Mating Song (Eternal Flames Book 14) Page 4

  He had gone up to the men, smiled as he pulled up a chair and softly spoke to the little girl and asked if she had a favorite movie. She had said Beauty and the Beast. He started singing the title song and she had clapped asking for another, so he decided to sing a fun song and Be our Guest seemed perfect. She had laughed, clapped, and sung along with him. By the time he finished the song, the little one had completely forgotten she was upset with her daddies to begin with. Deja had clasped her tiny hand and kissed her knuckles, saying he couldn’t wait to see her again soon, and then turned and went back to work. “She was just having a bad day and needed some cheering up.”

  Smiling, Jagger replied, “I’m not here about Amelia. I am here about you, Deja.”

  Deja looked at Twix in complete confusion. Twix sighed and sat forward. “Jagger is here to offer you a job.”

  “But I already have a job here. Why would I go all the way to Maddox to wash dishes when I do that here?” Deja replied.

  Jagger laughed. “I’m not here to offer you a dishwasher or bus boy job, Deja. I’m here to ask if you might consider coming to my club as a performer.”

  “A performer?” Deja asked still completely confused.

  Nodding Jagger said, “We recently finished some renovations on the place and are planning a few more. I’ve been looking for live entertainment for the club and I believe you are what I’ve been looking for.”

  “Oh, Mr. Jagger, I…”

  “Jagger, Deja. My name is Jagger No… Holt.” Jagger softly laughed. “Forgive me. I just recently have taken my mates’ last name and I’m still getting used to it. However, I would like if you called me Jagger.”

  Slowly nodding, Deja replied, “Jagger. I appreciate what you’re offering, but I don’t know the first thing about being an entertainer. I love to sing and dance... hell, I need to sing and dance, but I wouldn’t have a clue how to put together a show for others to see.”

  “Well, see now, that is where I come in. I can help you with all of that. Deja, together we can put together a band for you to work with and even dancers. You would be in charge of all the songs you would like to perform. It would be once a week for that and I would also like for you to be the forefront of the Karaoke night I have planned. You and your back up singers would assist with the customers on stage, and when there might be a lull you guys could fill in a song or two. The pay we can work out and…”

  Deja held his hand up, stopping Jagger from continuing. “Jagger, what you’re asking of me is a dream I have had for as long as I can remember. However, I have no way to get back and forth from Crystal to Maddox and vice versa.”

  “Oh, that wouldn’t be a problem, Deja. Nick and I just moved into our new home we had built, and our loft above the club is available. You could live there, and transportation would no longer be a problem,” Jagger insisted.

  “Oh, I can’t do that. I have no money to pay…”

  “Deja, it would be part of your contract. As long as you are singing at my club, you can live in the loft, rent free.”

  Deja sighed and stood up. “That is extremely tempting, Jagger, but I’m sorry. I couldn’t possibly go to live in Maddox right now. My brother just got out of the hospital and is healing. I can’t just leave…”

  Jagger’s eyes saddened. “Yes, Twix explained about Vano. I’m sorry he is not well, and I understand your need to be with him… but I also go with my instincts and right now they are screaming that I must have you at my club.”

  “We’ll get you a car to come back here to visit your brother whenever you like,” Nick stated, not moving from where he stood.

  Deja’s brain must have rolled out of his mouth when his jaw dropped. Were these two men serious? They wanted him to come and sing at their club and were willing to pay him. Provide a home, and a vehicle? No way! “I don’t know how to drive, sir, but thank you anyway.”

  Jagger quickly looked at Twix, saying “Do you think your father would help us with transportation for Deja?”

  Twix pursed his lips. “Most likely, but then again I don’t want to lose one of my best employees. Since Deja came to my diner, business has almost doubled and at the rate it’s growing, I have a feeling by the end of the month it will have tripled.”

  “Oh please, your business was already almost more than you could handle. This man’s talent needs to be shared. You know he is meant for greater things than cleaning your tables and washing your damn dishes, Twix. I can give him what he’s been looking for ever since he was born. Hell, the man even said what I was offering was like a dream come true,” Jagger said with such conviction, Deja could swear he was sincere.

  Twix nodded. “I understand that, Jagger, but you also realize that his mate is here in Crystal.”

  Deja gasped, how the hell does Twix know about Shadow? I haven’t told him.

  Twix must have seen his surprise, because he gave Deja a sad smile. “My mate is good friends with Wade. He told him about Shadow and…”

  Not wanting everyone in the universe to know his mate had refused him, Deja stood. “Yes, well, be that as it may, Shadow has made his feelings known and has no say in what I do.” Turning back to Jagger, Deja said, “I need to think about your offer. I don’t know what you think Twix’s dad can do for me with my transportation issues, but I would still need some time to think about what you’re offering.”

  Jagger stood and pulled out his wallet, removing a business card, then held it out to Deja. “I understand. This is my number and I hope to hear from you soon, Deja. You have a talent and it is a shame not to share it with as many people as you can. However, I need an answer within the next week. Otherwise, I’ll have to try and find someone else.”

  Taking the card offered, Deja replied, “Just give me a few days to think about it and I promise I’ll let you know.”

  Deja walked out and went back to work. He had a lot of things to consider. What Jagger was offering him was something Deja had secretly dreamed of for as long as he could remember. However, he wasn’t liking the fact it would mean he would have to leave his family. Deja had never been without his brothers. They may not have been brothers by blood, but they were still his brothers of the heart, and Vano needed him as did Lon and Casius. Then again, there was Shadow. As much as Deja insisted the man had no say in what he did with his life, Deja still couldn’t help but wonder what Shadow would think if he left. Would he be upset? Happy? Shit, he had a lot to consider. He also had to do something he knew was not going to be easy. He had to talk to Shadow.

  CHAPTER 5

  Shadow walked into the house, praying he wouldn’t come across Deja. His mate had been living under the same roof as him for over a month now and it was driving Shadow insane with need. Fighting his panther day after day was getting harder, and Shadow honestly didn’t know if he could continue his fight to not claim his mate.

  Deja seemed to be everywhere, and Shadow’s constant hard-on was testament to it. Fuck, he had jacked off with visions of the man ever since the day he heard Deja singing to his brother in the hospital. However, nothing compared to the other day when he had been in a meeting with Suneth, Wade, and the other guys. Thinking about it, Shadow couldn’t remember hearing the man singing since then.

  Fuck, they had been sitting and planning on what to do about the Senator when Deja’s sweet voice had caught all of them off-guard. They had all gotten up and left the conference room only to see his little mate in his own world, dusting, singing, and dancing. The second Deja did the splits, Shadow thought he would explode in his pants right then and there. Images of his mate’s flexibility and how many ways he could position the gorgeous creature while he fucked him into the mattress had assailed him all at once.

  Not wanting to bring attention to his mate that he was home, Shadow quietly made his way upstairs. Shadow was known for his stealth-like ways. Being a soldier most of his entire existence, Shadow had learned how to hide himself, even in plain sight. If Shadow didn’t want to be seen… he wasn’t. It worked out well for
him and his team when he was recruited to Wade’s Black Ops group. However, it seemed that his skills sucked when it came to Deja. The man always seemed to see him when no one else did. Just like right now. Turning, Shadow could only stare at his mate as Deja stood at his bedroom door watching him, knowing that yet again Shadow had been trying to avoid him.

  “You don’t have to hide from me in your own home, Shadow. I know you want nothing to do with me right now and I have respected your wishes,” Deja softly said.

  Shadow tilted his head to the side. “Yet, you still make sure I see you everywhere I look.”

  “What would you have me do, Shadow? I live here. Am I supposed to lock myself in my room until I know you are nowhere to be seen?”

  Yes! Damn it! Shadow knew his thoughts were ridiculous, but seeing his mate, smelling him all throughout his home and surrounding grounds kept his cock so hard that he was most likely ready to break the Guinness record for bouts of masturbation in a day.

  “I’m sorry, Shadow. I am willing to do many things for you, but locking myself away isn’t one of them,” Deja softly replied.

  “Do what you will. I don’t care,” Shadow snapped, making his way towards his room.

  Shadow saw the dark circles under his mate’s beautiful silver eyes. If Shadow wasn’t mistaken the man had lost some weight and he had already been too thin. This was his fault and honestly, he had no clue how to fix it. He could not have a mate. His soul was too black… too tarnished… too repulsive to even think of tainting his mate’s purity.

  Shadow had seen too much in all the wars he fought. He had lost too much from his original home, family, and so much more. Shadow knew that if he were to accept this gift that Kali herself had bestowed upon him, it would do nothing but destroy the sweet man before him. He had far too much blood on his hands. Allowing Deja to go on with his life without someone like himself, was the best way for him, as Deja’s mate, to provide the happiness, health, and care to the man. It was what mates did for each other. They provided those things every day of their lives and this was Shadow’s way of taking care of his mate… even if no one else understood what he was doing.

  Shadow was so engrossed in thought… that was the only reason he could think of not to have been aware of someone rushing up from behind. One second he was walking to his room and the next, someone was slamming into his back, wailing on his ass screaming and cussing.

  “Lon! Get off him! Lon! Stop it, dang it!” Deja shouted.

  Shadow flipped the man from his back, raising his hand to knock the shit out of him when someone pulled Shadow off of Lon and slammed their fist into his face. “Don’t fucking touch my brother, you son of a bitch, or I will kill you.”

  Casius went for him again, but Shadow had too much training to allow another sucker punch. Shadow launched his body at the dragon shifter plowing his fist into the man’s face hearing a satisfying crack. Then Lon jumped on his back shouting, “You fucking piece of shit! I should kill you for what you’re doing to my brother!”

  Seconds later Six and Flyer were by his side, doing their best to stop the dragon shifters’ attack and then Suneth came out of nowhere, shouting, “Enough!”

  All fighting stopped as they all turned to one very pissed off gargoyle. Turning, Shadow thought for sure he would see his mate’s distressed eyes, instead he saw nothing but burning anger. Well Shadow had wanted his mate to go away. From the look in the man’s eyes, he was so pissed off at Shadow that the man knew he was finally going to get his wish. However, Deja shocked the hell out of him when instead of ripping into him, he went for Casius and Lon, shoving them both. “What the fuck is your problem?”

  Lon growled, “What the hell, Deja? That fucker denies you and you expect us to sit back and take it? Bullshit! Being gypsy is no reason to deny what fate has brought to someone and he damn well knows it!”

  Casius snarled and looked at Shadow in disgust. “When Asbuth convinced us to stay in his home instead of ours at Donny’s or one of my other mates, he said no one gave a shit about who we were.”

  “There is no prejudice in my Chimera,” Suneth stated firmly.

  Vano snorted as he slowly made his way closer to his brothers using his walker. “Maybe not against dragons or phoenix, but it seems to me at least one of your men detests gypsies.”

  Shadow snarled, “I have nothing against gypsies or any other being, whether they be human or paranormal!”

  “If that’s so, then why do you refuse to claim Deja? He’s your mate and yet you run so fast and far, you’re gonna hit a tree and hurt yourself,” Vano snapped.

  “Stay out of my business! You know nothing!” Shadow snarled. He felt his panther begin to come to the surface and was doing his best to push him back.

  “Vano, I’ve already explained to you and your brothers, you can not interfere in a mating,” Suneth calmly stated.

  “I am not interfering, Suneth. I am telling that fucker he’s an idiot! Deja is the sweetest, most loving man I know and I’m not saying that just because he’s my brother. I’m saying it, because he doesn’t deserve to be made to feel as if he is less than or not good enough,” Vano explained, still giving Shadow an evil look.

  Shadow snapped, “You don’t think I don’t know what kind of man your brother is? Well you and your brothers are wrong. I know he is pure of heart and it is because of that I do not claim what is rightfully mine. I refuse to taint his soul in any way, shape, or form. So back the fuck off!”

  Casius nodded. “He isn’t sleeping.”

  “Or eating,” Lon snarled.

  “You are a prejudiced prick! I’ve known men like you. You think because we are gypsies it gives you the right to treat us like shit! You can knock us around, treat us like we are nothing but dogs on a leash. Well fuck you!” Vano snarled with such anger and hate that Shadow almost missed the small flicker of painful remembrance and he would know that look. He saw it every time he looked in the mirror.

  “Shut the fuck up, all of you!” Deja shouted.

  Shadow looked at his mate in surprise and although he had noticed his mate looked tired, it was the first time he realized just how much weight his mate had lost. Every part of Shadow wanted to go to the tiny man and force him to eat, sleep… take better care of himself. His panther paced within him just as unhappy by Deja’s brothers’ declarations. Yet, Shadow knew he could do nothing for his mate.

  Deja took a few breaths then looked at his brothers. “I love you all and I appreciate you trying to help, but you have to listen to Suneth. Stay out of this. Shadow may be my mate, but that is in term only. Now I may not understand all his reasons, but I respect his decision. You need to stop trying to force something that has nothing to do with you. Just let it alone.”

  “Deja, we only want you to be happy. Fuck, you’ve hardly sung a song in weeks. You know you can’t do that,” Vano snapped.

  “I’ve been singing at work and I just sang the other day while cleaning. You were there, Vano. I’m fine,” Deja muttered.

  “You’re not fine, damn it, and it’s this fucker’s fault!” Casius snapped pointing at Shadow.

  Shadow didn’t understand what the hell Vano meant about the singing, but he was getting sick of the attitude he continued to get from Deja’s brothers. “Do you think this has been easy for me? I would give anything to not see Deja every fucking place I look!”

  Realizing what he just said, Shadow snapped his mouth shut, but not before he heard Deja’s loud intake of breath.

  Shadow hated the look of horror and hurt on the human’s face. He rushed around everyone and out the door. He needed to escape not just his mate, but himself as well. Not even taking the time to remove his clothing, Shadow shifted into his black panther and took off into the forest.

  * * * *

  Deja walked into his room, picked up the phone and dialed the number on the card he held.

  “Jagger speaking.”

  Swallowing down his fear, Deja opened his mouth, and nothing came out.

/>   “Hello?” Jagger asked, sounding a bit annoyed.

  Was he doing the right thing? Deja had never been without his brothers. Turning towards the window, Deja was surprised to see a black panther lying on a limb of one of the large trees close to Timmy and York’s home. He was looking towards Deja’s window and it surprised Deja that he could see the pain in Shadow’s animal as clearly as he could when he was in human form.

  “Look, I can hear you breathing. Either speak or I’m hanging up,” Jagger stated angrily.

  Feeling the tears filling his eyes, Deja softly said, “Is that job offer still open?”

  “Deja?”

  “Yes. I… I… can’t… I… If the offer is still open I…”

  “Hey, it’s okay. Yes, the offer is still open. Are you alright?” Jagger asked in concern.

  Deja couldn’t speak for a moment as he watched the panther, wishing he could touch him and discover if the animal’s fur was as soft as it appeared. Hopefully one day it would happen, but today was not that day.

  Suneth had told him that it was rare for a shifter to be able to deny his mate for long and with time Shadow would come around. Deja grasped that bit of knowledge and his decision was made. He would take Jagger’s offer. He would give Shadow the time he needed without feeling pressured, and if that meant Deja had to leave then so be it. “Honestly, no, but I will be. So when can I start?”

  “How soon can you get here?” Jagger asked.

  “An hour? Or is that too soon?” Deja asked.

  With a light laugh, Jagger replied, “No, it’s perfect. Just come to The Cage and I’ll meet you there.”

  “Okay and… and thank you, Jagger.”

  Hanging up the phone, Deja went to his closet, pulled out a bag and started to pack. He had just about finished when Lon walked in with Casius, Asbuth, and Benji.

  “What are you doing?” Lon asked gruffly.

  “Remember the job offer Jagger made to me?”