1. Raphael

CHAPTER 1

Raphael

I can’t believe I’m actually here. At a masquerade of shadows event. Although they happen all over I never thought I’d take part in one.

But desperate times and all that.

My cousin, the sheriff of Magic is at home chasing his girl Jemma around and hopefully winning her over but the way he looks at the tiny human is why I’m here.

I don’t want to miss out on finding my own mate. I’m in my thirties and it feels like it’s been hundreds of years that I’ve waited for her. Hundreds of long, lonely years howling at the moon on dark, cold, silent nights and wishing, hoping for her.

There’s a war that’s been started in Magic and I shouldn’t take any woman back there. But my mate is my responsibility and she’s out there somewhere alone. Helpless.

I cannot deal with that. I’m not okay with losing her before I find her. Hell, I’m not okay with losing her at all!

I’m fucking desperate to find her and protect her.

The dancers whirl around on the floor, fancy dresses billowing and floating as they twist and turn. It’s a beautiful kaleidoscope of glowing satins and chiffons in bright jewel tones and icy pastels. Every one of these shifters has been vetted and is here to find their mate. The perfect piece of their soul that’s been missing, that they can’t live without.

And the men here are all shifter males searching for their female. Just like me. My inner wolf growls under my skin and I see some of the masked males turn towards me, mouths snarling.

I draw myself up to my full six foot seven height and glare right back, my eyes cold and watchful.

I don’t intend on starting any shit. This is too important to mess up. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to let some fucker mess with me either.

I turn away and take a slow circuit around the room, my nose flaring at the scents around me. Every shifter has a unique scent but underneath that is the animal’s scent and I’m surrounded by the smell of wolves and dragons, vampires and unicorns. All of the paranormal world that most humans don’t know about and never really learn about in their short lifetimes, it’s all here. All on show as our magical world coalesces into the most base of needs. The urge, the absolute hunger to find our soulmates.

A female vampire hisses at me as I get too close to her and the other female that she’s dancing with. Her eyes flash red and her fangs gleam white as she glares at me.

I bow my head slightly and move away from her and her lovely partner. It’s obvious that they’ve matched and I have no intention of getting between anyone and their mate. I watch, mildly amused, as another big male vampire moves towards them. I expect him to get shot down quickly. Instead both women turn to him and he pulls them close.

Hmmm. I’ve heard of unusual couplings. But I’ve never seen any of them in person.

My eyes turn away and follow a striking redhead in a pale, icy-violet dress that falls like a gleaming silken waterfall over lush curves. She’s beautiful. But when I move closer to her, I can scent her and my heart sinks.

Nothing. My wolf turns around and huffs, ignoring the female. Obviously, she’s not my mate. And he’s apparently disgusted that I would even think that she was!

Ugh! Lord save me from cantankerous beasts that can’t keep their damn opinions to themselves.

He snaps sharply at me, urging me on and growling that I’m useless. He needs his mate. Hell, I need my mate. We’re one and the same on that score.

But every time I cross the damn huge ballroom, the scarlet drapes on the edges of the room lining the space, my spirits sink lower and lower. I can’t sense her and my inner wolf is becoming more and more bored and angry. I groan under my breath and find a wall to hold myself up with. Out of all the smells in here, none of them are my mate.

I lean my head back and sigh. Useless. It’s all useless. I’m never going to find my mate. I’m going to be one of those unlucky bastards that spends my life alone and lonely, always searching for something and knowing that it’s not going to be mine.

My inner wolf whines and curls up, nose to tail, shattered and alone. I want him to tell me that it’s going to be alright but it seems like he’s in a mood too.

I close my eyes and sink into exhaustion. I can’t stay around this area too much longer. The masquerade was my only attraction to here and if it’s going to be a waste of time, I’ll have to head home soon. Usually the masquerade ball can last days. Until we’ve all given up and dragged our new mates home to start new lives. We’re horny bastards when we find our soulmates.

My head comes up and a path clears across the ballroom. It’s almost like there’s a halo on the other side where some people in dark pants and white shirts are putting out a buffet for all of us. My eyes latch onto a gorgeous brunette across the room. Her hair is long but pulled up into a knot on the back of her head. It’s not a deep, dark brunette, it’s a softer caramel color shimmering with golden highlights under the glowing chandeliers. I can’t see her face yet but there’s a tendril of a breeze that’s blowing towards me and when it hits me, my whole body goes rigid with shock.

Hunger flares to life inside and burns my boredom to oblivion. Mate.

My legs walk towards her, my inner wolf staggering up to his feet, whining and snapping.

Mate. Mine.

I step in front of her and drink in her soft, whispery floral scent. Which is when my feet are knocked out from under me when I realize that there’s another scent under the delicious smell of my mate.

Human. She’s fucking human. She turns and my eyes meet hers, deep, dark chocolate meet her own sky blue and it feels like my heart stops in my chest.

Mate. Mine.