My One and Only (Bewitched and Bewildered #10)(22)

She gently ran her hand over the small pink and purple flowers growing between the stones. "Is that Mother of Thyme?"

He nodded quietly. "I dug some up from my grandmother's garden in Storm Keep and brought it with me." She slowly crushed the plant to release the aromatic fragrance. She smiled up at him. "I could spend the entire day on your walkway and be perfectly happy."

He helped her to stand. "Then you'd miss what's on the inside."

As they walked up to the door he saw that Ms.Anderson left his basket of wash by the door. "Gods bless that woman." He smiled sheepishly at his mate. "I can perform just about any major spell I attempt but for some damn reason every time I wash my clothes they either turn pink, blue or grey."

Serenity instead of laughing nodded in sympathy. "Do you think she'd be willing to take on my wash too? I'd be more than happy to pay her for the trouble. I hate doing laundry," she admitted.

"I knew we were meant for each other." Micah leaned down and kissed her soundly. What started out as an impulsive kiss of joy turned heated quickly. When she began to pull him close he stepped back. He placed a trembling hand on the center of the door and unlocked it. "After you," he said breathing heavily.

"Spoilsport!" a male voice yelled from across the street.

Micah turned and glared at Dimitri. "Go away!"

"Go where? We live here too," Dimitri responded.

"Yeah, we never get to see Micah actually kiss a woman. After all the decades of watching him flirt I feel like we should see more," Viktor said grinning.

"Not with my mate you're not," Micah groused.

Serenity was next to him laughing her head off. He turned to her. "You're no help."

Serenity wiggled her fingers at the warriors. "Hi fellas!"

"Hello!" They called back.

Micah racked his brain trying to think of a way to get the warriors to leave them be so they could go inside and hopefully resume what they were doing.

"Micah!" Dimitri yelled pointing.

Seconds later two voices shouted. "Immobiles!"

Micah was looking around for the source of danger when Serenity screeched and practically climbed up his back. Her arm around his neck was threatening to cut off his air supply. "Breathe... Serenity... I need to breathe." She loosened her hold but stayed where she was. She pointed down at their feet. "Snake!" she yelled nearly rupturing his ear drum.

Micah looked down and saw a small, bright green snake. "It's just a garden snake," he said leaning down to pick up the frozen reptile.

"Micah hold up," Dimitri said running up with Viktor. Hawthorne and Emlyn right behind them.

"It looks like a harmless garter to me," Micah said.

Viktor raised an eyebrow. "In Noctem Falls?" He pointed to all the stone.

"Good point," Micah said.

Dimitri gave a low whistle. "This is no garter snake, it is an Eastern Green Mamba and they are deadly."

Behind him his mate kept murmuring the word 'snake' over and over again. He turned to Dimitri. "How'd the hell did it get here?"

Dimitri met his eyes then looked at Serenity. "It is probably someone's exotic pet gotten loose. I will ask around to see where this little guy goes."

Translation. I will find out what happened and maim whoever is responsible.

Micah mouthed the words, 'thank you' before turning his head toward his mate. "See my one and only, Dimitri is going to take that little guy home."

Carefully she eased down but stayed behind him her face buried between his shoulder blades. If he wasn't still trying to regulate his own heartbeat he would have found her reaction adorable.

Hawthorne looked over at Serenity. "I'd recommend some of the elderberry wine you smuggled out of your gran's house for your mate Micah."

Serenity peeked around his shoulder, still avoiding looking at Dimitri who held the frozen snake. "Elderberry wine?" she asked looking calmer already.

"Great idea Hawthorne! Come one honey, let's head inside." Micah looked at his warrior brothers. "You have my thanks."

Viktor clapped him on the shoulder. "All in a day's work."

They waved until the guys were out of sight then they headed toward the door. When they got within a foot of the doorway Serenity froze. He easily scooped her up into his arms, unlocked the door again and pushed it open. He eyed the basket and decided to leave it by the door.

"How about we relax in the garden?" he suggested gently setting her on her feet pointing to the back of the house. He closed the door behind them.

She glanced down around their feet still looking spooked. "No snakes, right?"

He tipped her head back and rubbed noses with her. "No snakes I promise."

"Good," she said shuddering. "I swear I can still feel that one against my leg." She convulsed again and started walking to the garden.

Micah clutched at his chest as she opened the large oak door leading to his oasis. The snake had been on her? "Elderberry wine, right. Sounds really good right about now." He veered off to the left to the kitchen. He opened the pantry door and rummaged around the bottom shelf until he found his prize. He held up the bottle and blew off the dust. Grinning he stood and went to his cabinets to grab a corkscrew and two glasses.