Havermouth, Present TimeAislen stood on the balcony whilst the wind whipped and tore at her hair and tried to penetrate Rhett’s jacket, which she had pretty much decided was hers whether he consented or not. She had showered and dressed in black jeans and one of Talen’s thick, plaid shirts over which she had strapped her corset thinking that the combination gave a grunge goth look. To completement that, she’d twisted her hair into two buns high on her head and gone red with her lips and heavy with the eyeliner.There was something nice about wearing her men’s clothes with the beautiful house behind her and the smell of wood smoke from the fireplace in Rhett’s snug combining with fresh brewed coffee and bacon on the air.Through the elegant French patio doors, she could see Cameron, Rhett and Tyler in the kitchen – the latter having appeared as if summoned by the smell of coffee and bacon, and subsequently had been roped into chopping vine ripened tomatoes, mushrooms and big bunches o

Havermouth, Five Years BeforeRhett knew that there was trouble the moment that he entered the kitchen. Phillip calmly ate his toast between sips of black coffee, his phone on the marble countertop, scrolling through emails, however Rhett’s mum caught his eye, her expression strained, and she gave a slight shake of her head. She was later leaving than her usual routine, which was warning in itself. She had stayed to mitigate Phillip’s anger.“Rhett,” Phillip lifted his eyes from the phone, his expression cool and calm.“I’m late,” Rhett said edging around the counter towards the door.“Be late. I want to talk to you before I leave.”“Phillip,” Lora murmured.Phillip cast her an irritated look. “Go to work, Lora.” She swallowed, wavering between obeying her mate and alpha, and protecting her son from his anger. A muscle worked in the corner of Phillip’s jaw. “Go on.”Lora cast Rhett a desperate look over her shoulder as she picked up her bag and went to the door. “Phillip,” she tried a

Havermouth, Present Time“That’s enough,” Heath snapped at the same time as Talen moved in one of those blurred motions too fast for Aislen’s sight, gently positioning her behind him and glowering down at Patience. Cameron’s chair hit the ground as he shot to his feet.“Holy shit!” Tyler exclaimed.“Heath is correct, that is enough,” Talen said his voice icy. Aislen placed her hands on his waist and smirked around him at the startled policewoman. Take that, she thought gleefully, she had a mountain of daddy-bear-vampire and three hot werewolves prepared to stand up for her, now.Patience’s eyes travelled from the grim-faced vampire, along the table of affronted werewolves, to her partner, Iris, whose hand rested on her weapon. “It is the truth,” she said looking back up at Talen. “Someone needed to lay it out for her.”“I will get my coat,” Heath announced, meeting Talen’s eyes and giving a slight nod of his head which Talen returned, a silent acknowledgement that Heath would break th

Havermouth, Present TimeThey sat with their shoulders propped up companionably on the headboard, the sheets tangled around their legs, the sex-sweat drying on their skin, and sipped whiskey whilst they shared a joint. She sighed on the exhale and rested her head on his shoulder, perfectly content in the moment.“Heath would tell me off,” Rhett said as he took the joint. “He disapproves of the smoking, nicotine or otherwise, especially inside.” He said as he blew out the smoke, returning it to her.“Of course, he does,” she laughed. “Mr Responsible.”“Hmm,” he leaned his face into her hair to deliver his kiss to the curls. “Five years,” he said.“Five years?” She frowned in confusion and regarded the joint in her fingers in accusation for her slow comprehension, and then realization dawned. “Ah, Rhett, let’s just not,” she complained. “We are all mellow and relaxed after amazing sex… Plus, we agreed, it’s in the past…”“For five years I would draw you,” he said with determination (if

Havermouth, Present TimeAislen took a rushed shower and stepped out to find Talen in the door of the bathroom holding her towel. He wrapped it around her. “Cameron told me. I will drive you into the town,” he said as he rubbed her dry.“You’re worried,” she observed, touching his cheek, still fascinated by its bareness.“I am concerned,” he corrected as he turned his attention to her hair, running the comb through it. “You predicted this flood and these bodies, and that is something that should be taken seriously. So, I will be the one to take you to town.”“Yes, daddy,” she melted against his chest, wrapping her arms around him. “I love you.”He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. “Let’s get you dressed.”She pulled on her black jeans and boots, and a skin-tight black knit jumper with skulls and crossbones provocatively picked out in white and positioned over her breasts, before slicking on eyeliner and bright red lipstick. She fluffed her fingers through her hair to encourage