Try Me

Chapter 3

The storm caused a leak in the kitchen, water everywhere. "It's going to take us forever to get the ceiling dry to be able to work on it," Ethan said, his tool box on the kitchen island. "I might be of assistance," I offered. Ethan and Jax looked at me, eyebrow raised, then they went back to talking about the wet ceiling. Fine, I thought. I went to the bar where the water had flooded the floor. Jacey and Addeline were trying to deal with the water water but it came ankle high. "This is fucking ridiculous," Addy muttered. "I can help," I suggested to them. "That would be great," Addy said with a sigh. "Grab a bucket and help Jacey." "How about you just open a window," I suggested. They both looked at me, but did as I said. I then used my fire ability to get the water to evaporate and turn into steam. A fierce wind then went about the bar and got the steam out of the bar. "Now that is great team work," Addy said with a smile. 

"I offered to dry the ceiling for your brothers, but they didn't want my help," I said. Jacey rolled his eyes, "Come on. The sooner we can get this shit repaired, the better." I followed him into the kitchen. "We got this," Ethan said to us. Jacey ignored them and lifted me up with ease, and put me on his shoulders, allowing me to easily centralize the heat in my palms to begin rapidly dry the ceiling. I ignored how good his stubble felt on my thighs, and concentrated on just letting heat and not full on fire to blast from my palms. I wanted to dry the ceiling, not burn it. 

I could feel my magic begin to drain away as I worked. Elemental magic ate through a person's magic quickly, meaning we couldn't hold out as long as someone who has mental abilities like telekinesis. Once it was dry, Jacey picked me up from his shoulders and put me on the floor. He put his hands on my shoulders to steady me. "Let's go out and get you something to eat while they start the repairs," Jacey said and lead me out of the kitchen. "You're welcome," I called out to his two brothers. Addy laughed softly as we passed her and went out the door. He took me to a black Jeep and I got in the passenger seat. 

He took me to a diner and he looked at me, "This is not a date. I have more class than taking you here for our first date. This is because the kitchen is a construction zone." I laughed and shook my head, "I'm not a fan of class. I prefer fun and exciting." He got out and came around, opening my door. We went inside and sat in a booth. A waitress came over, and eyed him, and I had to bite back a growl. He glanced at me over his menu, but ignored her advances.

"It's rare I ever see you without your brothers," she said sweetly. "Or are they coming later?" "I came here with my girlfriend," Jacey said to her, not looking up from the menu. "Why would my brothers join us?" "Girlfriend," she said shocked and looked at me. I gave her a smirk and wave, "It's nice to meet you, I'm the girlfriend. Now do us a favor, do your job and take our orders and stop flirting with my boyfriend."

She sneered and took them down before taking our menus. "You surely know how to make a first impression," he said with the hint of a smirk on his lips. I shrugged, "What can I say? I like to ensure my impressions are lasting." He nodded, "I can assure you've done just that." I smiled as my phone gave me a notification. I checked it really quickly. "Sorry, I know this is rude, but it's my mom," I told him. "Everything okay," he asked me. I nodded, "She's letting me know my brothers were driving her insane, and she was making sure I was staying out of trouble." "How many brothers do you have," he asked me curiously. 

I showed him the photo I have of my brothers and I, "I've got two. That's Brax on the right Lex on the left." His eyes widened slightly as he looked at the photo of the two gray wolves and I, "They're Bestia?" I nodded, "They have a few months before they shift for the first time. My mother is Bestia and our dad was Vir. They didn't care about the feud, they loved each other. I was born a Bestia, but when I turned for the first time, I became Vir. There is a strong chance my brothers could do the same." "I'm sorry for your loss," he told me, noting how I talked about my dad. "Thanks," I said to him. "The wound of his loss is fresh. He was killed a year ago by my uncle, because of this damn feud. My mother is doing her best, but the loss of her mate kills her everyday." 

"What happened to your uncle," he asked me. "I burned him severely," I told him. "Turned him into Two Face from the Batman comics. The Council arrested him and put out the flames before he burned to death, but the damage was already done." As they arrested him, he swore he'd get revenge on me. 

I expected him to cringe, but instead he held my gaze like the warrior he is. "I still have nightmares from that day." They were often filled with the sound of my mother's screams, my brothers' howls and whimpers, my father choking on his own blood, and my uncle's screams of pain. The smell of burning flesh tends to linger in my nose quite often. 

"Things like that, they last," he told me. "I still have reoccurring nightmares of when our Temple had fallen victim to a war between Bestias and Virs. I and my brothers we had to take them out, not caring what side they were on. They had to be punished for ruining the peace and breaking our rules. The lives we had to take and the effect it left on us is why my mother refuses to let any of the feud happen on our lands. She respects her position gifted to her by the council, but she will forever put her family first." "As she should," I said to him honestly. 

The waitress then brought our orders and we changed the direction of our conversation to a lighter topic. "How did going from being a Bestia to a Vir affect you," he asked me curiously. "Well, I can sleep in either form, but I usually prefer my human one since I get so hot at night. I can also hold my wolf form even when injured, but if I pass out then I change back. It is really comfortable to just sun bathe in my other form though. It's actually one of my favorite things to do, but last time I lounged about in my wolf form as much as I wanted at a Temple, I got shit for it. The Bestias claimed I was mocking them, while the Virs claimed I was nothing but a mongrel for doing so. Having mixed blood, I know what it's like to get shit from both sides, and that is why I do not have a side." 

He studied me for a moment before he looked down at his plate, "And if you did the same at home, then you will receive much of the same. Although we don't allow the feud to enter our lands, we can't stop the things others say if we're not there to hear it." I reached for the hand he had on the table and gave it a squeeze, "It's okay." "But it's not," he told me, looking me in the eye. "You may one day be mated to me and call the Temple your home too, and it will never be a home if you can't do what you love comfortably." He laced his fingers with mine, "I'll do what I can to make sure you can enjoy it." I smiled softly, my cheeks feeling warm, "Thanks, that means a lot." 

After we ate, he took me around the various shops, showing me some of the city he called home. Many seemed to know him from their greetings. I guess with a family as large as theirs, that shouldn't be a surprise. When it was close to time to open the bar for humans, we went back to Temple to get ready for our shifts. 

I got dressed and went down to the bar. "Thanks for helping with the leak," Jade said when she saw me. "It was no problem," I told her. "How does your magic feel," she asked me. "It's fine. Jacey took me out to get something to eat to help me refuel," I answered. She smiled brightly, "That's great to hear." 

When the bar opened the three Bestia wolves who arrived last night were assisting in the back, and Jacey ensured I didn't have to deal with them. The cash tips were even heavier tonight and that was really great. It was after closing to humans when I couldn't avoid the wolves anymore. They noticed the bulge in my pocket from the cash tips folded into a tight wad. "Did you put out for those tips," one of them asked. Jacey gave a warning growl, "I would be careful how you speak to my mate." They laughed at him. "You have a Vir for a mate," one of them laughed. "You're making a fucking mistake, but you can have fun figuring that out on your own." 

I gave Jacey a small smile before I finished cleaning up. I sighed once I was in my room. I was so fed up with this damned feud. I am here for Jacey. If it doesn't work out, then I will leave and never go to another Temple ever again.