you've come up with another option."

Atlas respected the fairer sex and could appreciate their beauty, but the thought of having a woman on his arm felt so wrong. The only person he wanted at his side was Kellen.

"I have no idea what to do." Atlas closed his eyes and rubbed the heels of his hands against his eyelids. Not because he was just frustrated but because he was also trying not to fall asleep at the counter. "I hear what you're saying, but I just…" He groaned. "I'm getting a headache trying to figure this out."

Trying to figure out if Kellen was going, if he wanted to bring Kellen, and why he was trying so hard to please his mom when it wasn't even her wedding.

"Can I help you?" Mason asked.

Atlas thought his boss was talking to him, but when he opened his eyes, he noticed a customer standing in front of the counter. The man had a slender build and blond hair with highlights of pink running through it. He had really pretty blue eyes, too.

The stranger raked his eyes over Mason in a suggestive manner. "I'll take an iced tea and your phone number. I'm Lowell, by the way."

Atlas glanced from the stranger to his boss. Mason was a good-looking guy, and he could understand why someone would try to flirt with him.

Mason gave the blond a charming smile. "While I'm flattered, I'm also married."

Married? Since when? Any time Atlas talked to Elijah, he'd always referred to Mason as his boyfriend. Had they eloped and neglected to tell anyone?

The twink leaned his hands on the counter, his hips rocking from side to side. "Your finger is missing a ring."

Atlas saw the frustration spark in Mason's brown eyes. His boss grabbed a cup and a lid, sliding it toward Lowell. "The drink is free, but I'm not."

This guy was not giving up.

"Your hubby doesn't have to know." He traced his bottom lip with his tongue.

"He said no," Atlas snapped. "Get your drink and bounce."

Lowell glared at Atlas. "I don't recall inviting you into this conversation."

Atlas curled his lip. "You need to accept a rejection and move on."

Kellen strolled into the restaurant, smiling when his gaze landed on Atlas, and then he frowned. "What's going on?"

Lowell glanced at Kellen, and his eyes sparkled as if he had just discovered another potential flirting target. "Hey, handsome."

Atlas stormed around the counter, jealousy ripping through him. "That's my husband, and if you don't take your eyes off of him, I'll remove them for you."

The twink snatched the cup off the counter. "You're only acting tough because your hunk is standing there."

Snarling, Atlas reached for him, ready to wring Lowell's neck as he thought of Glen and Braylon. Why couldn't some people respect boundaries?

Kellen grabbed Atlas around his waist and pulled him back. "Never fight when there's a cop nearby."

Atlas glanced around and saw most of the customers had already left. The only ones remaining were Tillman and Laith, as well as Deputy Davis and Zayde. All four were watching him.

He jerked his head back around to the blond. "I don't need my husband to protect me. I clocked a big son of a bitch in his jaw. Do you think I'm afraid of you?"

Atlas still felt bad about punching Colt. Since that disastrous discussion in the kitchen, he hadn't seen Kellen's brother, and Atlas had yet to apologize to Colt for hitting him.

"I swear there's nothing but trash people in this town." Lowell tossed the cup on the floor and walked out.

Mason came around the counter and picked it up, throwing the cup and lid into a nearby trash can.

"You could have at least let me clock him one time," Atlas seethed. This time he wouldn't have felt remorseful about punching someone. Atlas would have even settled for slapping the taste out of the skank's mouth.

"Husband?" Mason looked Kellen over and then sniffed. "Wolf."

Kellen's nose twitched. "Bengal tiger."

Atlas's anger was momentarily forgotten as he stared at Mason, his brows hiked. "Did Kellen just call you Bengal tiger?"

Mason shook Kellen's hand. "You must be Atlas's mate if he's referring to you as his husband. I'm Mason, and it's nice to meet you. I had no idea that Atlas was even seeing someone, let alone mated."

"Kellen." He unwound one arm from Atlas to shake Mason's hand.

Hold the phone. "You're a shifter?" Atlas couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he'd worked for Mason for six months and had no clue his boss wasn't even human.

"Busted." Mason chuckled. "How long have you two been mated?"

There were Bengal tiger shifters?

"A few days." Kellen pulled Atlas closer in his arms, uncaring who was around them. Atlas loved that his mate showed him affection in public, something Glen had never done. His ex always said that petting and kissing belonged behind closed doors, and why was Atlas giving the spineless prick a moment's thought?

Then the wheels started turning in Atlas's head. If Mason was a shifter, that meant Elijah was his mate, not his boyfriend or husband.

"I'm gonna be working double time since Atlas can have his two-week honeymoon period," Mason said. "It was that way before I hired him, so I can suffer through two weeks without him."

Kellen looked just as confused as Atlas felt. "What's that?" Atlas asked.

Mason smiled. "It's when someone who is newly mated, if their boss is nonhuman, gets two weeks of paid leave to deepen their bond."

"Why haven't I ever heard of that?" Kellen asked.

"Beats me." Mason shrugged. "It's not a law. It's just a courtesy preternatural business owners give."

Two weeks with pay? "I can't leave you hanging," Atlas insisted. Mason had been too good to him, even if Atlas would love the time off.

"I'll manage. I'll take you off the schedule tonight."

Kellen shook Mason's hand again. "Thanks."

"Congratulations to both of you," Mason said with a smile. "Go ahead and get out of here, Atlas. Your shift is almost over, anyway."

"Call me if that husband stealer comes back." Atlas curled his lip. "The deputy will be gone by then, and I can throttle the harlot."

Mason burst out laughing. "I never knew you had this side to you. You're normally so sweet."

"He gave my brother a right hook," Kellen boasted with a wide grin, thankfully leaving out the part where Atlas ended up in the emergency room.

At least his hand was healed.

"Let's head out." Kellen took Atlas's hand as they walked toward the door.

"Wait." Atlas stopped. "I haven't clocked out."

"I'll do it for you," Mason called out.

"How did he hear me?" Atlas looked up at Kellen.

"Shifter hearing, babe. That's why I took Morgan out to the driveway instead of hanging out in his garage, which is right off the kitchen."

"How good is your hearing?" Atlas needed to know these things so he knew how far away to be from Kellen if he wanted to talk privately to someone or on his phone.

"You could be standing at the other end of the parking lot outside, whisper my name, and I'd hear you." Kellen opened the door, and they walked out.

"So if I stood in your kitchen and you were upstairs, I could whisper something to you and you'd hear me?"

"Yep. We can try it when we get home, only I want you to talk dirty to me." He wiggled his brows.

Heat engulfed Atlas's face. "What if Colt is home?"

"Then we'll try out the dirty experiment another time. You just got two weeks off."

Atlas felt giddy. He loved his job, but two weeks with pay? Sweet. Two weeks of endless nights of sex without worrying about getting up for work? Even sweeter.

"What should we do with your vacation time?" Kellen bounced his brows, as if he'd read Atlas's mind.

"I still haven't recovered from last night," Atlas said while they walked toward Lucille. His mate had driven him to work because he didn't want Atlas going anywhere alone until the threat with those vampires was over.

"You heard your boss," Kellen teased. "We have to use the time to strengthen our bond."

Atlas rolled his eyes. "You have to give me a chance to catch up on sleep, and then we can deepen our bond as many times as you want. I was dead on my feet all day because you kept poking your dick in my direction last night."

"I let you rest in between," Kellen defended playfully.

"Twenty minutes is not letting me rest in between screwing my brains out," Atlas argued. "Then I only got a few hours of sleep before I had to get up for work. I'm surprised I didn't crawl onto the counter during my shift and go to sleep."

Kellen slowed then stopped, his teasing smile vanishing. He glanced around as he tilted his head back and sniffed the air.

"What?" Atlas glanced around but didn't see what had caught his mate's attention.

"Go back inside," Kellen snarled. "Now!"

Before Atlas could take three steps, a blur shot past him, making some of the hairs on his forehead lift. Kellen hit the ground and rolled onto his back, and that was when Atlas saw the dark-haired stranger standing there.

Who was baring his fangs.

The guy was a vampire!

Kellen did a kip-up, slamming his fist into the vampire's sternum. The vampire flew backward, hitting one of the parked cars. He jerked forward but left behind a huge dent.

"We have your scent, dog," the vampire spat. "There's nowhere you can hide."

"Who's hiding?" Kellen smirked as he took up a boxing stance. "Come over here and get your heart ripped out like your other two friends did."

Looking to his left, Atlas saw Mason, Deputy Davis, and Tillman rush outside.

"Your shifter posse won't save you." The vampire moved so fast that Atlas couldn't keep track of him. Then Atlas screamed when he was jerked backward.

Mason had grabbed him and yanked him back.

Kellen bared his canines as the vampire slugged him in the kidney. Atlas's mate gripped his side and winced. Then the vampire punched him repeatedly before Kellen could spin out of reach. Kellen dropped to one knee, breathing heavily.

"No!" Atlas tried to get free, tried to get to his mate, but Mason's hold was too strong.

"Let me go!" Atlas shouted.

"To do what?" Mason snarled. "Are you going to fight that vampire?"

Atlas gasped when Deputy Davis shifted into a lion and Tillman into a huge bear. "The people inside…"

"Only their mates are inside," Mason replied. How had Atlas forgotten that everyone else had already left? "Tillman isn't going to be happy about his car."

When the vampire went after Kellen again, Kellen shot up and grabbed the vampire's throat, snarling as his claws slid free. Atlas's mate embedded them into the vampire's side and twisted his hand.

Blood soaked the stranger's shirt. As badly as Atlas wanted to look away because he didn't want to see another heart ripped out, he didn't dare take his eyes off of his mate in case the vampire hurt Kellen.

Hissing, the vampire shoved Kellen away and then placed a hand over his bleeding wound. "This isn't over, mutt. Next time you won't have your mongrels to protect you."

When the vampire ran so fast that Atlas couldn't keep track of him, Kellen dropped to his knees, his arms wrapped around his sides, his head hanging.

Atlas jerked out of Mason's hold and ran to his mate. He lowered to his knees but forced himself not to hug him. "How badly are you hurt?"

Kellen grunted and winced. "I just need to shift so I can heal. My kidneys feel like they're on fire."

Mason walked over and helped Kellen stagger to his feet. "You're in no condition to drive. Let me get my truck."

"I'm not leaving Lucille behind," Kellen groaned as he opened his eyes.

"Who's Lucille?" Mason looked from Kellen to Atlas.

"His car," Atlas replied as the lion and bear turned back into the deputy and Tillman. He quickly looked away when he saw the two were naked.

Deputy Davis headed to his car and pulled out a backpack. Tillman did the same, only he stopped to look at the dent in his trunk. "You've got to be fucking kidding me."

"I can drive you home in Lucille," Mason offered.

Kellen snarled. His arms were still wrapped tightly around his midsection, and there was no mistaking the look of pain on his face.

"No one drives Lucille," Atlas said. "She's his pride and joy."

"Then what they hell do you want me to do?" Mason asked. "I can't snap my fingers and have you, Kellen, and his car magically appear in his driveway."

Atlas wished his boss could do that. "I have to drive her."

Kellen snarled even louder but leaned against the trunk, his breathing rough.

"You have no choice," Atlas argued as Deputy Davis and Tillman approached, thankfully dressed.

"We'll talk about this after you heal," the deputy said. "In the meantime, Atlas is right. You don't have a choice since you're in no condition to drive. I'll follow you guys to make sure you make it home safe, but I'm not letting you behind the wheel."

Kellen dug into his pocket and slapped the keys into Atlas's hands. Mason helped Kellen into the passenger seat. Atlas sent up a prayer that a deer didn't jump out onto the road or he had to swerve around some critter trying to cross in front of him.

If something happened to Lucille, Kellen would never forgive him.

After getting in, Atlas adjusted the seat and mirrors and then started the car. It purred to life, a well-oiled machine under his fingertips.

No lie. Atlas was excited to drive her but also terrified he would put a scratch on the car.

"Don't be nervous," Kellen said with a grunt, slumped over in the passenger seat. "If you're nervous, you'll make a mistake."

"I'm a cautious driver. I'm the one who constantly tells you to slow down." Atlas put the car in reverse, and it shot backward. He slammed on the brakes, staring wide-eyed at the men watching him from a few feet away.

"Atlas," Kellen growled.

"Sorry. I just have to get used to how powerful she is."

"Maybe I should drive," Mason called out.

Atlas rolled the window down. "I got this! You three staring at me isn't helping. Go back inside so I don't wreck before I even leave the parking lot." He turned toward Kellen. "I was joking about the last part."

He totally wasn't.

"I'll follow you." Deputy Davis slid into his car, Zayde hopping into the passenger seat.

Blowing out a few breaths, Atlas eased his foot off the brake but not all the way. Lucille slowly rolled backward, and then Atlas put the car in Drive. His sedan's brakes weren't this good, even though they'd been replaced a few months back. Lucille's brakes were on a whole other level.

Atlas gripped the steering wheel so tight the color fled his fingers as he pulled from the parking lot and turned into the main road.

"Headlights," Kellen groaned as he sat forward, grimacing.

"Where is the lever to turn them on?" Atlas glanced around while trying to keep his eyes on the road.

Kellen reached over and hit a button. The headlights came to life, illuminating the street in front of them. "I trust you to get us home, Atlas."

"Thanks." Kellen's confidence meant a lot to him, but it didn't stop his nerves from bouncing everywhere. Atlas's heart beat like crazy as he picked up speed, going from ten miles an hour to twenty.

"Atlas, you're going to have to go faster. I feel my wolf trying to break free so I can heal, and I would be beyond grateful if I didn't have to do it in the car. My claws would shred the leather, and my size would make you crash if it happened while you were driving."

"Right." Atlas nodded, pressing the gas pedal down farther. The car sped up, its motor throaty and powerful as Atlas turned toward the back road that led to Kellen's house.

When the houses became father apart, Atlas went even faster, glancing down to see he was going forty. Kellen slumped forward and growled. His wolf was about to break free.

Atlas clenched his jaw and pressed the gas pedal harder, the engine sounding as if it was growling, too, as it shot down the road. Atlas's fingers hurt from holding the steering wheel so hard while he navigated the twists and turns, his adrenaline spiking.

The speedometer needle was on eighty. Atlas glanced quickly into the rearview mirror and saw the deputy keeping up. Hopefully he didn't give Atlas a ticket.

When familiar landmarks grew closer, Atlas slowed until the car was at a crawl before turning into Kellen's driveway. This was so much worse because the driveway was not only narrow, but densely packed trees lined both sides, blocking out the light from the moon. Atlas didn't dare look down to try and figure out how to turn on the high beams.

The house finally came into view, and Atlas felt as if he could breathe again. He eased the car around the side of the house and parked by the back door.

The deputy parked and jumped out, hurrying toward Kellen's door. As soon as he pulled the guy out, a massive wolf hit the ground.

"What the fuck is going on?" Colt rushed out the back door and knelt next to the wolf but looked at Atlas when he joined them. "Why are you driving Lucille, and why is a cop behind you?"

"A vampire attacked him outside my job." Atlas hurried back around the car and turned it off. He eased his door closed before going back to where Kellen lay. "The vampire pummeled Kellen's kidneys right before your brother stabbed the guy with his claws. Deputy Davis was just making sure we made it home safely."

"Thanks," Colt said when he looked over his shoulder at the cop. "I appreciate you looking out for them, but I got it from here."

"Tell Kellen I still want to talk to him after he heals." The deputy got into his car and pulled away.

"How are we going to get him inside?" Atlas asked.

His brows shot up when Colt slid his arms under the enormous wolf and lifted him off the ground then carried him toward the back door. Atlas raced forward and grabbed the door, holding it open as Colt carried his brother inside.

"He said he had to shift to heal." Atlas followed Colt upstairs. "Is he really going to be okay?"

Colt lay the wolf on the bed. "He's going to be fine. The vampire must've done more damage than just the kidneys if Kellen couldn't drive home himself."

"It was all a blur." Atlas paced in front of the bed. "The vampire's hands moved so fast that I thought he was going to kill Kellen. I tried to help, but my boss held me back, refusing to let me go."

Colt turned toward him. "You injured your hand punching me. How on earth were you going to take on a vampire?"

"I don't know." Tears flooded Atlas's eyes. "I just couldn't stand there and do nothing while my mate was being attacked!"

Colt gripped Atlas's shoulders, forcing him to stop his pacing. "You got a set of balls on you, Atlas. I'll give you that. Just do Kellen a favor and stop trying to fight men ten times stronger than you."

Atlas narrowed his eyes. "Not if my mate is in trouble. I don't care if I end up in a body cast. I'll always have his back."

Something passed behind Colt's green eyes. "My brother couldn't have asked for a better mate."