14. Fourteen

Fourteen

Rainbow

"Where'd you go last night?" I asked Sunny, as we began loading the store shelves with products. The entire place had a fresh coat of paint. We had polished the floor to perfection and made sure the windows were sparkling.

Half of the things we had to sell were from the endless deliveries Sunny had taken. The rest was from what was left of Tabitha's shop, meaning we had more inventory than I'd expected. Tabitha had an amazing store back in my hometown, but had abandoned it when the hostile takeover had happened. She and her family were all safe with a new group and starting over with a new shop.

Since I'd settled in Umberwood, I'd talked to August a couple of times. He was trying his hardest to help Toby and Zeph, the demon, with a curse Zeph's family was under. The group they were with was a mix of shifters and vampires and some witches, proving vampires could integrate well.

From what I'd heard about back home, things were settling. The vampires had caused no harm. If anything, they had helped the remaining witches with the weird power struggle going on. Brittany had texted me to tell me all about the vampire she had helped find me. A little late on that info, but it was nicer than she had ever been. I asked about her pregnancy, and she told me things were going well. I was glad for her. Really. She might have been awful before, but her pregnancy seemed to have changed her for the better.

If only things were better for my dad. I called often, yet there was never any change. He wasn't any better than he was, stable at least, just not improving. They thought they might have to break the link with his familiar because it might be the reason for his extended sickness. He was still missing. My family was being really cagey and I couldn't quite grasp what was happening. Every time I tried to get more answers, they asked me about how things were with me instead.

I wanted to visit, really I did, just with the shop and starting a new life, I couldn't justify the time it would take to get the permission to enter Westhaven. Their rules were so restrictive, though I knew I should be grateful they took in my family with no notice.

At least stuff with the shop was going smoothly. Tabitha had given permission for Kayden, Sunny's vampire coven leader, to ship the things to me. I paid her for all the stuff, obviously, and made sure she got the things she hadn't been able to take when she had left. When she had fled the coven, she thought she was losing all the stock for good, so it was a boost to her to get paid for some and get the rest back.

We had worked out a good system for when I got my greenhouse up and running again. The plan was for me to still provide plant stock for her potions and I would use her as a supplier for the things I couldn't make myself. I'd have to take a few trips to get new seedlings, which I could only do after I got help to run the store… There was so much for me to think about!

"I went to watch the bonding and the signing of the truce between the packs." It had taken Sunny so long to answer I'd nearly forgotten what I'd asked.

Oh. The packs. I'd heard a lot of movement over the last week, noticed Griffin around a lot, but we never had time to speak to each other properly. Stupidly, considering how he'd treated me before, I wanted to get to know him better. There was something that drew me to the shifter.

"Did you… Did you speak to Griffin?" I could hear how I sounded. So desperate for even a scrap of information about a guy who barely looked my way. Pathetic.

Here I was longing for a guy who had slammed the door in my face and criticized my choice to give Sunny a chance, while the vampire who I was destined to be with was going out of his way to undo a lifetime of vampire fear and prejudice! Poor Sunny deserved better than me. I just couldn't get thoughts of Griffin off my mind.

"I did." Sunny was being unusually reticent about this. Normally, he was very chatty. It was rather sweet.

"What did he say? Did the bonding go well?"

Sunny sighed, then seemed to decide something important.

"The bonding was lovely. Nora from the other pack looked nice. Tor loves her." There was more he wasn't saying.

"And?" I don't know what I wanted Sunny to say. I was stupidly jealous that Sunny had been with Griffin.

"And Griffin is an idiot." Sunny shook his head with a wry smile.

That was the most unkind thing I'd ever heard Sunny say about anyone. It startled a laugh out of me. His lips twitched in response.

"Look, I wasn't going to say anything and risk you getting angry at me," he said, looking nervous.

"Why would I be angry at you?"

"Because I've known something for a little while, and I think you're going to be hurt when I tell you."

"What is it?" Was he going to confess that we weren't really mates?

"Griffin is our mate."

"Our mate? What?" Sunny wasn't making any sense.

"There's a bond between you and him, but also me and Griffin." Sunny looked sad while I was rocked to my core. Then he explained further, making me even more conflicted.

"He belongs to both of us. That's why you always look for him when you feel him close." My eyes strayed to the outside. Was that why I was always looking out the windows?

"It's why he's always standing on the street, watching. It's why he's already been by the store twice today. He can't stay away. Why I couldn't stay away last night."

We stood in silence for a long time while I thought about it. I had been drawn to Griffin since I'd met him. With his shifter senses he had to know what we were, yet instead of acknowledging our bond, he'd rejected me by keeping it quiet.

Even worse, Sunny was also his mate. Our mate. Strong, lovely Sunny, who spent every minute of every day trying to make my life easier and all I could think about was the missing piece of our puzzle.

"Talk to me, Bow. Please," he begged. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You didn't. I think it would have hurt to know before I knew you better. I wouldn't have believed you if you'd said I had two mates, since I hardly believed you about having one. Getting to know you has been amazing. I'm glad you told me now, because I've been feeling guilty over my feelings for Griffin."

"Really? You're okay that I didn't tell you sooner?"

"I promise. Having you here makes it easier knowing there is a part of us missing."

"He didn't want me to tell you," Sunny admitted, "but I could see how conflicted you've been. You didn't have to tell me how guilty you've been feeling. I can smell it."

Okay, Sunny scenting my emotions was weird.

"If he could stay away, then it would make it easier on you. He can't, though." Sunny shook his head sadly.

"Why?" There was more than one question in that one word. I wanted to know why he was rejecting us, why he couldn't stay away, why we weren't enough.

"He doesn't think he's good enough for us. He's a Were shifter."

I winced. Were shifters were always seen as lesser. "No wonder. He's wrong, though." I knew enough about Weres to know Griffin was strong. To rise up and lead a pack as one was incredible.

"Griffin thinks he's dangerous to us. Well, you in particular."

"But that's silly. I have my magic and you to protect me if he happens to be out of control around me." I also had Jinx and the extra magic he gave me.

Sunny's smile was tinged with sadness. "I know, but Griffin isn't ready to trust it."

We lapsed into silence again. Sunny resumed his unpacking while letting me process all he had told me.

"Bow?"

"Yeah?"

"It's okay you have feelings for him, you know. Natural even."

"Then why do I feel like this? You've done everything for me and…" I trailed off, unable to finish that thought.

"You're not ready to bond without him?"

How did he look straight into my heart like that? I'd barely known about Griffin, yet he was getting to the crux of the problem. Griffin was meant to be with us. Being with Sunny romantically wouldn't feel right without our werewolf.

"I know how you feel. I want you, so badly, but not without Griffin there."

I was glad Sunny was on the same page as me.

"So, we what? Wait for him to be ready?"

This time Sunny's smile was devilish. "No, we convince him. Now that you know, I'm sure between us we can figure it out."

Just after lunch, Sunny got a call he absolutely had to take. He left after pressing a kiss to my cheek, the most affectionate he had ever been with me. I liked it. Gone were the moments I was scared of Sunny. I knew he was a vampire and could be terrifying if he chose, it wasn't who he was, though.

Over the last week or so with Sunny helping me, he had helped me become more comfortable with what he was. He let me see and touch his fangs, demonstrated his speed and strength for me, though sparingly.

I wasn't sure I'd ever be open to letting him bite from me, but I was sure he wouldn't ask me so he didn't scare me. He was still living off animal blood, so maybe that wouldn't come up.

The shop was lonely without Sunny there. I wondered if he would be interested in working part time once the shop opened or I wouldn't get to see much of him. The thought of him being around made me smile.

A dark head of hair caught my attention outside with that all too familiar tug in my chest. Griffin.

Seeing him made me angry! He was doing this to himself and hurting us all. Where did he get off constantly checking on us when he could be with us?

I stormed to the door.

"Hey!" I called.

He turned around.

"You could come in, y'know? Help out, or even just hang out."

Nothing. He didn't say a word.

Bitterly, I turned my back on him and returned to where I'd been taking a count of the stock I had. There was so much to do before opening day.

Griffin clearly got the hint, because the feeling of being watched vanished not long after.

Wrung out and exhausted, I decided to lock up and go home. I was grateful we had taken my Jeep that morning and Sunny had left in an Uber to go wherever he was going. He didn't like to use vamp speed during the day because it took too much energy, requiring him to feed more often. He also wanted to avoid notice. No one wanted hunters in Umberwood.

Traffic hadn't quite picked up as I drove home. I left the radio off, needing silence to think my thoughts. Sunny had given me a lot to mull over.

What were we going to do about Griffin? Knowing what I did now, I realized I'd been missing him since I'd met him. Part of me had seen him for who he was, one of my mates. I still couldn't believe fate had given me two men. I was beyond blessed. Poly bonds weren't that unusual with witches, though I wasn't sure I'd seen it in other supernaturals.

My street was quiet as I made the turn for home. My driveway had a familiar truck in it. Why was Sunny at my house without me?

I parked on the street, leaving space for Sunny to get out, since I wasn't ready for him to stay over just yet. My eyes strayed to Griffin's house, but I didn't see him. Didn't mean he wasn't there.

Sunny flashed to my side. "Bow! I didn't expect you home yet."

"What are you doing?" I asked suspiciously.

"Um…" his eyes drifted to my house. "I have a surprise for you, but it's not quite ready for you to see it. Could you wait inside for me to be done? I won't be long."

Desperate to get off my feet, I sighed. "Okay."

Whatever he was doing, I bet it was something sweet.

"Hey, Rainbow," Daisy called when I entered the house. "Sunny is very excited about the surprise!"

The vampire in question carried a tray with a teapot, a cup, and a plate of cookies into the living room.

"Snacks while you wait," he explained at my puzzled look.

As soon as the tray was on the coffee table, Sunny flashed away. He left behind him a trail of mud on the hardwood floor he had painstakingly restored.

"Oh! I'll get that," Daisy said. A broom started sweeping it away moments later. I'd placed some crystals around to power the little ghost. She liked interacting with me. Jinx was her favorite, so I wasn't surprised when a piece of pepper appeared for him. He crawled out of my pocket to take it. I was so grateful Daisy had given up on feeding Jinx live food. I'd taken him to the shop for the magic boost I'd needed when handling some of my stock. He munched away gratefully, likely just as tired as me. We didn't have a lot of magic between us, but it was enough for the little life we were building.

I grinned to myself when I thought about how different things were to my old place. I mean, Daisy alone was something. A ghost child shared my house with me!

Honestly, living with a ghost was weird, but no weirder than having a vampire for a mate, so I just tried to enjoy it. Sunny said Daisy wouldn't be with us for much longer, which honestly made me sad. I'd grown to care for the little girl almost as much as my vampire.

I drank a cup of tea and ate a few cookies before Sunny called for me to join him outside.

Curious, I wrapped myself up and went out to the backyard, only for my breath to be stolen from my lungs.

One thing about this house was that it had a pretty decent plot of land behind it. Part of the selling point to me was what I could do with it when I had the time and money.

Sunny had transformed the space and built me the greenhouse of my dreams.

"Oh, my goodness! Sunny! You're amazing!" I leaped forward and let Sunny catch me in his strong arms. I hugged him as tightly as I could and pressed kisses all over his face before landing one on his mouth.

A couple of weeks ago, I would never have imagined kissing a vampire, but here I was, lips locked with Sunny. His skin was only slightly cooler than mine, and with how long he'd been outside in the late November weather, he should have been colder. Vampire magic, I guess.

I kept the kiss brief, though I wanted to kiss him again when my eyes landed on the greenhouse.

"Want to see inside?" he asked, looking so pleased with himself.

"Please," I breathed, so shocked and happy with his gift.

A shadow watched me from the back door of Griffin's house. It wasn't time for thoughts of him with what Sunny had done for me. I had to focus on the mate who wanted to be with me.

Taking my hand, Sunny led me down the path and opened the door to the greenhouse.

At my first glance inside, I gasped. "All my plants!"

The pots were familiar. Some of the leaves were from things I'd taken weeks to track down. All of it was crops I thought I'd left behind to rot. When Sunny had asked Kayden to send things from Tabitha's magic shop, I hadn't dared to ask about my old greenhouse, fearing those plants were long since dead.

Tears trailed down my cheeks unchecked. "How?"

"As soon as I knew you were my mate for sure and I watched you leave town, I knew I had to ensure they lived. Amara from my coven helped me. I over-watered some," Sunny admitted sheepishly.

I couldn't help my wince. Still, they all seemed to be fine. Parting from Sunny's side, I walked among the rows of carefully ordered plants. It was almost identical to my previous set up, just slightly fancier. Sunny clearly had spent money on this.

"It's perfect! They look so healthy! Sunny… I can't." A sob escaped me.

Sunny took me into his arms and kissed my hair. "This is just a token to show you how I will cherish you."

"But…"

"This was all in motion before Griffin. I'm not expecting anything to change between us until we can get the wolf on board." Sunny sounded so confident we could change Griffin's mind.

Not a feeling I shared. Still, I knew in my heart I couldn't accept Sunny unless Griffin finally closed that door. If he gave me the closure I needed, I would be all in with my vampire.

"I'm sorry. It just doesn't feel right without him."

His grip on me tightened briefly. He gave me another kiss. This time he bent his knees to get the tip of my nose, making me scrunch it up and him smile with amusement.

"No, it doesn't. I swear, I'll fix that too."

That I believed.