Exes and Exorcisms by Keira Blackwood (uplifting book club books .txt) 📗

out on him, and instead asked where to find the town’s alpha, Declan O’Malley. It turned out he lived just outside of Forbidden in farm country, not too far from Joe’s ranch.

Declan lived at a bed and breakfast, and his mate ran the place. Lucky for me they had an empty room, so that’s where I crashed while I attempted to mend the problems I had caused.

I sat on the porch swing waiting to catch Declan. He’d been out of town for work at his construction job for the past couple of days and hadn’t been available. When he got back about an hour ago, he said we could talk after he settled in.

Just like everywhere else in Forbidden, the B&B had a warm, small-town feel with a flare of magic in the air. It wasn’t just the scents of shifters who came and went, either. It was as if all things supernatural belonged here. Forbidden had a homey feeling to it, and I wished I could stay. But I wouldn’t push Kelly from Forbidden by staying. I’d do right by her, by her vampire family, and by her town. And if after that she still couldn’t see that we were meant to be mates, I would go.

A strange voice swept through my head.

Kelly’s an alpha. Submit to her, and everything will be fine.

The screen door creaked behind me. I could sense that it was Declan even before he spoke.

“Daphne tells me you’ve been staying here for three days.” He circled around so I could see him and leaned on one of the pillars with his arms crossed. His hair was damp and his scent carried hints of soap and the oatmeal bars Daphne had served for breakfast.

“I have.”

Roll over and show him your belly.

Just like before, I ignored the voice. After everything that had happened, I hadn’t been sleeping well. When I woke, it felt like I hadn’t rested at all.

“What happened with Kelly?” Declan’s tone held no hint of judgment, but also held a knowing quality, like he could sense that she was my mate. Maybe because I still carried her scent, or maybe it had been the way I’d looked at her when Declan had first shown up at Forbidden Fangs.

“I screwed up,” I said.

“I’ve been there,” he said. “But she’s your mate. Fix it.”

“I’m trying,” I told him.

“You planning on joining the pack?” he asked.

“That’s not what I’m here to ask,” I told him. “I’m here for her.”

He raised a brow like what he’d asked and what I’d said were the same thing. They weren’t.

“I’m attempting to work out an agreement with The Stakehouse,” I told him. “But I wanted to clear my thoughts with you first.”

That’s right. Defer to his superior strength.

If the two of us got into it, I didn’t know who would win. It was a strange thought, and I pushed it away.

“I respect the organization,” Declan said. “What do you have in mind?”

“I claim Forbidden as a safe haven from hunters. It won’t be easy to make the case that not all vampires are evil and in need of slaying, but with your cooperation, the town could be its own territory.”

As I said the words, I felt the ring of truth in my ears, and the certainty in my heart. This was our best move.

“Stakehouse of Forbidden?” Declan asked.

That wasn’t what I’d meant, but now that he’d said it, I couldn’t not want that. “The Stakehouse is all about killing,” I said.

“Not after you convince them that some vampires are good people,” Declan said.

“A kinder, gentler Stakehouse. I love the sound of it.”

“Then make it happen,” he said. “You use your connections to protect my people, you’re pack.”

I hadn’t had a pack in so long. And I didn’t even know if I was staying. I wanted to say yes.

Say yes. Be his beta.

Like hell. I was no one’s beta.

“I’ll see what I can do,” I said.

“Let me know how it goes.” Declan nodded and headed back toward the door. Then he stopped. “And, Xavier—”

“Yeah?”

“Welcome to Forbidden.”

With that, he went inside. The screen door clattered shut behind him.

I took a walk and called Clyde. He picked up right away.

“Xavier, perfect timing. Thought I wasn’t going to hear from you about the Covington job.”

“You’re not,” I told him. “That’s not why I’m calling.”

“Oh. Surprise vamp nest in Forbidden? Has to be a big one for you not to have it handled by now.”

“The vampire who killed the human is dead,” I said.

“Great,” Clyde said. “Then what’s the problem?”

Tell him you’ll do whatever he wants.

“I’m taking Forbidden,” I told him, ignoring the niggling voice in my head. “Putting down my own Stakehouse.”

“That’s great,” Clyde said. “Never thought you’d be the kind to settle, but you’re one ruthless fuck. If anyone’ll be able to keep hunters in line, it’s you. I can send a few guys down your way, clear out any bloodsuckers between there and—”

“No,” I said. “We’re not killing indiscriminately anymore.”

He gasped. “You got turned. You’re one of them bloodsuckers now, too.”

“No,” I said. “I’m not.”

“Then you got worms in your head or something. We kill vampires.”

“Not in Forbidden.”

“We’ll see.”

I growled. “Send a hunter to Forbidden, he won’t come back.”

The threat lingered between us.

“Why?” he asked. “I thought with your girlfriend dead and all, you’d forever be one of us.”

“I am,” I said. “And I’m not. People change. We learn. We grow. And I’ve learned that not all vampires are soulless monsters.”

“And you’re sure it’s not the brain worms?”

“Clyde.” I used the sharpness of my wolf to prove which of us was the alpha. “This is how it’s going to be.”

“Right then,” he said.

“Come visit sometime and I’ll prove to you that our way needs to change.”

“I might just take you up on that,” he said. “Take care, Xavier.”

I hung up the phone feeling a lightness in my chest.

I did it.

Kelly was safe.

With my mate protected, I could rest easy. Everything else would fall into place.

Content, I found my feet carrying me toward town,